The Hart Hotel

Chapter Seven 7th April 2005.

"You watch that mouth with me, don't be so disrespectful!" Bonnie scorns at Noah, as she wheels him into the kitchen.

Nathaniel turns his head towards them, the bacon sizzles in the frying pan. A little bit of the oil spatters at him, he backs away as it pinches at his skin.

"Hello, Noah," he greets warmly.

Noah gives him a quick glance and mutters to himself. Noah sits in his wheelchair, slightly hunched over. His eyes were small, he peers at Nathaniel through slit eyes. His skin ombre, the lines slowly creeping in on the corners of his eyes. His hair touched with the slightest tinge of grey. His build is slim, Noah's hands shake uncontrollably. He wears a light grey sweater and dark, pressed black pants. Nathaniel looks down to see the white long socks peek out from his brown slippers.

Nathaniel turns his attention back to the frying pan, moving the bacon around with the spatula.

"We'll see... we'll see," Noah mutters to himself, nodding his head as he clutches a wrinkled black book to his chest. Nathaniel glances at the book briefly, noticing a faded golden cross in the centre of the front of the book. Religious, he notes to himself as he turns off the stove.

"Would you like some breakfast Noah?" he asks merrily.

Noah mumbles to himself as Bonnie rolls him towards the dining table, placing him where the vacant seat is.

He places his left hand onto the table and keeps his right hand on his Bible.

"Yes," he grumbles after a moment, tapping his fingertips rapidly on the table.

Bonnie shakes her head at him, "Honestly I don't know why you're so mean to me," she says to Noah sadly. Noah stops tapping his fingers on the table and gives her a look through narrowed eyes; "You know why," he replies in a darkened tone.

Bonnie tuts, "It's not my fault you won't take your medicine". Nathaniel scrapes the bacon onto the three white potted plates on the kitchen counter.

"I'll be praying for your soul," he mumbles, rubbing his Bible with his thumb.

"I've made scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast," Nathaniel announces, trying to change the subject.

"Lovely!" Bonnie says cheerfully, pulling out a chair as she takes a seat at the dining table.

Nathaniel grabs the two plates off the side and brings it over to the dining table, placing it on the table in front of both of them. He goes back to retrieve two sets of knives and forks and goes over to the table to put them beside the plates.

"I hope you like it," he says as he goes to get his plate and cutlery.

"Have the children eaten?" Bonnie asks as she cuts up her bacon.

Nathaniel nods, taking a seat at the dining table. The chair screeches as he pulls himself in towards it.

"Yeah, they've eaten," he answers verbally.

Nathaniel starts to eat his breakfast, taking a big bite of his scrambled eggs. He glances towards Noah, who doesn't cut up his food and stabs at it. Taking nibbles of the food stuck to the end of his fork, Noah eyes up Bonnie as he eats. Bonnie in return shifts uncomfortably in her seat.

"How is your morning going Noah?" Nathaniel asks politely. Noah stops mumbling to himself in between bites and looks at him, his eyes soften in surprise for a moment.

"Fine," he replies cautiously, hugging the Bible closer to his chest as he whispers into it. Nathaniel cannot make out what he is saying.

Nathaniel slowly turns his gaze to Bonnie, "And you Bonnie?" he asks.