CELESTINA

Chapter 9: Family Dinner

Sitting alone, I stared at the Citizen Brand that is now adorning my right wrist. Loner, that was the apt word for me, I was the lone, single oddity, and I had been alone with my questions for days. There was no one around to talk to about my brand since my father had been called away, and Gloriana made a conscious effort to not look at my Brand since the day I was marked as Aurora.

I looked up and found Vivian staring at my wrist, specifically at my Brand. She patted the bed beside her “I want to see it up close, come here”.

I sat down next to her and scooted back a little so that I was leaning on the pillows next to her. I laid my right arm across her lap, palm up in order to expose my brand, and turned my head shoving the chocolate cookie I was still holding into my mouth, whole, and chewed.

“It is weird,” I said.

“Do not talk with food in your mouth,” Vivian scolded “You will choke on it” I whipped my head around and smirked at her, raising my eyebrows.

“It is pretty weird, Celestina. But It is also pretty amazing. I wonder what it means” she kept her eyes on my Brand.

“I have done nothing but ask myself that, since Dr. Zena cut the bandage away” I looked down at my Brand and not knowing what it meant.

“You will get some answers at the CEC” she tried to give me some hope since no one seems to be able to tell me what my brand meant.

“Maybe my father will be able to tell me something about it when he gets back,” I said.

Vivian traced the circles, one by one “He is Council. He must know about this. They know about everything, right?”

“I do not know,” I shrugged “I guess.”

“When’s he getting back?” she looked at me.

“Tonight” I answered hoping that my father will be home soon and that I do not have to deal with Gloriana.

“See” Vivian smiled “You will have some answers soon”.

I sighed and leaned my head on her shoulder “I hope so”.

“You want to see my new clothes?” Vivian asked with excitement.

“Absolutely. Dazzle me with your stylish new looks,” I said, “You can make anything look good, you know?”

“Yay! You are in for a treat. My mother has excellent taste, and so do I, it seems. At least that is what her dressmaker told me” she has so much energy and happiness in her.

“As long as there’s no awful tie involved in the outfit” I grimaced at the thought.

I never wanted to wear that awful tie again, ever, for the rest of my life “I cut mine to shreds the first night” I said happily.

“Tina, you did not” she gasped in horror at the mention of my tie being shredded.

I raised my eyebrows “I did, and I will do it again if they ever hand me that again!”

A few hours, and six outfits later, Vivian walked with me back to the park. We parted ways, with a huge hug goodbye and a promise to video chat the next day. When I arrived back at the house, I found Gloriana and my father in the dining room, waiting for me.

“Celestina, there you are. We were just about to eat dinner. Come and have a seat,” my father smiled as I pulled out a chair “Did you have a nice visit with Vivian?” he asked.

“How did you… Oh… yes” I said, looking down at the new tablet I was carrying.

My father nodded his head. “Of course. Make sure you always have it with you, Tina. That way we will always be in contact, and we will always know where you are.”

“Mine is in my bag at all times,” Gloriana smiled.

“I carry a small one in my pocket,” my father said “Yours has been recorded in the Registrar’s Office. Every tablet produced must be recorded.”

“Sit down, Celestina,” Gloriana repeated my father’s request “Damian will be serving dinner in just a moment. I had him make your father’s favorite.”

“Yes. Sit down” My father motioned to the chair beside him “We have much to discuss.”

I placed my tablet on the table and sat down just as Gloriana went on “Your father has just been telling me the exciting news.”

I looked from Gloriana to my father “What exciting news?”

“You are to be an ambassador! After you have received some mandatory training at the Career Education Centre of course,” Gloriana smiled with excitement. Her smooth face barely registered the emotion.

“Ambassador?” I asked, confused.

Damian, our chef, walked into the dining room carrying a silver tray. He placed a plate of food, and then a glass of juice, in front of each of us “Your meal this evening consists of roasted baby carrots, grilled salmon fish, and steamed green peas, all with my special spice blend. There is fresh grapefruit juice enhanced with vitamins and digestive supplements to refresh you. Your breakfast shakes and your lunches are in the cooler drawers ready for your consumption tomorrow. I will be back at three o’clock tomorrow afternoon, as usual. Do you have any requests for your protein for tomorrow’s evening meal?” he asked, looking at Gloriana.

“Yes. Marinated soy tofu,” Gloriana answered “The spicier marinade though, not the one you used last time. That one was too bland.”

“I will see to it,” Damian nodded “Enjoy your meal.”

Damian walked out of the dining room. As soon as the door swung closed behind him, I looked directly at Gloriana. “Ambassador?” I repeated.

“Why, yes. Your good fortune is proof that when a family fully embraces the goodness of the Committee, they will be rewarded. Your father and I always made sure you were promptly seen and immunized by your doctors as an infant. We carefully monitored your eating and exercise habits as a toddler. We stressed the importance of obedience. And in return, you are of exceptional health and have always shown the utmost in good behavior. You consistently received extraordinarily high marks while in Grooming Tech. You were never given a demerit against you for behavior, attitude, or even breaking a minor rule,” Gloriana explained. “Our daughter is unmarred in every way.”

My father continued “The Chapter feels that all of this compliance and attention to your proper upbringing must be a major factor in your distinctive Citizen Brand. Being Aurora makes you special. Your attractive appearance and pleasant disposition would be quite appealing on a nationwide level. You will travel and make public appearances, perform in several informative videos, and give the people hope that they too could produce a child who is Aurora.”

“We’ve already been contacted by some very influential families that would like to talk about the possibility of a Marriage Contract,” Gloriana added with pride laced in her voice.

“Marriage! What?” I gasped.

My father reached out and placed his hand over mine. “There is no rush for that, my dear girl. No one expects you to choose a life partner before the age of eighteen. I would not complain if you waited until you were nineteen or twenty even” he winked at me.

It was May. I would be eighteen in September. That was just four months away. I wondered how many people really expected me to choose the person that I would be willing to spend the rest of my life with sometime within the next four months.

“The later the better,” I sighed.

“She is right,” Gloriana said.

I blinked. She was actually agreeing with me.

“We should take as much time as we can. That way we can w**d out the unfortunate candidates and choose the very best one,” she continued “I think there is a Reign family that is around twenty-four years old and a Diamond family that is only twenty-one. I will have to look at my files to read up on all of their personal details. Although, either of those boys would expect Celestina to join their family. Whose family would her offspring belong to? No, that would not do. Maybe it is better to stay away from anyone with claims to the original twenty. Golden family is such a prestigious family. A good quality boy from a lesser family could be a strong addition to our numbers, as you were, Jackson,” Gloriana rattled on.

Her mind was spinning away. I could see the wheels turning as she planned out the rest of my life for me. It seems that I would have my future all set up and I would not have a say in it. I just sat there, dumbfounded.

I took my fork and flaked off a piece of the salmon fish, placed it on a slice of baby carrots, and then put the bite in my mouth. I chewed, not really tasting, just eating.

Was my life decided for me already? Did it really matter if it was Gloriana planning it out, or my father, or The Chapter? I had expected to enter the CEC, receive my career placement, and then enter my training. I knew that those things were chosen already, but I had thought that I would be able to discover my destiny on my own. I had hoped to find a mate on my own as well. But it seemed that my father and Gloriana were shoving me toward my destiny instead.

I shrugged my shoulders and took another bite of my meal. I guess it did not really matter how I got on the path. There really was only one path for me to walk. It was my duty to Reign with the Committee. And I knew I would do my duty. I always did. I always would.

Being singled out as Aurora seemed to bring with the weight of the added responsibility.