“Then how is my identity unknown to everyone?”
“Not everyone, just most everyone.” At her look that saidsame thing, he quickly added, “That part is harder to explain because of your amnesia. Basically, neither one of us was known to the public when we married. I was just a nameless, faceless general and you were my wife. I didn’t rise to political prominence until the revolutionary war. By then you were in a coma and I refused to discuss you or your condition in public because I didn’t want the rebels to know if you were dead or alive. It just seemed safer for you that way.”
It was a lot to unpack and digest. She blew out a breath. “Why would they care?”
“You became a famous symbol during the wars. It happened quite by accident, but it still happened.”
“I don’t understand.”
“A television cameraman streamed live footage of you saving a little kid.” Her eyes widened, recalling her dream. “The footage was picked up and aired all over the world,” Ryan informed her. “Here was this beautiful woman with a child in one hand and a gun in the other, getting the little boy to safety. I guess you could say the footage became iconic.”
Her entire body stilled. “Did the little boy have red hair?”
Ryan’s eyes widened. “Yes. He did. How did you…?”
Gaia quickly told him about the dream she’d had while napping. To her befuddlement, he didn’t seem to be as excited at the prospect of her regaining her memories as she was. When she questioned him about that fact, he frowned.
“Of course I’m thrilled for you,” he snapped. “How could you think otherwise?”
“You don’tlookthrilled.”
He snorted at that. “Baby, I always look like this.”
Right. A general. Military discipline. Poker face. She wondered how many times she’d apologize before the day ended. “It’s been a long day,” she hedged. “Too much new information all at once.”
“I understand in as much as I can.” He sighed. “Unfortunately, the day is just beginning. I came back to inform you that we won. It isn’t official yet in that the race hasn’t been called, but there is no path to victory left for my opponent.”
Gaia didn’t know how to feel. While a part of her was happy for him, another part—the bigger part—just wanted to go home to Atlanta and hopefully regain some lost memories. She was honest and told Ryan as much. He pulled her in for a hug.
“NowthatI do understand,” he said in a sympathetic tone. He kissed her forehead. “Don’t worry. I promise we’ll visit home soon.”
A knock at the door interrupted their conversation. Gaia frowned, having still not gotten the chance to ask about the weird TV programming and the women all wearing some manner of head coverings.
“That is probably your stylist,” Ryan said, standing up. He checked his watch.
“I have a stylist?”
“You’re about to become the UCA’s premier First Lady. You do now.”
“I see.”
“I’ll leave you to get acquainted,” Ryan said, heading for the double doors. “Call if you need me.”
Out walked Ryan and in walked a trio of women. All of them had the tops of their heads covered, though more flamboyantly than what she’d seen on the television earlier in the day. The apparent leader of the trio stepped forward and smiled.
Gaia wasn’t certain who if anyone she was expecting the stylist to look like, but it most definitely was not the doppelganger of Effie fromThe Hunger Games. She grimaced at the woman’s couture. Clearly fashion had changed drastically while she’d been asleep. Her dress wasn’t so puffy and her shoes so unwearable as Effie’s character, but the comparison between the two women couldn’t be denied. Worse, she had the same bubbly, effervescent demeanor as her fictional counterpart.
“Gaia,” she breathed out. “So lovely to finally meet you, darling.”
Gaia forced a small smile. “And you are?”
“Oh! So sorry! My name is Chastity. Me and the girls are here to get you ready for the general’s victory speech tonight!” She introduced the two females standing behind her. “This is Honor and that is Faith.”
“Chastity, Honor, and Faith?” Gaia repeated before thinking better of it.
“That’s us!” Effie—Chastity—bubbled out. “Will you be taking a Christian name or retaining your old one?”
So they had changed their names. “I think my name is Christian enough,” she reasoned. “Gaia represents the earth and God created the earth.” Not a bad rationalization on a whim, she decided.
