Friday Snippet 42

Apparition of the Face of Aphrodite
by Salvador Dali
print for sale at art.com

OK. Finally! The snippet is pasted into the shell.

You can catch up or review via the links to the first seven parts available below.

Thanks for your patience.

Home Is Where the Horror Is
by Joy Renee

(part one; part two; part three; part four; part five; part six; part seven; )

Crystal finished buckling Winston into his car seat and then buckled herself in beside him. Jasper had buckled himself into the front passenger seat. A rare Sunday morning privilege available only when Mother was unable to join the family. Usually Jasper and Jade would bicker over whose turn it was to sit in front but this time Jade, tho also buckled in per Father's orders, was busy chatting thru the open window with Nadira who had followed her to the car to retrieve her overnight bag.

Jasper, who had been given the keys to unlock the car and permission to insert them in the ignition in order to roll down their windows, turned on the radio and began skipping through the stations.

Father had sent them all to the car immediately following services. Crystal hoped they would not have to wait for long. This late September day was going to be another warm one and the interior of the van was already stuffy even with the windows down and sweat was popping out in her pits. The fabric of this dress did not forgive sweat stains easily. Poor Winston was getting the worst of it with the sun beating directly on him and heating up the buckles and no relief from an open window since Father had disabled its mechanism to prevent Winston from playing his favorite 'car game'. Throwing things out the window.

Crystal took a wet baby wipe out of her purse and wiped the sweat off Winston's forehead and temples. He was busy humming and chanting to the Sunday School worksheet covered in a rainbow of scribbles.

"Silence!"

Father slid into his seat and slammed his door. He shut off the radio before reaching for his seat belt. "There is help available for anyone unable to keep silent without it."

Crystal cast a shuddery glance at the roll of duct tape mounted under the dashboard by Father's knee. It was pre-perforated every five inches to enable him to remove a piece one handed while driving. She quickly turned Winston's face towards hers with a finger under his chin and put a hand over her mouth. It would be up to her to administer the 'help' for Winston if Father judged he needed it. Winston sighed deeply and put his own hand over his mouth.

Nadira and Jade continued their goodbyes in whispers thru the window behind Crystal. Nadira still clung to the rim of the window when Father began backing out.

As the van left the parking lot and gathered speed on the road, Crystal was relieved to see Winston's eyelids lower and the hand over his mouth flop into his lap. She could relax about him until they got home. But she couldn't relax completely. She knew that Father's silence since arriving home with the kids yesterday afternoon was reaching a crescendo. She could sense from the set of his shoulders that he had chosen an 'object lesson' for Jade and anyone else who might still need it.

Crystal felt bad that she had been unable to warn Jade. She and Nadira had been inseparable for every second of their sleep over. Crystal had thought maybe she could get Jade alone for a moment by asking Nadira to entertain Winston while she did Jade's hair. But the girl's had done each other's hair and then following effusive praise of one another's outfits had decided to switch.

Jade was still wearing Nadira's flowing long gown. Crystal imagined Father must be barely restraining himself from ripping it off her. But restraining himself was something Father did well. His 'object lessons' were always a private family affair.

"Leave him be." Father said as he turned into their driveway and saw in the rear view mirror that Crystal was reaching for Winston's buckles. As the van rolled to a stop, Crystal heard the lock on Winston's door pop. Father got out and opened Winston's door and after unbuckling the strap that held the car seat in place, hoisted it into his arms. "Jasper, lock up the van and then you are excused to your room. Girls, follow me."