The Determining (2 page)

After a moment, Mrs. Taylor spoke, her words weary. “You know as well as I do, that isn’t an option. Not for you.”

Charlie clenched her hands into fists, her nails cutting into the soft flesh of her palms. She spoke through gritted teeth. “I don’t want to be miserable forever.”

Mrs. Taylor responded in a hushed voice, as if afraid to be overheard. “Your life would be far better here than on one of the islands.”

Charlie’s head shot up, her eyes widening. “They wouldn’t do that. They can’t.”

“I assure you, they can and they will. Miss Grey, you aren’t the first of my students to be disappointed with the outcome of their Determining. But, please, be the first to put those disappointments aside.” The grimace on her face softened. A sad smile replaced the hard look. Charlie had never seen Mrs. Taylor wearing anything other than a sever expression. The uncharacteristic change left her stunned. “I’ve been headmistress for almost thirty years, I know how this works. With your grades, the results don’t make sense. But if you don’t sign the tablet, you are bucking the system. In effect, you will give up your right to have any future in our society. I didn’t tell the others that, but perhaps I should have. Maybe then I wouldn’t have this guilt on my conscience.” She paused. “Please, don’t be another face that haunts my dreams.”

Cold sweat broke out across Charlie’s skin at the thought of the islands. Years ago, the islands had been a premier vacation destination in the South Pacific. Now thieves, rapists, murderers, and the unwanted members of society inhabited them. Everyone knew about the islands, but no one spoke of them openly. It never occurred to her that refusing to abide by the Determining would land her there. But looking into the headmistress’s face, she knew the truth. Her choice would come down to life on the islands or life under her father’s thumb.

All the adrenaline that had pumped through her body moments before vanished, leaving her weak and powerless. The headmistress was right; Charlie had no other options. When she signed the tablet, the tension in Mrs. Taylor’s face disappeared. With disgust, Charlie stood and walked to the door.

“You made the right decision,” the headmistress called after her.

Charlie didn’t believe the woman. Even as she walked out of the office she longed to turn around a take it all back. But she couldn’t. The weight of her mistake suffocated her until she thought it might physically choke her. She’d lost her battle for freedom and now every step she took moved her backward, toward her father and the life he planned for her.

The city seemed distant, as if Charlie watched the world from inside a bubble. She’d foolishly hoped the Determining would make the future something she was eager to experience. But all she felt was dread and the world looked more dismal than ever before. A dark cloud hung over her, making it easier to loose herself in her brooding thoughts. She barely registered the brownstone townhouse looming over her as the cab pulled up to the curb. Only the driver clearing his throat clued her in to the fact that she’d arrived. Glancing out the window, she wanted to throw up. Her father had been so busy with work that she hardly seen him in weeks. But today he would come home and demand news. She faced the scanner imbedded in the partition separating her from the driver. Holding her wrist under the beam of red light, she waited. After a second, the scanner beeped, accepting her credits.

“Thank you, Miss Grey.” A halting, electronic voice read the message flashing on a screen next to the scanner.

The driver, who remained quiet as he watched her in the rearview mirror, nodded to her. Charlie managed a smile before opening the door, stepping out into the torrential rain. A barrage of water hit her square in the face, bringing the world back into sharp focus. The outcome of her Determining, the contract, the threat of the islands; it all stoked the anger inside her. She needed to speak to her parents.

Without an umbrella, she had no hope of making it to the door dry. She trudged up the steps, not caring that the rain ruined her makeup and drenched her clothes. At the door, she thrust her wrist under a scanner. The door unlocked with a loud click.

Inside, the housekeeper waited to greet her. Constance hadn’t been with the Greys long, and Charlie still couldn’t decide if she liked the woman. Her all-seeing brown eyes set Charlie on edge.

“Good afternoon, Miss Grey. Did your appointment go well?” Constance held out a towel.

Charlie shouldn’t have been surprised at the housekeeper’s readiness, but she couldn’t keep from raising an eyebrow as she took the towel. “Perfectly.”

“I expect your father home within the hour. Your mother is waiting for you in the parlor.”

“Thank you.” Slipping off her heels, Charlie made her way across the marble floor toward the stairs, careful not to slip on the puddles that her dripping clothes deposited at her feet.

She climbed the stairs, pausing at the parlor door. If she went in to see her mother now, soaking and disheveled, an argument would ensue. But, if she changed before going in, she wouldn’t have an excuse to escape if their conversation turned sour. Feeling the weight of her wet clothes pressing down on her, Charlie continued climbing the stairs to her bedroom, her one haven. Shutting the door behind her, she stripped down before heading into the shower.

She reemerged smelling of lavender and papayas. Usually nothing revived her more than the feeling of being clean, but today the magic of soap and water failed her. No amount of scrubbing could erase the fact that she’d signed her life away to the Determining. She pulled on a pair of shorts and a simple shirt; an outfit sure to make her mother cringe and her father frown with disapproval. Buoyed by this small rebellion, Charlie grabbed her tablet. As promised, a copy of the Determining sat waiting in her inbox. She opened the file before heading for the parlor.

Margaret Grey sat in a wingback chair, looking regal. She wore her deep brown hair pulled back into an attractive French twist that left the line of her neck bare. A pale blue dress suit complimented by pearl earrings and nude pumps completed her sophisticated ensemble. Looking at her mother, Charlie realized that her future sat before her: elegant outfits assembled to impress and intimidate. Everything would be a stuffy pretense. The thought depressed her. She’d hoped her life would hold more than pretense and excess. She longed for something real, meaningful.

“I’ve been waiting. What took you so long?” Margaret asked, her voice sharp with annoyance. She didn’t look up from the tablet in her hand.

Charlie ignored the question. “Hi.” She flopped down onto the couch across from her mother, pulling her feet up under her.

Margaret glanced up. “What are you wearing?” Her eyebrows rose as she took in Charlie’s casual appearance. “I thought you wore that beautiful suit I left out for you.”

“It was either this or leave a watermark on your precious couch.”

Margaret eyed her again before reaching for the little silver bell sitting on the end table. Within seconds of ringing it, Constance appeared in the doorway.

“Bring us tea.” Margaret instructed. Constance nodded, slipping from the room. “Your father will be home soon, and then we can all discuss your Determining. But, while I have you to myself, I wanted to talk to you about the party.”

“What party?” Charlie frowned in confusion.

“You know that every girl has her coming-out after the Determining.” Her lips puckered as if she’d tasted something sour. “I’m sure I told you when I sent the invitations out two months ago.”

“No, Mother, you didn’t.”
But I should have known this was coming.
Being Determined meant you were considered an adult. The party was used as an introduction into Determined society. What it really boiled down to was a convenient way to parade a single girl around for the single Determined men. Charlie had pushed the party to the back of her mind partly as an avoidance method but also because she’d been too preoccupied with her Determining.

“I’ve already booked that gorgeous room at the club. The one that overlooks the lake. It will be beautiful all strung with lights. The club said they would float candles on the lake like they did for Sybil’s wedding. Of course, you will have more candles than she did.” Margaret looked back at her tablet. “I’ve checked the calendar. You’re the only Councilman’s daughter to go through the Determining this season, so attendance will be high. This is the perfect opportunity for us to find you a suitable husband.”

Before Charlie could respond, Constance reappeared bearing a tea tray. She placed it on the coffee table between mother and daughter. “Is there anything else, ma’am?”

Margaret waved her hand, dismissing Constance without a word of thanks. When they were alone again, Margaret continued. “I’ve already heard from a number of my friends. All assured me they are bringing their eligible sons.”

Charlie poured herself a cup of tea, adding both milk and sugar. She stirred her cup with more force than necessary, enjoying the look of disdain on Margaret’s face when the spoon clattered against the china. “Mother, I’m with Drew.”

“Of course. Drew.” Margaret’s voice cooled as she said his name. “Well, that’s fine. But darling, there is no promise that you are Compatible with him. Just keep that in mind at the party. There will be so many handsome young men. It would be a shame to burn any bridges.”

“Who says I’ll be Compatible with any of the men at the party?” Charlie challenged. “I refuse to look for a replacement until I know for certain that Drew and I aren’t Compatible.”

Ignoring her, Margaret went on. “You need a new dress for the party, something to show you off at your best. I thought we might look for one together. That lovely boutique on Parkside is expecting us tomorrow. We’ll have a little over three weeks to order it and have the alteration done. That should be plenty of time.

“After shopping, we’ll be having lunch with a few of my-”

“I already have plans tomorrow,” Charlie interrupted, not bothering to disguise the annoyance she felt. She’d told Margaret about these plans, but, like usual, she’d been ignored. “I’m meeting Ruth for lunch.”

Margaret shot her a scathing look. “Reschedule.”

“No, I promi—”

Her father’s sudden entrance cut her response short. He threw the door open, heading straight for the decanter of whisky. A foul expression darkened his features. Charlie couldn’t tell if it was the weather, which had dampened his expensive suit, or just his usual disposition. Either way, the sight of Richard with a glass of whisky in hand never boded well.

“Welcome home.” Margaret stood, walking to her husband’s side. She slid an arm around his waist, kissing his bearded cheek. He grunted in response before pulling away from her embrace.

“Where are your results?” He directed his question to Charlie. She looked at him for a moment, taking in the sight of him. A neatly pressed black suit showed off his tall, muscular frame. He kept his salt-and-peppered hair clean cut and his beard trimmed. He would have been a handsome man if not for his temper.

“Here.” She reached for her tablet, taking her time as she made sure the file remained open on the screen. Richard let out an exasperated breath at but didn’t hesitate to snatch the device from her hand.

He made his way to a second wingback chair. Margaret followed close behind. His eyes scanned the page as her mother strained to read over his shoulder. Charlie took anxious sips of her tea, desperate for something to keep her occupied while she waited. After what seemed like hours, but couldn’t have been more than a minute, Richard handed the tablet to Margaret. She took it, reading. The further she read, the bigger her smile grew.

“Oh darling, this is wonderful!”

Charlie ignored her mother, watching her father. He wore a passive expression. “You aren’t surprised,” she accused.

“No, I’m not. Any child of mine would naturally follow in my footsteps. Congratulations, Charlotte. I know how hard you’ve worked for this.” A sarcastic sneer punctuated his snide comment.

She’d suspected her father’s involvement in her Determining but hadn’t been sure until now. He was the Councilman for the Province of Kansas, a member of the governing body for the Confederation. With that much power at his fingertips, she shouldn’t have been surprised at his involvement, but she was. “This is your fault.” She struggled to control her voice when all she wanted to do was scream.

Richard glowered. “I see nothing wrong. With this outcome, you will be in the perfect position to take over when I die.” He took a gulp of whisky, sighing when the burn hit.

She jumped to her feet, knocking her teacup onto the floor. “But I don’t want to take over for you. I’ve done everything I could to avoid that fate!” Her voice rose to a yell. She could feel her face reddening.

“That was obvious.” Richard scoffed. “After looking through your file, I was appalled. I should have kept a closer eye on you, wasting your time with those idiotic charities and scraping by in all your business classes. Oh yes, it was obvious. And that’s why I stepped in. I couldn’t let you throw away your life like that. You are my heir and you will carry on my legacy.”

“Richard!” Margaret didn’t seem surprised by her husband’s revelation. Rather, she looked annoyed that he’d revealed it so readily.

Charlie whirled to face Margaret. “You knew, too?”

“Darling, your father and I want what’s best for you. You don’t understand the security this future provides for you.”

“What if I don’t want to be secure? I’d rather do something I’m good at, something I love.”

Richard scoffed. “And what is it that you’re good at? Enlighten us.”

Charlie stopped, caught off guard by the question. Honestly, she didn’t know what she wanted to do with her life, other than it couldn’t be what her parents planned. Or a biased result spat out by the stupid chip. Her future should be based on her merit and aptitude, not dictated to her.

Richard’s eyes flashed with ire. “You stupid girl. This is how the world works. We don’t live in the Old World anymore. People don’t have the option to say ‘I’d rather.’ What you want doesn’t make any difference. Obedience is the only thing that matters.”