Morning all I hope you are ready for a busy Thursday. Well busy for me. Not sure what you are doing. I think everyone has finally settled themselves post holiday and with their ducks in a row they have set them to marching. At least that is what my inbox makes it look like. So No time wasted, let’s jump into the morning prompt and get the brains warmed up.
This seems like a condensed story. I think to write it out I would have to stretch it out like taffy and then put story bits in the gaps. It is a good premise, I just crammed too much into one concertina-ed idea.
Thursday, January 18th: They gathered around the dining table.
They gathered around the dining table. The atmosphere was tense. While everyone was polite and smiled, no one was fooled. The tension snapped through the air like a loose electrical wire. Michael could practically smell the burning circuits. Still he smiled politely, accepted the bowl of mashed potatoes from his Aunt Clara and dolloped a portion on his plate before passing the bowl on to his father.
His father maintained an expression of polite interest as he took the bowl, but his eyes narrowed as he studied Michael. Michael fought the sudden urge to grin. He knew it would be a nervous grinning, more teeth baring than smile so he kept it inside. He knew he was the cause of the tension snapping around them.
‘Well half of the tension,’ Michael amended. He looked at his plate, now complete with the potatoes. Like everyone else, he waited until all were served and looked at his grandfather, waiting for the signal to begin eating. His grandfather was watching him and Michael again fought the urge to grin. Oddly he felt the start of a laugh bubble up in his throat. He knew it would be more hysterical than amused.
‘And no one needs another reason to think I’ve gone mad,’ he thought as he swallowed it back.
As his grandfather picked up his fork, signaling that the meal could begin, Micheal realized that despite appearances he felt saner than he had in a long time. Those at the table were family and he would continue to come to the once-a-month family dinners, unless they told him otherwise. However, that was now his only connection to them. Unlike every other member of the family, he no longer worked for or was associated with the family company.
While that choice wasn’t initially his, he came to realize that it was the greatest favor anyone could have done for him. He knew it wasn’t meant as a favor. He knew they meant for him to beg to be allowed to return. To change, to be what they wanted him to be. Instead he took the release he was given and went his own way.
He knew it wasn’t what his grandfather expected and was having problems with a situation he did not control. That was the source of the tension. As he lifted a fork of mashed potatoes to his mouth he realized that was where his amusement came from. He had been punished, but took the punishment as an opportunity and reshaped himself and his life. He was now beyond his grandfather’s control.
He suspected that part of the reason that this dinner was arranged was to see if Michael was ready to come back to the fold. He also expected that after six months of being gone, someone might have noticed the work he did. He wondered if they found a replacement for him or not. ‘If they haven’t they will need to soon. The contracts were only for six months. Someone will need to organize the new ones.’ He wondered if they were going to try to get them to do it.
Ten til Midnight 