"Goddamnit, Reggie, what did you do now?" Mr MacSeren wondered tiredly, rubbing his eyes after being dragged out of his bedroom by his son.
"Da, Tae fell!" Reggie exclaimed. MacSeren lifted the hand that was still rubbing the exhaustion out of his eyes to look at me. I still sat on the couch, fiddling with a frayed end of my dress and swinging my dirt-covered legs back and forth.
"She looks fine, what's the big deal?" MacSeren wondered. Reggie shrugged to the ringmaster's dismay and gave his father a blank stare.
"I cleaned 'er up... I just don' know what to do now." the boy stated. Mr MacSeren sighed and stretched, nearly touching the ceiling from his height. I could tell he was about ready to give in to his exhaustion and illness from all the work he's been doing. Any moment, he seemed ready to just collapse and take a nap wherever he fell.
"Come on then, let's all have a snack... I could use the break," he announced and signalled me to come to the table. I eagerly jumped up and scrambled to the small dining room table with Reggie following at my heels. I climbed into the nearest chair and sat patiently with Reggie in the adjacent chair to my left.
Mr MacSeren looked through the many cupboards for anything to eat while Reggie and I teased each other by attacking each other's hands and kicking each other under the table. MacSeren hummed impatiently but we paid no attention to him, instead, I was focused on pouncing on Reggie's fingers.
Finally, however, the ringmaster took out a tray of cheese and set it on the table. I saw it and groaned quietly; cheese wasn't my favourite at all... Especially since the only cheese I've ever had was white and bitter and I didn't like it. This cheese looked more yellow like regular cheese, however, and it had a weird reddish rind that made me feel slightly uncomfortable.
"Sorry, kiddies, this is all we have. I need to get to the market soon." Mr MacSeren stated sadly as he set a loaf of bread down next to the cheese. Reggie smirked and reached for the cheese knife that sat on the tray with the cheese.
"Is alright... Ye did say 'snack'." he stated as he cut a bit of the mysterious cheese off and put it on a slice of bread. MacSeren shrugged and sat down across from his son, watching as Reggie served himself some bread and cheese.
"Tae, ye want some?" Reggie wondered. I timidly shook my head, too afraid to refuse his offer because I thought it seemed rude. MacSeren scoffed and chuckled.
"Come on, dear, you'll be as thin as a bone if you don't eat something. Try it, it won't hurt." the ringmaster insisted with a smile. I looked at him with a blank expression, unsure how to respond, and because of my lack of response, Reggie took it upon himself to hand me a piece of bread and cheese.
"I promise you'll like it," he assured. Hesitantly, I reached out and took the small morsel from the teen. I wasn't one to refuse food because my dad had taught me that it was rude. Plus, I was kind of hungry so even if I didn't like the strange cheese, I could still eat the bread.
I cautiously took a tiny bite out of the cheese, lost in my own world of investigation as the MacSerens served themselves. The cheese was... Surprisingly sweet and rich. It was creamy... But it wasn't like the disgusting white cheese my father would always buy. More interested now, I took a bigger bite out of the cheese and bread and savoured the flavour on my tongue. The burst of rich sweetness and a hint of tang made my mouth water and I couldn't help but wolf down the bread and cheese as if it were my first ever meal in years!
"Hey, Da? What kind o' cheese this is?" Reggie wondered as he laid a slice of cheese on some bread. Mr MacSeren took another bite out of his helping and thought for a moment.
"Er... Muenster, I believe... I don' know." he answered eventually.
I looked up at them with wide, excited eyes, "muenster?" I repeated and Mr MacSeren chuckled.
"Oi, Reg, she likes the cheese." he pointed out as I was desperately reaching across the table for the block of cheese that was too far for me to reach. Reggie laughed and cheered quietly before scooting the cheese tray closer to me to let me help myself. I giggled as I took the cheese knife and sliced a huge chunk off the block.
"It's so interesting seeing how kids react to new foods. You kinda did the same thing when we went and visited Scotland several years ago," Mr MacSeren stated pleasantly. Reggie smiled and leant on the table in interest.
"Oh really? Wha' was it for? Lamb chops? Hearty beef stew?" Reggie wondered sarcastically.
"Haggis, actually."
Reggie paused in bewilderment and stared at his father in shock, "Haggis... Ye mean the shite stuffed in da sheep's stomach?"
Mr MacSeren nodded and Reggie gagged. I laughed at his reaction, as did the ringmaster.
"You ate the whole thing, including the stomach and you kept begging for seconds! Your mother wouldn't stop laughing because she never expected you to like it!" the man continued and received another gag from Reggie. He laughed while I just continued to watch the scene with interest, chewing my cheese.
"Da! Stop!" Reggie pleaded and Mr MacSeren laughed again.
"Why? Because you're ashamed of your favourite meal? You still probably like haggis, don't lie." his father teased. Reggie whined and hid his face in his hands. Meanwhile, I sliced another chunk of cheese for myself.
"Okay fine, I'll stop, ya big baby! But don't think I won't make haggis for you so I can see your reaction!" MacSeren joked. Reggie frowned at his father and narrowed his eyes as if the old ringmaster might suddenly pull something drastic. He reached for the cheese tray, still eyeing his father; however, eventually, he had to look and see where he was reaching and he had to break eye contact with his father.
"Jesus, Tae! You ate half the block!" Reggie announced and I froze in surprise, a chunk of cheese still in my mouth as I was taking a bite out of it.
"Sorwy..." I said through the cheese and Mr MacSeren laughed.
"Now that's a trick I never expected to see!" he joked.
"Ha! No kiddin'..." Reggie mumbled as he sliced his portion of cheese. The ringmaster helped himself to a piece as well, along with a helping of bread.
"I guess she really likes the cheese! Slow down, kiddie, or you'll have a vicious stomachache!" MacSeren said to me with a joking smile. I smiled innocently at him and continued to eat my cheese, showing him that I wasn't planning on listening to him.
"Either that, or we'll have to hide it from her," Reggie added. I pouted at him and shook my head in refusal.
"No! I won't eat it all! I swear!" I insisted. Reggie rolled his eyes and dragged the cheese tray away from me.
"That's enough for ye," he stated. I frowned sadly and stared at the cheese tray, hoping it would magically return to me but it never did. MacSeren shook his head shamefully and stared at Reggie intently.
"That was mean," he stated.
"What!? She was gonna eat all da cheese!" Reggie defended himself. MacSeren chuckled and Reggie was just left to be confused while I gazed longingly at the cheese... It still never came, to my dismay.
Eventually, the conversation drifted away from the subject of my newfound addiction to Muenster cheese and went into other things like the other performers and the circus. I didn't really pay attention, since I was busy replacing the cheese with the bread; however, I did pick up on little things like Reggie learning a new magic trick for his act, Mr MacSeren hiring a new stagehand to help with the equipment, Jo the magician (Reggie is learning from him) is getting new equipment to help him better his show and hopefully rake in more money, and the aerialist couple, Michael and Wendy are having a baby. Although I thought that last bit sounded great; Mr MacSeren didn't seem too pleased about it.
He worded it, "If an artist is pregnant, she can't perform and therefore we lose money." Reggie agreed but I just sort of sat there in the middle, wondering why having a family was a bad thing in the circus. Wouldn't that make another performer join us when they're born? Circus life is weird.
On the other hand, when I started paying attention again, I learned another shipment of costumes is coming in! I always love seeing the brand new, fancy outfits and wishing I could try one on but I know it won't fit me. Still, I love seeing what there is and admiring the pretty designs. I always loved playing dress-up and sometimes, I even make Reggie play dress-up. He hates it.
We talked for several more hours and shared many laughs. Reggie, at one point, even began chasing his dad around the apartment after Mr MacSeren stole his food. It was quite a sight to see and I couldn't stop laughing. Even after they relaxed and returned to their seats, I was still laughing hysterically. I soon ran out of air and I had to stop but I found it to be quite difficult. The shenanigans that are the MacSerens is a circus act even when they're not performing!
Our conversations continued after that, as did the jokes and soon, we were all exhausted from the playing around and non-stop laughter. Mr MacSeren ended up retiring first due to a sudden headache and both Reggie and I wished him goodnight and to get better soon. I was sad that our fun ended so abruptly and because MacSeren (who was now more like a father to me than my own dad was) wasn't feeling too bright. Still, that didn't stop Reggie and me from playing around until we were half-asleep on the sofa.
We were curled up next to each other, with our faces merely inches from each other and Reggie's arms trapping me against him and surrounding me like a blanket of safety. There was no other place I'd rather be at that moment; for once in my life, I felt loved and wanted. I never knew I needed this family in my life to make me feel happy... but I'm glad they found me.