Matronly Duties

by Melissa Kendall

  “Now we are going to wind down a little, catch a few hours’ sleep, and then tomorrow we will make the trek to the main camp.”

  “Okay, and how are we winding down?” I picture us together, kissing some more, but I don’t want to be presumptuous.

  “That, my love, is totally up to you.”

  My heart soars at hearing him call me “love” in person. I want to climb into his lap and tell him I love him in return. My head, on the other hand, is prodding me to ask a million questions about what’s going on.

  In this instance, my heart wins. I hop out of my chair and move in front of Howard.

  “May I?” I say, pointing to his lap.

  “By all means.”

  He sits up straight and I arrange myself sideways on his lap, my legs dangling over the arm of the chair. I’m a little off-balance so I wrap my hands around his neck, bringing us face-to-face.

  “Make yourself scarce,” Howard says, and I’m pretty sure he’s not talking to me.

  His tongue peeks out from between his lips, leaving a trail of moisture in its wake. I’m mesmerised and stare at his mouth for far longer than is appropriate.

  “So this is what you’ve decided we are doing?” he asks.

  When I get my thoughts together, I respond, “Yeah, I guess you can say that. My mind and my heart had a discussion, and my heart won, so here I am.”

  “And now that you’re here?”

  I’d have to be unconscious not to pick up on the innuendo in his words. Emboldened, I place my lips against his.

  I’m a little hesitant at first, unsure what exactly I should do, but it doesn’t take long for him to respond. His lips part, and I can’t help but part mine, too. He slips his tongue inside when I do, and the feel of him entering my mouth is like nothing I’ve ever felt. Our tongues dance as I kiss him with every ounce of love I have for him.

  We make out for a long time. The longer we kiss, the urge to experience something even more rises within me. A little voice in the back of my mind tells me tonight is not the night, though, and I break the kiss. As I try to catch my breath, I can’t help but notice the adoration in Howard’s expression.

  “I love you,” I utter, not realising I am going to say the words until I do. I freeze for a second, thinking I have said the wrong thing, but Howard’s lips crash into mine and ease my worries.

  “Oh, Beth, I love you, too, so much.”

  We seal our declarations with another passion-filled kiss. Never in a million years did I expect to experience love at all, let alone with a man like Howard. But here I am, sitting in the lap of the man I love, hearing him tell me he feels the same.

  “I think we should probably get our butts in bed,” he says, pulling away reluctantly. “We have a long trek ahead of us tomorrow.”

  “Aww,” I whine like a little kid.

  Howard helps me to my feet and then stands himself. He grabs my hand again and leads me to the tent. There are two swags side by side. He tells me to remove my shoes and anything else that would be uncomfortable to sleep in before hopping in. I’m thankful the clothes I was given are loose. As much as I’m attracted to Howard and love him dearly, I’m not sure I’m ready to undress in front of him yet.

  Lying on my side facing him, I slide my hand towards Howard. He doesn’t hesitate to place his hand in mine.

  “Will you tell me how you got out of prison, seeing as you don’t have to worry about me telling anyone now?”

  He makes sure I am looking him in the eye before he says, “You know I was never worried that you would tell. I was worried that they would hurt you to get to me.”

  “Well, regardless, you can tell me now, right?”

  “It’s not that exciting of a story. Once I got the job in the loading dock, it was just a matter of finding the right time. I hid in a rubbish bin and hitched a ride out on the truck that came to collect them. As soon as it was far enough from the prison, I jumped off the back. Then I made my way to the settlement.”

  “Wow, that sounds so easy.”

  “Well, I wouldn’t say it was easy, but I did it, and now I am here.”

  “Yes, you are. So where to from here?”

  Howard glances at his watch. “I’ll fill you in on the rest tomorrow. For now, we really should sleep.”

  Resigned to the fact that is all the info I am going to get tonight, I huddle up and try to quiet my brain.

  “I love you,” I say, unable to keep the words inside now that I’ve said them once.

  “I love you, too.” Howard runs his finger over my cheek. “Now, close your eyes.”

  His smile is the last thing I see before sleep claims me.

  Chapter 18

  When I open my eyes the next morning, I can’t help but smile at the fact Howard is lying next to me. For a brief instant, I think it’s all a dream, but then the memories of the night before come flooding back.

  “Morning, beautiful. You need to get up so we can get on our way.”

  “Did I sleep long?”

  “A few hours, but we are too exposed here. If we stay much longer, there is a better than even chance we could get caught.”

  The mere idea is enough to light a fire under me. Once the campsite is tidied for other outcasts who might need it, we grab my bags and start our trek farther into the earth.

  “So where exactly are we going?”

  “We’re heading to an underground community where others like us are living until it is warm enough on the surface to make the trek to Sydney.”

  “Sydney?” I wasn’t sure if I was hearing Howard right. Sydney was a major Australian city in the ancestors’ time, but it had been destroyed two centuries ago.

  “Yes, Sydney. The fact that Oceania is the only human settlement is yet another government lie. There is a settlement of about five thousand people about three thousand kilometres southeast of here.”

  I’m stunned, to say the least. I was taught that the only people who survived the asteroid were the ones in the official government bunkers. It occurs to me that maybe the settlement is something new.

  “How long has there been a second settlement?”

  “Since the asteroid.”

  “Wow.”

  “There is a lot you don’t know, but I promise you I will explain it all.”

  The first hour of our trek is through a long, almost straight tunnel and is all downhill. We stop at a junction in the road where five options branch out, and break to rehydrate with water and a snack. I take the opportunity to ask some of the million questions on my mind.

  “So is Sydney the only settlement other than Oceania?”

  “Yes, in the Southern Hemisphere it is.”

  “And how did they survive?”

  “Money, basically. Billionaire Alfred Martin didn’t trust the world’s governments. He was what the ancestors called a doomsday prepper. Back in the late twentieth century, he used his money to build an office block in the central business district of Sydney. He decided to make it a fallout shelter of sorts. For every floor up the building went, it also went that far down. When word of the asteroid came, he offered a select few a place to shelter and hopefully survive the catastrophe. There were four families initially and a few servants, but that has grown over the years. In the last two decades, most of the growth has been people who have fled Oceania in fear for their lives.”

  I sit stunned, not knowing what to say. My mind is having a hard time coming to grips with the fact there is a whole other settlement of people who have managed to go it alone for the last two centuries.

  My next thought is, “How did anyone find out that they even existed?”

  “The government has always known about them. For two years after the asteroids hit, every new nation broadcast radio messages with phone numbers, so any survivors could ring the main settlement and they would try to find a way to help them. Alfred Martin rang in and advised them of how many people there were in his shelter, and when he was offered help, he declined. Once a year, som
eone from Sydney rings in to let the government know they are still fine.”

  “I’m just . . . I don’t . . . wow. This is such a lot to take in.”

  “Come on, break is over. We still have a good few hours ahead of us and the easy bit is over.”

  Holding out his hand, Howard helps me up. He pulls me into his arms, planting his lips on mine and kissing me with a passion that sets me ablaze.

  “I’ve wanted to do that all morning,” he says as he breaks the kiss.

  It takes a little while for my lust-addled brain to catch up. “Feel free to do that any time you want.”

  “Ooh, you are a tempting one, my love, but we have to go. People are expecting us.” I think he is finished talking so I start to move, but he pulls me to him and whispers in my ear. “But don’t think that the next time we are alone I won’t take you up on that offer.”

  My legs feel like jelly at that comment, and all I really want is to keep kissing him. Instead, I put one foot in front of the other and get myself moving.

  We continue on making lefts and rights in a seemingly random way.

  “How do you know where to go?” I ask.

  Howard is a few paces ahead of me, so he stops to wait before answering. “For the most part, it’s from memory. This isn’t my first time down here by a long shot. But there are also these.” He points to a mark in the rock well above head height, which, when you examine it closely, is an arrow. “Most people don’t think to look above their heads for directions.”

  “Huh . . . clever.”

  Howard grabs my hand and we continue our trek.

  He was not kidding when he said we had finished with the easy bit. For the next two hours we traipse through small, claustrophobia-inducing spaces—all of them slightly uphill. Exhausted, all I want to do is sit and have a rest, but Howard is relentless, insisting there is no point stopping now because we are almost there.

  “You said that half an hour ago.”

  I am about to whine about taking a break, but a glimpse of light ahead catches my attention. As we reach the end of the tunnel, it opens into an amazing cavern, big enough to house thousands of people.

  I stand stunned, because on the far side of the cavern is a small town. They have obviously been down here for some time, given that they have built makeshift homes and even found a way to provide electricity.

  “Come on,” Howard says, tugging my hand. “There’s a lot to see.”

  It takes twenty minutes to make our way to the community proper. When we arrive, people stare at me as we walk through the tents and buildings. They aren’t the friendly stares I am used to, though. These looks have a menacing edge.

  Eventually we stop in front of one of the larger accommodations, and Howard knocks on the door. A few moments later, it opens and Rhonda James stands on the other side.

  “Oh, heavens, you’re here!” She’s jumping up and down like she has ants in her pants. She pulls me into a fierce hug in her excitement, then turns to her son and hugs him, too. “Everything went okay? Did you have any trouble?”

  “No, Ma, everything went smoothly. I’ve had a group of guards watching the entrance, just in case.”

  She turns and yells into the residence for Bradley. “Go fetch that thing I asked you about earlier!”

  Her words are a bit odd, but I don’t bother asking. At the moment, I am too exhausted.

  Bradley comes running down the hallway and out the front door. Behind him is Margie. I’ve missed her terribly, and before I even make the conscious decision to do so, I’m moving across the room.

  Margie wraps her arms around me and we hug, holding each other tight.

  “I’m okay,” Margie says, pulling away to look at me.

  I can’t stop the tear that rolls down my cheek. “I thought for sure something bad had happened when I came back and you were gone.”

  “Nah, they can’t get rid of me that easily.”

  I wipe my cheeks dry. “Still, I’m glad you’re okay.”

  “What about you?” Margie asks.

  Answering her question is not easy. There are a million emotions rolling around in my brain right now. “I’m fine. As good as can be, given the circumstances.”

  “You look good. The casual clothes and the french braid make you appear so much younger than those dowdy clothes and buns you had to wear as Matron.”

  “Hey, I liked those clothes. They were comfortable.”

  “Yeah, and ugly,” Margie replies with a wink.

  “Be nice,” Howard says from behind me. “She looks beautiful, no matter what she wears.”

  Margie scowls at him. “You wouldn’t know nice clothes if they came up and bit you on the—”

  “Enough.” Rhonda’s voice echoes around the room. “There will be plenty of time for catching up and other things, but for now how about you try and act like the adults you are?”

  Just then there is a knock at the door. Rhonda calls out “come in,” obviously expecting someone she knows.

  Turning around to see who has come to visit, I almost die of shock to see my parents standing there. I am up and out of my seat in seconds.

  “Mum? Dad?”

  They’re older than I remember, their faces haggard but full of the same ache I’ve felt the last few months. The weight of the worry I’ve felt for them comes down on me and I’m moving before I’ve consciously made the decision to.

  “Oh my gosh, I was so worried.”

  Quickly, I’m in their arms. “Oh, sweetie, we’ve been worried about you, too,” my mum cries.

  “You have no idea how much,” my dad adds.

  Their arms hold me tight. “I missed you.” Dad pulls back and looks me in the eye. “Oh, my darling daughter, we’ve missed you every day since we dropped you off at that forsaken institute.” His words hold an unmistakable anger. “If I knew then what I do now, I would have taken you and your mum and gone into to hiding then. I’m so sorry for everything you’ve had to go through.”

  “Daddy?” The tears I’ve been keeping at bay finally roll down my cheeks and, if I’m not mistaken, there are tears in my dad’s eyes as well. He wraps his arms around me and Mum and holds so tight I have trouble breathing.

  Once I have my emotions under control, I turn to see Howard and Rhonda watching us with big smiles on their faces. Thinking there’s no time like the present, I introduce Howard to my parents.

  “Mum, Dad, this is Rhonda and Howard James.” Looking at Rhonda and Howard, I say, “These are my parents, Selina Mitchell and David Greene.”

  “Beautiful, we’ve already met,” Howard says.

  Dad steps up to Howard and shakes his hand. “Thank you for bringing our daughter back to us. We knew if anyone could do it, it would be you.”

  “Nice to see you both again,” Rhonda says.

  I feel a little silly as I watch my mum and Rhonda hug and whisper something to each other that brings cheeky smiles to their faces.

  “Okay,” I say a little louder than I intended. “I think it is about time someone fills me in on what the hell is going on.”

  We all sit down in the chairs scattered around the makeshift living area.

  “So where do you want us to start?” Rhonda asks.

  “At the beginning. Actually, no, start with explaining why my mum and dad are here.”

  “Ooh, that’s an easy story,” Mum says. She exchanges a look with my father, one I remember from my childhood. She wants him to do it, but he shakes his head. She whispers something in his ear, but he still shakes his head. When she scowls at him and crosses her arms over her chest, Dad huffs in acceptance.

  “Want the long or the short version?” he asks, turning to me.

  “Whichever is going to explain the situation best.”

  “Okay, the long version it is. I dropped one of the folders I was filing one day at the Central Records office, and when I picked it up off the floor, I happened to read some of the pages. I noticed there were surface temperature readings listed, and that
there were two copies of each document—the original and the official one. The official documents stated the temperatures were much colder than they actually were. I refiled the documents and never said a word about it. Somehow, though, the government discovered what I knew and threatened your mother’s life and mine. Some friends of ours also happened to be friends with the Jameses and they put us in contact with them, and they helped get us here.”

  I hold my father’s gaze as I process what he’s told me. A memory of the meeting I attended at Chief Minister Smythe’s insistence comes flooding back to me. He got angry about surface temperatures.

  “Does that mean it is safe for us to be on the surface?”

  Howard responds. “Sort of. There are two months of the year when the surface temperatures are warm enough that we can venture outside unprotected. But, when I say warm, I mean not so cold that it will kill you.”

  “And how cold is that exactly?”

  “Well, during winter, we’re talking minus fifty.”

  “I just don’t understand why they keep this from the public. It’s not like people are going to want to live on the surface when that is the warmest it gets.”

  “It’s not about that,” Howard says. “It is all about resources, power, and control. Right now, the government has all of it. They can do what they want and when they want, and the people do what they’re told because they don’t know any different. They wouldn’t have that power if the public knew the truth, and that is why they are so hell-bent on keeping the citizens in the dark.”

  Howard’s explanation gives a new light to everything that has been going on. What I still don’t understand is how these people plan to fix it. Will the citizens really want to live differently? Will they even care? I guess it’s the right to choose that the Trads are fighting for.

  “So what’s next?”

  “Well . . .” Howard says. “At the moment, it is just wait and prepare. It’s another month and a half before it will be warm enough on the surface for us to travel to Sydney. In the meantime, there are a lot of supplies that need procuring.”

  “And how exactly are they going to be obtained?”

  “We’ll sneak into the city and take them,” he replies, rather matter-of-factly.