Alcoholic Nights

(二) Class-Rick Adventure

Rick sat at the dinner table, staring down at the plate of food infront of him. Chicken, peas and mashed potato. It felt so- bland. Compared to the food he had eaten in space, and around the universe.
The yellow cloth on the table grazed his thighs. The window behind him created a feeling of unease with the 70 year old. He looked across the table at the people sat around him. They were all just eating in silence. Pure. Silence. Morty sat next to him, picking at his food with a dull expression.

Jerry sat at the end of the table. Looking around at everyone with an anxious expression. "Hey uhm- How is school- Summer and Morty?" Jerry enquired, just trying to start a conversation as he picked at his chicken.

"School's fine, Dad." Morty sighed, looking bored. He just wanted to do something fun. Anything fun would suit him. ANYTHING.

Summer didn't respond to her father, she had her head buried in her phone. One hand held her phone while the other moved food from the plate to her mouth.

"Beth- how is... Work?" Jerry attempted, looking over at the woman who sat next to her daughter.

"It's fine. Just- eat your dinner." Beth exhaled, grabbing her plate and walking out of the dining room and into the kitchen.

Rick watched silently. He ate a portion of his food, before he pulled out his silver flask. Taking a sip from the cool container.

"Hey Rick- any- errands you have to run? At all?" Morty asked, breaking the silence that had filled the room for about- 20 seconds.

Rick finished downing the last of his alcohol, before looking at Morty.
"I dunno, I just need to stop by the Twemp-Fwap system to get some stuff. Oh, and there's going to be a meteorite huh- hitting Kepler-62e, the sea people are going to be doing like a- a- black friday sale. Except I think even Black Friday had meaning behind it. S-Selling all your shit- just because you're going to die w-who's g-gonna buy your shit when they're gonna die too? I-It's fuckin stupid!" Rick raised his voice a bit, clearly unhappy with the lack of logic in the idea.

"I-I wonder what stuff they'll be selling." Morty muttered, taking a mouthful of mash.

"Woah woah, hey Rick. I don't think you should be taking Morty anywhere. He has school tomorrow." Jerry interjected.

"So-urrrp- What? S-School- school is stupid! School just- it's just kids- sitting around talking about people they find hot- and and-  talking about equations that- that'll never matter in the real world! You went to school- Jerry- and- and look at you!" Rick motioned to the brunette with a frustrated expression. "Y-You don't want Morty t-turning into a-a jobless douche! Who- who lazes around doing jack shit! Do you?" Rick  asked rhetorically.

"Well I think it'd be safer if he was a lazy jobless douche than a interdimensional travelling alcoholic.." Jerry muttered.

Rick completely glazed over it, getting to his feet. He took his plate, walking over to the kitchen. He entered the large space, placing his plate down on the white counter top. The khaki green walls and the wooden cupboards gave it the kitchen a forest sort of look. The white countertops however didn't match the look it just- well- it looked goofy.
He stood by the sink. Watching Beth pour herself a glass of wine.

Rick looked over at his daughter briefly. He could sense something off. She wasn't right- something was on her mind. He exhaled through his nose.

Beth drank her glass. The liquid sliding down her throat as she stared forwards blankly. She wore her usual red blouse and blue pants. Her hair was the same length it had always been, and still blonde. But it was a bit messier than usual. Like she hadn't brushed it.

"What's wrong?" Rick asked coldly, his voice showing minimal emotion. It wasn't an 'Are you OkAy?' it was a cold, harsh 'What's wrong?'. He wasn't one for showing affection, sure he was nice to his daughter he loved her. But even the smartest man in the universe couldn't be good at everything. And the one thing he wasn't good at was being soft. He was just cold. Naturally. Well not naturally, he wasn't born this way. No not at all. He learnt to toughen up.