The Whole of the Moon

If Muriel saw her ex-husband, she was going to go crazy. The kids were already here. She didn’t need the rest of her family around.

“How long are you two going to be staying here?” she asked. Juliet and Tre had sheepish looks on their faces. Muriel rubbed her forehead and groaned. She couldn’t believe this was happening. Her children looked at each other.

“Uh… mum…” Juliet said. Muriel peeked out through the cracks in her hands.

“What?” she asked. Her daughter nervously laughed. Her mother lifted her head and frowned.

“Spit it out,” she said. Juliet took a breath and blurted it out.

“Dad might be coming here,” she said. Muriel looked like she was about to scream.

“Are you kidding me?!” she shouted.

“Sorry!” Jules said. Even Tre whipped his head around, stunned.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked. She turned to her brother.

“I didn’t know you were coming here too,” Jules said. Muriel got up and walked down the hall.

“Mum?” Tre asked. Screaming came from down the hall. Her children just looked at each other.

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“So your nephew is here for the summer?” Gloria asked.

“Uh-huh,” Annie said. Crusher was cleaning up a table. The big boy had his back to the three women.

“How old is he?” Lisa asked.

“Eighteen,” Annie said. The two women looked shocked.

“What?!” they shouted.

“But he’s so big!” Gloria said as she looked the wrong way. Annie had to tap her on the shoulder. The other woman turned her head.

“But he’s so big!” she said again. “Where is he from?”

“New Manchester,” Annie said with pride. She grinned when she said that. Lisa whistled.

“What do they feed them over there?” she asked. Crusher looked over his shoulder.

“Meat,” he said. Gloria and Lisa just stared at him. Suddenly, the bell above the door rang. Annie perked up.

“Oh good,” she said. The café owner turned to her nephew.

“I’m going to let you get this one,” she said.

“Okay,” Crusher said. A petite middle-aged woman walked into the café. Crusher took a step forward.

“Welcome to the Sunny Plum!” he said. The woman’s eyes widened when she saw him. She dropped to the ground and fainted. Lisa jumped up and ran over to her. Crusher turned to his aunt confused.

“What just happened?” he asked. Annie shook her head and waved him off. There was going to need more work done.

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“And that’s why I’m not going home,” Muriel said to her friends and William’s house.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Lewis said.

“You can’t avoid your family forever,” Aisha said.

“Sure I can!” Muriel said. “I’m doing it right now.” William rolled his eyes.

“Why do you have to do it in my house?” he asked no one in particular.

“Huh?” Clyde asked inches from his face. William about jumped backward.

“Don’t do that!” he shouted once he got his wits about him. Clyde just stared at him. The man waved her off.

“Whatever,” he said.

“So you are just going to stay here until they leave?” Aisha asked.

“Like hell she is!” William cut in.

“Uncle,” Clover whispered as she put her hand on his shoulder. He shook her off and sat nothing. Muriel shrugged and shook her head.

“I don’t know,” she said. Then as if on cue, the phone rang. She buried her head in her hands.

“I bet you I know who that is,” Lewis said.

“Please don’t answer that,” Muriel pleaded. But it was too late as Liz walked across the kitchen.

“Hello?” she asked. “Yes, she’s here.” Liz turned to her neighbor, holding out the phone to her. Muriel groaned aloud again as she shook her head in her hands. Aisha rubbed her on the back. Could this get any worse?

End