Fighting for the Strange

Chapter 3: Brothers

            “…don’t care. You just got here. Christmas is family time!” Mrs. Irving said.

            Fiona glanced over at Meredith as they finished coming down the stairs. Her friend didn’t seem bothered by the shouting that was still happening, making Fiona wonder how often it happened. She turned her attention back to the scene in front of her.

            Three boys stood close together in the middle of the kitchen, the one in the lead the most muscular of the lot, his eyes locked onto Mrs. Irving’s as he glowered. All shared the same brown hair as Meredith, making Fiona guess they were her brothers. Hanging around the door to the porch were three more boys, one with dark brown hair and two with black. They seemed intent on looking anywhere but at the argument that was still going on.

            “We’re not children anymore!” the leader of Meredith’s brothers snapped.

            Kenzie’s hands dropped to her hips as she looked him over. “Well you’re doing a mighty fine impression of one, trying to sneak off to play rather than properly greet your own mother.”

            One of the other two boys smothered a noise that sounded suspiciously like a chuckle. The lead boy turned a glare on him, but he was able to smooth his expression out into something resembling polite interest. His dancing eyes gave him away though. “We’re here and greeted you. We’ll be around on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, so what’s wrong with hanging out with our friends?” the leader demanded.

            “Because you never spend time with your family! You’re always swimming off and I rarely get to see you. Christmas is the only time of the year you’re wholly mine, and by God, you’ll be here for it. Your sister just got in today as well and I know you haven’t seen her in months.”

            Meredith hunched her shoulders a bit at the mention of her name then straightened. Fiona shot her a quizzical glance but she only shook her head.

            “We see the Drip more than we need to,” said the other brother, the one who hadn’t laughed.

            “Don’t call your sister that!” Mrs. Irving snapped.

            “Woman,” said the first brother, trying to draw himself up. “We’re going out!”

            Meredith’s mother turned blazing eyes on her son. “What did you just call me?” she asked, voice deathly soft. She took a single step forward, making all three boys flinch. “Speak to me like that again and I will wash your mouth out with soap even if you are twenty-two. I know I didn’t raise you to speak like that.”

            She swept all three of her boys with her glare. None of them met her eyes and Kenzie let the silence stretch out for several seconds. Finally, she nodded sharply. “Now, if you want to hang out with your friends here, then that’s quite alright. I just don’t want you swimming off.” She flicked her eyes towards the boys still hovering awkwardly by the door. “There are plenty of socks in the back you boys can borrow. Make sure you put them on before you come in. I’m not cleaning seawater off my floor all day.”

            “Thanks ma’am,” said one of the black haired boys, ducking his head.

            Like his words had broken the spell of immobility on the rest of them, everyone seemed to move at once. Meredith’s brothers slunk over to the table, dropping down onto the chairs with poorly disguised irritation. The other boys, more selkies Fiona guessed, appeared a few moments later and joined them.