For as long as he could remember, his parents had always set the table for four. Occasionally, when they had guests, it would be set for more. But the table was never set for less than four.
When his sister left for college, the table was still set for four. It annoyed him, especially since it meant that there was one more set of dishes for him to wash.
When it was his turn to leave for college, the sight of the table set for four warmed him up inside. It was a sign of his parents' love for him and his sister. It was a sign that his parents were thinking of them, no matter how far they were away from home.
When his sister was deployed, the sight of the table set for four meant hope for his family. It was hope for one day, she would return home, safe and sound, making the table complete again.
When news came that his sister didn't make it out of the ambush, the table remained set for four. It filled them all with a crushing sense of lost and longing at the sight of the table, but it remained set for four.
"Boys! Time for dinner!" Molly called out as she watched her two precious, twin angels, Steve and John, quickly wobbling their way into the kitchen a couple seconds later. She smiled at the sight of their soft, brown curls bouncing up and down as they wobbled towards her, each latching on to her legs. "Are you boys hungry?"
"Yes! Yes! Yes!" They both chanted as they let go of their mother's leg and ran towards their father, who finally entered the kitchen.
"Hello boys." Ben laughed as he picked Steve and John up, juggling them both in his arms as he walked over to give Molly a kiss. "Hello Molly."
"Took you long enough."
"Sorry Molls." He smiled sheepishly as he walked over to the dining table to set Steve and John down in their seats before walking back to where Molly was standing in the kitchen. "I got distracted by a case. That won't happen again. I promise."
"Right." Molly shook her head, knowing that wasn't true as she began to scoop out chunks of spaghetti strands into the four blue bowls laid out in front of her.
"But I pwomise." Ben whined as he hugged her from behind.
"You are so childish Ben." She laughed as she started pouring in the spaghetti sauce.
"But you love me."
"Don't push your luck."
Ben laughed as he rest his head on Molly's shoulder, looking at Steve and John, who were laughing at each other. "Look at them. They've got your playful personality."
"And they've got your brown curls and blue eyes and cheekbones too." Molly sighed and she rested against him. "Like mini-you. And two of them too."
"Triple the trouble." He laughed as he copied Molly's actions, picking up two spaghetti bowls and following her to table. "Here we go John." Ben smiled at his son as he placed a spaghetti bowl in front of him while Molly placed a bowl in front of Steve before they both took their seats, watching as their sons wasted no time digging into their food.
"This is wonderful." Ben whispered as he grabbed Molly's hand and gently kissed it. "Absolutely perfect."
"Yes it is. " Molly smiled back as she looked at Ben and then Steve and John. "Yes it is."
A Table Set for Four:
ReplyDeleteFor as long as he could remember, his parents had always set the table for four. Occasionally, when they had guests, it would be set for more. But the table was never set for less than four.
When his sister left for college, the table was still set for four. It annoyed him, especially since it meant that there was one more set of dishes for him to wash.
When it was his turn to leave for college, the sight of the table set for four warmed him up inside. It was a sign of his parents' love for him and his sister. It was a sign that his parents were thinking of them, no matter how far they were away from home.
When his sister was deployed, the sight of the table set for four meant hope for his family. It was hope for one day, she would return home, safe and sound, making the table complete again.
When news came that his sister didn't make it out of the ambush, the table remained set for four. It filled them all with a crushing sense of lost and longing at the sight of the table, but it remained set for four.
The Perfect Dinner
ReplyDelete"Boys! Time for dinner!" Molly called out as she watched her two precious, twin angels, Steve and John, quickly wobbling their way into the kitchen a couple seconds later. She smiled at the sight of their soft, brown curls bouncing up and down as they wobbled towards her, each latching on to her legs. "Are you boys hungry?"
"Yes! Yes! Yes!" They both chanted as they let go of their mother's leg and ran towards their father, who finally entered the kitchen.
"Hello boys." Ben laughed as he picked Steve and John up, juggling them both in his arms as he walked over to give Molly a kiss. "Hello Molly."
"Took you long enough."
"Sorry Molls." He smiled sheepishly as he walked over to the dining table to set Steve and John down in their seats before walking back to where Molly was standing in the kitchen. "I got distracted by a case. That won't happen again. I promise."
"Right." Molly shook her head, knowing that wasn't true as she began to scoop out chunks of spaghetti strands into the four blue bowls laid out in front of her.
"But I pwomise." Ben whined as he hugged her from behind.
"You are so childish Ben." She laughed as she started pouring in the spaghetti sauce.
"But you love me."
"Don't push your luck."
Ben laughed as he rest his head on Molly's shoulder, looking at Steve and John, who were laughing at each other. "Look at them. They've got your playful personality."
"And they've got your brown curls and blue eyes and cheekbones too." Molly sighed and she rested against him. "Like mini-you. And two of them too."
"Triple the trouble." He laughed as he copied Molly's actions, picking up two spaghetti bowls and following her to table. "Here we go John." Ben smiled at his son as he placed a spaghetti bowl in front of him while Molly placed a bowl in front of Steve before they both took their seats, watching as their sons wasted no time digging into their food.
"This is wonderful." Ben whispered as he grabbed Molly's hand and gently kissed it. "Absolutely perfect."
"Yes it is. " Molly smiled back as she looked at Ben and then Steve and John. "Yes it is."