Nap Time

Chapter 5- Dinner

      "To no more exams this year!"
Zoe's mother, Diane , raised her glass to Zoe and her father, who were sitting around the large circular table the hostess had ushered them to when they arrived at Lush, the hottest and worst lit restaurant in town. Zoe's father raised his glass to meet her mothers, and grudgingly Zoe did the same.
    "What's wrong, doodle bug?"
      Zoe's father asked. Zoe shrugged and started playing with her stainless steel fork, using her finger to balance it like a seesaw.
"I'm just tired, dad. That's all." Zoe sighed, letting her fork flip-flop off her finger and land with a clatter on her salad plate, which was currently devoid of salad. Zoe's father smiled warmly at his daughter, and then gave a knowing look to his wife, who had finished her glass of wine, and was pouring herself another.
"So, honey, stressful day?" He asked her, hoping to get her to slow down and reconsider the second glass.
"Ugh, you don't even know. First Mike is riding my ass all day about getting the contracts written up, and then I had to clean the whole house, which SOMEONE didn't help me with." Zoe's mother complained, obviously taking a shot at Zoe.
"Hey! I had exams!"
"Not all day,"
"Mom! I was tired! I had a long day!"
"YOU had a long day? You dot even know the day I've had missy, don't get me started..."

Zoe grunted and rolled her eyes, turning away from her mother. Diane mouthed something to her husband, and then drained the second glass of wine. A waiter walked up to the table with a pitcher of water and refilled their glasses. Zoe tapped the side of her glass and watched the ice tap each other in the water. A single drop of water slid down the side of the glass and onto her finger. Zoey's mind observed these small details silently as she sulked in her chair, spinning a lock of hair between her fingers.

"How were exams sweetie?"

Zoe's dad asked, breaking the silence growing increasingly louder.

"Mm, fine I guess. Mil made me study beforehand, so I might just have a shot of passing."

"That's the spirit! Always be optimistic!" He gave Zoe a playful punch in the arm.

"Says the man who can never go to work without an umbrella," Zoey's mother muttered.

"It's called being cautious, dear," Zoe's father replied.

"Oh, yes, cautious! Tell me all about being cautious! In fact, let's tell everyone how cautious you are with your payche-"

Zoe's mother was cut off by a lanky waiter with a dirt stashe and disheveled hair holding an array of plates on his arms. Ine by one, he set down the plates in front of each of them. Ribs for dad, salmon for mom, and tortellini rose for Zoe. Everyone thanked him kindly and he nodded and rushed back to the kitchen. Zoe pierced a piece of tortellini with her fork, blew on it, and popped it in her mouth, along with another, and three more after that. As she chewed, she looked around the restaurant. It was dimly lit, which created 'ambiance' according to her mother, but she didn't like it. The walls were a chocolate brown, with large modern art prints displayed on it. One of them in particular caught Zoe's attention. It was a large piece hanging in the far corner, where it wouldn't be easily seen. The painting was of a flower bed, but each flower seemed to burst with an explosion of colour. the explosions all swirled up and created a beautiful nebula, with stars and planets behind it. Zoe stared at the painting, and wondered if it had a deeper meaning. A loud clatter at her table snapped Zoe back into reality, where a wine glass had tipped over and her mother was yelling at her father. Yup, it was a normal night. Turning back to the painting, Zoe quietly stood up from her seat and walked over to it. Up close it was breathtaking, with each tiny little star and flower painted with such accuracy, it almost made Zoe dizzy. She peered into the bottom right corner, where she found a signature, Elizabeth Yang. Zoe made a mental note to look up her work when she got home.

"Zoe! we're leaving!" Her father called in a sing-songy voice.

she took one last look at the painting, and rushed to the front of the restaurant, where her family was taking their leave.

"Di, give me the keys. You know you can't drive like this." Zoe heard her father say.

"I'm Fine, Stu."

"You know you're not. Give me the keys."

"Fine! Take the damn keys! See if I care!"

              Zoe's mother opened the passenger side door of her SUV andgot in, making sure toslam the door angrily, to illustrate her point. Zoe quietly climbed into the back seat and put on her seatbelt. This is going to be along night, She thought to herself. Zoe's father sat down in the driver's seat and backed the car out of the restaurant and onto the highway.

         A muffled pop song played in the background of the constant sounds of the road and Zoe's parent's rather passive-aggressive dialogue.

"Why do you always do this, Diane?"

"Do what? Point out how HARD I work for this family while you sit around doing nothing all day?"

"What do you mean? I'm an architect!"

"Not a good one."

"Can we not do this in front of Zo?" Her father asked, getting Zoey's attention.

"..."

Zoe's mother had slumped over in her seat.

"Diane?"

"..."

Zoe's father bent over to check on his wife, taking his eyes off the road. Zoe froze as she started seeing things in slow motion. The car drifted into the next lane, the semi blew its horn, and then a flash of white and then black, joined by a deafening crash and muted screams.