Chocolate 8; Pistachio 2
Author: Marina
Story: Shifts universe (pre-Tremors)
Challenge: Chocolate 8 (appreciation), Pistachio 2 (arrival/departure)
Word Count: 624
Rating: G
Summary: Eleazar remembers a special holiday.
Notes: Inspired by something that happened during my vacation.
Good opportunities were not wasted on Eleazar Kopen-when he saw them, he took them, no questions asked. That was why, when his graduate school advertised an internship program in London, he applied without thinking twice about it and received one of the spots easily.
He enjoyed London thoroughly, taking every opportunity to soak up culture and make valuable connections for his future career. What he did not appreciate was the stress of international travel. Everything that could have gone wrong did, at both airports and on both ends of the trip. The check-in at Heathrow for his return was especially traumatic. He was randomly pulled out of line to be frisked, which was extremely uncomfortable, had a terrible few minutes trying to locate his passport, got into a near-argument with a security officer, lost his grip on his carry-on while taking an escalator to his gate and had to dash back down to retrieve it, and ended up surrounded by a group of rowdy undergraduates, going home after a semester abroad, on the plane.
By the time the pilot announced that takeoff would be delayed due to heavy airport traffic, Eleazar felt ready to scream. The succeeding ten hours did not help matters. It was enough to make him want to swear off international travel for the rest of his life.
They did eventually land safely back in America, where he desperately hoped his driver was waiting, as planned. Once the pilot gave them the go-ahead to turn on their cell phones, he began to retrieve his, to check.
“We’ve got coverage!” one of the students shouted, receiving a delighted shout from the others in response. Eleazar looked up to see the entire group reaching for their own phones. Seconds later, echoes of “I love you, Mom!” began to reverberate through the cabin.
An uncomfortably tingly feeling washed over him as he realized what day it was. Sunday, May 13th. Mother’s Day. He had forgotten all about it.
The knowledge shamed him. His father had always paid rigid attention to Mother’s Day, reminding Eleazar and Oriana about the date days in advance and making sure they had something prepared for the occasion. None of that would be necessary this year, but Eleazar still felt guilty. I’ll have to stop at the cemetery, he thought, contemplating his cell phone. Knowing that there would be no one at the other end to take the call did not stop the longing itch in his fingers.
Instead, he dialed another number. “Hello, Stephens. Would you tell Mrs. Kopen that I’m on the line, please?”
His aunt came to the phone quickly. “Elie?”
“Please stop calling me that,” he said, even though he hardly minded when Claudia used the name.
Predictably, she did not acknowledge that except to chuckle. “Oh, good, I’ve been thinking about you all day. Your plane got in safely, then?”
“Yes, we just touched down. If I can get out of this airport without further incident, I’ll be home in a couple of hours.”
“We’ll have a special dinner ready for you.”
“That sounds amazing.” His stomach growled, and he thought ruefully of the airplane food he had been subjected to. Claudia’s cook had ruined him for most other food long before. “Anyway, I should collect my bag and get off the plane. I just wanted to call and let you know.”
“Thank you, I’m so glad you made it back safely. I love you.”
“I love you too, Aunt Claudia. Oh, and Happy Mother’s Day.”
When he did not immediately receive a reply, he began to wonder if she had hung up before he could finish his sentence. “Thank you, dear,” she said then, softly. “I appreciate that more than I can say.”
Story: Shifts universe (pre-Tremors)
Challenge: Chocolate 8 (appreciation), Pistachio 2 (arrival/departure)
Word Count: 624
Rating: G
Summary: Eleazar remembers a special holiday.
Notes: Inspired by something that happened during my vacation.
Good opportunities were not wasted on Eleazar Kopen-when he saw them, he took them, no questions asked. That was why, when his graduate school advertised an internship program in London, he applied without thinking twice about it and received one of the spots easily.
He enjoyed London thoroughly, taking every opportunity to soak up culture and make valuable connections for his future career. What he did not appreciate was the stress of international travel. Everything that could have gone wrong did, at both airports and on both ends of the trip. The check-in at Heathrow for his return was especially traumatic. He was randomly pulled out of line to be frisked, which was extremely uncomfortable, had a terrible few minutes trying to locate his passport, got into a near-argument with a security officer, lost his grip on his carry-on while taking an escalator to his gate and had to dash back down to retrieve it, and ended up surrounded by a group of rowdy undergraduates, going home after a semester abroad, on the plane.
By the time the pilot announced that takeoff would be delayed due to heavy airport traffic, Eleazar felt ready to scream. The succeeding ten hours did not help matters. It was enough to make him want to swear off international travel for the rest of his life.
They did eventually land safely back in America, where he desperately hoped his driver was waiting, as planned. Once the pilot gave them the go-ahead to turn on their cell phones, he began to retrieve his, to check.
“We’ve got coverage!” one of the students shouted, receiving a delighted shout from the others in response. Eleazar looked up to see the entire group reaching for their own phones. Seconds later, echoes of “I love you, Mom!” began to reverberate through the cabin.
An uncomfortably tingly feeling washed over him as he realized what day it was. Sunday, May 13th. Mother’s Day. He had forgotten all about it.
The knowledge shamed him. His father had always paid rigid attention to Mother’s Day, reminding Eleazar and Oriana about the date days in advance and making sure they had something prepared for the occasion. None of that would be necessary this year, but Eleazar still felt guilty. I’ll have to stop at the cemetery, he thought, contemplating his cell phone. Knowing that there would be no one at the other end to take the call did not stop the longing itch in his fingers.
Instead, he dialed another number. “Hello, Stephens. Would you tell Mrs. Kopen that I’m on the line, please?”
His aunt came to the phone quickly. “Elie?”
“Please stop calling me that,” he said, even though he hardly minded when Claudia used the name.
Predictably, she did not acknowledge that except to chuckle. “Oh, good, I’ve been thinking about you all day. Your plane got in safely, then?”
“Yes, we just touched down. If I can get out of this airport without further incident, I’ll be home in a couple of hours.”
“We’ll have a special dinner ready for you.”
“That sounds amazing.” His stomach growled, and he thought ruefully of the airplane food he had been subjected to. Claudia’s cook had ruined him for most other food long before. “Anyway, I should collect my bag and get off the plane. I just wanted to call and let you know.”
“Thank you, I’m so glad you made it back safely. I love you.”
“I love you too, Aunt Claudia. Oh, and Happy Mother’s Day.”
When he did not immediately receive a reply, he began to wonder if she had hung up before he could finish his sentence. “Thank you, dear,” she said then, softly. “I appreciate that more than I can say.”