Original Work: You'll Always Find Your Way Back Home, Chapter 1, Part 7
Part 7
Quickly, Dad looked over. “Scout, we weren’t expecting you so soon.” Always with the car related jokes. “This is…” He looked at the woman, my mother, seeming uncertain of how to continue. “Linda.” He finished lamely.
Linda got to her feet, moving hesitantly toward me. “I didn’t think you’d look so much alike.” I knew she was talking about Emilia and myself and it took me a second to remember that while Dad and I might have seen Emilia on a daily basis, she wasn’t exactly getting my school pictures in the mail. For a minute, Linda looked like she might want to hug me but settled for just standing awkwardly in front of me, seeming stunned by my appearance.
Sometimes, I did think about what it would be like to meet my mother. They were separate fantasies from when I thought about meeting Emilia, but I had never imagined the meeting to go quite like this. I couldn’t exactly think poorly of Linda for not having anything to say because I was just as speechless, looking as this woman like she was purple-skinned alien who had just offered to be my personal slave for the rest of my life.
I glanced over her shoulder toward my dad, who was still sitting in his chair, looking confused and a little shell-shocked. When he caught my eye he gave me a little shrug and a smile.
“It’s good to see you.” Linda said, as though we were distant relatives catching up. I looked at her once more, looking at the eyes there were so much like my own. Luke and Zach had gotten my dad’s eyes, but it was clear I hadn’t. “You’ve grown up so beautifully.”
Just like Emilia, I wanted to point out but decided not to. I wasn’t entirely sure what to say, but, “What are you doing here?” was what came out of my mouth. Maybe I was a little shell-shocked too, I wasn’t expecting to come into the kitchen and see my long lost mother sitting at the table with my dad and step-mom. I hoped I didn’t sound too rude, though I figured the question was warranted.
Before Linda or my dad could answer, the front door opened and slammed shut and Luke’s voice echoed throughout the house. “Who’s sick ride? And how did Scout beat us here?” See, a family of comedians. Luke came flying into the kitchen, Zach not far behind, no doubt just as intrigued by the car. Luke stopped short when he saw Linda but didn’t bat an eyelash. “Is that your car? It’s the nicest car I’ve ever seen. Can I drive it?”
“Luke, are you insane?” Beverly questioned, going for some sort of normalcy. “You’re eight years old.” Luke grumbled, no doubt wanting to try out some of the words that had been censored out of the Emilia radio interview.
Zach looked at Linda closely, raising an eyebrow. “You’re Scout’s mom?” It was almost a statement, but there was a bit of uncertainty to his tone.
Linda noticed, seemingly relieved to have the tension broken. “Yes, I am. You must be Zach.” She held out her hand in a business like manner. “Your mother told me about you.” Zach shook her hand slowly, glancing over at me; I shrugged. She hadn’t even bothered to shake my hand.
“I didn’t think Scout had a mom.” Luke remarked, looking somewhat doubtful as he gave Linda a closer look.
“Of course she does, idiot.” Zach gave Luke a shove. “Don’t you know anything?”
Luke glared at him, giving him a push in return. “I know everything.” He assured his brother. “I know more than you do!”
“Enough.” Dad stood up and Zach and Luke quickly fell silent. “You two go play outside, we need to talk to Linda and Scout in private.” Well that didn’t sound good. I felt like I was begin readied for an execution and I wasn’t really sure why.
After some grumbling, Luke was finally shoved out of the kitchen by Zach and seconds later the front door opened and slammed shut again. With them gone, the kitchen fell silent again, the uneasy kind that you sometimes felt with someone new you weren’t exactly sure how to talk to.
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