Dust and Diamonds

5.

James pov
I lay the plates and cups out before turning to head out of the kitchen.
"The napkins, honey" grandma calls out to me.
I place the napkins on the table under each plate. The plates are the same ones from when I was a little boy- roosters and apples are printed on each plate, as well as the decor around the kitchen. Yellow dim lights brighten the darkest corners of the kitchen. I glance around before feeling satisfied with the setting of the table.

I head towards my room when I see Kat writing in her red book. I knock on the already cracked door, "are you writing a letter to your family or something?"
"No, I mean, yeah I am. I don't get a good reception out here" She tilts her head sideways.
"The best reception is in the city", I chuckle before going into my room.

"Dinner looks great." Kat's voice called from across the table. She eyed the shepherd's pie that Grandma loved to make when people were over. 
"James, would you like to say grace?" My grandmother asks, smiling at me.
"No, I would not."
"Cut it out, will you?" Grandpa snaps at me.
"Fine, I'll say grace, for you and Kat. Not her." I point to my grandmother, who sits as if she's so innocent.
"Do you have to do this right now?" She tilted her head back. 
I bit my tongue flexing my jaw, knowing that if I opened my mouth again there would be a bigger fight at the table before. I dropped my head and began saying grace. 

I take a mouthful of shepherd's pie into my mouth, trying to keep it quiet. 
"So, Kat, is it? Where are you in from?" My grandmother speaks to Kat, who's shoveling food into her mouth. 

"LA." She swallows hard. "I wanted a change in scenery, I started getting tired of the madness. I feel like a change in pace is good for my mental health."

"Well, what did you do out in celebrity land?" Grandpa crosses his arms at the table.

She looks across the table at me, " I was an editor." 

"Wow. You did what, the magazines with the models and the nutrition plans?" Grandpa smirks.

"Arney, enough." My grandmother warns.

"What, I'm just making conversation. Trying to figure out who she is and what she does."
She smiles, looking up at me again. "No, I edited books. My boss is on maternity leave so business is slow, so I decided to take a break."

I take another bite. 

"See my grandson here would be doing a lot better, like you, if he listened to me. He sleeps in, he does the bare minimum and doesn't want anything to do with the farm life. He can be calm but, he's a firecracker for sure. Don't let those sweet stares fool you, he's got a bad reputation."

I sip from my glass. "Maybe we should start talking about your other grandson. You must've forgotten he exists too."

"I'd never forget him. He's just off and far gone, thanks to you."

"Not me, her." I point at my grandmother. 

"That's enough."

I scoff. "You're right, it is enough." I stand, walking to my bedroom, slamming the door behind me hard enough to knock over the family photos on the fireplace.


I sat in my bed, thinking back to that day. My brother and I had gotten into a small fight because of my grandmother. She'd always bet us up against each other, forcing us to fight constantly. He got sick of it and he snapped at her, but I was a bit too young to realize what was happening so, I defended her. A knock on my bedroom door snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Are you okay?" Kat peered through the doorway.
"What Katherine."
"I said are you ok-
"What do you want."
"I wanted to check on you. You seemed upset after dinner." She sits at the foot of my bed.
"You wouldn't understand it."
"Explain it as best as you can. I know we just met but I'm here for you." She smiles.
"Kat, just go to bed."