Hey guys, it's been a while. I wrote this in a playwriting class while I was attending the college/high school theatre academy this summer. Last time I'll be able to attend, but I learned some helpful things. This is an edited draft to fit my story writing style. Anyway, on with this little story.
Prompt: A family interrupted.
"We should finish watching House," the woman suggested, reaching out and taking a handful of popcorn from the bowl sitting between her and her husband on the coffee table.
"No, we should finish watching Dexter," the man argued.
"It's my night to choose, James," the woman frowned. She shoved the popcorn into her mouth, chewing as she reached for the remote.
"But we watched House yesterday!"
"It's not my fault you chose it and decided to stop on the cliffhanger!"
"Sheryl," James frowned. After a short staring match between the two, James sighed and looked away, giving up the remote. "Fine."
It wasn't long before the pair had begun watching the show and quietly eating their popcorn. They hadn't even noticed the back door open in the other room, too focused on the drama happening in their show. The couple were still unaware as someone walked into the room behind them.
Their son, a medic who had served in the warzones for the military stood behind them, still in the doorway. He had his bag slung over one shoulder and was leaning onto a crutch. A shape could barely be seen through his pants, around his knee and down to his ankle. He didn't seem surprised that his parents hadn't noticed him yet, either. Instead of just standing there, because he knew he could be for quite a while, he spoke up.
"Mom? Dad?"
Both Sheryl and James turned their heads, surprise clear on their faces. They hadn't heard their son's voice for a couple weeks. Neither of them bothered to pause their show as they stood up and moved around the back of the couch. Sheryl ran toward her son, hugging him tightly, recieving a single-armed hug in return. She teared up, beginning to cry in happiness that her son was home safe. James on the other hand stood back, a hand over his mouth and the other arm crossed over his chest, tears pooling in his eyes as well.
When Sheryl finally pulled away, James made his way over, gently hugging his son and pulling his wife into the mix. In a quiet voice, James spoke. "I'm glad to see you home, bud."
