Selected

Twenty-Third

The next day was Mr. Bly's funeral. I rode with Hal in the car there. Mrs. Bly had been there since early in the morning arranging everything. Vox had disappeared with Addeck before I had woken up. The silence in the car wasn't somber, just quiet. I stared out the window as the car took us to a part of the city I hadn't been to yet.

As we passed the library, Hal spoke, "Um, Vox told me to make sure that you understood what you're part in all this was."

I turned toward her confusion was plain on my face, "What do you mean by my part?"

She shrugged, "Just that you know that none of us are really distraught or anything, but we all have to play a part. Mother has to play the broken housewife, Vox has to play the strong yet somber son, Addeck is the emotional dart wreck, and I'm the hysterically crying daughter. Its essential that the public knows that we are in mourning. That we are more than just inconvenienced by his death. Do you understand?"

I frowned. "So you all are just going to lie about being sad that you're father has died? Do you not feel any emotion toward his death?"

"Listen, Em, I'm sure Vox has explained our family situation. He was never around. I didn't know him, Vox didn't know him. Even Mother didn't know him. He was never home. The few occasions that he was, he would lock himself in his office. His work was more than just important. And we all understood that. He was a kind man, strict, but kind. Trust me, I have experienced the depth of this generosity. But it's hard to love someone who is absent for your whole life." I didn't say anything. "Bottom line, we can't look like sociopaths to the public. It's bad PR."

I nodded in understanding, "Okay, well, what does that mean for me?"

"It really depends on your confidence in your acting abilities. If you don't feel comfortable just stay quiet and look sad. I don't think anyone is really expecting you to burst into tears, weeping over his coffin or anything, but you do have to act like his death is tragedy." She took a breath when I didn't say anything, "I'm sorry. You probably think we are horrible people for asking you to pretend to be sad at a funeral, but when you're Vox's wife, the Selector's wife, you are going to have to do a lot of acting for the public."

I gave a faint smile and nodded, "Okay." I didn't like the idea of everyone acting as if they were in a soap opera. But it wasn't as if I was going to be hysterically laughing and dancing on Mr. Bly's grave or anything anyways. I had planned on just staying quiet and in the background. People came to mourn the death of an important figure in our society, I knew enough basic etiquette to know that it in no way would be appropriate to act anything but sad at a funeral.

I didn't say anything the rest of the day. I sat between Vox and Hal during the ceremony. Only Vox spoke. He said wonderfully beautiful things about Mr. Bly. How he cared for nothing more than the country. How he was a strong leader and that he would truly be missed. Mrs. Bly sat on the end staring off into space. She looked as though she wasn't actually present. Hal cried hysterically the whole afternoon. Addeck sat straight faced and focused on Vox's words, his hair was a mess, his eyes were bloodshot, and every now and again I would get a whiff of alcohol.

After the ceremony, Vox pulled me aside. Everyone was filing out, giving comfort to the rest of the family as they left. Vox led me to the corner away from the crowd. "Hey, I have to talk to you for a second. Everything has been so hectic I don't know if I will get a chance later."

"What's going on?"

He cleared his throat, "Well, they set the date for my inauguration."

"When is it?"

"The 18th."

"Of this month?"

He nodded, "Yeah."