Willow; Sep 5th

4. {dinner for two}

My parents weren't the typical ones you'd know. My Dad was not the type that every other child had. He didn't come home with ice cream when he worked late in the night, he didn't take us to the park because he thought it was a fun thing to do, he didn't dress up for birthdays or Christmas because it wasn't his regular thing to do and we grew up accepting him that way.

My mom didn't stay home long enough for us to know how her soup tasted, she was always coming and going until she barely came at all. She picked her work over us, every single time. But I couldn't blame her, my father made her that way. That sacrifice was a leverage over our problems.

Gambling was our family disease because my Dad was addicted to it. Once he started, there was no stopping to it. He apologized and promised to turn a new leaf every now and then, but like cancer without chemo, he relapses all the time.

That's why as I cooked dinner this Friday anticipating my Dad's return, there was a bit of bitterness clouding my expression. In spite of it, I knew that I was happy he was coming home. It's being a few months without any parent around and my mom was in Asia and won't be back till after two months so I had to embrace my Dad's presence.

"This one's burnt," Harry picked another one of the cookies in the tray again and flicked it in her mouth.

"Jesus Harry, at this point nothing will be left for when my dad comes," I yelled at her and she waved her hand in surrender.

"I'm sorry that you bake really crummy cookies that I can't resist, you should start a cooking class or something," she responded.

"You've said that thirty-two times today!" I mumbled as I put the baked beans on the table.

"Well, it's the truth," she smiled as she played with her car keys, "I have to go pick my uncle from the hospital."

"Why? He's sick again?" I asked her.

"Nah, just check up," she replied me and I nodded in response before I packed some of the cookies for him.

It was finally dinner time and Harry had gone home. I sat at the table listening to the rest of The Alchemist which I was listening to for the second time now. Jake finally came into the house, he was supposed to pick Dad from the airport after training but there was no one behind him as he walked into the house.

"Hey, where's Dad?" I asked him.

"He dropped me at the bus station, said he had somewhere urgent to be," he responded with a sigh as he dragged Dad's suitcase up the stairs.

"Did you tell him I cooked dinner?" I asked him again.

"You think he cares about some dinner you cook, Mary wake up, it's the same man. Stop acting so unfamiliar." He blurted out his frustrations before he finally disappeared.

Jake was right but I waited. I couldn't even cry about it, I mean I used to but not anymore. There was anger cursing through all of my body as I started to pack the food into the refrigerator.

"Should have just let Harry take the whole thing!" I grunted in frustration.

I felt brother's presence before I heard his voice, "it's been a while but he's still the same."

I only turned to him with a sigh.

"Aw Mae, I didn't know you spent so much time cooking these," he completely walked into the dining room and sat across the table. "I want these." He dragged the tray of cookies to himself and started to stuff them into his mouth while making gestures to say that it was delicious. It was a very frail attempt at making me smile, but it worked.