Family Dynamics

Hugo knows that everyone in the family has their role.
His sister excels at the drama queen role
His brother kicks goals as the sporty one
Mum is the frantically busy one, who still manages to do everything "homely"
And then there's Dad.

He was the breadwinner, the typical patriach, until he got fired. Now, he spends the days doing bit work here and there, picking up casual stuff wherever he can. He comes home tired, more so than before, and angrier. He can't accept his own failure so he sure as hell won't put up with anyone else's.

Julie talks about her latest boy. How he, like, just wasn't , like, right for her and how since she, like, broke up with him, he's been , like, a total mess. Now, he's started , like, being mean to her at school. He's, like, spreading, like, rumours about what they, like, did together. How, like, good (or more to the point: how bad) she was. How she wouldn't stop talking. How he's, like, got this new girl, with, like, French heritage, and he, like, can't believe how much, like, better it is with her.

Jason is still celebrating the massive win they had in the footy on the weekend, against the second best team in the comp. He was leading goal-kicker with 6. Beat them by himself, you know.

Mum fusses over the dinner. It's the recipe from the challenge on Tuesday's Masterchef. Cooked to perfection the smells are wafting throughout the house. She's been planning it all day. It's the only thing that got her through all those boring meetings.

Dad yells for Hugo to set the table. He does, as quickly as he can, then escapes back to his room. The smallest. The afterthought.

Grub's up!

They eat. Hugo, in silence. Even if he wanted to Julie wouldn't, like, let him get a word in. As soon as he's finished, he races back to his room, his refuge. Hugo's role is multi-levelled, but really all of them are the pits. The scapegoat. The servant. The youngest. The list goes on. Hugo knows them all and it leads him to wish his name was Jack. Then, at least, there would be something his parents liked about him. He'd be an equal among his siblings. And maybe, just maybe, he could carve out a role for himself that he actually liked. But he's stuck with Hugo. A name he quite likes, though, it's not his opinion that matters is it.