The Sins Of The Father Are To Be Laid Upon The Children

by **Basil Benson** » Wed Jan 08, 2020 3:20 am

Basil sat alone on the train into London, his Zune in his pocket, lost in his own thoughts.

"Water was running, children were running, You were running out of time. Under the mountain, a golden fountain, were you praying at the Lares Shrine?"

In truth, he wanted her to come, but he knew it was selfish of him to ask her to endure their harassment simply because he didn't want to face it solo. And so he didn't ask.

Instead, he went alone. A part of him wondered how long he could get away with going alone before Bubbe started asking questions. What happened when one day he just showed up with a band on and no explanation as to why Bubbe didn't get an invitation?

Don't be an idiot Basil, that's not going to happen. You've got another three years of this tops. Then she'll return home and you'll have to find some other foolishly naive girl to pin all your hang ups on... He chastised himself. Unfortunately another voice in his head reminded him of what she'd say if she knew what he thought...

He closed his eyes to try to focus on the song to relieve his agita. Tilting his head back into the headrest, his neck weaved a bit of a pattern timed to the music. As his foot tapped, he quickly lost himself there.

"Whooooaaa-oh oh your city lies in dust, my friend.. Whooooaaa-oh oh your city lies in dust, my friend.."Whooooaaa-oh oh your city lies in dust-"

"Shhhh!" Hushed an old woman in the car.

"... Sorry Mum."

by **Basil Benson** » Thu Jan 09, 2020 3:26 am

Basil walked from the station to his grandparents house, wrapped in his trench coat and hidden behind a hat and an umbrella to keep out the rain. When he arrived it was kisses and hugs and removing of wet outer layers and the smell of steeping tea, promises of something to warm the bones.

"Where is your lady friend? Could she not come this time?" Amit quizzed Basil as he took his umbrella and hat from him.

"She had other obligations. She sends her regards."

"That is too bad, I enjoyed her company at Hannakuh." He commented, hanging the hat on the rack, and placing the umbrella in the stand.

"Don't encourage this Amit. The boy's only going to get his heartbroken." Esther interjected, taking Basil's coat and shaking it out in the doorframe to hang it to dry under his hat.

As she did so, Amit threw his arm over the boy's neck to playfully headlock him, though the much older man didn't have the strength for it, Basil played along because he knew what it meant.
"Sometimes I go out and have lunch by myself. Maybe sometime I won't be alone? If I tell you where I go that is, and when you two can meet me." Amit replies in his second language.
"You're not the only one who knows Yiddish Amit!"
The old man laughed off being caught in the act, weakly shoving the boy off as the two move into the lounge,

Only to be greeted by Jessica Benson. "Hello Bobbie. No Rosenhof tonight?"

Before Basil could formulate an answer, Amit interrupted his thoughts. "Come! Let's eat! I'm starving!" He exclaims.

by **Basil Benson** » Fri Jan 10, 2020 4:25 am

The first night was always spent just the four of them. Or at least, it had since he was eleven. Bubbe switched to grape juice after first glass of wine, Zayde after his second. The pair went up to bed, exhausted from the days festivities. Basil found himself in the lounge again in his yarmulke, staring at the photograph of his mother and her 'dear friend' Mr. Spencer.

Jessica Benson was not satiated by her four double filled glasses of wine and wandered into the lounge with another open bottle and two glasses.

" Is it kosher to keep drinking?" He asks, watching her enter in the reflection of the mirror on the wall behind his grandmother's collection of family photos.

"What your Bubbe doesn't know won't hurt her."

"Funny how that applies to alcohol but not to Madame Rosenhof."

Jessica ignored her progeny to pour herself a glass of wine She was contented to let him brood, until several minutes passed and she wasn't anymore.

"You're doing that 'thinking' thing you enjoy so much again."

"Yes. I do that a lot."

"I'm sure Rosenhof loves that."

"She does, actually."

After more awkward silence, Jessica couldn't stand it anymore. "What's captivated your attention so much? Those have been there forever."

"Why I never realized how much I look like my father."

"You don't look anything like George."

"Precisely." Basil gently lifted the framed photo, holding it up in such a fashion that from his perspective, his own reflection and the photo were at eye level.

"I've traces of you. Your hair, your eye color. But everything else is a carbon copy, isn't it? Right down to the cleft chin." He states, appraising the his own image against Edmond Spencer's. "I suppose I should give myself some credit. It wasn't so obvious before puberty, and I was young. No reason to question what I was told."

"I don't much appreciate the implication you're making young man."

"I'm not implying anything." He replied. Basil knew if he was going to get anything out of her that he needed to strike now, while her thoughts were clouded by alcohol.
"Why did he stop coming to Seder? He was always here first night on Bubbe's trial run before the rest of the family showed up on the second night. It made me feel... special that I got all of an adult's attention who wasn't a family member, even if it was only for one night.

In fact, I remember him being at loads of Stolarz family events... Any one you were at. He was even at my bloody birthdays, something George never bothered to attend.

He was there right up until I entered secondary. Then he just sort of... disappeared." Basil could see the intoxicated woman sip her wine and regard him quizzically behind him in the mirror. He turned to address his mother to her face, denying her the ability to read his emotions via his reflection.

"You knew I'd figure it out, didn't you? Perhaps with puberty looming, you were concerned that when I started developing deeper feelings for girls, I could connect the dots."

Jessica smirked at her son over the edge of her wine glass. "You're a smart boy Basil.... but the smartest boys know not to ask certain questions."

Placing the photo back in it's place, he adjusted his parents back into their proper position on the table of photos before turning to face his mother again. "...Did you love him?"

She paused and sighed, looking at her glass in a detached manner. "Does that matter now?"

"I think it would be nice to know that my parents loved each other... comforting perhaps."

"Well I'm not exactly known for my comforting, maternal nature." Jessica quips.

"Why did you have me if not to be maternal? You could have terminated."

"... Bubbe always gets what she wants, doesn't she?"

"Piss off with that shit." Basil spat back. "Don't try it hide behind the laws as some justification. We both know you'd just as soon lie and claim your right to an abortion under forbidden sexual union if I was an unwanted child.

You wanted me. You wanted me bad enough to lie to George Benson that I was his. And it worked, for awhile, didn't it? Until I looked a little too much like your back door man. "

"... Well, don't worry yourself that George didn't get anything out of this." She replied, sounding bored now and rising with her glass. "I'm going to bed. Don't ask me about this again."

Frustrated with her response, Basil raised his voice. "Where is Edmond Spencer?!"

"Shhhhh!" Jessica hissed back. "You'll wake your grandparents!"

He could feel Jessica was trying to retreat from this conversation. Normally, he'd allow it. Tonight however, he wanted... nay needed answers. "Perhaps I should do just that! Maybe they'll be a bit more forthcoming!"

"Calm down, there's no need to be so dramatic!

I don't know where he is." She admitted. "No one does. He sent presents for a few years but after that.... secondhand musical brick he left you for your bar mitzvah, that's the last time I've seen evidence he's even still alive. For all I know, his corpse is rotting in some pauper's grave." Jessica collected the wine bottle to take it with her, but she paused at the stairs.

"If you know what's good for you Basil, you'll let this be. Edmond disappeared for a reason. You keep this inquiry up, you may as well. Be contented to know that shite of a human George Benson didn't sire you onto this earth and leave it where it lies."

She paused briefly to let her son think on what she'd said. She she was satisfied he has no more to say she added-

"Goodnight Bobbie. Try to get some sleep. The rest of the family will be here early tomorrow."

by **Colette Rosenhof** » Mon Jan 13, 2020 2:51 am

Shortly before the second nights seder, the doorbell sounded throughout the Stolarz residence. And whether the person on the other side was a welcome guest or not depended entirely on who answered the door, the black cab already pulling away from the curb and heading down the street. The opening door revealed the pink visage in her warm winter coat, adorned with a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses as though she were hiding from the paparazzi. And from the pink rolling suitcase at her side, it seemed like she intended to stay.

"Happy pay-sack!"

by **Narrator** » Mon Jan 13, 2020 3:05 am

Colette noticed quite a few cars parked both in the driveway and up and down the street. There was definitely some kind of party going on here.

When the door opened, Colette wouldn't see anything at first but a sea of people.

Then, she'd be greeted by the shrill scream of a little girl scared out of her wits. The party goers turned to look and see what all the commotion was about.

by **Colette Rosenhof** » Mon Jan 13, 2020 3:34 am

Oh, this wasn't like Hanukkah. This wasn't like Hanukkah at all. This was a bad idea. Basil had sounded so sad and lonely, Colette thought that he needed some company, smothered by his family asking questions and generally being nitpicky. Instead he was surrounded by people, or so she assumed, she hadn't seen him yet. And here she was, self-conscious when in a crowd and faced with one. Thank goodness she was wearing sunglasses, it helped hide the fear and instead looked of confusion. She looked behind her for a moment and then back into the party.

"What? Has no one ever before seen someone from France? Or did everyone here vote in favour of Brexit?"

by **Basil Benson** » Mon Jan 13, 2020 3:43 am

Whomever must have been the girl's mother came rushing to get her to stop screaming, consoling her and picking her up to take her away.

Her joke landed about as well as her arrival and everyone else just stared at her until finally, someone cut the crowd. A familiar red haired man that she had once mistaken as Basil's father came forward and pulled her into the house, as if she belonged.

"Ah! Ms.Rosenhof! How good to see you!" Howard greeted, smoothly inviting her in and shutting the door behind her. "Shall I take your things and put them with the others?"

by **Colette Rosenhof** » Mon Jan 13, 2020 4:41 am

Colette had nearly reached her breaking point. A few more seconds and she would have closed the door herself and spent a good five minutes crying on the front steps had Howard not swooped in and saved the day. She was able to put on a brave face and play it off, even if she'd probably need some time in the water closet later to collect herself properly.

"Howard! Oh it is so good to see you too. You are looking well! Yes please, if you would be so kind, zat would be lovely." She began to remove her hat and things and pass them to the diligent man, the large coat giving way to her sleeveless dress and matching black silk gloves. By the time her sunglasses came off she'd managed to collect herself enough that she didn't look like she was about to cry; one of the benefits of being absorbent all over.

"Tell me monsieur Howard, do I offer ze gifts to Madame Stolarz myself, or do I give zem to you to present on my behalf? I do not wish to inconvenience her, it appears zat she will be razer busy zis evening."

by **Basil Benson** » Mon Jan 13, 2020 4:50 am

"Oh! I'll take it to her." Howard said, leaning in to hug the girl like they were old friends.

"You are either the most courageous young lady I have ever met, or the dumbest." He whispered in her ear, then pulled away. "I'll drop this off in the kitchen with Esther and we'll put your things away together dearie."

He disappeared for a moment, leaving her to be gawked at by the assembled. They must have been Basil's family, given that they all had a vague resemblance to one another.

by **Colette Rosenhof** » Mon Jan 13, 2020 5:23 am

Colette was definitely beginning to think that she was the latter. Especially since her gifts were in a reusable Tesco bag and not something super fancy. If Basil's grandmother actually ventured to look instead of immediately tossing the whole works into the trash there'd be revealed a bottle of kosher wine (the £20 stuff no less) as well as a couple of candy boxes, the smaller of which was done up with a ribbon and bow and had a tag with Basil's name written on it.

Of course with Howard gone that left Colette alone with the rest of Basil's extended family. Ones he had only mentioned in passing during an argument when she was being especially antagonistic, and even then no names had been mentioned, let alone in-laws and cousins. And they were staring at her. She needed some wine. Yes, surely this would help the situation.

by **Basil Benson** » Mon Jan 13, 2020 12:52 pm

Howard seemed to come back awfully quickly, and in such a poor mood considering how welcoming he was being a few moments prior.

He reached out for the girl to take her by the wrist.

"Come'on." He muttered gruffly, trying to get her to follow him through the sea of onlookers.

by **Colette Rosenhof** » Mon Jan 13, 2020 4:13 pm

If Colette had considered that she had made a mistake by coming here that night, she was beginning to upgrade it to “grave mistake” status. She followed Howard willingly and did her best to prepare herself for whatever fate was to befall her. She had caused a scene already with her arrival, it would do little good to make it bigger. Of course for her getting through the crowd was easier than it was for Howard, as people actually moved to get away from her.

by **Basil Benson** » Mon Jan 13, 2020 4:16 pm

'Howard' lead her into the room where the coats were being kept away, and closed the door behind them. He let her go once they had some bit of privacy and sighed.

"No wonder he loves you. You're as much of a bloody idiot as he is." Harold chastised while texting.... someone.

by **Colette Rosenhof** » Mon Jan 13, 2020 6:39 pm

"Well, yes, you said zis before when you took my zings." Colette furrowed her brow, not yet realizing that Harold and Howard were not the same person. Now that they had some privacy she was able to let her guard down, and the emotions pushed down where her stomach should have been began to well up.

"I did not zink zat zere would be so many people. At Hanukkah zere was just Monsieur and Madame Stolarz, and Madame Benson, and Basil and myself." She was starting to choke up and stammer as she tried to explain her actions. "Basil seemed so sad, you see, and I zought perhaps...."

by **Basil Benson** » Mon Jan 13, 2020 8:01 pm

"That one ain't as important as this one. I don't think you coulda cocked this up more unless you decided to just pop in for a bite to eat during Yom Kipper."

'Howard' looked up from his text to arch a brow at the young girl.

"He's always sad about something or another Poppet.
You ain't noti-" Whatever he was going to say next was interrupted by the actual Howard bolting into the room and all but slamming the door behind him.

"What the fuck are we going to do about this?!

She knows!"

"Calm down you big girls blouse... You panicking isn't going to help anything, is it?" Said Gruff-Howard. "And maybe you shouldn't have told Estee if you didn't want her to know."

"What else was I supposed to do?! She's not exactly incognito!" Howard hissed back, motioning to the vision of pink.

by **Colette Rosenhof** » Tue Jan 14, 2020 12:29 am

"Oh, zere are two of you now. Hello." Colette muttered softly as the siblings? Surely they were siblings, strangers didn't look that much alike. As the siblings debated the problem at hand.

"She will have to put on her big girl panties and deal wiz it."

Colette wore a rather calm expression, given how close she'd been to breaking down and sobbing.

"Ze cat is out of ze bag, at least in part. If I leave wizout a word, zey are still going to talk and ask questions. I do not intend on leaving wizout seeing Basil first. If she wants to come up wiz some kind of cover story, zat is her problem, not mine. If she is nice about it, perhaps I will even play along."

by **Basil Benson** » Tue Jan 14, 2020 12:36 am

"Right. So... defiant little shits it is then?" Gruff Howard replied with a grin.

by **Colette Rosenhof** » Tue Jan 14, 2020 12:40 am

"What else is zere to do? Try to sneak out like some kind of heist movie? If Madame Stolarz objects to my presence her tonight, when I had been welcome before, zen she can tell me so herself."

In shifting from panic to stubborness, she almost forgot the entire reason she was here that night. "... where is Basil?"

by **Basil Benson** » Tue Jan 14, 2020 12:59 am

"Fine with me, I hate these things. Shite's boring. Just want to know what mug I'm supposed to put on when we open that door again."

"Harold." Howard chastised. "That's sacrilegious and disrespectful. Mrs.Stolarz has been very welcoming to us."

The identical man now known as Harold, shrugged. "Eh.

Can you drink girl? They're going to expect you to drink two overfilled glasses of wine before they feed any of us, and if we're really defiant little shits, she may not feed us at all."

Neither of them answered her question.

by **Colette Rosenhof** » Tue Jan 14, 2020 1:13 am

"Oh my, Basil has not told you much about me, has he?" Colette covered her mouth, finding a bit of mirth in being asked if she could drink. "I suppose he was just being polite. Rest assured gentlemen, my ability to drink is not somezing zat you need worry about zis evening."

Her expression grew a little more serious. "No matter what happens tonight, I want to zank you, boz of you, for ze kindness you have shown me zis evening. Please do not do anyzing on my account zat would have... lasting repercussions for yourselves, yes?"

by **Basil Benson** » Tue Jan 14, 2020 1:30 am

"Basil doesn't talk to us." Howard replied in a tone that sounded a touch hurt.

"And nobody at this party writes our checks. If we wanna get real technical, Basil's got more authority t'tell us what to do than any a'them Stolarz." Harold observes out loud, absently picking something off his vest.

by **Colette Rosenhof** » Tue Jan 14, 2020 1:44 am

"... zis family is perplexing." Colette took a deep breath and composed herself, touching her "hair" to make sure she hadn't gotten any lint of fur or anything stuck to it during their time in the closet.

"Alright, are we ready? Or shall we wait until someone needs zeir coat and we give zem somezing else to whisper about?"

by **Basil Benson** » Tue Jan 14, 2020 2:14 am

"I'm literally coming out of the closet. This is absolutely ridiculous."

"Let's go." Harold reached out and opened the door, letting them all free.

Those close enough to the walk in closet noticed the trio finally emerge together, and turned almost in unison to look at them.

Including Basil, who had been told they disappeared in there and was very confused about what in the hell was going on.

"Madame Rosenhof?" He queried, seemingly shocked she was there.

by **Colette Rosenhof** » Tue Jan 14, 2020 3:05 am

Colette clacked out in her heels, bookended by the twin gingers with H vowel consonant vowel consonant D names as she tugged her dress straight. At the sight of Basil she beamed going from stone-faced to giddy.

"Baseeeeeel." She said sweetly as she took a step forward. "... surprise?"

by **Basil Benson** » Tue Jan 14, 2020 3:45 am

Howard somehow managed to put on a game face in the last two seconds, his composure being back almost instantly.

"Oh there you are Basil. We were going to come looking for you."

"Howie informed your gran she's here already." Harold added, clapping his hand on the boys shoulder. " Gonna go play interference and switch some seating around..." He whispered to Basil, then pat him on the back as he went to go see about what he could do about arrangements.

The empty suit stood unnervingly still for several moments staring at the Pink Lady in his grandmother's living room, a show of the behavior he claimed got him the title of 'krolik' in this family. It didn't help that said family was watching the pair of them like hawks on prey.

Basil did not move to go to her as he normally would have. He remained where he was, becoming visible between blinks which caused an obvious disturbance among the others by their hushed whispers and an actual gasp from one of the group.

"I'm glad you're here." He stated, in a manner that was incredibly reserved for him. Especially given the fact that people could clearly see him now, so he was likely feeling a lot more than he was letting out.

by **Colette Rosenhof** » Tue Jan 14, 2020 4:57 am

"Which is precisely why I came." Even if you are the only one who would say that. Oh, of all the times she wished she had telepathy. The woman stepped closer to Basil and reached out to take one of his hands in hers, holding it between her gloved digits as she leaned in closer, her cheek beside his.

"This did not go at all as I had hoped, I did not think things through, and I will apologize properly later. But seeing as how we've come so far..., in for a penny, in for a pound?" She whispered into his ear before leaning back, trying to concentrate on him and not everyone else watching them.

by **Basil Benson** » Tue Jan 14, 2020 7:28 am

The pearlclutchers that gawked at the pair seemed to nearly die at Colette's brazen behaviour with Basil. Basil stifled a laugh, giving her hand a squeeze before slipping his free of hers.

"I can tell." He whispered back. "Try not to touch, it's forbidden. You might send Gavriella into stroke." As he mentioned her name, Basil nodded at a particular woman who seemed extremely offended by what she was seeing.

by **Colette Rosenhof** » Tue Jan 14, 2020 8:13 pm

"Just tell her it's because I'm French. That excuses a lot of my bad behavior." Colette kept her hands to herself for the time being, content to stand near Basil while the rest of the family whispered and avoided her.

by **Basil Benson** » Tue Jan 14, 2020 8:30 pm

"Being Jewish takes importance over a person's national origin."

He replied, finding the best words he could in French. "So... that's not going to work."

by **Colette Rosenhof** » Tue Jan 14, 2020 9:03 pm

"I'm just THAT French." Colette tittered softly. "But a momentary slip up. I won't let it happen again. I'll be good, I promise. Or I'll try at the very least."

by **Basil Benson** » Wed Jan 15, 2020 12:01 am

"If you had decided to be a good girl, you would have stayed at home." He replied with a smirk.

There wasn't any more time to talk now as Amit came out from the kitchen and began rounding up the young men for some form of task, including Basil. Harold and Howard went too, leaving her temporarily alone.

After a moment, the ladies disappeared into the kitchen and now, Colette was alone....

Sort of. They must have deemed her non-threatening, because the only ones left in the room were the children, speaking to each other in clandestine whispers.

Now that the room had emptied, it was obvious that all the furniture had been moved into some other space for some reason, leaving the floor rather empty.

Before she had time to figure out why that might be, a child stepped forward from the others boldly to inspect the gelatinous woman from just outside arms length.

It was difficult to tell if the child was male or female, the only thing giving it away was the yarmulke. They were inspecting her curiously with their eyes.

"Hullo." They said awkwardly after a moment, realizing perhaps that just staring was rude.

by **Colette Rosenhof** » Wed Jan 15, 2020 1:11 am

Colette fidgets a bit as she finds herself left mostly alone. Instinctively she wanted to join the women in the kitchen, but honestly she trusted the men to be more kind to her than the women. She mostly left the children alone, given the scream she heard earlier, but the braver one did catch her attention. She crouched down as much as her dress would allow to be more on their level and gave the child a closed-mouth smile.

"Hello. My name is Colette. What is your name?"

by **Basil Benson** » Wed Jan 15, 2020 1:15 am

"Dani." They replied.

"Are you Bobbie's girlfriend?"

by **Colette Rosenhof** » Wed Jan 15, 2020 1:26 am

Colette looked around for a moment. "Can you keep a secret?"

by **Basil Benson** » Wed Jan 15, 2020 1:30 am

"Better than the rest of them." They replied, vaguely motioning to the others.

Colette could tell the over confidence of an only child when she saw it.

by **Colette Rosenhof** » Wed Jan 15, 2020 1:36 am

Colette couldn't help but smile a little wider, she liked this kid. "Zat is close enough. Yes, Basil is my boyfriend, and I zink I am very lucky to be his girlfriend. We attend ze same school."

by **Basil Benson** » Wed Jan 15, 2020 1:39 am

"So.... you're not a monster then. You are a mutant?

Cuz Ilana thinks you're going to melt her and eat her but
I said that if you are his girlfriend that means you suck on his face and his face is still there so you must not melt people." Dani replied, going through their logic out loud.

by **Colette Rosenhof** » Wed Jan 15, 2020 1:53 am

Colette shook her head. "No, I am not a monster. I know zat I look very different from a lot of people zat you know, but it is okay to be different. Besides, I have a sweet tooz, and I zink zat Ilana probably tastes very sour."

by **Basil Benson** » Wed Jan 15, 2020 2:25 am

"Maybe." Dani relented, not getting the joke.

"I don't like your dress. It looks like... skin, but you don't have any skin.

Maybe next time don't wear a dress that looks like skin and people won't think you eat people?" Dani offered helpfully.

Dani was wearing a pair of black wide legged trousers, generic black oxford dress shoes, a sweater vest, and a button up shirt. They weren't exactly fashion gurus.

by **Colette Rosenhof** » Wed Jan 15, 2020 2:29 am

Colette looked down at the dress. "Well, perhaps you are right. But skin comes in many colours, yes? And if it were pink, well, it might look like my dress was only ze black parts, no?"

[Drama] The Sins Of The Father Are To Be Laid Upon The Children

[Drama] The Sins Of The Father Are To Be Laid Upon The Children

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