SM: Her Last Summer

Chapter 4: Two Family Dinners

SHAWN'S P.O.V:
I pried the door open carefully, not making a noise. I crept through the hall to our old kitchen, the olive green walls still reminding me of my mum's weird taste. My father stood at the counter peeling off a piece of crackle off the Sunday pork.

"Didn't mum instruct you to stay away from crackling for a while," I snickered.

"Shawn I've told you this a number of times, a man's business is a man's business," he said.

I dropped my night bag and warmly embraced my dad. In the corner of my peripheral I saw my younger sister, Aaliyah, walking to the lounge room with her phone in her hand.

"Not even bothering to say hello sister?" I called.

I heard a gasp and then the soft patter of feet running to the kitchen.

"Shawn!" she exclaimed, rushing towards me.

Her arms wrapped around me, as tight as she could manage. I ruffled her brown hair, releasing myself from her tight embrace. I glanced at her thick clothing, a maroon sweater and black leggings.

"You do realise it is Summer?" I questioned.

She shot me a look, "It gets chilly with the air conditioner on."

I shake my head, "Where's mum?"

"She's gone to the shopping centre, she wanted to get something for dessert," Aaliyah answered.

I wrapped her in another brotherly hug before entering my old bedroom. I grinned, dropping my bag onto the set of clean white sheets. My hands trace along old fan art and my desk, I catch a glimpse of a picture from my first visit to Island Records. I fall onto one of my closest friends, my bed, and pick up my phone. Several missed calls from Cameron were displayed on the screen, I tossed the mobile onto the plush pillow. I walked through my home and admired the simple things, waiting for my mum to arrive home.

It wasn't long before we heard the front door opening, we were sitting patiently in the living room playing a board game. The digital on the coffee table read the time seven fifteen.

"Sorry Manuel and Aaliyah that I'm late, I ran into Susie from Shawn's early school days," she yelled.

"Aren't you forgetting to apologise to your favourite son?" I called.

I heard a sound of happiness before my mother came tumbling into the lounge room. Her arms immediately wrapped around me, I was certain she was crying.

"I've missed you so much," she happily cried.

"It's been a month mum," I laughed.

"A month too long," she declared, rising to her feet and giving my dad a sharp stare.

"You smell of crackling Manuel," she stated.

"Well Shawn pressured me into it," he said.

My mum rolled her eyes and gave me another hug, abandoning us to go finish the roast. I rolled the die and moved my player along a few places.

"I'll take Old Kent Road," I said.

My father took my Monopoly money and past me a realestate card.

"Why do you always buy the cheapest streets?" Aaliyah asked.

I gave her a small smile, "I like taking something simple and ordinary and making it extraordinary."