Strong Bonds.Story for Writing

Strong Bonds
Ms. Lowe 6th Period
Kay Lee Mireles

In a strong-knitted family, those known as 'Mother' and 'Father', -the parents-, are the strong-hold of the family. A family is like a house, the parents are the main pillar of the house, keeping everything from collapsing & keeping the family together. As their house, or family expands, the children become mild pillars as well, and together they strong, bounded  by their bloodline, and loyalty to family, but…What if one pillar should fall?...


My name is Violet, and with my younger brother Darren, we arrive at our grandparents' house, where our father waits for us outside. Did I forget to mention our parents are divorced? I don't think Darren remembers or thinks much of it, until the subject is brought up, then he just goes quiet. Darren is only 10 years old, as I am 15; Darren has always been a happy-go-lucky kid, so he tries to make the best of everything, which I suppose is a good thing. I of course, understand my parents' situation, and all that goes on, and how father doesn't want to just disappear from our lives. 'Even if suddenly I lost everything, to know that I have been a good father to you and Darren; makes me proud to call myself your father. It's hard to explain, you and Darren are still too young…" Those were his words.
Things have seemed calm up to this snowy Christmas Eve dinner. The bitter winter chill in the air is numbing today as Darren and I quickly enter the house. It's warm, with the soft mumbling &buzzing of our aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. With our arrival, everyone herds to the table, and takes a seat. I follow my father, as Darren follows me; once everyone takes a seat, my uncle Felix stands to talk.

[Uncle]Felix: "Unfortunately, my wife, two sons and T still have a few other places to go, so this time we will eat earlier. Also, I don't believe my sons actually got a chance to meet my brother's children, so I would like to introduce to you, Violet & Darren, my sons, Jay & Anthony."

They stand, as if on cue, and we exchange greetings, though timid Darren is bashfully shy. Jay seems around my age, if not, older; while Anthony seems about 12.

[Uncle]Felix: "And now, I'd be honored if my father would start our feast" he added, once we sat back down.

Mummers of agreements rose as food was pasted around, talking began as people shared stories, and with laughter here and there, jokes being told, the family was reunited once again. I watched, as Darren chatted a bit with our cousin, Steven, who was like his twin brother, as both dug into their food; seeing Darren happy always made me smile. The mood around us all was relaxed, warm, &pleased, but there was also a bittersweet vibe in the air. IT troubled me, so I studied everyone's' attitude. Darren sat next to me on the short width side of the table, and at the other end of the table, across from us were our grandparents. Their end was filled with bliss as they chatted with my Aunt Marge & her husband, and also with Felix & his wife, and a bit with Jay & Anthony. However, my usually lively Aunt Paula was rather quiet as was for her husband, though he usually was quite, but not Paula. Yet she rarely talked, and when she did, it was to simply reply to my father's attempt for making small talk which did clearly fail. Then there was Paula's sons, Mitch (the eldest), Michel (the middle aged), and Steven (the youngest). Michel was calm, seeming content as he ate; as Mitch was very quiet. A lot of the time Mitch was quite, and seemed bored, and barely talked with us, but today something was off.

Mitch: "Mom, next year, for Thanksgiving, What will we be doing? Manuel wanted me to-"

[Mitch's father]: "No."

Cut off, Mitch narrowed his eyes at his father; suspicion perhaps?

[Mitch's father]: "What I mean is: We'll be spending Thanksgiving with my relatives. Together. As a family." He fearlessly told him, his voice, strong &stern with emphasis on 'together'& 'family' part as if he seriously meant it, and nothing was going to change his word.

Now Mitch looked mad.

Mitch: "No, seriously. What are we doing?" he insisted, staring hard at his father, who suddenly stopped eating.

I believe Mitch never liked him before and now it was clear: Mitch hated him. To make things a lot worse, everyone seemed to have heard him; everyone went silent. Tension became a thick heavy weight in the air, as everyone else felt a bit awkward and went still. Mitch's father finally moved, placing his silverware on his plate; his wooden chair scraped against the floor as he stood up.

[Aunt] Marge: "Well, I do so believe it is time for desert, yes?" she quickly said, standing up, trying to dismiss the aggressive mood & tension set by the two. "Dear, would you help clean up a bit, and place finished dishes in the sink?" she asked her husband.

[Marge's Husband]: "Yes, of course" he said, picking up now-emptied plates.
Marge: "And Steven; come to the kitchen with me to get the homemade ice cream. Mitch, dear?" she called, as he just glanced. "Would you help your baby brother?"
Mitch was silent.

Mitch: "………………….Fine…"
Aunt Marge's attempt to separate the two, worked. Mitch followed Steven &Marge.

Felix: "Right. Jay, Anthony, get everyone a clean plate" he instructed as he & his wife stood up taking used dishes.

Jay: "Oh, Yeah…." Jay barely said; he &Anthony seemed interested &distracted by the mild fight though. Surely, not the best way to meet new cousins….

Everyone was up, whether it was getting clean dishes or deserts to set on the table; through the somewhat crowded kitchen, everyone seemed to manage, to work around each other, and yet somehow, work together. I spotted Darren & Steven head to the table, set two things down, and went right back to the kitchen. But as Darren & Steven settled their things down, I notice Mitch and his father once again near each other at the table, pretending to look busy, cleaning the table, keeping their heads down. But they we're quietly talking, glancing at each other. Clearly things were unsettled, but seemed to call a temporary truce as the others emerged from the kitchen. Everyone seem to carry a small bowl with deserts of their own choosing, and walked around chattering and complimenting each other's desert. With the table cleared, Mitch sat alone, until Steven & Darren ran over with their bowls of ice cream.

Steven:"You gotta try some desert! Come on taste!"

Mitch: "No, thanks."

Steven: "Please?! Me and Granny homemade this one!"

Darren: "Yeah it tastes really awesome!"

Mitch: "Alright, alright" he eventually gave in, probably just to not to disappoint Steven.

Good, everyone seemed to have calmed down now.

Felix: "Everyone, your attention! Today hasn't lasted long, but unfortunately, my wife, sons, & I, have more people to visit. I want to say thank you to everyone who brought their own dish. Marge, love your pecan pies, Paula, awesome fruit salad & jello desert, you have found my weakness" he said getting a laugh from everyone. "Way to go sis. Also, I'd like to thank my mom &dad for hosting and letting us come here for this great day. And with that I bid you farewell, drive safe, stay warm, and don't get sick."

Everyone bid their farewells and decided it was time to leave; Aunt Marge thanked out hosts and asked if anyone had seen her white-with-blue-roses plate, and as they headed to the kitchen, suddenly something shattered. Alarmed, I looked back, seeing Mitch and his father staring eye-to-eye, a shattered dish underneath them, (thankfully not Marge's plate though, or she would have freaked).

[Mitch's father]: "Enough" he hissed.

Mitch: "Now you want to be a father? You're a little late. 18 years late."

[M's father]: "Take your attitude outside, and come back in when you've cooled off" he only told him.

Mitch: "And back down just like that? You don't know me."

[M's father]: "Go outside."

Mitch: "Stop trying to avoid this"

[M's father]: "I don't want to hear it, this ends now!"

Mitch: "You never want to hear it, and I'm not going to back down to you! You never were a part of our lives and suddenly you want to father us, give us rules; it just doesn't work that way & demanding respect get you nowhere too."

[M's father]: "End this discussion" he ordered

Mitch: "Cause you know I have a damn good point and you can't think of a good enough excuse. Well there isn't an excuse for being a bad father, and walking out on us, you son of a- "

[M's father]: "Shut your mouth before I shut it for you!" he snapped grabbing Mitch's shirt, he almost brought his hand up, tempted to hit him, but lowered it back to his side.

Mitch: "What's the matter? Man enough to walk out on us, man enough to actually come back, but not man enough to hit me?"

Paula: "Both of you stop!"she cried out, Aunt Marge's tall husband,  (who was a little husky; thick-boned),  help separated the two.

Father: "Violet, get Marge's dinner plate, it was the one that had her sweet rolls on it" my father instructed directing me to the kitchen as he headed to his sister's aid.

Violet: "Right" I only said glancing at them before headed to the kitchen.

It took me forever to find it in the dishes pile; heading back to the living room, everyone had migrated over to the entrance as Aunt Marge & her husband were about to leave, bidding farewell to my grandparents, I quickly caught up to her to give her, her dish. Paula, & her husband were gone; Michel, Steven, Darren, and my father also stood near the entrance, as Mitch was a few steps behind.

Violet: "So…You guys will be leaving too I suppose?"

Mitch: "Yeah…….Look, don't lecture me or anything, just-"

Violet: "I'm not, just…What happened?"

Mitch: *sigh* "He was just…never really there to begin with. Besides once I start collage next year, I'm moving out. None of this will even matter."

Violet: "What about your brothers? Your mom? What if he-…What if he leaves again?"

Mitch: "Why are you worrying?" he snapped "You shouldn't-, just let me handle this, ok?"

Violet: "You're family. I can't believe I didn't even know this, we're suppose to stick together"

Mitch: "Well you're not my sister. You're not her daughter. You no longer even live in the same town since you and Darren moved with your mom; you have a different life and I really think you should just stay out of it right now, ok? I'll tell you, inform you when and if something happens alright?" he compromised. "Metal forever?" he said; we rarely talked, but when we did we for sure both had the same taste in Heavy Metal music, bands like Cannibal Corpse and so on.

Violet: "Yeah, 'Love Metal'." I said holding my hand up in the 'metal horns' hand gesture.

Michel: "Mitch, we gotta go" he said as Darren & Steven said goodbye.

Mitch: "Alright." He responded. "See ya later cuz" he only said leaving with his brothers.

I nodded my head, but I knew this was probably going to bug me for a while.

Father: "This is one reason why I try to be a good father. I don't want it to seem as if I walked out on you guys" he said appearing next to me, watching Mitch and the others leave, as Darren & out grandparent waved 'bye' to them.

Violet: "Don't worry, you never did" I said giving him a hug. "Will Paula be alright?"

Father: "I'm not sure honestly. But I think things will simmer down, and hopefully it'll be ok again."

Violet: "But I'm not gonna stand around and do nothing, they're family!" I insisted.

Father: "I know, she is my sister and I don't like how things are either but, Mitch says he will try to settle things. Right now, this is between them; if they can't settle things, only then maybe, will they accept help from others. Unfortunately, till then, we must be patient. We must wait."

I still didn't believe this. I could do nothing.