In the Box
What does society expect?
Think inside the box
Conform to the box subscribed
Never think outside the edges
Or of impossibilities unfathomed
What do our parents expect?
Perfect children, perfect angels
Never messing up or making mistakes
Never wearing what they deem horns
We’re children for goodness sakes
What do our teachers expect?
Never asking the questions
Which honestly need asking
Never a lick of imagination
Never about the world wondering
What do we ourselves expect?
Society forms us, molds us here
Parents guide us and do us lead
Teachers school us in knowledge
But for us creativity is a seed
Secrets
Secrets…
Secrets have a way of festering and eating away at the soul of the person keeping them. Even the most benign of secrets – such as the surprise birthday party – will eat away at one’s consciousness. I found myself sitting there across from Daniel knowing full well our peers planned such an event. I say peers for a reason though.
I sip at my coffee, enjoying the milky taste of the added ingredients before glancing back up at Daniel who seemed pleased enough that I was spending the lunchtime hour with him. I pressed my lips together, the question coming unbidden to my mouth. “How’s your birthday been so far today?”
“Quiet. I prefer it that way.”
How though to tell him their plans, I did not know. My mouth pressed even thinner. “So, no plans?”
“Eric and Josie invited me over for dinner. I doubt they know it’s my birthday though.”
A laugh escaped my mouth. “Jossie? She makes it her personal mission to find such things out.”
I watched Daniel startle, his eyes darting up. “You mean they have something planned?” One look into my eyes told him everything he needed to know. Daniel leaned back, a sigh escaping his mouth. “They have a surprise birthday party planned, don’t they?”
I tried smiling, and yet found myself unable to smile. “Something like that. In all honesty, you shouldn’t go. I’m torn about going, everything considered…”
“Surely they’ve grown out of that?”
“This is Eric and Jossie we’re talking about. They still live out their high school days of partying, just with a different twist.”
Daniel glanced out the café window, his fingers tightening around the napkin. “Everything with them is a different twist. That’s what you’re saying?”
For many, in our adult lives, the relationship between Daniel and Eric seemed amicable, yet even our peers didn’t know what Eric did to Daniel during our high school years. In part, many of Eric’s close friends moved away from our small town having secured that coveted football scholarship, yet he stuck around. After all, the plan for Eric was to always run the family business, while Daniel received more freedom.
Secrets…
They have such a way of festering, don’t they?
I knew simply because Daniel confided in me one day, when I’d asked too many questions regarding some odd occurrences. Getting locked in his locker or stuffed into a trashcan was only half of it. Eric made his younger brother the release mechanism for every frustration both physically and emotionally.
“Well. Josie’s not that bad. I always thought…”
In the wrong hands someone might conclude Daniel had feelings for Josie, feelings which put him at odds with his brother.
“Anyways, no use fixating on who I’d rather have as a sibling.” Daniel glanced down, his fingers now wrapping around his own cup of coffee.
“Eric suspects she’s having an affair.”
“He confided that in you?” It honestly wasn’t usual for Eric to do so.
“He thinks I’m the one she’s having an affair with.” Of course, not unless Eric wanted to make clear just how much he thought Daniel was messing up his life.
Secrets…
Sometimes they don’t exist, and yet suspicion is enough for the festering to start. Daniel smiled, putting on his usual brave face. “Well. I’d better go, lest Eric suspects something. You’ll be sure to come as well? Facing Eric without a friend isn’t something I am looking forward to on my birthday.”
As such I found myself in a dark room, waiting for Daniel to arrive with the others gathered for the party. Eric spoke of how amazing it would be, yet Jossie kept away from her husband, mingling with other guests instead of her husband’s friends. A knock came at the door, and Daniel entered the home. I closed my eyes as everyone stood up yelling surprise, expecting the worst-case scenario.
Yet, nothing happened.
Well, not quite.
Eric noticed the contraption he set up hadn’t worked. Stepping over with a frown on his face, Eric tugged on the prank which was reminiscent of the pranks everyone pulled during our high school years, effectively releasing the slime on himself. Daniel turned, obviously hurt by Eric’s actions. His brother spat away the slime, irritated his plan – one I’d known about because of Jossie – backfired.
“Seriously?”
“You might want to go and change.” Daniel offered, only for Eric to return a glare. He left, simply because he did need to change his clothes. Glancing over at Jossie, I saw her mouth press into a thin line. She bustled about, acting like the wonderful trophy wife she was. Except, she stopped and simply stared at the counter while the party continued.
“Something the matter?” I asked, walking over. “More specifically, is there anything I can help you with?”
“No. No. I just…” She remained silent, bustling about until Eric came back down.
He walked over, quite miffed. “Did you mess with the slime contraption I set up? I put it up exactly as instructed.”
“Yes, yes I did. What if it hadn’t been Daniel who walked through?”
“We knew exactly when he’d be here. You know he is always arriving precisely on time.” Eric said, noting Daniel’s obsessive compulsion regarding time. “You did it because you’re having an affair with him.”
“Excuse me?” Jossie placed her hands on her hips, her lips pushing together in fury. “Okay. You’re right. I am having an affair.”
“Wonderful. He’s the reason our marriage is ruined.”
The frivolity slowed so the hosts might be heard more clearly. “I didn’t say I was having an affair with Daniel, but I did start having an affair because you…” Jossie poked Eric in the chest. “… couldn’t stop blaming Daniel for all your problems.”
“He got to go away to college.”
“You could have as well, yet you did what your father expected of you.” Eric’s wife continued laying into him. “I’m tired of night after night hearing you complain about him, plot what you want to happen to him, even this stupid prank on his birthday saying nobody would expect because you’re always pulling pranks on people that there was more to it than – well, everything.”
“He’s my brother, you’re my wife.”
“Yet you don’t treat either one of us as such.”
“As I said Jossie, he’s my brother and you’re my wife, so you’ve no business saying anything.”
“Really?” Jossie snapped. “Well, thank you for proving my point. I’m allowed to say something because I am your wife, but when I married you Daniel became my brother as well.”
“Brother-in-law.”
“Semantics. I want you out of my house.”
“It’s my house.”
“No, it’s mine. I inherited it from my parents. I admit I was having an affair, but you’re the problem. Even when we tried marriage counseling you blamed everything on Daniel. So yes, I am filing for divorce and want you out. Don’t make me call the police, particularly on your brother’s birthday of all days. Goodness knows I didn’t want to kick you out of the house on his birthday, of all things, but honestly for once, don’t make this work.”
Eric glared at her, turning on his heels. The door slammed, and everyone listened to the awkward silence.
Finally, Josie broke the silence. “Happy birthday Daniel. I’m sorry you had to see that.”
Daniel simply shrugged his shoulders. Conversation picked up while a few did decide to leave. However, it is amazing what the festering of secrets can do.