Creative Writing: Eating At Home

“Stop shaking my shoulder...”

“Wake up! We’re going to be late!”

Marlene rubbed her eyes and put on her glasses as she woke up from her bed. She remembered she was dreaming about something just a few minutes ago, but she can’t recall back the dreams because she was disrupted from her sleep, thanks to her sister. Marlene sleeps in the same room with her younger sister, Elena. Her younger brother, Charlie and Luke sleeps in the next room. Marlene is the eldest among her siblings, whom had just finished high school and is currently waiting for her examination result which she was pretty nervous about.

Just when she was thinking about how much she misses her school, Elena snapped her fingers.

“Hello? Mar? Are you sleeping with your eyes open?”

Marlene prefers eating at home more than eating at a restaurant. She thinks that homemade food is much healthier and she also prefers her mum’s cooking more than anyone else.

“Good morning, mum.”

“Hey, sweetheart. I was wondering what took you and Elena so long.”

“Yeah, we were just chatting.”

Marlene and Elena went to sit opposite of their brothers as their mother, Mrs. Parker put a few sausages on their plates together with toasts. Four cups of coffee and a cup of tea was set on their dining table. Marlene’s mother prefers tea more than coffee because tea reminds her of her memories at her grandmother’s house.

Charlie and Luke were both playing games on their tablets while sipping their coffee.

“How many times have I told you to not play your ridiculous games while eating?”

Charlie looked up and shrugged. “We’re not eating, we’re drinking. Can’t you see that?”

Just when Marlene started replying her brother’s statement with a little bit of sarcasm, her mother came to them and sat down at the end of the table. “Charlie, Luke, listen to your sister. I have talked to you about this

Do you want to come”?

“Um... sure.”

Marlene and her family lives in a double-storey house near this village called St. Helens. Her mother said that this was one of the properties that their father had left for them before he died. It’s been seven years since her father died and the fact that Charlie and Luke did not get to spend enough time with their father when they were kids still bothers Marlene a lot.

One of the reasons why Marlene’s mother never had the heart to find a new house until recently was because this house brought back her memories with her husband. Mr. Parker, Marlene’s father died out of heart cancer. Marlene still remember sitting beside her father and holding his hand. Her mother was standing by her shoulder. Elena was sitting on Marlene’s lap, sobbing uncontrollably. “Dad....”

Her dad wiped Elena’s tears gently. Marlene just realised how weak her father is right now. His hands were shivering slightly and he’s struggling to take a breath.

“Ann, promise me you’d take care of our children. Don’t leave them no matter what.”

Her dad hold out his left hand and her mother gently took it and