"Out to check on the table settings?" Olivia bit her lip and flashed a crooked smile. "You know how Granddad likes to have both a water glass and a cup and saucer at his seat..." She was almost out the kitchen door before her father took a step toward her and blocked her exit.
"The table setting can wait. I need to talk to both of you."
Julian guided Olivia and Moira toward the oval kitchen table in the middle of the room. They sat down in their usual breakfast formation, Olivia's mom nearest the stove, her father at the opposite end and she in the middle with her back to the sink window that looked out over the herb garden. I'm always in the middle of things with my back against the wall. No wonder I feel trapped sometimes.
"Olivia," her father began in a soft tone, "when you said you were inviting a couple of friends to Thanksgiving dinner, why didn't you inform us ahead of time of their identities?"
She frowned and crossed her arms across her chest. "I told you both earlier I invited Hernando and he accepted. Couldn't you figure out my friends would come from BloodDark as well?"
"I thought you'd perhaps invited those nice girls from Peru—Maria and Anita?" Her mother smiled at the memory. "They were so kind to you at the detention—uh, I mean the quarantine center." Moira was quick to correct herself. She glanced furtively around the room. The government-types in black suits had instilled enough fear into her parents that neither one would call it what it truly was, a prison for returned abductees.
"I spoke to Maria and Anita on Skype the other day, and they said they'd love to come to the U.S. for a visit sometime, but they're very busy in the spring in the Andes." Olivia placed her elbows on the table and folded her hands in front of herself, observing her parents' reactions closely as spoke. "Besides, now that travel to and from BloodDark has been opened to ordinary people, I thought it would be nice for Valori and Annara to see where I grew up."
Her mother nodded. "To show them all the wonderful things they've been missing?"
"Yeah, what they've been missing." Olivia refrained from rolling her eyes but it was tough not to. "For sure a visit to Earth gives them an idea of how a planet-full of human beings act." She sighed at her parents' blank looks. "After this experience, I think they'll be glad they haven't applied to immigrate."
"I don't think it's quite so bad, Ollie girl." Her father chuckled. "There's bound to be some cultural stumbles along the way as we get to know each other. Over all, I'd say humanity is coping well, considering we've just recently discovered we weren't alone in the universe."
"At least they resemble human beings and not movie monsters from outer space. Never did like the movie Alien." Moira shuddered. "To think, how would we get to know each other if they couldn't even fit around a dining table and use a fork and knife and drink from a cup..." She paused and crumpled her brow. "Hmm, your friends do know how to use tableware—right, Olivia? I noticed once how Hernando wasn't entirely comfortable with our table etiquette."
"No, they eat standing on their heads and scoop up food with their toes." Olivia's flat tone and her mother's stunned expression set off her father's chuckling again.
"Good one, Ollie girl." Julian winked. "I'm glad to know your dry sense of humor hasn't changed after your ordeal."
Do you hear how horrible your words sound, Mom? Can you understand how your dismissive laughter could be interpreted, Dad? I can't wait until after Thanksgiving dinner to tell you my plans. Olivia took a deep breath and gathered her courage before speaking.
"Mom, Dad, I've come to believe it's better to live on a world where you know the why and how you're being discriminated against than to live where it sneaks up on you unaware and levels you in social situations. It's why I'll be returning with my friends to BloodDark at the end of their visit."
Her parents froze in place, shocked into silence. Olivia rose. "Can I go back into the living room and make amends to Hernando, Valori and Annara for your unkindness now?"
Chapter Five
"Your parents were very quiet over dinner. Was it something we said?" Hernando asked.
His earnest tone and sad brown eyes made Olivia feel responsible for ruining everyone's Thanksgiving. "No, no. You guys were fine." She smiled at her friends sitting opposite her in the limousine as they drove to the airport. "You did nothing wrong. It's just having so many people in the house always makes my mom and dad act...stressed."
There wasn't much she could say to make her parents sound any better. Maybe she could have said they acted crazy, but then Valori would have argued she hadn't picked up on any mental instability from either of them, and Olivia just didn't want to go there. She had made up her mind to leave after the holidays anyway. Weeks ago she'd packed her bags, ready for a quick escape. Her mom's attitude today had been the last straw.
Olivia sighed. Yes, she'd done the right thing. It was better for all she departed before the Christmas season got into full swing than to wait out another month in uncomfortable silence. She promised herself she'd return home for a quick visit on Christmas Eve before her final departure for BloodDark.
"I enjoyed meeting your clan very much, Olivia." Annara's positive words broke through her sad musings. "Strong men and brave women. They take child-rearing in stride. Hunting desert game on the sunlight side and taking on the bloodsuckers in battle are safer pursuits by far."
Hernando brushed off his front. "No kidding. Much safer."
They all laughed. Olivia blushed and shook her head. "I'm so sorry about
