Noodles are the devil

By: Mason Ready

It was Christmas day, the whole Jones family had arrived at gram-gram's house. The family in past years had been largely separated from each other, only speaking through the occasional phone call. Jeremey Jones was the father of the twin Jones boys: Thomas and Lucas. Jeremey was the husband of gram-gram and had dedicated his life to the craft of cuisine. The Jones came together this christmas to remember Jeremy, it was the first time since his funeral that the whole family was together. Thomas and Lucas wasted little time showering their widowed mother with love.  

“Mom, I missed you so much! A phone call just isn’t the same.” Lucas explained

“I hate to admit it but he's right mom, seeing you is something I've missed.” Thomas said with reluctance

“Well I do love seeing you boys very much but where are your families?” she questioned

“Well Marissa had to work in the ER over christmas so I got a sitter and came to visit you.” said Thomas

“And Olivia is with the kids and her parents this year.”

They all chatted for hours about what their lives have been like since the passing of Jeremey. Thomas talked about the coffee company he works for in San Francisco, while Lucas bragged about his time piloting people all across the world. Gram-gram didn’t have much to add, her life had been lonely since the passing of her beloved chef. Then it struck her.

“I don’t know why they let you fly when you're such a klutz!” Thomas exclaimed

“Well if Beijing's airport wasn’t such a problem-”

“Why don’t we make your father noodles for dinner tonight, as a tribute to him?” She blurted out, cutting off Lucas in the middle of his story.

“Yea, why don't we! I can make some coffee I brought and we can all make together as a family, like we used to.”

“Do we have all the ingredients for them?” said Lucas “If we don’t we should go soon, it's getting late”

They checked Jeremey recipe book which has not been touched in years. They make a quick checklist of things they need and Lucas and gram-gram left for the store while Thomas prepared the kitchen.

Lucas and gram-gram looked for an hour before finding a store open.

“Finally! Ya know I get free food while flying?” Lucas said gleaming with pride

“And I’m sure you get discounted flights too… maybe a gift idea for your mother!” gram-gram shot back

They ran into the store, and saw one cashier standing alone.

“Hey guys, just to let you know we close in about 15 minutes.” He said oozing with boredom

“Okay thanks we only need a couple of things anyway.” said lucas

Gram-gram moved quite quickly for an Arnold woman, navigating her way from aisle to aisle collecting items quickly. Lucas stood at the milk section staring blankly at the different types.

“Why is this always so difficult… Screw it this one looks good enough” He quickly grasped the gallon of milk and began to walk without seeing the caution sign on the freshly mopped floor. Lucas took two steps and Flew onto his back.

“AGHHH” Lucas proclaimed whilst hitting the floor very hard. He felt a cold streak down his back and sat up to see the milk was all over him and the floor. A very annoyed cashier stared at him with rage flowing through his eyes. He grabbed a new gallon of milk and said, “I'll put this up front for you sir” 

Gram-gram walked over giggling at her klutz of a son hiding in an adult's body. She said though he smile “I swear you haven’t changed one bit Lucas”

“Very funny mom lets just get out of here so I can change”

They gathered the rest of the list and went to the front to face possibly the most frustrated 17 year old boy in existence.

“Your total today will be 46.56… will you need any bags?” Afraid to piss him off anymore Lucas refused his offer and attempted to pick up everything on his own. Lucas made it about halfway through the parking lot before dropping the flower and narrowly catching it with his foot. It Wasn't until they got home that they realized they had it easy…

Two hours earlier Thomas is working hard in the kitchen

Thomas was working away stacking rollers and cutting boards, all the essentials of making pasta. His coffee was brewing while he did this. Thomas finished his task and the home filled with the smell of fresh coffee, like it always did in the mornings when he was a child. Thomas’s mind flooded with memories in his home, little things he took for granted like going on walks with his dad, making dinner, doing homework late at night and early in the morning. He began to break down crying, wishing his father was next to him to embrace the coffee he had crafted. Thomas now in a crazed state began drinking the newly brewed coffee while crying, his mouth burning he woke from his trance and spit out the coffee immediately. 

“Man that was stupid, why did I even do that?” Thomas said to himself confused

Lucas and gram-gram walked in to Thomas still recovering from his act,

“What the hell happened to you?!” they both said almost in synchronization. 

Embarrassed to tell the truth he quickmade a story “Well I was testing the coffee and must have already been drowsy because it was still burning hot.”

“Well I’m sure you awake now! Heheh” gram-gram said laughing for the second time that night.

They all shared a little laugh and then got right to work crafting the noodles, following every step with precision in the hope forthemto turnout as good as he made them. However, even a family having fun getson each other's nerves, it takes very little to achieve chaos. Thomas rolling out the dough spilled flour on Lucas’s new clean pair of pants, “C’mon man! Be a little more careful, I just changed.” “My bad it was an accident” Thomas exclaimed. Without realizing it Thomas had begun the end of the night joy. Back and forth the boys barked at each other and accidentally tormented each other, all while the gram-gram wasn’t looking. Finally the pressure grew too high, Lucas poured milk on Thomas crotch giggling.

“WHAT THE FUCK LUCAS, THATS IT” he grabbed the gallon and pured it on lucas’s whole body. The house fell silent, the silence before the storm. An out-right brawl broke out between the boys, a gram-gram screaming at them to stop but they were in a rage filled with madness. They both Yelling Insults “Your coffee sucks ass and I wish you lived further away!” “You Would know all about being far away! Always in some other country never around to even answer the damn phone!” Thomas said through gritted teeth. They broke apart and a gram-gram stepped between them to stop the fight. “PLEASE WILL YOU STOP, please let's talk like adults! Which you both haven't been acting like. They sat down both breathing heavily.

“I thought I missed this house but then I remember you lived here and I wanted to leave.” Lucas snapped. “I missed dad not you, that's why I came, and I‘m acting up because I miss him more than anything in this world.” Thomas said on the verge of tears. “Look Thomas, we all miss him and while you two had the strongest connection he was my dad two.” “Finally you Men get it, the noodles aren't about making noodles it’s about being with your father, This kitchen is his, and when we are in it he’s with us. Please understand we can all be with him.” “Your right mom” they said together, “can we stop the noodles though we have kinda butchered them haha” Thomas said through a slight smile. “Alright let's just watch a movie then” “ sounds good to me, as long as I can be with the two of you” gram-gram said. The threesome spent the night watching movies, they had all learned a lesson. That family is more than just being together, It’s wanting to be around even those we’ve lost. It’s easy to escape pain, run away, but at some point we have to face it, perhaps even over noodles.