Amber resisted rolling her eyes at Geoffrey's insistence on pushing Madeleine ahead in school. Okay, okay, so the kid was smart, they got the point years ago, stop showing off already. Amber would be more impressed when Madeleine earned a Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
"I do think she'd have been better with another year at school," Amber's mom supplied. She said it politely enough, but she had a way of serving niceties with a punch.
"We read reports that said it’s important for kids to be with other kids their own emotional age," Leila said, sitting up a little straighter.
"Yeah, like the New York Times," Geoffrey said.
"And she's always been so mature, so much more advanced than the other children in her age group," Leila said. It was probably time for Amber to excuse herself and get a drink, if they were going to get into Baby Talk. They wouldn't miss her for half an hour. The problem was Eric: she couldn't leave him here and taking him with her would be too conspicuous.
Amber couldn't even change the topic, not with The Princess Herself making an appearance. Having her on the other side of Leila was just about far enough.
"Madeleine, say hi to Aunt Amber and Dr. Foreman," Leila encouraged. Madeleine ducked her head, squeezing further into the space between her mom and dad. This caused several people to laugh, including Aunt Jude and Chris. Amber's mom did not so much as smile.
"Come on, of course you remember Aunt Amber," Geoffrey prodded, running his hand over his daughter's hair. Amber detected a hint of 'you better' in that 'of course.' Madeleine nodded vehemently, her gaze returning to Eric.
"I don't know what's gotten into her, she's normally so outgoing," Leila glanced apologetically at Amber and Eric.
"Were you drawing, Madeleine?" Amber's mom asked, and received another nod. "What did you draw?"
Madeleine seemed to consider a second, her little fists curling over the paper. "Dogs," she said, her hands relaxing.
"Can I see it?" That was all the prompting Madeleine needed; she slid off the sofa and went to her grandmother, holding up her drawing of various black circles.
no subject
"I do think she'd have been better with another year at school," Amber's mom supplied. She said it politely enough, but she had a way of serving niceties with a punch.
"We read reports that said it’s important for kids to be with other kids their own emotional age," Leila said, sitting up a little straighter.
"Yeah, like the New York Times," Geoffrey said.
"And she's always been so mature, so much more advanced than the other children in her age group," Leila said. It was probably time for Amber to excuse herself and get a drink, if they were going to get into Baby Talk. They wouldn't miss her for half an hour. The problem was Eric: she couldn't leave him here and taking him with her would be too conspicuous.
Amber couldn't even change the topic, not with The Princess Herself making an appearance. Having her on the other side of Leila was just about far enough.
"Madeleine, say hi to Aunt Amber and Dr. Foreman," Leila encouraged. Madeleine ducked her head, squeezing further into the space between her mom and dad. This caused several people to laugh, including Aunt Jude and Chris. Amber's mom did not so much as smile.
"Come on, of course you remember Aunt Amber," Geoffrey prodded, running his hand over his daughter's hair. Amber detected a hint of 'you better' in that 'of course.' Madeleine nodded vehemently, her gaze returning to Eric.
"I don't know what's gotten into her, she's normally so outgoing," Leila glanced apologetically at Amber and Eric.
"Were you drawing, Madeleine?" Amber's mom asked, and received another nod. "What did you draw?"
Madeleine seemed to consider a second, her little fists curling over the paper. "Dogs," she said, her hands relaxing.
"Can I see it?" That was all the prompting Madeleine needed; she slid off the sofa and went to her grandmother, holding up her drawing of various black circles.
"That's Nobu, Claire's dog," Madeleine pointed.