Paradise Threatened - Chasing Normal, Arc 2

Scene 12: Moving...Again

Within a week, Travis found herself unpacking her few boxes in a bedroom twice the size of her bedroom in her grandparents' house. Windows lined one wall, looking out over an industrial park. The view from her other room had been so much better.

But this one might inspire me to get back to working on my cybernetic designs. Opa did say he'd help me try to craft some of them.

The apartment was so spacious that Travis essentially had one side to herself. Her own room. Her own bathroom. Her own common area. The only space she had to share with her parents was the kitchen, and she knew that wouldn't be an issue.

As she wandered in to find breakfast her first morning in the apartment, she found a woman unpacking groceries. "Um...hello?"

"Oh, you must be Travis. Your mother said you were an early riser." The woman continued filling a cabinet. "Breakfast won't be ready for an hour."

An hour? "I guess Mom didn't tell you that I work."

"Oh." The woman stopped, a box of pasta in her hands. "Well, in that case, give me ten minutes."

"Okay." Travis slowly turned toward her room. I'm going to be late. By the time she retrieved her bag, the woman has a thermos on the counter.

"I'm sorry it's not more. We'll work out your schedule when you get home."

Travis picked up the thermos, which was cool to the touch. "Thanks." In all honesty, she felt like she had a governess again.

==

By the time she got home, the woman had completely settled the kitchen, Travis' common room, and her bathroom. Everything felt functional, but girly. Maybe this isn't so bad.

In the middle of the low round table in the common room was a snack plate filled with fruits and cheeses. Travis grinned and snagged an orange, holding it to her nose for a few breaths before she started peeling it.

"I know your mother has a strict "no fats" rule, but I'm sure that doesn't extend to cheese."

Holy cow! Coolest fake governess ever! "You'd be surprised. But I won't tell if you don't."

The woman smiled, and it reminded Travis of her grandmother. "I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself earlier. I'm Lydia. Your mother has hired me to take care of the house."

You should have asked for references. "Nice to meet you. I hope we won't be too much trouble."

"I'm sure you won't be." The woman's confidence was staggering. "Now, your mother said something about a housewarming party tonight, but she didn't say anything about refreshments."

Travis' bag slid off her slumped shoulder. "They're holding a housewarming party? Already?"

==

Her parents had given Lydia the night off, so she left shortly after she finished setting out plates piled high with finger foods and a dense sandwich for Travis. But they hadn't been so kind to their own daughter.

As the noise out in the apartment increased, Travis sat and stared out the window. Down below, the industrial park looked like something out of a futuristic setting. It was almost pretty as it glowed light blues, pinks, and oranges. I should have asked Will if his friends were hanging out tonight.

Since her first outing with Will, she'd been to the Undertown a couple of times, slipping out while her parents were getting ready to go out themselves and slipping back in long before they got back home. She was getting to know more of the group, and she loved how friendly they were even as she resented how they wouldn't just let her sit and sketch.

She couldn't call Will now. She didn't know how to reach him outside of work. Should probably fix that.

There was a crash out in the apartment that Travis couldn't really place it. But she knew who would be stuck cleaning it up and ordering replacements. Lydia seems so nice. I hope she can withstand my parents' lifestyle.

She plugged in her headphones, turned on some music, and started working on blueprints to share with her grandfather. It was exciting to think that her designs might actually become reality. The stylus danced in time with the music, and she was lost in daydreams about how her pieces would work.

The next crash was right outside Travis' bedroom door. No. My side of the apartment should be off limits. She poked her head out the door, only to find an orgy had broken out in her common room. She slammed the door, moved her dresser across the door to prevent any unwanted visitors, and crawled into her bed with the music in her headphones cranked all the way up.

Here we go again.