Mark?

"Can I get a little help over here? Mark? …MARK?" My mother begs. "hmm?" My father asks. "Not even listening." This is true. He is not listening. He is enslaved by the four thousand-page American Civil War novel he has on his lap. She is not reading. She is enslaved by the motherhood of four hormonally challenged teenagers. With his eyes still on the print, my father attempts to appeasement, "Knock it off kids."