Élphame

Chapter Five

          Feeling panicked, Naomi looked down at her hands just in time to see the last of the shininess disappear. These everyday Shifts might be painful and sudden, but at least they didn't seem to be lasting very long.

          Standing, Naomi unlocked the door and opened it. Darcy was leaning against the frame, digging dirt out from beneath her nails. She seemed shocked when Naomi opened the door. "Wow," she said. "I've never had someone respond that quickly. Usually I have to wait fifteen minutes."

          "And, as a bonus, it doesn't even stink in here." Naomi smiled and went back to the table, leaving Darcy with the bathroom.

          "Are you okay, Squirt?" Papa asked as she sat back in her chair.

          Naomi flashed him a bright smile. "I'm fine, Papa, promise. I just had an eyelash about to go in my eye. I got it, though. Crisis averted."

          Naomi could tell Papa didn't believe her. It was hard to lie to a psychiatrist when he knew all the signs and clues to look for to tell if you were lying. It was even harder when that psychiatrist was your father.

          Trying to appear completely normal and calm, Naomi turned back to her soup. In the distraction of the Shift, Naomi had nearly forgotten how hungry she was. She was glad to discover that the soup hadn't gone cold in her absence, and she ate it with gusto. She took a bite of her bread and smiled. The long, agonizing wait for the dough to rise had been worth it, and her mouth salivated at the taste of it.

          Darcy came back from the bathroom, and Naomi noticed she was smiling and looking very pleased. "What's got you so happy?" she asked.

          Darcy grinned and winked. "You'll find out. It has to do with our trip to the lodge."

          Though Naomi kept the smile on her face, on the inside her stomach churned with anxiety as she thought back to the conversation she had overheard between Darcy and the mysterious Sunshine boy. The thousands of questions that had plagued her since that conversation would be answered at the lodge-- at least, she hoped they would be. And excited as she was to receive answers, Naomi really didn't like having to wait for them. Waited was torture.

          The rest of the meal went smoothly. Naomi participated in conversation and acted as if the Shift hadn't even happened. Naomi tried to ignore it, but from time to time she would catch Papa giving her strange looks from the corner of her eye. He knows something is up, she thought, panicking on the inside. Outwardly, however, she smiled in thanks and accepted the piece of a delicious chocolate cake for dessert Mrs. Jogah offered her.

          The rest of the evening was a blur in Naomi's mind. Between the stress and relief the Shift had brought and eating herself full, and she found herself struggling to stay awake. Her attention zoned in and out of the conversation and she often caught her thoughts drifting away. Man, I really do have a daydreaming problem, she thought as she forced herself to pay attention to the conversation.

          "I know Darcy and the boys are excited," Mr. Jogah was saying.

          "Naomi is, too, aren't you, Squirt?" Papa asked.

          They were talking about the trip to the lodge. That was obvious enough.

          Naomi forced a smile on her face, not allowing herself to think about Shifting while at there. "Yeah, I'm really excited. Thank you again for inviting me."

          "Of course," Mrs. Jogah said. "We try to go every other weekend for some time to recover and recuperate, and I know how hard you've been working in school. All those times you couldn't come over because you were doing homework? You deserve a little rest and relaxation."