Goldilocks Forever

Chapter 20

Santa Monia, California

March 2006

The little white pill appeared alongside her breakfast plate each morning. Anna arrived at the breakfast table early enough to notice a similar ration of pills next to each of the other plates at the table. Ricardo swallowed his two little whites and one tiny yellow down while emptying a glass of orange juice in one gulp.

She wondered what assortment of pills Sabian took. The Los Angeles Times shielded her from seeing his face. There were no pills at his place setting.

George gulped down his two tiny yellows and one baby blue and pointed his fork at Anna. "Take your medicine."

She stuck out her tongue, placed the pill on it, turned in his direction so he could see, and then drank a mouthful of juice. She stuck her tongue out at him again to prove she'd swallowed it.

"Good girl." He dug into his quiche and flipped open the binder with the day's schedules and notes.

"Am I supposed to feel a difference?"

"Hmm." He didn't look up. "It's too soon to tell."

"Reassess the dose after a week," Sabian ordered from behind the newspaper.

The week went by in a flurry of preparation for the Council meeting. The Council, George explained to Anna, was the society's government made up of commanders of each territory with Sabian as the chief of the Council. It normally met once a month, but the break-in at the lab—he'd refused to give her more details about it—necessitated an ad hoc meeting.

Anna and George converted what had once been a movie or game room in the large house into a conference room with enough space to fit all the Council members. When they arrived, George was there to greet them and lead them to the conference room. Anna stood off to the side, awaiting any last-minute instruction. George made her change into one of Casey's dresses and warned her with a shaking, chastising finger, "The commanders are some of the most respected members of the society."

She nodded. "My elders."

"Yes," he nodded, missing her sarcasm. "Behave."

She started to roll her eyes, but then stopped and stared as a woman in a striking red dress strode into the foyer. Her heels echoed over the marble tile as she approached them.

Anna nearly gasped. The sight of the woman struck her, not just because of her beauty and the perfection of her shampoo-commercial hair that fell in long dark waves over her shoulders, but because it was the first time since she'd arrived that she'd seen another woman.

"Who is that?" she whispered to George, elbowing him in the side.

"That's Lydia." He spoke in a low tone. "She's the commander of the San Diego territory."

Lydia's mouth spread into a smile as she came nearer. "George."

He stepped forward and gave her a little bow. She embraced him with a laugh. "Well done pulling this together for us on such short notice. You always do such a lovely job." She lowered her voice and entwined her arm around his. "When is Sabian going to let you come work for me?"

Perhaps to evade the question, George turned and gestured toward Anna. "Lydia, please meet the newest member of our household—"

Lydia's lips parted. "Oh, my. She looks just like Acacia!"

Anna knew she should smile politely to avoid George's later wrath, but she couldn't muster that much emotional labor. She braced herself for the first flicker of annoyance. She had to fan it down before she grew too angry, before the rage set in. She hated being compared to her sister.