The Society

The Society Chapter 10

Chapter 10
       With Harlen gone I had to channel my energy into something so that I didn't go crazy. I spent all of my time focusing on school work. The Healers told me that I would graduate early. I was already on the floor shadowing them. They claimed I was one of their most promising students.
    I stayed in my room most of the time. Shay hadn't come home Monday or Tuesday night. Dad said she had to stay with the Society. When I heard the door slam on Wednesday night I knew my sister had finally come home
    "Chantelle Paige get downstairs right now!" She shrieked up the stairs. I cringed. This was not going to end well. I slowly made my way down the stairs.
   "Hey Shay, what's up?" I asked innocently. She looked horrible. Her dark circles had never been darker, her hair had never been messier. Her eyes were crazy.
    "Chantelle what did you do? Why would you make the Society think that I was giving them private information? Are you trying to get me to lose my job? Are you trying to get me killed?" She screamed. Crap. I thought I would only scare the Society. I didn't know I would harm Shay.
       "Does it bother you that the people you're working for are liars? Does it bother you that they threatened me? I didn't mean for them to take it the wrong way! I needed them to know that I will not stand down!" I shouted back.
       "This isn't about you, Chantelle! This is why I said you need to stop hanging around Harlen! You're going to get yourself killed!" She fumed. I was getting ready to lash out, tell her she was wrong. I may have even told her about the Elite. That was when dad came down the stairs.
      "Girls! What is going on? Are you trying to wake the whole neighborhood?" Dad said. He looked tired. He was in pajamas, his hair was a mess.
       "Dad, Chantelle is trying to get me fired! She's hanging around Harlen, he's so dangerous! The Society told me that I need to keep an eye on her. That is so embarrassing!" Shay whined.
      "Dad, Shay is working for terrible people! She isn't even thinking about the danger of the Society," I whined back.
      "Enough!" Dad shouted. Shay and I both went still. Dad was always the laid back parent. "You girls have got to stop fighting! You need each other! We are a family. We have got to stay united. Shay I don't want Chantelle turning her back on this family because of a fight. Same goes for you, CC. We can't lose anyone else in this family. We've already lost so much." We were both silent. We were both ashamed. Dad was right. I was shocked when Shay began crying.
      "I'm  sorry. I never should have moved to the capitol when mom died. I needed to be here. I needed to help you and give CC a role model. I turned my back on this family. I can't do it again. At the end of the day, all we really have is each other. I'm so sorry!" She cried. Dad had tears streaming down his face. It took me a while to realize that I did too.
      "I've been so stressed. All of these secrets I've kept. All of the lies. I'm only 16, I'm navigating life. I'm just a girl who needs her mom. I need my mom so bad!" I said. My tears grew heavier. Dad put his arms around me and Shay.
     "This is what I'm talking about. We are family. We stick together. No matter what," He said with a firm nod. "Family first."
     "No matter what," Shay and I repeated. That night we were a family again. Things hadn't felt this way since mom died. Standing there, hugging my family made me feel like for a second everything would be okay. I thought everything would work out. That was foolish.
                   *                    *                        *
        On Thursday after school I came home to a quiet house. I didn't think anyone was home. I was shocked when I saw my dad sitting at the bar. I jumped. He looked at me.
        "Dad," I sighed. "I'm sorry, you scared me." He squinted at me.
        "Come sit, CC," he said, patting the chair next to him. I slowly moved towards him. I was getting nervous. "I think we need to talk, darling."
        "What is it?" I asked nervously.
        "Father's know things. We know when our daughter's are sad. When they're happy. We know when our children are hiding something. And we most certainly know when our child is in love. A father knows," he whispered. He looked at me seriously. I had to look away.
        "What are you trying to say, daddy?" I mumbled.
        "Chantelle," he said sternly. "I know." I stared at the floor. I knew he was talking about Harlen.
        "I haven't taken the pill yet. I can't feel love," I said softly.
        "We both know that is not true," dad said. I jerked my head up and looked him in the eye for the first time.
        "You can't feel love without it?" I said again. It was a question.
        "Answer me this then; how do you love Harlen if you can not feel love," dad said. It was the strongest I'd ever heard his voice. I felt like I couldn't speak.
        "Daddy," I said. It was so quiet, much quieter than it should have been. He saw my fear.
        "Don't worry. I support you. I always have and always will. Besides, did you really think you were the first person to realize you can feel love without the pill?" He asked. I was stunned.
        "Dad," I began. "Have you..."
        "Oh sweetie, you really have a lot to learn. Your mother and I were in love long before we took the pill. We were much better at hiding it, though. Our whole relationship was a secret from everyone. You'd think my parents would have expected something like that to happen. They named me Darlow. My name literally means secret love," he chuckled. For the first time I realized that I didn't know anything about my mother and father's relationship. I looked at him.
        "Tell me the story, dad," I said. He smiled at me. It was like he had been waiting for this moment for his entire life.
        "We were 16," he began. Just like me. "I already knew that I was a Helper. I met your mother on one of my first days on the field. A brick dropped while we were working and I had 3 broken toes. They rushed me to the hospital. I didn't want to go, I said it was no big deal. When I got there the head Healer told me not to mind the girl that stood behind her because she was just a job shadower. I must have got lucky because the head Healer got called into work on someone else. She told the girl to do phase 1 of my appointment which obviously you know what that means. She told me that her name was Emberly. When she touched me I felt this warm tingly sensation. I know that your mother felt it too. She looked so strangely at me as if she didn't understand. I asked her out that night."
    "I thought your relationship was a secret," I interrupted.
    "Just listen," dad said, hushing me. "She told me that her parents would kill her. She turned me down for that reason. I couldn't stay away from her, though. Sometimes I would throw my pills away just so I could go to the hospital and get more, in case I could see her. I thought I was the only one who felt it. One day I was working and your mother came up to me. I was so shocked. In that moment, I knew I wasn't the only one who couldn't stay away. She told me that we could do this, but it had to be a secret. We met every night in a shop that my family owned. It was Ember who first told me that we could feel love without the pill. I thought she was crazy, until I realized she was right. I felt it all along. So anywho, we decided to get married the minute we turned 18."
        "Wow," I said, stunned. "Dad I don't think I felt love." I was lying. He knew it.
        "After everything that I just told you, you lie to me? That's the payment that I get? I know you love Harlow. It's okay, I love you. I'm proud of you," he said. I hugged him.
        "Please don't tell Shay," I begged. He nodded. I knew he wouldn't. My dad was a trustworthy man. He chuckled.
        "You know your mom and Idina always talked about you two getting married. They wanted it more than anything. I always liked Idina. It was funny watching them try to force you two together. I'm sure your mother is smiling down at us now from heaven. Do you want to know a secret?" Dad asked. His voice dropped to a hushed tone. He was whispering. Chills went up my spine as dad said, "I don't think Idina was crazy. I think she was right."
                   *                    *                        *

      Harlen said that he would be gone a couple days. On Monday at our meeting with the Elite I was a wreck. Cassie saw my nerves. She always talked to me using caution. I asked the Elite about Harlen at our meeting. Abrielle said it was nothing to worry about, that Harlen knew how to take care of himself.
      I hadn't seen Daniel, for that I was grateful. I knew we were over. I knew I never loved him. Having finally felt love, I could say it with confidence.
       I never realized how scary my walk home from meeting with the Elite really was. It was so dark. The Law Holders were never patrolling. They never thought anything would go wrong. I pulled my coat tightly around me. It was almost time to pull out my winter one.
        I heard a strange noise. It was the noise of someone in a struggle. I slowly stepped closer to the sound. It was coming from a dark alley. I heard moans, a pained sound. I peeked my head around the corner. I saw a figure standing in a red cloak. Only the Roanoke wear red cloaks. I had just seen the aftermath of an assassin.
        I looked to the ground and saw a man lying in a pool of blood. I finally exhaled. I didn't realize that I was holding my breath. The Roanoke looked up and dashed away.
        I gasped. I finally put the pieces together. I knew those broad shoulders. I knew the serious way that the Roanoke had been standing. My heart stopped as I finally said what I never wanted to admit. Harlen.