Chapter 6: Kirk

Kirk smiled as he carefully walked out of Elise’s room, closing the door behind him. He went back to his room and sat down on his bed. He was breathing hard.  He was frustrated with all of this. He had had a long day. All he wanted to do was relax for the hour before dinner. He sorted through the pictures on his bed. One was missing. He shrugged and gathered them up. He ordered them and then tapped them on his bed making a nice even stack. He walked over and placed them in a drawer in his desk where he kept all of his drawings. He thought back to some of the sketches in Elise’s book. She was really good. Kirk wished he could draw abstractly, but all of his drawings were things that had seen with his own eyes. There were a few landscapes, a picture of Kensi, the maid, he had drawn a few years ago, and a picture he had completely forgotten about. It was a picture of Elise and himself. It was the image of a photograph his father had burned the day she left. The two of them had their arms around each other. They had their boarding school uniforms on and the two of them were smiling for the camera. He took the picture out and sat down on his bed staring at it. A small tear trickled down his face. He sighed and put the picture back into the drawer. He did not want his father to see them. Drawing wasn’t part of his plan for Kirk. He walked over to his bookshelf and grabbed a book off the shelf. He had read them all so he wasn’t sure which one to pick. He decided on a copy of Fight Club. He grabbed the book and flipped to the beginning. He sat on his windowsill and started reading.

45 minutes later, he closed the book. He stood up and put the book back on the shelf. He checked his watch. ’15 minutes before dinner.’ He thought to himself. He was anxious for the meal. Not out of hunger, but because of the company. He went down stairs and went to the kitchen to find Kensi busy at work. He sat at the table, waiting for dinner. It had only been 2 minutes, but it seemed like an eternity. He finally stood up. “Do you need help with anything, Kensi?” She seemed shocked by the question.

“Well,” she wiped her hands on her apron. “I’ve got pasta cooking on the stove. Marinara sauce on the stove. Rolls in the oven. Would you like to chop some vegetables for me?” If he was going to ask, she wasn’t not going to accept help. Kirk nodded. She set him up with some carrots, a cutting board, and a knife. Kirk started out slowly, but eventually he found a rhythm and was cutting the carrots like a pro. He scooped them up and put them in a bowl with a salad. Kensi had finished everything else and was now setting the table. Kirk brought over the salad and set it on the table. “Thanks, hon. It looks great. Dinner’s ready. You want to go get your sister and Mr. Black?” Kirk nodded and walked back upstairs. He found his father in his study and knocked on the open door as he entered. His father was staring at a picture on a piece of paper. What it was Kirk, didn’t see. When Paul heard the knock he immediately put the picture face down on his desk.

“Yes. Kirk. What is it?” He said after clearing his throat.

“Dinner, dad. It’s waiting downstairs.” He said to his father calmly. “You’re going to behave at dinner, right?” His father nodded then stood up from his desk. Kirk nodded then excused himself. He walked out of his father’s study and knocked on the door of his sister’s room. “Elise. Supper’s ready.” He said through the door. He heard a faint, ‘okay’ and turned and walked back downstairs. He sat down at the table and absorbed the smells coming from the food. In a few brief moments, his father descended the stairs and sat down at the table. He sat back and twiddled his thumbs. Kirk could see that he was becoming impatient. “Dad. What did I say?” Kirk said firmly. His father relaxed a little and put on a pleasant face. A moment later, Elise came down the stairs. Her eyes were a little red and puffy from crying. Her hair was tucked behind her pierced ears. She sat down and scooted her chair into the table. She gave a brief smile to Kirk. The family ate dinner together for the first time in a long time. The first ten minutes were relatively silent until his father spoke.

“Kirk. How was the campus visit this morning?” He said making sure to always have a pleasant smile. Kirk finished chewing his mouthful of salad.

“It was good. It’s a wonderful campus. Nigel is great too.” He said, feigning enthusiasm. He looked over at Elise who was picking the carrots out of her salad. “I cut up those carrots myself, you know?” He said teasingly. “I haven’t heard how your trip was, Elise.” He said trying to involve her.in the conversation.

“It was long. I liked the train though. Cool view from the inside. I drew a picture of it.” She said a little bitterly. Paul gritted his teeth a little then put on his fake smile again.

“Did Nigel mention anything about tomorrow?” Paul asked Kirk. Kirk shrugged. He probably did, but Kirk wasn’t paying any attention.

“What’s special about tomorrow?” Kirk asked. Paul smiled and looked at Elise.

“The three of us are going on a campus visit. Isn’t that wonderful? Nigel has already promised you both spots in there admission.” Paul smiled a little bit bigger. Elise leaned back.

“Dad, I’m not going there. I’m gonna find a nice arts college. There would be no point to visit.” Elise said bluntly. Kirk knew that wasn’t going to go over well. He looked at his father who managed to keep his smile, but a vein was bulging from his neck.

“I guess we’ll delay that visit. I’ll call him tomorrow morning.” Paul said, teeth clenched.

“So what other events do we have planned for tomorrow?” Elise said, her words dripping with condescension. Paul looked at Kirk. Kirk gave him a look of, ‘CALM DOWN.’ Paul managed his fake smile again.

“Well, dear. I was anticipating that after the visit, we would go to lunch and then maybe hit one of the museums around town. Doesn’t that sound like fun, Elise?” He said. Kirk could tell that it was paining him to see his plans altered. “I have this whole visit planned out. If you’re lucky, Elise, maybe we’ll go to one of those silly art museums.” Kirk might as well have plugged his ears for the oncoming events.

“Silly?! Those art museums hold beautiful works of art!” Elise shouted at her father. Paul stood up.

“Those museums are only good for one thing! Making money! My bank sees more failed artists looking for loans every year because of those SILLY at museums! There’s not point to art! I’ve-“ Paul shouted at his daughter. Kirk interrupted.

“Hey, Kensi? What’s for dessert?” He said shouting toward the kitchen. He turned back to the table. “Look. I’ve had a long day. I had some weird dream last night that I can’t begin to explain. I’ve had to watch as my half-sister and my father have shouted at each other for the stupidest things.” Kirk was infuriated with his father and his sister, but somehow he kept his voice smooth and even. “Now for the first night here, we are going to finish this meal in peace. Tomorrow all of us are going on a campus visit. At the very least you can paint the buildings. It really is a pretty campus. And after that, we’re going to come back home and be nice to each other. This is a fact.” Kensi was standing next to him. She handed him a list of what she had made for dessert. Kirk quickly scanned the list. He pointed to his father. “He will have a piece of carrot cake. She will have apple pie. And I won’t have anything. Thank you Kensi.” Kirk smiled pleasantly at Kensi as she bowed and left the room. “Now, I’m going to bed. You two are going to eat your dessert. If I hear any yelling at all, I’m going to literally lose my mind. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” He stood up out of his chair and left the room, heading for the stairs. He got into his room and collapsed onto his bed. From his room he could hear talking, but not shouting. ‘At least they’re not shouting’ He thought to himself.