Mismatched Socks

Renée - Chapter 9: Landcloud

'You and Colin will be married by the time you graduate university,' my mother says calmly. I choke on my food and start coughing. Matt pats my back. 'What?!' I yell in disbelieve. 'You heard what I said,' my mother says. 'Yeah, that's why I react like that,' I say.

I look around the table. My father looks at his plate, ashamed. Tom and Anna don't look at me either. Colin just looks from my mother to me. Patrick is whispering something to Juliette. James and Matt give each other a confused look.

'Why?' I ask eventually, breaking the uncomfortable silence. 'You will never find anyone more capable as a partner than Colin. And he clearly loves you more than anything. I can't see why it wouldn't work,' my mother says like it's nothing. Like I don't have anything to say in it, like I don't have feelings, like she doesn't care about me. 'No,' I say.

'Renée, think about it. It's still two years before you graduate, you can at least try,' my mother says. I stand up and hover over the table. The whole restaurant is looking at me. 'No,' I repeat and start walking past the table. 'Renée Marie Moons! Tu reste ici!,' my mother yells after me. 'Non!' I run outside, gasping for air.

I breath a few times and go back inside the restaurant. They all look at me. Their calmness is making me nervous. 'Did you know?' I ask and look around the table. Everyone is quiet and looks at their plate. 'You are all mental! Real fucking mental!' I say and go back outside.

Footsteps follow me. 'Ren,' James says. 'I'm going back home,' I say and start walking to the house. 'I'll come with you!' James says and hurries after me. 'No, I want to be alone,' I say and start walking faster. James doesn't follow. Once I enter the house I start crying. I run inside my room and start packing.

***

'One ticket to London please,' I say. I pay and check in my suitcase. I call Sophia. 'Hi, it's the middle of the night. Is everything okay?' she asks with her kind – and sleepy – voice. 'I'm coming home early,' I say, trying not to cry. 'Oh, okay. You have my address. Don't forget to buy a train ticket.' 'I won't. I'll call when I'm at the nearest train station.' 'Okay, see you later then,' she says. I can hear her smile. I hang up the phone.

I go to security, then to the gate and leave. On the plane I listen to some music and try to sleep a little bit when I'm not crying. The older woman next to me looks at me and smiles sadly. 'You'll see them again,' she says with her Scottish accent. 'I don't want to see them again,' I say and look out of the window.

***

I get my suitcase and walk out of the airport. The sun's up and I smile shortly at the sky. I take the bus to university first, then to the train station, then the train to her hometown. When the hour is more appropriate, I call Sophia again. 'I'm almost at the station,' I say. 'Okay. I will pick you up,' she says happy. I smile hearing her voice. 'Okay,' I say. She hangs up the phone.

I only had to wait five minutes before Sophia arrives. She parks the car and gets out. I almost run to her and hug her. She hugs me back more tightly. I start crying again. 'What's wrong?' she asks worried and tries to comfort me. 'My mother and her oh so wonderful ideas,' I mutter.

Sophia releases me from the hug, wipes away my tears, gives me a little smile, tucks my hair behind my ears and gives me a kiss on the lips. She takes the suitcase and guides me to the car. We get in the car, but we don't drive away.

'Do you want to talk about it?' she asks carefully. 'Later, not now,' I say and look at my hands. Sophia takes my hands in hers. I look at her. 'You can talk to me whenever you want,' she says. 'Thank you.' I give her a kiss on her cheek and lean with my forehead against her for a while. 'Are your parents okay with me coming earlier?' I ask. 'Yes,' she says and starts the car.