A Cacophony

274 157 304
                                    

********

Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.

********

We walked around the block in a circle until we got back to our house. "No way would I ever say that. Your memory is way messed up," I said laughing as we entered the house.

"No, my memory is great. I mean, how could you forget telling me that you snuck downstairs in the middle of the night and ate a whole wheel of cheese?"

"Okay, I have so many questions about this scenario you completely made up just now, on the fly." He shook his head, "No, no you told me this happened."

"Wow, okay when did we ever have an entire wheel of cheese in our house?" He tried to interrupt me, but I continued, "And even if there was, why would I do that and ever tell you about it?"

As we talked we traveled further into the house. "Mom bought it for some special recipe thing and your stomach was upset and I asked you what was up."

I laughed, "Wow, what a terrible liar you are." In the distance toward the kitchen, I could hear my mother's soft voice. As we neared the kitchen, we peeked in through the archway and saw our mother making hot cocoa over the stove with her phone stuck to her ear.

"Yes, I understand. Can we please deliberate all of this at the meeting tomorrow?" She paused, "I completely understand that, but I will so much more comfortable if we converse about it in person. I want to see all the files and hear everything with you looking at me in the eyes Mr. Norman. Okay, thank you I will see you in the morning." She placed her phone on the counter with more force than usual and hung her head over the stove.

Gently, we walked in there, "Hi mom," I said.

"Oh, I thought I heard you two come in," she said looking up at us with a false smile.

"What was that about, if you don't mind me asking?" I said with a serious look plastered over my face.

"Just a meeting with Mr. Norman tomorrow. Nothing to worry about, I promise."

I sat on the island in the middle of our kitchen, "Here I was thinking we were done lying," Dennis said intensely eyeing our mom.

"Its minuscule really, I have a meeting with my lawyer tomorrow. It's just a lot of legal trouble, especially with you kids being involved and your father is determined to make this dif- challenging. Its nothing to wrack your brains about. Let's just leave it there for now, okay."

Denny and I both exchanged looks, "Yes ma'am," I said holding onto his shoulder.

"I made hot chocolate for you. It's so cold outside. I don't know why you choose to go out there."

"That's what I said," he looked up at me with an unreadable expression.

"It should be ready to drink now," she said starting to pour the delicious drink in our favorite mugs.

One Week Older: Turning PagesWhere stories live. Discover now