***
“Hurry,” Lily squealed. “It’s almost eight. It’ll be on soon.”
“Yes, Blue. Get back in here!” Stone yelled.
“Now!” Fisher added.
“I am getting something to drink. Hold on,” I huffed.
“Bluebell, are all these people really necessary?” Aspen asked as she walked through the kitchen.
“Well, I certainly can’t send them home without seeing the video. What ungracious hosts we would be. I’m sure that would reflect badly on the Lush Ambassador for Concord,” I smiled sweetly. “Plus, I don’t think that four people can really be classified as all these people,” I added.
“I meant to ask you about one of the boys. Thorn, is it? Well, is he the kind of person you should be associating with? What will people think?”
“What could you possibly mean by that?” I asked, completely thrown by the suggestion that his association could somehow tarnish my reputation.
“His mother passed away so long ago and his father never sought to enter into another Marriage Contract. He has been living alone for over a decade, and now it is just the two of them with no female influence at all. I find that strange. Concord would like us all to be happily connected to a well matched mate,” Aspen explained.
“There is no rule or mandate about that,” I reminded her.
“There should be,” she concluded. “No good can come from a single man. It takes a woman’s touch to guide a man onto the correct path in life. I firmly believe that.”
“Stand firm in your beliefs, Aspen. Stand firm,” I told her as I marched out of the room holding a tray filled with mugs of hot chocolate. A special night deserved a special treat.
“Bluebell, you are a lovely girl. Don’t let Fish tell you anything different,” Stone told me as I put the tray down in front of him.
“Thanks, I’ll remember that,” I smiled and then playfully cut my eyes at Fisher.
“Nice! Real nice, Stone,” Fisher shook his head.
“She is a lovely girl,” Thorn agreed. “But this hot chocolate is even lovelier.”
“Ssshhh,” Lily hissed, staring at the wall screen. “I think this is it,” she said as the screen went black for a moment… and then my face appeared on the screen. “Blue, sit by me!” She ordered.
Five minutes later the video ended and my friends all clapped their hands together in a roaring applause.
“I loved it,” Lily sighed. “They made you look so beautiful. I wish I could do my make-up that perfectly.”
“Yeah, me too,” I agreed. “Their people are amazing.”
“Nice speech, Blue,” Fisher said.
“It was shot well,” Stone added.
“You looked very sure of yourself. That’s a good thing. If you want to make people trust you, you should be sure of yourself,” Thorn remarked.
“So it’s good?” I asked.
“Very good,” Lily squealed.
Stone exhaled a bubble of air. “Excellent job, my friend.”
I covered my Brand with my right hand. “Should I be nervous about tomorrow night with The Pets? Because I am.”
“Nervous is good,” Lily said. “Nervous energy will keep you on your toes. You don’t want to get lazy and forget things.”
“You’re right. I don’t want to forget anything. I want to remember,” I said while looking at Thorn.
“Yes. Remember,” Thorn repeated.
“Lily, do you remember anything about your life before Training Tech?” I asked. “I know we were all so little, but I was just wondering.”
“I remember my bedroom. When we first came home from Incorporation, it was pretty much the way I pictured it in my head. And I remember making cookies with my mother, but that is it. I can’t really recall anything else. As you said, we were so young. I’m surprised I can remember that much.”
“I remember absolutely nothing from before, and hardly anything from Year One,” Fisher said. “What about you, Stone?”
“I remember lots of stuff, but I’m never sure if they’re real or imagined memories. I think it’s that creative thing in my brain. Works overdrive sometimes. I think most of the memories, the ones that I am certain are real, began in Year One. Why do you ask, Blue?”
My new memories began to feel like stolen items. I had pulled them out of the recesses of my mind. But was I supposed to? Was I allowed to?
“No reason. It’s just that Thorn…” I looked at Thorn and he gave me a small shake of his head. It was barely noticeable.
He interrupted me. “I was just writing a new story and I wondered if I could have my character remember something that happened to him before he entered Training Tech.”
“You could,” Lily said. “But I think it would have to be a pretty fuzzy memory. Very vague.”
“Exactly. Just something general,” Fisher added. “Like being in a crowd or riding in a vehicle or playing with something.”
Stone blew out an air bubble. “I don’t like forcing myself to think about things past. I swear it hurts my brain. That’s probably why I just create scenarios instead. It’s more fun that way anyway.”
“Are The Pets ready for their Gala?” I asked, changing the subject.
Lily nodded her head. “Oh yes! Petunia and Petals are going to wear matching floral print dresses with big poofy skirts. Pet 1 will have a pink floral crown and Pet 2 will wear a purple one. They gave me all the details yesterday. They’re pretty excited to meet the two sets of brothers too.”
“Cimarron told me that a new gown will be delivered tomorrow for me to wear. Something the new Style Consultant they brought in picked out. What are you going to wear?” I asked her.
“Mother had a lovely yellow gown in her closet. We had that refitted for me. I’m still upset that you weren’t at Rosemary’s last week. I looked fabulous! Were you really that sick?”
“More exhausted than sick, I guess. It was awful. I could barely stand,” I repeated the lie that Aspen and my grandfather had decided upon.
“That Cimarron works you much too hard,” Lily frowned. “I missed you. It would have been so much fun with you there.”
“I’m sure you had fun with Fisher there,” I winked.
“And Stone!” Stone exclaimed. “You can’t have fun without Stone!”
Lily laughed. “Yes, and Stone.”
Stone looked at Thorn. “Why didn’t you go?”
“Wasn’t invited,” Thorn shrugged.
Lily looked from Thorn to me. “You two are close all of the sudden.”
“Instant friendship, I guess. I’m reading his stories,” I said.
“She gives excellent feedback,” Thorn added.
“Are you going to the Gala together?” Lily asked.
“Not together. Cimarron would never allow that. My grandfather wouldn’t allow it either.”
“I didn’t realize I was so undesirable,” Thorn said with an exaggerated frown.
“Don’t worry. So am I.” Stone mirrored Thorn’s expression. “Lily told me that she wanted Blue to ask if I could escort her to their Gala next week. But that isn’t going to happen either. She’s crushed us both.”
I looked from Stone to Thorn. “Boys, boys, I am at the mercy of The Council. I promise.”
“Joking, Blue,” Stone laughed. “You’re all wrong for me, anyway. I’ve decided that I have a weakness for freckled red heads with light eyes. Freckles on bare shoulders are irresistible. I just want to connect the dots with my fingers. You’re a great girl though,” he winked.
“Thanks, Stone,” I winked back at him. “Maybe I’ll grow some freckles and become more appealing to you.”
“Might work.”
Aspen came into the room, and declared that it was time for everyone to leave. She said that a full night’s sleep was necessary for such an important day. If I was to look my best then I needed to be well rested.
I had to agree with her. When I didn’t sleep well, it showed.
I hugged Lily, Fisher,
and Stone, said goodbye, and then turned to Thorn.
He placed a little box in my hand, gave me a hug, and whispered in my ear. “Wear this tomorrow.” When he pulled back he said in a louder voice, “You did great, Bluebell.” Then he left.
“Upstairs and to bed,” Aspen repeated her orders after I closed the door.
“I’m going straight to bed. I promise,” I sighed as I climbed the steps.
When I was alone in my room, with the door closed, I opened the little box Thorn had placed in my hand. Inside was a little gold ring with a flower in the middle. It was the ring… the one that had been tied to the ribbon around my neck that day, years ago. I remembered it. I took it out of the box and slipped it onto the middle finger on my right hand. It fit perfectly.