instar | the graceless

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

instar

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

From:

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.

From:

instar

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

From:

aeskhyne

Okay. Trouble helps himself to some stew.

From:

instar

The stew is beany and spicy!

From:

aeskhyne

It is tasty and enjoyable!

His salad remains untouched.

From:

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."

From:

aeskhyne

Trouble shrugs.

From:

instar

The girls eat their salad.

From:

pandion

(Andi drowns hers in ranch.)

From:

aeskhyne

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

From:

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.

From:

aeskhyne

"Nah," says Trouble.

From:

kindestgarden

Renée sits back down.

The pie cools on the counter.

From:

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."

From:

aeskhyne

...Trouble raises his eyebrows incredulously.

From:

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."

From:

sundayfish

The phone rings.

From:

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.

From:

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.