An amiable smile quickly transforms into a vicious “Father Knows Best” routine. glower, but don’t look. eyes steel. face fixed. no sudden movements. good. “Set the table. Set the table.” fuck. “Set the fucking table.” their backs are turned, do it now, now. “Set the table.” fuck. you missed it. “Why isn’t the fucking table set?” quick, distract them. i’ll set the goddamn table. hush. “The toilet’s overflowing. Ah, fuck, the toilet’s overflowing.” shut up, dumbass. quiet. i’ll fix it. “The toilet’s overflowing.” don’t look, don’t look. dammit, he looked. simple. keep face simple. laughing. why are they laughing? shit, you’re not laughing. laugh, dammit. smile. glance right, peer left, keep expressions in between. television! oh, wonderful television, talk to me. no one will question what i’m thinking if i only stare at you. “Why is the tv off?” “Set the fucking table.” “Rotate.” what! you want me to bloody follow them. no. no. no. no. have you lost your mind? escalation. arguments. sacred. private. don’t look; don’t touch; don’t ever talk about. “Come on; everybody move.” shit. shit. shit. shit. glance right. gone. peer left. gone. fuck. move.

-becca