what you want most \\ harry hook (!discontinued!)

we're not dogs. we're wolves

Later that evening, our golden group was lounging in the back room as we helped Umsy with the ever-heightening stack of chores. Said bluette was washing the dishes while I dried and put them away. Harry was wiping down the cooking stations and Gil was sweeping the floor (there wasn't much else we trusted him to do).

"I hate dishes..." I groaned, drying off a barely rinsed plate.

"Yeah this is gross," Gil chimed in.

I made a face. "Remind me why I 'ave to do this again?"

Uma gave an exasperated sigh at the question we had asked a million times. "Because my mom said so."

"Why is your mum so mean?"

"Why is your mom so dead?"

I scowled. "You can ask 'er if you ever meet the whore." Unlike most people, I was not a big fan of my mother. Nor did I particularly care she was dead. Any woman who willingly abandons her daughter to a half-drunk pirate (no matter what a great dad he turned out to be) deserves to die in my book.

"Join tha club," Harry said from his place across the room.

Gil looked up. "What club?"

"The our-mums-abandoned-us-because-they're-worthless-pieces-of-shit club."

"Oh... my mom was always nice to me."

"Shame you're the only one."

"I don't think it's a shame. She makes me cookies, watched movies with me, taught me to read, tucked me in at night..."

"That's enough, Gil." Uma said.

He continued, oblivious. "Told me stories, drew pictures with me, taught me to sa-"

"I said that's ENOUGH." She slammed her hands on the lip of the sink. The entire countertop shook.

I quietly put down a plate and glanced at Harry, who made eye contact with me before turning back to face Uma.

Uma turned to Gil. "God, don't you know how to take a hint? Didn't your perfect mother ever teach you that?"

Our mums were never around because they couldn't be. Uma's was across the hall- yet she acted as though she lived halfway around the world. At least the boys and I had one semi-active parent.

Gil stood gaping at her, before he slowly lowered his head like a kicked puppy. She seemed to realize he wasn't going to reply and turned, stomping out of the room. She muttered something about clearing tables before she left.

"Well now ya've done it."

"Seriously, Gil?"

He looked up at us. "What did I do wrong?"

I sighed. "Gil, darling, we've talked about this. It's never a good idea to bring up family issues."

"Especially when it's Uma's. You know she's touchy."

"Exactly."

"Oh. He raised his head to look at me, tears rimming his eyes.

I shook my head. "For Hades sake, Gil."

What are the right words here? How do I explain the nuances of dysfunctional family life to a person with the education level of a toddler?

"We- the rest of us- we didn't get, we didn't get what you had." I felt the red-coated pirate get closer to me behind. "I know it's hard for you ta understand, but this is the reality, love. Most people don't love their kids."

Harry put his hand on my shoulder and I bent my arm to clasp his fingers with mine. "It's hard ta hear about wha' you had, when we didn't get that."