The comments scroll.
Power couple.
When enemies fall in love.
If this doesn't work, nothing does.
I close the terminal, wrap my arms around my knees, and sit in silence.
Because none of them know what it feels like to lose someone who looked at you like you were worth redemption.
And worse?
They don't know that youmight not be.
Things don’t get any easier on the home front, either. I don’t remember saying yes to the districting measure.
Not to the meetings. Not to the dress fittings. Not to the way my name starts appearing on invitation lists alongside people I once mocked under my breath.
But Dennis is smiling more.
“Smart move, Krissy,” he says, tapping my elbow with the back of his knuckles like I’m a horse he just taught a new trick. “Knew you had the instincts. Your father would be proud.”
I flinch at that.
He doesn’t notice. Or he pretends not to. Same thing, really.
“I’ve got you sitting with Patel and Dorman tonight—big donors, old money, both looking for fresh faces with spine. Smile and sip the sparkling, and don’t let Dorman corner you about the labor tax bill. He’s got this theory about reverse corruption that’ll rot your brain.”
I’m nodding.
I’m always nodding these days.
The dress they put me in clings too tight to my ribs. The heels pinch. The gloss on my lips tastes like metal. I stare at myreflection in the silver of the elevator panel, and I don’t recognize the woman standing there.
She’s poised. Serene. Dead behind the eyes.
I leave the fundraiser early. Blame a headache. Dennis waves me off without looking up from his drink.
When I get home, I pour three fingers of brandy and pull up the zoning proposal again. The actual document, not the summary they passed around at the committee meeting. I don’t skim this time.
I read.
Every. Line.
Clause 4b: establishments utilizing dual-species sanitation systems shall be subject to quarterly compliance audits.
Clause 6a: variance requests for noise, scent, or light levels exceeding human environmental comfort thresholds shall be reviewed by the Human-First Zoning Subcommittee.
Clause 12: Any establishment failing to meet three of the five specified cultural neutrality benchmarks may be subject to revocation of permit.
Neutrality.
God.
I flip to the back, to the exemptions. There’s a short list. Diplomats, heritage museums, select vendors licensed through planetary tourism boards.
Restaurants?
