Chapter 21
“Yes, Ms. Fields?”
“Why haven’t you been doing your nightlies?”
“I’m out of paper.”
“You don’t need paper to do your nightlies.”
“Maybe you don’t.”
“I don’t appreciate your sarcastic attitude.”
“Was that technically sarcasm?”
“Sarcasm or not, your attitude towards me is inappropriate. Why aren’t you doing your nightlies?”
“I told you, Ms. Fields. I’m out of paper.”
“And you don’t need paper to do your nightlies.”
“What I need is motivation, and I’m all out of paper. I’d rather stare at the stars on my ceiling than do nightlies.”
“There are no stars on your ceiling.”
“Maybe when you’re looking at it. But at night, when the lights go out, I see stars and Marco among them.”
“And his kite?”
“You heard about it?”
“Amelia, everybody has heard about it by now. The patrol is going to find him.”
“And do what? Make an example of him?”
“Marco is not a threat to the Mod. The Mod doesn’t need to make an example.”
“Then if they find him, what’s the worst they can do?”
“For crimes against reason, they can revoke his citizenship. They can deport him from City’s protection.”
“From what I’ve gathered, he already lives among the transits. He lives under a blanket of stars. He’s self-deported from City’s towers and brownstones.”
“Self-deportation is not official. He’s merely exploring. The streets can be tempting for a young man. He won’t find them so appealing as he ages. If the patrol catches him and he refuses to be institutionalized, the Mod will revoke his citizenship. He will receive a track and his little adventure away from home will become permanent.”
“Now you sound like the one who is being sarcastic.”
“I don’t waste my energy on sarcasm, Amelia.”
“Whatever you call it, you’re wasting time by trying to scare me. I’m not afraid for Marco.”
“Then have you finally stopped loving his shadow?”
“I don’t know that I ever loved his shadow as you put it.”
“Then have you stopped loving the man?”
“No, I love him more now than ever.”
“Then why aren’t you afraid for him? How can you wish a transitory life upon someone you love?”
“I wouldn’t wish anything on him that I wouldn’t wish on myself.”
“After all our additional efforts, you’re saying your love has become more delusional and self-destructive?”
“No, it has only strengthened. In all the places you tried to break me, my love has grown strong.”
“We didn’t try to break you, Amelia. We have only cared.”
“Call it what you like.”
“I won’t stand for your sarcasm.”
“I don’t think saying ‘call it what you like’ qualifies as sarcasm.”
“Sarcasm or flippancy, the disrespect is the same.”
“I don’t disrespect you as a person, Ms. Fields. I respect your effort and your concern. You just haven’t taught me much.”
“I fought for you, Amelia. I convinced Ms. Snow to let you have the paper and bottle. I wanted to ease your adjustment. Perhaps I made a mistake.”
“Don’t doubt yourself, Ms. Fields. It made a difference.”
“Not the right one apparently.”
“We all make mistakes.”
“So you are admitting I made a mistake by giving you the paper and bottle?”
“No, I’m not admitting that. I’m only saying you’re likely to forgive yourself for the decision, whatever its merits, as indicated by your resilient attempt to turn the table on me. Any choice, like digital pool, can break in multiple directions. I made my choice. From my perspective, your decision to provide support was the right one. Don’t doubt yourself.”
“I don’t doubt myself. Stop saying that. You are not the teacher, and the usefulness of my concession has expired.”
“I did the work to earn that concession. You can’t take it away from me now.”
“I can’t because I was the one who made the concession, but Ms. Snow may have a different opinion on the matter.”
“I don’t care to hear her opinion.”
“Then maybe you don’t care to keep your heirloom.”
“I don’t think heirloom is the proper word.”
“Stop trying to be the teacher.”
“I’m not the one who is trying.”
“Whatever you’re doing, stop it.”
“Then should I stop the chat?”
“We must engage in informal dialogue, these chats, whenever you don’t complete your nightlies.”
“Coerced nightlies, Ms Fields?”
“Now you’re the one using words improperly.”
“Manipulated nightlies?”
“Call it what you like, Amelia.”
“I don’t like.”
“Then take it up with Ms. Snow.”