Tug of War 24

"Where's my father?" Timothy asked his stepmother when they got downstairs. 

"Did you forget, Timmy? Today is Saturday. Your father woke up early to go hunting with his friends like he does every week."

Yes, Timothy had completely forgotten about that. Taking into account the state of confusion of his mind, it wasn't surprising, though. Every Saturday his father took some of his beloved weapons and went to a nearby forest to hunt moose, deer and other smaller animals. 

Richard had obviously insisted for his son to accompany him many times, saying it was a chance for the boy to start behaving like a real man. But on each of these occasions, Timothy not only stressed how much he hated guns, but also stated that his father was a coward for shooting defenseless animals, which should just be left alone. Richard – for some reason – never liked such a response, and from that point on the conversation invariably turned into a heated exchange of unflattering adjectives.

"But if my father already went out, why am I dressed like this?" Timothy asked indignantly, pointing to his own body. "He's not here to see me!"

"Use your pretty little head, silly! Aren't you feeling uncomfortable about your new clothes?"

"Of course!"

"That's the point. I'm sure your father would be able to notice your discomfort. But since he's out, you'll have the whole day to get used to your new clothes before he gets home." 

Once again, Timothy got frustrated to realize he could find no flaw in Susan's relentless logic. "What am I going to do all day long dressed like this, anyway?" he asked, annoyed. 

"Do you remember that your father suggested you should start helping me with the housework? This is what we're going to do now. And when I say we, I mean you are going to do most of the work while I mentor you. You have a lot to learn, after all."

After another ridiculously unsatisfactory breakfast, Timothy began cleaning the house under Susan's watchful eyes. The boy had to sweep and wax the floor, remove dust from furniture, polish the silverware, wash the bathrooms, among other many chores.