the graceless

[instar]

Bella sits out, this year as every year, from gym class. It's just asking for a lawsuit. She does stretches and crunches and push-ups in the corner.

Comments

[aeskhyne]

"Nah, you have to let it cool or you get pie soup," he says. "It's still pretty snuggly, actually."

[kindestgarden]

"All right then." She puts a trivet on the counter and gestures at it. "It can cool there, then, I'm afraid between the air conditioning and the width of the windowsills there's no traditional pie-cooling to be had in this house. Sit down, sit down."

[pandion]

Andi is setting out spoons.

[instar]

Bella is tipping ice from a tray into a water pitcher.

[aeskhyne]

Trouble sets the pie down on the trivet and unfolds the towel off of it. The entire thing looks amazing. He finds somewhere to sit.

[instar]

Eventually everyone has sat down and starts taking turns ladling themselves bean stew. (Salad has been predistributed.)

[aeskhyne]

Okay. Trouble helps himself to some stew.

[instar]

The stew is beany and spicy!

[aeskhyne]

It is tasty and enjoyable!

His salad remains untouched.

[kindestgarden]

"Trouble, I don't know if the girls told you; in our house everyone waits for dessert till they've eaten their vegetables," Renée says mildly, taking a second helping of stew. "If you're allergic to something in the salad there are some baby carrots around."

[aeskhyne]

Trouble shrugs.

[instar]

The girls eat their salad.

[pandion]

(Andi drowns hers in ranch.)

[aeskhyne]

Trouble does not go for his salad. Or for any baby carrots.

[kindestgarden]

Eventually everyone has finished eating. Renée gets up and puts the leftover bean stew in a Tupperware. "We also have vinaigrette if you'd rather that than ranch," she tells Trouble.

[aeskhyne]

"Nah," says Trouble.

[kindestgarden]

Renée sits back down.

The pie cools on the counter.

[pandion]

"When she says everyone that is what she means," Andi whispers across the table, "like, she won't cut the pie until everyone is ready for dessert, because that wouldn't be fair."

[aeskhyne]

...Trouble raises his eyebrows incredulously.

[kindestgarden]

"Not everyone eats as quickly as you do, Andi," says Renée. "If you're bored you don't have to sit at the table, I'll call you when it's time for dessert."

[sundayfish]

The phone rings.

[instar]

Bella gets it.

"Hello?" Beat. "Hi, dad. Yeah. Bean stew. And a friend from school's over, he brought a - what? No. Dad, it is possible to make new friends without belonging to The Sharing. It's not even - Dad - Dad - you know I hate it when - Dad - I'll give you to Andi, okay?" She hands the phone over.

[pandion]

Andi takes it.

"Hi, Dad. No, he's pretty much Bella's friend. I'm having Meg over on Thursday though. Mm-hm. Yeah. Do you want to talk to Mom? No. Okay. Bye." She hangs up the phone and gives it back to Bella to return to its cradle on the wall.

[aeskhyne]

Trouble watches this whole process curiously.

[pandion]

"Are you going to eat your salad?" Andi asks Trouble.