[B]Chapter Three: VISITORS[/B]
The third week of Amber's recovery passed, and by the end of it she felt better than she had in the past two years. Her brain was working properly, her body was full of energy and felt healthy. She was ready for a new beginning. The Tuesday of the fourth week she got out of bed, and watched Kathryn Hepburn movies on the television in the living room all day. Bray and Amber didn't have a TV. Bray refused to pay the extra bill, though they had been well off financially.
There was only one channel broadcasted-- The City Network. It showed daily news, emergency bulletins when needed, movies on the weekends, and old tv programs throughout the week. The City Engineering Firm, a government owned lab that examined technology to rebuild it for the new world, ran by Jack, had discovered how to work television again three years before. It had been a hit, and worked well. Some merchants and store owners even filmed their own commercials and paid a small fee to have themselves advertised for the City to see. That had boosted the economy, and started a prosperious circle of trade that funded the City's public services with a small sales tax added to every purchase, as each store was required to get a City Merchant Permit to operate legally.
Nibbling toast, Amber got lost in the television as Brady and BJ colored on the kitchen table. Trudy came from her room, a dark blue towel wrapped around her head, wearing a powder blue bathrob.
"Amber, are you sure about this?" Trudy unwrapped the towel and dried her hair.
Amber looked up from the TV. "Yes, Trudy. I'll be fine. Siva and Dee need you."
Trudy wrapped her hair back up.
"I'm just concerned," Trudy bit her lip, hands on hips.
"Don't be. I'm healed. Only a few bruises left, but they're almost gone. You did that for me Trudy. Without you I'd probably be dead right now."
"Oh, Amber," Trudy fell down on the couch and the two women embraced.
"Go get ready, I'll watch the kids," Amber grinned. They broke apart and Trudy went to put on her make-up.
"Since your better are we going home?" BJ asked suddenly.
Amber turned her head towards the table.
"No BJ. Now that I'm better I'll be able to get a job, and we can get a new house," Amber said.
"Okay. Mum, I don't want to go back to live with Dad."
"That's over now, BJ. It's over now."
"What if he comes to get us?"
"We have our friends to protect us."
"Is Brady going to protect me?"
Amber laughed sardonically and smiled. "Just like Trudy will protect me."
BJ and Brady broke into laughter and continued to draw as Amber finished her movie.
Trudy, doing her eyeliner in a compact, strutted down the hallway in a navy blue business suit, her black hair up in a bun, and two shimmering gold loops hanging from her ears. She grabbed a black purse with a long strap and slipped it over her shoulder.
"I'm going now, Amber. If you have trouble you can call me at work or you can call Tai-San or Salene. All the numbers you need are next to the phone. If anything happens, take the kids and go into my bathroom, hide in the shower, and lock the doors. No one will find you there," Trudy said in a very business-like tone. With a snap she closed her compact. Trudy was a very safety minded mother.
"Sounds good," Amber said. A Lana Turner movie was just starting.
"I'll be home around 5:00. Love you Brady," She kissed the blonde girl on the top of her head, messed up BJ's hair, and left. The faint rumble of a car below sounded and sped off into the distance until the sound faded.
Amber watched the Lana Turner movie, a Shirley Temple movie for the daily Children's Block programming, and an old episode of LAW AND ORDER when the phone rang. Amber muted the television, and picked up the portable in the kitchen.
"Hello?"
"Amber? It's Salene."
"Oh! Salene, how are you?"
"I'm doing great, how are you?"
"Been in bed for the past three weeks, but I'm better now. I'm with Brady and BJ, Trudy just went to work."
"I'm so sorry about Bray Amber. So sorry."
"No one could've predicted his future, Sal."
"I know, but...he was our leader."
"And now he isn't."
Silence.
"I'm going into town to pick up a dress at Albertson's, can I stop by when I'm done?"
"That'd be nice."
"Okay, I'll see you in an hour."
"See you then. Bye Salene."
"Bye."
Amber put the phone back in the charger, and drummed her fingers on the countertop. She had had enough TV for the day. Maybe she would go through some of her stuff; see what Salene had taken from her house.
With a quick glance at the kids, Amber went into Trudy's other spare bedroom. The place was a mess. With crude yellow walls and an old white bed even more frumpy looking than the guest one, boxes upon boxes were flowing everywhere. Most of them were Trudy's, but a pile of large white ones with lids were marked AMBER on the bed.
Amber sat down next to the boxes and opened the one closest to her. Photographs from her storage. Smiling at her from the collage of faces were Bray, BJ as a baby, the Mall, MallRats after the Virus, herself as a child, her mother and father, her sister. She took those particular photos out. Her family.
She had not thought about them for years. Her mother had been a doctor, and her father an appraiser. Tiffany, her sister, was in her third year of college when the Virus broke. She had joined a cult the year before, and had little contact with the family. Her parents thought Tiffany might be immune to it being so young, but she was not, and ultimately it ended up taking her in it's beginning stages. The cult leader told them over the phone. And, slowly, the rest of the world succumbed to the dreaded death, including her parents. They had died during the last phase when most of the adults were already dead. They had her promise them that she would survive, and strive for goodness, and try to make a better world. That's when her father gave her the infamous ring she had given Bray so long before.
What would her parents think of her as Bray's b.itch? Would they be proud of her than? Would they think taking blows and fearing for her baby was a contribution to a new world? Amber snarled in grief, and shut the lid of the photograph box.
She pulled a larger white box towards her. Books. And one next to that-- BJ's toys. And another next to that-- her underwear.
There was nothing particularly interesting about any of it. Sighing, she pushed the boxes back into the center of the bed and left the room. Like they were glued, BJ and Brady were still scribbling at the table, a thick pile of rags making mounds around them. To use rags to draw instead of valuable paper had been Trudy's idea. That way the kids could draw as much as they wanted, yet wash them when they ran out. Siva had liked the idea so much that she proposed the idea of selling them at Albertson's. Trudy and Dee agreed, and Drawing Rags were a hot commodity with children and parents alike.
Amber collapsed on the sofa, feeling drowsy. She clicked the TV off mute just in time for a news bulletin.
"Your normal broadcasting will return in a moment: three weeks ago Amber Thomas, who you may remember as the influential leader of the MallRat tribe in the days after the Virus, and her son Bray Junior were reported missing by Bray Thomas, another leader of the MallRats. Thomas came home from work to find the home he and Amber shared empty. There have been no signs of Amber or Bray Junior. The City Police Department is asking all citizens to report to the City Police Department if you have any information regarding the whereabouts of Amber Thomas and son Bray Junior."
A picture of Amber in her wedding dress and Bray's school picture showed on the screen side by side with a MISSING caption in bold yellow above them. The pictures stayed on the screen for a full minute.
"We now return to your regular programming."
Amber laughed. Bray knew she was not missing; she was perfectly alive. He also knew she was with a former MallRat. Where else would she have gone? He's a real joke, Amber laughed. The sick son of a b.itch was trying to make the City pry their eyes for any sign of her so he could drag her by her hair back to their god awful home and kill her.
She wouldn't let them happen.
KNOCK KNOCK.
Amber jumped at the two heavy motions on the door. Nervously, she pulled herself onto the edge of the sofa and peered through the blinds of the window to see who was at the door. Salene.
KNOCK KNOCK.
"Oh God, Salene," Amber grabbed her chest, and breathlessly unchained the door.
Salene grabbed Amber so tightly to her Amber felt her rib almost broke again.
"Amber! Good God!" She said, her voice muffled from Amber's shoulder.
Amber giggled, "I'm healed Sal."
"I know, I was just so worried, and I didn't want to disturb you during the three weeks-"
"It's fine, I was sleeping the entire time anyway. And look," She held up her hands around her face, "Hardly any bruises left!"
"I can't believe it, Amber. No one would have ever suspected anything like this from he out of all people," Salene shrugged, a sickened look on her face.
"I can't believe it either, because he just issued a news bulletin for me and BJ on The City Network," Amber said flatly.
"He has to know you're with one of us," Salene cried.
"I know. He's just trying to get me back home. He drinks so much now, I think it's made him thick in the head," Amber rheotered.
"Trudy said that Dee told her that he still goes to the bars every night with that John guy who went into Tai-San's office."
"Dee knows now?" Amber asked incrediously.
"She had to tell Siva and Dee why she was missing work," Salene said defensively.
"It's just spreading like wildfire. Lets go sit down, I don't prefer standing in doorways. BJ, Brady move your rags."
Salene sat down at the table, and Amber fixed them sandwhiches in the kitchen.
"I think Siva might've told Lex," Salene said.
"God, Lex too?"
"Well, they broke up, but they still are good friends, and Siva knows the Police thought you were missing-- she probably thought that Lex needed to know so they didn't put much energy in finding you," Salene shrugged as Amber put a fish sandwhich and a glass of water in front of her.
"I just hope it's not on the front page of The Amulet tomorrow," Amber said dryly.
"It won't be," Salene took a large bite of her sandwhich.
The Amulet was the City newspaper, and it was ran by Ellie, who had founded it years back in the tribal times. Ellie had hired many reporters and journalists who kept the City well-informed of what was happening and what affected them. It was a respected project, and had won an award from City Hall for giving the City a " fine moral communicative device."
"So how are things with you?" Amber took a pickle off her plate, and with a crunchy bite savored it in her mouth.
"Good, good. Pride still works for The Education Foundation. He's pretty angry that Aphrodite isn't holding to her promises though. I'm at Stoker & Johnson, the law firm down on Mason Street as Assistant Prosecutor to a Dan Johnson. Do you remember, he was in the Gulls?"
"Yeah, I knew him. Prosecuting? You did it, Sal. You got through things and came out on top," Amber patted her friend on the back.
"We all did. Could you imagine how much the City came together and rebuilt itself? It's incredible. And you Amber, you always knew we could do it," Salene grinned.
"It was just a matter of working together. Not hard to realize, just took a bit of time, I guess," Amber twiddled her thumbs together. She hated it when people praised her about her past. She had been so smart, she had been so great, she had been such a visionary-- so did that mean she was now a coward hiding in a friend's home because of an insanely abusive husband? A wave of guilt rushed over her.
"For a bunch of teenagers it was like a foreign language. Working together? The courts are always holding hearings for teens who are living on the streets or won't abide by laws. Those are so depressing, they remind me of how people in our generation were after things fell apart," Salene shook her head.
"Kids are kids. We grew up too fast. We missed our proms, and our student councils, and our graduations. This generation hasn't. I think sociological evolution is catching up with us," Amber chortled. Salene laughed. They finished their food.
As Brady and BJ fell asleep watching a re-run of EUREKA'S CASTLE, Salene and Amber sat at the table and talked.
"God, Amber. It's been so long. Why did you cut off contact with all of us?"
"After the wedding...I don't know. That's when he started to hurt me, and I couldn't bear having to put on a show for you guys. I couldn't do that-- not physically, not emotionally."
"Why didn't you come straight to us after he first hit you? Why did you let it happen for so long?"
"I was so confused. It surprised me so much when he first did it, and I thought it was a one time thing. But than he did it more and more and I thought it was my fault. I thought I didn't keep a good enough house, and I wasn't raising BJ properly, and I wasn't pretty or good enough for him.
Everyone always looked to me for the ideas, and thought I was such a role model, and the best leader. I thought, what would they all think? I hate to lie, Sal. You know that. So I stopped seeing people, and kept myself inside most of the time. It was such a burden to hold a secret like that. The burden from hell."
"You got through it, though," Salene said gently.
"Stronger than before, and ready to conquer," Amber said defiantly.
Salene stayed for another hour, and left for work. When she did, Amber thought about her conversation with her. She [I]was[/I] stronger than before. And she [I]would[/I] conquer. Oh yes, she would conquer. The weakness of Amber had came, it had lived, and it had died. It was time for a reign of strength.
~*~
A week later, after an entorage of visitors that included Ellie and Alice, Dee, Siva, more Salene, and even Java (in the fruit basket she brought was a mysterious get-well card with no signature that Amber suspected was from Ebony), Lex came to see her.
Salene's tidbit mentioning Siva telling Lex about Amber's situation had been true. Lex was completely frantic, and concerned when he showed up at Trudy's doorstep, banging ferociously on the door.
Amber peeked out the window to see who it was, and than opened it.
"Lex, what is it?" Amber was about to say before she was smothered in Lex's arms. He squoze her so tight she couldn't breath.
"Amber! Damn you, I've been looking everywhere!" Lex finally let her go, and firmly gripped both sides of her face.
"Lex, I'm fine; ow that hurts..."
"Oh, sorry, babe," Lex let go and stared at her amazed, like she had been dead and was now gloriously back alive. Unlike a similiar encounter years before when Lex, Ebony, Dal, and Bray had found Amber alive and well living with the Eco-tribe when they had thought she was dead. Except this time he didn't seem cocky or arrogant about it.
"Come in, come sit down," Amber directed him to the freshly scrubbed table. Brady and BJ, sleeping in the other room, had left notorious stains on the white tiled surface which had taken Amber a day and a half to soak out. Sighing, they both sat down. Lex grinned at her, silent.
"Lex?" Amber laughed.
"It's so crazy to see you. Bray filed a missing persons report, and the Police Department has been searching for like mad!" Lex cried. "It's nice to see you're okay and not dead on some street corner."
"I'm fine, I'm fine. I saw the bulletin on The City Network about me," Amber muttered, shaking her head.
"Yeah, usually The City Network doesn't get involved unless it's serious, and they wanted to help Bray out because of who you two were. Bray...I can't believe it, Amber. I don't blame you for leaving," Lex said reassuringly. Amber smiled.
"I don't blame myself. Wait, so you're still at the Police Department?"
"Yeah, I work as an investigator now. There isn't a sheriff since the department has expanded so much; just a chief of police and his council. Of course I lost my position on that once Aphrodite Stevens took office. She was a Mozzie. Holds bad blood against old enemy tribes even now. But the entire Police Department was on your case since everyone knows who you were and what you did for the City. It's chaos down there," Lex shook his head gruffly. He had bags under his eyes, a tired look to him.
"I had to leave, and Bray has so many connections it's not surprising he's pretending I'm 'missing'. Who would believe he would almost kill his own wife? Bray has this perfect image as hero of the day in the City. No one will believe he's different," Amber said gravely. Talking about Bray and his changes made her unbearably sad and miserable. Each time was like just discovering he was a bad man, and that he was not the Bray she once knew and loved.
"Amber, you have the same influence. People respect you and listen to what you have to say. You're regarded like you are because you were the only one with a vision after the Virus. You wanted our world to be more and people respect that now," Lex looked at her. She turned her gaze at the square patches of white on the table. Oops, a black spot was still visible from the Drawing Rags. She got up to get a rag from a drawer Trudy didn't let the kids use.
"That was so long ago. People change. And...and I don't want Bray to be tarred and feathered. I want him to pay for what he's done, I want to see justice, but what evidence is there except my wounds and they're all healed. I just want to be free of him, Lex," Amber scrubbed at the spot. Tears welled into her eyes. Bray had been such a [I]part[/I] of her. To begin anew without him was so...so different. So foreign. It would be very hard. Very hard, indeed.
"There is a law against spousal abuse," Lex said suggestively. "Penalties range from five to ten to twenty years in prison. You could get Bray thrown behind bars easily."
"Yes, but without evidence? I just told you, there is none."
Lex said nothing. Amber reached over and patted his hand. "It's alright though, Lex. I just want my own life now."
"I understand. But can I at least call off the search at the department so we can work on other things."
"Do that, fine. The only illegal thing I'm doing is taking BJ from Bray," Amber threw the rag into the sink and washed her hands.
"And I'm sure the Court would let you off easily because you're Amber," Lex said.
"I don't know what you're going to tell them though. The truth isn't exactly in my favor," Amber folded her arms and sat back down.
"I'll find something. We'll be going back to fixing up things Aphrodite is screwing up anyway. All of her promises she made during her campaign haven't been kept. The Education Foundation she started has no money in it, plus no education to it. Food prices are getting higher everyday and everyday people are getting poorer. Brawls break out all the time, and sometimes groups sit outside City Hall and protest, and they get violent so we're constantly patrolling there. Shaky times," Lex said unattatched.
Lex was different. His immaturity wasn't where it had been, he wasn't looking at her bo.obs. Amber smiled to herself-- had Lex grown up?
He was wearing a pair of faded jeans, black boots, a black leather jacket and the trademark cowboy hat. Because tribal markings had faded from popularity with the aging of the members of the tribes, many people used a few streaks of make-up on the sides of their cheeks or no make-up at all. Some tribes lived in neighborhoods together, but the gang-like quality had ceased and the City was more individual than it had been since before the Virus. On either side of Lex's cheeks were two parallel thick black lines. He also wore black mascara. Amber was slightly taken back by his curved jaw and how sexy he looked with the cowboy hat tipped sideways.
Oh God, she screamed to herself. She was thinking about Lex in a sexual way. What was going on? But he seemed to have changed... What about Bray? Could she forget all of those years for one moment? She was so confused...
"I haven't even payed attention to any news. I just know BJ isn't learning anything at school except how to read and basic math," Amber said quickly. It was too bad the City didn't have a good educational system. She had preached about that one a lot during the first years of life without adults. No one had wanted to listen. She suddenly wished Lex would go.
"That's the cirriculium. First year students know the same as fifth year students! It's pretty pathetic," Lex said, a nerve of anger in his voice. Who knew Lex was that passionate about education? Certainly not Amber. The only thing Lex had been passionate about was women and how to get them in bed. Now he cared about the educational policies of the City government? Amber bit her tongue so hard it almost started to bleed.
"You've changed Lex," Amber grinned.
"Everybody grows up, Amber," Lex grinned back.
They looked at eachother for a while. Lex was not holding back his obvious newfounded like of her, and she let her attraction file into the room, hit her eyes, and make them stare at him with intensity and awe. Suddenly things got uncomfortable.
Amber looked away, her heart beating very fast. Lex coughed and adjusted his hat.
"Erm..."
"You should go back into politics, Amber," Lex said suddenly. He looked squeamishly self-concious.
"Someone should fix this place up for sure," Amber smiled fakily. Why didn't he leave? God, it was hot in there.
"I reckon that person should be you," Lex grinned. Obviously he was pretending nothing had been exchanged.
"I sure wish BJ and Brady could go back to school," Amber inserted to fill the tension.
"They're not in school?" Lex asked.
"Haven't been since I came here because Bray might try to get them. I've watched them everyday while Trudy goes to work, but I need to get a job so I can stop relying on Trude and get me and BJ back on our feet," Amber sighed. This was one of her biggest frusterations. If Bray didn't stop looking for her than she could start living again. Something always seemed to be in her way.
Lex sat back in his chair, thinking hard.
"Why don't you just get a divorce so the Article 5 law comes into play? The Article 5 law is where women get custody of their children after divorces no matter what. That way Bray couldn't take BJ out of school without your permission, and if Aphrodite did one thing right with the schools it was hiring well-trained staffs," Lex said finally.
The heaviness Amber had felt was lifted. Why hadn't she thought of that before?!
"Lex..." Amber whispered, the brilliance of the plan sinking into her.
"You don't want a divorce? It's none of my business, but Amber I really think it's the best--"
"No, no. I want one! I want one! How long will it take?" Amber said fast, the words falling from her mouth like they were chained together.
"It's not like before the Virus when they took forever to get processed, but you have to get both spouses to sign unless you get permission by the Court for a Special Circumstance agreement which allows you to sign because of a situation the Court approves of to let only one spouse sign," Lex explained.
"How can I get a Special Circumstance paper?" Amber ran her fingers through her hair. Stress settled in every pour of her body, taking a seat next to the odd tension with Lex.
"Didn't you know that Patch works for the Court? He's a Justice for the Family Department," Lex said, surprised Amber didn't know.
Patch had helped Amber out in the past. He even seemed to have admired her for her courage during the Techno occupation. Maybe he would help her again.
"Would Patch help me?" Amber croaked. She didn't want to get her hopes up.
"Of course. He was a MallRat, however briefly. I'll talk to him tomorrow morning and come around during lunch, about 12, alright?" Lex got up and pushed his chair in.
"You going to go?" Amber asked.
"I have to get back to work so I can clear up your situation. Patch can help me so I don't have to tell anyone at the department about what's going on," Lex walked to the door. He brushed the doorknob. Amber joined him, another grateful wave enveloping her. No one had to know now. Things really seemed to be perking up.
"Oh God, thank you so much, Lex," Amber hugged the man close to her as tight as she could, tighter than he had held her.
She hugged him a bit too long. When that notion entered her head, she let go fast. Lex looked astonished, but quickly tried to regain his composure like at the table.
"No problem. Anything for my mates," Lex opened the door.
"I'm proud of you, Lex," Amber called out as he descended down the cement steps.
Lex looked back and smiled at her. She closed the door and watched him through the window as got in his car and left.
The third week of Amber's recovery passed, and by the end of it she felt better than she had in the past two years. Her brain was working properly, her body was full of energy and felt healthy. She was ready for a new beginning. The Tuesday of the fourth week she got out of bed, and watched Kathryn Hepburn movies on the television in the living room all day. Bray and Amber didn't have a TV. Bray refused to pay the extra bill, though they had been well off financially.
There was only one channel broadcasted-- The City Network. It showed daily news, emergency bulletins when needed, movies on the weekends, and old tv programs throughout the week. The City Engineering Firm, a government owned lab that examined technology to rebuild it for the new world, ran by Jack, had discovered how to work television again three years before. It had been a hit, and worked well. Some merchants and store owners even filmed their own commercials and paid a small fee to have themselves advertised for the City to see. That had boosted the economy, and started a prosperious circle of trade that funded the City's public services with a small sales tax added to every purchase, as each store was required to get a City Merchant Permit to operate legally.
Nibbling toast, Amber got lost in the television as Brady and BJ colored on the kitchen table. Trudy came from her room, a dark blue towel wrapped around her head, wearing a powder blue bathrob.
"Amber, are you sure about this?" Trudy unwrapped the towel and dried her hair.
Amber looked up from the TV. "Yes, Trudy. I'll be fine. Siva and Dee need you."
Trudy wrapped her hair back up.
"I'm just concerned," Trudy bit her lip, hands on hips.
"Don't be. I'm healed. Only a few bruises left, but they're almost gone. You did that for me Trudy. Without you I'd probably be dead right now."
"Oh, Amber," Trudy fell down on the couch and the two women embraced.
"Go get ready, I'll watch the kids," Amber grinned. They broke apart and Trudy went to put on her make-up.
"Since your better are we going home?" BJ asked suddenly.
Amber turned her head towards the table.
"No BJ. Now that I'm better I'll be able to get a job, and we can get a new house," Amber said.
"Okay. Mum, I don't want to go back to live with Dad."
"That's over now, BJ. It's over now."
"What if he comes to get us?"
"We have our friends to protect us."
"Is Brady going to protect me?"
Amber laughed sardonically and smiled. "Just like Trudy will protect me."
BJ and Brady broke into laughter and continued to draw as Amber finished her movie.
Trudy, doing her eyeliner in a compact, strutted down the hallway in a navy blue business suit, her black hair up in a bun, and two shimmering gold loops hanging from her ears. She grabbed a black purse with a long strap and slipped it over her shoulder.
"I'm going now, Amber. If you have trouble you can call me at work or you can call Tai-San or Salene. All the numbers you need are next to the phone. If anything happens, take the kids and go into my bathroom, hide in the shower, and lock the doors. No one will find you there," Trudy said in a very business-like tone. With a snap she closed her compact. Trudy was a very safety minded mother.
"Sounds good," Amber said. A Lana Turner movie was just starting.
"I'll be home around 5:00. Love you Brady," She kissed the blonde girl on the top of her head, messed up BJ's hair, and left. The faint rumble of a car below sounded and sped off into the distance until the sound faded.
Amber watched the Lana Turner movie, a Shirley Temple movie for the daily Children's Block programming, and an old episode of LAW AND ORDER when the phone rang. Amber muted the television, and picked up the portable in the kitchen.
"Hello?"
"Amber? It's Salene."
"Oh! Salene, how are you?"
"I'm doing great, how are you?"
"Been in bed for the past three weeks, but I'm better now. I'm with Brady and BJ, Trudy just went to work."
"I'm so sorry about Bray Amber. So sorry."
"No one could've predicted his future, Sal."
"I know, but...he was our leader."
"And now he isn't."
Silence.
"I'm going into town to pick up a dress at Albertson's, can I stop by when I'm done?"
"That'd be nice."
"Okay, I'll see you in an hour."
"See you then. Bye Salene."
"Bye."
Amber put the phone back in the charger, and drummed her fingers on the countertop. She had had enough TV for the day. Maybe she would go through some of her stuff; see what Salene had taken from her house.
With a quick glance at the kids, Amber went into Trudy's other spare bedroom. The place was a mess. With crude yellow walls and an old white bed even more frumpy looking than the guest one, boxes upon boxes were flowing everywhere. Most of them were Trudy's, but a pile of large white ones with lids were marked AMBER on the bed.
Amber sat down next to the boxes and opened the one closest to her. Photographs from her storage. Smiling at her from the collage of faces were Bray, BJ as a baby, the Mall, MallRats after the Virus, herself as a child, her mother and father, her sister. She took those particular photos out. Her family.
She had not thought about them for years. Her mother had been a doctor, and her father an appraiser. Tiffany, her sister, was in her third year of college when the Virus broke. She had joined a cult the year before, and had little contact with the family. Her parents thought Tiffany might be immune to it being so young, but she was not, and ultimately it ended up taking her in it's beginning stages. The cult leader told them over the phone. And, slowly, the rest of the world succumbed to the dreaded death, including her parents. They had died during the last phase when most of the adults were already dead. They had her promise them that she would survive, and strive for goodness, and try to make a better world. That's when her father gave her the infamous ring she had given Bray so long before.
What would her parents think of her as Bray's b.itch? Would they be proud of her than? Would they think taking blows and fearing for her baby was a contribution to a new world? Amber snarled in grief, and shut the lid of the photograph box.
She pulled a larger white box towards her. Books. And one next to that-- BJ's toys. And another next to that-- her underwear.
There was nothing particularly interesting about any of it. Sighing, she pushed the boxes back into the center of the bed and left the room. Like they were glued, BJ and Brady were still scribbling at the table, a thick pile of rags making mounds around them. To use rags to draw instead of valuable paper had been Trudy's idea. That way the kids could draw as much as they wanted, yet wash them when they ran out. Siva had liked the idea so much that she proposed the idea of selling them at Albertson's. Trudy and Dee agreed, and Drawing Rags were a hot commodity with children and parents alike.
Amber collapsed on the sofa, feeling drowsy. She clicked the TV off mute just in time for a news bulletin.
"Your normal broadcasting will return in a moment: three weeks ago Amber Thomas, who you may remember as the influential leader of the MallRat tribe in the days after the Virus, and her son Bray Junior were reported missing by Bray Thomas, another leader of the MallRats. Thomas came home from work to find the home he and Amber shared empty. There have been no signs of Amber or Bray Junior. The City Police Department is asking all citizens to report to the City Police Department if you have any information regarding the whereabouts of Amber Thomas and son Bray Junior."
A picture of Amber in her wedding dress and Bray's school picture showed on the screen side by side with a MISSING caption in bold yellow above them. The pictures stayed on the screen for a full minute.
"We now return to your regular programming."
Amber laughed. Bray knew she was not missing; she was perfectly alive. He also knew she was with a former MallRat. Where else would she have gone? He's a real joke, Amber laughed. The sick son of a b.itch was trying to make the City pry their eyes for any sign of her so he could drag her by her hair back to their god awful home and kill her.
She wouldn't let them happen.
KNOCK KNOCK.
Amber jumped at the two heavy motions on the door. Nervously, she pulled herself onto the edge of the sofa and peered through the blinds of the window to see who was at the door. Salene.
KNOCK KNOCK.
"Oh God, Salene," Amber grabbed her chest, and breathlessly unchained the door.
Salene grabbed Amber so tightly to her Amber felt her rib almost broke again.
"Amber! Good God!" She said, her voice muffled from Amber's shoulder.
Amber giggled, "I'm healed Sal."
"I know, I was just so worried, and I didn't want to disturb you during the three weeks-"
"It's fine, I was sleeping the entire time anyway. And look," She held up her hands around her face, "Hardly any bruises left!"
"I can't believe it, Amber. No one would have ever suspected anything like this from he out of all people," Salene shrugged, a sickened look on her face.
"I can't believe it either, because he just issued a news bulletin for me and BJ on The City Network," Amber said flatly.
"He has to know you're with one of us," Salene cried.
"I know. He's just trying to get me back home. He drinks so much now, I think it's made him thick in the head," Amber rheotered.
"Trudy said that Dee told her that he still goes to the bars every night with that John guy who went into Tai-San's office."
"Dee knows now?" Amber asked incrediously.
"She had to tell Siva and Dee why she was missing work," Salene said defensively.
"It's just spreading like wildfire. Lets go sit down, I don't prefer standing in doorways. BJ, Brady move your rags."
Salene sat down at the table, and Amber fixed them sandwhiches in the kitchen.
"I think Siva might've told Lex," Salene said.
"God, Lex too?"
"Well, they broke up, but they still are good friends, and Siva knows the Police thought you were missing-- she probably thought that Lex needed to know so they didn't put much energy in finding you," Salene shrugged as Amber put a fish sandwhich and a glass of water in front of her.
"I just hope it's not on the front page of The Amulet tomorrow," Amber said dryly.
"It won't be," Salene took a large bite of her sandwhich.
The Amulet was the City newspaper, and it was ran by Ellie, who had founded it years back in the tribal times. Ellie had hired many reporters and journalists who kept the City well-informed of what was happening and what affected them. It was a respected project, and had won an award from City Hall for giving the City a " fine moral communicative device."
"So how are things with you?" Amber took a pickle off her plate, and with a crunchy bite savored it in her mouth.
"Good, good. Pride still works for The Education Foundation. He's pretty angry that Aphrodite isn't holding to her promises though. I'm at Stoker & Johnson, the law firm down on Mason Street as Assistant Prosecutor to a Dan Johnson. Do you remember, he was in the Gulls?"
"Yeah, I knew him. Prosecuting? You did it, Sal. You got through things and came out on top," Amber patted her friend on the back.
"We all did. Could you imagine how much the City came together and rebuilt itself? It's incredible. And you Amber, you always knew we could do it," Salene grinned.
"It was just a matter of working together. Not hard to realize, just took a bit of time, I guess," Amber twiddled her thumbs together. She hated it when people praised her about her past. She had been so smart, she had been so great, she had been such a visionary-- so did that mean she was now a coward hiding in a friend's home because of an insanely abusive husband? A wave of guilt rushed over her.
"For a bunch of teenagers it was like a foreign language. Working together? The courts are always holding hearings for teens who are living on the streets or won't abide by laws. Those are so depressing, they remind me of how people in our generation were after things fell apart," Salene shook her head.
"Kids are kids. We grew up too fast. We missed our proms, and our student councils, and our graduations. This generation hasn't. I think sociological evolution is catching up with us," Amber chortled. Salene laughed. They finished their food.
As Brady and BJ fell asleep watching a re-run of EUREKA'S CASTLE, Salene and Amber sat at the table and talked.
"God, Amber. It's been so long. Why did you cut off contact with all of us?"
"After the wedding...I don't know. That's when he started to hurt me, and I couldn't bear having to put on a show for you guys. I couldn't do that-- not physically, not emotionally."
"Why didn't you come straight to us after he first hit you? Why did you let it happen for so long?"
"I was so confused. It surprised me so much when he first did it, and I thought it was a one time thing. But than he did it more and more and I thought it was my fault. I thought I didn't keep a good enough house, and I wasn't raising BJ properly, and I wasn't pretty or good enough for him.
Everyone always looked to me for the ideas, and thought I was such a role model, and the best leader. I thought, what would they all think? I hate to lie, Sal. You know that. So I stopped seeing people, and kept myself inside most of the time. It was such a burden to hold a secret like that. The burden from hell."
"You got through it, though," Salene said gently.
"Stronger than before, and ready to conquer," Amber said defiantly.
Salene stayed for another hour, and left for work. When she did, Amber thought about her conversation with her. She [I]was[/I] stronger than before. And she [I]would[/I] conquer. Oh yes, she would conquer. The weakness of Amber had came, it had lived, and it had died. It was time for a reign of strength.
~*~
A week later, after an entorage of visitors that included Ellie and Alice, Dee, Siva, more Salene, and even Java (in the fruit basket she brought was a mysterious get-well card with no signature that Amber suspected was from Ebony), Lex came to see her.
Salene's tidbit mentioning Siva telling Lex about Amber's situation had been true. Lex was completely frantic, and concerned when he showed up at Trudy's doorstep, banging ferociously on the door.
Amber peeked out the window to see who it was, and than opened it.
"Lex, what is it?" Amber was about to say before she was smothered in Lex's arms. He squoze her so tight she couldn't breath.
"Amber! Damn you, I've been looking everywhere!" Lex finally let her go, and firmly gripped both sides of her face.
"Lex, I'm fine; ow that hurts..."
"Oh, sorry, babe," Lex let go and stared at her amazed, like she had been dead and was now gloriously back alive. Unlike a similiar encounter years before when Lex, Ebony, Dal, and Bray had found Amber alive and well living with the Eco-tribe when they had thought she was dead. Except this time he didn't seem cocky or arrogant about it.
"Come in, come sit down," Amber directed him to the freshly scrubbed table. Brady and BJ, sleeping in the other room, had left notorious stains on the white tiled surface which had taken Amber a day and a half to soak out. Sighing, they both sat down. Lex grinned at her, silent.
"Lex?" Amber laughed.
"It's so crazy to see you. Bray filed a missing persons report, and the Police Department has been searching for like mad!" Lex cried. "It's nice to see you're okay and not dead on some street corner."
"I'm fine, I'm fine. I saw the bulletin on The City Network about me," Amber muttered, shaking her head.
"Yeah, usually The City Network doesn't get involved unless it's serious, and they wanted to help Bray out because of who you two were. Bray...I can't believe it, Amber. I don't blame you for leaving," Lex said reassuringly. Amber smiled.
"I don't blame myself. Wait, so you're still at the Police Department?"
"Yeah, I work as an investigator now. There isn't a sheriff since the department has expanded so much; just a chief of police and his council. Of course I lost my position on that once Aphrodite Stevens took office. She was a Mozzie. Holds bad blood against old enemy tribes even now. But the entire Police Department was on your case since everyone knows who you were and what you did for the City. It's chaos down there," Lex shook his head gruffly. He had bags under his eyes, a tired look to him.
"I had to leave, and Bray has so many connections it's not surprising he's pretending I'm 'missing'. Who would believe he would almost kill his own wife? Bray has this perfect image as hero of the day in the City. No one will believe he's different," Amber said gravely. Talking about Bray and his changes made her unbearably sad and miserable. Each time was like just discovering he was a bad man, and that he was not the Bray she once knew and loved.
"Amber, you have the same influence. People respect you and listen to what you have to say. You're regarded like you are because you were the only one with a vision after the Virus. You wanted our world to be more and people respect that now," Lex looked at her. She turned her gaze at the square patches of white on the table. Oops, a black spot was still visible from the Drawing Rags. She got up to get a rag from a drawer Trudy didn't let the kids use.
"That was so long ago. People change. And...and I don't want Bray to be tarred and feathered. I want him to pay for what he's done, I want to see justice, but what evidence is there except my wounds and they're all healed. I just want to be free of him, Lex," Amber scrubbed at the spot. Tears welled into her eyes. Bray had been such a [I]part[/I] of her. To begin anew without him was so...so different. So foreign. It would be very hard. Very hard, indeed.
"There is a law against spousal abuse," Lex said suggestively. "Penalties range from five to ten to twenty years in prison. You could get Bray thrown behind bars easily."
"Yes, but without evidence? I just told you, there is none."
Lex said nothing. Amber reached over and patted his hand. "It's alright though, Lex. I just want my own life now."
"I understand. But can I at least call off the search at the department so we can work on other things."
"Do that, fine. The only illegal thing I'm doing is taking BJ from Bray," Amber threw the rag into the sink and washed her hands.
"And I'm sure the Court would let you off easily because you're Amber," Lex said.
"I don't know what you're going to tell them though. The truth isn't exactly in my favor," Amber folded her arms and sat back down.
"I'll find something. We'll be going back to fixing up things Aphrodite is screwing up anyway. All of her promises she made during her campaign haven't been kept. The Education Foundation she started has no money in it, plus no education to it. Food prices are getting higher everyday and everyday people are getting poorer. Brawls break out all the time, and sometimes groups sit outside City Hall and protest, and they get violent so we're constantly patrolling there. Shaky times," Lex said unattatched.
Lex was different. His immaturity wasn't where it had been, he wasn't looking at her bo.obs. Amber smiled to herself-- had Lex grown up?
He was wearing a pair of faded jeans, black boots, a black leather jacket and the trademark cowboy hat. Because tribal markings had faded from popularity with the aging of the members of the tribes, many people used a few streaks of make-up on the sides of their cheeks or no make-up at all. Some tribes lived in neighborhoods together, but the gang-like quality had ceased and the City was more individual than it had been since before the Virus. On either side of Lex's cheeks were two parallel thick black lines. He also wore black mascara. Amber was slightly taken back by his curved jaw and how sexy he looked with the cowboy hat tipped sideways.
Oh God, she screamed to herself. She was thinking about Lex in a sexual way. What was going on? But he seemed to have changed... What about Bray? Could she forget all of those years for one moment? She was so confused...
"I haven't even payed attention to any news. I just know BJ isn't learning anything at school except how to read and basic math," Amber said quickly. It was too bad the City didn't have a good educational system. She had preached about that one a lot during the first years of life without adults. No one had wanted to listen. She suddenly wished Lex would go.
"That's the cirriculium. First year students know the same as fifth year students! It's pretty pathetic," Lex said, a nerve of anger in his voice. Who knew Lex was that passionate about education? Certainly not Amber. The only thing Lex had been passionate about was women and how to get them in bed. Now he cared about the educational policies of the City government? Amber bit her tongue so hard it almost started to bleed.
"You've changed Lex," Amber grinned.
"Everybody grows up, Amber," Lex grinned back.
They looked at eachother for a while. Lex was not holding back his obvious newfounded like of her, and she let her attraction file into the room, hit her eyes, and make them stare at him with intensity and awe. Suddenly things got uncomfortable.
Amber looked away, her heart beating very fast. Lex coughed and adjusted his hat.
"Erm..."
"You should go back into politics, Amber," Lex said suddenly. He looked squeamishly self-concious.
"Someone should fix this place up for sure," Amber smiled fakily. Why didn't he leave? God, it was hot in there.
"I reckon that person should be you," Lex grinned. Obviously he was pretending nothing had been exchanged.
"I sure wish BJ and Brady could go back to school," Amber inserted to fill the tension.
"They're not in school?" Lex asked.
"Haven't been since I came here because Bray might try to get them. I've watched them everyday while Trudy goes to work, but I need to get a job so I can stop relying on Trude and get me and BJ back on our feet," Amber sighed. This was one of her biggest frusterations. If Bray didn't stop looking for her than she could start living again. Something always seemed to be in her way.
Lex sat back in his chair, thinking hard.
"Why don't you just get a divorce so the Article 5 law comes into play? The Article 5 law is where women get custody of their children after divorces no matter what. That way Bray couldn't take BJ out of school without your permission, and if Aphrodite did one thing right with the schools it was hiring well-trained staffs," Lex said finally.
The heaviness Amber had felt was lifted. Why hadn't she thought of that before?!
"Lex..." Amber whispered, the brilliance of the plan sinking into her.
"You don't want a divorce? It's none of my business, but Amber I really think it's the best--"
"No, no. I want one! I want one! How long will it take?" Amber said fast, the words falling from her mouth like they were chained together.
"It's not like before the Virus when they took forever to get processed, but you have to get both spouses to sign unless you get permission by the Court for a Special Circumstance agreement which allows you to sign because of a situation the Court approves of to let only one spouse sign," Lex explained.
"How can I get a Special Circumstance paper?" Amber ran her fingers through her hair. Stress settled in every pour of her body, taking a seat next to the odd tension with Lex.
"Didn't you know that Patch works for the Court? He's a Justice for the Family Department," Lex said, surprised Amber didn't know.
Patch had helped Amber out in the past. He even seemed to have admired her for her courage during the Techno occupation. Maybe he would help her again.
"Would Patch help me?" Amber croaked. She didn't want to get her hopes up.
"Of course. He was a MallRat, however briefly. I'll talk to him tomorrow morning and come around during lunch, about 12, alright?" Lex got up and pushed his chair in.
"You going to go?" Amber asked.
"I have to get back to work so I can clear up your situation. Patch can help me so I don't have to tell anyone at the department about what's going on," Lex walked to the door. He brushed the doorknob. Amber joined him, another grateful wave enveloping her. No one had to know now. Things really seemed to be perking up.
"Oh God, thank you so much, Lex," Amber hugged the man close to her as tight as she could, tighter than he had held her.
She hugged him a bit too long. When that notion entered her head, she let go fast. Lex looked astonished, but quickly tried to regain his composure like at the table.
"No problem. Anything for my mates," Lex opened the door.
"I'm proud of you, Lex," Amber called out as he descended down the cement steps.
Lex looked back and smiled at her. She closed the door and watched him through the window as got in his car and left.