Silver Lining - The Host fanfiction

Chapter 11 The Survivor

“I have seen the future. And it doesn’t work.”

- Robert Fulford

 

Emma

 

I smile as delicious scents reach me from the kitchen and I follow them to the stove. Sara, our cook smiles at me and pats my cheek as if I’m still a child and not two inches taller than her. And I tell you, I’m not that tall.
“Almost done sweetheart,” she says to me, “why don’t you plate up?”
Ever once I can remember I’ve helped Sara with dinner. Be it plating the dinner table or cutting vegetables. I like feeling useful. Servants have always made me feel uncomfortable. I don’t need people to fix my drinks and fold my clothes. I’m perfectly capable of doing that myself.
I take the plates from the cabinet and set the table. It isn’t often that we all eat together, but my parents have the night off and they promised we’d have a family diner. Sara and I have been preparing all afternoon since I came home from school.
Maybe this time we can finally have a normal conversation. I’ve been dying to tell hem my mural won first place and it will be on display in the library for a month.

I look up when my mother enters the dining room. She seems to be in a hurry and barely notices me until she almost knocks into me.
“Hey honey,” she says, “have you seen my keys?”
“In the drawer where they always are,” I answer confused, “why do you need your keys? We’re having diner in a few minutes.”
“Oh I’m sorry Emma. I just got paged. There’s an emergency at the hospital. I need to go. But your father will be down soon.” She kisses my cheek and hurries out the door.
Disappointment pings at my heart, but what am I supposed to say? That I don’t want her to go? She’s a doctor. People need her. I can’t really argue with that, can I?
Sara sticks her head around the door. “Was that your mother?”

I nod. “Yeah. She’s gone to the hospital.” Sara doesn’t say anything, but I can clearly see the sympathy in her eyes. “It’s fine,” I assure her, “at least my father is still here.”

But another half hour passes before one of our maids enters the dining room to inform me my father will be late and that I should start without him. I wonder why I still expect anything else.

I’m already at the main course when my father finally shows up. He doesn’t even look at me, his nose buried in one of his files, and starts eating as soon as Sara serves his reheated soup.

After a few spoons he looks up. “Where is your mother?”
“Hospital paged her.”

He nods and continues reading. “Excellent soup Sara,” he compliments as Sara reenters the room.
“Thank you sir.” She smiles.
“Dad,” I start.
“One moment sweetheart,” my father answers, “I’m this close to solving the equation.”
I sigh and finish my dish. Why do I even try?
Sara pats my shoulder and places dessert in front of me.
My father scribbles something down and then moves to the next set of papers.
“My mural won a prize,” I blurt out.
The phone rings. My father looks up at me questioningly. “Did you say something honey? Hold on a moment will you?” He answers the phone and I know it’s going to be a long conversation.
I’m done eating an his dinner is getting cold.
Nothing new.
I’m used to my parents not hearing what I say.
“So will you watch?” I ask when my father hangs up the phone, “it’s on display for a month.”
“Was there some special event this month?” he asks confused and checks his Blackberry. “I’m sorry honey, I must have forgotten. This month will be very busy. We finally made some progress. We picked up signals. We need all the time we can to try and make contact. Ask your mother will you. She’ll take you to that thing you mentioned.”
That does it for me and I stand up from the table. “You know what? If those aliens are so important, why don’t you go live with them?!” I stomp out of the room. I need to be alone before I break something.
In the distance I can hear my father calling. “Emma? Emma, come back here. What’s the matter? Emma.”
I ignore him. He doesn’t get it, does she? He never listens to me. I don’t see any reason why I should listen to him.