by Hannah Ross
"Are you going home, Mom?"
Her mother seemed surprised at the question. "Of course, Prissy. I was… I was pretty upset before, but now that you're back, all is right again. And my place is at Silver Oaks. Your father needs me."
Priscilla wondered, but didn't dare voice the question.
Daphne, however, was not so scrupulous. "I do hope Alexander realizes that. This time without you will hopefully have been enough to teach him a sharp lesson. You've always been far too self-effacing, Ellie."
Eleanor chose not to respond. She was staring at her daughter, at her bright eyes and the healthy flush of her cheeks; at the girl who grew fitter and more confident in such a short span of time. "You look well, Prissy."
"Of course she does," Daphne said. "She is perfectly well. Why shouldn't she be? She only had a little adventure, and she's none the worse for it. I said you need not drive yourself mad with worry, Eleanor."
"Hmm," Eleanor traced the rim of her teacup with a perfectly manicured index finger. "And are you really in earnest about staying on here, Prissy?"
"Yes," Priscilla said with a surety she never before displayed. "I am."
Eleanor's lip quivered. "Did you really hate it so much at home?"
Priscilla sought, in vain, for a tactful answer to the question, but was rescued by her aunt once more.
"Now, now, Ellie. There's no need for drama. Prissy and I will get along just fine. We always have. And you can come and visit as much as you like, every day if you want to. It's not as though you don't trust me, is it?"
"No, no, Aunt Daphne, of course not. I know you'll take excellent care of Prissy."
"There, now. Things will work out just fine. You'll see."
Only then did Priscilla remember to ask something which she probably ought to have thought of earlier. "How's Steph?"
"Never been better, I'd say," Daphne said. "Your sister has been worried too, of course, but I daresay young Ned Thornton did much to take any unpleasant matters off her mind."
"Is Stephanie going steady with Ned Thornton?" Priscilla asked her mother.
"I suppose so, dear. We've been to dinner with Mr. and Mrs. Thornton. A very nice family. But I don't suppose we'll be officially connected anytime soon. Stephanie is too young."
Priscilla felt a tiny twinge of bitterness. This is so like Steph. Doing what's nice, and right, and proper. She thought of Ben, with his frayed jeans and plaid shirt with rolled-up sleeves and a missing button near the top. Ben, with his tan acquired not on tennis lawns and golf courses, but by a vigorous, active life lived outside, doing useful work with his ten fingers. Ben, who grew up in an orphanage, and lived beyond the Boundary ever since he was twelve, surviving despite all odds and growing up well before his time. Ben, who wasn't supposed to be born at all, according to her father's decree.
She was certain her mother would faint away with horror if she knew her daughter had been consorting with the likes of him. For a moment, she was tempted to open her mouth and speak, if only to challenge the prim-and-proper, stifling atmosphere of her world, but decided in favor of caution. If I talk too much, they'll never let me see Ben again.
The doorbell rang, and for half a second Priscilla experienced an irrational upsurge of hope. Then she mentally flogged herself for being stupid. It isn't Ben. How could it be him? Still, from the alacrity with which Aunt Daphne lifted her bulky frame from her chair and went to open the door, she suspected something out of the ordinary. Could it be Stephanie? Or Father? No, he's not likely to bother coming to me. He'd expect me to be brought to him.
She turned at the sound of familiar footsteps as a voice she knew and loved ever since she was a baby called out her name. She jumped up and a pair of strong arms – hard-working arms, the same arms that nursed her and rocked her to sleep and held her close when she was tired or ill or upset – wrapped around her and squeezed her tight.
"Miss Prissy, oh, Miss Prissy!" Tilly sobbed, and Priscilla flung her arms around Tilly's neck and let her tears fall freely.
When the two broke apart, Priscilla gave her mother a quick, slightly guilty look, being well aware of the fact that her reunion with the family servant had been a lot more emotional and a lot less awkward than with her own mother.
Eleanor, however, showed no sign of pique or jealousy. Her eyes were a little sad, and her faint smile forgiving. "Tilly has been very worried too, Prissy. And we miss you at Silver Oaks, Tilly. I don't suppose there's any chance of convincing you to come back, is there?"
Tilly shook her head. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Dahl, but no. Quitting was the right step. A hard one, though. But I'll be very happy to fill the position kindly offered to me by Miss Van Wullen. This way, I can keep looking after my dear Prissy."
Priscilla beamed and squeezed Tilly's hand. "With Tilly here, you can sleep soundly, Mom."
"I know and I'm glad, but…" She shook her head and sighed. "I suppose it's too late for some things, but we'll make the best of what we have. And so will your father, I hope."
"Let's turn on the TV," Daphne said. "It's been at least an hour since I heard the news, and at the rate things are going these days, we might just have missed another revolution."
44
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Thursday, July 3
The central plaza was full of people, all cheering, shouting, roaring with delight. Many brandished banners saying things such as Connor for President and Free Islands and even Ban the Boundary. The cameras kept swiveling in the direction of the large, high-shooting fountain, where several people were milling about on a makeshift stage, setting things in order. A microphone stood waiting.
A black car moved as slow as cold molasses down the lane due to the mass of people blocking the roads, quite disdainful of any traffic rules. The driver honked several times and the crowd began to disperse. "Make way!" someone shouted. "Make way, it's the President!"
The June third election resulted in an unprecedented landslide victory for Ted Connor. News outlets attributed the eighty-two to eighteen percent vote margin to a Dahl campaign even some of his supporters described as bizarre and perplexing.
The car stopped at the plaza, the front passenger-side door opened, and a stocky man with a broad, clean-shaven face stepped out. He was wearing a modest dun-colored suit with a striped tie, but the crowd cheered as if this was a coronation.
"Connor! Ted Connor!" people chanted.
Cameras flashed in his direction, following him as he made his way across the plaza, surrounded by a tight knot of bodyguards. He climbed the steps to the stage, approached the microphone, and cleared his throat.
"My fellow Americans. This is a remarkable day for a country that had once been great. A dictatorial regime was cast down, and you put your trust in a new man, a new day, a new beginning. Today is the start of a new era in which the freedoms that have been unjustly taken from you will be restored. Join me in paving a new road of liberty, truth, and justice for this country!"
The end of Connor's short speech was drowned in tumultuous applause and uproar of cheering. He raised his right arm in acknowledgement and nodded.
As a judge holding a bible walked over, the crowd stilled. Connor raised his right hand as he laid his left on the bible and repeated the oath of office taken by every American President since George Washington.
"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
The crowd began to cheer, but Connor turned, held both hands high, and called for silence. When the crowd settled down, he turned back to the judge, again lay his hand on the Bible, and said, "I further swear to justify the trust the people of America have put in me. I swear to be a worthy President, acting according the Constitution of the United States, a document which, while never abolished, was sadly disregarded in generations past. I take it upon myself to ensure none of the people who have elected me ever has reas
on to regret their vote!" Then he turned and waved as the crowd went wild with cheering and applause.
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Dahl looked away from the TV screen, scowling, and stared at Andrew. "Well, the idiot won the election and he succeeds to my chair in the White Tower. Now what?"
Andrew smiled. "Cheer up, Alexander. Connor may be blithe, but he had better watch his step. See the man behind him, on the right? The one clapping ever so politely? That's McCarthy, and he's our man. And the one next to him? Evans, ours as well. Stewart, Blair, and Davidson are in the next row. Connor is surrounded by people who have pledged their allegiance to us, and he knows it. One wrong step and he falls into a lake full of hungry alligators. Trust me, Alexander, things could have been worse."
"So what do we do now?"
"We spin a web around Connor. He might think of himself as a spider, all clever and strategizing, but the truth is, he's nothing but a hapless fly."
45
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Sunday, July 6
Kate stopped the car on the main street at the edge of Resurrection Town and glanced at her watch. She expected to see Sidney's Explorer any moment now. Sure enough, its scratched and dented form made its appearance a few minutes later, stopping next to the fishing gear shop. Sidney got out first, wearing overalls and a shirt with rolled-up sleeves and a few greasy stains. Elisa followed him, in a rather unusual attire of patched-up jeans, a stretchy turtleneck created by some anonymous fashion guru from the pre-War era, and a home-tanned sleeveless leather jerkin on top of that. Kate returned Elisa's smile and wave, but her eyes were fixed upon the car's back door, which now opened, releasing Tony's tall form.
The three walked toward her, Tony trailing behind Sidney and Elisa and looking excessively awkward. Kate's heart began to thump and the blood rushed to her face. She and Tony last talked on the day she sent him away. Since then, she regretted her rash words, though she told herself often Tony earned it and had a lot more to be sorry for.
"Well, here we are," Tony said as they stopped in front of her. "Thanks for the ride, Sidney. Thanks for everything, Elisa."
Elisa nodded, but was busy looking up and down the little main street, with its people, sparse car flow, and shop windows. "It feels weird to be in a real live town again."
"You've never been in Resurrection Town before?" asked Kate.
Elisa shook her head. "No reason to. We have our little garden going now, and the animals. And Sidney's a good hunter. There's more than enough food for just the two of us. Sometimes we trade with nearby farms for supplies, or raid ghost towns. Resurrection looks better than I expected, but I'm already looking forward to going home. We can't leave the livestock unattended too long."
"Well, Tony," Sidney said, shaking hands with the other man, "we'll leave you here and get going. With the elections behind us and Connor as president, I expect you can feel relatively safe now if you lie low for a while."
After an exchange of goodbyes and thanks and well-wishes, Sidney and Elisa returned to their car and drove away, leaving Tony and Kate alone.
An uncomfortable silence ensued as each looked at the other, hoping the other would speak first.
After a minute, Tony's head nodded the slightest bit and he said, "Kate. I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry. I know I made mistakes, did some really, really stupid things. Can you forgive me?"
Kate cocked an eyebrow. "For being an idiot and putting our lives at risk, and nearly giving the White Tower the opportunity to recover NOAGE for a few bucks?"
Tony shrugged, looking embarrassed. "Yes. I really did do it with the best of intentions for us, but I know that's no excuse. It was selfish and thoughtless and I know it hurt you. But all I've done since is regret it and pray you'd find a way to forgive me. I love you so much I know I can't live without you, Kate. Please… please will you forgive me?"
His eyes bored into hers, and something inside her melted. As if drawn by an invisible magnet, she stepped forward and let him draw her closer. She wrapped her arms around him, enveloped by his familiar scent as his arms held her tight. She forced herself not to sigh and smile when his two-day stubble grazed her cheek, pleasantly contrasting with the smooth silkiness of her skin. Finally she squeezed tighter, then released him, stepped back and said, "Yes, Tony, I forgive you."
"And are we still getting married?" He took her hand between both of his and pressed it gently.
Kate took a deep breath. "Yes."
One of the group passing by wolf-whistled. "Way to go, man!" he called, causing two of his buddies to guffaw. "But where's the ring?"
Kate snapped out of her reverie, aware they were no longer alone. "Come on," she said, tugging on Tony's hand. "Let's get in the car so we can talk in private."
Once they settled down in the car, with doors and windows shutting them firmly from curious ears, Kate turned to meet Tony's eyes and saw he was still waiting for more.
"Yes," she said, her voice soft and gentle. "We're still getting married." He leaned forward to kiss her, but she stopped him by pressing her fingers against his lips. "Wait. Let me finish. I don't want any of the money you got from the White Tower. Do you understand, Tony? We can make do on our own, without their dirty payoff. Even if we have to leave the Boundary."
"I've thought of that myself. It would probably be a good idea to make myself scarce for a while, all things considered. But I'm not exactly up to roughing it on a farm like your folks do."
"No, neither am I. How about settling right here? Resurrection is dirt cheap compared to the Boundary. I noticed some nice little houses on the edge of the town, many of them empty. People aren't exactly lining up yet, and we can afford one such house easily. My parents will be glad to chip in, too, if need be."
Tony nodded. "That's a good idea. But what do I do with the money? Burn it?"
"I don't care. Yes, burn it. No! That's a waste. We can split it up and give some to each of the camps, to each of the children who were thrown out. They can certainly use it for things they can't make on their own. And it will be like compensation for what the Tower did to them. Ben can probably make the arrangements."
"That's a great idea. We can drive over and see him tomorrow. But now, I know you and your Mom will have a blast planning the wedding. You can settle on whatever you want. Don't mind me at all. All I care about is having my way with the—"
"The bachelor party?" Kate smirked.
"No. The honeymoon. How does this sound? We'll go to one of those bed-and-breakfast places on the ocean and hole up in a neat little room. We'll turn off the phones and have lots, and I mean lots of—"
"Walks?"
"That's one possibility," Tony said with a smile, running a finger down her cheek.
46
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Thursday, July 10
Priscilla walked through the door and put down her schoolbag. "I'm home, Tilly," she called.
Tilly came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron and smiling. A rich, warm, welcoming aroma followed her. "Is that chicken pie?" Priscilla asked with a hopeful smile.
"The very same, Miss Prissy. Your favorite."
"You're the best, Tilly. I'm starving. I better eat quick, though. Lots of homework today."
"How was school?" Tilly smiled as Priscilla eagerly tucked into a plateful of pie.
"'S'OK," Priscilla said between forkfuls. "More work and less fun than I thought. But it's nice being around other kids for a change. They still all point and whisper behind my back, though, calling me 'the President's daughter'. Where's Aunt Daphne?"
"Miss Daphne went shopping. She's supposed to be back soon, though. And your mother is coming over for dinner."
"Really? That's great. I haven't seen Mom since last week. What about Stephanie? Did she mention she's going to drop by?"
"I don't think so. Not today. But you'll see your sister in Silver Oaks on the weekend, won't you, M
iss Prissy?"
"Yes," Priscilla said without much enthusiasm. "I suppose."
Weekends at Silver Oaks were a mixed experience for her. On one level, she did love the place. It was still her home, and no one could remain untouched by the beauty of the house and grounds. It was all it stood for – for her family, for the country, for the entire world – that she despised.
After lunch, she retreated to her room and flipped open a trigonometry book. She tried to concentrate on her homework, but her mind wondered far, far beyond the Boundary, beyond the rivers and the hills to the plains where wild horses roamed, tamed by brave young people. To a little farm where she spent happy days with Ben.
Instinctively, her fingers reached for the phone, though she realized the futility of it. Neither Ben's camp nor his parents' farmhouse had phone or power lines. Rebecca and Daniel had mobile phones, but so far from the Boundary there was no signal. Besides, Ben didn't usually spend much of his time with his parents. He was far too busy at the camp.
Priscilla knew it was useless to dwell on it. Ben had Aunt Daphne's number and would call her if he wanted to. She shook her head and returned to her math.
When the phone rang forty minutes later, Priscilla knew it was probably just Aunt Daphne or her mother or maybe Lucy, her new friend from school. Still, she couldn't avoid a little heart throb of anticipation as she picked up.
"Hello?"
"Priscilla? I hoped you'd be the one to answer. I wouldn't know what to say if it was someone else."
"Ben?" She gripped the phone tight as she settled down on her bed to talk. "Where are you?"
"In Resurrection Town, on a visit to Mrs. Stocking, our old orphanage matron. I come to visit once in a while, and… I thought I'd call."
"I'm glad you did."
"Are you?" There was a pause. "I'm… I… I kind of thought that maybe, once you spent a little time at home with your folks, you wouldn't… wouldn't want to hear from me anymore."
"What?!" Priscilla straightened up. "Why would you think that? My family has nothing to do with us. I'm still the same. I haven't changed."