The Light You Give

21.

Dinner drags out, the tension in the room clear and hollow. The minute my plates empty I take my leave, as do all the other kids except Bea who's stuck in a conversation with my dad and Bradley.

"We're going to head home." Leroy and Jake call as they open the front door and close it behind them. With a satisfying click.

"Chase is calling me," Molly says pulling her buzzing phone out of her pocket and following the boys out the front door.

"See you. Have fun. It's okay. I'll help do the dishes don't you guys worry about it." I mutter sarcastically to myself, carrying a few plates into the kitchen.

"Here you don't have to worry about that." Seth offers to take the plates from me and place them carefully onto the bench.

"It's okay, I like doing the dishes. It's oddly calming." I say with a small chuckle, turning on the tap, pulling the plug into the sink and squeezing dishwashing liquid into the slowly filling sink.

"Is that your favourite chore then?" Seth asks half-jokingly stacking the dishes carefully.

"Yeah. Absolutely." I say with a nod. "What about you?" I ask him, pulling a plate and submerging it into the steaming, foamy water.

"Cooking. I got mom's genes on that one." He says with a chuckle. Grabbing a tea towel and placing himself by the clean dish tray to receive dishes to dry.

"Luckily." I say with a smile.

"Aww look at you two washing the dishes for us. We've raised you well." My mom slurs dropping a kiss to my cheek, which I immediately shrug away from. Not that she notices.

My teeth grit together. Seth gives me a sideways glance, making sure I'm alright.

"Are you two alright to do the rest of this?" Trina asks placing her hand on our backs gently looking between us.

"Yup we got it, mom," Seth says giving his mom a smile. "Go enjoy the rest of your night." He says nodding to where the adults are now moving towards the living room, I can only assume they're going out into the patio as I can hear the ranch slider glide open.

"You guys are the best." She says squeezing my shoulder as she moves past following the others out to the living room.

"Do you need my help or can I go for a run?" Bea asks placing a few more dishes on the bench, tying her hair up in a high ponytail.

"Go for a run. We got this." I say, taking another dish and placing it in the soapy sink. Scrubbing away harshly.

"Ok thank you," Bea says before tying her shoes and making her way out.

I turn to see Seth's mouth agape. My eyebrows draw up in confusion.

"What?" I ask him confused, my scrubbing ceasing.

"I can't believe you would make me do the dishes with you!" He pouts in a whiney voice. My eyes instantly roll.

"Oh my god!" I say grabbing a tea towel and thwacking him with it.

"Calm down woman." He says with a grin. His face lit up as he squirms away from my gentle lashes.

"You dropped me in it first," I say rolling my eyes at him, unable to stop the grin that stretches across my face.

"You dropped me in it first." He mimics, drying a pot. With that, I twirl my tea towel around and whip his shoulder, not too hard. Again and again.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He says holding his arms up in surrender. Hiding his face behind his hands.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I mimic back. Seth's mouth drops open, I grin at him cheekily. He lunges for me and grabs my waist, slinging me over his shoulder easily. "No, I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I shriek as he hovers me above the sink full of water.