Laughing Not Allowed At This Table (100 words)

PROMPT: A ghost story, including the action “eating cornflakes,” and the word “polite.”

Grandfather and Grandmom quietly slice their sausages at either end of the long, sleek table. Mom slurps her cornflakes and makes funny faces at me. I swing my short legs under the table and suppress a laugh. 

Laughing isn’t allowed at this table.

“May I have some cornflakes?” I attempt.  

“Eat what Chef made you,” says Grandfather.

“That’s not polite,” adds Grandmom.

Mom slurps milk loudly and winks at me. 

Grandfather looks down his stern nose at me until I obediently pick up my fork and knife.

He ignores mom entirely. Ever since the accident, they pretend she’s not here. 

*I moved onto the next round with this one (3rd place I think?), but after reading the judges comments I couldn’t believe I placed at all! Two of the three judges didn’t understand the state of the Mom. I’m curious, did you get it?