The Peyton-Harris Equilibrium

The Tale of T.J and Pip

- The Tale of T.J and Pip -

Piper

The smell of almost burning mushrooms filled all of downstairs; rather unpleasant if you ask me. I was on my way to my mother's shed in the backyard to play piano before my brother returned, but was curious at who was in charge of the stove. It would be expected to be Dad, who had never been the most skilful cook. Mum said he was better than he used to be, but it was almost impossible to expect her to think a negative thought about him, or any of us.

Alas not, and it was Mum standing in front of the stove, her eyes out of focus as the mushrooms sizzled in the pan. A few more minutes and they would be done for.

I perched myself atop one of the stools at the counter, crossing my jean clad legs as I observed my mother. I shared her dark hair though hers was simply wavy, as if she'd spent too much time at the beach, while mine hung in ringlets. Hers was also shorter, and her eyes were a bit lighter than mine, but filled with years more experience.

"What are you thinking, Mumma?"

She blinked and her eyes refocused, looking to me before the pan. She quickly scooped the handle and moved it to another hotplate, turning the temperature down, wiping a hand across her forehead.

"Dad wouldn't have been particularly happy if you burnt his mushrooms." I let a smile take control of my lips and without my permission a laugh bubbled up and out into the room.

Mum was looking at me with such love-filled eyes that made me know what she was thinking, but it also meant she was off in Fairy Land again. Time to bring her back to Earth, I thought.

"Mumma?"

"Sorry," she said guiltily, moving mushrooms from the presumably now-cool pan to a bowl. "What were you saying, honey?"

"What were you thinking?"

The mushrooms were calling to me, and even though I knew it would be risky I slipped one from the bowl and put it in my mouth before she could stop me. I could see her eyes narrowing but something made her stop.

"About life," she admitted, sounding almost ridiculous for daytime talk.

"That's deep, Mum."

She did exactly what my mother would and poked her tongue out, looking like the sixteen year old in this relationship instead of me. I knew what would follow next, knowing her better than I knew anyone else.

Well, almost anyone else.

"Are you looking forward to seeing your brother?"

The mention of Finn had me feel like she'd put a coat hanger in my mouth that I wasn't able to get out. I couldn't stop smiling; then again, I rarely could.

Really, what kind of question was that? He hadn't managed to make it home for the mid-year holidays so it had almost been a full year. I'd missed joking with him, complaining about Dad's bad jokes, laughing at our wonderfully weird parents. Moreover, I just missed him. A year without Finn was dull, plain, uneventful.

"Of course! He's been gone for so long."

"He has. And the other two, as well?" Mum was eyeing me like a hawk, attempting to conjure up a reaction which would only take three and a half words.

Tadashi Jack Barklay-Torsten.

If a year without Finn was dull, a year without T.J was like a year without the sun. Incomparable to anything I'd ever felt, like a piece of me had been torn out and taken upstate with the boy who had my heart.