Before You Go | A Prequel

2.8 | The Visit

THE LAST OF THE GROCERIES HIT the kitchen floor with a thud, and Nico sighed for what felt like the hundredth time that day. Viktoria was seated at the table with Leena and Ellie, who was propped on her knees in the seat beside Mama, excited to show off her new toys. Their mother watched. It seemed like she was listening, offering the child a smile or a nod every now and then, but her chin rested in one hand, as the other drummed the table with increasing irreverence, and she checked periodically at the leather banded watch on her wrist.

-"And this is Shelley Mermaid, she's from Seashell Island, and she's the princess there!"

"Hm, very nice," droned Viktoria. Leena sat across from them, tuning out their conversation as she immersed herself into the first chapter of Inkheart. Physically present. Mentally, far, far away.

The oven was preheated to three-fifty, and Nico began placing each of the rolls which Mrs. Robinson sent from the tupperware and onto a baking sheet. The hearty, filling aroma of her homemade dishes penetrated the foil which covered them, but despite eating hardly anything the entire day, Nico wasn't hungry. He was anxious. Nauseous. Their guests would be arriving any minute now.

-"Mommy, did you used to be a princess?"

Viktoria chuckled, "You think Mommy's a princess?" her youngest daughter nodded with a big smile. "Well," she sighed, "I suppose I used to be Daddy's princess. And then he married me. And he made me his queen." she winked, and Ellie giggled again.

Nico grimaced, he opened the oven and slid the rolls onto the top rack, and he shut it with a clang. 'More like his Wicked Witch,' he murmured under his breath.

He was almost startled when the backdoor opened, and in came Cas toting his guitar in one hand and Key's in the other.

"Bye everyone," Key offered a shy wave to the Floyd's as they walked through the kitchen.

"Caspar?" Viktoria turned in her seat, and elbow propping on the back of the chair. Cas glanced back once before doing a double-take and halting so abruptly that Key almost bumped into him. It was clear he hadn't expected to see their mother sitting there and looking like a person, for the first time since before Dad. She smiled, "You're not going to introduce us to your friend?"

"Oh. Hi!" The girl gave another awkward wave, "I'm Key."

"A key?" Viktoria tilted her head ever-so-slightly, "That's it?"

"Oh, no, no it's um, it's Keyaira,"

She raised her eyebrows as if for the child to elaborate, "Keyaira...?"

"Oh, uh— Smith! Keyaira Smith!" She affirmed with a bright smile and a nod to hide the nervous swallow. Nico pressed his lips together. He continued to put away the groceries as he watched the interaction unfold. A dull, knowing dread crept into the air as he clocked the sweet, maleficent smirk on his mother's face.

"Well," she said, "It's very nice to meet you. Miss Keyaira Smith."

Key nodded, "Yeah, it's nice to meet you too, Mrs...um...,"

"Well, it's not Mrs. Um," she chided with a smile.

"Sorry, uh—," Key glanced uncertainly to Cas, who was still looking at Mama as if he was uncertain she was real.

"It's Floyd," Nico told her, "You can just call her Mrs. Floyd."

"Oh. Okay. Sorry, Mrs. Floyd." Key flashed an uncomfortable smile.

"Mhm," Viktoria chuckled, "So Keyaira?" She sighed casually and turned to pick up one of Ellie's Barbie Dolls which lay on the table, picking at its clothes, "Does your mama usually let you go over to boys' houses and stay all day? Hm?"