#also mrs. afton's name is victoria here

[mingot-studios]

*That* scene from Hereditary but with the Aftons

[William, Victoria, Elizabeth, and Micheal sit at the dinner table. A fifth chair divides William and Micheal. William is fuming from his last interaction with Victoria. Beside his glass: an unswallowed pill.]

Micheal: This is really good, mother.

[William balks to himself. Micheal tenses.]

Victoria: Thanks, dear.

[William mouths the word “dear” to himself, incredulous. Micheal catches this.]

Micheal: (with an edge) You okay, father?

[William turns to Micheal.]

William: What?

Micheal: Is there something on your mind?

(William can’t believe this.)

William: Is there something on your mind?

Micheal: It just looks like you might want to say something.

Victoria: (stepping in) Micheal...

William: Like what? Why would I want to say something? So I can watch you roll your eyes at me?

Micheal: I have never rolled my eyes at you.

William: Oh sweetie - you don’t have to. You get the point across.

Micheal: (suddenly defiant) Okay. So say what you wanna say, then.

Victoria: Micheal-- 

William: (getting angry) I don’t want to say anything. I’ve tried saying things.

Micheal: So try again. Release yourself.

William: Release you, you mean!

Micheal: So fine, so release me! What do you wanna say? Fuckin’ say it!

[William explodes out of his seat.]

William: Don't you swear at me you little shit! You don’t EVER raise your voice at me! I am your Father, you understand!? I've given everything to you! All I ever DO is worry and slave and defend you and all I get back is that…fucking…face on your face! So full of disdain and resentment and always so annoyed. Well, now your brother’s dead! And I know you miss him and I know it was an “accident” and I know you're in pain - and I wish I could take it all away! I wish I could shield you from the knowledge that you did what you did - but your brother is dead. He's gone forever. And what a waste. If it could’ve maybe brought us together - something! - if you could have just said “I’m sorry” or faced up to what happened: maybe then we could do something with this! But you can’t take responsibility for anything, so now I can’t accept. And I can’t forgive. Because nobody admits what they’ve done!

[He sits down. A heavy silence. Michael is looking away, fighting tears. But then, after a long silence…]

Michael: And what about you, father?

[long pause, then]

Michael: I didn’t want to take him...and he didn’t want to go... So why was she there?

[William looks at him. Incredulous. She is boiling with rage, but...this has also hit him somewhere deep. He’s desperately avoided facing this question since the accident.]

Victoria: Okay, we’re stopping this.