302. Home sweet home

Here we go again. It is not even Christmas yet and the summer holidays are long behind us but the small lounge is cluttered: sports bags, travel bags, work bags, school bags, a skateboard and a pillow (one likes to travel in comfort). The noise is unbearable as the fighting has already started.

'That's my jumper! It's brand new as well. Mum! She goes through my cupboard when I'm not here!'

'You left it dirty and I washed it, earning the right to wear it. um, tell her I'm the one doing the washing!'

'Mum! Did you make chocolate fudge cake for my birthday?'

And me, the mum, shouting my husband's name. But my husband has deiced that the minute these girls walked in he had to take the dog out.

So I do what mums do: I collapse on the couch and watch the scene unfold. After the fighting comes the exploring the fridge and the cupboard and the making comments on that.

'There's only unsalted butter! Mum! You just care about Baby, she's the only one who likes unsalted butter!'

'Mum! I'm going to a party. I need cookies. So am banking this afternoon, ok? I declare kitchen out of range.'

'Mum! The alcohol cupboard is low on stock! Can we go to the supermarket this afternoon?'

I guess I will say yes to that. Are my kids going through the alcohol cupboard and me not restocking because I never go to the alcohol cupboard. Or is Baby going through the alcohol cupboard and I am not noticing because I am overwhelmed by family responsibilities. I just sit and stare. Then all becomes silent, they've all gone upstairs to the top floor, the girls floor. This is when my husband walks in. Relaxed, he got to the kitchen and puts the kettle on.

'Tea?'

I do not reply. I am counting on my fingers the number of hours the girls will be home for. He does not need an answer anyway, it's a good time for tea and tea I will get. He sits down beside me and says:

'Nice to have the girls home at the weekend, isn't it?'

He sits back and sighs, reaching a state of total relaxation. Right when his head touches the softest cushion a loud bang resonates through the house and makes the pictures on the wall shake and tremble. 

'What on earth was that?'