Selene
Pushing aside the aspect of our future that distressed me, I focused on the part that thrilled my heart. We were getting married. The knowledge roused every childhood dream I’d ever had of walking down a church aisle dressed in a princess gown. My father would be by my side, and my handsome groom would stare at me as though I were the most beautiful woman in the world. The audience would ooh and aah at the magnificence that was me.
“How big of a church ceremony do you want?” I asked before scooping up a spoonful of the sumptuous chocolate mousse they’d provided for dessert. It had a dark chocolate cookie crust and was topped with homemade whipped cream from real cows. Everything we’d eaten had been more delicious than the synthesized food I generally consumed.
Bain paused in the act of reaching for his dessert. “Church? I thought we’d go to the courthouse and get married.”
“Courthouse?” I echoed dumbly.
“Well, yeah. I mean, who would we invite? As far as family, there’s just you and your sister. I have my parents, but my brother is off planet and won’t be able to return. Other than that, we both have a few friends and coworkers we might want to invite. No sense paying for a church when our numbers are so few,” Bain said.
I took a sip of wine as another long-held dream of mine died a slow death.
Ever sensitive to my mood, Bain asked, “Did I say something wrong?”
Chuckling without humor, I took a larger swallow of wine and set my glass on the table. “I think every girl dreams of what their wedding will one day be like. Mine was this elaborate affair. The church would be filled with hundreds of admiring people. My dad would walk me down the aisle, and my debonair groom, dressed in a tuxedo, would shed a tear at the beauty of me in my beautiful white dress. It’s ridiculous,” I scoffed in self-directed mockery.
“Hey, don’t say that,” Bain chided. “I don’t think it’s ridiculous at all. Dreams are important, and I want our marriage to start off on the right note. If you want the big church and a fancy dress, we can make it happen. I only plan to do this once. Might as well go all out.”
Standing, I rounded the table and motioned for Bain to scoot back. When he did, I sat in his lap and placed my arms around his neck. “You are the sweetest man ever. I don’t know how I got so lucky to have you in my life. I don’t need an elaborate wedding or an expensive wedding dress.”
“Are you sure, because we could–”
I placed a finger over his lips, stopping him. “I’m sure. I mean, let’s think about this for a minute. Who is going to walk me down the aisle? My father died years ago. I have an uncle, but we’re not close. But here’s the real kicker, I don’t know hundreds of people and even if I did, you know I hate being the center of attention. Being the focal point of that many people would make me break out in hives.”
Bain laughed as I intended. When the laughing stopped, he gently pushed a curl out of my eye and tucked it behind my ear. “Don’t give up all of your dreams. I’d absolutely love to see you in a beautiful wedding gown. I’d take a picture and pull it out on our fiftieth wedding anniversary.”
My heart melted as I fell a little bit more in love with him. Bain really was a wonderful man. He was definitely worth whatever sacrifice I needed to make to ensure we’d be together. With that, the last of my reservations faded away.
After one last lingering kiss, I returned to my seat to finish the rest of our meal. Giddy with a potent cocktail of happiness, excitement and nerves, I drank three glasses of wine, finishing the bottle. Bain’s smile was indulgent as he poured the last few ounces into my wine glass.
“I can’t eat another bite,” I announced, setting down my spoon.
“Are you sure? There’s only a few bites left,” Bain said, gesturing to the bowl.
I placed my hand on my overly-stuffed stomach. “Positive. If I eat another bite, I’ll burst.”
“If you’re absolutely sure...” he teased, holding a spoon of delicious goodness near my lips.
I gently pushed it away. My mouth was tempted, but my stomach warned I’d regret it. Shrugging, Bain placed the bowl in front of him and finished it off in three, swift bites. “Would you like an after-dinner coffee?”
“After all of the wine I drank, I probably need one, but I’ll pass,” I said. My consumption ban extended to liquids, too.
“Be right back,” Bain said. He rose, traveled down the path, and disappeared around a corner. When he returned, he held a steaming cup of coffee in his hand. At my questioning look, he said, “Self-serve coffee station.”
I inhaled deeply. “That doesn’t smell like any coffee I’ve had.”
Bain took a sip, gave a low moan, and closed his eyes to better savor the flavor. “I think it’s made from real coffee beans. Want a sip?”
Tempted though I was, I reluctantly shook my head. I had a coffee addiction and had the sneaking feeling that if it was as good as I suspected, it would forever ruin coffee for me.
I returned my gaze to the night sky as Bain enjoyed his coffee. The biodome was constructed of interconnected triangles made of a durable material which resembled glass. It was virtually indestructible, blocked ultraviolet rays, and didn’t fog, no matter the temperature. The cool, moist air carried the subtle scent of blooming flowers and damp earth, blending perfectly with the rich aroma of Bain’s coffee. I’d never experienced anything like it.
Bain glanced at the communication device on his wrist when it beeped and sighed. “I work tonight. If I’m to make it on time, we need to leave now.”
Frowning, I centered my gaze on him. “I thought you requested tonight off?”
He set his cup down and stood. “I did, but the powers that be changed the timetable on when they want the first leg of the project completed, upping it by a week. As a result, all paid time off was canceled.”
“How’s it going?” I asked.
Bain's employer had been contracted to tunnel a new level. U-Town had over fifty thousand residents. Housing was limited, and the city-state had been forced to put population control measures in place. Both males and females were implanted with birth control devices upon reaching puberty. The devices remained in place until age twenty-six in females and age thirty in males, if legally married. The married couple had ten years to conceive a maximum of two children before the implants were automatically reinserted.
“With the new deadline, if we finish on time, the new section should be ready for habitation next year,” Bain said.
When I stood, the room titled before righting itself. “Whoa!”
Laughing, Bain held out his hand, and I gladly took it. Hand in hand, we walked down the winding path towards the exit.
“The new level is zoned family only, right?” I asked. I believed that’s what I heard on the news.
“Families and family related businesses. There will be a small hub with shops like barbers, grocers, pet groomers, etc., and a greenspace for family gatherings and exercise,” Bain agreed.
I sighed wistfully. “Sounds nice. Better than the cramped quarters I share with my roommates. We haven’t discussed housing. How hard do you think it will be for us to find an affordable place to live? Do you think we’ll qualify for housing in the new section if we apply now?”
Bain squeezed my hand and glanced down at me. “I'm hoping we won’t need it. If I get the job, we’ll be off-planet and housing will be provided, and when we return after five years, we'll have enough money to live wherever we want."
“Maybe we should apply, just in case,” I said, my voice tinged with doubt. We couldn’t get married until we had a place to live. I didn’t think we should place all of our hopes on Bain getting this job.
“If it will make you happy, we can put in an application when they open up, but I'm really hoping we won't be here.” Bain halted our forward progress and turned to face me. “Selene, I finally have a real shot. Nardo is putting in a good word for me. He says there’s not a lot of applicants with my particular skill set. He thinks I’ll get it and I believe him.”
I bit my lower lip. “It’s not that I doubt you. If IMC is smart, they’ll snap you right up. I simply don’t believe in leaving anything to chance.”
Bain stared into my eyes before nodding somberly. He kissed my forehead and said, “You’re absolutely right.”
We entered the empty elevator lobby, and Bain pushed the call button. I examined the directional plaque mounted on the wall next to it. It read: U-Town Express, Main Floor, Catwalk, and Observatory.
“I wish we had time to visit the observatory,” I said with a yearning glance toward the observatory. We’d come into the conservatory via the Catwalk, and the high-level view of all the plants and waterfall had been simply amazing. Bain’s canceled leave explained why we hadn’t begun our tour on the top floor.
Surrounding the conservatory were acres and acres of solar panels, secured low to the ground and tilted at a slight angle to combat the tumultuous weather. During the day, when the sun was high and the sky clear, it was like looking out over a sea of glass as the reflective lenses caught the sun. I wondered how it would look at night with millions of stars in the sky.
Bain wrapped his arms around me from behind and rested his chin on my head. “I’m sorry. I’d planned for us to see it. Maybe next time.”
“Okay,” I said, my tone dubious.
The words public conservatory was a misnomer. To maintain the delicate ecosystem balance, the conservatory restricted the amount of daily visitors. As a result, the prices were high and the waitlist long. It was a popular place, for a good reason. Who knew how long Bain had to wait to get this reservation? To expect a second one wasn’t reasonable.
“I promise we’ll come back. Hey, maybe we can have our wedding here?” Bain said on a stroke of pure inspiration.
I grinned at him. “That would be wonderful if we can make it happen.”
The box car arrived, and we descended down to the platform of the U-Town Express. The Express was a bullet train that traveled the hour-long ride to the core of U-Town in a matter of minutes. The tunnel and tracks were originals of the centuries old subway system when humans dwelled aboveground and climate change a concern only a few took seriously. If only they’d had a time travel machine to see first hand the consequences of their lack of care for earth’s environment.
We exited the box car elevator to the announcement that the train would be departing in sixty seconds. Wrapping an arm around my waist to ensure I kept up, Bain and I ran for the open train door. We crossed over the threshold just as the doors began to close. The twenty or so people in the car explained why there had been no passengers waiting in the lobby.
We collapsed onto a bench. I grinned up at Bain, and he leaned down and kissed it off my lips. With a happy sigh, I laid my hand with my engagement ring on his chest and rested my head on his shoulder. Bain gave a contented sigh and played with my hair as we enjoyed the ride.
Twenty minutes later, the Express braked in U-Town Central. The doors opened, and we stepped out onto the brightly lit platform. Pushing our way through the waiting people, we turned left and walked toward the exit. A large portion of the group continued straight into A-Hub Central. We turned at the massive staircase and walked down to Level C to catch the next train.
I lived in U-Town West, on Level C, near the Hub. The west hub wasn’t as large as Hub Central, but it had everything my roommates and I needed within walking distance. There was another fifteen-minute train ride followed by a five-minute walk and I’d be home.
The further away we got from the center, the darker it got outside. To maintain our circadian rhythms, the lights in U-Town mimicked the movement of the sun. The artificial sunrise rose in the east and set in the west. At night, the lights mimicked the darkness of a starry night, complete with pinpricks of lights. Streetlights lined the lane for safety and crime prevention.
Other than electric mopeds, motorized vehicles weren’t allowed. People walked everywhere or rode bicycles. Vehicle emissions were strictly regulated. Dwelling underground meant that clean air was a precious commodity. No one wanted to pollute it.
My apartment was located in a section of town created for singles. The complex contained three levels. I lived on the top floor in a two-bedroom apartment with three roommates. It was the only way we could afford the spacious apartment.
Bain and I walked up the three flights of wooden stairs. The front of the apartment was a marvel of wood and glass, meant to allow in as much light as possible. The apartment’s only windows were in the front. The rest of the space was built into the rock. Our landing was lined with flower and vegetable pots. My sister, Harri, had a green thumb. I’d learned everything I knew about growing things from her.
At the door, Bain caught me by the hips and drew me in close for a kiss. “I can’t wait until we’re married, and I no longer have to leave you at the door.”
I hugged him tight, not wanting to let him go. “Me, too.”
He kissed me again and released me. “I have to go. I’ll call when I take my lunch break, if it’s not too late.”
“Call anyway. I don’t care what time it is,” I said.
Bain leaned in for another kiss before turning away. I watched as he jogged down the stairs and walked out into the street before going inside.
Copyright (c) 2024 Zena Wynn All rights reserved
ISBN: 978-1-958215-33-3
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