Suzie’s House 532: Ice Cream

“Oh no! I forgot!” Ben jumped up, knocking over a bowl full of potato chips.

“Watch it!” Tracy put an arm across her face to fend off the flying crunchies.

“Cut it out.” Gene’s voice was a low grumble and he put an arm around Tracy all protective and everything.

Emma just watched from her little corner of the den. She wasn’t in the mood to be in the middle of everything right then.

She couldn’t believe she’d given her impromptu concert right there in the hallway at school like it was the most natural thing to do. Already all kinds of people were whispering about it though so far nobody was giving her funny looks or anything.

But they would. Eventually they always did.

“What did you forget?” Lisa said. She was always the most reasonable. Emma should have thought of that question.

“Mom told me to put the groceries away. They’re still in the driveway!” Ben headed for the door.

“Driveway?” Tracy and Gene looked at each other like they do, then quick got up to follow like it was going to be something fun.

They all followed Ben out to the back yard. Sure enough there they were – a dozen paper grocery bags sitting in the middle of the driveway right in front of the garage like some kind of performance art thing.

“It’s nice to see that Mrs. H. is ecologically aware,” Lisa said all prim and condescending.

“Yeah. I guess.” Ben picked up a bag. “Crud.” He stared at the driveway.

A thick, glossy, brown puddle stretched from his toe to the grass.

“Ewwww! What is that?” Tracy leaned over to inspect it with interest.

Ben dug through the bag. His voice was heavy and sad as he said, “Ice Cream. It was a whole carton of Rocky Road.”

Everyone looked at each other. It was like Vikings finding their ship dead on the rocks with a gaping hole in the side. Emma knew she could almost taste the ice cream that none of them could have now. It was like a symbol for the beauty of this home – a sign of welcome that they had squandered. Because everyone know Mrs. H, bought and made that stuff for them.

“We should have come out sooner.” Gene picked up a bag like it was natural.

“It’s only been, what? An hour?” Tracy’s stomach rumbled. She also leaned over for a bag.

“Whose turn is it to cook tonight, anyway?” Gene asked Ben. Emma couldn’t tell how he felt about it. It was just a question.

“I guess we could do it anyway, even if no one else is home.”

“No one?” Tracy scowled at Ben.

“When do you think they’ll be back?” Lisa brought up the rear with two bags as they all headed in the house. All except Emma, who when to get the last bag.

They talked about responsibility and poverty and welcome and grown ups while they put the food away then heated up a froze pizza. Ben claimed he could have done more, but didn’t really feel like it.

“Where do you think they really went?” Lisa glanced at her phone. She was going to have to go home soon. So were most the rest of them.

“I’m afraid…”

“To ask?” Lisa filled in Ben’s words for him.

“You don’t know what it was like last time they were all like it. There were a couple times I thought someone would die. Even me. When I got kidnapped….” Ben stared out the window looking all moody.

“But it’s alright now. Right?” Lisa patted him on the shoulder. “Worst thing that happened this time is melted ice cream.”

When the grown ups came home they found everyone in the house in deep mourning over a puddle of Rocky Road.

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