Suzie’s House 559 : The Best Daughter

“Your daughter is the best!” Peter gave Emma a shoulder-squeeze hug.

Emma couldn’t help but squirm a little under the attention. He, Gabriel, and she had walked into the house just as her mother was setting the silverware on the table for supper. At that point there had been no food in evidence. Just the place settings.

“Yes, of course she’s the best,” her mother said as if this had never been in doubt, a sterling silver spoon dangling from her fingers.

“What? What’s going on?” Her father walked in with take-out from KFC.

“The boys just notice that Emma is an excellent daughter.”

“Oh. Yes. Certainly.” Father also acted as if this was should be a foregone conclusion,.

Emma simply blinked. Hard. Trying to keep ahead of the burning in her eyes. She could not remember either of her parents telling her that she was the best daughter. Well, maybe they had, but she would hardly have taken them seriously considering she was their only daughter.

Maybe if they had said she was their favorite child…. But, no. They weren’t that kind of parents. They have favored her brother for too long, for one thing. They weren’t so hypocritical that they would pretend it never happened. Mostly.

“I don’t know about daughters,” Gabriel said as he made his way to a chair at their kitchen table. “But she is certainly the best of a lot of other things. Singers, for instance. She has quite an impressive voice.”

“Right. Come on, Emma. Allow me.” Peter pulled a chair out for her. Then, while she sat, he talked over her shoulder to her parents. “She also has fantastic taste in friends.”

“I do?” She thought of Kate and Kate’s gossipy friends. Then again, did they really count? Her real friends were the other members of the band. Before – that was more like being a minion than a friend.

“Yes. You and your friends really rescued us off of State Street today. And to sweep us into the studio and let us listen. That was a real treat.” Peter took his own seat.

Emma shrugged, feeling awkward and embarrassed, but also pleased.

“I was so impressed that I’m investing in their next album,” Peter continued. He then launched into a discussion over financing and percentages. It all made Emma’s eyes glaze.

She let her mind wander as she chewed on her drumsticks and biscuits. So much had changed in the last year. Everything about her life was so much better now. She no longer had to hide her singing in abandoned houses. She no longer cowered from her friends at school or her brother at home. She didn’t escape into fantasy nearly as much because her reality was already more than she could expect. The future before her now glowed with potential.

“She’s really that good?” Her father looked at her curiously, as did her mother.

“Star material. And I should know. I’ve launched several media darlings. All have paid off well.”

“I told you months ago that you should pay more attention to her.” Gabriel looked pleased with himself as he popped the last morsel on his plate into his mouth.

“You were right. I thought it was only important that she’s our wonderful daughter,” her mother said. “But, since singing is what she wants most to do, then it’s a good thing she’s also good at that.”

“Thanks, Mom.” Sated, Emma toddled off to her room, feeling a pleasant, warm glow that had nothing to do with deep fried chicken.

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