Define "Family"

Chapter One

I knew things were going wrong even before anyone said anything. No one had to say anything for me to realize what was happening to our family. It was obvious all along, but nothing took effect until that night.

It was my older brother, my older sister, my mom and dad, and I. We were sitting at the dining room table, eating the chicken my mother and sister had fixed. Mom thought of it because my dad loved her chicken and it was his birthday.

We all sang our happy birthday song, traditionally, and then mom brought in the very special birthday cake we had made together. He loved this, too, and it was always his favorite. Dad looked surprised, but we all knew that he knew what was coming up. Mom put it before him and he counted to three before blowing out all the candles.

It took him about three tries, but he finally made it. After he was done, we ate our food and then mom cut pieces of the cake for all of us.

"How is it, Dale?" My mother asked him, looking up at my dad as he tried out his cake.

He bit into it and mashed it around in his mouth. "It tastes different." He said.

"It tastes the same as any other time we made it." Mom said back. "Don't you agree, Tina?" She asked, looking over at my older sister.
"Mom..." Tina said quietly.

"What? I'm just asking...because to me it tastes the same."

My brother Skye, taking the lead, stood up and brushed himself off. "How about presents first then cake after? I have a special present for dad." He smiled and walked out of the kitchen.

My mother eyed dad suspiciously, but she got up too and followed my brother. When we all went into the living room, dad gasped at all the presents that lay before him. Five presents were on the floor by the couch. One from each of us, then one from his brother, David. He had sent it In a couple of days earlier; he always does.

"Open mine last." Skye said.

"Me too!" Tina said quickly.

"You can open mine first, dad." I said, offering my present to him. He took it from my hands, examined it, and then shook it around.

"Sounds nice." He said. He started to unwrap it then open the box that held his present. It was a beamer clock, something that my dad has always wanted. He smiled and hugged me, then put it around his wrist.

"I love it sweetie." He said, showing it off to the rest of them.

"Open mom's next!" Tina said, not taking on what had happened before.

Mom bent down and picked out a present box with red wrapping and a blue ribbon. My dad started to tear off the wrapping and he revealed a large shirt with a blue horse on the side.

He stood speechless as he looked a the shirt mom had given him. Mom didn't smile; she just looked blankly at him to see what he would say.

"It's...blue." He said, looking at the shirt, then up to her.

"I know it is, Dale. You said you loved the color blue." She folded her arms.

"I know that, Meg, but what's up with the horse."

"The horse is part of the company. What do you want me to do...rip it off?" She said sarcastically.

"Well...you know I wanted the orange and white cut-offs."

"I know you wanted a lot of things," She said, "But you never got them before." She unfolded her arms and took the t-shirt out of his hands.

"It looks fine, dad." Skye said, his fingers shaking.

"I'll just go buy myself the other one then..." He reached for the t-shirt, but mom put it behind her back.

"No, no, it's alright. I'll just go to the store and spend some more money on a t-shirt you couldn't have. I'll buy you everything single that you want."

"Meg..." He said, but mom cut him off.

"You didn't seem to have a problem with it before." She got up and put the t-shirt back into the box, obviously hurt.

"I think the cake is getting cold...we better go eat it up." Tina said.

"Cake is already cold." But before I could stop myself from answering, I had finally understood what Tina meant. She gave me an annoyed expression and got up.

"No! I'm just going to go out in the middle of the night to go buy your dad the t-shirt that he always wanted and couldn't wait to have." She got up and started to walk to the door.

"Mom! We can do that later...I could do that later!" Skye offered, but she shook her head.

"Megan, this is not helping." My dad got up, knocking over the present from Uncle David.

"Nothing's helping, Dale! Nothing ever helped." Then mom burst into tears. She ran out the door and to her car, hoping inside and driving off.

I really wanted to make her feel better. I really wanted to make everyone feel better. But from the looks of what had happened tonight, nothing was going to get any better.