Sprawl

Chapter Three

That evening at the dinner table, I was a bit apprehensive about asking the family about the Johansens, but I decided to anyway.

Playing with the peas on my plate, I began, “Mothers?”

All six heads of my mothers snapped up.

“Yes dear?” Mother Alice was the first to say something.

“I was just curious if any of you know anything about the Johansen family? Their son, Archer is in my History class. He’s a bit, well, unorthodox per say.”

My mothers all shared a similar look of horror, some of their forks dropping from their hands onto their plates and the floor. Mother Gertrude jumped up from the table, fuming, her face red, and her eyes enraged. 

“Olivia! How dare you mention something so rude and disgraceful at the table. First of all, you certainly shouldn't be speaking badly about any man,” The pitch of her yells grew and all my siblings stared at me. Some with pity, others with disgust.

“But secondly, how dare you mention something so disgusting at supper. And in front of all you siblings too? Go to your room immediately. Do not show your face to us for the rest of the night. I shall inform your father in the morning of your display of such vile behavior.”

I sat there flabbergasted. What on earth had just happened? What had I done? What is wrong with what I asked? I rose from my seat slowly, my gaze drifting from mother to mother.

“Please Mothers, forgive me! What did I say that was so offensive?”

“Enough. Go. Now.” Mother Charlotte pointed to the general direction of my room.

Tears began to sting my eyes. I was never yelled at like this! I was the only sensible one in the family. As I turned towards my room, I received a pitying glance from Mother Beatrice. I looked down at the floor and hurried away.

I flung myself onto my bed and stared at the ceiling for what seemed like hours, as the stinging in my eyes dissipated. The confusion and embarrassment in the pit of my stomach was replaced by anger. I had only asked a simple question! A simple, polite question, and then Mother Gertrude sentences me to imprisonment in my room? Pointless. Pointless, thoughtless, and absolutely random. Instead of sending me here she should have at least had the decency to explain her outburst.

I writhed on my bed, anger and lingering confusion getting the better of me. Then a knock on my bedroom door caught my attention.

“Olivia, please forgive Mother Gertrude for her sudden outburst,” it was Mother Beatrice. She walked into my room and sat across from me on my bed. “She doesn’t mean to be so harsh.” 

I rolled my eyes. “Well then maybe she shouldn’t be head mother of the house anymore.” I sat up on the bed. “Head mothers are supposed to be kind, strict, but well-meaning. Sending me to my room without any explanation whatsoever does not seem like proper behavior for someone with her power.”

Beatrice squinted her eyes at me, looking a bit disgusted. “Don’t you speak of the head mother that way. Everything she does is for a reason. The Commissioners certainly wouldn’t have chosen her to be the head if she were some senile old woman. Give her some credit Olivia. Women never get jobs around here, and you know how it works. It is an great, no, immense honor to be given the title of head mother. It’s the only thing we women can look forward to! We all know men are the only eligible people for proper jobs. But head mother, that is our pride and glory, and you know that. I have no idea what has gotten into you today. Honestly.”

I sighed and looked at Mother Beatrice. She was right. Of course the Commissioners knew what they were doing when they assigned Gertrude as head mother. Even though she is harsh, there must be something good about her that gave them reason to promote her.