Potato-Pohtahto

"So, back to work talk." Dad half-whispered when mum was out of earshot. He's a grown man, but also a sensible one who is afraid of his wife.

Jotham shook his head at his antics, "Mum is going to kill you." I don't think he realized that I saw them both discreetly glancing around to see whether mum was really in sight.

She wasn't, as she had excused herself from the dining room to receive a call. Although, the rule still stands, we were done with our meal.

"After 30 years of marriage?" It was my turn to shake my head, making a tut sound with my mouth. "Nah." I mean, if you could put up with someone for that long, why not continue? Major couple goals.

Dad looked pleased as he added, "If she hasn't done it all those years, she wouldn't do it now." The look of bliss on his face was almost gag-worthy.

"He has so much confidence." Jotham crossed his arms disapprovingly. If he wasn't such a good child, he might convince mum to kill dad just to prove his point.

"Besides, I'm not discussing work issues while we are having dinner." He scratched the back of his neck trying not to act awkward, "We're done with the meal." Dad didn't look so brave, instead, he sounded doubtful.

As though he was trying to convince himself instead of me.

Shooting a pointed look his way, "We are still seated on the dining table...." My lips curved into a smirk, knowing I was totally right with logic. Rules are rules, we are bounded by the rules as long as we are at the table.

Just because Jotham was a workaholic, he jumped into Dad's defense. "But we are not having dinner." The only issue was, that he also sounded unconvinced, "It doesn't count?"

If they weren't convinced, why should I be? I had a reputation to maintain here, as the most obedient child.

"Potato, pohtahto. Same thing." Mum's voice caused everyone, except me of course to widen their eyes in shock.

She glared at them, placing her hand on her hips. I was right, their excuses were shitty.

Dad wasn't pleased but he agreed with his wife, "Fine." It sounded more like a grunt than an actual word.

It was now time to have an actual conversation, and all 4 pairs of eyes were looking everywhere but themselves. Silence descended on the room so intensely that you could hear a pin drop.

I had to let out an exasperated sigh before bringing life back, "You guys find it hard to have a normal conversation? Really?" I never considered myself a social butterfly. But I wasn't so much of a social caterpillar either that I wouldn't be able to make a conversation.

"Excuse us for being workaholics," Jotham said half-jokingly but I could see the truth. They were indeed workaholics.

Dismissively waving him off, "You're forgiven."

I didn't need to start a conversation because Mum's eyes suddenly gleamed as though she found gold.

"Ouuuuh" When she realized we were waiting for an explanation, She gushed, "We are having dinner next week with Jotham's girlfriends and her parents."

Gold huh? If I was drinking anything, I would have choked on my drink.

I turned to face mum, "Jotham's girlfriend?" Then directed my attention to my brother, "You have a girlfriend??!! " Have I been living under a rock? This is important information, and I was oblivious to it. Tsk Tsk.

"No, I don't!!!" Letting out a groan in between, "Mum!!"His hoarse voice sounded stern and edgy.

Dad wasn't going to miss out on adding, "His girlfriend is charming."

"Yes charmingly annoying." Mum easily started a not so gracious cackle. One that goes against society's ethics.

I joined her in cackling, "Haha." What they were trying to do was evident. Piss off Jotham, and it was working perfectly.

"Mum!!" Jotham's voice was filled with desperation. And his cheeks and ears were even more desperate, as they turned red with embarrassment. Poor little thing.

I managed to get out once my laughter was subdued, "Does he really have a girlfriend?" All jokes apart, I hoped he didn't. I didn't want to look bad for not knowing such important information.

"No," Mum shook her head, taking pity on her first son. "She's the daughter of a business associate." There came a but, "But, she has a huge crush on Jotham."

Who doesn't?

"I blame that book. Brute." Jotham's grunt was similar to Dad's. They are basically twins.

"You played the role perfectly." I gave him a pointed look, smirking at his grouchiness.

"My first and last movie." He continued, "I'll never do that to myself again." There was a grimace that made him look way older than he ought to. But he sounded pretty certain about his decision. I bet he wouldn't have played the role if the book wasn't written about him. 

Dad cleared his throat once Jotham stopped whining "Anyways, they are having dinner with us next week." `Theyʼ as in, not Jotham's girlfriend's family.

"Why?"

Literally pointing a finger at Jotham, "It's Jotham's fault. He asked them to join us for dinner." Dad threw his son under the bus, also not looking pleased with the result of his actions. You'll think it's more than just dinner, seeing how they looked dreadful.

Jotham reacted by throwing his hands around, "How was I supposed to know that they would accept?"

I just had to... "Why would you ask if you didn't want them to accept?" If you didn't want them coming, then why bother asking?

"I was being nice?!?" He fake cried, face-palming in exasperation.

Talking about exasperation, mum sighed exasperatedly before saying, "I hope niceness would be able to get you through three hours of having brainless conversations."

Another problem of being... a Wright is the people you get to meet. They might be business partners, but most of them aren't your friends. So, when you have to meet outside any work-related stuff, it becomes ultimately boring.

"We would talk about the weather and politics." Lacing his voice with humor, Dad's brows wiggled.

"I'll rather be trapped in the library Corban works."

"Me too!!" I agreed, seeing no reason to be trapped with the rest of them. "Perhaps, I shouldn't bother coming." Save yourself while you can.

Mum wasn't buying it, "Don't you dare!! You have to come!!!" As she basically threatened me. Her adult son. "I would send one of the drivers to your house."

It was my turn to feign crying, "Mum!" I probably sounded like a child whining, not that it was important now.

She flipped me off, fiddling with her water glass, turning it in endless circles.

"Suck it up, Corban." Jotham looked impressed, "I would not go through this torture alone." His mouth formed a smirk, as mine remained puckered.

With a tut, "Human beings are naturally selfish."

"I second that." No remorse whatsoever, just satisfaction. It appears everybody must go down with him.

"Corban," Dad caught my attention, starting a new conversation, "How do you intend on coping with your part-time voluntary work?" They can actually be conversation starters when they try.

"At the library?"

"Where else?"

"I took a sabbatical leave." I'm my opinion, it was a pretty smart decision. A win-win. "I would try to go on weekends. But generally, the library is under renovations." I thought about that before taking up Jotham's offer.

"We should try donating to the cause."

"Stay out of it." I rolled my eyes at him, getting my jaw. No donations, my life, my privacy.

Settling with resignation, "Fine."

"Anyways, I don't think what I'll be doing, just the movie production will affect my regular life. I'm certain it wouldn't."

"Until someone realizes that you're a Wright and blabs to the bloggers on Instagram." Jotham's eyes glinted with mischief.

"Then the paparazzi will line up in front of your house, wondering how you've been in hiding all these years."

"At the end of the day, I'll be forced to move to some random island in Fiji."

"And that will be the end of Corban Wright."

I only had to look at his pretentious gloomy expression before bursting into a peal of laughter. He followed suit, as his shoulder shook with the tumbling of deep light chuckles.

"You are both exaggerating." Mum wasn't laughing with us. In fact, she looked pitiful while saying, "It wouldn't be that bad."

I don't need her to make bad things better. Some things will always be bad. "But there would be paparazzi?" Cocking my head, I waited for her nod of affirmation.

"Most certainly." The nod came.

Drawing my mouth into a thin line, "And they'll ask why I went into hiding?" I waited for yet another nod.

The nod came yet again, "I'm sure of that." By this time, she had realized where I was going with it and pursed her mouth.

"That's enough breach of privacy." Giving her a knowing look, I was certain she could now see things from my point of view.

The media people can be animals sometimes.

"You little child. When the time comes, you'll learn that there's really no room for privacy in our world."

It turns out, "I don't want to learn that yet." my grunt was also similar to Dad's and Jotham's. Triplets?