RP: A Dinner of Sorts

[rar_stephen]

Date: 15 August 1999 | Evening
Characters: Stephen Cornfoot, Joan Cornfoot (NPC), Richard Cornfoot (NPC)
Location: London
Summary: Stephen has dinner with his parents.
Completion: Complete

Comments

[rar_stephen]

Stephen could hear the disapproving edge to his father's voice. He clenched his jaw and grabbed the open wine bottle from the counter. He walked into the dining area and poured wine into the glasses while his mum brought in the pasta and sauce.

"Sit, sit," she said, pulling a chair out for Stephen. Shite she was trying hard to be nice to him. It wasn't working. Not really.

He sat and waited for his father to raise his glass in a toast. "To having a new place and having our son finally over for dinner."

Stephen inwardly cringed. His mother served him pasta and sauce, and he remembered to thank her though it took effort. He spun pasta on his fork, and scraped the tines across the bottom of his plate when his father reached over and squeezed his mum's hand. She looked up at him and smiled sweetly, and Stephen wanted to get up and walk out.

He frowned. How could his father have forgiven her after what she'd done? She had torn their family apart. How had they moved on together so quickly? She had an affair with an evil man.

He watched his parents eat, and he couldn't even lift his fork into his mouth. Stephen's mum reached over and touched his hand. He involuntarily jerked it away. She gasped in surprise.

"Stephen," his father warned in a low voice. "Apologize for startling your mother."

He looked at his mum, and there were tears in her eyes. Guilt swelled inside, and he clenched his jaw. Stephen exhaled.

"I apologize for startling you, and I apologize for being unable to forget what events led us to this moment."

They ate the rest of the meal in silence.