Chapter 1: Part 3

Boom! Emilia jerks from her sleep knocking Teddy to the floor. Mother’s hand swooshes through the air then slaps Emilia’s cheek leaving a sting. Emilia cups her cheek.

“What is wrong with you? I’ve been calling you!” Her mother yells, but Father appears behind mother with a ferocious look of disdain. Emilia’s eyes greet the floor again slowly releasing her cheek.

“Go eat,” her mother says in a condescending tone. Both of her parents abandon her in the room.

Perhaps the world will be better off without Emilia. How could Emilia forget to make dinner? Father works two jobs to provide for the household, and nursing keeps Mother busy. Emilia does work at the military base, but she only does laundry, cook for the soldiers, and keep the supplies intact. The job is not exactly hard, and her parents let her keep her money unless they need help around the house.

“She’s just stupid.” Gracie’s voice softly emanates from the kitchen. Emilia stops just outside the door. 

The action would be simple. All Emilia would have to do is fall off the wall, either the fall would kill her or a beast would eat her. Letting go is the right thing to do. Disappearing from the world would make everything easier for everyone else, and Emilia wouldn’t have to feel anymore. Warmth surrounds her confirming that falling the right thing to do.

“I don’t want to be near her,” Gracie’s voice interrupts Emilia’s comforting thoughts. Just let go. The stools squeak and scratch against the floor.

“Let’s go. I don’t want to be associated with whatever chaos she causes.” Mary’s voice says. Emilia squeezes into the hall closet before her sisters leave the kitchen, and she watches her sisters make their way up the stairs Once they’re out of sight, Emilia walks into the kitchen.

Gracie’s special brownies rest at the center of the table. Everyone loves Gracie’s brownies; everyone except Emilia. Emilia used to make the brownies, however, Gracie decided to make the brownies one day using Emilia’s recipe. Everyone loved it. No one complained as they did with Emilia’s brownies. However, Gracie’s brownies are always too dry for Emilia’s taste. The brownies will remain untouched by Emilia’s hand. Gracie always rolls her eyes when Emilia takes the brownies anyhow. Emilia pulls out a wooden mixing bowl and a wooden spoon. She pours in cocoa powder, flour, eggs, coconut milk, and oil. As the brownies cook, she washes the dishes.

What if Emilia were a mermaid? Her tail would be yellow to match her yellow brassiere with pearls and seashells. She could swim far away from her home, from the kingdom that deems her as crazy.

“What are you doing?” Mother’s stern voice slices through Emilia’s thoughts. Her parents stand at the door.

“I—I was making brownies—”

“There are brownies on the table.” Her mother’s glare penetrates her, “You’re wasting food that you didn’t buy.”

“How ‘bout you contribute to the food since what’s on the table’s not good enough for you,” Dad says, “I want rent from you every month.”

Emilia just looks at the floor, but even she can’t say she’s surprised. She never truly belonged with her family, and she was never truly welcome. In fact, whenever she spends time with her family, she is the odd ball out. Plus, her parents have always cared more about money than her. Not that it matters anymore. 

Soon, they’ll have all the money she hides under her bed. It was supposed to be her adventure money. She was supposed to pay a carriage man to take her out of the kingdom to the next one. There she would work while she explored. Then she would move to the next destination. Her parents continued to yell. When her father tells her to clean up, they leave her.

Emilia wraps the food and tucks it away on the shelf. The bottom corner shelf is now fixed from when she broke the shelf as a kid climbing the counters for food. Dad was so mad that he choked and whooped her. 

Something soft strokes her calf, and Emilia looks down finding Teddy rubbing her calf. She picks up the bear and squeezes it tightly to her chest. Teddy’s arms wrap around her the best they can. Emilia opens the back door and takes in the cool breeze. Yes, this is the right decision.