Muddle on! (#Wattys2016)

Chapter 21.5

Zachary Taylor Leonelly (still...)

I scooped some of that thing that looked like acid green noodles onto my fork and placed it into my mouth. Once I managed to recognize the taste, disappointment washed over me. It tasted exactly like baby arugula salad. The dish in front of me looked fancy alright, but there was nothing fancy about its taste. It proved me once and for all that my mother was bored out of her wits. Today she decided to surprise us with molecular cuisine and invited some French chef of some "blah blah blah" restaurant that prepared for us that marvel. In full honesty, I was hungry for some normal homemade food, the one that our housekeeper does.

"How's school, son?" My father asked me sitting back on the chair. Judging by his face he was also not so fond of the dinner, but kept a pleased expression just not to offend mother. Lately she was on our cases twenty-four seven, pestering all five of us including father about this and that.

"Good, good," I replied shrugging my shoulders and taking another scoop of green acid noodles into my mouth.

Danielle snickered and poked my cheek earning a scowl from our mother. "Where are your manners, Danielle? I swear! That European free life style affected your manners. Is that how Frenchmen sit at the table?"

Danielle rolled her eyes earning grins from Henry, Lewis and our father.

Of course, she was the only girl in the family excluding our mother. Even though I was the youngest, she still managed to be the baby of the family. I loved her simply because she was my big sister. But Henry and Lewis loved her the special "baby sister" kind of love and most of the time treated her like a toddler.

A twenty four year old toddler.

"Pardon me, maman," Danielle pronounced with her slight French accent that she gained while living abroad for almost ten years now.

I sighed and scooped some more of the green noodles and shoved them into my mouth. My thoughts drifted away from the family chatter to Camellia. She was something to look forward to. Even my mother would like her. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if she'd start picking the wedding invitations from the moment I introduce Camellia as my girlfriend. Which might not happen. Then, somehow, my thoughts drifted farther away to Marie Belle. I simply didn't know what to do about her. Not really trying, she managed to sneak into my head and create havoc there. Maybe all that marriage business was screwing with my brains and I really was affected by her due to her recent status. Maybe her presence in my life was really nominal. Once I'd divorce her, all would go back to normal. At least, I hoped so.

Feeling bored, I started swirling a fork in the dish not really interested in the food any longer.

"What's up with you? You look gloomy today," Lewis addressed to me.

"He's always gloomy," Henry added and snorted. If it weren't for the fact that both of my parents were looking my way, I would flip Henry a big fat bird.

One fun fact about Henry was that he had a stick stuck up his as*. Being the firstborn he thought he had a right to express his deepest thoughts and concerns about his younger siblings well being. He was not a bad big brother, just annoying as hell.

Since I was still under a close observation of my parents, I fought an urge to roll my eyes at him. One wrong move and my mother could change all her summer plans and ruin mine by moving in with me.

"Just had a long week," I explained not really wishing to get into detailed description of my life. "I had to study for the exams. Plus, I had to work and go to basketball practice." Posing for a stupid photo-shoot...looking for a decent girlfriend...fighting with Marie Belle aka "my wife" about my staying in her house...picking up Marie Belle aka "my wife" from some hospital...Marie Belle this, Marie Belle that...