Family: Part II

I can't remember the last time a laughed really hard.
It happened last night. I went home to see my parents and my brother while waiting for a worship practice at church (and to get a free supper).
It all began when my parents suggested we all play tile rummy. Now tile rummy is a very complicated game for both my brother and I. Each turn takes at least 8 minutes, during which every single piece on the table is rearranged in just about every possible permutation possible in order that just maybe one of our pieces can be played.
I suppose every family has one of those games that become fiercely competitive and full of humour all at the same time.
During the course of the game, it occured to me that the rest of my family would begin to mock me during my turn.
Example: I was trying to free a yellow 6 which I earnestly was trying to get so I could play my yellow 4,5,7 and 8. After about 5 minutes, it appeared as though my complex tile moving was not going to accomplish my goal. So I set about at returning the respective pieces to their original locations. Only 2 plays after did I realized that my yellow 7 was still on the table, and yet all the other pieces were back. Had I removed 2 pieces from the table in error?
Thus on future plays, my family would 'help' me by moving a red 4 to a red 2, 3, 4 run and then moving the 2nd 4 to the 1st 4's location - a complete mockery of my complex strategy (if I happened to have any that turn). Of course my mother had to say just then that they all were sharp as bananas. I don't know where that comment came from, but as I tried to picture it (sharp bananas) I laughed so hard I began to cry. And of course, my family laughed at (with?) me.
Well, so the afternoon progressed - and the game skills recessed into a faint memory.
It's been a long time since I've laughed with my family. When we do get together, someone is in a bad mood and someone else gets defensive - part of the reason why I moved out a year ago. I couldn't handle that stress.
Yet, I'd forgotten all the time we tended to spend together. Not needing to go out and spend money. Content to stay home and, together, simply be - not needing to do anything. Open to discussion, ready for a good long laugh, and sleeping the night away with smiles on our faces.