After the usual public displays of affection are outlawed, Alexei and Maria are careful to show their love only through the three approved methods. When Alexei tells Maria some exciting news, they forget themselves and hold hands. They're sure the t...
After Dad finishes embarrassing me more thoroughly than ever before, we settle into dinner more or less as usual.
"How was your day at work, dear?" Ma asks, ending the long period of silence.
"We noticed a strange breach in our sector yesterday," Dad spoke between bites of potato, "So it was a pretty busy day. They were still working on it when I left to come home."
"You didn't need to stay?" Ma seems concerned about something.
"It wasn't my turn," his eyes flicker to me, though I can't figure out why. "So Sortin took tonight's shift. I will go in early tomorrow to relieve him."
Ma nods before turning to Elisa. "And how is your mending going, dear?" she smiles kindly, "Do you need any help?"
Elisa looks at her lap as she swirls the food around on her plate with her fork, eating none of it. "Not so well," she looks up at me before continuing. "Could Maria help me?"
My family is just full of surprises today.
"I have to clean the living room," I say, trying not to show how anxious I am to complete that task and rid myself of the disk forever.
"Oh, I'm sure we can arrange something," Ma puts her hand on Elisa's. "Don't you think we could figure something out, dear?" she directs that comment to me.
Think, Maria. You need a reason to say no. But I can't think of one.
"Yeah, I'm sure we can figure it out," I force a smile. It seems I have fooled everyone but Jem, who is looking at me through narrowed eyes.
"I'll clean the living room, Ma," Jem says, loud and clear. "We are only here for another week before our home repairs are complete so I feel we should do more to help out before we leave."
She's all smiles on the outside, but I know she is up to something. There's no way she knows about the disk, so what is she trying to achieve? Is she just trying to show me up now that I beat her in the exams?
"Delightful!" Ma places her hands together before speaking to me. "I'll let you help Elisa with her needlework for a few minutes while I am clearing the table and then you can take over Jem's job of helping me in the kitchen."
There it is. Jem smiles sweetly at me. I toss her a glare which goes unnoticed by everyone except my father, who raises his eyebrow at me in warning.
"I'd love to help, Ma. Thanks," I plaster a smile on my face and flash it to Dad, who lets out one low laugh when he catches a glimpse of me.
Ma mentions how we would have time to talk while cleaning or something, but I am not paying attention. I'm too busy worrying about what I'm going to do about the disk. I need to get in there and move it or destroy it before Jem finds it. Or I need to hope Jem doesn't find it.
If anyone were to ask me questions, they would not receive a response. I am too busy staring at the wall, deciding what to do with the disk.
I still haven't come to a conclusion when the sound of chairs scraping the ground brings me back to reality.
I look around the room, trying to get an idea of what is going on. It seems like we have been excused from dinner, but my plate is still full.
"I'm just going to finish up, if that's okay," I smile at Ma, hoping she doesn't catch on to how little I've been paying attention.
"I just said that, dear," Ma whisks away dishes while she speaks to me. "Do pay closer attention next time."
"Of course, Ma," I lower my gaze and begin eating the full plate of food in front of me. Given that I've barely touched any of it all evening, I am hungry enough to finish it in mere minutes.
I hurry to clear my dishes so I can get to the living room before Jem begins her work, hoping I can get a free moment to hide the disk before she finds it.
I rush my plate into the kitchen and scurry out into the living room, only to find it unoccupied. I fly over to the couch and lie flat on my stomach as I reach underneath. I feel around with my hand, unable to find the disk.My hand sweeps left and right, but I still can't find it. I stop when I hear footsteps approaching.
I am still lying flat on the ground when Ma enters the room, "Honestly, Maria. I said you could stay to finish dinner, not play on the floor. Go help your sister with her work, please."
She says please, but she isn't asking. So I get up and make my way towards the stairs, using all of my willpower to stop myself from looking back towards the couch as I walk. Hopefully Jem doesn't find it. That's my only chance now.
Each step makes my heart beat in my ears as I climb the stairs to find Elisa.
I knock gently on her door as I approach, "Elisa? It's Maria. Do you still want me to help you with your mending?"
I hear her stocking feet patter gently across the floor as she approaches the door. "Thank you, Maria," she whispers as she reaches her arm through the crack in the door and pulls me inside her room.
"It's mending, Elisa," I try to reassure her that everything will be okay, but she looks like she's being chased by a monster.
"What's wrong, Elisa?" I ask, hoping she will tell me the truth if I come at it head on.
Elisa closes the door and drags me to her bed, making me sit down before she will talk.
I try to ask what is going on, because she is worrying me, but she just shushes me and gets a small box from her desk.
Finally, she sits down beside me and speaks, "I made a big mistake."
"I'm sure it's not that bad," I try to be reassuring by rubbing her shoulder, "What's the mistake?"
Elisa doesn't look me in the eyes as she slowly lifts the lid off the box, finally revealing what is inside. Jem's favourite dress. Shrunk about three sizes too small.
"What exactly am I looking at?" I think I know, but I want to be sure.
"I was doing the washing, and I put Jem's dress in by accident and..." she trails off as she gestures to the box. "So what do I do? Jem's going to kill me!"
"Why don't we just tell Ma?"
"Because she'll kill me, too," Elisa buries her head in her hands.
"No, she won't. I promise," I hug her until she stops crying.
We sit in silence for a moment before Ma interrupts us by calling from downstairs.
"Maria! I think Elisa can manage on her own now. I require your assistance in the kitchen, please."
"I'll be right down," I call back from the doorway.
"So," I turn to Elisa, "You ready to come with me or what?"
She nods and closes the box. I tuck it under my right arm while taking her hand with my left, "All right, let's go."
Hand-in-hand, we descend the staircase towards Ma and the living room I have been trying to forget since the disk slipped out of the envelope and slid across the floor.
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