Silent Flyght – Chapter 3

I try to settle my stomach all the way up to the twenty-second floor of Town Hall, but it refuses to cooperate. What I just saw outside is disturbing on so many levels, my thoughts are swirling like a whirlpool. Is this the world I’m going to birth my babies into? What will happen when I have daughters, and they want relationship networks of their own? Will they be safe?

I have a terrible feeling about this. My life is in upheaval, and so is society. Nothing will get easier, only harder. It seems like I conquer one hurdle in this life, only to meet ten others. If this is adulthood, I want a refund.

The elevator doors open, and I follow the guys to room 22-01. I can already hear the chatter in the hall through the closed door, and the familiar voices bring more comfort than I realized I needed.

“Ready?” Jinzo asks, his hand hovering over the door panel.

“Just… Just a sec.”

I step away from them to inspect myself in a mirror down the hallway. I adjust my slacks and sweater and sweep my hair back. Strands of my hair come away into my hand, and I stare at them, disbelieving. I am losing my hair. I thought I just imagined that.

I glance over my shoulder and none of the guys are looking at me, so I toss the hair into a nearby potted plant and try to forget about it. Forget about it, Vivian. It’s nothing.

Inhaling a deep breath, I return to tidying myself up. I dressed business casual for this. I took off my beloved sweatshirt that Gus gave me and actually tried to make myself presentable. Photos of this day will follow me around for the rest of my life, so I tell myself to relax. Relax, Vivian. Smile and be gracious.

“Okay, let’s go,” I say, approaching the guys. They smile at me, and I try to reflect their warmth.

“There they are!” Marcelo greets us at the door with open arms. “I thought maybe you’d get held up with that protest outside.”

“We almost did.” I melt into his embrace. “Do you know what’s going on out there?” I whisper to him.

If anyone would know about this rumbling in the relationship network community, it would be Marcelo.

“Not now, Ms. Vivian,” he says, squeezing me lightly. “I have information for you, but that’s a discussion for another day. Come greet your guests.”

I hug Mom and Dad, and the guilt I carry over Tomu increases tenfold. I must keep it off my face, though, because neither Mom nor Dad notices. Ken’s mom, dad, and older brother are here, so I have some brief words with both Alvar and Juliana while Ken talks to his older brother. Hera and Asteria Lee are chatting with Jinzo and the officiant. When I approach them, they both embrace me with warmth and kindness.

“It’s been ages since I was last on Ossun,” Hera declares, smiling around at the room. “Asteria flew me over your estate on the way in. I am very impressed.”

My estate. Will it be mine again? I need to make assurances that I’ll have first dibs on it, which is why I’m going to the bank tomorrow morning first thing.

“Thank you. I’m glad you found it was up to your standards.”

Hera smiles. “I was also pleased to spend some time with your wonderful parents. They speak so highly of you.” She glances around the room. “This is such a great turnout for a contract signing. It shows that your family loves and cares for you.”

Yet, Gus’s family isn’t here. Did I really expect them to show up? He’s talking with my parents, but his own parents and his brothers are absent. We invited them, but only his brothers responded to decline and send their best wishes. That’s not a good sign. Lady Nina’s face, cold as winter stone, flashes across my memories, her hair pulled back, and a tiara perched on her head. I’m sure she’s up to something, something I’ll regret, eventually. If only I could keep an eye on her.

The doors swing wide open, and Skylar enters the room with my two cousins, Ana and Jukia. It’s good to see them. I run forward and hug all three of them.

“Jesus, Viv. You picked a hell of a day for this.” Skylar shakes her head as she pulls away from her hug. “That’s quite the crowd of angry men outside.”

“They were scary,” Ana says, nodding to Jukia.

“So many men leered at us on the way in. It worried me until the police showed up.” Jukia rubs her upper arms, trying to chase away a chill.

We move to the window and look down on the town square. Police vehicles, with their emergency lights flashing, slowly advance on the crowd, pushing them to disperse. The podium is vacant, and signs litter the ground.

“It looks like it’s over, so let’s not talk about it for now.”

I look sideways at these women, my family. They feel the same as me, and the apprehension is plain on their faces. We’re on the precipice of losing everything women have fought for for centuries. Everything could be undone so quickly.

Skylar squeezes my arm. “This is not a worry for today, Viv. Go be with your consorts.”

She’s right, of course, but that doesn’t stop the worry from eating away at the last shred of sanity I possess. I leave her to sit at the head table with Gus, Ken, and Jinzo. Everyone else takes their seat in the audience.

As I watch the officiant step up to the podium, my nerves rev up and bounce my knees under the table. The crowd outside made me forget that this moment would happen. This moment when I’m the center of attention. When I’m to commit to three men at once.

Three men at once.

I train my eyes on everyone watching us. Marcelo is smiling at me. My mom and dad are beaming with pride. Even Skylar, my picky cousin, seems happy for me. This is not something to be nervous about, Vivian. This is a cause for celebration. I reach my hands to each side and make contact with Jinzo and Ken. Gus reaches over Ken’s lap and lays his hand on ours.

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for coming to witness the contract signing of Jinzo Lee, Ken Mata, and Augusto Correa to Vivian Kawabata. As I understand it, this is Ms. Kawabata’s first contract signing, and as such, we shall now call her forward to sign the network oath. For anyone who doesn’t know, the network oath is the standard for women who wish to engage a network during her lifetime. This oath secures everyone in the knowledge that the government backs up their claims to both land and offspring, should contracts contain such language. Ms. Kawabata, please approach the podium.”

I produce a weak smile for everyone beaming at me from the audience. I’m not nervous about my future, but I am worried about tripping and falling flat on my face as I make my way across the room. I’ve never been graceful.

I concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other and approach the officiant. Her smile is kind, so I lift my eyes and make her the center of my attention.

“Please raise your right hand and put your left hand over your heart.”

I do as instructed and clear my throat.

“You may now recite the oath.”

I think back on what I memorized on the trip from Mayashu to Sakata City. “I, Vivian Kawabata, do hereby swear that the contracts I sign with individuals added to my network will be done of sound mind and body, and will adhere to the laws of the Duo Systems. I will perform my duties as the leader of my network in good faith, and honor the network relationship system until the day I die.”

I let out a long relieved breath and smile over at each of the guys. The weight of the network falls on my shoulders, but it’s a weight I will gladly bear. I know these men will work just as hard for me as I work for them.

Mom and Dad smile at me as I return to my seat, and the officiant turns to the audience. She explains that we opted to choose the standard initial contract, a two-year agreement to commit to each other. We’ll share assets for those two years (and not longer unless the contracts are extended), and we’ll respect and honor each other during that time. This is what Jinzo had with Cressida too, and why he was eventually able to nullify their previous contracts. Cressida didn’t have access to his assets after the contract expired, and she didn’t honor him during the contract either. She was in breach the whole time.

The table in front of us lights up with a projection of our contracts, Jinzo’s first. I scan my hand and look over everything to confirm our names and contract dates are correct, and then I attach my signature to the bottom. My signature is a mess of loops I came up with in secondary school, connected to my handprint and DNA forever. I hardly ever use a real pen anymore — not many people do — but I remember how earnest I was to practice it at school. It was added to the Duo Systems’ databases once I turned sixteen.

We go through the contracts one by one, Jinzo, Ken, and Gus, and each of us commits to those initial two years. We share smiles and hold hands under the table, but keep the displays of affection to a minimum. This is not a wedding. It’s a civil ceremony. There will be no pretty, white dresses, elaborate dinners, dancing, and everything else that comes with a wedding in my future. This is it.

And I’m okay with that.

“The contracts have been signed and witnessed,” the officiant says, swiping the contract projections away into the archives. “May you all have a long and prosperous life together.”

I blush and smile as everyone in the room applauds. Jinzo offers me a hand to stand up, so I take it and wrap my arms around him as I get to my feet.

“Thank you,” I whisper to him.

“No, thank you,” he says back.

I turn to hug and thank both Gus and Ken, giving them each the same amount of attention and love. They deserve as much. We’re going to make this work, as a team. These guys are my family now, not just lovers, not just someone I can sleep with and walk away from the next morning. We’re committed.

“You okay?” I ask Gus as we round the table to mingle among our family.

Since we walked in the room, I’ve been wondering about his state of mind. Without his family here, I’m concerned he’ll rethink this whole situation.

But he takes me by the waist as we move to join the crowd.

“Absolutely.” His smile is genuine. “You, the guys, your family, Marcelo… you’re all the family I need.” He leans over and kisses my temple before letting go.

And though I can see his eagerness and sincerity, my heart breaks for him. His mother promised he wouldn’t be shut out, and yet he’s here alone. She let him be alone at his first contract signing. This is usually a momentous occasion for families. If anything, she should have sent her congratulations. But she ignored him, ignored me. She gave us her blessing but couldn’t be bothered to drop a note? Anything?

I shouldn’t be surprised that she lied to me, right to my face.

But, I wonder what else she’s lying to me about.