How To Get What You Want, Corrigan Family Edition

Posted on Wed May 4th, 2022 @ 12:19am by Unawakened James Corrigan

Mission: Tales of the Unawakened
Location: Corrigan Home; Bakersfield, California
Timeline: Yesterday

"Please, Daddy!" Kat was being cute again. She was definitely too old to call their father 'daddy', but she had learned that to get what she wanted from her father, cute was her ticket.

James had also learned how to get what he wanted from their father. Don't want it. Or at least, convince the old man that he didn't want it. Because whatever would make James most miserable seemed to be what Jack would always choose. And so the manipulation had begun.

Jack looked down at his daughter, coiled up on his lap looking up at him with wide, pleading eyes. "Who else is going? Will there be supervision?" he asked her.

These were expected questions, and Kat had come prepared to do battle with her father. "My class is going, and yes, daddy, the teacher will be there," she answered sweetly.

James was not in the room proper; he was standing in the hallway outside the room listening, waiting for when his dad would bellow for him to get in there. A smile was on his face as he listened to Kat expertly manipulate their dad.

"How do they plan to get all of you there? Busses?" their mother interjected.

Kat frowned. "Yeah, but I was hoping you'd let me have James drive me," she said with this plaintive tone that neither of her parents usually had the capability of resisting.

As expected, Jack frowned deeply. Rachel looked thoughtful then looked at Jack. "Oh, let her go, Jack," she pled on behalf of her daughter.

Jack was still frowning as he, predictably, bellowed. "James, get in here!" And as always, he sounded as though he was about to chew James out for something, but there was nothing this time. It was just the way he spoke to his elder child.

James paused, but only so that when he did enter, it would seem as if he had come from somewhere farther away in the house. After counting to ten, he rounded the wall from the hallway into the living room. "Yes, sir?" He knew better than to answer with anything less respectful.

"What's the state of your car?" Jack asked. His tone almost sounded accusing, as though he expected James not to take care of the vehicle.

James feigned confusion. "Its maintenance is up to date, and it has a full tank of gas," he answered.

For a split second, Jack's expression seemed disappointed -- James hadn't given him a reason to go at him -- but then it resolved once more into his customary scowl. "Kat has a school trip this weekend, and you're driving her to and from it," Jack asserted. It was not a request.

James gave a good impression of being put out. "But, Dad, I had--"

Jack cut him off. "You had nothing, Boy!" he snarled. "You'll do as I say. Understood?"

James looked for a moment as if he would respond, but he didn't. "Yes, sir," he instead answered, giving a morose tone as if Jack's demand had ruined some weekend plans he'd had.

"Good. Now go and pack what you need," he ordered the boy, his expression softening as he looked down at his daughter. "You too, Kitty Cat." He gave her a hug and then made her get off his lap.

Kat hugged her father. "Thank you, Daddy!" Then she left his lap, and she and James went upstairs to their rooms to pack for the weekend.

TBC>>>