Unfixed

TWO

"What We May Become"

The lasagna seemed to be better than the last, every time Holly made the special dish it was so much tastier than they remembered. Every meal time she was highly praised by each of her children for the excellent cooking- each time Genesis would attempt to claim some credit yet found herself being bombarded by protests that she simply half crushed garlic clove.

Mealtime in the Magnussen household was usually joyous. This day, however, it was tense. David had yet to look in the direction of his father, Isaiah and Trinity were making their best attempts at scooting as far away from each other despite their chairs being cramped side by side. Holly was continuously straining her neck to spy on the notes in Trinity's book. Charles, forking a heap of lasagna into his mouth, glances up at Genesis. He finds his youngest watching him intently and with curiosity. Wiping his mouth with a napkin Charles narrows his eyes curiously.

"What is it, Genie?" She smiles and places her knife and fork down. Leaning forwards and over her plate, Genesis places her hands atop Hamlet where it rested in the centre of the table.

"What is it like, Daddy? At your work?" He smiles and completely dismisses Davids protesting choke as he swallows his mouthful without chewing. "I want to know what it's like." Holly and Trinity halt their silent bickering and watch the scene play out.

"I think that's a brilliant idea!" Isaiah grins gleefully and dabs at the corners of his mouth with his napkin. Collecting his plate, he walks to the sink and begins running the tap. The table shook, plates and glasses quaked as the table cloth almost pulled everything off the surface.

"David!" Charles protests angrily. The sixteen-year-old makes no move to be any more careful as his chair flies backwards, eyes wild and blue.

"Are you insane? She's ten years old for God's sake, do you honestly want to burden her with such knowledge I wish I could forget?" Charles too stands, his hands slamming onto the table in anger causing Genesis to steal the book away from the plates and the other two women to hastily clear the table in order to distract themselves.

"You are an incompetent fool who holds a lack of respect for the gifts his father has to offer him." David goes red in the face and Trinity abandons the plates on the side and whispers into his ear the same words she used to whisper to help him manage his anger when they were kids. Shrugging his sister away David circles the table and approaches Genesis, placing his hands calmly over her ears and hisses across at the man he calls 'Dad'.

"I don't respect them because they are unethical and inconsiderate." Charles also lowers his tone and leans forwards.

"She won't learn everything unless she knows that she wishes to join the business." David frowns but finds himself at a loss for words. Removing his hands from his youngest sister's ears, David nods thanks to Trinity in thanks and leaves the room.

Drying her hands on a towel Trinity runs after him.

"So!" Charles claps his hands and smiles around at his wife and the two remaining children still in the room. "It's settled then." Holly drops her head as a smile creeps onto her face, shaking her head slightly she picks up the sponge and shoves her hands back into the water. Pinching his lips and processing the situation, Isaiah turns to help his mother.

Nodding excitedly, completely oblivious to what had just occurred, Genesis flips open Hamlet and skips into the lounge to read a few scenes.