The six-month housemate

Thirty-three

Previously, in The six-month housemate: In late August, when Emma first arrived at the Dalton's, her grandmother was hospitalised because of epilepsy. Since then, she has been alright, and Emma has kept in touch with her, regularly calling her. Her parents having left for Australia, Emma is spending one of the best Christmases so far in her life with the Daltons, in Cambridge. 

THIRTY-THREE

The problem with your parents being on the other side of the world is that communicating with them gets pretty hard. Especially if they suddenly need to come back for some unexpected reason. Waking up on the 27th of December, I found that my phone was completely crammed with messages, missed calls and voicemails from my parents and sisters.

Mum: 7 missed call(s)

Mum, 2:00 am: Emma, please answer your phone when we call you. It's an emergency.

Mum, 2:10 am: Why is your phone always off when we need to contact you?

Mum, 2:11 am: Even your sisters are more responsive.

Mum, 2:15 am: Call me back whenever you decide to stop ignoring us.

Dad: 1 missed call(s)

Dad, 2:05 am: Trying to calm Mum down. Just realised you were probably sleeping.

Isabelle: 3 missed call(s)

Isabelle, 2:06 am: Mum is freaking out, you need to answer her

Charlotte: 5 missed call(s)

Charlotte, 2:12 am: Hey Em, we really need you right now... I'm taking the next flight for Paris, but if you could get there before that, it would be great :)

There were a few other messages which achieved to freak me out even more than I already was. Why the hell would my whole family start sending me that kind of messages in the middle of the night? What could have happened for everyone to start booking flights for Paris? I quickly dialled my mother's number, anxiously pacing back and forth in front of my bed. She answered right away.

"Emma, glad to see you finally discovered how to use your phone." She said dryly.

"So happy to hear your voice, mother." I yawned. "I'm sorry I couldn't answer, I was sleeping."

"Your sisters weren't."

"It's not the same time here as it is in Canada or USA, Mum." I sighed. "Anyway, what's the problem?"

"Your grandma had a heart attack last night. She's in the hospital."

"Oh my God." I gasped. "Is she alright?"

"We don't know. Fortunately, her neighbour was having tea with her when it happened, so she was able to call an ambulance, but we have no news since. We're coming back, but we can't make it before two days. Charlotte and Isabelle are coming, too, but they can't make it any sooner."

"I'm going back to Paris."

"Your Dad got you a Eurostar ticket. Your train leaves at 4pm."

"Okay."

"Keep your phone on, and give us news when you get some. Bye, honey."

"Bye Mum."

I fell back on my bed, grunting. Of course, nothing could go perfectly. I thought of my poor granny, in her hospital room, probably not even awake. Maybe not even alive. Tears swelled up in eyes, and I shook the thought away. I couldn't afford to be negative.