Adopted Son by Dominic Peloso

Author:Dominic Peloso
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Arts & Entertainment
Published: 2012-05-17T16:00:00+00:00

The Hayes residence, Frederick, MD. Two years, three months after the birth of the Hayes’ second child.

Colin doesn’t have to be called in for dinner. He knows what time to come. He is alerted not by sound but by smell. The whole house is filled with an almost palpable taste emanating from the kitchen. The roast has reached the perfect level of tenderness, the butter on the potatoes has just begun to sizzle, and the carrots have become soft without losing their color. Janice opens her mouth to call her boys to dinner, but she doesn’t have to. Her voice is interrupted by Colin calling upstairs to his eldest son, “Ben, dinner’s ready.” Janice closes her mouth and smiles, knowing that her cooking is enough to entice her husband into the kitchen by smell alone.

A few seconds later, Colin’s form appears in the hallway. He is still wearing the short-sleeved dress shirt and tie that he had on at work that day. He gives his wife a hug, or at least attempts to. She is carrying a hot serving dish and swerves to avoid spilling steaming gravy all over the place. He reaches over to the high chair that has already been placed at the table. He rubs the little bald head of his youngest child, “How are you doing today Neil?” Neil, being less than three, is too young to formulate a coherent sentence. But, he is able to drop a saliva-coated, plastic toy on the floor in his excitement. Colin sits down in his usual chair and begins serving himself without waiting for anyone else to sit down.

A few minutes later, all of the food had been placed on the table, and the family had started their dinner– all except Ben. Janice looked around nervously. Colin could tell that she was disturbed about something. “Dammit Ben, get the hell down here,” he cries suddenly, “I told you dinner was ready.” A few seconds later, tell-tale footsteps on the stairs indicate the presence of a child. Soon, a head appeared out of the hallway darkness. Colin glares.

“I already told Mom, I’m not eating dinner,” says the boy defiantly.

“You’ll do what you’re told. I’m not wasting food. Come in here and sit down.”

The boy stands his ground. “I said, ‘I’m not eating at the same table as that thing.’”

It’s the same old story. This has been happening almost every night now. Colin had originally thought that perhaps this was just a phase, a stage that all older siblings go through when confronted with a younger brother. Colin and Janice had had long discussions as to whether this had more to do with Ben’s need for attention as opposed to something more. Colin had had a bad day at work. He pushed his chair out and stood up. The formerly defiant young child immediately cowered in fear and ran to the table. Colin sat back down wordlessly.

“I’ll sit here, but I’m still not eating with that thing at the table. It’s gross,” Ben says.

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