SCENES

I lay across the couch. My eyes closed, body still. I'd even stopped the needless motion of breathing. I let the sounds from the stereo across the room wash over me. The CD spun as the disks change. The lightest of touches brushed my shoulder. I opened my eyes and looked up at my roommate, irritated at being disturbed. Maxwell looked away. He frowned as he held the cellphone out to me. I already knew from Maxwell's expression that this would not be pleasant. I took the phone.
"Hello?"
"Andrew, dear, how are you?" the satin voice floated through the receiver.
"Emily, it's nice to hear from you." I lied. Emily loved gossip and loved it even more when she could flaunt it.
"Brother, you are ever so polite. I guess that's what you get for hanging around Maxwell all the time." I could hear her soft giggle, as childish as an elementary student's.
"What do you want, Emily?" My voice was dry with impatience.
"Well, so much for being polite. It's been two years since I saw you and I haven't heard a word from you! And here I am trying to do you a favor."
I waited.
"Fine." she said in an angry voice. "Mother has decided that she wants to travel. She going to tour the covens; make sure everything is in order. I'm sure you would be happy to hear that you're also included on that list. She'll be arriving in Richmond on the 6th." The phone went dead.
I swore under my breath and hung up. Sitting up, I passed the phone back to Maxwell. He had heard as well as I did. His expression probably mirrored my own. Horror. The Mother of our Clan, here, in Richmond, just to see little old me. It was not something that I was about to leap for joy for. I was the youngest of Mother's direct 'children', her favorite as she chose to call me. But, that really didn't make me feel any better about what she'd done to me.
"Book a suit at the Jefferson." I told him. "See if you can get any more information about when they'll be arriving on the 6th. We need to be prepared."
He nodded and walked out of the living room. I stood and turned off the stereo. My thoughts raced through my mind. Why? Why of all times, would she chose to travel now? It's been twenty years since I left the Clans' home in up state New York. And really, it's only been two years since Max and I visited.
I let out an aggravated sigh, and left the room. Walking down the hall to the sanctuary of my rooms, shutting the double doors behind me. I let the soothing dark red walls, the thick black velvet curtains and lush black carpet comfort me. I know the color scheme was very cliché for a vampire, but had I still been human I probably would have still chosen the same.