encounters with angels extract 2
"Susie, will you please lay the table?"
“Will do Mum”, Susie’s hands were at the cupboard for the plates, straight away.
“Smashing,” her Mum smiled with approval. “And don’t take too long over it. Your Dad needs to eat quickly. He is going out tonight and he doesn’t want to be late.” Susie’s mum, Carol seemed a little tense to Susie. Was she letting Dad go to see Heather? Usually there would be arguments on a Monday. If Dad were going out Mum would be doing anything to stop him and jeopardize his plans. How come she was helping him tonight? Susie was troubled and wondered whether they have already decided to divorce since their last chat on the weekend. She would ask her mum later when Dad was gone. She quickly laid the table as carefully as she could. Hopefully mum would patient and loving when she asked her about things later on. Then up the stairs she dashed for a bit more play time before dinner.
It was no use asking Matthew. He was so horrid these days. He would barely look at her when she tried to ask him anything. He locked himself up in his room with his music and that was that. He was upset but couldn’t talk about it. If anything, he would just push and shove her, and if she cried, he would punch her even harder and walk up to his bedroom slamming the door.
"Matthew, Susie, come, sit down. Dinner is served!”
Susie, though sorry to leave her Barbie dolls, dashed down stairs straight away. Matthew took a little longer and Dad joined immediately after him. Mum served the dinner, cottage pie, Susie’s favourite. Matthew and Dad asked where the peas were.
“Sorry,” said Carol, “I completely forgot to put them on. Let me do it now, it won’t take a minute. The water in the kettle had just boiled.” Jim was not too pleased but said nothing. Mum had busied herself with the peas and everyone else started eating anyway. The peas were ready nearly instantly. Mum sat down and they all ate silently.
Jim finished his dinner within fifteen minutes. Carol looked at him anxiously and said, “Was that enough?”
Jim uttered a gruff yes and got up to go. “I’ll see you and Matthew later. Be back around eleven. Night Susie, I’ll see you in the morning. I expect you’ll be asleep by the time I get back. See you later Carol.” He greeted his wife again, a slight softening in his voice.
“See you later,” answered Carol. Matthew stayed completely silent. He sat there waiting for his desert.
“Say good bye to your Dad,” Said Carol, “Don’t be so rude.”
“Leave him alone,” said Jim. “He is fine as he is.”
He then walked out of the house closing the door behind him smoothly.
They all ate their ice cream quietly, the clanking of spoons against china faintly heard, whereas normally they would be making a great racket. Matthew grunted something under his breath and got up to go. Carol motioned him to sit down.
“I want to talk to you both for a minute,”
“There’s nothing to talk about,” garbled Matthew gruffly. “We know what you are going to say to us. You and Dad are splitting up.”
“Actually,” Said Carol,” For once feeling compassion for her son instead of telling him off. “Dad and I have decided to make another go of it. Tonight he’s gone out to call it off with Heather. I’ll expect you to be good and settle in your beds quickly. I’ll be clearing up here. You can go now.”
Susie was in shock. Instantly she wondered. “Is that Rachel’s prayer working?” A feeling of relief flooded her heart with such force she thought she would explode. She sat there bemused wondering that prayer could work so fast and so easily. Could it be possible? It must just be a coincidence. But she was glad of it. The most important and most real thing was the warmth and security she felt at the thought that Mum and Dad were staying together. “Thank you,” She whispered quietly to herself.
“Will do Mum”, Susie’s hands were at the cupboard for the plates, straight away.
“Smashing,” her Mum smiled with approval. “And don’t take too long over it. Your Dad needs to eat quickly. He is going out tonight and he doesn’t want to be late.” Susie’s mum, Carol seemed a little tense to Susie. Was she letting Dad go to see Heather? Usually there would be arguments on a Monday. If Dad were going out Mum would be doing anything to stop him and jeopardize his plans. How come she was helping him tonight? Susie was troubled and wondered whether they have already decided to divorce since their last chat on the weekend. She would ask her mum later when Dad was gone. She quickly laid the table as carefully as she could. Hopefully mum would patient and loving when she asked her about things later on. Then up the stairs she dashed for a bit more play time before dinner.
It was no use asking Matthew. He was so horrid these days. He would barely look at her when she tried to ask him anything. He locked himself up in his room with his music and that was that. He was upset but couldn’t talk about it. If anything, he would just push and shove her, and if she cried, he would punch her even harder and walk up to his bedroom slamming the door.
"Matthew, Susie, come, sit down. Dinner is served!”
Susie, though sorry to leave her Barbie dolls, dashed down stairs straight away. Matthew took a little longer and Dad joined immediately after him. Mum served the dinner, cottage pie, Susie’s favourite. Matthew and Dad asked where the peas were.
“Sorry,” said Carol, “I completely forgot to put them on. Let me do it now, it won’t take a minute. The water in the kettle had just boiled.” Jim was not too pleased but said nothing. Mum had busied herself with the peas and everyone else started eating anyway. The peas were ready nearly instantly. Mum sat down and they all ate silently.
Jim finished his dinner within fifteen minutes. Carol looked at him anxiously and said, “Was that enough?”
Jim uttered a gruff yes and got up to go. “I’ll see you and Matthew later. Be back around eleven. Night Susie, I’ll see you in the morning. I expect you’ll be asleep by the time I get back. See you later Carol.” He greeted his wife again, a slight softening in his voice.
“See you later,” answered Carol. Matthew stayed completely silent. He sat there waiting for his desert.
“Say good bye to your Dad,” Said Carol, “Don’t be so rude.”
“Leave him alone,” said Jim. “He is fine as he is.”
He then walked out of the house closing the door behind him smoothly.
They all ate their ice cream quietly, the clanking of spoons against china faintly heard, whereas normally they would be making a great racket. Matthew grunted something under his breath and got up to go. Carol motioned him to sit down.
“I want to talk to you both for a minute,”
“There’s nothing to talk about,” garbled Matthew gruffly. “We know what you are going to say to us. You and Dad are splitting up.”
“Actually,” Said Carol,” For once feeling compassion for her son instead of telling him off. “Dad and I have decided to make another go of it. Tonight he’s gone out to call it off with Heather. I’ll expect you to be good and settle in your beds quickly. I’ll be clearing up here. You can go now.”
Susie was in shock. Instantly she wondered. “Is that Rachel’s prayer working?” A feeling of relief flooded her heart with such force she thought she would explode. She sat there bemused wondering that prayer could work so fast and so easily. Could it be possible? It must just be a coincidence. But she was glad of it. The most important and most real thing was the warmth and security she felt at the thought that Mum and Dad were staying together. “Thank you,” She whispered quietly to herself.