Family Dinner

Family Dinner 

“Dinner has arrived!” Lydia announced her voice shaking, placing the beautiful turkey at the centre of the table surrounded by everything else. 

The silence could be cut with the very carving knife her husband, Thomas, held. She took her seat to his right and smiled nervously at everyone around the table, as he began carving. Her in-laws,Clara and Robert scowled at her. Her sister, Zara, sat on the edge of her chair, trying to keep her temper in check, waiting for even the slightest comment to unleash her rage. Her brother in law, Owen, nervously watched as the tension rose even higher.

Her mother in law cleared her throat, placed her hands on the dinner table,and opened her mouth to speak. 

That was enough to light the fuse.

“Don’t even start…” hissed Zara her eyes locked on Clara.

Ignoring the warning and waving her off as though waving off a pesky fly, Clara sat up straight and looked down upon Lydia her eyes narrowed.

“My dear, dinner was to begin at 6 sharp. We have OUR family dinners at 6 sharp, you were instructed as such before, and yet you still can’t seem to get everything on the table. It is now 6:10. I don’t want excuse’s for your poor time management…”she held her right hand up to silence Lydia. “When you married my son, against our wishes in case you had forgotten…”

“How could she forget when you remind her at every opportunity!” snapped Zara, no longer holding the peace, as her sister had pleaded her too before the in-laws arrived. 

Clara sat back in her chair as if Zara had slapped her. Owen groaned and tried to put his hand on Zara’s to calm her down. Zara looked into Owens eyes and he slowly removed his hand. There would be no calming Zara down, she had seen enough for long enough.

“How dare you say that to me! Thomas, control your wife’s sister! I’m not even sure why she is here, this is a family dinner, she is not OUR family!” she spat back glaring at Zara, regaining her posture of righteousness. “She may be YOUR wife’s sister, but she is nothing to us! We told you this would happen if you married her, we have a status to maintain and clearly, these girls do not fit…” she announced with pride.

Thomas stopped carving the turkey and looked at his mother. His anger was boiling as he griped the knife. Robert saw the anger rising in his son and tried to clear his throat as he placed his hand on his wife’s to get her to back down. She pushed his hand away, leaned into the table continuing to lock eyes with Zara.

“Enough!” Thomas shouted. “Mother, she IS Family, and you are being disrespectful… this has gone on long enough and I don’t want it anymore, you either start being nice to Lydia and Zara or you don’t need to visit anymore!” he snapped as Zara pushed her chair back standing tall and looking down at Clara. She smiled at Thomas and then focused her anger at Clara.

“I am not controlled by anyone, and as far as family goes, trust me I would not want to be in yours.” she hissed at her. “I am here to enjoy a wonderful dinner prepared by MY sister and MY brother in law, who worked very hard to please the likes of you two. I don’t think they should have bothered, because no matter what they do, you turn your snarky little nose up at it. We are just as good as you, and you need to get over yourself!” 

Lydia looked up at Thomas and sighed slightly. She had hopped her in laws would be polite if there were other guests, however she forgot her sister had a long memory and would go toe to toe with Clara if given the chance. Thomas relaxed a second and smiled at his beautiful bride. He had hoped Lydia would be right, even if he knew his parents better then that.

“Robert, are you just going to allow this…this…woman to speak to me like that??” she demanded her voice shaking. She slunk back into her chair, trying to play the victim, even grabbing her cloth napkin to dab her eyes as she placed her hand upon her chest.

Zara crossed her arms in front of her chest, her eyes not leaving the act Clara was trying. She smiled slightly at the new tactic being preformed.

“Stop acting the victim Clara. You started this, and my sister won’t stand up to you, because she believes in keeping the peace. You are her husbands mother and she wants the fairy tale relationship, that’s why she keeps trying. I’m not one who cares about playing nice to those who treat people like dirt. So as long as you keep acting like this, I will continue to shut you down, because I don’t care about any relationship with you.” she growled.

Robert placed his hand upon hers and patted it lightly. He sighed, but no words came from his lips. He looked at everyone and then at his wife, who continued to dab at her dry eyes, playing the part of being hurt, a part no one is buying.

Clara looked at all of them in disgust as Zara’s words hung in the air. They all stared back at her, not one offering sympathy or support to her. She tossed the napkin on the table as she sat up straight. She pushed her husbands hand aside and glared at him as well as she stood up to face them all.

“I can’t believe you Robert or you, Thomas,” she sputtered. “Allowing these things to be said about us. Thomas I raised you better then that, I am your mother…” 

“And you are behaving like a spoiled brat!” Thomas pointed out.

Clara’s hand flew to her mouth, shocked her son would say something like that.

“He’s right!” Robert admitted softly.

Clara turned wide eyed and faced her husband. “What did you say?” she choked out. 

Robert cleared his throat and placed his hands on Clara’s shoulders. She tried to pull away, but he help her in place firmly. He looked her in the eyes and sighed, “I said, Our son is right. We are acting like spoiled children, who didn’t get what we wanted so we try to make every get together as uncomfortable as possible. It’s not working, and it was immature and I’m tired of the anger and missing out because of the anger.” He dropped his hands to his sides, exhausted and defeated. He slowly turned towards the family watching, the look of shock still crossing their faces.

Clara pulled away and crossed her arms in front of her chest. The anger still boiling in her eyes. “What are you saying, you are just going to LET them be…OUR Son deserves…”

Robert turned sharply to his wife again, frustration exploding. “Enough!” he shouted. Startling everyone, as they all knew he didn’t yell, Clara did that enough for the both of them.

“Our son…” he yelled, and then calming himself, continued a little softer, “Deserves to be happy. He has found happiness and love with Lydia. He made his choice, and instead of finding reasons to try and keep them apart, I want to get to know her and see what made her so special that Thomas chose her even against our wishes.” 

Looking for any softness at all in his wife, he softly begged. “It is time Clara.”

Clara shook her head and backed away in disbelief.

“Clara” Lydia invited softly, “Can we please try again to get to know each other…”

Clara looked at Lydia the rage and betrayal still flowing she slowly shook her head refusing to give in, her eyes narrow with disgust. Lydia looked down sadly, Thomas stepped beside her and wrapped his arm around her and squeezed Lydia to him. He kissed the top of her head, and then looked sternly at his mother.

“Then you need to go, and not come back until you can treat my wife with respect. We are done trying to welcome you, it’s been 6 month since our wedding, you need to move on and we have given you plenty of time to get over your childish behaviour.” Thomas ordered as surprise crossed his mothers face.

Her back straightened, fresh anger boiled in her blood as she stared down her son, “Robert it is time to go. We are apparently not wanted, SHE has turned our son against us!” Clara howled, pointing directly at Lydia.

Zara stepped sharply towards Clara, Owen grabbed her and pulled her back. Thomas stepped forward, letting Lydia go, but Robert held up his hand to stop his son. Clara stepped back as she saw Thomas move toward her. Then quickly stood tall, expecting her husband to defend and follow her. He faced his wife and put his hands on his hips, scowling at her.

“Clara, you need to go.” Robert ordered. “I am staying right here. I’m done with this stupid behaviour. Even after how badly you have behaved, Lydia kindly invited you to stay and put all of this behind us. I’m going to accept that offer, if it still stands…” he asked turning his head back to look at Lydia and Thomas, dropping his hands beside his body. He sighed and said wearily, “It is long over due to move on and begin again.”

A tear escaped down Lydia’s face as she nodded to her father in law. Thomas smiled at his father, and mouthed the words, Thank you, to him. Robert looked back at his wife again, she hadn’t moved, her face twisted with anger and eyes narrowed once more. 

“I won’t forget this…!”she yelled and stormed out of the room. Seconds later the front door opened and slammed closed so hard something fell to the ground and smashed.

Robert jumped and headed to the door. “I’m sorry, whatever broke we will pay for…”

“Dad…,Dad, leave it be. It’s fine.” 

He stopped and walked back to the table, he looked down, embarrassed. “I’m afraid we have spoiled another meal for you all. I truly am sorry,” He raised his head, his eyes threatening to loose the battled with the tears he was trying to hold back, “Especially to you Lydia. We… I… have been awful to you. I never gave you the chance or allowed myself to get to know you.” he admitted sadly.

“Why? What did I do?” she asked quietly, tears sliding down her cheeks. Thomas slipped his arms around his wife again, and hugged her close. Zara and Owen stood next to her, Zara put her hand on her sisters shoulder in comfort. Tears began to slip down Roberts cheeks, seeing the pain they had inflicted, and the love Thomas had for her that they completely ignored.

“Nothing…you did nothing, but love my son.” he whispered.

Zara’s temper flared, “Nothing! She did nothing wrong and you both were so awful, WHY??” she demanded stepping towards Robert. 

He took a step back and held his hands up.. “I know..but there is more.” he added quickly.

Owen grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back. “Let him explain Zara!” he whispered sharply in her ear. Zara relaxed slightly, but she didn’t take her eyes off him. 

Robert lowered his hands and took a deep breath. He gripped the back of the chair to steady himself before he continued. He looked at Lydia as she rested her head against Thomas’s chest, his arms wrapping her in safety. 

“Clara wanted Thomas to marry someone else. Someone she thought would be better suited for our status, as she said. She tried many times before you two had met, to pair our son with a daughter of one of our friends.”

“Wait…” Thomas demanded as he let go of Lydia, gripping the back of his own chair and leaning in sharply towards his father. “She’s pissed off because I had NO INTEREST in Emily? Well NEWS FLASH, Emily wasn’t interested in me either!” Letting go of the chair, he ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.

“UNBELIEVABLE!”he roared, again gripping the back of his chair. “That, that is the reason she has been so horrible?? WOW! We only hung out because they were your friends! So mom thought she could destroy our lives in hopes Emily and I would get together??? What is wrong with her. Emily is getting married next month to a really great guy!” Thomas shouted, not believing how stupid this was.

“Well apparently Emily’s mother is trying her best as well to keep the wedding from happening.” Robert groaned.

Thomas stood up straight, taking in all that had been said. He slowly shook his head and as he understood the stupidity. Lydia put her arms around her husband and hugged him as he slowed his breathing down. He looked down at his beautiful bride, a smile making its way across his face. He leaned down to kiss her… 

“Okay, those ladies are nuts, you should have let me shake some sense into Clara!” laughed Zara, sliding into her chair.

They all looked at Zara as she started poking at the cold food on the table. The laughter was contagious, soon heads were shaking in disbelief and everyone was returning to their seats, except for Lydia and Thomas who remained standing and smiling at everyone.

“Well the food is really cold now, we have two options. Microwave it or We order pizza and I put this in containers for leftovers for anyone who wants to take some home!” Lydia laughed.

“I vote pizza, and I will buy…”,Announced Robert. Shrugging he snorted, “we never have pizza at home! Clara doesn’t approve!”.