if confused. “But wait, I must have misunderstood, it has been over twenty cycles because you are an only child. Aren’t you, Adelaide?”
“Yes,” Adelaide forced out through tight lips. “So you see…”
“So she must have been your niece, Elliott. Is that right?” Jacinda’s gaze pierced the Assemblyman’s refusing to allow him to look away.
“Um… no, I too am an only child,” he finally admitted, his wife sending him an angry look.
“Really? Then who was she? Why was she with you?”
“As I said, you are mistaken, Jacinda.”
“Oh no, Adelaide, I am not,” Jacinda cut her off. “I remember her quite distinctly. We were all surprised when Elliott arrived with her on his arm instead of you. He was positively bubbly which was confusing after he told us you were in Atrato, recovering from some illness. We were all very concerned. Weren’t we, Evadne?” Jacinda looked to her friend and saw her fighting a smile.
“Yes,” Evadne nodded her agreement. “I do recall that.”
Jacinda knew she had just put Adelaide Pajari in her pompous place and was going to let it end there, but the little twit just wouldn’t let it go.
“Neither of you know what you are talking about! I can only hope that your son has a better memory than you do and knows his place in the Assembly. Otherwise, he won’t remain there long.”
“Really, Adelaide, you want to go there?” Jacinda’s eyes went cold and her voice hard as she glared at the other woman. If this b’osh wanted to attack her son, then the gloves were coming off. “Because I distinctly remember a great deal more about that particular ball. I remember how Bebe danced with your husband. How she was pressed so tightly up against him that others stopped and stared.” She watched as Adelaide turned bright red before she spun around and stomped off. Elliott quickly followed looking like he wanted to crawl into a hole.
Silence reigned for several moments before Evadne broke out laughing and wrapped her arms around Jacinda. “Oh, Jacinda, I have indeed missed you. The look on Adelaide’s face… priceless.”
“I’ve wanted to put that self-important little b’osh in her place for cycles but now...” Jacinda looked to Danton. “I’m sorry, Danton.”
“Don’t be, Mother. It sounds like that was a long time coming.”
“It was, but you have to work with Elliott and I’ve just made that more difficult for you.”
“Don’t worry about it, Jacinda,” Evander reassured her. “I’m sure you son will be able to handle him.”
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Jotham and Barek silently followed their guard as they entered the Public Wing of the House of Protection. Tonight was the annual Assemblymen’s Ball, an event that Jotham knew he had to attend but one he no longer enjoyed. Every cycle he had to choose a wife from one of the Assemblymen to dance with and then for weeks after, he would have to deal with the rumors that he was favoring that Assemblyman.
“Father.”
“Yes?” Jotham looked to his son. It had been cycles since Barek had been on planet for this event, normally he was out with the Fleet.
“Would you mind if I took the first dance for the night?” Barek looked at his father as Jotham approached the closed door to the ballroom.
“You wish to address the Assemblymen?”
“No, I’ll leave that to you. I just thought I could help deflect the rumors of favoritism you always have to deal with after the Ball.”
“You know of that?” Jotham hadn’t realized his son had.
“Of course, I may not always be here, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know what is happening here.”
“No. Of course not.” Jotham looked at his son with new eyes. “I would appreciate you taking the first dance.” Jotham began to smile. “It will be interesting to see the Assemblymen’s reaction. Do you have someone in mind?”
“Yes,” was all Barek was able to say as Deffand opened the doors and their arrival was announced.
∞ ∞
“Yes,” Adelaide forced out through tight lips. “So you see…”
“So she must have been your niece, Elliott. Is that right?” Jacinda’s gaze pierced the Assemblyman’s refusing to allow him to look away.
“Um… no, I too am an only child,” he finally admitted, his wife sending him an angry look.
“Really? Then who was she? Why was she with you?”
“As I said, you are mistaken, Jacinda.”
“Oh no, Adelaide, I am not,” Jacinda cut her off. “I remember her quite distinctly. We were all surprised when Elliott arrived with her on his arm instead of you. He was positively bubbly which was confusing after he told us you were in Atrato, recovering from some illness. We were all very concerned. Weren’t we, Evadne?” Jacinda looked to her friend and saw her fighting a smile.
“Yes,” Evadne nodded her agreement. “I do recall that.”
Jacinda knew she had just put Adelaide Pajari in her pompous place and was going to let it end there, but the little twit just wouldn’t let it go.
“Neither of you know what you are talking about! I can only hope that your son has a better memory than you do and knows his place in the Assembly. Otherwise, he won’t remain there long.”
“Really, Adelaide, you want to go there?” Jacinda’s eyes went cold and her voice hard as she glared at the other woman. If this b’osh wanted to attack her son, then the gloves were coming off. “Because I distinctly remember a great deal more about that particular ball. I remember how Bebe danced with your husband. How she was pressed so tightly up against him that others stopped and stared.” She watched as Adelaide turned bright red before she spun around and stomped off. Elliott quickly followed looking like he wanted to crawl into a hole.
Silence reigned for several moments before Evadne broke out laughing and wrapped her arms around Jacinda. “Oh, Jacinda, I have indeed missed you. The look on Adelaide’s face… priceless.”
“I’ve wanted to put that self-important little b’osh in her place for cycles but now...” Jacinda looked to Danton. “I’m sorry, Danton.”
“Don’t be, Mother. It sounds like that was a long time coming.”
“It was, but you have to work with Elliott and I’ve just made that more difficult for you.”
“Don’t worry about it, Jacinda,” Evander reassured her. “I’m sure you son will be able to handle him.”
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Jotham and Barek silently followed their guard as they entered the Public Wing of the House of Protection. Tonight was the annual Assemblymen’s Ball, an event that Jotham knew he had to attend but one he no longer enjoyed. Every cycle he had to choose a wife from one of the Assemblymen to dance with and then for weeks after, he would have to deal with the rumors that he was favoring that Assemblyman.
“Father.”
“Yes?” Jotham looked to his son. It had been cycles since Barek had been on planet for this event, normally he was out with the Fleet.
“Would you mind if I took the first dance for the night?” Barek looked at his father as Jotham approached the closed door to the ballroom.
“You wish to address the Assemblymen?”
“No, I’ll leave that to you. I just thought I could help deflect the rumors of favoritism you always have to deal with after the Ball.”
“You know of that?” Jotham hadn’t realized his son had.
“Of course, I may not always be here, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know what is happening here.”
“No. Of course not.” Jotham looked at his son with new eyes. “I would appreciate you taking the first dance.” Jotham began to smile. “It will be interesting to see the Assemblymen’s reaction. Do you have someone in mind?”
“Yes,” was all Barek was able to say as Deffand opened the doors and their arrival was announced.
∞ ∞
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