Turning Eighteen
“I noticed,” Lesley said, caressing Mo’s cheek with her thumb. She’d also noticed that Mo had been quieter than usual lately, and the dark half-moons under Mo’s eyes. But she hadn’t thought anything of it. Everyone was tired—their busy schedules didn’t allow much time for relaxation. When they weren’t in class or participating in practical exercises, they were doing homework or getting to know the other cadets. Privacy and time alone were at a premium. Everyone looked a little ragged these days, but adjusting to the Military Academy apparently wasn’t the only reason behind Mo’s fatigue. Kary had mentioned Mo’s eighteenth. Lesley knew eighteenth birthdays could be stressful, but why hadn’t Mo talked about it? She wasn’t the type to keep things bottled up.
“Let’s eat,” Mo said, breaking into Lesley’s thoughts. “I definitely have to shower and change before going to class.” She moved from Lesley’s lap to her bed.
Lesley unrolled the top of the bag and lifted out one of the two remaining breakfasts. “Move your stuff so we can use the nightstand.”
Mo slid the nightstand’s top drawer open, scooped two pencils, several scribbled sheets of paper, and what looked like a half-eaten cookie into it, and pushed it shut. Lesley opened her mouth to make a crack, then closed it. Not this morning. She focused on emptying the bag, transforming the nightstand into a tiny table for two, although it was barely able to handle two breakfast plates, a jug of tziva and two mugs, and the cutlery and napkins. The two blueberry waffles ended up in Lesley’s upturned plate cover, next to Mo on the bed. If they weren’t careful, the tziva would end up on the bed, too. She lifted the cover from Mo’s plate with a flourish and dropped it into the bag, now resting on the floor.
“Thank you,” Mo said with a small smile.
“When will your parents be here?” Lesley asked when they were halfway through the eggs and hash browns. She hoped Mo would eat both waffles, but she’d force one down if she had to.
“I told them to come on the 16:20 train. I’ll just have time to meet them and show them my room before my last class. They said they’d walk around until supper.” She gulped down some tziva. “I could have told them to arrive on the 17:50, but I didn’t want to meet them and then rush them to the mess hall.”
“And they’ll probably want to present you with your gift in private.”
“They’ll have time for that after supper.”
Lesley smiled to herself. They wouldn’t, but Mo didn’t know that. Mo picked up a waffle and bit into it. They lapsed into silence again.
“I hope I’m a Chosen,” Mo suddenly said. “Mama and Papa said it doesn’t matter one way or the other, but three Solitaries in a row would be a bit much.” She paused. “Do you think it would be better for me to be a Chosen?”
The question took Lesley by surprise. “Of course I do.”
“Why?” Mo asked, staring at her plate.
The bathroom door opened. Kary emerged, rubbing her wet hair with a towel. “All done,” she announced. “And I think I’ll finish my breakfast in the kitchen.”
“You don’t have to,” Lesley said.
“I have to finish the assignment for my first class. I need to think.”
“Kary, I’m sorry about before,” Mo said. “I’m an idiot.”
“Well, you certainly didn’t react the way I would have reacted to breakfast in bed. But I wouldn’t say you’re an idiot. Insane, maybe?” She bent down and examined herself in the mirror standing on her nightstand, then straightened. “Anyway, you two sorted it out, I take it?”
They nodded.
“Good. Be back in a sec.” Kary disappeared into the bathroom again and returned a minute later without the towel, her hair combed. “Happy eighteenth, Mo. Lunch?” She picked up her half-eaten breakfast.
Mo glanced at Lesley.
“I have my flute lesson, remember?” Lesley said.
“Right. Sure, Kary.”
“See you around 12:30, then. Bye.” Kary slung her knapsack over her shoulder and left.
“I’m glad she’s not mad at me,” Mo said. “She’s a good roommate.”
“Do you want the other waffle?” Lesley asked.
“Oh, no, you have it.” Mo held it out to Lesley, who forced a smile and reached for it. “But if you don’t want it, I’ll have it.”
“It is your birthday,” Lesley said, snatching her hand back.
Mo grinned. “So you want me to be a Chosen?”
“Yes.”
“Because?”
“You want children, don’t you?”
“Yeah.” She chewed a mouthful of waffle and stared at Lesley.
Lesley’s heart sank. Perhaps Mo wanted her to say they could be each other’s Chosen? They could be, but what were the chances? They’d be setting themselves up for a huge disappointment if they allowed themselves to believe they were Chosens. Not only that, they had to trust the Chosen Council. Whenever Lesley considered, even for an instant, what it would be like to spend the rest of her life with Mo, she reminded herself that the Chosen Council had already selected her best match. Her feelings for Mo were strong, so imagine how she’d feel about her Chosen? Well, she couldn’t imagine it; she just knew it would be wonderful, beyond anything she’d ever felt before.
It would be best to stop any silly fantasies in their tracks. That’s what Mo should be doing, and what Lesley was confident Mo would do. Once they—once Mo was well past her eighteenth, she’d forget about the Chosen Council for a while. And perhaps sleep a little better? Was that what it was all about? Then it was definitely best not to encourage any hopes Mo might be harbouring about them being Chosens. They weren’t. Even though they lo—cared about each other.
“I want you to be happy,” Lesley said. “I see you with a big family and a Chosen you love. I don’t think you’d be happy being a Solitary.”
“Is that what’ll make you happy, Les? A big family and a Chosen you love?” Mo asked softly.
Lesley swallowed. “Yes.”
Mo blinked rapidly and looked away.
“The Chosen Council knows what it’s doing.” Lesley reached out and squeezed Mo’s fingers, then gently held onto them.
Mo pulled her hand away. She bit off another piece of waffle and slowly chewed it, but then dropped the waffle to her plate. “I think I’ve had enough. You want the rest?”
Lesley shook her head. Suddenly her breakfast wasn’t sitting right. Eating blueberry waffle would be risky.
“I guess I should get into the shower.”
“I can wait, if you want. We can walk to class together.”