Dinner For Two

"What if I don't want to go?" I sat uncomfortably in my car seat, watching my parents in front. They were in a pretty good mood right now. Today was my Removal. It was the day every parent dreamed of. At least that's what I've heard.

"You have to go, sweetie," my mom said with a huge smile on her face. "We've been waiting a real long time for this. Twelve whole years."

That's how old I was. Twelve. I guess they've been waiting ever since I was born. Is that why they've been so nice to me all these years, just so they can send me to the Removal? What was so special about it? All I knew was that it was my big day, but nothing else. They never told me. Maybe I should just ask.

"But what is the Removal?" I'm hoping they give me a good answer.

"We told you, sweetie, it's your big day."

The same response I've always got.

"No, Mom. I mean, what is it exactly?"

I saw my dad's hands grip the steering wheel tighter. His happy smile turned to a dark look as he kept his eyes on the road. My mom turned to look at him nervously, trying to keep her smile intact.

"We've already told you," he said slowly. "Now stop asking."

"Why?"

"You're too young to understand, that's why."

This seemed a bit strange to me. If I was too young to understand it, why was I expected to go through with it? My parents weren't making sense anymore. Why was it such a secret? If the Removal was something I had to do anyway, why couldn't they at least tell me what it was?

Suddenly I felt a little queasy. What if the Removal was something bad? My seat seemed even more uncomfortable than before. Where were they really taking me?

"I want to go home," I whined.

"Don't be ridiculous," my mom said sternly. "We're almost there."

"Please?" I said. I didn't want to go to my Removal anymore. All I wanted to do was go home. I had a stomach ache now. If they weren't going to tell me what the Removal was, then I didn't want to go.

Dad suddenly pressed the brakes. The car lurched forward violently. Now I knew why they always told me to put my seatbelt on. But even so, my whole body was snapped forward, and the seatbelt hurt as it squeezed around me. I started to feel scared now.

I looked to my mother, who was just as shaken as I was. She looked to my father again, her eyes wide. He simply stared out the windshield, his hands gripping the wheel ever tighter.

"Look, Junior," he said in a low voice. "Either keep quiet until we get to your Removal, or get dropped off here."

I looked out the window to my right. We were on a dusty, dirt road in the middle of nowhere. I saw a few cactuses growing in the horizon. I didn't want to stay here. So I kept quiet.

After a few moments of silence my dad put on his former smile again.

"Good boy."

We were off again. We drove down the road faster than before. I guess my dad was getting impatient. I stopped worrying about my Removal. What was the worst it could be? After all, I was only twelve. What could they do to me? I sighed and relaxed back into my seat. I wasn't afraid anymore. What could be worse than getting dropped off in the middle of nowhere? I was safe and sound in a car with my loving parents seated up front. My seat was growing more comfortable again.

I felt my stomach rumble. Mom and Dad hadn't let me eat breakfast that morning. They had told me that it would only interfere with my Removal.

"Hey Dad, what are we going to have for lunch today?" I asked. Maybe Mom would make macaroni and cheese again.

My dad chuckled.

"We're having dinner for two at the fanciest restaurant in town, Son," he said, turning to my mom with a knowing smile. She giggled back, and soon the bubbling happiness that had filled the air before was once again restored.

At first I smiled with them, but then something struck me. There were three of us in the car.

He probably just miscounted.