“Did you like the cinnamon scones this morning? They were from Craig, our driver. His wife made them. They are part of our weekly food offering to your household,” Jason explained carefully, sounding like he didn’t want credit given where it wasn’t due.
“So much food was left after the celebration, but I did notice a cake box with your family crest on the lid.”
“That’s the weekly offering,” Jason explained.
“Let me get this straight. Your family is planning on bribing my family with baked goods for a year.”
“I don’t make these rules. Something about representing the family bond: give us your women, and we will feed you kind of thing,” Jason laughed.
“Hmm, that is strangely thoughtful and eww at the same time. But I do like pastries with my morning coffee.”
“Keeps the old people happy, so I say why not. I have a gift of my own for you. It’s in the darkest of spooky rooms. Mu-ha-ha.” Jason did his best to lighten my day with his animated voices and talk of mystery gifts and ceremony.
Anticipating the moves of the car ahead of us, Jason swerved, avoiding a near collision. I passed my driving test and took several hours of instruction, but I don’t like driving a transport. You have to rely on the other drivers to follow the same rules you’re following. I don’t have that level of trust in my fellow traveler. There is too much to think about all at the same time. I don’t want to drive, and Jason is a great driver. It’s just one more reason he is perfect for me.
The turn off for my street was near, I waived Jason on, and he kept driving. I messaged my father and let him know I was off to visit my future home and return home before the voting started. He sent me back a single letter, K. Quite a bit was said in that one letter. Most of all that he was disappointed I would not be home to help with my crazed mother. Maybe a bit that he understood and even envied my ability to escape her. And a tinge of fear that I had other options for my well-being that didn’t involve him.
I tried to put all the implications of the single K out of my mind. While my family mourned, Jason’s family found our pending wedding a new reason to celebrate. I was tired of drowning in sorrow. I was going to choose to breathe today.
As the house staff called it, the front salon was decorated in gold and silver, the traditional colors of the long engagement. The suite belonged to Jason’s late mother and didn’t appear touched for some time. The solar paneled windows were heavily tinted, and plants and blooming flowers overran the dressing room off the bath. Several of the staff were busy cleaning and pruning the foliage.
“My mother would love this garden room,” I mentioned walking through the sparsely decorated sitting area.
“You should see my room, no plants, but I have a bushy tree and a huge viewer for my video games,” Jason stated nervously.
“I would love to see your room.”
“Good cause, I left your present on my desk”
As if by summons, a woman I had met on only one occasion before appeared to chaperone me through the house. I shook her hand and smiled.
“Clara, so nice to see you again.”
Clara smiled and patted my hand lightly. “We are so happy to have you here, Karine.”
“Thank you, I’m grateful for everyone’s enthusiasm. My household is still recovering from our recent life celebration.”
Jason led me across the house and into his room. The door opened into a large room space the size of my family’s living room. A tall, green-leafed tree was placed near the doorway separating the entry from what looked like a video gamer nest. A wide bed and a writing desk sat at the other end of the room with a grouping of overstuffed chairs marking the middle of the space.
“Very bachelor pad chic,” I said, walking the room and taking note of his paperback book collection. “You collect paper books. I thought you liked the digitals?”
“I read one of your mother’s old books, The Hobbit, on paper that summer I got the bad flu. I don’t know why, but the paper grabbed me. That grain under your fingers, the smell of the paper and the ink, I guess. I try to find them when I can at the antique shops,” Jason confessed.
“Me too, the books my grandmother gifted me are heavy hardbacks, one is called ‘Gone with the Wind,’ it’s in a clear air-tight box. I want to read the books, but I need acid-free gloves and a tabletop book protector first,” I mentioned, reading his virtual reality game titles. “Hayman’s Harlot’s!” I laughed. Didn’t the government ban the whole series for extreme violence and sex,” I asked, surprised?
“Yep, that’s the one,” Jason confessed red-faced. “If it got banned, it must be good, right.”
“Well, is it?”
“Don’t know,” he answered, leaning on his bed—a neatly decorated box sitting in his hand. “I haven’t made time to play it yet, we’ve been busy.”
“So, is that my present?” I strolled towards the little box, clapping my hands quietly.
“I figured this box would get you on my bed,” Jason smiled and helped me hop up on the tall mattress. His coverlet was dark blue and deep gold—a stark contrast to the suite that was being decorated for me.
“Open it,” he demanded with excitement. The white box opened to a white velvet case that held a black leather and platinum bracelet.
“Wow, it’s so beautiful. It almost looks electronic?”
Jason laughed and clasped the bangle around my wrist. “This is a currency and biometric tracker. You can monitor your health and buy anything you need. It’s linked to my currency account.”
“Wait? What? No, I can’t accept this. This is too beautiful for me, and what if I lose it. I don’t need to buy anything, and I certainly wouldn’t want to use
