The Emerald Heart

Dinnertime- Elaina

The beginning of dinner is almost unbearable. Everyone looks disgusted by Mom's chili. They said it looks like mud! Does anyone in this family have manners? 

I pull out some toppings from the fridge and set them on the table in front of them. Sour cream, cheese, a pepper shaker. "These'll make it taste better, if you like."

Zoe's mother smiles at me and points to the sour cream. "Does this come from cattle?"

I hear my mom suppress a laugh, and I nod. "Yes! It's called sour cream. It's delicious. Would you like some?"

James cocks his head. "How sour is it?"

"Oh, it's not sour at all! That's just the name."

James looks to his mother, then looks back at me. "I'll have some of the...sour cream. Of course." I pass him the container and a spoon. He nods to me and throws a spoonful or two into his bowl, and watches as the dollop sits in the mixture. 

I laugh and make a stirring motion with my finger. "You have to stir it, you know,"

He nods and takes his spoon, stirring it into his chili. His whole family watches intently. 

Once he tastes it and declares it delicious, everyone else puts it into their bowls. I invite them to try the cheese, and they know what that is. So they try some of that, and also think it's delicious. The rabbit corpse they brought in is ready, and they season it themselves.

It was a bit strange having them go through our kitchen as if they owned it, but the rabbit meat ended up tasting delicious. No harm done. 

Happy conversations start. We begin to break the barrier that seems to be between us, and I really do enjoy their company. The way they act still makes me laugh a bit. 

Their mother asked my mother what sort of unicorn blood she had around her eyes. I guess she meant the eyeliner, but it was still strange. Their father found a box of pop tarts and questioned them deeply. James told me my hair reminded him of griffin wings. Was that a compliment? I don't know. Zoe told me about how they caught the rabbit, and that scared me a tinge. And James found our piano, and thought it was the strangest thing he had ever seen. Mom had me play them a song, and they acted as it they had never heard anything so beautiful, though I'm sure I messed up millions of times.