says to her mom.
Ma Temple doesn’t deny it. My back stiffens. She’s obviously been keeping some secrets of her own. She beckons us to the sofa. This time I allow myself to sit. The cushions are so plush, I sink into them despite my best efforts to sit up straight.
“I suppose I owe you both an explanation,” Ma Temple says. “I only wish your mother were here, Omega. I told her something like this would happen. I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner.”
My fingers beat a tattoo on the armrest. Gamma’s jaw sets into a tight line. Ma Temple touches her arm gently. “Honey, whydon’t you come with me to the kitchen? We can calm down and maybe fix some hot chocolate? Then we can sit and talk.”
Hot chocolate. Ma Temple’s answer for everything. It usually works on Gamma. I want to push Ma Temple to start talking now, but that won’t be possible until Gamma gets her temper under control.
“Omega, you’ll be alright here for a few moments on your own, won’t you?” Ma Temple clearly isn’t expecting a response.
They’re in the kitchen for a long time. Their voices rise in pitch until the kettle whistles. Then the smell of hot chocolate wafts into the living room. It causes me to salivate, despite the charged atmosphere. I haven’t eaten anything since the factory yesterday.
Glancing out the picture window, I notice a hummingbird flitting around the branch of an oak tree. Quite a contrast to the view from the window in our quarters, overlooking the dumpster. The arguing from the kitchen has stopped. Gamma and Ma Temple return. Ma Temple holds two steaming mugs while Gamma cradles the third to her chest. Ma Temple presses one of her mugs to Gamma who takes it automatically. “Honey, why don’t you give this to your friend?” She emphasizes the last word and Gamma groans.
My heart sinks as I remember Gamma at the factory. Have I lost her as a friend? After a few moments, she places the extra mug on the coffee table in front of me and shuffles away with her own. She stops when she realizes her mother has taken the chair across from me, and the only place left for her to sit is on the sofa beside me.
I pull my legs aside so Gamma can pass without having to touch me. She gets like this when she’s annoyed even though she’s never been this angry with me before. Maybe she’s scared of me now, of what my eyes might really mean.
“Gamma, please,” I say. “I should’ve told you sooner, but it doesn’t change who I am.”
She still won’t look at me, and seems to be making sure she’ssitting as far away as possible without leaving the sofa.
“Please, Ma Temple.” I force myself to ignore Gamma. “Tell us.”
Chapter 9
Ma Temple blows the steam from her mug before taking a deep draft and licking the residue from her top lip. Gamma curls her knees to her chest and hunches into the far corner of the sofa. Her mug is clasped between her fingers, but she isn’t drinking. She’s staring straight ahead and ignoring me. My hot chocolate doesn’t seem so tantalizing anymore.
“What has your mother told you so far?” Ma Temple asks me.
“Nothing.”
“She never told you anything about where you came from?”
“She never talks about her Procedure if that’s what you mean.”
Gamma’s honeysuckle fragrance mingles with the aroma of the hot chocolate, a heady combination.
Ma Temple addresses her next words to Gamma. “Honey, do you remember what I told you about why you should never go outside the palisade? Back when you were young?”
Gamma releases her knees from her chest before she answers. “You said the
demen
hordes are still out there, even though they’re supposed to have died out.”
They’re definitely still out there. At least one of them.
“Do you remember the story about the woman who went outside, and what happened to her?” Ma Temple asks.
Gamma leans over to deposit her mug on the coffee table, placing her elbows on her knees to focus on her mother, effectively
Ma Temple doesn’t deny it. My back stiffens. She’s obviously been keeping some secrets of her own. She beckons us to the sofa. This time I allow myself to sit. The cushions are so plush, I sink into them despite my best efforts to sit up straight.
“I suppose I owe you both an explanation,” Ma Temple says. “I only wish your mother were here, Omega. I told her something like this would happen. I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner.”
My fingers beat a tattoo on the armrest. Gamma’s jaw sets into a tight line. Ma Temple touches her arm gently. “Honey, whydon’t you come with me to the kitchen? We can calm down and maybe fix some hot chocolate? Then we can sit and talk.”
Hot chocolate. Ma Temple’s answer for everything. It usually works on Gamma. I want to push Ma Temple to start talking now, but that won’t be possible until Gamma gets her temper under control.
“Omega, you’ll be alright here for a few moments on your own, won’t you?” Ma Temple clearly isn’t expecting a response.
They’re in the kitchen for a long time. Their voices rise in pitch until the kettle whistles. Then the smell of hot chocolate wafts into the living room. It causes me to salivate, despite the charged atmosphere. I haven’t eaten anything since the factory yesterday.
Glancing out the picture window, I notice a hummingbird flitting around the branch of an oak tree. Quite a contrast to the view from the window in our quarters, overlooking the dumpster. The arguing from the kitchen has stopped. Gamma and Ma Temple return. Ma Temple holds two steaming mugs while Gamma cradles the third to her chest. Ma Temple presses one of her mugs to Gamma who takes it automatically. “Honey, why don’t you give this to your friend?” She emphasizes the last word and Gamma groans.
My heart sinks as I remember Gamma at the factory. Have I lost her as a friend? After a few moments, she places the extra mug on the coffee table in front of me and shuffles away with her own. She stops when she realizes her mother has taken the chair across from me, and the only place left for her to sit is on the sofa beside me.
I pull my legs aside so Gamma can pass without having to touch me. She gets like this when she’s annoyed even though she’s never been this angry with me before. Maybe she’s scared of me now, of what my eyes might really mean.
“Gamma, please,” I say. “I should’ve told you sooner, but it doesn’t change who I am.”
She still won’t look at me, and seems to be making sure she’ssitting as far away as possible without leaving the sofa.
“Please, Ma Temple.” I force myself to ignore Gamma. “Tell us.”
Chapter 9
Ma Temple blows the steam from her mug before taking a deep draft and licking the residue from her top lip. Gamma curls her knees to her chest and hunches into the far corner of the sofa. Her mug is clasped between her fingers, but she isn’t drinking. She’s staring straight ahead and ignoring me. My hot chocolate doesn’t seem so tantalizing anymore.
“What has your mother told you so far?” Ma Temple asks me.
“Nothing.”
“She never told you anything about where you came from?”
“She never talks about her Procedure if that’s what you mean.”
Gamma’s honeysuckle fragrance mingles with the aroma of the hot chocolate, a heady combination.
Ma Temple addresses her next words to Gamma. “Honey, do you remember what I told you about why you should never go outside the palisade? Back when you were young?”
Gamma releases her knees from her chest before she answers. “You said the
demen
hordes are still out there, even though they’re supposed to have died out.”
They’re definitely still out there. At least one of them.
“Do you remember the story about the woman who went outside, and what happened to her?” Ma Temple asks.
Gamma leans over to deposit her mug on the coffee table, placing her elbows on her knees to focus on her mother, effectively
Similar Books
