As Norbert looked at the door close to his room, watching each other as his mind raced. After leaving a pub with his drunken father, he was caught with a strange girl in the middle of the night. Norbert stared at Luck, wondering how he would talk himself out of this one.
Luck just stared at Norbert, the only question on her mind. "Who was that?" She asked Norbert.
Just groaning, Norbert quickly answered, "My eldest sister Cassandra." Norbert said as he looked over Luck, thankful that she was still in the clothes they brought her with, that they didn't evaporate into thin air. Just imagining the conversation was already giving Norbert a headache.
"I'm going to be in so much trouble," Norbert said to himself. Pushing himself off the floor, he held his hand out to Luck, who gracefully took it and stood up. Now standing, she looked around the room that she found herself in. The desk with a laptop, the dinosaur covers on the bed, and the cream curtains drawn over the window.
Walking up to it, she drew one back, gasping as she looked at the dark world before her. Seeing the backyard and the expansive flat lawn slowly as the edge of her vision was able to see the forest. Turning back to Norbert with a sparkle in her eyes, she asked him, "Can we go out there?"
Norbert just shook his head. "Not yet, and it looks better during the day. For now, we need to give you an identity" Luck nodded, waiting for Norbert to continue. "For the easiest time, let's go with you being my girlfriend and only new, and we are just coming to town for a stopover before heading back to the big city together. Yeah, that could work," Norbert finished nodding with a smile.
As he looked back at Luck, seeing her staring at the world around him, every little thing something new and shiny, a question broke his mind "Just wondering, how much do you know about Earth?" worry growing in his stomach.
"Only slightly from what the other contestants have said and their impact on Masanu, but this is my first time here. How exciting," She finished as her eyes settled on Norbert.
Furrowing his eyes and rubbing the bridge of his nose with his fingers, Norbert pulled out his phone, seeing it was two in the morning. Opening his wide eyes, Norbert said to himself, "We have a lot to cover in several hours" he took his laptop off the desk, sitting on his bed as he logged in.
Patting the bed next to him, Luck sat down, staring at the screen as Norbert started to think of the easiest way to teach someone about the 21st century.
***
Together the two of them walked down the stairs, Norbert hearing everyone else already eating breakfast together. Swallowing his nerves, Norbert descended onto the ground floor, hearing the extra footsteps following him as he walked.
Rounding the corner, Norbert stood at the entrance, looking out at the table with a massive morning breakfast; everyone stopped what they were doing as they gazed at Norbert. As he looked everyone in the eye, trying to gauge their reaction, Norbert saw two accessible seats left at the table, right next to each other. Watching it, Norbert saw that his parents sat in their usual seats at the heads of the table—Jessica and Zoe were in their usual seats, and Cassandra was in hers.
Typically, only Norbert's seat now sat an extra one, Cassandra having told someone about the extra guest. Norbert walked to his seat without fuss, taking Luck's hand.
Watching the two, he wondered which option would be better, for Luck to be next to Cassandra or Dad. Not seeing any good options, he did the natural and the further chair. Holding out the chair next to Cassandra for Luck, she sat there, smiling at Norbert as he took his seat.
If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
Gazing around the table, their places already set, Norbert took Luck's plate, turning to her, asking, "Anything tickling your fancy in particular?" Norbert asked
"Can I have two pancakes and several pieces of bacon, please" Luck requested, Norbert, picking up the tongs for the pancakes placing two on her plate and placing several pieces of bacon neatly on each other.
Placing the plate in front of her, Luck thanked Norbert before she looked at the knife and fork. Norbert has forgotten about cutlery, them having the same amount in Morenas as here. Rushing Norbert also took several pancakes, a boiled egg and two helpings of bacon. His plate high, he took the maple syrup, drizzling it over everything.
Holding it out to Luck, he asked, "Want any?" She shook her head as Norbert placed it back on the table. Picking up his cutlery Norbert speared a piece of bacon, cutting through the two pancakes on top of each other and shoving the entire thing in his mouth.
Chewing and moaning as he ate, saying through the food, "Thanks for the food Mum; tastes good."
Luck just nodded. "Mhmm, Norbert said your cooking was good, and it does not disappoint", as she cut another piece of her pancake, plopping it into her mouth.
Norbert's mother was fazed momentarily, trying to get her words together without being rude. "Oh, how lovely of you. It's nice to hear some confirmation from someone else."
Luck just nodded and continued to eat.
Ahem
Norbert looked to his Dad, having cleared his throat. Trying so hard to play it cool and calm himself, he never introduced Luck to everyone. Swallowing his food, Norbert sipped his water before stating, "Oh yeah, this is Luck. Luck everyone from the family." Norbert said, addressing the table.
Flicking his head between the two parents, Norbert continued, "And is it ok if she stays with us until I head back to the city with her?" Norbert quickly added, clasping his hands together in prayer and closing his eyes.
Peaking them open, Norbert looked between them, seeing his two parents smiling at each other. A sinking suspicion that he was about to get caught in a trap somehow. "Oh, that's perfectly fine, as long as you sleep on the sofa downstairs."
Norbert swallowed, thinking he had just gotten out of it. "Sweet, thanks, Mum. The two of us will walk around town if that's all good. Show her the sites and all?" Norbert asked.
Not hearing anything disapproving as everyone began eating, Norbert said a silent prayer as he began wolfing down his food, trying to eat it as quickly as possible. Once finished, he took the boiled egg, taking a bite as he waited for Luck to finish.
Once both were done, Norbert excused them as he headed upstairs, getting to brush his teeth and ready to go out for the day.
Cassandra looked at the empty seats. "What a strange name", She added, the others nodding as they continued their idle conversation about what they would do for the rest of the day.
Upstairs, Norbert quickly packed his backpack, taking it for items he would need for the day: his phone, a jacket and his water bottle. Norbert looked around, thinking if there was anything else he needed. Seeing his keys and wallet on the desk, Norbert grabbed those as well, putting them in his pockets as Luck followed him down the stairs and out of the house.
Walking across the gravel driveway, Norbert thought about taking the car. Deciding not to when he saw it was boxed in, not wanting to push himself and breathe the air outside. Luck grasping onto his hand, the two of them walked down the driveway, turning right when they hit the road and walking to town.
Once walking down, Luck said, "Nice family you have there."
Norbert nods. "Yeah, only one I have, though. And wouldn't change them for the world," he faced her, grinning.
A pained smile formed on Luck's face before she pointed at the road. "Why is the road black?" She asked.
"Well, it's made of a material called asphalt, formed together and melted, made for cars to drive on due to its flat surface."
Luck nodded in response as she continued asking more questions, Norbert sometimes pulling out his phone to confirm information. The two of them are walking down the road. After several minutes of walking quickly and no cars moving on a Sunday morning, Luck stopped Norbert.
Turning around, Norbert watched her as she looked down at the ground. "I was wondering … if you could carry me to town like you do with Azalea?" She asked.
Norbert chuckles, moving his backpack to the front. "Of course, you can. As long as you're here and I can, I will show you as much as possible and let you experience things you could only watch from above and see."
Bending slightly, Luck jumped onto his back as the two repositioned themselves. Moving her about, Norbert asked, "Are you ready?"
Only receiving a nod in return, Norbert went into a running pose before he pushed off, going as quickly as possible as he followed the road to town.