- Veronica -
Right now, the only thing keeping me upright is my father's arm as we walk down the hallway together. Mom is on the other side of him, keeping up a persistent nervous chatter that I tuned out at some point on the car ride over. The sound of her own voice may make my mother feel better, but it is doing nothing to help me deal with my nerves. As always, my dad has been a rock, quietly guiding me through the day.
The cup of coffee he placed in front of me at breakfast had a small shot of Irish whiskey in it, and he chuckled when I nearly spit it out upon discovering the harsh, bitter taste in my mouth.
"For your birthday and your nerves," he said with a wink before returning to his seat across from me and digging into his waffles and ice cream.
He was right. It gave me just enough of a buzz to soothe my nerves so I could take a shower and get dressed with a little peace from my thoughts.
Alcohol and drugs are tightly controlled by the government. They can't be purchased from a legal vendor without two forms of I.D.—our government-issued identification and either a college I.D. or driver's license once a person turns eighteen —and even then, the quantities are tracked and limited. But there were ways around it. Logan and Lilly's families seem to always have more alcohol on hand than ours. But in Lilly's case, three adults could legally buy and therefore, it stood to reason that they would have more. Sometimes we would pour shots into our lemonade and walk to the beach to watch Logan and Duncan surf. Or sneak some from Logan's father's stash, filling the vodka bottles with water in the hopes that no one would be the wiser. Once, Logan managed to snag some pot from a source he wouldn't name, and we all smoked it. They still make fun of me for falling asleep in Logan's bed about thirty minutes after it kicked in and not waking up until morning. Duncan didn't fare any better with it, and they found him in the bathtub, using a bunch of towels as a blanket and pillows.
Dad's pace slows, and I refocus to the present, glancing at the names on the glass doors as we approach.
Unions and Ceremonies, it says in gold lettering on the frosted glass doors, and we pause. Through the glass, I can see two service windows - one that says "Unions" above and a door next to it, another that says "Ceremonies" and a door. There are office chairs along the perimeter, and some people sit on the side of the "Ceremonies" window, well dressed and obviously waiting for their time to sign their papers.
"Ready?" Dad pats my hand, and I look up to see a tight smile pulled across his face, even though his eyes are shaded with worry.
I take a slow breath in through my nose and ready myself, nodding to him, and he returns the gesture. With a little tug on my arm, he gives me his inertia, and we walk through the door together, with my mom hurrying behind. As we approach the "Unions" window, the woman behind the counter smiles, her eyes sparkling with happiness. She was obviously someone who enjoyed her job.
"Hello! Welcome!" She holds out her hand. "May I have your government, I.D., please?"
I nod, letting go of my father's arm and reaching into my purse. Last night, I tucked my I.D. into a little zippered pocket just inside my bag, so I was prepared for this question, and now, I extract it and hand it to her as she continues to grin.
"Excellent, Ms. Mars. Happy birthday and congratulations today!"
I feel my expression pucker at the presumptive congratulations and hear my mother giggle over my shoulder.
"Thank you so much. We've been looking forward to this day for some time," my mother says, and my head jerks around to scowl at her. But it's lost as her expression matches the pure joy of the stranger now in charge of my fate.
My hand instinctively reaches for my dad's and he grasps it, his moist palm pressing against mine. It feels like everything inside of me is shaking, even if my body stays perfectly still. Is this what my mother felt, before finding out she was paired with my father? Is this what she has wanted me to experience, the sheer terror mixed with excitement at the prospect of finding a life partner? Is this really better than going out and choosing a spouse for one's self?
"Just come through the door and have a seat in room number three." The woman presses a button on her desk and the door buzzes and unlocks with a loud click.
Is it locked to keep people out or keep people in?
"Thank you," my father responds and leads me through.
I'm numb as we make our way through the hallway, pausing for a split second as my father opens the door to office number three before leading me inside. The pale blue room has four chairs on one side of a desk and another large chair on the other. There is a tall window with plants on the ledge and I remember how my mother told me that this was once a high-school before it was repurposed as a government building.
"Have a seat, sweetheart."
Nodding to my father, I sit in a chair in the middle as he takes a seat on my right, my mother on my left. She still has a wide grin as she catches my eye.
"Isn't this exciting! I mean, in the blink of an eye, our family is about to grow!"
My stomach tightens further. "Yes, well, before you even say it, there will not be grandchildren, Mom. Not for a while. I don't care what the government will pay me."
My dad pats my arm. "No one says you have to have children, Veronica. And that can be a term of accepting this match or rejecting it. Remember, you have twenty-four hours to decide to accept the match or continue on your own."
And there it is, the voice of gentle reason.
"Thanks, Dad. I know, but I appreciate the reminder."
The door opens and I nearly jump out of my skin at the sight of a different woman from the first, smiling at us. My eyes shift to the folder in her hand and suddenly, calm washes over me. The nerves are gone; the stomach loosens. Everything just vanishes into a sense of peace as I watch her take a seat across from me and place the folder on the desk.
"Ms. Mars, my name is Sherri and I'll be your Union Advisor." I nod and force a smile and she continues. "Now, I printed your match and a courier has been sent to advise the person of the match. They will know by the time you leave this office. The next step is to meet with them and if you agree to the match, you need to inform me within the next twenty-four hours. From there, we will set up a time for you both to come in and sign the documents. If you reject the match, I need you to still come in and sign some papers, so your profile and DNA are deleted from the system, so you do not get matched again. Understood?"
"Yes." I nod again, still listening, but my eyes are still fixed on the file.
"If at any time, there is a situation of abuse, assault, or infidelity, you must report it immediately to the government and you will be granted a divorce."
I shiver. As a judge, I will eventually preside over these situations but it still feels long enough in the future that I can push it out of my head.
"If there are other problems, you can apply for a government-assigned therapist who can help you work through the issues with your spouse and come to an understanding so you can both continue."
My eyes finally move, darting between my father and mother. I remember a time when the therapist was over at our house every couple of nights, after I went to bed, speaking in hushed tones with my parents about whatever problems they were having while I listened through the vents. It obviously worked because they were still here together today.
"Other than that, we stand by Orwell's match based on your personality profile, DNA, and other screening factors. It is now up to the individuals to make the unions work. For two decades, we have made perfect matches for the people of Terra Nova, helping society to grow and flourish."
I'm pretty sure that last bit was a line she was supposed to say to make everyone feel better, but I still nod my understanding.
"Now, if you're ready…" She opens the file and my breath catches in my throat. "I will inform you of your partner."
I grab my father's hand and squeeze it. Everything is happening in slow motion as Sherri pushes my I.D. towards me, licking her finger as she flips the page, scanning it for the name. It may be seconds but it feels like hours before her mouth opens and she starts speaking again.
"Ms. Mars, based on your preference for an opposite-sex union with one partner, you have been paired with…."
I close my eyes. This is it.
"…Logan Echolls."
"What?" This can't be right. "What do you mean, Logan Echolls?" My brain is back online, clicking at a frantic pace.
"Oh, honey! This is wonderful!" my mother gleefully states, grabbing my other arm.
"But…but…Logan…he's…." A friend? A debate sparring partner? A future politician with the charm of a snake? "…Logan."
I can feel my breathing speed up as tiny dots blur my vision. He told us all he said he wanted a polyamorous relationship. Is this a computer glitch? Has Orwell lost its mind? Or did Logan lie? And if so, why did he lie?
My dad places his hand on my back as I tilt forward, placing my hands over my eyes. "It's okay, Veronica. You don't have to decide right now. We'll meet with Logan and his family and…"
The giggling starts from my belly, a low vibration that moves through my body, across my lungs and falls from my lips, high and sharp. I drop my hands and sit back in the chair, allowing the laughter to fill the room. I know. I now know. For some reason, I've been paired with the high school jackass. Thoughts of Logan giving teachers attitude during classes, his snarky comments about other students over lunch, his willingness to break the rules at any small opportunity.
Covering my mouth with my hands, I close my eyes, trying to stop myself before I lose my breath. Sherri looks unfazed and simply closes the file, standing and nodding at me before exiting, closing the door behind her.
"Veronica! This is wonderful! Lynn and Aaron Echolls are lovely people and it will be…"
"Mom…" I gasp through my trailing laughter. "Not now. Please. Not now."
"She's right, Lianne. Let's all just sit and collect ourselves before we head home. There, we can discuss this and call the Echolls family to arrange a meeting tonight over dinner. I'm sure they are processing this news too."
Logan Echolls.
Just thinking his name almost sets about another round of nervous giggles but I control myself, working hard to steady my nerves.
Logan Echolls.
The boy who I met when I was twelve and came to all my soccer games with Lilly and Duncan, cheering for us all. The one who also tossed me in the ocean when I was thirteen and then had to dive in to save me when a wave pulled me under.
Logan Echolls.
The guy who was supposed to have selected a polyamorous relationship. But instead, here we were, partnered together.
As I stand, I push back the chair and my parents rise too, both looking shocked at my sudden movement. "We need to go home and call the Echolls. Immediately. I need to talk to Logan before any decisions are made."
Snatching my I.D. off the desk, I shove it in the back pocket of my jeans, pushing the chair out of the way to get to the door. I pull it open and march through the hall, leaving my parents to catch up. At the entrance to the outside, I grab the handle and it doesn't move.
It's locked from the inside to keep people from running.
The woman at the desk catches my eye and still smiling, presses the button to let me out. I hear her call out as I make my way quickly through the waiting area.
"Good luck, Ms. Mars and again, happy birthday!"