The Capital Visitor

Chapter 3: The towns gone mad

The buzz in town was electric, people everywhere rushing around gathering supplies, shopkeepers cleaning their windows and sweeping in front of their stores. Clearly the announcement at the elder meeting last night had reached everyone by now and they were all busy preparing, desperate for the approval of the capital representatives, As the luna and daughter of the alpha we are instinctively noticed and people stop to greet my mother and courtesy and I had to return the gestures to the elders we passed, it seemed like everyone was in town today and it took twice as long for mother to gather what she needed, she was distant all day and although she had her winning Hollywood smile plastered on her face when greeting everyone we passed by, there were moments when I saw something in her eyes, was it worry? Concern? I couldn't put my finger on it but the more time went on the more I wondered if there was something that she wasn't telling me, something that I should worry about.
I would never ask mother and I doubt she would tell me even if I did so I decided to just enjoy my day out of the house and not question the reasons too much.
When we returned home it was almost dinner time, I had completely forgotten that I hadn't made fathers breakfast, I was so confused this morning that I didn't have to complete my chores that I'd not even thought of it, the panic set in, never since my 12th birthday had I missed a day making fathers breakfast, 8.30 every morning, holding my breath I go into the living room to greet father and apologise, hoping and praying in my mind that he will forgive me.
I kneel down on the floor beside his arm chair and lower my head in submission hoping he will take pity on me and not punish me too severely, holding my breath I wait for the inevitable but I doesn't come a few minutes pass and nothing, I finally pluck up the courage to look up and he's not there.. surely he has been waiting father would never make his own breakfast his own tea?? Where was he? I stand up and walk to the kitchen finding mother in the exact position she was in this morning, like dejavu stood behind the kitchen island she doesn't even notice me enter the room too lost in thought, icing cakes and stacking cookies on gold platters. What is going on? I feel like I've been sucked into some alternate universe, first my chores were cut short so we could go shopping?? Then I come home to find father not here and no punishment for forgetting his breakfast, finally it all became too much I couldn't hold my tongue anymore before I knew what I was doing, before my mind  could comprehend what was happening, before my brain could catch up with my mouth it happened "MOTHER! WHAT IS HAPPENING!" I shouted at the top of my voice, she stopped and looked up at me just as shocked as I felt, "mother I'm so sorry, please forgive me, I'm just so confused" I say panicking starting to cry "I'm so sorry mother" I just kept apologising, I couldn't stop myself the complete change to my routine then shouting at my mother it was all too much, laughing... she started laughing.. I had just shouted at my mother for the first time in my life and now I'm on the kitchen floor crying and pleading for my life and she is laughing? "Oh darling" she says making her way over to me and sitting on the kitchen floor next to me "I'm sorry darling, the visit from the capital has caused a lot of concern in your father and the other elders, non of us know why they would send someone here, we stay out of all political business and keep our community separate from all other outside towns" she explains and I see the worry in her eyes.
I sit up and put my head on her shoulder "I'm so sorry mother, it's just been such a strange day I feel abit like I'm still dreaming it has me rather frazzled" I say and she gives me a knowing smile, putting her arm around me and gives me a little nudge "you go and wash your face and have a lie down, we need to leave the house in an hour when the ladies from Omega Clean come, we will go visit Mrs Banks and Savannah" that instantly has my mood changed I give her a big smile and a kiss on the cheek then jump up and go to my room, I lay down on my bed and relax for the first time since I woke up this morning, I close my eyes and before I know it I'm drifting off to sleep, the familiar dream I've had for so many nights welcoming me back like a movie that's been on pause.