The King Takes the Castle

Chapter 1

John Barringer checked his reflection in the hallway mirror. He nodded.

"Looking good, Mr. Barringer," he smiled to himself.

Jane, his wife, had called as he was bringing the children, Bobby, 5 and Sarah, 8, in from school to let him know she was bringing her boss home for dinner. Jane was up for a promotion at work, so John knew he had to make this dinner special. Luckily, he always kept something on hand for last-minute menu plans.

While the children finished their schoolwork, John defrosted the "emergency roast" he kept in the freezer. Thankful for the microwave, the roast was defrosted quickly and John could prepare the rub and get it into the oven. While the roast cooked, John prepared a quick and easy dinner for the children and got that into the oven. He peeled potatoes while the children's dinner cooked.

"Bobby, Sarah, dinner!" He called as he put the potatoes on to boil for his famous mashed potatoes.

He put the children's food on plates while Sarah got out the cutlery and Bobby got milk and juice from the fridge. John grabbed them their cups and poured milk for Sarah and juice for Bobby.

While the children ate, John cut up a salad fir a starter.

"Why are we eating so early?" Sarah asked.

"Mommy is bringing her boss hone to have dinner with us. You know she's up for a big promotion at work, and this is an adults dinner. It would be too boring for you guys. Lots of business and adult talk," John said. Sarah made a face.

"What's a pronition?" Bobby asked.

"Promotion, stupid," Sarah said to her brother, who frowned at her.

"Sarah, don't call your brother stupid. Bobby, a promotion is when someone works very very hard, and because they work so hard and learn so much, they get an even better job at the same company and a new name."

"So..." Bobby said, looking confused. "Mommy won't be called Mommy anymore?"

"Boys are so stupid," Sarah said, rolling her eyes. "Of course she'll still be mommy. She'll have a different title at work. Like, instead of manager she'll be a director or something."

"Something like that," John said, putting the cut tomatoes into the salad. "But stop calling your brother stupid, Sarah. I'm serious."

"Everyone knows boys aren't as smart as girls," Sarah said, matter of factly. "That's why you can't vote."

John sighed. Public school. How wonderful.

"Eat your dinner," John said.

The children finished their dinners while John finished the salad and started cutting up broccoli for their side dish.

Once the children were done eating, John sent them upstairs to get ready for bed, cleaned up after them, put the dishes in the dishwasher and followed them upstairs. He checked that teeth had been brushed and pyjamas were on. He went into his own bathroom and gave himself a quick shave, fixed his hair and changed into a dress shirt and formal slacks instead of the jeans and t-shirt he'd been wearing to do the housework and errands.

He sprayed just a bit of the cologne Jane had brought back for his birthday, from her business trip to Paris six months ago, and went to check the children were in bed.

"You look nice, Daddy," Sarah said as he came into her room.

"Thanks, Sarah," he said, sitting on the edge of her bed. "Teeth brushed?"

"Yup," she said.

"Homework done?"

"Yup."

"Okay. You can read until 8:30, okay? Then lights out."

"Nine," Sarah countered.

"8:15," John said.

"Fine. 8:30," Sarah sighed. She picked up the book beside her bed. It was a biography of Megan Rapinoe, a 21st century soccer player.

"Good book?" John asked.

"Yeah. Megan Rapinoe was amazing. Who would ever think that men thought they could play sports better than girls?" Sarah shook her head.

"Alright kiddo. Lights out at 8:30, deal?"

"Fine," Sarah said, settling into bed.

John went into Bobby's room. His room was so much calmer than Sarah's. Where her room was filled with posters of her sports heroes, sporting equipment, construction sets, Bobby's room was filled with toys, stuffed animals, his tea set set up in the corner.

"Teeth brushed, sweetie?" John asked.

"Yup," Bobby said, opening his mouth so John could inspect. He could smell the mint on Bobby's breath.

"Okay. Lights out at 8:00. Fair?"

"Okay Daddy. Have a good dinner. I hope Mommy gets her prominotion," he mispronounced again.

"Promotion," John corrected. "And I'll tell her."

"Okay," Bobby smiled.

John went back downstairs and took the potatoes off the stove and checked the roast, basting it with the juices that had gathered in the bottom of the pan.

The potatoes were soft and so John drained the water and left them in the strainer to dry out a little while he heated up some cream and took out butter and salt.

Checking the time, he saw he would have just enough time to put on a chocolate mousse for dessert. He got that prepared while the cream warmed up slowly.

He put together the mashed potatoes and put them into a bowl and then into the warming drawer in the bottom of the oven. He got the broccoli ready to steam which he would turn on when the ladies arrived.

He made the mousse and put that in the fridge to set.

With everything taken care of up to now, he went out to the dining room and set the table.

It seemed like an occasion for the good china and his grandfather's crystal.

From the cellar, John selected a red and a white wine and put both in the fridge. He'd take the red out in about twenty minutes. Red wine should have a chill, but not be served cold.

He heard Jane's car put into the driveway and turned the water on to steam the broccoli, which he'd finish with a very quick toss in a pan with garlic and salt.

He checked his reflection in the hallway mirror and nodded.

"Looking good, Mr. Barringer," he smiled.