Tears Of London

Family

JO

- Hey, darling. Can I bother you ? mom asks through the phone.
- Course, tell me.
- I really enjoyed the last dinner we made together. In family. And...I want to do this again, on Sunday, if you are free. I thought you wouldn't work on Sunday.
I am on a break, at school, eating a ham and butter bagel.
- Sure, I'll be there. Do you want me to tell Kelly ?
- I did already.
- Oh. Okay. What about Peter ? Did you tell him ?
- Yes, it's done. But he's not coming.
- Really ? Why ?
- He didn't tell me exactly, but I suppose your brother has already resumed his bad habits. And friends.
- Oh, I see.
Before he left England for Italy, Peter began to have alcohol problem, because of what mom calls « bad attendances ». That's why she proposed him to travel far away from his friends and habits.
But, apparently, it didn't work like she had expected.
- That is also why I call you, darling. I want you to talk to him, he will listen to you.
- Talk to him ? You mean...lecture him ? He's not a kid anymore, mom. And I'm not his mother.
- I know, but he never listens to me. Maybe he will with you.
I have very little faith in it.
- I'll try, but I don't swear anything. You know Peter, he is kind of strong headed.
- Yes, I know. Thanks, sweetie.

*

Directly after this, I called Peter to invite him for dinner, in my apartment. He arrived at 7pm and joined Kelly and I in the living room. I waited for Kelly to go showering to talk to my brother.
- Mom called me this morning. She invited me for a family dinner on Sunday.
- Yeah, I told her I was busy.
- Are you ?
Peter doesn't look at me, he is too focused on the TV for that.
- Yes, I have a dinner with friends.
- A dinner ? The same dinner as the one you were enjoying last week, in the Hutt ?
Finally, he starts focusing on me.
- How do you...
- Kelly saw you, I cut him off before he finishes.
- You ? I didn't know you were going to that kind of parties.
The way he says that...it is quite injuring, but I continue :
- Don't change the topic.
- What do you want me to say ?
- Are you really missing a family moment for a shitty party full of strangers ?
- They're not strangers. I told you they were already my friends before my nice family has decided to expell me.
My voice instantly gets more straight.
- Mom didn't expelled you, she offered you free vacations !
- Anyways. I don't want to go to this dinner.
I stand up, a little bit annoyed, and I head to the kitchen.
While I start to cut the tomatoes, my little brother asks :
- How do you know the Hutt ?
- That's not your business, shitty son.
- Come on, Jo. Tell me. Who told you about the Hutt ?
- Kelly.
- Oh.
He turns back towards the TV.
- And you ? I ask, curious.
- I know the guys who live there.
- Oh.
« So do I », I say quietly.