My Mom & My Dad

Chapter 13: Anger Games

Emily:

I looked around me. That dining room in the Queen mansion was as big as a restaurant. Everything above me all around, I could see clearly. There were still life paintings of wine bottles, fruits (some of which I did not recognize), and flowers. I could not see clearly anything that was directly in front of me though, because tall candle stands and elaborate floral arrangements were blocking my view. I was way too small to be sitting with the grown-ups. My chin was just a couple of inches above the top surface of the dining table.

The dining table was really long, and all of us combined had only taken up half its length. Mrs.Queen, Stephen's grandma, was seated at the end of the table to my left. Stephen was seated between her and me. My mom was sitting beside me to my right, and Oliver was next to her. Right across Oliver and Mom were Thea and the handsome Mr. Roy Harper, whom she had introduced to everyone as her friend when they arrived just before Mrs. Queen said grace. Right across me and Stephen were the two classy guests, Mr. Ray Palmer and Ms. Isabel Rochev, both of whom had ruined what should have been a wonderful Thanksgiving Sunday evening for all of us.

As we waited for the appetizer and soup to be served, I put both my forearms on the table, one on top of the other, and rested my left cheek on them. I had a pretty good view of my Mom's and Oliver's faces. By that time, they had already gotten over the shock of seeing their unexpected and unwelcomed company, but the shock had been replaced by dismay and discomfort. Mom stilled looked very pretty, and Oliver was equally good-looking, but the faint, fake smiles on their faces were telltale signs that the evening would not play out very well. The turkey was magnificent, and the cranberry sauce and stuffing were delicious. But,what was supposed to be one of the best meals of my life – dining in a castle –turned out to be a big disappointment.

Dinner time proved uneventful. Too uneventful, I might add. The things the grown-ups talked about were the most boring stuff I'd ever heard. The topics of conversations were petty and shallow. I had almost given up waiting for someone smart or sincere to break up the irritating small talk, when Mrs. Queen spoke,just as we were all finishing up dessert.

"Well, I think dinner is done. Why don't we all move to the recreation room to continue our pleasantries. There's a mini bar there. But for those of you who do not prefer wine or whiskey, Lucia can serve coffee or tea there, too."

Everyone stood up and proceeded to the said room. I didn't know what a recreation room was supposed to be. But as soon as we got there, I had decided that I wanted one in our house as well. There were chess and checkers tables,billiards, backgammon, and pinball games, and even a slot machine! Stephen and I went straight to the pinball game. I asked him to teach me how to play it. I tuned one ear to him,listening to his instructions. I tuned my other ear to the conversation that Thea had begun with Isabel Rochev. They sat at the chess table and started a game.

"I'm not much for small talk. You know that, Rochev. So I'll go straight to the point," Thea said. She moved the white pawn in front of her king piece one space forward. "I honestly didn't expect you to show up tonight, and quite frankly, I don't like it. I don't like you. Never did. So... why... are... you... here?" Thea spoke softly but sternly as she pierced Isabel's eyes with her well-aimed glare.

Isabel raised an eyebrow as she moved the black pawn in front of her queen piece one space forward. She leaned back in her chair. She put both arms on the arm rests and replied, "And there I thought some English manners would rub off on you while you were gone. Seems I am sadly mistaken. You are still the pretty little she-devil I've always known you to be."

"I'm waiting for an answer, Rochev." Thea moved another pawn that was in front of her queen piece two spaces forward.

Isabel did something with her lips that showed some hesitation. She moved out one of her knights and placed it in front of the pawn in front of a rook. And then, with narrowed eyes and a wicked grin she answered, "I'm here as Mr. Palmer's plus one. Your mother called me and requested me to accompany Ray. Someone had to show him the way to the mansion. And I'm pretty sure she knew that she couldn't count on Ollie to do that for her, considering--"