The Hydrogen Theory: A Novel

Chapter 6: Familiarity

"Tyler."

Mornings didn't come easy for him. Not until that day. Not until he heard that voice. But why he had been hearing it, he wondered. It was followed up by another voice, which seemed to make more sense. "Tyler." Jamie called to him. "Emily's here." She continued.

"Emily?" he asked. "When did you move in?"

Emily forged a smile and directed it his way. "Ha ha. Very funny, Tyler. Tell me something, did you happen to set an alarm for this morning?" Jamie giggled along with Emily. With fresh eyes, he stared up at Jamie and Emily, shaking his head, but smiling at the sight of the two charming ladies. "I didn't think I needed to."

"Morning, Tyler." Jamie squeezed a greeting in.

"Good morning, Jamie."

"Well, clearly you thought wrong." Emily went on. "Please check the time."

Mason slowly sat up, stretched out his limbs and reached for his cell. 08:07. Mason was shocked when he realized how late he was going to be.

"Tyler, unless you have some hidden ability to turn back the hands of time, you should probably be getting a move on. My car is fast but it can't perform miracles." Tyler hopped up from his mattress and began the rush to get ready for school.

While Mason had been occupied with his preparations for school, Jamie began taking Emily on the tour of the home. Inside New Hope Orphanage, she gazed at the vintage paintings and photographs. One of the areas sported a giant statue of a little girl and boy at each other's side. The sculpture had a phrase engraved at its foot, stating, "Helping a child in not a duty or act of charity but a gift. The ultimate privilege." Emily found herself leaning over with her hands behind her back, slowly nodding her head in agreement.

The two girls continued to exchange pleasant words while proceeding to the living room, where Emily found herself taking a seat and turning on the television. She changed it from the series channel to the morning news. Emily had taken to always keeping up with current events. On that day though, she seemed to be even more interested than usual with what was being shown.

"Uhm, Jamie dear. Could you go check on Tyler for me?"

"Of course, pretty lady." She agreed. Emily smiled.

"And tell him there's something he needs to see."

"She's beautiful, Tyler." Jamie commentated after she had collected him and brought him out of the room. "And so nice and friendly." She added.

"I know, Jamie. She really is."

"Is she your girlfriend?" Jamie pried.

"What?" Tyler looked away, blushing. "Uhm, no no. Nothing like that." Jamie tapped her palm to her face in disappointment. "How lame."

"What's going on?" Tyler asked as he entered the living room.

"The news." Emily replied. Tyler looked at the TV, perplexed at Emily's strange interest in what she had been watching. By that point the topic of the news had changed to a little clip of a dog caring for a little kitten. "Very cute, Emily."

"No, Tyler. That's just one of those little funny things they show at the end of the news."

"Oh, ja." Said Jamie. "I love those." And Tyler agreed, claiming that the news was always so heavy it was nice to get a break from that.

"Oh, never mind. I'll fill you in on the way."

"Good morning, Tyler, Jamie." A voice travelled from the kitchen that could be seen from the living room.