Distract and Sedate | Hemlock Grove |

Chapter 9 | Paper Doll |

"Like a hotel in Florida. Normal by my standards."

"Okay. We are not doing something normal, then." She can hear his smugness. He thinks he's so funny.

......

"Um," Emma looks around the dimly lit room. Her eyes are still pierced by the projector but at least most of the faces are blocked. "Something that I found particularly interesting while researching was that there isn't as much of a pop culture fascination with the Celtic region than there is in say in Greek or Roman mythology. Most of the written sources from-from Eastern travelers like Caesar."

Emma mumbles through the next few slides only stopping to scratch her head once. "Then, for the most part, I focused on a couple types of faeries and the Cailleach."

"What that?" She hears her professor ask.

"It literally means hag," she chuckles. "She's also called Beira, Queen of Winter. She's a weather deity. There a lot of other deities that I liked, but she has a lot of connections with physical locations and landscapes so it was a little easier to piece it together with my family."

"Very good, Emma. Thank you," Dr. Lowenstein starts a small clap before turning on the lights. Emma gathers her things and returns to her seat. She glances at the clock on the wall. There are only 3 or 4 more presentations before her first semester of college is officially over.

After the class is released Emma waits on Dr. Lowenstein. A couple of other students, ones that were very talkative during the semester, are saying their goodbyes. It takes a few minutes but eventually they clear out and he smiles as she approaches. "Good job today."

"Thanks," she says humbly.

"I look forward to reading the final paper."

"I think I am going to sign up for another class next semester. If I can find room for it."

"That's great! What are you looking at? Quite a few of them are full by now, but I might be able to pull some strings. Of course, if you're thinking of a minor you'll have to go back and take 101..." He thinks aloud.

"I'm not sure about any of that," Emma chuckles nervously.

"Well, I'm offering two classes that I think you'd find interesting. One of them is American Folklore and the other is The Anthropology of Magic. That's a first time class for me. Then Dr. Mallory offers a great Urban Folklore class."

"That all sounds really cool."

"Think it over and shoot me an email in the next few days. I'll see what I can get done for you. But make sure it's in the next few days, I'm going on a trip into the middle of nowhere."

"Will do," she smiles to him. "Have fun on your break."

"You as well."

"Dr. Lowenstein?" She asks before turning away. "Where are you from?"

"Ukraine. We immigrated to the States after the great famine."

......

Emma finds out quickly upon arrival home that Roman was being honest. Their trip would be far from normal. She only has a bit over 24 hours before she has to turn around and get right back on a plane. Kay is not exactly thrilled, but she tries to keep it to herself. Emma sees it, though, and feels bad. Roman seemed to hog all of her time when she was home.

She rarely thinks of it from her mother's perspective. Was it weird for her to come home some mornings and just see a luxury car sitting in her driveway? Or that her daughter had gone on vacations to places neither had ever heard of. Was she ever embarrassed to be working long nights? Emma never felt like she was.