A Family Man

Andrea and Malcolm felt very blessed. They had three beautiful sons. Their twin boys, Joshua and Isaac had come along five years after their first born son, Aaron. The family lived on a farm where they kept chickens, ducks and geese although their income was solely agricultural, mainly root vegetables. It was hard work but they all pulled together and living in the countryside amongst all that nature had to offer made the effort worthwhile.

There was only one little fly in the ointment. At times Aaron could be very resentful towards his brothers. Andrea was sympathetic. She too had had younger siblings who snatched away her time and attention from her parents. Although she and Mal- colm had done their best to include Aaron as much as possible he still had periods of deep moodiness, spitefulness and even depression. Malcolm was not so sympathetic. His opinion was that at the age of fifteen Aaron should be over his petty resentments and just ‘get on with it’.

It was one day in early September when Aaron appeared to be succumbing to another bout of depression. The children had been back in school for one week after the summer holidays. The twins had already been complaining about having to go to school but Aaron was pleased to be out of the sticks and back in the land of the liv- ing. All summer he’d been tasked with keeping an eye on his ten year old siblings. That actually meant constantly saying ‘don’t touch that’, ‘leave that alone’, ‘get off that’ and ‘leave the bloody chickens alone’ and trudging around the farm looking for them when they went missing in action. They really were a pain in his neck.

So it was the first Saturday after the return to school. Joshua and Isaac couldn’t wait to change out of their school clothes and check on the animals but Aaron was slow to get home and once there shut himself in his room to wallow in his resentment. He’d only been sat at his computer for half an hour when he heard Malcom’s voice calling up the stairs.

“Aaron? Aaron? Can you go and find the boys, please?” Aaron heard his mother whispering loudly, “For God’s sake Mal! Leave the boy alone! I’ll go and find the twins. Just leave Aaron to have five minutes to himself.” Aaron smiled to himself. He loved his mum. She was always fair and understanding. Unlike his father whose world seemed to revolve around two snot-nosed brats currently absent without leave on the farm somewhere.

8

Aaron stood up and crossed his room. Jogging down the stairs he called out, “It’s okay mum, I’ll go. I want to know how their days have been - new class and all that.” Aaron’s parents stood slack-jawed at their announcement but didn’t say any- thing. As the front door shut they looked at each other, wide-eyed in shock. Malcolm as the first to speak.

“Okay, where’s Aaron? What have you done with him?” Andrea laughed and play- fully nudged him in his ribs.

“Very funny. It’s a lovely afternoon. Fancy a beer in the summer house?” Malcolm grinned and so, armed with two ice cold bottles of Becks, they got comfortable in the recliners on the decking of the summerhouse.

“This is the life, eh?” Malcolm sighed as he closed his eyes.

They must have been drinking and dozing for quite a while when the tinkle of glasses woke them up. It was Aaron, carrying a tray upon which was a jug and three glasses. “What’s all this?” Andrea squinted into the sun. It crossed her mind that with the sun behind him it looked as though Aaron had a brilliant halo.

“Did you find the boys?” Malcolm asked, closing his eyes again. Aaron nodded. “Yes. They were down in the lower field. There are some old tractor tyres and stuff they’re playing with. Nothing dangerous, don’t worry.” He put the tray down on the little table between the recliners and poured a drink into each of the glasses. Andrea couldn’t resist an opportunity for a bit of peace-keeping.


“You know Aaron, we really do appreciate everything you do with the boys.” Aaron bit his lip because he, in turn, appreciated the sentiment and also he’d caught his mother giving his father a death-glare warning him not to say anything that would cause another argument.

“I know mum. I’m sorry that I’ve been pretty awful to live with sometimes and I know you think I’d rather be with my friends than here with you lot but that’s not true.” He passed a glass to each of his parents.

“This,” he said, “is a peace-offering. It’s only a smoothie but I created it myself with raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and my secret ingredient.” Andrea and Malcolm looked at each other then their glasses and finally at Aaron. They took a sip, eye- brows rising.

“This is really good son.” Malcolm took another sip.

“Mmm, it is. Well done love.” Andrea agreed. Aaron lifted his glass.

“Well, let’s make a toast.” Malcolm raised his glass.

“To us.” Andrea joined him.

“To family.”

“My turn,” said Aaron, “To the fact that blood is always thicker than water.”