Prompt: Fortune Cookies
There was too much rain outside to stand in the kitchen cooking, but not enough rain to stop Mitou from going out. He hated making decisions, but his wife was nagging and the kids were whining so a choice was made.
The car ride over to the family's favorite restaurant was as nerve grinding as ever. The kids were fussing over their favorite songs and his wife only wanted to discuss work. Question after question, she plundered him with queries about his job. Well, the job he used to have. The job he was fired from a few days ago. The job his wife thinks he still goes to every day.
"This song sucks, can we please change the station?" Mitou's daughter moaned.
"Whatever idiot, you picked the last one and that blew!" Mitou's son said as he punched his sister.
Every day, Mitou wonders why he pleaded with his wife to not have an abortion.
Mitou's wife took charge of the radio stations to quell the fighting.
Welcome to the evening news...
"Ahh! Mom!" the kids whined in unison.
"Hush it now" Mitou's wife said sternly.
A sixth victim was found tonight in what the police are calling the "Cookie Crime." Just like the other unfortunates, Jim Bower was found shot dead, execution style with a threatening message written on the slip from a Chinese Fortune Cookie held tightly in his hand. Law enforcement is still deeming these killings random as no connection between the victims was found nor a motive from the murderer. Shirley Brown is at the scene with the latest development...
"Oh God, the violence. What is wrong with people?" Mitou's wife said as she shut off the radio.
Mitou cringed at the sound of her voice.
"Can we just be quiet until we get to Hong Ji House?" Mitou said between gritted teeth.
The rest of the ride was silent; Mitou tried hard to smile.
"I'd like to order a large chicken and broccoli with brown rice for the kids to share, pork lo mein for myself and, honey, what do you want?" Mitou's wife asked him.
"Doesn't matter" Mitou said without looking up from his glass of scotch.
"Put in an order of general tso's for him, thanks" she said, staring longingly at her husband.
The waitress walked away with their orders and Mitou wished he could leave with her.
"Dad, when are we going to go visit Grandma June again?" Mitou's son asked.
When she's in her grave.
"Maybe sometime this summer" he replied as he swirled the ice around his glass.
He barely touched his food. The thought of having to participate in small talk and share pleasantries regarding their meals chased his appetite away. He could see the questions starting to form in his wife's mind and felt a ping of relief when the waitress approached the table carrying a tray of sliced fruit and fortune cookies.
"You might think, but the others before you know" Mitou's son read.
"There's no love greater than from one who has no likes" his wife read.
"Time is the beginning and the end" read his daughter.
Mitou cracked open his fortune cookie. You're next, it read.
Mitou smiled.
"What's it say honey?" Mitou's wife asked excitedly.
"It reads today's your lucky day" Mitou lied.
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