S4C serial challenge -- "Nurture/Destroy" Episode 1

Episode 1

“Quod me nutrit me destruit.”

“What nourishes me…” Lois frowned at her seventy-five-year-old baby brother.

“…destroys me,” Quint nodded.

“That from those science magazines you write for?” Lo fussed maneuvering her walker through the doorway.

“Sunny Valley’s photo-cell doors will open for you.”

“And a gazillion decrepit old people.”

“132,” he corrected, ever precise. “Besides, you did most of the culling when you came here from the farm.”

“Culling,” Lo chuckled for the first time as she settled into Quint’s Probe. The smell of leather reminded her of buggy rides with Pa decades ago. “It was hard giving away Ma’s table settings, but they belonged where families are growing. Must’a been harder for Ma to move from her father’s mansion to Pa’s sixty acres. She managed.”

“There’s nothing Auntie Lo can’t do,” he said just loud enough for her to hear without needing to acknowledge.

Embarrassed, Lois regaled Quint with stories of Pa whipping up Black Knight to make the buggy jounce, just to hear Lois and her mother squeal. But she quieted as they pulled into the country lane to the Quacious family farm. Gil’s boys had done well; the knee-high corn stood straight and well-spaced. And this year, too, they’d spared the old elm and its nests.

“Auntie Lo!” A dozen children ran from the porch, barn and coop to surround Quint’s Probe.

Drying her hands on her bibbed apron, Gil’s Gladys shooed grand and great-grandchildren aside as her strapping sons extracted Lois from the car.

“Dratenflankle!”

Her nephews held Lois in midair, afraid they’d hurt her.

“No, put me down. I’m fine; my memory’s a sieve. I forgot Gil’s Golden Anniversary card.”

“Never mind, Sis,” Gil soothed, though Lois was instantly suspicious when she glimpsed conspiratorial grins. “We know where to find you.”

“Old folk’s home,” Lo muttered as she was spirited across the enclosed back porch with its new boards showing orange among the gray. “Good job fitting,” Lo commented. They glided through the cluttered, aromatic kitchen into the living room as the rest of the family tumbled in the front door.

The expanded oak table was set to perfection with Mother’s delicate Old Rose china. Lois cocked her head, flattered that Gladys would use what Lo had given her and Gil for their golden celebration. Then Lo gasped to realize that the stemmed glasses were those she’d given Alf and Ada, and the linen napkins were tucked through the silver rings Lo had given her second brother. Smiling, Bradford lit the silver candelabra.

All of Ma’s special things, dispersed years ago. Lo had never expected to see them again. The family must have planned this for weeks.
They surrounded her, generations of Quacious family.

“Thank you, Auntie Lo!” they cried.

“Ever seen Lo speechless before?” Bradford demanded to general laughter.

Lois fell into the chair at the head of the table, rheumy eyes bright with tears.

Leaning to fill Lo’s water goblet, Ada hissed, “How could you? You tell them, or I will!”