The Wings Of A Caged Bird | First Draft

side-story | edgar

Edgar's Choice

The electricity bill is making him lose his shit.

Edgar Conway is currently sitting at the dining table, a slip of paper in his hand. The contents of the paper has already been checked by the other members of the family, and all of them, without a fail, let out a sigh.

Makes no fucking sense! Isn't this a bit too much? Do these electricity companies have anything against poor people? Fuck them.

Edgar lets out a groan and puts the paper upside down on the table, as if that would change the three-digit sum. He crosses his arms on the table and places his cheek on it. He looks behind him, to the tiny living room. His older sister Elysia is pacing around the place, little Eve sleeping in her lap. There is an age gap of almost 22 years between them; Eve could be her daughter. Edgar's mother had Elysia when she was only 17.

Less than two weeks ago, there was a huge fight between Elysia and her in-laws, after which she came back home, face soaked in tears. Her in-laws don't want her to have a job. Rather, they want her to take a kid and dedicate herself full-time to child rearing. Edgar felt like running to their house and choking them to death when he first heard it.

After his sister tried to explain to them why she needs to work, they said something even more outrageous. They said that they will let her work, only if she agrees to hand them the part of the money that she plans to send her family. Edgar felt like running to their house and dismember their bodies when he first heard it.

Having enough of it, Elysia told her husband to either convince his parents or divorce her. Edgar wishes the latter would happen. His brother-in-law is compelled by the law to provide her financial aid. But Edgar doesn't think the divorce will happen so easily. The man loves her a lot. Why else would he marry someone of the lower class?

And Edgar knows, it's precisely because she is from a lower class that those people think they can control her, say whatever they want and force her to comply with it. The thought fills Edgar with immense rage, but there is nothing he can do about it.

He suddenly starts feeling a little suffocated, sitting here like this. So he stands up and tells his mom that he is going outside for a walk. She only tells him to be back before dinner. So he exits through the entrance door that is shorter than even his short height, and begins to walk through the slum alley absentmindedly.

Feeling bored, he takes out his phone and turns it on, then goes to his phone Messages. Cedar sent him a message last night here instead of on WhatsApp. He reads through the conversation again.

Stupid Nerd:

I'm out of Wifi zone now. Will
call you once I settle down

Me:

settle down WHERE

Stupid Nerd:

In your heart.

Me:

STFUUUUU

Stupid Nerd:

:(

He laughs. Cedar during texting is a different type of funny. Though he will never admit that outright to that nerd. He will also never admit to him how badly he is waiting for Cedar to come back. At least with that guy, Edgar can be himself. He doesn't have to be this responsible adult who puts others first. He can just be immature and silly. He can't find that comfort within his family anymore, and it isn't their fault either. It's just how things are. It's just how things have become.