Axel sat in his office, staring at nothing. At first, he’d been angry to discover Lucy’s true heritage. Why hadn’t Lucy told him she was a wealthy, Designer-class Duvall sister? He tried to remember if he’d made any disparaging remarks about rich people when he’d been with Lucy, but only remembered her smile, her sweet attitude and all their shared kisses.
She had never expressly said she was not a Duvall. He had justassumedshe wasn’t one of the airship’s wealthy passengers because of the way she was dressed. And everyone knew a person should never assume. He also remembered something his aunt Dixie used to say, “You can get glad in the same drawers you got mad in.” So, Axel dropped the mad attitude and he got glad.
He pondered his own dismal situation. He might be in an arranged marriage. Well, him or one of the brothers was. It was possible itwashim. He never really cared to know before. Lots of folks thought Diesel was supposed to get the arranged marriage since he was the oldest brother. Diesel said different, though. And it was too late. Diesel had a wife.
Axel wished his parents were home so he could ask them about it. They would have to sit down for a long talk the moment his mom and dad got back.
As if the heavens above heard his plea, Nova knocked on his door as she opened it to burst into his office. “Hey, guess what? Your parents just pulled into the truck stop in their RV.”
Axel frowned. “You’re kidding.”
“Why would I come all the way in here to kid you?” Nova shrugged.
“Because I just now wished they would come home? I didn’t think anyone was listening.”
She grinned. “Well, now you know somebody is. I’d be careful what you wish for next.” Nova left without saying anything else, as if his prophetic request had no bearing on her life. Perhaps it didn’t or she didn’t believe him. Either way, having his parents show up early was a boon.
Axel left his office and climbed the stairs to the Big Bang Truck Stop convenience store on the ground level. He looked out the front window to see that his parents were indeed home early.
He went out to greet them as the door on the side of the RV popped open. His father exited the RV down the wobbly little steps attached to the side of the vehicle, followed by his mother.
“Mom. Dad. Did you get tired of traveling around?”
His parents both did a double take, then stared at each other as if in telepathic communication, which he knew they couldn’t do.
“What’s wrong? Why are you staring at each other like that?” And then it hit him. “Wait. You’re back early because of the arranged marriage thing, aren’t you?”
Both his mom and dad dropped their mouths open. They said in unison, “How did you know that?”
“Because I just found somebody I want to marry. And my understanding is that one of us boys has to marry a stranger from Alpha-Prime because of an arranged marriage. But I’m hoping that the girl you selected for me to marry has the last name of Duvall and her first name is Lucy.”
His parents smiled when he said Duvall, but Lucy’s name turned their smiles to frowns. Oh no. Now what?
“I’m sorry, Son,” his father said. “But I believe the name of the Duvall girl you’re to marry is Francine. Francine Duvall.”
Oops. Wrong sister.
Lucy took every minute of her hour before dinner to dress up into someone she wasn’t used to being. A study in the mirror made her shake her head. She didn’t recognize herself. That should throw everyone off-balance right at the start of the pre-dinner social hour.
She entered the private dining area five minutes before the first call, attempting to further throw off her family. Her mother and father were already in attendance, as was Ardelia. All had drinks in hand.
Ardelia gave Lucy an odd look, as if she didn’t recognize her, but soon the bored, aloof expression she’d perfected took over her beautiful features and she turned away as if disinterested in discovering why Lucy had dressed up.
Ardelia was the quintessential perfect child, although she’d had several months of teen attitude years ago. She was adored by their parents for the supposedly good example she set for her younger sisters. Ardelia acted like royalty, as though everyone and everything was beneath her notice or regard. Meanwhile, her hair, clothes and makeup were always impeccable. In fact, everything she said, did or wore was absolutely, infuriatingly perfect.
Lucy ignored her parents’ puzzled looks and Ardelia’s indifference to walk straight to her assigned dinner chair.
She put her hands on the back of it and waited, staring straight ahead with a peaceful look carved into her features. She didn’t dare look at her parents or Ardelia because she might laugh out loud. This traditional formal dinner was ridiculous, with too much food, too many courses and too much pomp, circumstance and formality for any meal, in her opinion. Why did they have to dress to the nines just to eat? Why did there have to be so much falderal for every meal?
Luckily, before she exploded in laughter at the foolishness of it all, the door to the room opened again and her other three sisters trailed in one by one by one. Francine came to stand next to her, followed by Prudence, who stood by the chair next to Ardelia. Last but not least, Drucilla entered the room as if everyone inside it were her loyal subjects. She and Ardelia had quite a bit in common. They both exuded the snobby don’t-bother-me-I’m-too-rich-to-talk-to-anyone-lesser attitude to perfection.
Harris Duvall, the patriarch of their mostly feminine household, stood at the head of the table, their mother to his right. At his nod, all seven took their seats in unison. Whatever.
Lucy sat up straight, staring across the table at her sister Drucilla doing the exact same thing. Out of the corner of her eye, a second nod was rendered from their father and they were allowed to move and prepare for their formal dinner to commence. Whatever.
Someday when she was in charge of the meal she would just put the food on the table and tell everyone to start eating as soon as they sat down. She would not do this rigorously formal routine every single night. Nope. She was going to be very different.
