Zak realised he would be eating an evening meal at the time he normally had breakfast. He always found Gran’s dinners somewhat strange. He’d been told she grew up in an era when vegetables were fashionable.
After dinner, they shifted to the sofas.
The family spent much of the time reminiscing. Zak sat there in a daze, behaving himself, but not paying much attention. He noticed that Skye seemed a little more interested, but then she had been promised a present.
This brought home the finality of the move. They talked as if they would never see each other again. It would be four years before he could legally leave his new home and return to Earth. He would lose his competitiveness at the crucial age, never to be recovered.
It was now four days until the journey. Once he boarded that flight to Mars, his ambition to become world V-Commando champion would turn to dust.
His parents did not care about this at all. For them, it was a highly convenient outcome. Well, they’d be lucky to get to Mars at all if the MMM had their way.
Zak despaired. It had all gone so horribly wrong. As the rest of the family waffled on, he alternated between leaning forward, chin on hands, and leaning back staring at the ceiling. Since the news was delivered he had been trying to think of a way out.
He checked the time. To his surprise, it was almost time to go. They planned to leave at 10pm Melbourne time.
It wasn’t long before Gran also noticed.
‘Well hasn’t time flown. It’s nearly my bedtime,’ she said, ‘You know I must keep to my hours or I start to get narky.’
‘Of course,’ said Dad.
‘Now Skye, I have a little something for you.’ She went to the mantelpiece, picked up a small navy box and brought it to Skye.
‘I have always wanted to give this to you in person,’ she said. ‘That’s so much better than you finding it in a crate of my belongings.’
Skye took the box and opened it.
