| Episode: | Season 1, Episode 1 – Chaos! At The Gala |
| Location: | Edwin Ross’ Residence |
| Written By: | Edwin Ross Natasha Ross |
| Date: | 08/15/2026 |
| Word Count: | 1,116 |
Edwin had settled down, a beer in his hand as he turned the tele-net on. At any moment the parades would begin, and the festivals were already active in some of the districts, but not all of them. He knew it was too early to drink, but this was all part of Edwin’s normal tradition, nobody bothered him and thus he saw no reason to change it.
There was nowhere for him to go, and the offices for the logistics company he worked for were always closed on the day of the Gala. In fact, most of the station seemed to be shut down, with only a few small businesses in operation until the early afternoon. Then even they closed their doors as the gala’s main events began.
Natasha took a deep breath, she’d waited long enough and made multiple attempts to talk to her brother in the past few days. But, after not hearing from him she had decided it was time to press the issue and as such showed up at his door.
The sound of the alarm at the door made Edwin nearly spring from his seat. He managed to calm his racing heart just long enough to get up. Who could that possibly be? It was a thought that crossed his mind before he’d opened it. Then his eyes trailed downward, “Oh hello there.” Edwin said with a rather gravelly sounding voice.
He stepped to the side so that his sister could get inside, “I figured you’d be at the festivals or a parade with Hayden?” Edwin pointed out rather sheepishly.
“Nope,” Natasha answered, “He’s spending the day with his friends. Something about being fourteen years old, and all that.” She stepped past him, ignoring the fact that it wasn’t even lunch time yet and he was already drinking. Did he always do this the day of the gala? She wondered, but it didn’t much matter since it was once every four years.
“I figured I’d come hang out with my big brother,” She told him.
“Oh,” Edwin said, “Can I get you something to drink?” He asked her once he’d gotten his wits about him.
“Sure,” She said, “But, I don’t want a beer. It’s way too early for that,” She told him. And, Natasha decided that was enough of a remark about it. She wouldn’t tell him he shouldn’t be drinking so early in the day, but then who was she to judge.
Natasha made it into the living area of the apartment and settled down on the rocking chair that was typically taken by her brother. She made herself rather comfortable settling back a little bit, and found that she was glad Hayden hadn’t come along. She’d practically spent the entire day before convincing him to do something with friends.
Edwin returned with a bottle of purified water and handed it to his sister before settling onto the sofa. He was rather gruff about her taking his chair, but Edwin didn’t want to scare his little sister away. And it was rather apparent she wasn’t impressed with him already drinking, “If I start now then I can have one every other hour or so.” He said somewhat more defensively than he’d meant to.
Natasha didn’t reply to that, she simply opened the water he’d given her. She found herself wondering how she’d best address the conversation, or even get it started. For now, however, she seemed content enough to just let silence fall over the room. “So, is this what you do during the gala?” She asked him after letting the silence settle.
Edwin nodded, “Yep, done it this way every four years.” He said, the parade had started. The one that he’d picked to watch, there were parades all over the station in each district. Some started later than others. “I watch the parade, then I watch the gala for a little bit. Then I go to bed,” He shrugged.
“Sounds kinda lonely,” Natasha told him. “You know you could always come and spend it with Hayden and I right?”
Edwin nodded again, “I don’t want to intrude though,” He mentioned. “I know how important it is that you get to spend time with just your son.” He did enjoy spending time with his nephew, it was probably one of the few things he actually liked doing.
Natasha listened to him without actually looking toward him. She was busily trying to find the words to actually get him to talk. So far, he’d not realized this was meant to be more than just a social visit, and part of her wanted to keep it that way for as long as she possibly could.
“You’re not intruding,” Natasha said. “Hayden sees you as not just his uncle but as a father figure. I don’t know if you ever really knew that though?”
Edwin hadn’t known that, “Really?”
Natasha nodded, “Of course,” She answered. Then she found her opening, she could ease him into it by talking about her own son. “He never really knew Erick.” Natasha sighed, wondering if she ever really knew Erick either. To just up and disappear like that? She shook her head bitterly.
Edwin hadn’t met Erick, hadn’t known the man who was the real father to his nephew. But, hearing her say that his nephew looked up to Edwin did help him a little bit. It made him feel a little bit better, but no more accepting of his own father and the things he had gone through when he was younger.
He eyed her, wondering if she was about to attempt to pry again, he needed to close the door before she tried to crack it open. “I just try to be there for Hayden,” Edwin pointed out suddenly. His voice a bit more high pitched than he’d intended.
Natasha wondered if she’d somehow struck a nerve with her brother. There were so many things she didn’t know about her brother either, “I guess maybe I don’t know you all that well either.” She admitted softly, “I didn’t know, for instance, that you started drinking this early on the day of the Gala.”
Edwin eyed her, “Today is the only day I drink this early, I typically don’t start drinking until much later in the day.” It was because he didn’t work this day, or at least that’s what Edwin had regularly told himself.
Natasha nodded, “Nothing wrong with that.” She told him. Natasha had to keep her response short, the opening had closed so quickly. She needed to come up with another approach. Silence had fallen over them again. And for now she allowed the sweet embrace of it to envelop her.