CHAPTER THREE

Claire Riley watched her reflection in the mirror as she finished the last brush stroke through her long, straight, brunette hair. She did a pirouette and admired the pale green shorts and white top she had chosen. On the surface, the evening was a simple gathering of friends at the local coffee shop, but to her, any time she saw Jared Lynch was a special occasion and she wanted to look her best.

Satisfied with her appearance, Claire crept down the hallway. She peered around the corner and could see the front door. She listened for any noise indicating her mother was nearby—nothingthe coast was clear.

“Where are you going?” Katherine Riley demanded, stepping out from the kitchen and into view.

Claire stopped, but took her time turning around, dreading another confrontation with her mother. Their strained relationship was draining and Claire was tired of fighting. She had so little in common with her mother that she often wondered about her father. Claire felt certain she took after the man who would never be a part of her life. Most likely, he was dead by now.

“I’m going to meet friends at the Java Joint like I told you yesterday.” Claire reached for the doorknob.

“Which friends?”

She knew how her mother felt about her friends, but Claire didn't intend to give up the most important people in her life.

“Nyla, Ethan and Jared.” She watched her mother’s expression twist into an ugly configuration, lips pursed, nose wrinkled, eyes squinting and glaring. Claire was fed up with the melodrama, but knew there was no way to avoid a scene. She leaned against the wall, crossed her arms in front of her chest and tilted her head to the side, signifying she was ready for the lecture, but not in the least bit interested in what her mother had to say.

“I so hoped you would make more appropriate friends once you entered the career prep program. The fact you associate with that Ward girl after what her mother did puts me under scrutiny at work. We dedicated employees of the State Law and Information Commission are trying to protect society from people like Rachel Ward.”

“You’re just an administrative assistant at SLIC, not an operative, so get over yourself, Katherine. Your agency doesn’t protect anyone from anything. You and your cronies simply harass innocent citizens and get involved in people’s lives where you have no business being.”

“How dare you? If it weren’t for us, society would be in total chaos. And, as long as you live in this house you will call me Mother.”

Claire knew it annoyed her mother to be called by her first name, so she threw in the insult every chance she got. And, her acronym for her mother’s workplace was another button she liked to push. Against her better judgment, Claire forged on.

“If by chaos you mean people would be free to choose their companions, express their opinions and emotions openly, experience new and exciting things, move about when and where they choose, than I suppose you’re correct, Katherine. May I go now?”

Katherine clenched her fists at her side. She took several deep breaths and counted to ten, like all the digital parental guides had instructed, before answering her daughter. “Go, but those farm boys had just better be friends. You know committed personal relationships of the archaic nature are strictly prohibited. If men and women reverted back to marriage and such, we would be no better than the uncivilized countries of the world or the misguided generations before.”

“Isolationism has turned out to be really great,” Claire mumbled sarcastically.

“What did you say?”

“Nothing you’d understand,” Claire replied as she slipped out the door.

Claire wasn’t sure when her mother had lost her soul, but she was determined to find out what it was like to make personal choices. The law prohibiting marriage had come about because the government didn’t know how to deal with the often violent clashes over who should be allowed to marry and what benefits they should receive. She wondered if people would have left others alone if they knew the alternative was no unions of any kind and no public expressions of love.

As her house disappeared from view, Claire slowed her pace to a casual stroll. The evening was warm and pleasant, but something didn’t feel right. She looked around at the cameras mounted on every building and light post, slowly rotating back and forth, scanning and searching. She was sure the equipment had always been there, but tonight the cameras seemed to follow her, making her feel naked and vulnerable.