Evaleen walks over with papers in her hands. She rubs my back while shoving the paperwork in my lap.
"It's all over Drake. You never have to see that Payne in the Ass again. More importantly, I never have to see him again either. Now, you can sit back, relax, fill out some HR paperwork, and get packed for your six weeks in New York."
My eyes widen as I stare up at her.
"New York?" I gasp.
"Yeah, that's where the program takes place. It used to be here, but Mimir opened the New York office a few years ago and thought it would be better suited there."
Evaleen gets up and walks over to a filing cabinet. She opens up a drawer and removes several large manuals. Returning, she plops them in my lap, causing me to groan.
"Take this home, fill it out, and read up on everything. Have the paperwork back by tomorrow so I can arrange the flight for Saturday. You will have your own apartment that you will be sharing with another EDPS for six weeks."
My head is spinning from all the information. I am thankful that I have thirty pounds of books in my lap holding me in place or I would have face planted the floor by now.
Chapter 2
Morgana's Problem: Her Move
"You are dying aren't you? Oh God, my baby girl is leaving us. I knew this would happen one day, I just thought I would be gone before you. Why God? You are so young. And look at your figure! What man is going to want to squeeze your ample breasts when you’re dead? Perverts that’s who! You are only going to attract perverts now Morgana! My baby girl doomed to be groped by perverts," Mom wails as her arms wrap around my head at the dinner table.
I can barely breathe let alone see, as I hear gasps and a few “no's” being thrown around the small dining room. Pushing my mom's arms away from me and catching my breath, I see my father's strong lip start to tremble. His eyes become glassy as he mouths the words, 'I love you,' from the other side of the table. My brother is actually sobbing with his head in his hands, while his 'girlfriend of the month' with her short brown tight curls looks around the room petrified.
I turn to Aria who is shaking her head violently, as Grandma has a tear rolling from her eye. I have never seen Grandma cry, not even at Grandpa's funeral. This whole scene is shocking and completely inappropriate. Leave it to my mom to jump to the worst conclusion and be overly dramatic about it.
"Mom, why on earth do you think I am dying?"
"You gathered all of us here and it isn't anyone's birthday, so I just assumed. Wait...are you pregnant? Oh my God! You are pregnant! I am going to be a grandmother! Who's the father? Oh, it doesn't matter, we can raise the child together. I will support you Morgana."
My mom is jumping up and down as she smiles through her tears. My father's lip has stopped trembling and is now a firm line. His jaw is ticking as he grounds out the words, "Yes, Morgana. Who is the father?"
My brother looks up at my dad and then back at me, clenching his jaw and banging his fist on the table, causing Orly the dog to start barking. Eventually the dog grumbles and then goes back to sleep, curled up next to the fireplace.
Aria’s smile is almost infectious… almost. Grandma, still crying, is now mouthing the words, ‘great-grandma,’ and sneers.
I stand and put my hands on the table as I clear my throat. My mom rushes up behind me to put her hand on my shoulder and arm to try to guide me back into my seat. I swat her away before she attempts to rub my nonexistent pregnant belly.
"Mom, stop! Everyone just stop. I am not dying. I am not pregnant. I am leaving to move to New York for a bit."
"What?" My mother barks out the word in an angry tone. I look behind me to see her shooting daggers at me. I know my mom would rather have me die of a horrible disease than for me to move out of state, especially far enough away where a plane ride is involved to visit. I am her baby girl and as her baby girl, I should only ever be a short car ride away.
Looking around the table, I see tremendous relief on everyone's face except Aria's. She appears heartbroken.
I place one hand on my mom's shoulder and one on Aria's shoulder.
"Look, it's only for six weeks. I got into the Executive Development Program early at Mimir. The program is in New York, so I have to go there to train. That's why I asked everyone to come to dinner. Not because anyone is dying or pregnant, but because I am not going to be here for a while."
I give a small smile and look over at Aria who is nodding, but still appears sad. My mom puts her hand over mine and I see her trying to breathe through whatever emotion she is feeling at this moment.
"Well, that just means I get all the cake for the next six weeks! Woo hoo! Ow." My brother, Daniel, yelps after my dad smacks him on the back of his head at the end of his announcement.