Oh Zoe

12 | AN UNPLEASANT DINNER

"Your so slow," Zoe laughed as she stretched her arm up and pulled herself onto the next branch.

"Am not. You just had a head start," Bella argued.

"Whatever," Zoe whispered to herself. She was basking in the fact that she was better at something then her sister.

The twins reached a height neither wanted to exceed and sat on the most comfortable branch they could find. The tree was thick and twisted which made for a perfect climbing tree in their own backyard.

Zoe's sight and memory had finally improved. Only blurred edges obscured her vision now, so she was back to her old adventures.

The memory disturbance, however, had caused Zoe to endure horrible nightmares that left her running for her mother's room. Zoe's knowledge only extended to four weeks' prior to the incident, which meant the moment of her father's death was no longer comprehendible to Zoe.

So when Zoe was in the living room only a day after she had been released – the sound of the TV and the nebulizer blocking out any further noise – the rest of the family had snuck outside to discuss Zoe's situation. They formed a plan so that Zoe was always with someone during the day and developed a temporary excuse that her father had left for Adelaide for work the day before she had been admitted. The doctors had instructed that Zoe remember the events in her own time and to not push her, so that's what they did.

"You know, mum's going to have our heads for this," Bella declared from her spot above Zoe in the tree.

"Why? I'm allowed to climb, mum never said I couldn't." Zoe shot back. She loved climbing the big jacaranda, especially when she had someone to race.

"No, I don't care if you get in trouble. It's that we are going to get in trouble because of dinner." Bella picked a purple flower bud and watched as it floated to the ground.

"Oh." Zoe only now remembered the special dinner that was scheduled for that night. Pete had gotten himself a girlfriend a few months ago and the family had only been notified just the other day. Mari was slightly perturbed that she was only being informed the day before but had quickly accepted it once Pete had gone on a rant about his family. It was amazing Pete had invited the girl in the first place; the Taylors were a wild bunch to be reckoned with.

"How long until dinner?" Zoe wondered aloud. Bella knew that was code for How long until someone makes us go inside to get ready?

"Don't know, don't care," Bella said. She wasn't particularly thrilled or excited for the dinner like her mother was.

"Do you think she's going to be nice?" Zoe doubted.

"Zoe, Pete's girlfriends are never nice."

"Well, maybe he's got someone different now. He never brought anyone home before so surely that means she's one of the actual ones." Zoe stuck up for her brother because he wasn't as bad as Bella was making him out to be.

"The actual ones?" Bella repeated. "Pete doesn't get actual girlfriends. They're only whores."

"You're not supposed to say that, Bella." Zoe frowned.

"Who cares. What we need to worry about is making sure she doesn't stay in the family long."

"What are we going to do then?"

Bella looked around like there might be people close enough to eavesdrop. "Pete asked mum to buy some hot chilly source with the groceries last week. We can offer to help in the kitchen and slip her some."

Zoe looked uncertain. "But how is that going to make her never want to be with Pete again?"

Bella's forehead creased. She hadn't thought that far, the idea had only just popped into her head. "I don't know but well figure that out later." She waved away.