Lustrous

Chapter 15: The Burn of Family Dinners

Can you feel your doom creeping up, slowly itching up your spine to take hold of your entire body? Feel it grasp your shoulders and pull you back down to deepest depths of hell.

You mean where you permanently reside? I asked my inner self.

Can you feel it? She whispered again.

I shivered unable to help it and looked out the window of the car.

Ugh, there was something about the prospect of a family dinner that made me slightly uncomfortable.

We were never one of those families' that bonded very well. When my mother was alive and married to my father we were a perfect family - or at least I thought we were. My mother was always home for dinner; she tucked me in every night and was sure to make certain that I was fast asleep when her or dad decided to pick a fight.

I had almost resented my father for a time, he had just let her leave and take me with her, and not just the house, the state. All without a fight. I thought he didn't care but as I got older I knew there was a difference between not caring, and wanting what is best for the ones you love.

And then, when I moved back in with my father, newly acquired step mother and a baby sister who had yet to be born, I found myself in a different situation all together. Sure, dad was still never home and, like my mother, Charlene didn't like to fight in front of children.

Jasmine and I mostly spent our days in our rooms and ate dinner with just the two of us at the table - which made these so-called family dinners that much more painful.

As the taxi came to a stop just outside my father's house I looked in my purse to give the man some money when I paused only seeing a twenty - not enough for the ride over.

That whole allowance thing is looking pretty good right now.

Shut up. I rolled my eyes and opened the door to the taxi, "I'll be five minutes." I quickly apologized to the driver and rushed towards the front door. He probably didn't mind since the meter was still running which meant I was being charged for my slow gallop up the drive way - my feet gliding a little on the gravel.

Why couldn't they just pave the damn drive way? Was it that hard?

Opening the front door I quickly called out to whom ever was around.

"Sky you're finally here!" Jasmine beamed at me as she rushed around a corner in a cute navy blue dress that made her look younger than she actually was.

"Yeah sorry I'm late, do you know where your Mum is I need twenty for the cab." I tried to look over her shoulder for a parent. When did she get so tall?

"I'll take care of it, you go in before Mum puts poison in your food." She smiled sweetly at me and reached for the door.

I went to reply but quickly shut my lips as I saw the truth in her words.

She probably would.

I would go with something that works slowly and untraceable in an autopsy. That is, if I were killing someone.

Not the best dinner conversation Inner self.

That is your opinion. She crossed her arms over her chest and pouted at me.

I rolled my eyes and continued into the house. The soft sound of classical music filled the air and the harsh smell of spices had me scrunching up my nose.

"What is that smell?" I frowned as I turned the corner. Charlene was putting the finishing touches on the dinner that she cooked - I was gawking at the sight.