04-Nov-2001
Tradition #6: Fall Leaves 211AC
Matthew Braddocks paused in the chilled late morning air to drag the sleeve of his sweatshirt across his face, swiping back his sandy-brown bangs from his hot brown eyes. The sixteen-year-old boy was readjusting the rake handle in his grip when a voice from the main house stopped him.
"I think you can stop now," Sally Po called out, staring at him from the back door, arms crossed over her chest.
The lanky teenager glared back at her, lips screwed in an angry frown.
"We're expecting company," she continued. "Why don't you go on in and get cleaned up." She did not leave room for argument, and as the boy was still angry at her, he didn't bother to give one.
Matthew dropped the rake where he was at, turned and marched in out of the cold without word, leaving the yard in a multitude of multicolored hills of leaves.
"I hope you used this time to think about what you did wrong," she called after him.
From somewhere inside the house, a door banged.
An hour later, when Mat finally came back downstairs and followed the childish giggle, shouts, and shrieks to the back yard where he had spent his Saturday morning, it was to discover 7 kids trashing the piles it had taken him five hours to create.
"What the heck is this?" he shouted angrily, glaring at the mayhem before turning his hot gaze to the adults seated at the patio table.
Heero Yuy was chasing Adrian Peacecraft, Trinity Chang, and both Winner twins, kicking up leaves all over the place. Kit Peacecraft was with Quatre Winner and Duo Maxwell watching over Mara Jade, Dylan, and Calista-who were busily, happily, shredding another pile of dried leaves. At the patio table, overseeing the chaos, sat his two foster mothers, Anne and Sally, as well as Noin, Wufei, and Trowa, chattering amongst themselves.
Their talk came to an abrupt halt at the teen's outburst.
"Is something wrong, Matthew?" Anne asked, frowning.
"She *knows* what's wrong!" the boy shouted, waving a hand in Sally's direction. "I just spent all morning raking up those damn leaves!"
"Yes, thank you," Anne smiled at him, calmly sipping her tea. "The children are having a wonderful time jumping and playing in them."
The boy just stared at them incredulously.
The End
Andrea Readwolf
Please send comments to: andrea_readwolf@hotmail.com