Earth & Sky

Things just got worse for Muriel. Around seven in the morning, she awoke to the doorbell ringing. She grumbled as she pulled the pillow over her head.

“Mum!” Juliet yelled. “Get the door!”

“Go away!” the old biddies yelled. The doorbell rang again.

“Mum!” her daughter shouted.

“Go away!” Muriel yelled again. She turned over in bed. Footsteps disappeared down the hall. Muriel sighed under the sheets.

“Dad?” Juliet asked. Muriel froze.

Don’t tell me…

She sat up and turned her head with dread in her eyes. It didn’t take her long to get out of bed and hurry down to the front door. A man in his seventies in a grey coat and brown hat looked up.

“Muriel!” he said. The old biddy sank to her knees with big eyes.

“No…” she murmured.

“Is she okay?” the man asked with a confused look on his face. Juliet shook her head.

“No,” she mouthed.

“Oh,” he said in a flat tone.

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Clyde, Lewis, and Aisha sat in the Sunny Plum, waiting for their food.

“Any ides for my niece’s wedding?” Lewis asked. Aisha looked up at her.

“Kat’s getting married again?” she asked. The farmer sighed and rubbed her forehead.

“Yeah,” she said. “I haven’t even met the bloke.” The farmer leaned back and looked at the ceiling.

“You don’t have high hopes for this marriage, do you?” the leader asked.

“Nope,” Lewis said. “It’s going to end in disaster just like all of her previous relationships.”

“Don’t say that,” Aisha said. “He might be a nice guy.” Lewis frowned and narrowed her eyes at her.

“Do you really believe that?” she asked. Aisha paused with her eyes shifting back and forth.

“Yes,” she said.

“You don’t really know my niece, do you?” Lewis asked. Meanwhile, Tucker and Annie stood behind the counter with curious looks again.

“Where’s Muriel?” Tucker asked. His wife shrugged and shook her head.

“Did they order anything yet?” she asked.

“I don’t think so…” he said. Tucker walked over to their table.

“Excuse me,” he spoke up. The old biddies looked up. Tucker took out his notepad.

“What can I get for you today?” he asked. Clyde gritted as she showed off her dirty teeth.

“I would like a tall glass of me Nicolas Grey!” she shouted. The dirty old biddy leaned onto the table, laughing. Aisha smacked her in the back of the head.

“Ow!” Clyde shouted.

“Knock off,” the leader hissed. The dirty old biddy stuck out her tongue.

“Three teas please,” Lewis said. Tucker wrote down the order.

“Coming up,” he said. He turned and walked back over to the counter. Clyde lifted her head and looked over at the glass door.

“When Muriel comin’?” she asked. Lewis and Aisha looked at the door as well.

“I have no idea,” Lewis said.

“Think she’s with her family again?” Aisha asked.

“Hm,” the other two old women replied.

----------

The whole family looked uncomfortable around the table. Muriel glared at the man with frosty eyes.

“What are you doing back here, Evan?” she asked. The man gave her a goofy smile as he shrugged.

“I felt like coming back to Brit-Wales to see all of you,” he said. “Apparently.” Tre raised his eyebrow.

“I thought it was because Victoria broke up with you,” he said. Evan looked up at him with eyes as he tried to hush his son.

“Shhh!” he hissed. Muriel looked at him with fire in her eyes.

“Is that right?” she asked. “Let me guess, she got tired what a total prick you were and kicked you out?” Evan lowered his head.

“It was just a stupid little fight and she overreacted,” he said. Muriel snorted and folded her arms across her chest.

“You aren’t staying here!” she snapped.

“Mom!” Juliet said. The old biddy stood up.

“I can’t take living under same roof with all you again!” she said. “I won’t do it! No! No! No! I want you all gone! I don’t know how much more I can take of this!” Muriel turned and walked back down the hall, rubbing her forehead. Her family watched her with confused looks on their faces.

“What’s with her?” Evan asked. Tre shrugged and shook his head.

“I don’t think that she’s too happy to have us all back together around her again,” Juliet said.

“Why is that?” her brother asked.

“I don’t really know,” she said. They heard the door slam down the hall.

One Crowded House