V.O.I.C.E

.Chapter Thirty Eight.

Chapter Thirty Eight                                Carter

I was sitting in the living room watching TV when I heard the front door being closed. It was five at night, and the only one not home yet was Evalyn. Standing up from my seat I walked over to the hallway to see sure enough it was her. She was sitting on the steps slowly unlacing her shoes.

She didn’t turn around even though I knew she heard me coming up behind her. “Where are mum and Colin?” she asked.

“In the kitchen making dinner, I think,” I told her, not sure what to do. I wanted to pull her into my arms and hug her while I told her everything would be okay, but I wasn’t sure that it would be right now. After she had left last night, my dad and Joyce had stayed downstairs for a while before making their way up the their bedroom well after midnight. They had ignored me all day, even avoided being in the same room. Nobody was sure what to say after last night.

Eva stood up and walked around me going toward the kitchen “What time is dinner at?” she asked and when she got her answer she nodded and without even looking at me she went up the stairs and to her room. What the hell was all the about?

Confused I walked back to the living room and sat in the same spot I had been in before Eva had come home. The TV still showing whatever it had been playing while I had been watching it, only now I couldn’t comprehend what was going on in the show. I just kept thinking about how distant Eva had seemed.  I didn’t realize how much time had past while I was trying to come up with reasons as to Eva’s strange behavior and soon Joyce was calling us both to dinner.

We all sat at the table and Joyce put the pot of stew down in front of us. We each took turns dishing out spoonfuls of beef and vegetables. The silence was thick somebody only speaking to ask for something out of reach to be passed to them. Eva had her eyes down on her plate and was playing with her food, rolling a piece of beef around in the broth for a minute before moving on to the carrot or potato.

“I need to tell you all something,” she finally said, getting everybody’s attention. Slowly she put her spoon down. “I got a phone call this morning, and there is an audition for me tomorrow for a lead role in Montreal,” she said quickly.

“In Montreal?” Joyce asked.

“That’s where the play will be playing,” she answered.

                “What about school? How will you find a place to live there? How do you know this isn’t a scam?” my dad started firing off questions. All I could think was that she was going to leave.

“The company has schooling much like the academy does, so school won’t be an issue. They also provide dorm living and three meals a day,” she answered, not bothering to answer my last question instead rolling her eyes.

“I think you need to think about this a little more before you just decide your going to move to Montreal. I know you’re mad about not being about to…” Joyce paused before continuing as if she could barely speak the next few words, “date Carter, but that’s no excuse to run away. We need to talk about this.”