***
Cimarron was on overdrive for the entire week that followed my grandfather’s visit. I was completely exhausted each and every day, collapsing on my bed earlier each night as the week progressed. My nightly assignments consumed my time, I’d barely managed to finish Thorn’s story. I still hadn’t found the time to discuss it with him.
I was expected to memorize speeches, practice talking in front of a mirror while examining my facial expressions, and was given dozens of random questions to answer. Cimarron said that a successful ambassador would be able to answer any question posed, at a moment’s notice, and do it dutifully, and with flair. Answering questions proved to be the easiest task. I always knew the appropriate response in any situation.
Twice, the students learning Video Production at the CEC filmed me while I gave a prepared speech, and I would be graduating to the actual Concord Video Department sometime during the following week. Stone had done his best to break my concentration, making a spectacle of his blown up cheeks. He managed to puff them up larger than I had ever seen. It took all my strength to look past his silly face and continue to extoll the virtues of Concord. I was proud of myself.
One thing that struck me during the week was the more I read the words Cimarron gave to me the more I realized that they were true. The speeches were starting to sink in. I’d always known that I would do what was expected of me, but I did it blindly. It started to become clearer that Concord did have my best interests at heart. And not only that – It became more apparent that Concord was always striving to make my life easier, safer, and better than the day before.
By Friday, I was in bed by seven o’clock in the evening, completely exhausted but satisfied with my work that week.
Get up, Bluebell! Get up, Bluebell! The beeping notification on my tablet woke me a few hours later.
I rubbed at my eyes with the back of one hand while I reached for the tablet with the other. Video Chat Requested scrolled across the screen. It was from Thorn. I accepted the chat and yawned into the camera as Thorn’s image appeared on the screen. I rolled onto my side and propped the tablet against a pillow.
“I woke you,” Thorn frowned.
“It’s fine, really. I purposely left my notifications turned on. I was hoping you’d contact me. It was a very busy week, but I did manage to read your short story. I really liked it.”
“I can contact you another time. We don’t need to talk about this right now. There is no rush.”
I stifled another yawn. “Thorn, I’m serious. It was just a much-needed nap. I’m awake, I swear.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. I’m sure!” I brought myself up to a seated position. “See, awake.”
“Okay. I see. So you liked the story?”
“I did. I loved all of the vivid descriptions. You made me feel like I was walking the path with the two characters. I could see the green trees, the tall grass, and the blooming flowers.”
Thorn smiled. “That means you enjoyed my writing skills. I want to know if you liked the story.”
I thought about his question for a moment. The story was of a man and a woman, walking through a garden, discussing whether or not their marriage was going to last. They questioned their decision to enter into a Contract in the first place and wondered if they’d be happy with their choice as they grew older. It seemed like a difficult conversation for two people to be having.
“I could feel their angst. Forever is a long time. It would be very hard to start questioning a choice like that. I wanted to reassure them that Concord would be proud of them if they stood strong together. But you ended it with uncertainty.”
“I thought you’d enjoy that. You could imagine your own ending, decide what would become of the two of them.”
“That’s so true. I can imagine my own ending. Oh that makes it even better. Honestly Cimarron has run me nonstop this week and I am too busy to think sometimes, I think.” I giggled. “Gracious. I can’t believe I just said that, to think sometimes, I think. I’m talking in circles now. I guess I must be a little tired still, not fully awake. Anyway, what made you write it?”
“I imagine that many people question their Marriage Contract choice. Fertile Citizens are encouraged to find a mate as quickly as possible and begin a family soon after,” he stated. “It all seems so rushed. Sometimes I think it would be nice if Citizens were encouraged to take some time and make sure that they are making a match that would make them happy, as well as being a suitable one.”
“Thorn, you know as well as I do that research indicates that a fertile woman is most likely to produce healthy offspring between the ages of eighteen and twenty-eight. After that her chances are so greatly reduced that Concord will rarely allow it. It is logical to begin as early as possible.”
“Oh, I know. It was simply an exercise to see if I could capture the scene and capture their conversation while still portraying genuine emotions.”
I smiled at him. “I think you were fully successful on all accounts. I could picture the scene in my head and I felt as if I were walking beside them, eaves-dropping on their conversation. I could see the worry on her face; a reflection of her partner’s concern. You drew me into the story.”
“That is encouraging,” Thorn said. “I wrote two more short stories this week. They were for a required assignment. I uploaded them to my instructor a few hours ago. I guess I’m a bit nervous to hear his reaction to my story telling.”
“Did you write about marriage in those ones too?” I asked.
“No. But it is a topic I think should be openly discussed. Even though Incorporation just ended for us, and most of us are still seventeen, if we are branded with an O we’ll be expected to find a mate soon. Especially you, Bluebell.”
“I know. My father and Aspen are already scheming,” I sighed. “But one must do one’s duty.”
“Must one?” Thorn asked.
“One must,” I answered. “Especially one who is the Lush Ambassador for Concord, one who needs to set an example for young future Citizens. One must.”
“I guess so. But it still concerns me to see rushed unions and unhappy mothers and fathers that end up living as brothers and sisters because they are just doing their duty.”
“I think, for the most part, a Marriage Contract is mostly about compatibility, mutual interests, and extending the family lines. What do you think it should be about?” I asked.
“About what I see growing between Lily and Fisher. There is a spark that happens whenever they come together.”
“I rarely see that spark. My father and Aspen don’t have it, most of the other parents don’t seem to have it either,” I countered.
“Exactly. It is a shame.” His lips twisted into a confused sort of frown. “Hey. Do you want to meet in the park?”
I shook my head. “Now? It is almost ten o’clock, Thorn. That’s too late to be meeting in a park.”
“You’re probably right,” he conceded. “How about tomorrow then?”
“Excellent idea. Maybe you could show me one of your other stories.”
Thorn smiled. “How about at 11:00 tomorrow and then we could get something to eat afterward?”
“Food! How could I resist food?” I exclaimed.
“You can’t,” Thorn shrugged. “It is impossible to resist food.”
“It is,” I nodded my head in agreement, “especially if there are carrot cookies involved.”
Thorn scratched his cheek with his right hand. “I’m pretty sure we can find carrot cookies for you.”
“Then it is a deal,” I smiled.