by S. R. Booth
“Yes,” Maria replied, slightly startled at Sarah’s eager question. “Marriages are often arranged in my family. I had the benefit of the company choosing a compatible husband for me. I feel very blessed.”
“You moved to another country and married a stranger just because a company told you to?” Sarah’s shock came through clearly in her tone.
“I was not told to.” Maria’s back stiffened defensively. “I was given the opportunity to. I have not regretted my decision for one minute. Fredrick is a wonderful man and a kind husband. He is very attractive, also,” she added with a smile.
Sarah smiled with her, but her eyes held a hint of the trepidation she felt. She wondered if this arranged marriage was part of the eugenics ‘breeding’ program. Maria looked physically ‘ideal’, and the fact that English was apparently her second language and she spoke it almost flawlessly implied a high intelligence.
“I’m sure he is wonderful. I can’t wait to meet him. That brings me to another question. What exactly is your job description here? Yours and Fredrick’s?”
“It is very simple. We are to care for the house and the grounds and for you and Mr. Roth.”
“What am I supposed to do then?” Sarah asked, only partly joking.
“You? You are supposed to be happy and keep your husband happy I would imagine. Perhaps fill the house with children some day?” Maria shrugged and smiled mischievously.
Obviously she didn’t know that Sarah was not considered good ‘breeding’ stock. She wondered what else Maria did and did not know.
She stood up, and Maria rose to her feet also. “I really like how you have decorated and arranged everything in the house. Thank you.” She grabbed Maria’s hand on impulse and gave it a squeeze. “I think you and I could be good friends.”
“Oh, no ma’am!” Maria yanked her hand away. “We cannot be friends. I am here to serve you and your husband. I would never presume that we are equals.” She hurried out of the closet and put a hand to her burning cheeks.
“These Americans,” she muttered as she hurried from the room with a shake of her head, but a smile played around her lips as Sarah’s words warmed her heart. Maria decided she would be sure to do all she could to make Mrs. Roth happy.
Sarah sank back down in the closest chair and gazed out over the large backyard. Mature oak trees provided some shade and elegance to the yard. She’d been startled by Maria’s strong reaction to the idea of them being friends, but realized being close friends with Maria would have been a bad idea. She could tell Maria was very loyal to Scinegue. If Sarah ever slipped and said the wrong thing ... Well, it just wouldn’t have been a good idea.
Billy was drawn into his work almost immediately. He started by carefully reading the reports Mr. Bryant had given him, looking for any hint of malice. Everything he had read so far was about studies done on how to improve the human race and ideas to further the work—some had already been put into effect, others were still in the early planning stages. Nothing sinister or underhanded. No strange codes. Mostly stuff he’d already heard about: better food, better education, and other things to expand the mind.
And an interesting suggestion to check the vitamin and mineral levels in people who displayed any mental or physical problems. A little more humane than disposing of anyone who didn’t meet certain standards, he thought drily, remembering the very first paper he had read about eugenics.
He stood up to stretch and realized he’d been at his desk for several hours, although it felt like only minutes had gone by. He decided he could use a quick break, and looking at the beautiful fountain beyond his office he went out to explore.
A small glass door on the back wall led into the atrium without detracting from the room’s view. The roar of rushing water surprised him as soon as he opened the door. It was so quiet in his office, he hadn’t even considered the noise a huge fountain like that would make.
He stood and watched the fountain for a few minutes before venturing down one of the paths. He soon realized that the atrium was more like a park than just the center court he had pictured. The area was huge, with rambling paths and benches and chairs tucked away at intervals so many people could use the area at the same time and still enjoy a feeling of solitude.
There were plants everywhere. Mostly plants with large fronds and even a few trees. He looked up at the glass ceiling three stories overhead. He almost felt like he was in a jungle. The only things missing were the wild animals.
Billy wandered around, surprised to not see anyone else enjoying the park-like setting. Everyone was probably too busy with work, he decided, thinking about his own stack of reports that he still needed to go through.
Today, once again, Billy could see Scinegue in a positive light. He put his hands on his thighs and leaned forward to study some small flowering plants near the main path, his thoughts on the reports he had been reading. According to what he’d seen so far, the company really seemed to have the best interests of all humanity in mind.
He kept thinking that if his own grandparents and great-grandparents were involved with the original company, it could not have been too bad. But, he reminded himself, it was easy to believe only the good things about Scinegue because that would make it much easier on him. He could enjoy his job and his new house. He wouldn’t have to worry about anyone trying to ‘get rid’ of Sarah.
He’d decided just last night that he needed to persuade Sarah to go somewhere safe until they knew exactly what was going on, but he’d already changed his mind. He had no idea where a safe place would be, and knew he would feel better if she was with him so he could keep an eye on her. Above all else though, he wanted her to be protected.
What Farmer Dan said about the company wanting him to produce a fourth generation of selectively bred children could be true. These days, though, they could easily use artificial insemination. He and another ‘third-generationer’, as Farmer Dan had called him, didn’t have to be married to produce children.
Billy didn’t like the idea of that at all, though. He and Sarah had always wanted children. He couldn’t imagine knowing that he had children out in the world somewhere that he didn’t even know. And he wasn’t sure if the experiment depended on the chosen parents raising the child and affecting his or her outcome through their training and influence.
He’d wandered quite far through the atrium without keeping track of where he was going. He glanced at the walls and noticed they were all mirrored, and realized the reflection of the lush greenery made the area appear larger than it was. Probably two-way mirrors to other offices like his own, he decided, noticing mirrored doors in the walls as he looked closer. People wouldn’t want everyone who walked through there to be able to watch them work. He realized others could be watching him and hurried back to his office with a feeling of unease.
He had a bit of trouble finding his own office, the mirrored walls making it impossible to peek inside the offices to see which was his. Thankfully, the doors were spaced far enough apart that there was only one in the general area where he remembered entering the atrium. He still opened it cautiously in case he’d miscalculated, and let out a relieved breath when he recognized his own desk.
He became re-engrossed in his work, and the afternoon sped by until Mary Sinclair buzzed his intercom to let him know she was getting ready to leave for the evening.
“Wow! What time is it?” Billy asked the surprised receptionist who was used to a more professional response.
“It’s six fifteen, Mr. Roth. You should probably be leaving for the day, too. The company doesn’t encourage overworking. They don’t believe it makes for a good employee.”
“I still have a few reports left to go through. Do you think I should stay and finish them?” he asked her sincerely.
She laughed. He was the only person in this office that she knew of who didn’t have his professional face on every minute of every day even if they didn’t have a clue what they were doing. It was refreshing to work with someone
so down to earth.
“Billy,” she confided, “you’ll soon find out you are pretty much a boss around here. As such, it’s up to you to do as much or as little work as you feel is necessary. If you really want my opinion though, I say go home, enjoy your personal life. Work will be here when you come back. Have a good evening, sir. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Billy stared at the intercom. He was a boss? Mr. Bryant hadn’t mentioned that. He had treated him differently when they met that morning, though. Calling him sir and asking if there was anything else he needed. “Stranger and stranger,” he murmured, before shutting down his computer and heading for the door.
Sarah met Billy at the front door, picnic basket in hand and an appreciative smile on her face. “Whoa! Look at you!”
He glanced down, having forgotten his new attire. He shot her a half embarrassed grin as she twirled a finger for him to turn around and model.
“You look great! Where did you get the suit?”
“I told you I met with a tailor at the office yesterday morning, didn’t I?”
Sarah shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe. I really don’t remember with everything else that was going on. So, tell me everything.”
He laughed and loosened his tie. “Do I get to come inside first, or do I have to pass your inspection on the front porch?”
She laughed with him and stepped aside, using her free hand to wave him in graciously. “Sorry. I guess you’ll want to change before we go. So, tell me about the suit,” she demanded playfully as she followed him up the stairs to their room. “You look very handsome in it, by the way.”
“Not much to tell. The tailor measured every inch of me yesterday, and today he was waiting for me with this suit to try on. He said he will have another one, possibly two, ready for me tomorrow, and by next week most of my wardrobe should be completed.”
“He custom-made that overnight?” Sarah asked in disbelief.
“I don’t know.” He looked back at her with a blank expression and a shrug. “It sounds like they have some partially completed suits in stock, and then just hem them and stuff so they fit right.”
Sarah laughed at Billy’s simplified explanation. “Well, they did a great job however they went about it. How was work today?” she asked as he walked into their closet to change.
“Wow!” He poked his head back out of the closet and looked at her wide-eyed. “Have you seen the size of this closet? I think it’s bigger than our bedroom at home. Our old home,” he corrected with a shake of his head, “where we lived yesterday.”
Sarah smiled at his excitement. “It’s amazing, isn’t it? I spent most of the day exploring. The whole house is amazing! It’s all so beautiful, but it’s also so ‘us’. Right down to the books in the study and the DVDs in the living room. Definitely stuff we will enjoy reading and watching.” She refused to dwell on the fact that someone had been studying them very carefully.
“So, tell me about work,” she persisted. “Did you find out what you’ll be doing?” She set the picnic basket on the bed and followed him into the closet.
“Some,” he answered as he carefully shrugged out of his jacket. “Today I had several reports to go through. When I finish them I have to write a summary report myself.”
He turned to her excitedly, tie in hand. “I really enjoyed myself, though. The reports were all so interesting that the day just sped by. I set up a couple of spreadsheets to keep track of some information. For the most part, today my job was just to read.”
He smiled as Sarah took the tie from him and ran a hand down the length of it, enjoying the feel of the silky material before hanging it up.
“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself,” she answered hesitantly. Was it a good thing that he enjoyed working for a company that even now might be preparing to poison a portion of the food supply?
“Are you up for another outing?” she asked, changing the subject. “I planned a picnic dinner for us.”
“You know, I would really like to check out our new house myself. I haven’t even seen the backyard yet. Maria said something about her husband buying gardening equipment. I guess that means we can put in a garden here?”
“Maybe,” Sarah answered slowly, then gnawed at her lower lip. “I really hoped we could go have a peaceful picnic and just talk,” she emphasized.
Billy bent over to tie the laces on the sneakers he put on with his shorts and t-shirt. “That sounds nice, but I’m excited to learn my way around this place. I’m pretty tired, too. Which is funny,” he glanced up at her with a grin, “considering I’m used to doing physical labor every day and coming home just fine, and today all I did was sit at my desk and I’m exhausted.”
Sarah was afraid to say too much, quite sure her every word was being listened to, but she had really been looking forward to telling Billy about everything new she’d learned.
Billy could sense her disappointment. “I know!” he exclaimed, his face lighting up. “We’ll have a picnic in the backyard.” He straightened up and popped a quick kiss on her nose before heading out of the closet and towards the stairs. “Do you want to come explore with me first, or did you have your fill of exploring for today?”
Sarah debated her options. She could impress upon him that they must go somewhere for a picnic, but she was afraid it might sound suspicious after he made it so clear he didn’t want to leave the house. Or, she could keep quiet about what she’d learned for one more day and find a way to talk to him tomorrow. She wasn’t sure if it was safe to talk in the yard or not.
Billy was already jogging down the stairs when she came out of the bedroom. His profile looked so relaxed and carefree as he hurried down the stairs that she decided to let him have at least one night without adding to the burdens he already carried.
“Why don’t you explore without me? I’ll meet you out back in about thirty minutes.”
“Sounds great!” He flashed her a smile and disappeared towards the kitchen.
Chapter 17
“You have always been an amazing cook, but this food is some of your best,” Billy told Sarah as he focused on the delicious food on his plate. He’d already sampled the crispy fried chicken and creamy potato salad, and had just taken a bite of a cold green bean salad with some kind of spicy dressing.
“Thanks, it makes it easy to cook with such a well-stocked kitchen.” Sarah took a careful bite of a crunchy drumstick, trying not to get crumbs all over. “Maria said food will be delivered weekly. Scinegue provides groceries for all the employees at your level and deducts the cost directly from your paycheck.”
“Mr. Bryant said something about that. They probably do it so we can take advantage of the wonderful food that Scinegue grows. I’d say that’s a definite job perk, wouldn’t you?” He looked over at her with a broad smile.
Sarah agreed that it was and lit a couple of jarred candles she’d found in the kitchen. They released a hint of tropical fragrance as they held back the encroaching darkness. She placed the two jars in the center of the red and white checkered picnic blanket that was tucked inside the picnic basket, and sat back trying to enjoy the beautiful evening.
“I saw Ritchie today,” she finally announced, unable to hold everything inside any longer, and slanted a look towards Billy to gauge his reaction.
“Your brother?” he asked casually as he glanced up.
“Yes, I asked if he was interested in house-sitting for us,” she said slowly, wondering if she should say something to clue Billy in that they’d discussed much more important things than just house-sitting. “He said he would do it. I think he’ll be glad to move out of his apartment.” She gnawed on her lip in indecision.
“I’m glad. I didn’t like the thought of the house just sitting empty.”
“Yeah, so we really need to get together with him to visit sometime,” she tried to emphasize. “I don’t know the last time you two saw each other.”
“That sounds good. I like Ritchie.” Billy finished off his chicken and took a si
p of lightly sweetened iced tea.
“How about tomorrow?” Sarah persisted with a focused look that Billy completely missed. “I could invite him to join us at the Brown’s tomorrow night. I don’t think they would mind since he’s my brother. They might be able to give him some pointers on taking care of our garden,” she added in case their backyard was bugged.
Billy frowned. “Is that already tomorrow?”
“Billy, we need to get together with him, okay?”
“Sure.” He gave her a questioning look as she pushed the issue. “I told you I like Ritchie.” He raised one shoulder in a shrug. “It will be good to see him.”
Sarah clenched her jaw in frustration. Billy was usually so attuned to her every mood. Tonight, however, he seemed oblivious to the fact that this was very important to her. She wasn’t sure how closely they were being monitored in their new home, but was afraid to raise suspicions the very first day. She would set things up with Ritchie so they had time to visit before going to the Brown’s, she decided.
Billy finished the rest of his meal and leaned back, resting on his elbows and forearms. “That really hit the spot. I didn’t even eat lunch at work today. The day just seemed to go by so fast I didn’t even realize I missed it until it was time to go home.”
Sarah looked over at him sympathetically. He had even more going on in his life right now than she did. It would probably do him good to have a break from thinking about evil plots for at least an evening. Tomorrow would have to be soon enough to tell him her latest discoveries. She hoped.
“Want to try out that hot tub?” Billy turned to look at Sarah with a smile.
Sarah bit back the sigh that wanted to escape and replied jokingly, “Thought you would never ask.” She started gathering up the remnants of their picnic until Maria came rushing out of the house fluttering her hands at them.
“No, no! You go now,” she commanded as she took the basket from Sarah’s hands. She’d apparently been keeping an eye on them from the window.