Surviving Alex North - short story compilation

The Dinner Party

The Dinner Party

"Stop! You are getting it all over!"

"I am not!"

"Hasn't anyone ever taught you how to use a spooo... oh no!"

"Belle... are the potatoes supposed to explode like that?"

"They are not exploding Brady!"

"It's practically a volcano!"

"Don't help him Sami!"

The voices continue to flow out of the kitchen and into the hallway where a woman stands speechless, but with a smile upon her face. The focus of her journey to the kitchen was for a cup of tea, but then the voices came into play and she stopped in curiosity and wonderment as to why her children were there.

Upon hearing, "They are fine, leave them alone Brady," Marlena enters her kitchen and is about to speak when loud shrieks from both of her girls fill the room, accompanied by a cloud of flour.

Waving her hand in front of her face and coughing lightly, Marlena steps in further and attempts to keep the giggle out of her voice, "What on earth is going on in here?"

Three voices ring out with "Mom!" and another one with "Marlena" as the woman quickly turns around to notice Carrie entering the kitchen behind her. Belle steps forward, "We were... well are making us some dinner. Was hoping to finish it before you got done reading."

Scrunching up her nose, "How did you know I was reading?"

"I went up to check when we got here and Brady about forty minutes ago and Carrie just now. Thanks for the warning."

Carrie shrugs her shoulders, "She was still reading when I checked but then I had to pee. Then I noticed she was gone. Not my fault."

Looking from Belle to Sami to Brady and over her shoulder at Carrie, Marlena waits for Carrie to fully enter the kitchen and move towards her siblings before speaking, "You've been checking on me and I had no idea any of you were here... forty minutes you've been here?"

"No, we've been here for almost an hour and a half." Brady turns to check on the no longer overflowing potatoes, "And dinner is just about finished. Belle, I think these are ready to be mashed."

Sami steps up to him and turns off the burner and removes the boiling pot from the burner. "I got these, Carrie, can you check the roast and put in the rolls?"

The bustle continues as Marlena's gaze moves from one child to the next, "Can we go back here for a second? How on earth didn't I hear you?"

"Mom," Belle puts down the plates and turns to look at her obviously confused mother, "we have been sneaking up to your room our entire lives. How else could we steal cookies, make a mess or have time to clean up a mess without you knowing about it?" She smiles up at her and can't help but scrunch her nose up in a childish grin, "We know exactly how to go up the steps, move on the floor and peak in without anybody hearing."

Brady puts a carrot into his mouth and grins with his sister, "Yeah, it's a gift."

"More like a trick I would say." Marlena shakes her head, but quickly laughs it off, "So anything I can do to help?"

"Well food is ready, so if you wouldn't mind pouring the drin- uh..." Carrie is stopped by Belle's look and quickly mends her statement, "Actually why don't you and I get the plates ready for them to take out to the table?"

Stepping forward, Marlena asks, "Why can't I pour the drinks?'

"Oh no reason-"

"Yeah no reason just thought-"