Being Sapphire. Sylvia Ryan

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ so strong it was as if they were two halves of the same whole.

      In the Sapphire Zone, there was a growing unhappiness with a Gov that left women childless, ripped family members away from those they loved and strong-armed every one of them to conform or reap the consequences.

      A growing fear of the Gov’s tightening grip on all parts of their lives was beginning to give the population in the Sapphire Zone fearful pause, and as the population’s discontentment increased, Guard patrols on the streets of Sapphire increased as well. Both subtle and not so subtle messages by the Gov were heard loud and clear. Dissention would be crushed.

      When he walked through the back door to his family home, his mom was in the kitchen making breakfast like she did for him every morning. The yellow kitchen was bright with early morning sun and the windows were open allowing a slight breeze and the sound of birdsong into the room.

      She glanced over her shoulder and smiled as he closed the door behind him. “Breakfast will be ready in a minute.”

      He stood next to her, washing his hands at the kitchen sink when she peered over at him and cocked her head. “What is it? You’ve got an imbecile’s grin on your face.” He turned away from her omnipotent gaze, drying his hands. “And don’t you dare say ‘nothing’ to your mother now. Not when she knows it’s an outright lie.”

      Patrick snorted. “No, Ma, I wouldn’t dare.”

      She set a plate of eggs and toast on the table in front of him, pulled out her chair at the opposite side of the small, square dinette and sat with a steaming cup of coffee.

      He kept his eyes on his food in a lame attempt to avoid her scrutiny. “I’ve got some things to talk over with you. Where’s Da?” He glanced up at her and her gaze turned serious.

      “He’s getting dressed.”

      “Let’s wait to talk until he comes down.”

      Patrick continued to shovel food into his mouth, carefully avoiding his mother’s inspection and trying to figure the best way to tell her he was diving headfirst into deep water.

      Aaron O’Connor, was a big man with dark hair and midnight blue eyes, just like his sons. When he entered the kitchen, he was surly as always. His mother rose and served up a portion of eggs to his father and popped bread into the toaster.

      “Patrick’s got something to talk to us about, Aaron.” She set the plate in front of her husband and sat again, looking expectantly at Patrick.

      “Jeez, Ma. Relax.” He was stalling, and his mother knew it.

      “Well, come on. Out with it.” She sat with her blue-eyed gaze fixed on him.

      When he’d eaten the last bite of food on his plate and glanced up at her, the worry in her eyes gave him pause. He felt as if he was going to tear her heart out with what he was about to say, but he forged ahead and proceeded to tell them about Jordan and the events of his overnight shift. When he’d finished, his mother sat tight-lipped and pale.

      “What’s your plan, boy?” his father asked.

      Patrick shook his head. “I don’t know, I–” He stopped short. “I guess that’s why we’re all sitting here,” he said quietly, looking at his mother. “Ma, I don’t want to spend the rest of my life living two miles away from my brother and not being able to see him. It’s time to act. I wouldn’t be the man I want to be if I turned away from what’s right because of fear. It’s time for me to choose a path I can be proud of.”

      He paused and gentled his tone “And…well, Ma, I really like this girl. I know I don’t know her very well, but…I don’t know. There’s something between us, some kind of chemistry. I need to see her again.”

      Kate O’Connor sucked in a breath and a tide of alarm rolled over her face, turning it ashen. “Patrick, no! You’re going to be caught if you try to spend time with this woman. I forbid it. It’s too dangerous.”

      “Ma–”

      “Patrick, I said no. I won’t have it. Things are getting worse. Every day is a little more dangerous. People are disappearing into thin air. Children are reporting their parent’s private conversations to the Guard. Neighbors are spying on neighbors. Anything out of the ordinary is scrutinized and questioned.” She shook her head. “No. All it would take is one person noticing something different and reporting you. I’m not going to lose you to the Gov, too.” A sob hitched in her throat, and Patrick knew his mother was within an inch of losing it. She turned her face away from him and covered it with their hands.

      Patrick glanced over at his father, who was staring cold-faced right back at him. Aaron O’Conner couldn’t abide one of his boys making their mother cry.

      “Ma.” He knelt next to her and grasped her hand in his. “It’s the right thing, on so many levels. What’s going on here is wrong. I surely don’t have to convince you of that. Organization against the Gov is inevitable. At some point, we have to join those who are working to change it.

      “That woman, Jordan, risked her life last night to stop Amber women from being forcibly sterilized. She’s brave and–” He sighed. “Ma, I don’t know why, but I need to see her again.”

      His mother lowered her hands. She had tears in her eyes as she slumped, looking defeated. Then, finally, she gave him a slight nod. “Okay, Patrick. You’ve got my blessing.” She looked up at him, with bright eyes full with unshed tears. “Far be it for me to prevent you from following your heart and fighting for what you believe.”

      “Thanks, Ma,” he whispered, squeezing her hand tightly before returning to his chair.

      She nodded at her son, looking resigned. “If you’re going to do this, you might as well do it right.”

      He froze with a glass of orange juice halfway to his mouth. Alarm rose from somewhere deep in his gut when a look of determination passed across her face. “You’re going to need some help.” She pointed at him. “And I won’t be takin’ ‘no’ for an answer.” She stood and headed toward the threshold that led into the rest of the house. “I’ll call the kin,” she said over her shoulder on her way out of the kitchen.

      Patrick met the pacific blue of his father’s gaze.

      “Don’t bother,” Aaron O’Connor said with his distinct Irish-hued English.

      “What?”

      “Don’t bother tryin’ to talk her out of it. It would be wasted breath.” His father rose. “I’m proud of you, son.” They shared a moment between them before he nodded once. “I’ve got to get to work.” He turned and followed his wife’s path out of the kitchen.

      “I want to meet this girl who’s caught your eye, Patrick,” his mother said a few minutes later as she breezed back into the room with her ear bud already in.

      And just like that, Kate O’Connor, the woman he grew up with, was back. The small hope of maybe having Shane with them again seemed to put her sound footing and iron-clad composure back in place.

      He laughed and rolled his eyes, pushing his chair away from the table as his mother sat back down. “I’ll see what I can do, Ma.”

      Kate O’Connor grabbed СКАЧАТЬ