SEVENTY-TWO: Myth of the Gift

“That’s a myth,” said Siobhan.  “The Thirteen who save us from aliens and we all live happily ever after and never die. Bleh.”

“No one knows. I mean, everyone has their own idea of what the Prince Charming might look like but – it’s never the same is it?” said Mijin. “I always imagined him as a body of light.”

“Why, why do you think there is some big PC, someone out there to choose us, to take us away, to save us? Why do you insist believing this, this crap?” Jellina countered her as before, but this time more impassioned.

“Why not?” asked Mijin.

“Did your mom make you sell yourself to a house?” said Jellina.

“No.”

“Well, my mom did. You know why? Because there is no one who wants me for me.  I am nothing unique or special unless my pretty face or smile or charm can make it that way.  My mom knew it. Because she knew there was no such thing as Prince Charming!” said Jellina.

Silence, again.

MiJin looked at Jellina her eyes winced in pain. She looked to Arous for stability but Arous was staring off into space.

“I chose this,” said MiJin.

“And, what? You’re giving me some argument, trying to spin my life positive, for what?!? For something even you don’t believe in?” said Jellina.

“Don’t.” She paused. “Coming here. Doing this, it wasn’t about belief,” said Mijin.
            “Okay, okay, it’s getting a little rough in here, talking about ‘belief’,” Siobhan got up sauntered across the room and sat by Arous. She leaned against her and draped her arms over her. Arous didn’t even blink in recognition.

“What I mean is,” said Mijin, then, “I don’t know.  I know this isn’t at all like what I believe the world really is. Believing in Prince Charming is like believing that there is something better out there for me. Life that is more like a gift. Tell them, Arous, you know.  You’re from the Bowl. You know the Diofe.”

Arous was silent.

“Everybody has a gift.  This face is my gift,” Jellina began. “belonging to me.  I do with it what I please. I don’t wait. I don’t wonder. I don’t spend fruitless hours hoping, wishing that somebody will save me when I know they won’t.”

“What if I told you that it didn’t belong to you?  Would you believe that?” Arous’ voice was solid now.

“The kid’s got a point.” Siobhan spoke but she did not move.

 “Look kid. You’re right. My face doesn’t belong to me it belongs to the House, to Lady Rose. Either way, the more I smile and charm and make nice the more money I make. The more money I make the better opportunities I get. The better opportunities I get the less work I have to put in. The faces soon become familiar. Powerful faces. Your mom knew that,” said Jellina.

“How do you know about my mom?” asked Arous.

“Oh, honey, come on, everybody knows about your mom. Rumors circle like vultures about your mom.  She’s a legend. She came from nowhere and became somebody almost overnight. A somebody to the biggest somebody in a million miles. We look up to her. She was a first. Everybody wants to be like her,” said Jellina.

“What do you mean?  What do you know?”

“Look, Arous, I don’t think you should ask these kind of questions. You don’t want to know,” said Siobhan.

“Oh come off your high horse, Siobhan.  It’s okay for the kid to know.”

“But it’s not okay to talk about it,” said Mijin.

“It’s not okay for Siobhan to talk about it, maybe.  But me, what are they going to do to me?” said Jellina.

“They?” asked Arous.

“Listen Arous. Stop this. Stop right now. You don’t know what you are getting into. You’re getting to her the right way, the slow way.  You’re in with Lady Rose, don’t mess that up. This gossip is not going to get you anywhere.” said Siobhan. “Besides, they don’t know anything.”

“I beg your pardon?” said Jellina.

Siobhan stood up, ready to accuse Jellina with more than words. Her fists were clenched.

“Yes.  I have always kept my ear to the ground.  I listen.” said Jellina. “And that’s your weakness, Siobhan.  You don’t listen.  You don’t even ask, you just do.”

“I do my job,” said Siobhan. “I’m a face not a mouth.”

“Siobhan may be right, Arous.  Some of it is rumors,” said MiJin.

“What do you know Mijin? You are on the out anyway.  Can’t stay away from your scummy friends along the South wall,” Jellina shut Mijin up.

 “Look, Arous, if you’re going to talk about this, I’m leaving.”

“Then you should leave,” said Arous.

Siobhan’s face reddened, her eyes wet, she trembled. She looked from face to face then to Arous and back again. 

Siobhan turned to leave but Arous grabbed her by the wrist.

“You understand, don’t you? Don’t you Siobhan?”

Tears were rolling down her cheeks.

“I can’t.”

“Why are you so upset? If you can’t talk about it just say so.”

“I can’t talk about it.”

“I have to know.  We can go somewhere else.  You can tell me, can’t you?”

“I can’t talk about it.”

            Arous released her grip on Siobhan and she left.

“She’s brainwashed.  After they drug your mom off, they got a hold of her and she hasn’t been the same since,” said Jellina.

“Who?”

Jellina didn’t answer but paused more for affect than any real deliberation.

“They who?” asked Arous.

Jellina started to open her mouth but Simon interrupted her.

“Arous,” Simon said, “Siobhan’s right. I can help you get to your mom. Don’t do this.  Don’t listen. It’s all speculation. There are ears -” he trailed off looking toward the wall where Tennant-12 rested.

“You can leave if you don’t like it,” said Arous.

Simon turned to go. Octavius growled.

“And take Octavius with you, he doesn’t like Jellina.”

Simon caught up with Siobhan in less than a block.

“Now, I bet you’re wishing you haven’t given her that letter.”

“Oh, Simon,” she said and began to sob.

“Arous has to know about Ricci by now.  She already knows where her mother is. Maybe it’s time she met Ricci face to face,” said Simon.  “If we hurry, we can still catch him at Rose House.”

Simon hailed a hovexi and they sped off to Rose House.