With your mother's permission, I would like to ask you on a date tonight for your birthday. I don't fully understand the significance of birthdays yet, but your mother assures me that I need to make this day special for you. I am happy to do that. I'd like to pick you up at your room at 6:00. We will be going somewhere formal which means you should wear a dress and I'll wear a suit. I'll have you back to your room by midnight. I guess this date stuff means we get to stay up late. It will be fun and full of surprises. Happy Birthday, Elira.
My life changed for the better the moment I saw you through the glass.
Thanks for choosing me,
Garth
Lifting the paper to my nose, I can smell a whiff of Garth's scent on it. I used to call that scent manliness, but I know now that it is just Garth. Jefrey, Rocky, and Scott all have their own scents and theirs don't appeal to me nearly as much as Garth's does. I wonder which came first, the affection for the boy or the enjoyment of his scent.
"So, what is making you smile so much?" Avra asks.
"I am going on a date with Garth tonight."
"Really? That's the thing you were telling me about, where a girl and a boy spend time getting to know each other, right?"
"Yep!"
"That sounds fun. Where are you going?"
"Uh, I don't know for sure, but we are going somewhere formal. Will you help me get ready?"
"Yeah. Should we do that now? When are you leaving?"
"We're leaving at 6:00 tonight. I want to at least pick out a dress and maybe a hairstyle right now though."
Avra's eyes light up. "Okay, I know just the one."
We enter our huge closet together and walk straight to the dress section. "What do you think of this one?" Avra asks as she holds up a long, silky, navy blue dress with diamond looking stones all over the front and a surprisingly open area in the back.
"It's beautiful but the back is so—open."
"It doesn't show that much skin, I tried it on the other day."
"If this is a favorite of yours, I don't want to take it."
"I'm too short for it, so don't worry. I think you should wear it with these heels." Avra holds up the most blinging pair of high heels in the closet. The shoes appear to be made of only sparkly diamonds.
Avra watches my reaction, so I smile bigger than I feel. "Wow. They are stunning. I don't think my toes can handle them, though."
"Oh, right." She frowns for a second then picks up a pair of black flats with a border of sparkly stones around the foot holes. "These will work. You should wear this necklace with it, too." The necklace she holds up has three different strands of sparkly stones. The center of the necklace has big stones and they decrease in size as they travel up the strands to the clasp.
"Do you think these are diamonds?"
"Who knows. Even if they aren't, you will be the shiniest girl on the street." Avra hands the necklace to me.
The weight of the necklace surprises me. "Do you think it's wise for me to go somewhere standing out this much?"
"I doubt you'll leave the house. I bet your date will be upstairs."
"Oh, yeah."
•
"How do you like the chicken salad sandwiches, Elira?"
I smile at my eager mother. "They are heavenly. The grapes add the right amount of sweet and the celery adds the right amount of crunch to the chicken."
"Do you want another croissant?"
"Uh, I've had three already."
Mother giggles. "Well, maybe you should leave room for the cake. I'll go get it."
A minute later my mom and Freda appear at the bottom of the stairs with a four-layered white and purple frosted cake. "Everybody, help me sing," my mother calls out.
"We don't know any songs," Avra says with concern.
My mother's face falls then perks back up. "I'll teach you the birthday song. It's simple."
Avra obviously wants to please my mother. "Okay, if you say so."
My friends lose their skepticism as my mom teaches them the simple words of the birthday song. "Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear Elira. Happy birthday to you!" Their song and happy faces fill me with joy. This kind of treatment sure makes a girl feel special.
My dad has his camera ready. "Make a wish, Elira, and blow out the candles."
I have so many wishes, how will I choose just one? "Do I have to say it out loud?"
"No. If you say it out loud, it won't come true," my dad assures me.
"Oh. Okay." I think my wish in my mind and blow out all 17 candles on top of the cake.
My mom claps excitedly. "You blew out every candle in one breath. That means your wish will come true."
"I hope it does."
Avra leans toward me and whispers, "What was it?"
"I'll tell you later."
Mother holds up a knife. "Who wants a piece of cake?"
Everyone wants a piece of the beautiful cake. The inside is chocolate with a red goo in between the layers of cake. I have no idea how they put the goo there. I'll have to ask Avra tonight.
•
"Avra, I'm not sure I should wear this. I like looking so much older but I'm afraid I'll spill my food on the silk and ruin it." I bite my lip as I look at myself in the big bathroom mirror.
"Take smaller bites and you'll be just fine."
"I really wish I knew what we are doing tonight. What if we go somewhere outside?"
Avra powders my chin one more time to cover my perspiration. "Your parents will make sure you're safe. Don't worry."
Knock, knock.
Avra almost drops the powder case she's holding. "It's six o clock! Garth's here, Elira. Let me help you put your lipstick on." Avra slides a beautiful plum color across my lips. If my eye wasn't under a layer of makeup right now, my lips would probably match my eye.
I take a deep breath and open the door. Garth is standing there wearing a white shirt, a black suit and a black bow tie. He's wearing his fake earlobe and sideburns. Wow, his hair is gelled, and he looks amazing. I'm guessing I look okay too because he cannot take his eyes off me.
"Elira, you look fantastic."
I look into the eyes that I love, even though they're brown tonight. "Thank you, you don't look bad yourself." I tremble slightly as I take Garth's offered arm and walk with him down the hall to the great room. Everyone is looking at us and smiling, including my parents. Well, not everyone. Not Jefrey. I don't know where he is. My mom and dad are both dressed formal and fancy too.
Mother shows me the four tickets in her hand. "We are going to the opera, Elira. Do you know what that is?"
"Uh." I think of all the lessons Ernestine has given me. "It's singing, right?"
"Yes, it's singing that only a few singers in the world have a big enough range of voice to execute. If you have any of my musical genes in you, you'll like it."
I look at Garth's smiling face but then lower my gaze to his deformed hand. "Won't people notice Garth's hand?"
My dad shakes his head. "You will have a private box seat and the crowds will hide small details like a hand."
I let my eyes linger on the breathtakingly handsome man next to me. He doesn't look worried. "Okay. Here goes nothing."
•
Once we get to the garage, we climb into a dark purple car with a sun roof and leather seats. I haven't noticed this car before. I wonder if it's new. The car ride to the theater is rather quiet. I wonder if everyone is as scared that someone will recognize us as I am. I decide that if I hold Garth's deformed hand in mine it will be less noticeable. When we get to the theater we get out and someone gets in the car and drives it away. "He—he's stealing your car!" I say to my dad in his ear.
; He smiles at me and says, "No, he's just parking it for me. Don't worry. Smile and act like this is a normal activity for you."
Garth laughs at the look on my face which makes the corners of my mouth turn up a little too. I need to loosen up and enjoy this even though all these people make me nervous. I whisper into his ear, "Help me look natural."
He leans over and kisses my cheek. "You look like you belong with these fancy people, Elira. Just smile and everything will be fine."
A tall thin man in a tuxedo approaches us. "Doctor and Mrs. Hamble, it's nice to see you at the theater again. Who are your guests?"
"This is my niece, Edith, and her boyfriend, Garrett. They are in town for the weekend, so we thought we'd treat them to an opera. They'll take the box next to ours."
"Excellent. If you'll just follow me, I'll take you to your favorite box."
Well, that went better than I expected. The attendant looked right at my eye and didn't notice anything strange. We follow the attendant to the second story of the building. Garth and I are seated in a little room thing with soft, comfortable seats and a big open wall to see the stage down below. My parents look at me and smile as they move to the next box over. I hope they are really on the other side of this wall thing. I call around the edge, "Doctor Hamble are you there?"
"Yes, Edith, we're right on the other side of the wall," my mom's voice answers. "Sit back and enjoy the show."
I breathe a sigh of relief. Garth sits forward in his seat and looks at all the people below. "I've never seen so many people in one place before."
I sidle up next to him. "I know, and they are all so fancy."
"Eh. I have the best seat and the best-looking date in the house."
My cheeks flush. "Stop."
"I'm serious. You look great in your parents' world."
"It is..." The lights go dark in our box and the stage lights up in front of us.
I am blown away by the costumes and the voices of the performers on the stage. I don't understand what they're saying, but the music is beautiful. Garth gets a funny look on his face every time the main singer hits a high note. It makes me giggle. His hand feels so good in mine and no one out there in the dark knows that we are wanted persons. When the lights come back up we join my parents in the crowd of people going down the stairs. I wish I could talk to them but the people around us are too loud for us to hear each other.
Our car comes back! I admit, I'm glad that guy didn't steal it. When we're safely inside my mother turns around in her seat and asks, "What did you think of the opera?"
"It was amazing. I just wish I knew what they were saying."
My mother hands me her program. "They were speaking Italian." I guess I should've looked at my own program. I hand hers back.
My dad is ready to talk of other things. "Is the birthday girl hungry?"
"Yes, I'm starving."
"I know just the place." Mother and Father grin at each other as we drive.
We pull up to a big, black, fancy looking restaurant with big windows in the front. Those windows give me some anxiety. "Mom, I don't want to be in the window where everyone can see me."
"You won't. We'll get our own rooms in the back. It will be similar to the theater."
"Okay."
Garth takes my hand as the car drives away again. My mother says this is called ‘valet parking.' We hear someone playing the piano as we enter the restaurant. A man in a tuxedo is sitting at a grand piano with the top open playing a jazzy tune.
Another man in a tuxedo practically sprints to us. "Doctor and Mrs. Hamble, we are happy to see you again. Would you like your favorite table?"
"Not this time, Roman. Could we get two private rooms? Our niece and her boyfriend are in town to arrange some important financial matters with his parents. They need some privacy tonight if that's all right."
"Anything for you, Doctor Hamble. Right this way."
We are led to an elegant little room where we find a round table covered with a white tablecloth. The crystal chandelier above the table makes the fresh red rose in the center of the table glow with radiance. Garth pulls out a chair for me. The host pulls out a chair for him.
My mom looks at us like we are the cutest thing she's ever seen. "When you two are ready to go, knock on the door to your right to find us."
"Okay. Thank you, Aunt Florence." Mother flinches as she walks out with my dad.
The host places a large menu in front of me and says, "Your waiter will be with you in a moment. His name is Jeffrey."
My head jerks up from my menu. "Jefrey?"
"Is that going to be a problem, Miss?"
"Oh, no. How funny. We have a friend named Jefrey." The host smiles half-heartedly like he doesn't find that information interesting at all. He leaves with my parents and shuts the door.
Garth leans forward. "Was it just me, or did we skip the line out there?"
I look up from my menu. "Huh? Was there a line?"
"There were three other couples waiting by the skinny wooden desk when we came in."
"Oh. I hope we didn't cut in front of them."
"That Roman guy ran up to us and took us right in. I don't think he wanted us to wait in line."
"My parents must be valuable customers to him."
"Yeah, I think so."
"What are you going to have?"
Garth looks up from his menu. "I'd love to have your hand in mine."
I grin and take his normal hand in mine; he keeps the deformed one under the table. I shake my head playfully. "What are you going to order?"
"I don't know. I'm trying to decide between the prime rib and the filet mignon because they are the cheapest things on the menu."
"Oh. I think my parents would have said something if they didn't want to spend too much. I think you should get whatever you want."
Jeffrey, our waiter, enters our room with a small basket just then. "Hello, I am Jeffrey. I will be your waiter for the evening. I have been informed that the couple next door wishes to pay for your meal tonight, and you should feel free to order whatever you want. What can I get you to drink?"
My eyes flit to the list of drinks on the menu. I don't know what any of them are except one. "I'll take a lemonade, please."
"I'll have one as well." Garth says.
"I'll be back with two lemonades shortly."
"Thank you, Jeffrey." He pauses, surprised that I remembered his name.
Garth sits back and watches Jeffrey leave. "I'm still going to get the prime rib."
"That's fine. I think I'll get the salmon."
"You like fish?"
"Yeah. Especially Freda's."
"Huh. I think it's okay, but I don't love it."
"Why?"
"It's too flaky. It falls apart when I stab it with a fork. I like meat I have to sink my teeth into."
I smile and unwrap the little basket Jeffrey brought us. "I like well-seasoned flaky fish. Would you like one of these rolls?"
"Yes. Thank you." Garth looks at his white roll while he butters it then looks at me. "Elira, do you think we'll ever get to go to places like this alone?"
I sigh longingly. "Well, if we change the complex law, then yes."
"What if it doesn't change?"
I shrug. "We'll always have to live in hiding." Garth's eyes droop. Oh dang. I want to keep this conversation happy. "I think my mom wants us to experience normal life as much as possible, no matter what."
Garth lifts my hand to his lips and kisses it. "Do you think your parents will ever let me drive?"
I savor the rich buttery flavor of the roll in my mouth. "They let Ernestine drive their cars and she's a little bit scary behind the wheel, so I bet they will let you
someday."
Garth flashes me one of his stunning smiles. "That would be great. That would be ultimate freedom for me. I feel like I'm always stuck in one building or another, but if I had a car and could drive, I'd never be stuck anywhere ever again."
I nod as I internalize what he said. "We did change from a life in the complex to a life in my parents' basement. But we are only stuck there because of the bounty on our heads."
Garth looks apologetic. "We do get to leave. This tonight, for example, is amazing. Don't think I'm not happy we left," he insists.
"I know. You are definitely not your brother. I just don't need a car to feel free. I like walking in the sunshine, to be honest. Ultimate freedom to me is being able to look people in the eye and not worry that they will cringe at my looks or turn me in for money. If I could do that without makeup, that would be even better." I stop talking as Jeffrey comes in with our lemonades.
"Have you decided what to order?"
Garth keeps both hands under the table as he says, "Yes. I am ready. Are you, El—Edith?"
My heart beats faster. Did Jeffery catch that? "Yes. I would like the salmon with all the trimmings."
Jeffrey doesn't bat an eye. "And you, sir?"
Garth doesn't hesitate. "I'll have the prime rib.
"Traeger style?"
"Yes, why not."
"Would you like an appetizer while you wait?"
Garth looks at me questioningly. "Sure."
"Which one would you like?"
I start scanning the menu like a mad woman for the word ‘appetizers.' Garth looks at Jeffrey's notebook and asks, "What would you recommend?"
"My favorite is the blini with caviar."
Garth nods his head. "Sounds good. Is that okay with you, Edith?"
I look up from the menu gratefully. "Yes. That sounds great."
"Very good." Jeffrey takes our menus away. "I'll be back."
Garth reaches across the table and takes my hand again. "So, you're 17 today. How does it feel?"
The Complex Law: Young Adult Dystopian Page-Turner (The Complex Trilogy Book 2) Page 14
