Dishes

He was staying with her mother and father. Each night after dinner the two of them would take turns doing the dishes. The mother always made the dinner. Sometimes the father would offer to help him but he’d always insist on doing them himself. She’d mostly do the drying, for she was always in the living room first, talking to her parents about her day. He liked getting the wee break away from them. They always ate in the living room in front of the telly. They had a dining room but only used it at Christmas.

One night after a few weeks he was through in the kitchen washing the dishes when her mother came in and stood looking at him.

That’s no how you wash dishes son, she said.

He’d been washing them individually, under the hot tap with a soapy cloth.

Fill the sink and dae it properly, she said.

Alright, he mumbled.

He didn’t see the difference, actually thought it dirtier due to the food particles floating around in the sink. He hated the soggy food going on his hands, but he done it this time.

As the weeks went by he continued with his old method, ignoring the mother’s request. Nothing was ever said and the dishes were always gleaming once he was finished. Then one night when he was on the final dish the mother came into the kitchen and saw him washing the plate under the tap again. She never said anything, just turned and went back to the living room. He left the plate in the rack by the sink with the rest of them for his girlfriend to dry, then took an Irn Bru out the fridge and bounded up the stairs two at a time.

Those dishes are needing dried, he said, opening the bedroom door.

She nodded and walked out, she was on the phone to her pal again. He grabbed the remote and changed channel as he lay down. The match build-up was just starting.

He lay back and stretched out, then realised he’d left his bar of chocolate in the cupboard. He got up quickly and made his way back down to the kitchen. That’s when he saw the mother, standing with her back to him, putting all the clean dishes back in the sink. He did a double-take, clocked the soapy water, then grabbed the chocolate from the cupboard. Hearing him, the mother shifted and looked over her shoulder. Nothing was said.