14 Name: Anonymous : 2014-08-25 23:34 ID:ZXBYSaxe [Del]
Gentle knocks rattled the wooden door, shaking Lorne’s concentration. His computer chair swivelled in the gloom, and he let out a low grunt; a permission for entry. The door pushed a little open and Anna peaked her head through. The warm light coming from the hallway reflected in her hair, making it shine gold. The contrast hurt Lorne’s eyes, so he looked away. Anna smiled sweetly, her softly spoken voice floating into the room.
“Lorne, honey, dinners ready. I made borscht, just how you like it, but I was hoping that you could come out and eat at the table tonight…” Rotating back to face her, Lorne could see a glint of determination in her eyes, and knew he wouldn’t win the fight.
“Okay.” The one word obviously sustained her, and she slipped the door shut silently, off to prepare the table for one more plate than usual.
Lorne shuffled from his room like a mole out of its burrow. Head down and eyes squinted, his pyjama pants hung loose, and his plain white shirt paraded stains from years past. The ornate furniture and expensive wall-art wasted themselves around his step as he voyaged down the hallway. The table was large and beautifully carved, wafting off the aroma of spices and cooked meat. Anna was already seated, patiently awaiting his presence, like a desert flower saving for the rain. Lorne collapsed into his chair, forcing a smile. His posture was terrible, drilled into the style of a hunchback for the past year. Anna ladled the soup out, and for a time they ate in silence. Soon, however, she dredged up the conversation she had been dreading.
“Lorne.. I know you’ve been having a rough time over the past couple of years, and I know mum and dad haven’t really been around to help you out.” Lorne concentrated on his plate and didn’t reply, making out the swirling tides following his spoon through the crimson soup. Anna spoke again, gaining a little more confidence. “I’ve been out of school for three years now, and I can’t stay in this town forever.. Anyway, It’s time you learnt how to be a little independent.. Right? Look, I applied to Melbourne university a couple of months ago. They accepted me, and I’m moving in a few months.” Near the end the words gushed out of her mouth, a torrent that had been dammed for weeks. The borscht turned to ash on Lorne’s tongue. The dim lighting became painful, drilling itself into his eyes, and so he closed them, but still Lorne remained silent. “I talked to mum and dad and they’re fine to give support to both of us, and you’re old enough to take care of yourself. Lorne, I love you, but I can’t facilitate you forever.” Anna searched his eyes, pleading for some kind of reaction. ‘facilitate’, that was the word she chose. Still maintaining silence, Lorne slid back his chair and crumbled back down the hallway, leaving Anna distraught.
