Tradition Comes Third

Family Dinner

"My Dad left when I was little, and my Mom recently died."

Ava wash looking down at her plate, and was pushing her food around the plate.

"Are you and your Aunt close?"

Ava shook her head. "No. We can go days without seeing each other."

Dad's lips curled into a smile. "You're always welcome in our family."

"Thank you," she said. "I've read your book, Mrs. Wilcox. I really enjoyed it"

"You can call me Julie," Mom said. "You joined us for dinner, so I'm going to guess you believe this family isn't evil."

"No." She shook her head. "It's unfortunate what happened."

"People out there having been trying to keep our family apart," Dad said. "We're trying our best to make sure that never happens again."

The rain was hitting the window harder, and caused an echo through the dining room.

"Hunter was talking about university," Dad said. "Do you have the same plans?"

"No, I can't afford it," Ava said. "Plus, I have no idea what I would want to do."

Dad shook his head and shovelled another forkful of food into his mouth. I was almost finished the food on my plate. Mom's face was frozen in a smile, and she only picked at her meal. I rolled my eyes when Dad congratulated Ava on not leaving her family.

There was a clap of thunder and everyone stopped talking. I could see the leaves on the tree outside clinging onto the branches as the wind ripped through them.

"Mom, can I borrow your car to drive Ava home tonight? She walked here," I said.

"Of course," she said.

"Just spend the night here," Dad said. "I don't want you driving in that. It's too dangerous out there."

"I've driven in storms before," I said.

"I just want you two to be safe," he said.

"It's a Wednesday," I said. "We both have school in the morning."

"Take your mother's car in the morning," he said. "Stop at Ava's house before school, and then you two can drive to school."

I looked across the table at Ava. "Are you okay with that?"

"Yes, it's alright," she said.

"Excellent," Dad said.

When we finished eating, Mom got up from the table and started clearing the plates. I stood up and began to help her. Dad put his hand on my shoulder and pushed me back down in the seat. Ava had a handful of plates and brought them into the kitchen.

"What was that for?" I asked him.

"Just sit down and relax," he said. "That's a woman's job."

"That's pretty sexist," I said.

"Hunter, you've been working hard all day, and this is your home. Enjoy it."

Mom and Ava came in and out of the room and quickly had the table cleared. They were talking softly to each other and giggling. Ava walked in with a large plate of cookies.

"Julie made these for dessert," she said placing it down on the table.

Dad reached forward and grabbed a few off of the plate.

"I definitely missed these," he said before scarfing them down.

Mom walked in the room with a couple of glasses of milk and was shaking her head.

"You boys always ate those cookies quicker than I could make them," she said.

"Hunter, why don't you and Ava take a few and go downstairs?" Dad said. "I want to talk to your Mom for a bit."

I piled a few cookies onto a napkin and stood up. Ava followed me as I went down into the basement. I was glad to just get away from the awkward conversation.

I turned on the lights to the basement. Our old couch was sitting across from the television. Mom had a few bookcases that were covered in books. I almost never saw her watching television or listening to the radio. I sat down on the couch, which I sank into quite some bit. Ava sat down beside me, and I set the cookies down on the coffee table.

"Sorry about my family," I said.

"Don't apologize. It was nice," she told me. "I don't think my family ever sat around the table and shared a meal together."

I shrugged my shoulders.

"You don't have to stay tonight if you don't want to," I said. "I understand if it makes you uncomfortable."

Ava giggled and picked up a cookie. "Hunter, the first time we met, you spent the night at my house."

"That is true. So what do you want to do? Watch a movie?"

"Sounds good to me."

"I'll go get a few from my room," I said standing up from the couch.

"Pick something good." Ava winked at me.

I walked up the stairs. Before I opened up the door, I could hear Mom and Dad talking to each other.

"Are you sure?" Mom said. "He's only seventeen. He's not even twenty yet."

"Julie, this is perfect," Dad said. "I don't want to pass up this opportunity."