family ties

"Just tell me what to do." It was the last thing Ricki thought she would hear. Of course, she was tired after a very long day of cooking and serving food.

Of course, Roman and Alo got on to the dishes right away and Topher took the baby, but she was still standing in the kitchen, wishing there weren't so many leftovers.

As she thought on Roman's question, she winced thinking maybe he wasn't talking about chores at all. She scrapped some mashed potatoes into a plastic container and handed it to him to put in the fridge.

"You, can't just ignore your parents forever." She shrugged.

He sighed heavily, as if that was the last thing he wanted to hear.

The doorbell rang. Finally, she realized she'd called his parents this morning and invited them over. Suddenly, she felt as if she'd really lost it. She'd actually forgotten to tell him.

"Oh." She hoped he wouldn't be upset. "I thought your mom and dad might like some pie." The coffee was already on and Alo got the door. He was already giving them handshakes. Of course, Roman kept his back turned as if he didn't want to give them the satisfaction that he was even here.

Roman looked at Ricki as if he'd lost all trust in her, but she made a quick exit. That left only Alo as a buffer and of course, he was kind and sweet and sounded ever so endearing with that cute accent of his.  Of course, Alo went to get the pie and coffee.

But Roman remained mute. Perhaps he and Joel were in the same boat.

He thought of Joel, so silent, but his eyes open. Watching, yet ever so constant.

Roman didn't know how to address family. Could he even call them mother and father? Or had he disappointed them so, that all family ties were severed last year about this time.

He saw that look of his father's.

"Been up to your foolish games, have you?" His father's frown was small.

"I'm..I'm sorry I've..I've wasted your time." Roman winced hard. Thinking back what a privileged life he'd had. It was gone. All gone.

He could hardly stand to look at his father, but his mother on the other hand... Well, she was happy to see Roman. She clung on to him as if she didn't care what his father had to say.

"Don't..don't do this to us again." She was overwhelmed with tears and he did hate that he'd put her through any of this.

He pressed his lips tight, wishing not to see her this way.

"I don't need to be fixed." He peeled her off of him. He didn't want to be caught up, into any of this. "I'm fine. You can both go." He said ever so cold. As he looked at his father now, he knew he was more like him than he'd ever want to admit.

He would have rather eaten the whole cherry pie himself than to have share any of it with his father.