Chapter 8 - Change Of Heart

The hot, humid evening seem to go one forever in Shrek's mind. As he quietly sipped on wine he thought deeply about his brief visit with Murdoc. Shrek put his glass down and looked across the table at Murdoc. Murdoc was also sipping on wine; he stared at Shrek with his cold dark eyes. Donkey was sitting next to Maria, trying to stay on his best behavior. "I'm so glad to be here with all of you!"

Shrek looked at Donkey in the corner of his eyes, watching him closely, making sure he didn't act up again.

"That's nice donkey. Always interesting to see someone new." Maria said.

The entire family sat silent for a while as they ate their food.

There was a dark cloud hanging over the dinner table, Maria and some of the other family members knew that Shrek and Murdoc didn't have a smooth visit. Cearl broke the unusual silence that enveloped the family.

"So Shrek... how did your visit with Murdoc go?"

Maria and few others perked up, they knew what happened, but Cearl didn't. Shrek just looked up at Murdoc and said, with a disappointed dace,

"Oh, it was great visit... RIGHT Murdoc?"

Murdoc stared at Shrek with a fake smile.

"We had such a good time... We talked a little, exchanged a few views... Isn't that right, MURDOC."

Murdoc's said nothing back, but in his mind he was getting more and more angry with Shrek.
"We had such a good visit we decided to cut it off short..."

Murdoc was about to explode. He stood up and said angrily,

"I had just about had it with you Shrek! You disappear for 15 years, then show up unexpected and demand our love for nothing!"

"Murdoc!" Maria said firmly.

"What? I'm I not right about this? Shrek's just here to take advantage of us!"

"That's crazy! He loves us! Shrek only wants to be a family again." Maria said back.

"If that's the case why did he leave?"

Shrek didn't say anything; he knew that this was a bad place to voice his opinion.

"I'm disappointed in you Shrek, your not my brother, and your not part of this family."

Shrek didn't bother to look at Murdoc.

"I'm leaving, I'm not sitting with someone who thinks they can get something for nothing."

Murdoc wiped his face with a cloth and left the patio.

"Well at least I get to finish his leftovers!" Donkey said to lighten up the atmosphere.

Shrek and his family didn't pay much attention to Donkey. Everyone sat silent not knowing what to say about what just happened.

After dinner, Shrek and his parents sat outside on the patio and talked about the evening.

"I can't believe my brother talks about my family and me like that. He thinks I'm here to make you guys love me."

"Don't pay attention to him Shrek. I know he's upset about you leaving him years ago, but it doesn't make it right for him to accuse us about loving you."

"I know Maria. He's not liked he used to be long ago... it's my fault that this happened."

There was a moment of silence.

"Not entirely Shrek. When you left, and even before, Murdoc was rather cold and dark."

"Hmm."

"It got worse when you left, but he was like that for most of his life."

Shrek gave a sigh of disappointment.

"I wish that it could have worked out."

"Both of you will be happy brothers again Shrek, sooner or later."

"I hope we do."

Murdoc was walking in circles in his house, thinking about the day and the late dinner.

"Do I want Shrek as a brother?" He thought in his mind.

Murdoc was troubled, so he walked over to the big house and went to his parent's bedroom. Murdoc knocked, Maria answered the door.

"Murdoc..."

"Hi mom. Can we talk?"

"Sure, Come in."

Murdoc walked in to Maria and Cearl's large bedroom.

"So Murdoc, the dinner... what was that all about?"

"Shrek... I'm a bit angry with him."

"Why?" Cearl asked.

"Well, Shrek wants us to forget what he did to us."

"He didn't do anything to us Murdoc, he left because he misunderstood what we said long ago. Cearl and Me should be to blame for all of this."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, 15 years ago, we kicked Shrek out of the house. We had a place all ready for him to stay in, but he thought that we pushed him out of our lives... and he left."

Murdoc was speechless at what he heard. Murdoc realized that his brother left by mistake!

"All these years! I thought that Shrek left because he wanted to leave us!"

"You never knew that?"

"No! I thought that he left... he..."

Murdoc was in an awkward situation.

"You know, you should try to warm up to Shrek a little, he really wants to be your brother again." Maria said calmly.

Murdoc looked at his parents and said,

"I do want a brother again, but..."

"But what?"

"I'm not sure I can just accept him..."

"What do you got against Shrek? He's a nice ogre."

"Yes, I know. He's just seems a little oblivious to the fact that he left me without any warning."

"You know Murdoc, it is up to you whether you accept him as a brother, but you would be happier if you tried to warm up to him."

Murdoc didn't agree or disagree what Maria said.

Later on in the night, Murdoc sat on a chair in his room and thought about Shrek. He then stood up and said firmly to himself,

"For so long I haven't had a brother... now I have the chance to have one again!"