Flash Fiction Friday prompt 157: Need More Space. 675 words.


Jeff & Lee:

Jeff cursed NASA once more as a socked foot kicked him in the stomach. It was too hot to be cocooned in the sleeping bags provided but that wasn't the cause of the cursing as once more a foot kicked out.

Huffing, Jeff climbed out of the tent with the bag and lay down immediately outside using it as a mattress. The stars held his attention for all of five minutes before he drifted off to sleep.

It seemed like he had only been asleep for five minutes when he was rudely awoken by a kick to the ribs and a weight on his already bruised stomach. This time it was Lee who was cussing, and once Jeff had untangled himself from his best friend the two had a fine layer of dirt all over them.

'What the hell, Jeff?'

'Sorry, sorry, Lee.'

The two got themselves up and turned to look at the tent behind them.

'Why the hell were you outside the tent?'

'You're kidding, right?'

'What do you mean?'

'I didn't sleep a wink!'

'I slept like a baby, Jeff.'

'I know you did, Lee. You spent the night kicking me so eventually I left.'

They regarded the tent again.

'Well, I know one thing I'll be putting in my report.'

'What's that, Jeff?'

'Two-man tents for two 6-foot plus men if they need it are just not a good idea.'

They nodded and turned to each other, speaking in unison.

'Needs more space.'

...

Jeff & Lucy:

Scott was under the table with John and Virgil. Eight, six and five respectively, Lucy thought that they were reading or something. They were suspiciously quiet, but there was not much damage they could do there.

She stirred the macaroni cheese. It was practically ready, and she called the boys out to lay the table ready and right on cue Jeff's key turned in the lock and the boys deserted her for their father. Lucy didn't mind, she carried on dishing dinner up as Jeff entered the room, Scott on his back and John and Virgil in each arm. He leaned over her and bestowed a kiss, causing both boys being squashed to giggle loudly.

Jeff deposited the boys in their seats, and Scott jumped up again to grab the juice for the table.

Lucy waited for the meal to be almost over before she announced her news.

'Boys, how would you feel if we were to move to a bigger house?'

There was a bubble of excited chatter. John was talking about a room of his own and Scott was talking about a yard with a basketball ring.

'Lucy?'

'Jeff, honey, we need more space.'

'We do?'

'We do. I'm pregnant.'

...

Jeff & All his boys:

Jeff watched from the doorway to Scott's room.

His eldest lay on the floor but his bed was full of his brothers. Jeff could tell from the positioning his eldest had been kicked out by Gordon. It wasn't much of a guess, the fourth-born son was an octopus even in his sleep.

A thought occurred and Jeff moved downstairs and picked up the phone. A discussion later and he was smiling as coffee was made and his boys came down the stairs.

The day went as well as any without his wife did, but he was unusually home when the boys came in, chatting away.

'Go put your bags in your rooms, boys.'

They scrambled to obey. Jeff waited at the bottom of the stairs, trying so hard not smile as Scott's shout called all his brothers to run in and see what the fuss was, and he climbed the stairs to see their faces.

Scott's face was a picture as he took in the double bed that the rest of his brothers were sprawled over.

'Dad?'

'If your brothers are going to keep joining you in bed then you need the space.'

Scott ran over and hugged his father and Jeff suddenly found himself on the floor with all his boys on top of him, hugging him.