Chapter 2, Part 1
The only thing that saved the evening from being completely and totally awful was the fact that Emilia wasn’t there herself. Linda had wisely left her behind, though I was starting to get the feeling that Emilia was still unaware of my existence. I was starting to wish that I could be so lucky.
Even though everyone was trying to dance around Luke’s suggestion, it was obvious that his words had taken root, I could see it every time Linda looked over at me and I had the feeling that she wasn’t seeing one of her daughters, but more like a spare part for the one she all ready had. Was I being cynical, bitter? I was willing to indulge myself for the time being.
Beverly invited Linda to stay for dinner and I couldn’t decide if I was surprised by her acceptance. Obviously Linda had believed that this problem with Emilia wasn’t something that could be solved by a phone conversation with my father and had hopped on the first plane to our little piece of paradise; her original plan might have changed a little bit, which made her a little less reluctant to catch the red eye flight back for her daughter’s various performances.
As could be expected, dinner time conversation was awkward and stiff; Luke seemed to be the only person who wasn’t bothered by Linda’s presence, chattering on about flag football and any other than that run across his mind, putting William Faulkner to shame with his stream of consciousness. Once dinner was over, he didn’t need any prompting to run from the kitchen, avoiding dish duty, and flip on cartoons before bed time.
Smiling tightly, Linda cleared her throat, putting her crumpled napkin on top of her plate. “There’s something I’d like to discuss with you, Scout.” She smiled in my direction, folding her hands on the surface of the table. “In private?” She glanced hopefully, expectantly, toward my father and Beverly.
Dad motioned toward the living room. “Go finish your homework, Zach.” He instructed, no doubt going for casual.
Zach remained put. “I all ready did.”
“Then just get out.” Dad decided to go for blunt, as opposed to tacit. Glaring, Zach pushed his seat away from the table, stomping out of the kitchen and into the living room, where he snatched the TV remote away from Luke, if my youngest brother’s loud protests were any indication of what was going on.
Clearing her throat, Linda looked at my father and Beverly. “I was hoping Scout and I could talk in private.” She suggested, the slightest edge in her voice to suggest that she was going for more of a command, as opposed to a request.
However, just as I suspected he would, my dad stayed put. “I’m sure Scout doesn’t mind if we listen in.” He gave me a smile. “Do you kiddo?” I shook my head. Anything Linda had to say, she could definitely say it in front of my dad; it might make her change her mind about the direction this conversation was about to take. Though I doubted it.
Dad’s refusal to leave the two of us alone seemed to momentarily throw Linda for a loop, but she recovered quickly, clearing her throat once more. She seemed like a woman who was used to doing a lot of business dealing and it was much easier to picture her in the office of some record executive, arguing out a contract for Emilia, instead of rocking out on stage and pursuing a rock star career of her own.
“I know this isn’t going to sound like the most practical or sound of plans, but as I said before, I’m at my wit’s end, I’m completely at a loss of what to do with Emilia and her career and every time I turn around she’s getting into some sort of trouble and nothing seems to be getting through to her.” Linda began and I looked at her expectantly, wondering (and dreading) when I would come in. “Emilia’s career is beginning to suffer, I know that’s not something that she wants but it’s not going to get through to her until it’s gone and by then it will be too late. But she just doesn’t seem to care about good relations, or being a role model…” She held up her hands in a gesture of surrender. “I can’t help but feel like I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place.”
Against my better judgment, I found myself interrupting. “I don’t know what I have to do with any of this. I know you came to talk to my dad but he can’t help you either.” I shrugged. “Emilia doesn’t even know I exist, so I doubt-”
However, Linda interrupted even faster than I had. “But you do exist. You’re her spitting image.” She was my spitting imagine, thank you very much, I was the older twin by nearly fifteen minutes. “Only…you have your very own personality.”
For the first time since Linda’s arrival, Beverly spoke up to present her opinion of this bizarre turn of events. “I’m sorry, but you’re not actually suggesting what I think you are…are you?” Everyone turned to look at Beverly. “That Scout could take Emilia’s place?”