A Future Glimpse (2073 words)
Thirteen years after departing Orenda.
Kim looked into the mirror and dragged the brush through her blonde locks one final time and then fluffed the ends. She tossed the brush into the drawer and selected her favourite berry coloured lip gloss. She smeared it on and then looked at herself critically. Blonde hair, blue eyes, decent skin even if she did hate the small freckles scattered across her nose. She was aware she looked a lot like her Mom. It was hard to begrudge that - even after having four children plus adopting three more, she knew her Mom was still considered a beautiful woman.
Kim strolled out of the bathroom and back into her bedroom. It was the back room, overlooking the garden, and she loved it. It had a bright cheeriness to it with a deep window seat and a shelf full of books. She was going to miss it immensely. She glanced over at the family photo in the pretty colourful frame on the dresser and picked it up. It was taken on her 16th birthday - when the family had been over. All of the family had been there. She took in the faces in the photo. Uncle Viggo and Uncle Idris smiled broadly while being tackled by their godsons, the twins - Henry and Leo. It had been cool that they had come out for the party. Uncle Viggo had continued her surfing lessons even due to the unseasonably warm spring weather.
Kim tucked the photos into her carry-on bag before turning back toward the mirror. Well, she thought as she fussed with her hair again, as good as it was going to get today. She then selected her favourite necklace from her jewellery box, clasping it on, and then straightened it. Instead of a typical pendant, on the chain hung a small amethyst ring. The first ring ever given to her. The one she was shown when she watched Mom get engaged to Dad (Tolly). It was the same one he put on her finger at the wedding when he promised to be her daddy forever. She smiled at the memory as she pulled her new amethyst ring out of her jewellery box and slid it on. It was the ring that her Dad had given her for her sixteenth birthday.
She remembered coming to the pretty island and being so nervous that Tolly wouldn’t really want her. Instead, he had made it clear that he wanted her. Very much. Mom had told her the story of her week with Tolly a thousand times, usually to much laughter of everyone. If anything (including the arrival of six more children), she had to admit that she could very well be her Dad’s favourite.
Things were so different now. Different than they had been when they lived on the pretty island and Tolly had claimed her Mom and become her Dad. She had become a Violets. Well, a McKinnon Violets. Now the world had changed a lot. Most notably the slavery system was on the verge of being abolished, with more and more restrictions placed on it every year. Now people had until their 30th birthday to make a claim and there were a million exemptions and exceptions made. The slavery designation itself was increasingly rare.
She knew her Dad and others with even more dangerous lives like her Uncle Kristoff and Aunt Annette as well as so many others had been instrumental in changing things. They had risked their very lives to do so. She had seen the scars on Uncle Kristoff’s body. The risks he had taken, that they all took to fight against the system they did not believe in. Her Dad’s and Uncle Idris’ parents had died for those principles.
However, the system wasn’t dead yet. There was still more to do and she was determined to be part of it. She had spent months corresponding with Uncle Kristoff and then proposed her plan to her parents. It had been tough. They hadn’t wanted to let her go. Not to an Academy and attempt to recruit more people to the Cause.
Kim glanced down at her arm where the circle tattoo glinted almost wetly against her pale skin. It was still pink at the edges, a little tender, as it was done just yesterday. The day before her Mom had finally conceded that Kim was determined to go to the Academy and use her brains and beauty for something more. She was going to be a part of the fight. She knew her Mom was nervous, as was her Dad. Her brothers were fiercely protective of her, especially the twins. In this, they were like all the other Violets children. All of which had been labelled Dominants. Kim was determined to be like all the other women in her family including her own Mom, and her myriad of Aunts - Charity, Felicity, Annette, Bella, Lottie and Tess.
Kim picked up her suitcase and carry-on and stepped through her bedroom door. She didn’t get two steps before Leo and Henry raced out of their room and tugged it out of her hand. They insisted they could carry it down the stairs. Kim laughed as the two thirteen year old boys argued over who could carry which end and practically dropped it three times carrying it down the stairs.
She glanced over and there appeared a tiny little face. Miri. Adorable, serious, solemn Miri. The little family worrier. Miri approached to claim the hand freed from suitcase duty in her own small hand. She didn’t say a word. Together they walked down the stairs hand in hand. When they finally reached the bottom of the broad staircase, Kim bent low and touched her forehead to that of her 8 year old sister. “Take care of everyone. Okay little sprite? I’ll be home at Christmas. Promise.” With a peck to Miri’s cheek, Kim pulled back, “Love you.” Miri nodded solemnly before replying, “Luf you too.” Miri had a slight lisp resulting from recently lost teeth.
Noise from the kitchen beckoned them onward. It was Kim’s favourite room as it overlooked the ocean and was always full of warmth and sunshine as well as someone to speak with. Both of her parents cooked, and well at that. The kitchen always smelled like home. She had confided more to her parents in this room that in any other in the whole house.
There, she found her parents fussing over the three youngest Violets. They were adopted. Five year old Will, three year old Pippin and finally, last but not least, 9 month old Anna. Spotting Kim, Will and Pippin leapt from their booster seats and ran over to get their hugs. She hugged them both and got them back to their seats. Anna, in her high chair, squeaked and raised her arms, demanding her fair share of attention. Kim enjoyed being the oldest and made a fuss over each of her youngest siblings before hugging her Mom. She then plunked herself into a chair and poured herself a coffee. A kiss on the top of her head signaled Dad’s arrival. Typical family breakfast followed as Dad had to cajole Miri into eating all her breakfast and prevent the twins from stealing it. Mom fed the baby and ate herself. Laughter filled the room as well as the sound of everyone talking at once. Baby Anna made her share of squeaks and babbles as she wanted to keep up with the others. Kim realized once again just how much she was going to miss them. All of them.
Tolly slipped an arm around Ily’s shoulders and shifted Anna in his arms. Will and Pippin were framing Miri as she stood right at the gate, peering through the bars. All of them watching as Kim made her way through the gates and down through security. Their baby was off to the Academy, the one in New York. She was going under the name McKinnon. It was one of the last, best bastions of the old regime and Kim wanted to be part of its downfall. Frankly, Tolly just thought she wanted to go to his old alma mater. Although his sisters and Bella Bean would be around, it was still hard to let her go. Kim. His girl. The first child to call him Daddy. The first child to win his heart and turn him from the stoic bachelor he used to be to a man at the centre of a family.
Tolly glanced down at Ily. She was watching Kim walk away with misty eyes and he pressed a kiss to the silk of her forehead. She was beautiful. Still so beautiful. Still the woman who made his heart stop in his throat, still the one that made him laugh, made him think, and the only one with whom he could share his tears.
The past thirteen years had passed in a whirlwind. They had seen so much, experienced so much. It had taken years. Years of writing, speaking, traveling and visiting with those who had the power to influence change. It had been terrifying, exhilarating and occasionally wonderful. The regime had tumbled slowly, with cracks forming over years of work. But it did tumble. Slavery was on its last legs. By the end of 2030, even the most conservative pundits were predicting abolition of slavery.
Other countries were already there - Sweden, Norway, most of Western Europe as well as Canada and Japan. China had an act proposed to abolish it within the next year. To have a worse human rights record than China would be an embarrassment to the United States. After that it wouldn’t be long. Without the threat of slavery, the Claim system would have lost its teeth. After that it wouldn’t take long before all but the most conservative communities would be free of the Claim system.
The battle had been protracted and it certainly wasn’t over yet. At times, Tolly’s life had been threatened. He had been physically assaulted more than once. He had been deemed a heretic and madman. There had been many scary moments but his faith had never wavered. Ily had kept him upright and moving forward when he had simply wanted to give up and throw in the towel. They were fighting for their children’s futures and that … that was worth the fight.
Now they were standing on the precipice of the end. But there were still battles to win. He was proud of his little girl, now almost a woman. She wanted to be a part of the fight, of the final push toward the goal of the complete destruction of the system. He glanced over to where the twins were wrestling playfully. “Boys. Miri.” he called out. “Let’s go. We’re going home now.” The boys looked over at Ily. Mom’s word was law. The final determiner and arbiter. She nodded and the four boys returned to her side quickly. It still made him crazy that they didn’t listen to him completely when she was around but it was a battle he had ceased trying to fight.
Miri didn’t move. She just waited by the gate entrance, staring down the long hall to where her sister disappeared. Ily looked over at Tolly, and nodded at their most solemn soul. “Give me Anna. I’ll get everyone in the van. You get her.” she whispered softly to her husband. Tolly agreed and passed the baby in his arm to his wife before he brushed a kiss over Ily’s cheek. He made his way over to Miri as Ily headed out of the airport with their rambunctious passel of boys.
Tolly crouched low next to his quietest child, the one who looked most like him with warm brown hair and hazel eyes. He smiled softly at her, “You okay little one?” he asked quietly. “She will be home at Christmas you know?” To this, Miri just nodded but didn’t take her eyes off the hall. Tolly leaned in and scooped her up. She tucked her little arms around his shoulders and rested her forehead against his neck, “S’okay.” he murmured softly, “I’m going to miss her too.” he soothed as he felt the hot tears splash against his skin. That’s the thing about going off to fight a battle. There were always those left behind. Those whose hearts broke with every departure.
