Life On the Fjords

Young Love

"Would the two of you stop sulking and eat?" Jack urged.

"No." Answered the twins in unison.

"You're both overreacting."

"Mary started it." Jamie growled.

"Because of your dumb idea." Mary objected.

"It wasn't dumb! You said you liked it! Everyone else had a good time until you ruined it!"

"I didn't know you were gonna leave me with Monty who can't even see three feet in front of him! You just wanted to look good in front of Pippa! That's what you always try to do!"

Jack pinched his forehead. "Both of you will be the death of me." He mumbled under his breath. Since the beast was coming home late that evening, Jack had hoped for a peaceful dinner with his brother and sister. What could two ten-year-olds possibly have to quarrel over so viciously? "Mary, say you're sorry."

Her face changed in a flash and she looked absolutely bewildered. "But–"

"Mary..." Jack glared at her with narrowed eyes.

She breathed in deeply through her nose and looked back over at the brooding boy across from her at the table. She choked out the words, "I'm sorry, Jamie."

That had sounded sincere enough for Jack and he turned his gaze at Jamie, who kept his head bowed in silence. "Hey. Your sister said she's sorry."

Jamie picked at the peas on his plate. "So?"

"So, this is the part where you forgive her, and then both of you eat this food that took me hours to make."

"But I don't."

Jack sighed, "Jamie–"

The front door opened. This was no conversation to be having in front of the beast, and so all activity ceased once he entered the kitchen.

"Hi, Papa." Mary shyly greeted. He didn't even make eye-contact and he skulked across the room to make his plate.

Jack stared down at his own plate, heart pounding like a steam hammer. As long as there was nothing for him to be mad about, he could get through tonight. His father opened the drawer to take out a fork, but then he saw him freeze, move his finger like he was counting something. Jack's eyes went big as he realized something must be wrong.

Without bringing any food with him, the beast approached the table and said, without any emotion, "There's a spoon missing."

In a panic, Jack raced through his memory to try and recall if he'd taken one... But no, he'd never tried to sell any silverware; they had so little to start with! Then he remembered. Jamie had come running home asking for one. Trying not to call attention to himself, he peered over at Jamie, who made it obvious he was guilty.

"Do any of you know something about this?"

No one responded. Jamie looked like he was about to break apart and Jack quickly raised his head, "I must've misplaced it when I was cleaning them. I'm sure it's somewhere."

Jamie tried hard not to look at Jack like he was crazy—he knew he had it in his satchel! But, along with everything else that had been in it earlier, he'd mindlessly emptied it out of his bag as he walked home. Jamie was in such a hissy state that he wasn't paying attention to what he'd left out there in the field. Now it was coming back to haunt him.

The beast looked incredulous, "You... misplaced it." He parroted, making Jack feel more like a fool for even trying to downplay the situation. "You've been cleaning this kitchen for years and suddenly now you start losing things?"