Saturdays were usually the best for Arthur. Carol worked part-time, Monday through Friday, and would spend her evenings cleaning the house top-to-bottom, even if it didn't need doing. But weekends were for relaxing, and Carol relaxed meant Arthur relaxed. 'God earned a day of rest per week. Carol Ashworth earned two', is what Arthur used to always joke with family and friends. Carol would always remark that Arthur had a sudden medical recovery every Saturday through Sunday evening, just after the weekly chores had been completed. Carol would moan at him over it every week but, it was just more habit than actual tension. 'I could swear our vows said "Til Death Do Us Part", not "do sod all and fart"!' was another common phrase in the Ashworth household. Arthur wasn't a well man, but he certainly knew how to maximise his downtime.
The two sat at the kitchen table, just big enough for a vase of flowers, a shared plate of toast, and two cups of tea. The small kitchen window had been opened to let in some air, although it was hardly what you’d call “fresh”, being so close to the Calder Energy powerplant. After sitting together in silence for some time, Carol interrupted the mild buzz of the fridge: a frequently heard backdrop to their Saturday mornings.
“It’s the only thing in this house that drones on more than you, Arthur,” Carol poked at her husband.
Arthur quipped back, “I don’t know. That toy in your top drawer gives me a run for my money, too.”
Carol playfully slapped the back of his hand. “Arthur! You know that's a massager,” she laughed, before hiding her wry smile by sipping her lukewarm, own-brand tea. This was about as affectionate as the two got nowadays, but it was enough.
“Do you want another piece of toast, love?” Arthur asked, scoffing the last remaining crust himself.
“There’s no more bread. We’ll have to make do until I go shopping next week.” This response wasn’t out of the ordinary. Basics were always budgeted for. If anyone got too frivolous, they’d have to wait. Arthur sighed and returned to the table.
"Oh, your phone, Love. Someone's calling."
"Ya could answer it you know."
"Noo, it's your phone. Besides, you know I don't like talking on th'phone."
Carol answered the phone. Arthur could tell it was Daniel from the booming voice.
"Is that, Daniel?" Carol waved Arthur away, before saying it was, and he wanted to speak to his Dad.
"Hello son, everything ok? You sound angry. Oh, ok. Yeah I'm ok but, what operation? No, I didn't have an operation yesterday, where've ya heard that? Er, yeah, sure, let me put her back on."
"Yes Love. Lie about what? I've got no idea what you're talking about? Look, Daniel, I don't know what Leo has told you but-" She turned her back on him.
"No, I didn't lie to Leo. Let me exp-" Her voice went. She was already on the stairs.
Arthur sat with what was left of his tea. He hadn't a clue.
He bellowed her name at the front door. The thin thermo-plastic didn't dampen much.
Carol opened it. Leo first. Her eyes went to the cut above his. He didn't explain. He knocked Leo to the side, pushed past her and headed directly to the kitchen. Arthur was still sitting at the table.
Daniel turned to face his mum, “Carol, I need my money back.”
“Hello, son, why don't we—” Carol’s gaze darted from Daniel to Leo.
“The money Leo gave you, he got from me. You lied about Dad to guilt-trip him into giving it to you. That's low, even for you.”
Arthur stood up, his teacup rattling on the table as he used it to brace his ascent. He raised his hands in a placating gesture. “Ay, 'ang on. Don’t speak to your—”
“Stop it, Arthur. Leave it,” Carol shot at him.
“Me? What have I done? And what money did you—”
“Arthur! I said—”
“She told Leo you needed emergency surgery yesterday. That your insurance wouldn't cover you any more. Except, baby bruv got fired six months ago and didn't want to tell Mum. So he had to take money from me, Dad. And now, I've just been given a big fuck-off bill from the girls’ school, so I need it back, today.” The kitchen was packed. Arthur sat back down. Carol in the doorway. Leo behind her in the hallway.
“Leo, you lost your job?! Why didn't you—”
“Because nothing I do is good enough! You're always having a go at me, telling me to do more, blaming me for everything. I was framed at work, accused of stealing funds. I just couldn't deal with you judging me, Mum!”
Carol had a look of fear and sadness on her face.
“Woah, hold up. Carol, what did you need money for? How much? I don't understand why you'd borrow from the lads when we’ve got savings, right? And where’s your bloody common sense, boy! If you were sacked, you should of told us. We're a family. We support each other.” Arthur tried to sound like the man of the house. Daniel wasn't listening. He just stared at Carol.
“I haven’t got it, love. But I’ll get it for ya. Just, give me a few days—”
“I don't HAVE a few days! I need it by Monday or we could lose everything! This is why I moved out as soon as I could! You're so fucking manipulative!” Carol stared blankly.
“Come on, broski, you don’t need to be like that with Mum,” Leo stepped toward Daniel with his palm facing his brother's chest.
“Like what, Leo? What should I be like? Thankful? Grateful that she has to borrow money off her own kids?! And not even a bit, but forty grand! What a great mum!”
“Seriously, stop. That's too far, Danny. You’re upsetting everyone.”
“Upsetting everyone?! GIVE ME MY FUCKING MONEY!” Daniel lunged at Leo.
Leo had him before he'd finished the step. An arm under his, the weight twisting him into the wall. It did nothing but enrage him. Daniel threw his head backwards, landing square with Leo's nose. The bone crunched and blood spurted out almost immediately. Leo's grip went. Daniel broke free.
He swung, again and again at his youngest brother. “You. Shouldn't. Have. Lied. To. Me!”
Leo tried to plead while he covered up. “Mum needed help! What was I… supposed to… do?!” Daniel caught him square in the jaw. Then Leo had him by the waist and the ceiling went. He hit the hallway. Carol scrambled out of the way. Leo stood over him, panting, telling him to stop. Daniel made his way to one knee and then speared Leo through the gut, barely lifting him off the floor. It was enough to carry the momentum a few feet down the hallway and right through the front door. The door never stood a chance, buckling and snapping open as both brothers' mass hit it hard.
Daniel's lungs burned, each gasp filling them with the taste of blood and dust. Beside him, Leo was a wheezing heap on the pavement. The world came back into focus: the grey sky, the cracked pavement, a neighbour's face peering from behind a curtain.
Carol clambered over the broken pieces of the 3D-printed door and clutched at her sons' clothes. “Stop it! It was my fault! Adam needed the money!”
Either through exhaustion or a final willingness to listen, Daniel pushed himself off Leo and stumbled to his feet. “What did you say?”
Leo struggled up, using Daniel’s vehicle to raise his large frame. “It was for Adam? You told me Dad was dyin', that he needed emergency surgery! But, it was for Adam?! What did he need forty grand for?!"
"I never said he was dying! And it's true that his insurance won't cover him any more. But, I did make up the story about the operation. I'm sorry. Both of you."
"Good ol' Carol, and her grain of truth." Daniel said with sarcasm and venom.
"Your brother called me. He was very stressed. Remember the watch he got from Eleanor's dad?” Carol said, her voice flat, all the fight gone out of it.
"Oh, don't even. If you're about to tell me-"
"He lost it. It was a family heirloom, probably worth millions. He didn't have the heart to tell her. So he was going to buy a replica until he found the original."
“And you gave him forty grand to replace a watch?! You can’t be serious! Mum, he’s loaded!”
“It was actually fifty thousand. That's what I asked Leo for. Me and ya dad only had a little in the savings. My son asked for my help. What was I to do?”
Leo’s head turned toward her. “You tell him no! Instead, you’ve dragged the whole family into chaos for that prick!”
Carol’s gaze hardened as she scowled at Leo. “Don't call your brother that!”
“Oh my God, YOU CAN’T BE SERIOUS?!” Daniel got in Carol's face.
“Daniel, Adam said he will pay me back in the next few weeks, he's got a plan. We just need to give your brother time to—”
“I DON'T… HAVE… TIME!” Daniel’s rage tore through the air between them. “If I don't...Monday,” Daniel's head slumped, his chin almost touching his chest, "Emily. Poppy. I'm sorry." His head came up. He kicked at the debris around his feet and ran to the drivers side of his car.
“Adam. FUCKING ADAM! I’m gonna KILL HIM!” Leo came after him and tried to stop him leaving. Daniel shoved him away from the car door as he wrenched it open. He dived inside and started the vehicle. Leo got hold of the door. Carol screamed and begged him to stop. He floored it, door still wide open, Leo still on it. The car sped off. Leo's weight left the door. A thud on the printcrete.
Arthur hadn’t moved from the kitchen table. He had heard everything.