01

by Unknown

  “It does.”

  I waited for her to continue.

  “Guy, she’s been…I don’t know…reserved, I guess. Every time I went to visit her, she…she refused to talk about it, any of it.”

  I moved my chair closer and laced my fingers through hers. “Who can blame her? It was traumatic. She probably just wants to forget.”

  “It’s not just that…she hasn’t talked with me even once about the baby! The last time I was there she was really showing, and there was nothing.” She shook her head as she continued, “Who doesn’t talk about something like that with her own sister?”

  It was Scott who had called us the night Nadine was born. He’d said Aimee was too tired to talk just then. That was understandable. But in the days and weeks that had followed, Aimee had cut off all communication, and Keira had become moody and with-drawn. I’d called Scott and suggested sending Keira over for one last visit before Aimee’s return, but he had advised against it.

  Keira looked at me with tears in her eyes.

  “Come here.” Together we stood and walked toward the sofa in the living room. I turned off the lights as we moved past. This apartment was right in the middle of a downtown Elite neighborhood. Out the window, we could see hundreds of lights glittering in the darkness. From this vantage, Tkaron was a beautiful sight. We just sat, me with my arm around her, she with her head resting on my shoulder. It was our most comfortable position.

  Finally, I spoke. “Aimee is going to need you. She’s going to need your support even if it feels like she’s pushing you away. I think you two should live together for a while.”

  “You want her to move in here?” she asked in surprise.

  “No, you should move back to the other building.”

  “To a Working Class neighborhood? Isn’t she supposed to be Elite?”

  “It’s not exactly a Working Class neighborhood. It’s right on the edge. There are other Elite tenants.”

  “We’d have to share a room.”

  “No, you won’t. I’ve been anticipating her return, so I sold that apartment and upgraded to a two bedroom on the tenth floor. CalTech has already installed security, and Raquelle has modified the system to include thumbprint recognition. You’ll both have space and pri-vacy. I’ll even ask Eberhardt to move back into his old apartment, just in case either of you need him.”

  Keira’s eyes narrowed. “You have been thinking about this, and you’re talking like it’s a job.”

  “Would it help you to think of it like that?”

  She hesitated and then nodded. “Maybe.”

  We sat in silence.

  Suddenly Keira turned to me. “Will I need to prepare the apartment for Nadine too?”

  “I don’t know. I suppose so.”

  It was frustrating, this lack of communication. The baby was nearly three months old, and all we knew was her gender and name.

  “You should call Scott tomorrow. We’ll need to know which flight she’ll be taking anyway.”

  Keira leaned against me again. “Guy?”

  “Yes?”

  “I’m ready for bed. You?”

  “Sure.” There was a lot more to discuss, but it could wait a little longer.

  The next morning, we awoke to the sun streaming in through the bedroom window. It looked like the start of a glorious day, golden and bright. After a hot shower and an enjoy-able breakfast, maybe then we could finally talk about expectations. We had the whole day to discuss what it would mean.

  I hopped into the shower first. After drying off, I pulled on a pair of clean boxers and a bathrobe. Then I began to make breakfast: scrambled eggs, toast and bacon. Despite my best efforts to teach her, Keira’s meals, though thoughtfully prepared were mediocre at best.

  I also set out a bowl of strawberries. Fresh fruit, especially when out of season, was reserved for the Elite. The Working Class would have to make do with canned fruit until the local produce was ready to harvest.

  From across the apartment, I heard Keira singing in the shower. I smiled to myself. She really loved Depression era songs from the early 20th century, and she had a great voice. It always amazed me what she did know, despite her Working Class education.

  Just as I finished setting breakfast on the table, there was a knock on the door followed by the sound of a key in the lock. My heart jumped to my throat as a man and woman entered the apartment. The man turned to punch in the security code.

  Sounds from the other room had all but disappeared. I have to get to her before she…I’ll greet them and then warn her.

  I hurried over. “Hello Mother, Father.” I planted a gentle kiss on my mother’s cheek and nodded to my father. “Why don’t you two sit down and enjoy breakfast?”

  My mother looked at me in surprise. “Why thank you, but you could have dressed first.”

  “You got our message then,” my father said as he patted me on the shoulder. “Good, we have a lot to discuss!”

  I’d tried hard to avoid this particular conversation, and now it was upon me.

  “Why didn’t you set a place for yourself?” my mother said, as Keira walked in from the bedroom. Keira’s hair dripped, and she wore a lovely matching set of emerald green satin undergarments and nothing else. She gave a little yelp and dove back into the bedroom.

  The door slammed behind her.

  My father raised one eyebrow and asked, “Who was that?”

  I hurried away and called over my shoulder, “Excuse me. I’ll need a few minutes.” I closed the door behind me and turned to Keira. “I’m so sorry. They just showed up. It’s not like them. Usually they call.” I looked at my transceiver on the dresser. “Did someone call while I was in the shower?”

  She looked at my transceiver too. “Yes. Those are your parents, aren’t they?”

  I nodded.

  “This is so not good.” She shook her head, and her hand flew to her wet hair. “This is very, very bad.” She began to pace and wring her hands.

  “Keira, I need to ask you something important, only this isn’t at all how I’d imagined it would be.” I knelt down.

  She stopped and turned to face me. Incredulity emanated from every pore.

  I reached out my hand. “Will you marry me?”

  -Keira-

  The Proposal

  I dried myself and started to dress when my stomach grumbled with displeasure. Just then a delicious aroma wafted in from the kitchen. I turned away from the closet. My clothes would still be there after breakfast.

  When I walked into the dining room, Guy turned. He looked startled and…terrified?

  Directly behind him stood an older couple. Company? No, not just company. In that second, I knew. The man’s blue eyes and the woman’s sandy brown hair were identical to Guy’s.

  I jumped back into the bedroom and slammed the door,then leaned against it. What a wonderful first impression, Keira. Way to go! You’ve been with their son for over a year, and this is how they meet you?

  Seconds later, the doorknob turned. I stepped back, out of view and heard Guy mumble something about needing a few minutes.

  Then he asked it, the big question. The one we’d never even discussed because it was impossible and so very much against everything I believed in. Marry him? Absolutely not!

  Give the Gov an easy way to track me? It was ridiculous! I couldn’t marry him. I couldn’t marry anyone.

  I took another step back and shook my head. “No, I can’t.”

  “Why not?”

  I looked into his deep blue eyes and was surprised to see confusion. “For starters, I’m a wanted fugitive, and you’re an upstanding bachelor of the year!” I spat, referring to the newsvid that had aired on New Year’s Eve.

  We’d both laughed when he’d been classified as one of Tkaron’s 20 most eligible bachelors. I’d laughed even harder, when Brody had topped him. Guy hadn’t laughed at that. Maybe he’d never laughed at all. Had he considered marriage even then?

  I stared at him and tried to figure
things out quickly.

  “I can’t be here right now. You need to talk with your parents alone. Get dressed, and give me a minute to think.”

  Guy disappeared into the walk-in closet. He emerged a few minutes later in tan slacks and a navy blue polo shirt. He walked over to the bed, sat and pulled me down next to him.

  He spoke quietly. “They’re pushing for me to marry. A young bachelor in his 20s, that’s just fine, but when I hit 30…they expect me to settle down. Everyone does.”

  “Can’t you remain a bachelor?”

  “Not easily. Not without uncomfortable questions being raised. A man of my social standing, hoping to continue the family business…avoiding marriage won’t be acceptable by anyone’s standard.”

  “But if I say yes, and you present me as your fiancee, the news coverage will be every-where. I won’t be able to lay low, I won’t be able to help Aimee and I certainly won’t be able to meet Brody for drinks and dancing every Tuesday. Then how will we get people through airline security? No.” I shook my head. “There’s too much at stake.”

  Guy took both of my hands in his. What could he possibly say to change any of that?

  “Aimee is one of the Elite now. The best place for her to hide is in plain view. As for Brody, he’s already Elite, and if you marry me, you will be too. There would be no reason you two couldn’t be friends. We can do this!”

  “No.” I shook my head again. “It’s too risky.”

  “Keira, I’ve been thinking about this for months, about how it could work, and I have some other ideas too. This could be an opportunity for us, but we need some time to discuss it. The other option…well, I don’t like it.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  He looked away. “The Elite marry each other all the time for reasons other than love.

  Sometimes they don’t even live together. Sometimes there’s someone else on the side.”

  “You’d marry someone else? Making me your mistress…” my voice trailed off. Since we’d been together, I hadn’t even taken any jobs that would have required…and now to have him consider it. It felt like I’d swallowed a lump of lead.

  Guy wouldn’t look at me. “I don’t want that, but it would be better than losing you altogether.”

  I reached over and gently turned his face toward mine. I kept my gaze steady and called his bluff. “You would never marry someone else and lie to them about it.” He closed his eyes. I took a deep breath and sighed. “You said you had some ideas.”

  He stood and pulled me up with him. “Yes, and it begins with you leaving in an angry huff right now.”

  “What?”

  “Will you trust me on this?”

  I nodded slowly. “What do you want me to do?”

  “We need to make them think I picked you up last night. Put on something appropriate.

  When you leave, be rude and hurry past them. Try not to let them see your face.”

  I entered the closet and quickly pulled on a short, tight red skirt and skin tight top, not the sort of outfit worn by the Elite. I let my hair hang down.

  Guy waited by the open bedroom door. He moved in front of it and handed me a small black handbag. Then he leaned down and gently placed a kiss on my cheek. His breath was soft on my ear. “Eberhardt’s key is in your purse. Wait for me there.”

  I pushed him away and put everything I had into my performance.

  “Fine, I’ll go!” I yelled and slapped him across the face, hard. Then I began to cry. I hurried out of the room and across the apartment. I wiped my tears with my arm and kept my gaze turned away from his parents who sat and waited to enjoy the breakfast that was supposed to have been ours.

  Just before the front door slammed behind me, I heard his mother say, “What was she expecting, a proposal?” I hurried down the stairs. My tears had unexpectedly become real.

  -Aimee-

  Nadine

  I sat on the cushioned window seat, enveloped in darkness, and gazed out at the sparkling nighttime cityscape. A warm breeze filtered in through the open window. It caused the sheer drapes to flutter next to me and caressed my skin. In Parisio, every house had access to light and energy all of the time. A year ago, I wouldn’t have believed such a thing was possible, not in my lifetime anyway. In contrast, Tkaron was a cold and lonely city after the sun went down, unless you had wealth. In just under two weeks, I would return to that dark place.

  After nearly a year, my cauchemars, as Noah called them, had finally begun to subside.

  I concentrated on the good times. Although life in Parisio was amazing, life in Tkaron hadn’t always been bad, especially with Keira and Scott around. I sighed. Parisio had only been a temporary reprieve, and I didn’t really belong here. Where I’m going next has to be better than what I left behind. And my new role would fund rescue efforts for people like April, the me of the past.

  I turned my head as a baby’s cry echoed from the last room at the end of the hall. Nadine had awakened, and Danielle would tend to her. Noah was so proud to be a big brother. Nadine belonged here, with a brother who would befriend her, with parents who already loved her without reservation, in a society that was willing to care for her needs.

  ***

  The next night I worked on just one more painting at Art Fantastique, my seventh today.

  I’d tried to convinced myself that the fifth and the sixth were my last, yet here I was. I’d spent the afternoon cataloging incoming artwork, Guy’s latest black market shipment from Tkaron.

  A noise from the front of the shop drew my attention away from the painting. Someone had arrived, though the store had been closed for nearly two hours. A voice called, “Aimee, are you here?”

  “I’m in the back!”

  Danielle appeared in the doorway. Her long dark hair had been fastened back with a pale blue silk scarf. She leaned against the door frame. “It’s late, well past dinner. Were you planning on coming home tonight?”

  I smiled sadly and set down the book I’d been studying. “I don’t want too much down-time. I’d rather keep my thoughts occupied.”

  Danielle sat in the chair next to me. “May I?” She gestured toward the book, and I handed it to her. She looked at the painting on the easel and then at the book. “Do you think it’s authentic?”

  I considered the painting one more time. “I think it’s an extremely well done copy. It’s definitely worth something but not worth the risk of sending it overseas from Tkaron. We could sell it in another city in Terene.”

  She set the book on the table and turned to face me. “I’ll miss having you around.”

  I sighed. “I’m going to miss you too, and the other art students in my classes, they’ve all been so kind. And you, you’ve taught me so much! I don’t think I’ll ever be able to repay you for that.”

  “Oh, please! You don’t owe me anything.”

  I looked away.

  Danielle hesitated, then said, “May I ask you something?”

  My shoulders tensed. “I guess.”

  “You said you’ve been trying to keep your thoughts occupied. What are you avoiding?”

  A few silent tears trailed down my face as I whispered, “Nadine.”

  She nodded. “Are you still planning to talk with Keira about that, or have you changed your mind?”

  A few months ago, shortly after Nadine’s birth, we’d met with an attorney. He’d drafted the adoption documents. Scott and Danielle were legally Nadine’s parents. I hadn’t changed my mind about that. It was the other part. What would Keira say?

  “I’ll talk with her. I’ll let you know if she doesn’t agree.”

  “Alright.” Danielle reached for my hand and thankfully changed the subject. “If we hurry home, you’ll have time to read Noah a story before bed.”

  -Keira-

  New London, New Decisions

  Guy found me a few hours later on Eberhardt’s couch. I’d been watching a popular tele-cast called Everyday Elite. It showcased a few select members of
the Elite every month and had a dual result: it made them even more pretentious than usual and put them on edge as they wondered if anyone would hire a Freelancer to sabotage them. Before I’d joined the Resistance, I’d made it a priority to find a teleview and watch this show in order to discover potential targets and their vanities.

  I turned off the vidscreen and looked at Guy. He folded my aquamarine sundress over the back of a chair in the dinette area, then moved closer and dropped into Eberhardt’s favorite overstuffed brown leather chair.

  He glanced around. “Where’s Eberhardt?”

  “I don’t know. You gave him the day off, remember?” I removed the key from my purse and handed it to him.

  Guy twirled it around before he pocketed it. “I really didn’t mean for it to happen like that.”

  “But you did mean to propose?”

  He nodded. “You can’t come back to my apartment, not for a while. I’ve packed your things. They’re in the car.”

  I shrugged. “That’s okay, I guess. I was going to move in with Aimee anyway.” I turned away and peered out the window. The grey clouds matched my mood.

  “Have you eaten?”

  Without looking, I pointed to a box of crackers and an empty can of beer that sat on an end table. My stomach had let me know how displeased it was with those choices.

  “Keira.” He intertwined his fingers through mine, and I turned back to him. “I want you to come away with me. If you’ll just change into that dress, we can get going. We’ll pick up some lunch on the way.”

  “You’re just going to disappear? What will your parents think?” I was being sarcastic, but he answered honestly.

  “After our talk this morning, they’ll probably think I’m off on one last fling. I should call Ellie though, so she doesn’t worry.” Ellie was his secretary and another member of the Resistance.

  “Exactly what did you discuss?”

  “My future. I agreed to stop playing around and seriously search for a suitable life partner.” His deep blue eyes kept me riveted. “My father reminded me that marriage is a social contract, for appearances only, you see.” Guy’s eyes clouded over. “He hasn’t been entirely faithful to my mother.”