New to Ketterdam

Chapter 3

Warnings: none.
Author's note: I'm switching the pov to third person, I think it will be easier to write ultimately and a bit easier to understand. If I change it back, I will let you know.
This chapter is also mainly a chapter to get to know Julia and her family a bit more. It may be more boring and mundane but I want this part of her life to be a good motivation for Julia later.

—

     Julia sat with her family at dinner.  She loved these moments, all her siblings there, her parents present, and terrible food. Her mom was a bad cook and yet prided herself on never getting take-out—although her children would prefer take-out occasionally instead of her meals.

     "So, how has school been going for you three? Any troubles so far?" Mr. Lawerence asked three of his older children. All his children noticed him ignoring the plate before him.

     Florence, Matthew, and Julia all shook their heads. "No problems," said Florence as she ate her meal, slowly. "I've still got high marks and I've been able to hang out with the same group of people from last semester in my classes which is nice."

     "Yeah, same here. Can't complain." Matthew said not looking up from his plate. "Do we have anything else to eat?" He hadn't touched his food and didn't look like he could stomach it.

     Mrs. Lawerence looked up sharply. "No, this is all we have to eat tonight. If you don't like it you can just go to bed." She looked at her husband for support.

     He looked at his wife in confusion that turned a quirked eyebrow to his second daughter. "What about you, Julia? Have you made any friends so far?" His expression darkened slightly, "or have you just been running around on your own all day?"

     Julia looked away from him and towards her mother. "Could I make myself a sandwich instead? You know I don't like fish." 

     Mrs. Lawerence dropped the napkin she had just been using around her month, taken aback. "Have you even tried it?"

     Julia looked back at her father. "Yes, I've been liking it so far. And yes, I've met people."

     "Only one," Matthew pretended to cough in his sleeve. He smirked and looked at Mr. Lawerence. "A boy."

     Out of habit, Julia blushed but narrowed her eyes at her brother. Her leg swiftly hit her brother's knee.  "It's not like that, idiot."

     "Jules, just try the fish. It's not that bad. I think you'll really like it," Mrs. Lawerence said, oblivious to the main conversation.

     "A boy?" Mr. Lawerence smiled and wiggled his eyebrows at his daughter. "Is he nice?"

     Julia grabbed her fork and knife and began playing with her food, dropping her red face slightly.  "Yeah, but it's not like that..." she drawled.

     "I'd like to meet this boy."

     Julia groaned and rested her head on the side of the table.

     A brief, amused silence filled the room.

     "For goodness sake, y'all, just try the food. It's not that bad." Mrs. Lawerence eyed all of her children, raising her eyebrows and her voice. "I worked on this for a long time.  It's a recipe our lovely new neighbors gave us today."

     "I didn't know they didn't like us," mumbled Matthew.

—//—

     As all her siblings brought their dishes into the kitchen to rinse them off, Mr. Lawerence called from where he was lounging in the living room with Mrs. Lawrence and their youngest child, George. George was Julia's favorite sibling, because he was a little baby who didn't know how to talk yet. The perfect sibling trait, Julia thought. "Would any of you be interested in an internship at the hospital with me?  You can come after school if you'd like. I'll pay you too."

     No one responded but continued clearing off their plates, arguing amongst themselves on who would be able to get to the sink first.

     "Oh, come on, people," Mr. Lawerence sighed. "Brennan liked it, clearly. He's there and enjoying it full time aren't you, Bren?"

     Although Mr. Lawerence couldn't see, Brennan just shrugged while rinsing off his plate. "It's fine, I guess."

     "You like it," Mr. Lawerence said, his voice showing exaggerated knowing.

     "Maybe Julia would like it," Matthew said teasingly after I had cut in front of him to the sink.

     She spun her head around and gave him a look. "No, maybe Julia would not like it, brother dear." 

     "Why don't you try it for a week, Jay? Then you can quit if you want?" Mrs. Lawerence said, poking her head into the kitchen. "Hurry up in there, y'all, it doesn't take all night to rinse of seven plates."

     Mr. Lawerence walked into the room, a finger tapping his lips and his eyebrows furrowing sarcastically. "Mhmm, I think that is a good idea, Matthew." He dropped his hand and smiled at Julia, a more serious tone coating his voice, "I do believe you're grounded for staying out so late, so maybe you will come Monday after school. You don't have anything else, right?"

     Julia sighed and nodded before walking out of the room.

—

Author's note: Short and sweet :) The next chapter will have more Jesper and Kaz moments, don't worry.