The Swailing

Malkut: Mesmerized

When I wake up, sun is pouring into the room.

"C'mon Mrs. Verity. Time for church."

Verity? In my sleepy haze I register that must be his last name. Finn Verity. Women in Optima don't change their names after they get married, IF they get married, but I'm familiar with the concept and if I remember correctly, Mrs. is the old-fashioned title for a married woman. I stretch and turn my gaze to Finn, who is up and dressed already. In fact, he's dressed differently today, out of his usual uniform of jeans and a t-shirt. Today he wears tan pants bought at the garage sale and a button down shirt. He looks nice, and I tell him so. I think that makes him blush a bit, but it might just be the pink of the sunrise peeking through the window.

Finn slips a piece of fabric around his neck and works it into some kind of knot. A necktie, I think it's called. Men don't wear ties in Optima, but I saw some businessmen in Aon with them on and I had asked Finn what they were.

"Do you still have that dress that Sabine bought you at the garage sale?"

I stretch and yawn. "Which one?" I think of the pile of clothes Sabine picked out for me. I know there were at least three dresses in there but I can't remember which clothes I gave to that family in Aon.

"The brown one."

I nod sleepily against my pillow. Oh yes, the ugly one. I think I still have it. Why didn't I give that one away when I had the chance?

"You should wear that."

I swing my legs over the edge of the bed. The dress is ugly. Drab and shapeless. I'm surprised Sabine picked it out and even more surprised that Finn likes it.

"God likes it when people dress frumpy?" I ask.

"Apparently."

I reluctantly get out of bed and get ready. The dress is not one I'd wear back home. It's longer, well past my knees, and buttons all the way up to my neck. But when I put it on, I realize it's completely open in the back, from my butt up to my neck. I show Finn.

"Oh," he says, embarrassed. "Leave it to Prospera to show some skin." He digs through my small pile of clothes and finds a little cardigan sweater and holds it out to me.

"A sweater? It's 25 degrees out there!"

He looks at me funny.

"I mean ... 80 degrees. Whatever it is in Fahrenheit. You know what I mean."

"Well, you can't go to church with your whole back showing."

"Why not?"

"It's too ... sexy."

"My BACK is sexy?"

Finn looks away and I swear he blushes this time but he just hands me the sweater. I slip it on.

"I admit I don't know much about fashion, but this dress is ..."

"Perfect," he says. "You'll see."

When we head out to the car, he gives me some pointers.

"So, in church you just kind of follow what everyone else does. Stand when they stand, sit when they sit. Pray when they pray. Or, at least look like you're praying."

I give him yet another blank look. "How do I look like I'm praying? Do that mini nap thing?"

"Yeah. Usually you fold your hands and look down. Or lift your hands and look up. We'll have to see what this church is like."

"You said there are churches in other territories, right? People who believe in God – or Jesus or whatever – in other places besides here?"

Finn nods. "Yes. But they're more ... low key. Not quite like down here."