She climbed the stairs, pausing at the parlor door. If she went in to see her mother now, soaking and disheveled, an argument would ensue. But, if she changed before going in, she wouldn’t have an excuse to escape if their conversation turned sour. Feeling the weight of her wet clothes pressing down on her, Charlie continued climbing the stairs to her bedroom, her one haven. Shutting the door behind her, she stripped down before heading into the shower.
She reemerged smelling of lavender and papayas. Usually nothing revived her more than the feeling of being clean, but today the magic of soap and water failed her. No amount of scrubbing could erase the fact that she’d signed her life away to the Determining. She pulled on a pair of shorts and a simple shirt; an outfit sure to make her mother cringe and her father frown with disapproval. Buoyed by this small rebellion, Charlie grabbed her tablet. As promised, a copy of the Determining sat waiting in her inbox. She opened the file before heading for the parlor.
Margaret Grey sat in a wingback chair, looking regal. She wore her deep brown hair pulled back into an attractive French twist that left the line of her neck bare. A pale blue dress suit complimented by pearl earrings and nude pumps completed her sophisticated ensemble. Looking at her mother, Charlie realized that her future sat before her: elegant outfits assembled to impress and intimidate. Everything would be a stuffy pretense. The thought depressed her. She’d hoped her life would hold more than pretense and excess. She longed for something real, meaningful.
“I’ve been waiting. What took you so long?” Margaret asked, her voice sharp with annoyance. She didn’t look up from the tablet in her hand.
Charlie ignored the question. “Hi.” She flopped down onto the couch across from her mother, pulling her feet up under her.
Margaret glanced up. “What are you wearing?” Her eyebrows rose as she took in Charlie’s casual appearance. “I thought you wore that beautiful suit I left out for you.”
“It was either this or leave a watermark on your precious couch.”
Margaret eyed her again before reaching for the little silver bell sitting on the end table. Within seconds of ringing it, Constance appeared in the doorway.
“Bring us tea.” Margaret instructed. Constance nodded, slipping from the room. “Your father will be home soon, and then we can all discuss your Determining. But, while I have you to myself, I wanted to talk to you about the party.”
“What party?” Charlie frowned in confusion.
“You know that every girl has her coming-out after the Determining.” Her lips puckered as if she’d tasted something sour. “I’m sure I told you when I sent the invitations out two months ago.”
“No, Mother, you didn’t.” But I should have known this was coming. Being Determined meant you were considered an adult. The party was used as an introduction into Determined society. What it really boiled down to was a convenient way to parade a single girl around for the single Determined men. Charlie had pushed the party to the back of her mind partly as an avoidance method but also because she’d been too preoccupied with her Determining.
“I’ve already booked that gorgeous room at the club. The one that overlooks the lake. It will be beautiful all strung with lights. The club said they would float candles on the lake like they did for Sybil’s wedding. Of course, you will have more candles than she did.” Margaret looked back at her tablet. “I’ve checked the calendar. You’re the only Councilman’s daughter to go through the Determining this season, so attendance will be high. This is the perfect opportunity for us to find you a suitable husband.”
Before Charlie could respond, Constance reappeared bearing a tea tray. She placed it on the coffee table between mother and daughter. “Is there anything else, ma’am?”
Margaret waved her hand, dismissing Constance without a word of thanks. When they were alone again, Margaret continued. “I’ve already heard from a number of my friends. All assured me they are bringing their eligible sons.”
Charlie poured herself a cup of tea, adding both milk and sugar. She stirred her cup with more force than necessary, enjoying the look of disdain on Margaret’s face when the spoon clattered against the china. “Mother, I’m with Drew.”
“Of course. Drew.” Margaret’s voice cooled as she said his name. “Well, that’s fine. But darling, there is no promise that you are Compatible with him. Just keep that in mind at the party. There will be so many handsome young men. It would be a shame to burn any bridges.”
“Who says I’ll be Compatible with any of the men at the party?” Charlie challenged. “I refuse to look for a replacement until I know for certain that Drew and I aren’t Compatible.”
Ignoring her, Margaret went on. “You need a new dress for the party, something to show you off at your best. I thought we might look for one together. That lovely boutique on Parkside is expecting us tomorrow. We’ll have a little over three weeks to order it and have the alteration done. That should be plenty of time.
“After shopping, we’ll be having lunch with a few of my-”
“I already have plans tomorrow,” Charlie interrupted, not bothering to disguise the annoyance she felt. She’d told Margaret about these plans, but, like usual, she’d been ignored. “I’m meeting Ruth for lunch.”
Margaret shot her a scathing look. “Reschedule.”
“No, I promi—”
Her father’s sudden entrance cut her response short. He threw the door open, heading straight for the decanter of whisky. A foul expression darkened his features. Charlie couldn’t tell if it was the weather, which had dampened his expensive suit, or just his usual disposition. Either way, the sight of Richard with a glass of whisky in hand never boded well.
“Welcome home.” Margaret stood, walking to her husband’s side. She slid an arm around his waist, kissing his bearded cheek. He grunted in response before pulling away from her embrace.
“Where are your results?” He directed his question to Charlie. She looked at him for a moment, taking in the sight of him. A neatly pressed black suit showed off his tall, muscular frame. He kept his salt-and-peppered hair clean cut and his beard trimmed. He would have been a handsome man if not for his temper.
“Here.” She reached for her tablet, taking her time as she made sure the file remained open on the screen. Richard let out an exasperated breath at but didn’t hesitate to snatch the device from her hand.
He made his way to a second wingback chair. Margaret followed close behind. His eyes scanned the page as her mother strained to read over his shoulder. Charlie took anxious sips of her tea, desperate for something to keep her occupied while she waited. After what seemed like hours, but couldn’t have been more than a minute, Richard handed the tablet to Margaret. She took it, reading. The further she read, the bigger her smile grew.
“Oh darling, this is wonderful!”
Charlie ignored her mother, watching her father. He wore a passive expression. “You aren’t surprised,” she accused.
“No, I’m not. Any child of mine would naturally follow in my footsteps. Congratulations, Charlotte. I know how hard you’ve worked for this.” A sarcastic sneer punctuated his snide comment.
She’d suspected her father’s involvement in her Determining but hadn’t been sure until now. He was the Councilman for the Province of Kansas, a member of the governing body for the Confederation. With that much power at his fingertips, she shouldn’t have been surprised at his involvement, but she was. “This is your fault.” She struggled to control her voice when all she wanted to do was scream.
Richard glowered. “I see nothing wrong. With this outcome, you will be in the perfect position to take over when I die.” He took a gulp of whisky, sighing when the burn hit.
She jumped to her feet, knocking her teacup onto the floor. “But I don’t want to take over for you. I’ve done everything I could to avoid that fate!” Her voice rose to a yell. She could feel her face reddening.
“That was obvious.” Richard scoffed. “After looking through your file, I was a
ppalled. I should have kept a closer eye on you, wasting your time with those idiotic charities and scraping by in all your business classes. Oh yes, it was obvious. And that’s why I stepped in. I couldn’t let you throw away your life like that. You are my heir and you will carry on my legacy.”
“Richard!” Margaret didn’t seem surprised by her husband’s revelation. Rather, she looked annoyed that he’d revealed it so readily.
Charlie whirled to face Margaret. “You knew, too?”
“Darling, your father and I want what’s best for you. You don’t understand the security this future provides for you.”
“What if I don’t want to be secure? I’d rather do something I’m good at, something I love.”
Richard scoffed. “And what is it that you’re good at? Enlighten us.”
Charlie stopped, caught off guard by the question. Honestly, she didn’t know what she wanted to do with her life, other than it couldn’t be what her parents planned. Or a biased result spat out by the stupid chip. Her future should be based on her merit and aptitude, not dictated to her.
Richard’s eyes flashed with ire. “You stupid girl. This is how the world works. We don’t live in the Old World anymore. People don’t have the option to say ‘I’d rather.’ What you want doesn’t make any difference. Obedience is the only thing that matters.”
“I won’t do this. It’s my life!” Charlie turned to leave but stopped when Richard flew out of his chair, grasping her wrist and squeezing it.
“This is a binding contract, Charlotte. A contract that you signed. You have already agreed to this.” The alcohol on his breath made her gag.
Her heart pulsed a frantic rhythm, but she put on a calm façade as she faced him. “I may not have a choice in my future education, but I sure as hell get to choose what I do with it. I still have that freedom. You can rest assured that I won’t ever take over for you.”
In an instant, Charlie knew she’d crossed the line. Richard’s eyes darkened and his breathing became shallow. She saw his hand before she felt it. The force behind the blow knocked her off balance, landing her on the ground at his feet. Her own hand flew to her injured cheek. Sticky blood moistened her fingers where Richard’s ring had cut into her soft flesh. She stayed on the floor, looking up at her father. He stared back at her with no sign of regret. Behind him, Margret stood white-faced and open-mouthed.
“Obedience, Charlotte.” He poured himself another glass of whisky before stepping over her as he left the room.
Chapter Three
“Not that one, it does nothing for your figure. Honestly, I wish you would consider some enhancements.” Margaret’s critical eyes examined Charlie’s offending small chest. “They would increase your chances of catching someone’s eye at the party.”
Charlie winced at the criticism. “I caught Drew’s eye without surgical help.”
“I know, dear.” Margaret waved her hand like she was shooing a pesky fly out of her face. “Try on the black one with the sweetheart neckline next.”
Charlie bit back a sharp retort. Stepping down from the pedestal, she headed back to the dressing room. She peeled off the skintight red dress her mother had selected. The urge to throw the garment on the ground and kick it was tempting. “How many more do I have to try on?” she called through the door.
“As many as it takes.” Margaret’s muffled response destroyed any hope Charlie harbored of escaping. A headache had crept up behind her eyes ten dresses ago. Now it morphed into a pulsing throb that threatened to explode into a full-force migraine at the slightest provocation. She rubbed her eyes, wincing when her hand accidently brushed the cheek her father had backhanded.
Charlie studied herself in the mirror. She still couldn’t believe Richard had hit her. He’d always taken his anger out on her verbally. Now a bruise colored her cheek, and a red cut marred her otherwise flawless ivory skin. She’d done the best she could to cover the discolored skin, but there was nothing more she could do for the scab. Concealer and powder caught in the rough skin, highlighting the line jutting across her cheek. She traced the wound with her fingertip, finding it apropos that the ring that caused the injury marked her father as a member of the ruling Council.
A knock on the door pulled her out of her thoughts.
“Do you need help?” Margaret called.
“No, I’m coming.” Charlie grabbed the first black dress she saw. She threw it on unceremoniously, emerging seconds later.
Before she made it to the mirrors, Margaret stopped her. “That’s not the one I wanted to see.” She scolded her like a child. “Go back and put on the one I asked for.”
Charlie shook her head in frustration. This was the last thing she needed today. She didn’t want a dress for the party. She’d consented to the shopping trip to appease Margaret. She longed for the moment of peace this trip would reward her with, but couldn’t help thinking that it came at too high a price.
“I need a break,” Charlie declared, pushing past Margaret. Heads turned and eyes followed her as she stomped through the rows of designer dresses toward the front of the store.
She’d almost made her escape when a petite sales girl rushed up to her. “Miss? Um… miss?”
“What?” Charlie snapped.
The poor thing looked petrified. “I can’t let you leave while wearing the merchandise.”
Charlie glanced down at the dress, flushing with embarrassment. “Of course.” She headed back to the dressing room but paused as a dress on a nearby rack caught her eye. “Could you bring that one to my fitting room?” She glanced back at the sales girl.
“Yes, miss. I’ll bring the sample dress right away.” She scurried off before Charlie could thank her.
“You know we don’t have time for your little tantrums.” Margaret scowled when Charlie returned to the fitting area. “I have so many things to do before the party and your uncooperative behavior hasn’t made any of this easier.”
“What’s the rush? Let’s postpone the stupid party.” Her mother shot her a menacing glare. “Never mind,” she muttered under her breath.
“What is that?” She followed her mother’s horrified gaze. The nervous sales girl approached cautiously with the dress Charlie requested.
“Should I take it back, ma’am?” The girl directed the question to Margaret.
“It’s horrid. Take it awa— ”
“No. You can put it in my fitting room.” Ignoring Margaret’s protests, Charlie followed the girl into the fitting room and closed the door behind them. “Can you help me?” The girl nodded. With hurried movements, she unzipped the black dress and took the new one off its hanger. A moment later, Charlie stepped out of the fitting room. Holding her head high, she walked up to the pedestal.
The dress fit like an extension of her own body. The pale pink material complimented her light brown hair and green eyes. With a high empire waist, the dress had a casual, comfortable feel, but beading along the capped sleeves, bust, and hem gave it an elegant look. The migraine that threatened only minutes before disappeared when Charlie took in her reflection. She smiled for the first time since arriving at the boutique.
“This is the dress.” Charlie nodded to herself.
“Charlotte, that color is all wrong for your skin tone. You look washed out and, frankly, fat.” Margaret eyed the dress with disgust. “I want you to wear something daring. Every other girl wears pale colors to their coming-out parties. You must wear something that will stand out. Why not a deep red?”
She heard her mother’s insult but ignored it. “This is the dress I like. I’ll take it.”
“I won’t let you wear it. It looks cheap and you look cheap in it.” Mother and daughter locked eyes. Tension crackled like electricity in the air.
“If I don’t wear this dress, then I don’t wear anything. It’s your choice, Mother.” When Charlie came out of the fitting room a few minutes later in her street clothes, she saw Margaret offering up her wrist to be scanned in payment.
�
��We’ll order your dress and it will be ready for your fitting in a week, Miss Grey.” The sales girl chanced a smile before taking her leave. Full of satisfaction, Charlie smirked.
“I’m just happy you’re starting to come around to the idea of the party.” Margaret sounded anything but happy.
“Of course, Mother.” Her snide tone earned her a disapproving scowl.
Margaret led the way out of the dressing area and toward the exit, chattering all the while. “It’s important that you be on your best behavior at lunch today. I’ve invited a few ladies to join us. Each woman represents a son or grandson who would be considered a suitable match for you. If you impress them at this luncheon, you will improve your chances at securing one of them for a husband.”
“I told you that I’m meeting Ruth.” Charlie had to fight to hold back her frustration. “Please apologize to your friends on my behalf.”
“And I told you to cancel. You’re having lunch with me.” Margaret shot her a stern look as a black town car pulled up. Carlton, her mother’s driver, opened the door for the two women.
Indignation bubbled inside of Charlie. “No. I made these plans with Ruth weeks ago and I’ve barely see her since she went away to University. I won’t cancel them.”
“These women are friends of mine. I won’t allow you to slight them like this. Get in the car.” Margaret raised an eyebrow, daring Charlie to test her.
“Have your favorites stay to dinner. I’ll be home for round two.” She walked away, ignoring her mother’s shrill voice calling after her.
Finding a cab on Portestas’ busy streets was almost impossible. The capitol city of the Province of Kansas had an overabundance of people and a shortage of black cabs to accommodate them. People bustled along the sidewalks, making them as crowded as the road, but the city’s grid-like layout made navigating on foot easy.
Charlie glanced at her phone. The appointment at the boutique had run late thanks to Margaret’s insistence that Charlie try on every dress that struck her fancy. If she wanted to make it to the restaurant on time, she needed to hurry. The foot traffic congesting the sidewalks made running difficult. She wove between the masses, doing her best not to body check anyone. When a woman in front of her stopped suddenly, she couldn’t slow down in time to avoid a collision. She and the woman managed to remain standing, but Charlie garnered a powerful glare.
The Determining Page 2