A Somewhat Normal Girl

Chapter 4

"Rory", my mom calls. "You're already home?", I ask. I hadn't expected that. Normally she comes home at 6 in the evening not at 4. "Yes I thought it would be nice", walks over to me and gives me a big hug.

"Mom what happened? Why are you so happy?" "Do I have to have a particular reason to be happy?" She says grabbing my bag. "You usually have", I pause. "Like a new boyfriend or a new member in the hotel, your mom called and told you that she isn't mad anymore"

"No I just wanted to spend some time with my daughter, isn't that okay?" "Sure, sure it is", I say. "Honey, would you go study and I make us some coffee?" "Mom I don't feel like studying " I take off my jacket and my shoes. "Why not?" She turns looking at me. "If you don't study you won't be able to go to Harvard when the time comes" Harvard. Only the best come in. I always wanted that. But now I'm not sure. Mom is obsessed with the idea of me been the greatest writer in the world. Something she never got to do. "Mom that would be in two years and besides I don't know if that's what I want"

Mom looks at me like I said I killed our cat. "But you wanted that for so long and now you are just gonna quit?" "Mom, I just don't know if I really want to go to Harvard" I sit down at our little sofa.

"Honey, you are gonna kick your own ass if you quit now", she says sitting down next to me. "Well it's my ass", I reply. "Nice comeback" "Thanks" "You're welcome" There is an awkward silence between us. "Are you gonna study now or not?" "Okay", I say, slowly walking in my room. "I'll make some coffee",she shouts "Yeah sure"

I get my books and try to concentrate. It's English so it's not that hard for me but I just don't feel like studying today. On a normal day I read Harry Potter 5 in 3 hours but today I don't get through the easiest English tasks. After about 15 minutes Mom comes in, telling me that I am expected to join her little 'tea party'. Which isn't even a tea party because there is no tea.

In the kitchen there is coffee and small muffins. "Where did you get those?", I ask, pointing at one of the chocolate muffins. "I bought them on my way home. At the little bakery next to the hotel" she smiles. I sit down and take one. They taste really good.

"I am sure you have homework to do", she says, eating a muffin. I nod. She looks at the telephone. Or more she stares at it like she is gonna burn it with her eyes. "Are you expecting a call?", I ask. "Grandma wanted to call earlier today. She hasn't called yet"

"And why is that bad?" Mom has a very difficult relation to her mom. When my Dad got her pregnant she was only 17 and Grandma was very disappointed. She helped her until she was 18 but then she had to take care of herself. When Dad left us she didn't even call or anything. She only calls to wish me or mom a Happy Birthday or Merry Christmas. Sometimes we get invited to dinner.

"No I am just trying to destroy my phone without touching it. I wonder what she wanted to tell me" The moment the words come out of her mouth the phone rings. "Speaking of the devil", she says answering the phone.

"Hello mother", she says in her sweetest voice. "Hello Emily. Is Lorelai there?", I hear through the speakerphone. Lorelai. That's my name. But I prefer to go with Rory. "Yes she is actually", Mom says and handing me the phone. She smiles like she is really glad that she doesn't have to talk to Grandma. I take the phone.

"Hi Grandma what's up?", I ask. "Lorelai how are you dear?" "I'm fine. And you?" "Oh that's so sweet of you. I am great. But I was wondering if you and Emily would like to come to dinner Friday night?" I smile. My Mom is shaking her head and tries to tell me to say no. I smile again. "Sure Grandma we would be happy to. When do we have to come?"

Mom stops shaking her head and sits down on the couch. "Is 7 o'clock okay?" I tell her that it's fine and we will be happy to see her Friday. I hang up and handle mom the phone. "Why did you say 'yes'?", she asks. I grin. "It'll be fun"

Friday night. Mom put me in a black dress although I told her it was not a funeral. But she kept repeating: "You never know who is gonna be dead when you visit my parents. It could be my last day on this planet"

I ring on the doorbell and Grandma opens. "Lorelai, Emily", she says asthough she hadn't expected us. Of course she knew we would come. She asks if we wanna come in and we do as we are told. We take of our jackets.

"The place looks great, mom", my mother tells Grandma. "It hasn't changed", she say in a cold voice. She turns around and calls: "Edward your Granddaughter is here" She didn't mention mom. A minute later my Grandpa comes in. "Rory. It's so nice to see you. How are you?" He gives me a big hug. He called me Rory. Not like Grandma.

"I'm fine what about you?", I ask. "Great, great", he doesn't say anything for a moment. Then he realizes mom his here. "Emily, honey. You are here too?" He walks over to her and gives her a big hug.

"Yeah. Hi dad", she says. She sounds happy. "It's so nice to see you" he puts an arm around my shoulder. "When was the last time they were here, Mary?" "I believe that was Christmas", she says. "No mom it wasn't. It was Thanksgiving two years ago", mom laughs a little. Everybody is starting at her. I try not to laugh at the face Grandma is making, like she said she had just killed her neighbors.

"Emily, it's not funny", she tells her. "No it isn't. Of cause not, mom. Sorry" Mom is really not sorry. "Well then. Should we go to the table", Grandpa suggest and we all follow him. Last time I was here I was about 13. I can't believe that.

"So Lorelai tell us about your new school", Grandma says. "Umm mom. Rory hasn't changed school" "I believe she has. Lorelai have you changed school?" "Mom I am pretty sure I would know if my daughter had changed school" I don't say anything.

"So Rory", Grandpa whispers to me, while mom and Grandma are still fighting about my school. "Would you like to see the baby kittens?" "Kittens?", I hear my mom say before I can even answer. "You have kittens? How can it come that you have kittens?"

"Oh Emily you like cats. I didn't know that", Grandma says. "Mom you know that. I begged for a cat my whole life" "Well you're not dead yet", Grandpa says but I'm sure I was the only one who heard it. "Mom can we go see the baby cats?", my mom begs like a little five year old girl. "Pleeeeeeeeeeease!!!"

"Emily not now! We are about to eat", Grandma responds harsh. "Sorry", she says looking down at her shoes. I face my Grandpa. "Grandpa I would love to see the kittens after we finished eating", I say.  I notice mom is doing something strange with her fork and her meal. Grandma sees it too.

"Emily what are you doing with your avocado?", she asks mom looking at her like she was a fly, that happened to sit on her dinner. "Well it's avocado" "Since when do you not like avocado?" "Since the day I asked 'Ewww what's this' and you said 'Avocado'"

I try not to laugh. "So Lorelai we were taking about your school. Have you changed it or not", Grandma asks me. "I changed school but that was three years ago", I say and add: "And Grandma, it's okay with me if you call me Rory. Everyone does that"

"Yes that was the school I talked about", Grandma says happily after she finally got something right. "Yeah mom, but that was three years ago so you haven't actually won. I am still in the race", mom smiles. "Won? What are you talking about? This was not a competition. You haven't won anything", Grandma sounds a little bit confused. "No Grandma. Mom was just being funny... Or trying to be. She was just making one of her stupid jokes", I say.

"Oh. A joke? If you say so... Rory"