Free Gemini Rain by Lj McEvoy Page A

smiled once more, ‘ let’s finish dinner then we get down to thinking of how there won’t be, I still in shock you know, I need some nourishment.’
    Paul laughed, ‘After that description of worms, are you still hungry?’
    ‘I’m only half way through starters! Give me a chance to think man.’
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Chapter 8
    Marseille - Working on her computer Lauren was attempting to translate a note Emma gave her from the school. Unable to focus on it her mind kept slipping back to last night contemplating Emma ’s little outburst and Keith’s words.
    Thinking of the innocence of children sometimes, how their straightforward talking can hurt, can cut into the chest and twist when they don’t even realise they’re doing it, Lauren corrected herself, ‘ they’re just saying what they think, its their way, only as adults are we afraid to openly express our innermost thoughts , our true feelings . ’
    ‘Why did you bring us here?’ Emma cried to her mother, ‘y ou can’t even read a simple note from school!’
    ‘ A simple note ,’ Lauren thought, ‘ the bloomin’ thing is four pages long. ’ She tried some reasoning, ‘ Emma , I’m learning. It ’s harder for an adult you know I’ve been speakin g and reading English for over 30 years!’ How many times have I repeated that sentence to her? 
    ‘Thirty-nine actually Mammy’
    ‘Ha Ha’ Lauren sarcastically smiled at her daughter.  Keeping calm Lauren explained for the hundredth time of her needs, of what she wanted for them as a family and how starting a new life here in France was a fantastic opportunity, hesitating a little as she added it was something she and Daddy only dreamt about. Watching her daugh ter she jokingly thought, eight years of age now but carries on sometimes as if she was closer to eighty-eight .
    Emma ’s big blue eyes were starting to fill with tears; Lauren sm oothed back her daughter’s mousy brown hair caressing her soft cheek knowing what was coming next.
    ‘I miss my cousins and my friends,’ Emma moaned with a deep heavy sigh, her hand held up to her forehead. Lauren rolled her eyes up to heaven, this is like a worn-out soap opera on TV, keep ing ca lm Lauren pressed rewind on an old video tape in her own head.
    ‘ Emma , sweetpea. Do we have to go through this again? You could win an Oscar with this performance!’ Lauren pecked Emma ’s button nose smiling, ‘d on’t you like living here? Mammy always being around able t o spend time with you and Keith. And besides you’re only back from visiting everyone last weekend. ’ Lauren brought them back to Dublin nearly every month so far.
    Emma thought about it for a minute, contemplating this new question which was not normally introduced whenever they had this debate. Slowly she remembered what it was like when her parents worked, Lauren watched her daughter’s expression through her eyes, ‘ she’s thinking about it ’ - Lauren smiled.
    ‘Yes, I do,’ Emma lightly, perfectly stated. ‘You were never like this before you don’t look cross and you always have time to play, it’s nice. But … but will you ever return to work?’ a worrying frown appearing which looked more at home on an a dult’s face rather than an eight year old. As per usual Emma was looking for something to worry about and knew it was a good question to bounce back to her mother.
    ‘I’m not thinking about that yet, financially we’re comfortable,’ recently with the advantage of being able to spend more time with her children, Lauren developed the talent of easily reading her daughter’s mind, ‘but first I must learn to speak and read French. Later on, who knows? We could go back to Ireland, move to Italy or Spain or….’
    ‘Oh Mammy stop!’ Emma giggled, ‘No more moves, the last one was bad enough.’
    ‘Okay I’m joking, but remember sweetheart…’
    ‘ It’s sweetpea today,’ Emma politely corrected