"S.A.D," May muttered at the dinner table as she watched Peter with a concerned look on her face. Both Nova and Ben puzzledly looked up at the elder woman sitting across from them at the small round table.
"Excuse me?" muffled Nova, as she chewed on her mouth full of food.
"Social Anxiety Disorder," May announced, her eyes still on Peter, who was oblivious.
"What?" Ben baffled looked at his wife.
"Social Anxiety Disorder" She repeated. Peter is still not paying attention.
Ben cracked a smile, "Will you leave the Kid alone?"
"I think it's worth investigating," she proceeded.
Nova rolled her eyes, "Then leave me out of it."
"Also, he is fine." Ben applied.
"Don't you worry about our little Peter?" May asked, hoping her husband would agree with her.
"No," Said Ben with confidence, "No I don't. He's a smart and resourceful kid," he pointed his fork towards the teenager beside him, "The only one I'm worried about is Nova here,"
"Uh?" Nova froze frame before taking a bite of her meatloaf, "What I do?!"
He laughed and patted her on the shoulder, "I'm just messing with you," he insured her.
"But he is so quiet," May continued, still mind-striking her nephew.
"Well he's thinking," said Nova, knowing her cousin for nine years.
The old man raised his fork, "Exactly," agreeing with Nova.
"I don't like it," Aunt May shook her head, "He used to be such a happy little boy,"
"And now he's a contemplative little man," Ben insured her.
"Just like his father was?" She sighed.
"That's right" Ben smiled as the two elders looked at Peter. Who was still unobservant with the whole conversation.
"Peter?" May called out his name, "Peter?" She called once more, but a little loader, "Peter?! Peter!!"
Peter looked up and smiled, "What's up?"
"What did we say about reading at the table?" May asked, taping her fork on her barely touched plate she made.
"Did we say we like it?" Peter said innocently.
"More of the line love it," Nova whispered. May shouts her glare, "Hey he was the reason I no longer like eating mushrooms," she protested and it was a casserole night, five years ago.
"You know what," said May, as she got up from the table and headed towards the living room. "I am going to look up this Social Anxiety Disorder on the web,"
"That's a good idea, May," her husband encouraged her. The moment she left the room, Ben leaned over the table and whispered to the two teenagers, "That should keep her busy for hours,"
"I can still hear you!" She shouted back, causing the house to fill with laughter.