Scene 1
Will entered the kitchen and shuffled to the cupboards in search of anything remotely nutritional. He pulled back the nearest cabinet door to find one lonely cabbage.
'I hate it when there's a famine and nobody tells me.' He said to Luke, who was greedily scanning his lab notes, propped up on the counter.
He didn't even raise his head in recognition of the joke. Will noticed one of Joan's "artfully obscure" lamps and decided to attempt conversation again.
'On second thoughts why clutter up the kitchen with food when we have such magnificent lamps?' He smiled.
Still there was no reaction from the engrossed teenager. Luke worried him when he was like this. At least with Joan and Kevin he knew what to do. Their problems were horrible but, in a way, simple. They had some tangible solutions; he could help them, fix them. With Luke he felt like he was grasping at straws. He couldn't help him if he never knew what was wrong, he couldn't fix something if he didn't even know how it was broken.
'Hey, um,' he strained his mind for something to say,' what were the sonics thinking last night, huh? If you're two for fifteen from behind the arc, why do you still give it to your two-guard instead of jamming it down to your big man in the paint?'
Luke raised a sceptical eyebrow and looked around the empty kitchen,' are you talking to the lamp?'
'Just making conversation,' he said casually, though the words had stung.
'Well I'm a little swamped so…' he said indicatively.
'Oh come on Luke. I said I was sorry for missing the Blitzkrieg thing.'
'Science blitz.' He corrected him, his eye's darted up from the notes momentarily in that fiercely intelligent, dismissive way. 'The blitzkrieg was a method of efficient warfare patented by Hitler. Millions died.'
'And yet it sounds more fun than the science blitz.' Joan announced herself before raiding the food cabinets,' okay we're out've food. What am I supposed to eat?'
'There's candy wrappers on the table. You could try licking at them?' Luke suggested.
'Nah-ah we will not be eating candy for breakfast. This family will not stoop that low.' Helen said, entering from the sitting room.
'There's candy?' Kevin followed her, looking around.
'Just the wrappers.' Luke corrected him.
'Sah-weeeeet.' He joined Joan at the table in licking the stale candy papers.
"This is ridiculous. I told you I shouldn't have gone back to work. Look at our children.' Helen said to Will.
'Oh look! This one's still got a whole candy in it.' Joan grabbed a pink wrapper.
"Gimme.' Kevin grabbed it.
'Mine.' She grabbed back.
Helen shook her head in disappointment.
"Stop worrying.' Will kissed his wife on the forehead before gripping his coat. 'If they're old enough to drive, they're old enough to buy their own cereal.'
'Hey I can't drive. Does that mean I get my sugar puffs?' Joan asked.
'I'm going now. Are you coming?' Luke slid his schoolbag off the counter and turned to Joan.
'Hey I could give you a ride to school if you'd like?' Will offered.
'I'd rather get the bus.' He said.
'I wouldn't. The bus smells like old milk.' Joan hopped up enthusiatically.' Let's go.'
'Sorry I only offer the children I've wronged in some way rides to school.'
'Because they always say no?' Joan asked, sitting back down wearily.
'Ah, you're seeing the logic.'
'Luke just pick a means of transport and get to school 'cause it's getting late.' Helen warned him.
'Please, please, please.' Joan begged Luke and Will dangled the keys in his face temptingly.
'Fine, he can drive us,' Luke gave in,' but I'm sitting in the backseat and I warn you I'm still full of righteous indignation.'
'Whatever,' Joan muttered as they walked out the door.