Prompt: Dish
River McIrish was invited by the Langeraks to stay for dinner. Out of gentleness, she offered herself to do the washing.
In the evening, the Langerak family was reunited at the dinner table behind the stairs of the living room having grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner. As usual, the Langeraks consisted of all four family members including Iliana Langerak's younger sister Zelda Mae, who had been living with the clan for a few years. All six seats around the table were taken. Normally it would only be five, sometimes even four depending on either Dustin or Zelda's work shifts. Today the family had one of Parker's school friends come over for dinner. A girl actually. The family was used to seeing their son bring home each time a different girl. They didn't mind their presence. The only thing, that bothered them, mostly Iliana was the fact, that his son Parker was a little of a player in terms of girls. She partially blames her younger sister for having led Parker during her free times into feasts, when she had to have her eyes on her job or on their younger daughter Kaylynn, back, when she was younger. Anyways, for a couple of months, Iliana had punished his son for failing at school and expected him to improve until the next semester. Parker managed to get himself at the school help from a girl from a different class. The girl's name was River McIrish. Parker actually knew her, but never really interacted with her until he received his ultimatum. His initial plan was to convince her to let him copy her homework as he used to do with his best friend Ethan. No matter, what promises Parker made the brunette, River rejected all of them. At a later point of the day, she caught Parker being scolded by the principal, then felt sorry for him and offered to learn with him for the school. Not really fascinated about the idea the boy accepted it and within the time the two became friends.
The group around the table was in the middle of the dinner listening to Zelda talking, who sat by the stairs vice versa to their young guest.
"I know Grilled Cheese isn't the same, but you all have to try Francesinha. Mostly you, Dustin. I know you will get crazy about it!" Zelda spoke while taking a bite of her sandwich. "The only exception may be, you gotta eat it with fork and knife, but it's worth the fight,"
"This ain't like Toast Hawaii, right?" Questioned Kaylynn unimpressed about the mention of foods.
"It's better! It's basically the Portuguese adaption of the croque monsieur. Besides having cheese as the two mentioned sandwiches, it has ham, roast, steak, and chipolata….depending on the restaurant you are in. That's built as a sandwich, you put cheese over it and let it melt. By the end a sauce is added to it, usually containing tomato and beer in it. It sounds simple, but takes a bit of work to get all the ingredients done. The best thing for you all would be to go to a restaurant, makes it easier," Explained Zelda making Dustin nod, then noticed his wife move her fork up to get the two blonde's attention.
"By the way, visiting the one restaurant in Porto would actually be the most adequate place to give the meal a try," Commented the raven-haired woman.
"Of course, the best one is there. We sure have somewhere a restaurant, that knows how to make that. If Appaloosa Plains has an Arabic one and Twinbrook a Scandinavian one, any other place should have a Portuguese or an Iberian one," Commented Zelda. "I don't know when we will be able to go to Portugal again. I know I got nothing there, but I kinda miss our old neighborhood," Confessed the blonde making Dustin nod.
"I feel the same about Karlstad. It's been almost three years since my last visit," Mentioned Dustin making Iliana nod.
"The budget we had used last year to go to Portugal was insane for the five of us. Almost 6500 Simoleons,"
"The prices are really growing over the years and usually traveling to Portugal used to be cheaper than to Sweden. None of the flight is even non-stop," Confessed Dustin glimpsing at Zelda and Parker, who sat beside each other. Zelda nodded, then heard Parker cough upon swallowing his food.
"Sorry…...about the flights, there's something I have never understood in the past flights we booked. The ones I remember to Sweden were alright, but why when we have a flight with a stop to Portugal we are redirected to Spain and have to take there the second plane back to Portugal if we have to pass by Portugal anyway? I never got that," Mentioned Parker looking at his mother.
"It's how the companies are organized. Of course, it would make more sense, if they would have a non-stop flight or a different connection. Usually, the planes we fly with, most of the passengers are going to stay in said local and only a few passengers fly further," Responded Iliana making Parker nod.
Zelda looked further at River, who was eating and listening to the conversation normally, then she took the juice bottle from the table to fill her own cup up.
"River, you haven't said anything yet. Have you ever been to Europe?" Questioned the blonde earning the attention of the brunette girl, then spotted Kaylynn, who sat beside the guest and nodded.
"She's from Ireland," Commented Kaylynn making Zelda smile.
"Oh really?" Questioned Zelda curious watching River shrug her shoulders.
"Actually I'm half-Irish. Just like my mother," Responded River. "Well, to be right, I'm three-quarters Irish,"
"Did your mother grow up there or was she already here, when she was young?" Questioned Iliana. "I remember, I used to see her around the neighborhood when we used to live across the Bunches,"
"You used to live there before?" Questioned River curious making the woman nod. "I had no idea,"
"On the year we moved here Parker was around the age of ten I think. I do remember, that Kaylynn at that time was three years old. I believe we never really interacted at all," Mentioned Iliana making the brunette nod. "Do you know from which part of Ireland you or your mother belong?"
"Lismore," Responded River. "I was very young the last time I was there. I don't remember quite a lot from there,"
"Have you ever thought about visiting it sometime?" Questioned Kaylynn. "Like your grandparents or someone else from your family?"
"My mother's parents live in Appaloosa Plain. We actually don't have a reason to go back to Ireland, to be honest," Responded River making Kaylynn nod. "They're also currently living in a senior residence in peace, not needing to worry about anything else,"
"My mother is residing in a nursing home after a heart attack she had and needs to be looked after very often. Usually, my brother or cousin calls me to tell me what's up. It was hard for us all to see her unable to move her arms the way she used to do before," Mentioned Dustin neutrally making Zelda nod.
"Lili and my parents passed away a few years ago. Kaylynn sadly didn't make it to get to know them in time," The blonde said making Kaylynn nod.
"I just saw their pictures and grandma kinda resembled mom a lot," Commented the raven-haired girl.
"When our grandma was around your age she actually resembled you a lot, K," Commented Parker making Kaylynn tilt her head confused, then Iliana smiled at her son's mention.
"He's right, Kaylynn. We must have their photo album somewhere. I know there were a few pictures. They might be black and white, but you'll recognize it anyway," Assured the mother, then watched across the table her husband let out a burp after he had finished eating his sandwich, making Iliana wide her eyes in shock while Kaylynn facepalmed.
"Really Dustin?" Questioned Zelda.
"We have guests. Could you at least be discreet?"
"It's not that bad, darling. It could have been worse," Mentioned the blonde, followed by watching his daughter hit her head on the table out of embarrassment. "Not you too, Kaylynn," Mumbled Dustin watching River glimpse down at the kid, who looked up at the brunette.
"Please spare me from this embarrassment," Commented the girl, then River looked at the same-aged teenager across the table, who shrugged his shoulders unsure, of how he was meant to react at that moment.
Later the family had finished dinner and Zelda stood together with her sister talking, while Dustin was taking a look at the stereo system by the window, which had been turned off for the entire time. Kaylynn, Parker, and River remained sitting around the table, where Kaylynn was showing something on her homework.
"We have to write a little bit about each member of our family. About my mom, I wrote, that she's very hard-working and my dad is kind of a laid-back guy," Explained Kaylynn while River nodded when listening to her.
"I noticed. Your brother and your dad really do share some common traits," Commented River making Kaylynn smile. Parker shook his head amused at their agreement and moved with his chair closer to the girls.
"Well, there I have to agree with you in terms of the homework. I could really consider myself "lazy" from not being in the mood to do them on my own,"
"Well, your main problem was the learning, wasn't it?" Questioned River making the raven-haired boy nod.
"Okay, that too…...Mostly that….to be frank. I never got, what was the point of learning certain things like…..algebra or…..the rest," Commented Parker watching River shake her head.
"You would know if you would have paid attention during classes. Anyway, we'll get to see, what we're up to when we keep working together. You're okay with that?"
"I am," Commented Parker.
Iliana got away from the two blondes to collect the plates, that were on the table. Kaylynn grabbed the cutlery to place them on top of her plate and watched her mother take the last plate.
"Just finish your homework, darling. I take care of this," Mentioned Iliana while being observed by her son and his school friend. River observed the other plates being taken, afterward she got closer to the woman offering to pick the pile up.
"Let me do the dishes for you," Offered the brunette taking the medium-weight pile off the woman's hand. Iliana smiled at the brunette's offer allowing her to take it.
"That's really nice from your side, River," Commented the raven-haired woman earning a smile from the teenager.
"No problem. I like it, actually. It relieves the stress. For me, at least," Commented River making Iliana nod and watch River walk into the kitchen to see her put the dishes into the sink.
Parker observed the brunette curious, then leaned against the wall with his shoulder to see her start flushing the plates, before using the sponge to brush them.
Iliana had adjusted most of the chairs around the table with the exception of the one, where Kaylynn sat to finish her homework. Iliana observed her son look at the girl, then she had an idea and approached her son. She placed her hand on Parker's shoulder earning his attention.
"Why don't you go lean her a hand?" Suggested Iliana pointing at the towel by the oven. Parker observed the friend washing the dishes and, afterward glimpsed at his mother, who smiled reassuringly at the son. He nodded, then got into the kitchen to grab the towel and got beside the brunette to watch her put the first plate on the drip groove. Parker grabbed the plate to dry it, earning the brunette's attention.
"Do you dry it right after washing?" Questioned River.
"Uh kinda," Responded Parker. "Is that bad?"
"No. Just asking. I usually wait a couple of minutes to let it cool down before I dry it," Commented River. "So you don't get the towel that quick wet,"
"Oh never thought about it," Confessed the teen making River snort.
"You sound like you haven't done the dishes before," Mentioned the brunette making Parker cackle.
"Of course I have. I just….don't do it so often," Parker implied, then noticed Kaylynn get into the kitchen to carry a bottle of juice back into the fridge.
"How often have you done the dishes before?" Questioned River watching Parker lift his hand to count down, then both were interrupted by the young girl.
"Parker has never done the dishes. It has always been me or my mom," Corrected the child with a frown, making Parker drop his mouth surprised at his sister revealing his white lie.
"Oh really?" Questioned River not quite surprised about the confirmation and glanced at Parker, who faked a smile, thereafter looked at his sister a little annoyed by her comment.
"Yes, I love you too, Kaylynn," Parker hooted grabbing the sister on her shoulders to shake her.
"Whoa!" The kid jumped upon her brother teasing her about the issue and walked back into the living room leaving the two teenagers back.
Parker glimpsed at the brunette, who eyed him normally and he caressed the back of his neck abashed.
"I'm sorry about the lie. I was embarrassed to confess, that I don't do dishes," Admitted the raven-haired boy picking up the next plate to dry it. "I didn't mean to hurt you in any way,"
"You didn't," Replied River. "Actually I had an idea, that you were…..making things up,"
"And how did you figure it out?"
"Your answer sounded slightly like you were joking. Then you had that pause and yeah. I let you talk until Kaylynn came along,"
"So I was making myself a fool for nothing?" Questioned the dual-citizen boy making the girl nod.
"Pretty much, that's the right answer," Agreed River making Parker frown unimpressed at how quickly the girl figured him out. "You don't need to worry about anything. I won't judge you,"
Parker smiled and placed the third plate far away from the sink on the counter, then kept waiting for the next dishes. He took a look at his towel and earned a look from the brunette, who chuckled.
"See? That's what you get from not waiting," Commented River making her friend chuckle.
Actually, I had listed once in my lifetime headcanons about the Langerak's origins, but forgot what local in Sweden I picked…..