Consideration for Scoundrels

TWO

"How's school been kiddo?"

While her father had lost some, though certainly not all, of the trim muscle he'd accrued during his legionary days, Selena guessed her could still toss the average-sized man handily across a room if the occasion called for it. Though, that of course could have been a daughters bias.

"Unremarkable."

Selena O'Connell was the very image of her mother, with a dark mane she wore plaited down her back, and eyes her father was always teasing did half of her speaking for her. And after a childhood spent ankle deep in the sands of ancient ruins, the rigid, near archaic academic curriculum was particularly torturous.

She wore her irritation quite plainly that evening.

"We spent a week on Caesar last month." Selena pushed what was left of her dinner around the perimeters of her plate. "But naturally, they spent nearly entire thing focusing on Antony and Cleopatra."

"Poor Caesar. I'm sure that's the worst thing that's ever happened to the poor bastard."

"Exactly." Selena continued, choosing to ignore her fathers sarcasm "God forbid they expand on the Ptolemy beyond the end of the dynasty. No mention of the Battle of Actium, or the library of Alexandria, and poor Caesar! A footnote, and of course only citing his murder as the only event of note."

"Poor Caesar indeed."

Her mother, from the old photographs Selena had for reference, had barely been touched by the gradual creep of time. Sure, some of her edges had softened in places, but her hair was still rich and dark, there were lines near the edges of her eyes, but they were still sharp and bright as ever.

"I hardly suspect winter term will prove any less dull."

"Maybe over summer holidays we can go to Rome for ourselves." Evelyn offered. "Would be a shame not to see all Caesar managed to accomplished firsthand."

"Other than who he was shagging." Selena raised her glass to her mouth which did nothing to hide her smirk. She was careful to avoid eye contact with her father, less the two burst into hysterics at the table.

Evy's cutlery hit the table quick enough to make her dinner plate rattle. "Selena!"

"Send me a postcard." Rick flashed his daughter grin that let her know he was only half joking.

"Or, we could stop on the way to see Alex in Greece next week."

"Heh, nice try kiddo."

Selena deflated. "C'mon, it's not fair I get left behind in Bristol while the three of you are..."

"It's your last semester at Ms. Porters." Evelyn interrupted. "After that, you're free to go and do whatever you want."

"Within reason." Rick added. "Spare your old man a heart attack."

It was the same argument they'd been having for years; Selena wanted to accompany her parents and older brother on their explorations; Egypt, China, Peru, now Alex had been in Greece for the past six months, while she'd been here in England, stranded in the countryside.

"You know, you and your brother are lucky." Her father reminded her. "I didn't get to go to a fancy school when I was growing up."

"Then you can go back to Ms. Porters and I'll go with Mum." She gave her father a teasing scowl. "Though the uniform might need a few adjustments in order to fit."

"Hey!" Rick jabbed at the air with the end of his spoon. "Low blow kiddo."

"If the pair of you don't stop bickering like schoolchildren no one is getting pudding." Evy told them, hiding her own grin behind a glass of port.

"Alright." Rick feigned exasperation at the prospect. "Truce?"

He reached across the table, but when Selena leaned in as if to shake his hand, he pulled her out of her seat and mussed her dark hair.

"Go pack." He instructed.

"I'm packed."

"You're a liar. Go, scoot."

"What about pudding?" Selena protested, dutifully on her way to her room.

"Show me a packed suitcase and then we'll talk."

"Alright." The word echoed from the opposite end of the long corridor.

"What?" Rick flashed his wife the same roguish grin he had for decades.

"You're a child."

"Don't you mean; devilishly handsome and charming." With a hand on the back of her chair, Rick leaned in.

"Complete scoundrel." Evy quipped, and kissed him. "But I've got bad news."

"Mhm?" He moved in for another kiss.

"We haven't packed either."

"Really?"

"Really."

Rick sighed. "Great."