pastime,” Tatia says. “It is beautiful, is it not?”
“Yeah,” I say.
“I’d be fine staying with one of the girls,” Liz says as she drops down in my rocking chair. “You don’t have to--“
“Liz,” Tatia says sharply.
“I’m just saying--“
“We have made you a very nice place of your own,” Tatia says, “and it is close enough to the girls that there should be nothing to worry about,” she adds in a softer tone. “But we are very secure here, I would not worry.”
“You didn’t have to make me a room, is all I’m saying,” Liz mutters as she reluctantly follows Tatia out of my room.
“We did not,” Tatia says as she heads up a set of stairs. She steps into a huge apartment of ice, spreading out her arms, "we have made you an apartment, instead,” she finishes. “The stairs lead to the girl’s hall, as well, so it is more of a... small house. In our line of business it is important to have a place to go to, to--lie down, as they say?”
“Lie low,” Liz says.
“Lie low, lie down, there is very little difference,” Tatia says, blowing it off. “This will give you a place to go to if you have another of the ‘home-arrest’ problems.”
“You heard about that, huh?” Liz says, looking sheepish.
“Of course we did! It is not something you should try to keep secret from your parents,” Tatia lectures. “It was very impressive.”
We all stare at her, shocked.
“Impressive?” Liz finally repeats when no one can think of anything else to say.
“Oh, yes, very impressive!” Tatia says. “I was so very proud--your ability is so very amazing!”
“Um... thank you,” Liz says, a little smile sneaking onto her face. “I try not to use it, though, because it's way too exaggerated,” she admits. “I mean, you don’t really need to do something that dramatic when a bit of spark and crackle gets the crowd going just fine, right?”
“A very good way of thinking,” Tatia says. “Now look around--your room is through that opening there. We can put a door on it, if you desire. The kitchen is here. It is only a half kitchen, because your father insists that you will not eat with us if we give you a full sized one,” she says bluntly. “He has been led to believe that you do not like him very much.”
“Well... it’s more like I hardly saw him when growing up--first he was either always off saving the world, and then he was... well, dead,” Liz says. “Nico hates him for it, although I think he’s calmed down since finding out he was a dad himself. Me, well, I don’t dislike him, exactly. I just... don’t know him.”
“That is why it is perfect to make you your own apartment!” Tatia says, walking over to Liz and placing her hands on her shoulders. She looks Liz straight in the eyes, “you are always welcome here. You will have your privacy, when you need it, but we are always here to talk with.”
“Nico said you hated my mom,” Liz says.
The look on Tatia’s face is priceless. “Well--that was--your mother--“
“Nico kicked her out when I was eight,” Liz says, shrugging. “It’s not going to bother me if you hated her, all I remember of her was constantly being forced to do things I couldn’t do at the time. So I don’t care.”
“Oh Liz,” Tatia says, her voice soft as she drags Liz into a tight hug. “Do not worry; I will be happy to call you daughter. We will have family holidays and wonderful adventures together! You, me, and the girls--let us enjoy this week!”
“Let’s go see the polar bears!” Emily says.
“I would actually prefer getting some sleep,” I admit. “I slept a little on the plane, but it wasn’t very good. Can I opt out on the polar bears for the moment?”
“We will go see the polar bears tomorrow,” Tatia says. “I will leave you all to get comfortable in your new place. Dinner will be in a few hours! I will call you!”
“Thank you, Grandma Tatia,” I say as she hauls all of us into one last hug
“Yeah,” I say.
“I’d be fine staying with one of the girls,” Liz says as she drops down in my rocking chair. “You don’t have to--“
“Liz,” Tatia says sharply.
“I’m just saying--“
“We have made you a very nice place of your own,” Tatia says, “and it is close enough to the girls that there should be nothing to worry about,” she adds in a softer tone. “But we are very secure here, I would not worry.”
“You didn’t have to make me a room, is all I’m saying,” Liz mutters as she reluctantly follows Tatia out of my room.
“We did not,” Tatia says as she heads up a set of stairs. She steps into a huge apartment of ice, spreading out her arms, "we have made you an apartment, instead,” she finishes. “The stairs lead to the girl’s hall, as well, so it is more of a... small house. In our line of business it is important to have a place to go to, to--lie down, as they say?”
“Lie low,” Liz says.
“Lie low, lie down, there is very little difference,” Tatia says, blowing it off. “This will give you a place to go to if you have another of the ‘home-arrest’ problems.”
“You heard about that, huh?” Liz says, looking sheepish.
“Of course we did! It is not something you should try to keep secret from your parents,” Tatia lectures. “It was very impressive.”
We all stare at her, shocked.
“Impressive?” Liz finally repeats when no one can think of anything else to say.
“Oh, yes, very impressive!” Tatia says. “I was so very proud--your ability is so very amazing!”
“Um... thank you,” Liz says, a little smile sneaking onto her face. “I try not to use it, though, because it's way too exaggerated,” she admits. “I mean, you don’t really need to do something that dramatic when a bit of spark and crackle gets the crowd going just fine, right?”
“A very good way of thinking,” Tatia says. “Now look around--your room is through that opening there. We can put a door on it, if you desire. The kitchen is here. It is only a half kitchen, because your father insists that you will not eat with us if we give you a full sized one,” she says bluntly. “He has been led to believe that you do not like him very much.”
“Well... it’s more like I hardly saw him when growing up--first he was either always off saving the world, and then he was... well, dead,” Liz says. “Nico hates him for it, although I think he’s calmed down since finding out he was a dad himself. Me, well, I don’t dislike him, exactly. I just... don’t know him.”
“That is why it is perfect to make you your own apartment!” Tatia says, walking over to Liz and placing her hands on her shoulders. She looks Liz straight in the eyes, “you are always welcome here. You will have your privacy, when you need it, but we are always here to talk with.”
“Nico said you hated my mom,” Liz says.
The look on Tatia’s face is priceless. “Well--that was--your mother--“
“Nico kicked her out when I was eight,” Liz says, shrugging. “It’s not going to bother me if you hated her, all I remember of her was constantly being forced to do things I couldn’t do at the time. So I don’t care.”
“Oh Liz,” Tatia says, her voice soft as she drags Liz into a tight hug. “Do not worry; I will be happy to call you daughter. We will have family holidays and wonderful adventures together! You, me, and the girls--let us enjoy this week!”
“Let’s go see the polar bears!” Emily says.
“I would actually prefer getting some sleep,” I admit. “I slept a little on the plane, but it wasn’t very good. Can I opt out on the polar bears for the moment?”
“We will go see the polar bears tomorrow,” Tatia says. “I will leave you all to get comfortable in your new place. Dinner will be in a few hours! I will call you!”
“Thank you, Grandma Tatia,” I say as she hauls all of us into one last hug
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