Three Converts

Part 22

So Annie/Kimmyann told me her story: "I hadn't made a single conversion yet, but I was only fifteen so there was time. Still, my family... wasn't kind. They were impatient for me to make my three conversions. My parents were self-righteous nitwits, convinced if I really had Diety's favor I'd make all three conversions in one week." ('I know!' She exclaimed when I snorted at the impossibility)

I met Gibby when he was here on business from Bellevale. He listened to me, and you know getting someone to listen is quite the achievement in and of itself! Blah blah blah, long story short, we fell in love. I made the huge mistake of telling my parents about him. At the time I thought he might come live on the mountain with me. And Lucy? I think he really would have." (Based on the way he looked at Annie earlier, I guessed she was right.)

My mistake was telling my parents. I always did have a big mouth. They told the council, and all hell broke loose. My Father dragged me in the middle of the night to an emergency council meeting. They sentenced me to a humiliating punishment. They made me stand before them with a list they composed of all my... flaws, I suppose, and read it to them. Things like, 'I am obnoxious. I am hideous. I am sloppy.' It was five pages long. They meant to humble me, but I got one minute into my punishment before I knew I was leaving and never coming back."

I was horrified. My punishment was embarrassing and uncomfortable, but at least it hadn't been so personal.

"Annie." I covered my mouth. "I'm so sorry," I whispered into my fingers.

She flicked her wrist as though the memory were a pesky fly that landed on her pastry. "All in the past!" Though I could hear the hurt pushing her cheery tone downward. "Anyway! I'm supposed to be comforting you. Tell me what happened?"

So, I did. I told her about trying to convert Griffin. That we went by the water and I pulled my robe up and Franklin saw us and misunderstood. I told her about Misty and how I hadn't even known my friendship with her was a mark against me. I explained emphatically that my family loved me and I loved them and that was the most horrible thing of all, leaving them. I told her my realization that I didn't even believe the same things the council did. I didn't know what I believed yet, but it sure wasn't the same theology the commune had.

Annie nodded and understood and by the end of my diatribe we were both in tears.

"And now I don't know what to do. I have no purpose. No reason for being. I have no skills, Annie!"

Annie took my hand in hers. "Now listen, Lucy. I don't know about your skills. Something tells me you have plenty- we'll get to that. But I can tell you for one hundred percent sure that you have purpose. Any dummy can see that." She smiled. "If you want, you can stay with us. You don't have to! But we'd love to have you."

"Oh, oh, Annie. I mean- you should talk to Gibby first! He might not-"

"Trust me, Gibby will be on board. He is the most wonderful person in the world. He'd love to have you."

It seemed too easy. In my first two hours of being on my own, someone had taken me in. I wouldn't be on my own. I'd travel around with the fair. I'd see new places!

"Just think about it!" Annie sang. "You don'thave to tell me right away. Go have fun today! Do whatever you want with noagenda! Be a kid, for heaven's sake!" And though I was almost twenty years old,that really did sound exactly like what I wanted to do.