This was actually my first oneshot ever. Thus the awfulness that abounds here. Also, I completely lost myself halfway through…
"Here, Trent! Why don't you have some milk? I bought it fresh from the Supermarket, only yesterday!" Elli held up a pitcher, prepared to pour the contents into a glass beside Doctor Trent's plate.
"Oh, why thank you, Elli!" the doctor smiled. He turned to Ellen. "It is so nice of you to invite me and Claire over for dinner!"
The old woman waved her hand, and went back to crocheting. She had already eaten before her guests arrived, so she just at in rocker as she watched them enjoy themselves. "It was not a problem, dearies," she nodded.
Elli giggled as she filled the glass and set the pitcher down. She looked over to her younger brother who was beginning to play with his vegetable. "Stu!" the young woman scolded, "Eat your food. You should know better!"
"I dun like stinky broccoli, though!" Stu wrinkled his nose in distaste, and continued trying to stand the veggies on their stalks.
Elli threw up her hands in despair, and sat down. She had eaten along with Ellen, so she just set about making sure Claire and Trent were pleased. She had noticed that the young farmer was being very quiet...
"So, Claire? How is the farm?" Elli had never really been good friends with Claire. The two of them even had a few fights, over plants, and medicine. She smiled at the girl, waiting for a reply.
"Oh, um..." Claire swallowed the top of the broccoli she had been chewing on, "It's been good. It's been raining an awful lot, though, so I have to be really careful with my new batch of sweet potatoes."
Elli nodded.
Trent finally picked up his glass of milk, and was just about to take a sip, when Claire gave a cry , and smacked the glass out of his hand.
"C-claire!" he spluttered, as the glass smashed on the ground, spilling milk all over the place.
"Did you not smell it? It was sour!" Claire gasped. She had stood up when she whacked the cup out of his hands. She rounded on Elli. "What were you thinking, giving us rotten milk?!"
Elli gaped at her, "I-it wasn't rotten! I had just bought it yesterday!"
"Did you keep it in the fridge?"
"Yes! Yes, I did!" Elli stood up and grabbed a mop. After furiously soaking up the milk, she had a sudden idea. "Stu, d-did you put the milk away last night, when you got Gran a glass?"
"Uuummmmm..." Stu pondered this question, and finally got two pieces of broccoli to stand on their own. "Nope!" he said brightly, admiring his handiwork.
Elli flared up, and threw the mop to the ground. "You stupid brat! You could have killed everyone!"
Claire hastily scooped up the broken glass, and finished cleaning the rest of the mess.
Trent stood up, as well, and held Elli back, away from her brother.
"Let me at him! He's going to get such a spanking!"
"Elli! He did not know any better! Physical punishment is not suitable for this simple mistake!" he scolded her, struggling to keep her back.
Elli growled, and spun around, striking Trent across the face, "Don't tell me how to raise my own siblings!" she cried out.
Claire gasped as she saw this, and turned to Ellen, wondering if the old woman would try and stop her granddaughter. To her dismay, Ellen was fast asleep.
Trent just stared at Elli, his cheek sweltering. He didn't frown, or say anything. He just looked at her.
Elli stopped struggling, utterly shocked at what she had just did. "Oh, Trent...! I-I'm so sorry!" she gasped, tears welling up in her eyes.
Trent simply looked down at her.
Claire decided to get Stu cleaned up as well.
Elli sobbed, and rested her head against the doctor's chest. She had just the man she loved. "I...I'm so sorry..."
He still did not speak, but gently stroked her hair.
Claire got Stu all cleaned up, and ready for bed, and sent him to his room. She then set about making sure Ellen was comfy.
Several minutes passed with Trent just holding onto Elli, wordlessly, and Elli sobbing against him, making his dress shirt quite wet. Claire sheepishly stayed off in the corner. It was too late for her to go home on her own, or else she would be gone by now.
At last, Elli stopped crying, and closed her eyes. Trent could feel her body going limp, and he realized that she must be exhausted. He carefully picked her up, her head nestled in the crook of his arm, and her legs draped over his other arm, and he carried her to her room, where he laid her down. He tucked her in, and left, coming to the main room of the house.
"Shall we go?"
Claire nodded, and grabbed his arm, and the two of them made their way back home.
And…I think Claire and Doctor were married. But I'm not entirely sure.