The Progeny
Chapter 8
She's Out of Time
Excerpt from Chapter 2
On Hadar, mating is steeped in ritual. Ritual helps reinforce the people's dependency and interconnectedness. The three phase mating ritual begins with the couple having an understanding; an agreement to dating exclusivity. An understanding can last a few days or several cycles. Next, the couple recites the vow of commitment to each other and exchange ear cuffs as an outward symbol of their exclusivity and intent to bond. The final phase is the actual mating ceremony where the couple exchanges life commitment vows before family and friends. The ceremony unites not only the couple but also the couple's families and the couple's network of friends.
Moments later Sabean re-enters the room with Mellie at her side. The two giggling females each have an arm wrapped around the other's waist. Sabean's previous tearful demeanor has been replaced by jovial discourse and warm embraces from the always welcome but unexpected Mellie.
"Mellie what are you doing here", Fitz questions?
"I came to congratulate your parents of course", Mellie replies; somewhat shocked by Fitz's question.
"Mellie I will take you at your word that your sole motivation for being here is to offer congratulatory words to my parents," Fitz retorts slightly irritated by her presence. He brings Olivia's hand to his lips for an affectionate kiss. Mellie's unexpected visit surprises Olivia too.
"Fitzgerald what other motivation could I have? Is it not customary for friends to offer well wishes to the parents of the couple who have spoken the vow?" Mellie's overly enthusiastic delivery of her explanation for being there falls flat; even Fitz's parents find her response less than sincere. Mellie smiles but her eyes are empty and her lips barely curve. She makes eye contact with everyone in the room except Olivia, the chosen victor of Fitz's affections.
Olivia can read Mellie's thoughts. Mellie is struggling with her emotions. In her heart, she accepts the fact she and Fitz were never more than friends and will never be mates but in her mind, she indulges in the fantasy that she is dreaming and that the current reality is some incredible misunderstanding. In her mind, she continues to hang on to the irrational hope that Fitz will finally look at her and realize he loves her, reject Olivia, and come to her and speak the vow. Olivia tries to shut out Mellie's thoughts but Mellie's anguish is strong and deep. From the depths of her fractured soul, Mellie is screaming, "See me, love me, chose me Fitz." Olivia hears all too clearly the internal pleas that reverberate incessantly in Mellie's inner ear like the clanging sound of the noonday bells in the Turret square.
Mellie soon snaps out of her private reflection and recites her well-rehearsed statement, borrowed in part from Edison's earlier speech at the Turret. "Matriarch and Patriarch Grant, I wish you joyous and fruitful blessings as you join with the Pope family. May Fitz and Olivia's joining add to your kindred strong, intelligent, prosperous progeny. May this union add significance and plenty to your families, our people and the generations to come." Satisfied with her savvy delivery of a traditional benison, Mellie bows and hugs Fitz's parents and Fitz, however, Olivia simply acknowledges Mellie's verbal offering with a customary bow. As she raises her head, Olivia looks Mellie in the eyes; something within her compels her to reach out and take Mellie by the hand.
"Mellie, thank you; I know you too will find the one who will see you, love and choose you." Mellie takes a step back stunned. For a minute Mellie questions whether she actually verbalized her inner most thoughts.
"What did you say? How do you…?" Olivia's words knock Mellie off kilter and she pulls her hand away from Olivia abruptly. Mellie's reaction surprises everyone except Olivia.
The room grows silent. Fitz is perturbed, Olivia is on edge, and Sabean worries Mellie will say something inappropriate in a desperate attempt to guilt Fitz into choosing her. She can see in Mellie's eyes a hunger for what will never be. A longing for the smallest, even the most insignificant of acknowledgments. Sabean takes Mellie's hand. "Mellie my dear it is so kind of you to go out of your way to make this trip to felicitate our family. We all appreciate every one of your gracious words. However, my dear I know this is the night you normally share evening meal with your parents. Please do not delay your plans on our part. Olivia's parents are on their way over and we have much to discuss as you can imagine." Mellie's heart sinks. Of all people, Mellie expects Sabean to be her ally in her last ditched effort to sway Fitz. Mellie takes note of Sabean's demeanor and quickly surmises Sabean is trying to save her further discomfort and embarrassment.
"Yes, it is matriarch. I must be on my way; my father abhors tardiness. If you will excuse me, I will take my leave of you now and let you return to enjoying this delightful unanticipated familial development." Mellie hugs Sabean, Gerry and Fitz. She looks at Olivia with sorrow in her eyes and nods on her way out the door. Olivia senses a flash of ill-will from Mellie towards her as she walks by her; however, the negative thought proves fleeting and is quickly replaced by reluctant acceptance and extreme disappointment.
"Sabean, how could you? Mellie is like a daughter to us. Did you have to dismiss her so quickly?" Gerry cuts.
"Father, is not this time reserved for the families? I do not understand why Mellie would choose to come here at this time. She already conveyed her well wishes earlier today."
"Fitzgerald there is clearly an absence of understanding about this entire situation on everyone's part. I mean no disrespect to AB Pope but we have known Mellie for more than six cycles, six cycles Fitzgerald, that means something and I do not see what harm there is in allowing her to stay a little longer."
"Father, you are being disrespectful. Her name is Olivia. Within the context of this moment, she is not AB Pope and you will address her by her name. She is the love of my life and my chosen bond mate. How can you stand there and question our adherence to custom and at the same time put a damper on our special occasion by inviting a nonfamily member to share in our observance. How can you give greater attention to Mellie's feelings than to your actual future daughter?" Fitz stares at his father shaking his head. He looks at Olivia and strokes her cheek with the back of his hand.
"Fitzgerald, we know Mellie, we care for Mellie. Do you really expect us to toss her aside as if she is the stranger here?" Gerry blurts out.
"Gerry! Sabean interjects. Fitz has made his choice, whether we agree with it or not. It is custom for this time to be spent with the two families only. You speak of no harm. Can you image how Mellie feels? Why would you want to prolong her sadness by having her watch us exchange pleasantries with the Popes and make plans for a joining ceremony? No, I did what is right; any other course of action would have been cruel."
Gerry kisses his wife on the forehead. "Sabean, as always, you are the voice of reason and wisdom. I am indeed a man most fortunate." Gerry, smiling reservedly, turns to Fitz and Olivia.
"Fitz, Olivia I apologize." Olivia nods weakly in acceptance but Fitz says nothing.
Fitz can sense Olivia's growing fatigue. He takes her by the hand and leads her to deck without saying a word to Gerry. "Sit here my love while I prepare some refreshment for you."
"Thank you my beloved." Olivia's voice is barely above a whisper.
"Olivia, it does not matter to me how my parents feel or what they think of our courtship. I tell you this truth, I believe our union has been ordained since the formation of the cosmos. We are and have always been destined to be one. When I look into your eyes, I find peace, comfort and unconditional love. I see our future, our past and our beginning. I see no life without you. I want no life apart from you. I can tell you are growing weaker. I will no longer delay our joining. After your parents arrive, we will call a magistrate so our parents, if they wish, can bear witness to our union. If they object, we will leave this place and go stand before the magistrate alone and stand in the company of strangers."
"Fitz your observation is correct. I can sense that I will not last until morning. The energy and gifts within me are consuming me. If I fade away before we can join promise me I will succumb to death wrapped in your arms. Promise me my beloved!" Olivia weeps. She fears not being strong enough to endure the challenge of her call.
"Olivia stop this! I will not listen to such calamitous words." He joins her on the chaise and gathers her into his arms. We will join this very eve. Before the sun rises on the morrow, you will call me your mate beloved." He kisses her passionately. His kiss energizes her enough to hold on a little while longer. He draws her forehead to his; their breaths unite in concert. In this moment, nothing exists outside the two of them. Both are unaware his parents are watching their tender exchange.
"Do you see how they look at one another? I must admit he never cast such a loving gaze at Mellie. He is captivated by Olivia."
"No Sabean, they are captivated by each other." Gerry's reservations begin to give way to provisional optimism. Maybe Olivia is exactly what Fitz needs.
"But what of Mellie?" Gerry asks unconsciously out of genuine concern.
"What about her Gerry? You need to let go of your dream of joining our family with the consortium. Our planet is dying and the political moves of the past are dying right along with it. We will not see the new world, nor will we shape the leaders who will run it. Our time is now. We must spend our remaining days uplifting and supporting our family. Fitz has made his choice and we must respect it."
Gerry hugs Sabean and pinches her nose. "I'll admit having a scientist in the family intrigues me."
The sound of the portico chime snaps both couples to attention. Sabean and Gerry abandon watching Fitz and Olivia to go greet Olivia's parents. Fitz helps Olivia to her feet. He gives her one more passionate kiss before taking her hand and leading her back to the main room.
Eli and Maya Pope stand quietly in the portico of the Grant family home inspecting its distinctive foliage and décor. The Popes are familiar with the Grant name; everyone on Hadar is. The Grants are a much-respected prominent family in the Manufacturing and Industry community. They think to themselves Olivia appears to have chosen well. When the door opens, the Popes swiftly turn around. Gerry and Sabean bow and introduce themselves.
After welcoming the Popes to their home, Gerry and Sabean escort them to the main room where Fitz and Olivia are waiting for them. Eli and Maya Pope enter the Grant home cautiously. The shock of Olivia announcing she has spoken the vow to Doyen Grant instead of Edison still has them befuddled. Initially everyone stands in uneasy silence; the awkwardness of the moment relegates parents to one side of the room, their offspring to the other. The room is filled with tension, anxiety and confusion. The parents want answers; they need answers. How did their children come together? Olivia and Fitz decide to break the stalemate by eagerly greeting her parents. Eli and Maya pause to hug their daughter tightly. Maya pulls back from the embrace and casually brushes Olivia's hair away from her ear revealing the confirming evidence of her daughter's change in status.
"Doyen Grant, it is a pleasure to meet you and your family." Eli says as he and Maya bow.
"The honor is mine Symposiarch Pope. Olivia has shared with me how proud she is of both of you and your contributions to the academic leagues. Turning to Maya Fitz adds, Dean Pope Olivia is also equally expressive in her admiration of your academic achievements." Olivia squeezes Fitz's hand and smiles.
The families continue to converse on a variety of topics skillfully avoiding the topic that has brought them all together. Sabean excuses herself to go to kitchen and prepare some traditional vow celebration comestibles for her guests. When Sabean returns they all move to the dining room table to eat.
Normally the patriarchs will begin the vow celebration meal with a speech of welcome and praise about their children taking the formal steps toward bonding after a respectable courtship; but Eli and Gerry are at a loss for words. They have no collective history to draw from, no shared outings, no celebrations, no travel or joint family meals; no remembrances whatsoever. They cannot recreate Fitz and Olivia's courtship because they have not been privy to it. Olivia reading the thoughts of her parents, as well as Gerry and Sabean's decides to share how she and Fitz came to be together. "Mother, father, I know this all seems sudden and contrary to custom, and in one sense it is, but Fitz and I have had an unspoken understanding for a while and today we could no longer deny the cry of our hearts."
"Olivia, if you both have had feelings for one another for some time, why did you wait so long to act on these feelings?" Maya lovingly probes.
"Both of us thought the other had an understanding with someone else. Fitz thought I was involved with Edison and I thought he was courting Mellie."
"Fortunately, fate providentially intervened and revealed the truth of both our circumstances and we immediately seized the opportunity to speak of the love that was brimming in our hearts." Fitz confesses, smiling from ear to ear.
"We have spent countless hours working closely together over the last few cycles, time which afforded us the opportunity to cultivate a mutual respect for one another and out of that mutual respect a friendship developed. Each day we took notice each other's habits, our likes and dislikes. I cannot pinpoint when it happened I just know before we knew it we both realized we wanted more than friendship. However, given our positions, decorum prevailed, and our demeanors never betrayed the secret yearning of our hearts." Lost in her admission, Olivia gently caresses Fitz's jaw. Fitz kisses Olivia's hand and looks around the table trying to gauge their procreators' reactions.
The parents ask a few more questions and eventually come to accept their children's decision to bond. Both sets of parents are forced to admit to themselves the depth of commitment and caring Fitz and Olivia show one another is remarkable and palpable. Separately within their own thoughts, Eli, Maya, Gerry and Sabean ponder the obvious questions. How could they have missed they miss their children's impassivity toward Edison and Mellie? Why did they ignore the signs of loneliness and longing in their children's eyes? Did they intentionally disregard or ignore the wants and desires of their son and daughter? Do they truly think they know better what is best for Fitz and Olivia? The parents experience a slight twinge of guilt as they think about the emotional travesty their offspring have averted. Would they have really tried to convince the children they profess to love, to bond with someone they did not cherish?
Eager to extinguish the internal chastisement yammering within her, Sabean decides to speak and get to point of the impromptu evening gathering. "Well, she chimes in; I guess we have a bonding ceremony to plan."
"Uh…, yes mother, about the bonding ceremony." Stammering to get his words out, Fitz looks to Olivia for concurrence as all eyes fall on the two of them.
"What now? Don't tell us you want to forgo a formal bonding ceremony?" Gerry barks, shaking his head and reclining back in his highback chair.
"Olivia and I want to marry this very eve, Fitz states as if giving a formal statement for the record."
"What!, their parents shout. This is unheard of! What is the rush! Have you broken convention? Olivia is there something you need to tell us? What is so urgent you cannot wait for a ceremony among friends and family?" Neither Olivia nor Fitz can get a word in to respond to their parents questions. The parents are bombarding the couple with question after question.
"Olivia, are we to understand you wish to deny your brother and sister the honor of standing in accord with you as you exchange vows? Your siblings are off world Olivia; there is no way they can return to Hadar this evening. This is not like you Olivia. What is it that compels you of late to flagrantly to discard convention?" Eli demands.
"Fitzgerald I ask the same question of you, Gerry repeats. Your sister is in the agriculture sector conducting critical experiments. Are you fine with excluding for her from the ceremony? Do both you and Olivia lack compunction?"
Their parents launch another volley of endless questions. Their thoughts are screaming in Olivia's mind and she can't quiet the mental noise. She rubs her temples trying to concentrate and remain calm. Fitz observing her distress grabs her face. He whispers to her.
"Focus on me Livvie. It's just you and me, remember that. We can leave now. I will not lose you."
Fitz notices Olivia's nose is starting to bleed. He casually wipes away a few droplets but the bleeding worsens. He helps her up and takes her to the hygiene chamber. Their parents fail to notice Fitz and Olivia's departure because they are so wrapped up in discussing their mutual objections to a quick informal bonding ceremony.
Fitz has Olivia hold her head back while he applies a cold compress to her nose. "I wish they would stop yelling and support our decision. We can have a formal bonding ceremony later." Olivia whispers to Fitz between labored breaths.
She is exhausted from the pulsating energy within her. She needs release. It is taking all her mental discipline to resist the instinctive urge to physically unite with Fitz right there in the hygiene chamber. Fitz embraces Olivia and kisses her brow. Olivia senses Fitz's feeling of helplessness as he attends to her. He is trying to fight the feeling that Olivia is slipping away but the reality is she is in fact slipping away. She is running out of time. Gazing into her eyes, he sees the internal struggle being waged between the alien DNA overtaking her body and what's left of her Hadarian being. A wisp of energy escapes through her eyes into Fitz's. He drops the compress and falls forward onto Olivia; his body is not prepared to receive the infusion of alien energy. He groans from the pain.
"Are you okay?" I'm losing control, I'm sorry."
"I know Livvie, I'm fine. It's not your fault. The pain is passing. I think we should leave. There's a magistrate not far from here. We can take my father's aerial conveyance and go to my seasonal retreat in the Bresdan Mountains after our ceremony."
When Fitz and Olivia return to the dining room they instantly notice the change in the room's atmosphere, there is a softened tenor to their parents' voices. A lighthearted conversation about finding a magistrate has replaced the contentious discussion on tradition and convention. Phrases such as: "the sooner the better;" "no time like the present," "why not, we can have a magistrate here in no time;" they can always have the formal bonding ceremony with all the pomp and circumstance later," are bandied about.
Fitz and Olivia look at each other. "What just happened, Fitz asks? Do you do this? Can you influence thought?"
"I don't know." Olivia shrugs her shoulders nervously. It is unsettling to her to be unaware of all the types or the extent of the powers she possesses.
"The benefactors only told me we would only discern all the gifts after we join." Then she remembers something else the aliens said.
"Olivia you must use the powers given to you in order to develop your skills and abilities. Think about what you want to happen and expect the corresponding action to follow. It is not enough to think an action; you must be convinced the action will come to pass. Exercising the connection between thought and expectation strengthens and shapes your powers."
"Fitz, Olivia, the magistrate will be her shortly," Eli announces. Fitz and Olivia look puzzled, they never saw Eli leave the table, let alone the room to use the viscom to secure a magistrate.
The families gather in the main room. Both Fitz and Olivia have changed into all white attire. The magistrate stands in front of Olivia and Fitz and their parents stand behind them. The magistrate is dressed in a black robe with a gold-fringed sash and a tapered black skullcap.
"Since the beginning of recorded time, man and woman have sought each other out for companionship, procreation and physical fulfillment. These three vital components of life reach the ultimate expression in the bonding of man to woman. Bonding is what brings stability to our society. It is what perpetuates our species. It is what makes life worth living. This eve you too have chosen to take your place among the innumerable that have gone before you.
Fitzgerald Grant, son of Fitzgerald and Sabean Grant, what say you to Olivia Pope, daughter of Eli and Maya Pope?"
"Olivia, I pledge myself to you spirit, soul and body. I take you as my companion, my lover and the mother of my offspring. I bind my life to yours, pledge my fidelity to you and commit myself to you until the call of death separates us." Olivia reaches up and wipes the tears from Fitz's eyes.
"Olivia Pope, daughter of Eli and Maya Pope, what say you to Fitzgerald Grant, son of Fitzgerald and Sabean Grant?"
"Fitzgerald, I pledge myself to you spirit, soul and body. I take you as my companion, my lover and the father of my offspring. I bind my life to yours, pledge you my fidelity and commit myself to you until the call of death separates us."
"Fitzgerald and Sabean Grant, do you welcome Olivia and freely join with the household of Pope?"
"We do magistrate."
"Eli and Maya Pope, do you welcome Fitzgerald and freely join with the household of Grant?"
"We do magistrate."
"Household Grant and Household Pope, do all pledge to honor, support and uphold the traditions and customs of Hadar?"
"We do magistrate."
"Fitzgerald and Olivia, this eve you declare to your family your bond commitment. Present the outward symbol of your commitment." Fitz and Olivia remove the adjustable gold rings that dangle from their ear cuffs and hand them to the magistrate.
"The ring is a circle representing eternity and everlasting love. It has no beginning and therefore no end. In the circle, we find unity and the gateway to the unknown. It affirms the repetitive, unending completeness of time and space. The circle reminds us of our interconnectedness to all things. Life, death and time itself are all eternal cycles. Wear these rings as emblems of your love, devotion, eternal commitment and the agreement between your families."
The magistrate hands Fitz Olivia's ring. "Olivia I love you. Share your life with me. Be my bond mate. Be one with me and only me." Fitz places the ring Olivia's right index finger.
"Fitz I agree to share my life with you, to be your mate and to be one with you." The love Fitz sees in Olivia's eyes makes his heart race.
The magistrate hands Olivia Fitz's ring. "Fitz I love you. Share your life with me. Be my bond mate. Be one with me and only me." Olivia places the ring Fitz's right index finger.
"Olivia, I agree to share my life with you, to be your mate and to be one with you."
Fitz and Olivia kiss and place their hands on the computer pad held by the magistrate. The pad scans their hands and registers their bonding in the Great Archive. The magistrate scans the hands of their parents as witnesses to the bonding.
"Congratulations Household Grant-Pope." The magistrate bows first to the Fitz and Olivia, then bows to the parents. Sabean and Gerry thank and walk the magistrate out.
"Time to become one my beloved", Fitz says grinning raising his eyebrows up and down.
"It is indeed time my love", Olivia responds weakly. Her nose begins to bleed again.
"Olivia you're bleeding," Maya yells. Is this why you two are in a rush to bond?"
Olivia looks up at Fitz just before she passes out. "Olivia no!", Fitz shouts. He draws her unconscious body to his. Tears stream down his face. He drops to the floor and rocks her back and forth. Eli and Maya rush to Olivia. Sabean and Gerry hearing the screams coming from the main room slam the portico door shut and run back to the main room. They search the room and find Eli and Maya trying to pry Olivia out of Fitz's arms but he won't let go of her. Gerry and Sabean are about to step in and render aid when all of sudden all the lights go out in the house. A loud whirling sound engulfs the main room. Unsecured objects fall to the floor, knickknacks shake and move across tables, the curtains billow as if wind is flowing through the windows; but the windows are sealed. The whirling sound intensifies. Eli, Maya, Sabean and Gerry shake their heads from side to side and cover their ears to shut out the noise.