After the sudden blows
from her mother
(about seeing Benedict)
before dinner
Yochana spoke hardly at all
to her mother during
or after dinner
and sat in the lounge
staring the the TV
glowering inwardly
each time her mother spoke
her father had spoken
about his work to his wife
but knew something
was in the air by the tension
what's up?
he said
Yochana said nothing
but looked at her spoon
she was eating with
his wife said
she'd been lying to me
who?
he asked
Yochana
she replied
about what?
he said gazing
at his daughter uneasily
about seeing a boy
his wife said
I expect she can't be off
seeing a boy
at school as about
50% are boys
he said
a particular boy
his wife said pointedly
and what was the lie?
he asked
she spoke to him
when I said not to
his wife said
what's wrong
with the boy
got the plague?
he said
his wife stared at him
he's a boy whom
she has kissed
she said
her father ate
his forkful of food
and didn't she
want to kiss him?
he said
having eaten
the mouthful
I don't care
if she wanted
to kiss him or not
but she did
o I see
he said gazing at Yochana
so she wanted
to kiss him
her father said
and was it
a good kiss Yochana?
he said
his wife was about to speak
when he held up his hand
Yochana can speak
for herself
he said
his wife bit her tongue
and stared at them both
Yochana stared at her father
we liked it
she replied to her father softly
taking in his eyes
which were warm
well there you are then
no harm done
he said
but she lied to me
about seeing him
his wife said angrily
how old are you
Yochana?
he asked
14 years old
she replied
gosh how old
you've become
he said
wasn't you that age
when you kissed me
Alma?
he said to his wife
and didn't you
enjoy it?
Alma looked him
then at her daughter
that's different
she said
how different?
he said
Alma looked at Yochana
my mother never said
I couldn't I never lied
Alma said
clutching at straws
her husband said
she hit me
Yochana said
her father stared at Alma
you hit her?
he said
yes she made me
angry with her lies
Adam dear
Alma said
there was a pause
he said
never again
raise a hand to her
she's my daughter too
and I will not
have her harmed
in anyway
Alma looked at him
then at Yochana
but said nothing
she ate her meal
there was silence
for a few moments
then Adam spoke
about his work
and how far he'd travelled
and Alma sat
looking and eating
and Yochana thought
of Benedict and the kiss
and his hold
and pretended
he was there
to keep away the cold.
Oct 21, 2015
Oct 21, 2015 at 2:03 AM UTC
After the sudden blows
from her mother
(about seeing Benedict)
before dinner
Yochana spoke hardly at all
to her mother during
or after dinner
and sat in the lounge
staring the the TV
glowering inwardly
each time her mother spoke
her father had spoken
about his work to his wife
but knew something
was in the air by the tension
what's up?
he said
Yochana said nothing
but looked at her spoon
she was eating with
his wife said
she'd been lying to me
who?
he asked
Yochana
she replied
about what?
he said gazing
at his daughter uneasily
about seeing a boy
his wife said
I expect she can't be off
seeing a boy
at school as about
50% are boys
he said
a particular boy
his wife said pointedly
and what was the lie?
he asked
she spoke to him
when I said not to
his wife said
what's wrong
with the boy
got the plague?
he said
his wife stared at him
he's a boy whom
she has kissed
she said
her father ate
his forkful of food
and didn't she
want to kiss him?
he said
having eaten
the mouthful
I don't care
if she wanted
to kiss him or not
but she did
o I see
he said gazing at Yochana
so she wanted
to kiss him
her father said
and was it
a good kiss Yochana?
he said
his wife was about to speak
when he held up his hand
Yochana can speak
for herself
he said
his wife bit her tongue
and stared at them both
Yochana stared at her father
we liked it
she replied to her father softly
taking in his eyes
which were warm
well there you are then
no harm done
he said
but she lied to me
about seeing him
his wife said angrily
how old are you
Yochana?
he asked
14 years old
she replied
gosh how old
you've become
he said
wasn't you that age
when you kissed me
Alma?
he said to his wife
and didn't you
enjoy it?
Alma looked him
then at her daughter
that's different
she said
how different?
he said
Alma looked at Yochana
my mother never said
I couldn't I never lied
Alma said
clutching at straws
her husband said
she hit me
Yochana said
her father stared at Alma
you hit her?
he said
yes she made me
angry with her lies
Adam dear
Alma said
there was a pause
he said
never again
raise a hand to her
she's my daughter too
and I will not
have her harmed
in anyway
Alma looked at him
then at Yochana
but said nothing
she ate her meal
there was silence
for a few moments
then Adam spoke
about his work
and how far he'd travelled
and Alma sat
looking and eating
and Yochana thought
of Benedict and the kiss
and his hold
and pretended
he was there
to keep away the cold.
A GIRL AND HER MOTHER AND FATHER IN 1962.
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