Undersea

Chapter 9: Dinner with the Gods in the House of Eden

There was a feeling creeping up inside Sarah as she left the Founder's Day Parade: she was about to lose someone again. She trembled, for to that feeling she was no stranger and she feared for Beamer. On the way back from the parade she pondered over it and decided she would do something about it. Sarah went straight back to her quarters and told Zenith and Emmie everything. Emmie's face went white.

"Oh Sarah!" said Zenith, "you don't think..."

"I cannot say for certain what will happen, it's true," said Sarah, "but the officer seemed quite clear. Though I'm not sure of his motives."

"Are you not?" said Zenith. "I think it's clear the officer likes you."

Color rushed to Sarah's cheeks, "Surley I haven't given him any impression I have interest!"

"Well like it or not I think he's taken a shine to you, maybe there's some jealousy on his part in the way of Beamer? Perhaps that is why he said those things about him?"

Sarah laughed as if to shake off the notion then thought about it.

"Or maybe the officer is just trying to impress you?" wondered Zenith.

"I guess those are all possible scenarios, I just, well, want to be able to do something this time around if anything should happen. It's just awful sitting powerless unable to do something." Sarah was silent.

"It sounds like you have some of your grandma in you," said Zenith squeezing Sarah's hand.

"Yeah well, we all know how that all turned out," said Sarah closing her eyes.

"You are probably just worried about nothing," said Zenith hopefully, "but I will help you with your plan if it somehow comes to that. My father and mother love Beamer, he has come around our place a lot since you moved up here, they wouldn't hesitate to help if he was in trouble. I'm not sure how we are going to execute the first part of the plan though, there are a number of loose variables it seems. Eh, we're probably all just paranoid and it won't come to anything."

"I hope you're right," said Sarah feeling better. She probably was overreacting. "Once bitten twice shy," she thought, "or should it be twice bitten thrice shy?"

Emmie did not say anything but left the room towards the end of Sarah and Zenith's gala preparations so she could make some arrangements for Sarah's plan, should it be needed.

"It won't come to it," said Sarah, trying to reassure Zenith and herself as she fixed her hair in the mirror, "and we'll just laugh about this later. I'm sorry Zenith that I can't be with you for the first part of the evening; I have to stand in the receiving line with Sir LaRosa, mother, and Jack."

"No worries. I'll probably just sit in one of the seating areas nearby and wait until you're done. Then we can walk into the Great Hall together. I brought a book to read."

"Hey, maybe you'll meet someone, a scientist maybe. I bet you guys talk for hours."

Zenith laughed, "I think I'd rather stand in the receiving line." She gave Sarah a playful shove.

"How do I look?" said Sarah after a bit. She had just finished applying some light makeup and did a twirl for Zenith. Her blue gown billowed out and the starfish earrings glittered with her pearl necklace.

Zenith clapped her hands together, "Oh Sarah!" she said, "that officer will have a hard time keeping his eyes off you! You look amazing!"

"Don't say that!" said Sarah with a smile, "but I do hope we can enjoy ourselves tonight. Beamer will be sitting at our table and Jack too with his "date" from school."