Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.
The morning after the tragedy, Chan's siblings are doing pretty well, all things considered. What will happen to them now? Did their parents make any provision for their future? See what's going on in this week's chapter of Super Trooper. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them! Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!
Evan thought Chan’s siblings were remarkably well
behaved under the circumstances. Perhaps that was because everything was still
so new to them. The reality of the situation hadn’t really struck them full
force yet. Even as seasoned as he was in handling death, he found himself
thinking how surreal this all felt, as though it was happening to someone else.
Small wonder the children hadn’t fully grasped what had happened. Or how their
world had just drastically been altered.
They ate their breakfast with a minimum of
bickering, which sounded perfunctory at best. Something done out of habit, more
than anything. Laksha was polite to Evan, but most of her conversation was
directed toward Chan when she did choose to speak. For his part, when he wasn’t
fussing at Laksha, Kamal ate his meal in silence, his small brow furrowed, as
if he were trying to make sense of what was happening. Madhu alternated between
wanting her sister and seeking Chan’s attention, which he freely gave, letting
his own breakfast go cold while he took care of the small child. She never even
gave Evan a second glance, as if he did not exist. He wasn’t surprised. She
barely knew him, after all.
So, what was going to happen to them now?
Evan hoped Chan’s parents had left a will. Or some
other documentation to guide them. Assuming they had even made arrangements for
an event such as this. They were still young, and had many years ahead of them.
Who could have anticipated such a tragedy?
Once everyone had eaten their fill, Evan rose to
clear the table, but Chan was ahead of him, already removing the dirty dishes.
“I can help,” Laksha offered. “I do this all the
time.” She took Madhu’s dishes and set them in the sink, then moistened a cloth
and wiped the little girl’s face before helping her down from her booster chair.
Evan watched as she gave her little brother a no-nonsense look, glancing
between him and his dishes. He got the message and carried them to the sink
without much complaint.
“I want to go play with Cam,” Kamal grumbled once
that task was done. He already had his phone in his hand, as if prepared to
contact his friend immediately.
“Not now,” Laksha said. When the boy pouted, she
ruffled his hair. “Stay home with us,” she encouraged him. “I’ll play a game
with you, if you like.”
“Really?” he asked, his pout beginning to fade.
“Really.”Laksha nodded. She set Madhu on her hip,
looking like a little mother. “Go pick something out and take it to the living
room.” She glanced at her older brother, almost apprehensively. “I mean, if
that’s okay with Chan?”
“Of course. That’s a great idea,” Chan praised her.
She seemed to glow a little at his words. “We’re going to see what we can find
in… in their room. Thank you.”
Kamal hadn’t waited to learn if they received
permission or not, running off as soon as his sister made her suggestion. They
could hear him rummaging in his room, as Laksha carried her sister into the
next room. Chan turned to Evan, releasing a long breath.
“They’re doing pretty good so far,” he said. “But I
don’t know how long that will last.” His words echoed Evan’s own thoughts.
“Guess we should prepare for some bad times ahead. Want to look through
whatever papers we can find?”
“That sounds like a good idea,” Evan agreed. As Chan
turned to go, he touched his arm gently, stopping him mid-stride. “I think
you’re doing very well yourself,” he said. “I think you’re very brave.”
Chan gave him a tired smile. “That’s because I have
you,” he admitted.
“And you always will,” Evan assured him.
to be continued
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