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Authors: Gerri Hill
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hood over her head.
“I must join the others. Belden will lead you.”
Fiona nodded, taking several deep breaths before following her mother down the stairs. Belden was waiting, and she could see the excitement on his face. Couplings in the chamber only happened a few times each year. Recently, those times occurred less and less as the flock grew older and older. Once you wore the black robe, however, couplings in private were allowed, as long as it did not produce a child. Mother Hogan was the only one who could sanction a new birth in the flock. Fiona felt honored that she was chosen. If she bore a daughter, then the Hogan bloodline would continue. When she was of age, her daughter would then move into the estate and live with Mother Hogan. She would be next in line. That thought made her heart swell. Her own daughter could someday lead the flock.
“You look beautiful, Fiona.”
“Thank you. I’m nervous,” she admitted.
“Mother Hogan favors you. Do not be nervous.”
Easier said than done, but she kept that thought to herself. Antel Hogan was a big man, much older than herself. Older, even, than her own mother. As far as she knew, Antel Hogan and her mother had only joined the one time, that in the same chamber she was being led to now.
She was trembling with fear, with anticipation. They were all there, dozens of black robes with only one remaining white robe. Mother Hogan was standing near the sacrificial altar, her deep purple robe appearing almost black in the dark chamber, which was lit only by a handful of torches. Antel Hogan stood to her left, his hood covering his gray head, only his face visible.
Fiona paused, accepting the inevitable, yet clinging to a long- ago dream—when she had dared to dream. She had no reference as to what to expect from her life other than what she saw in Hoganville. There were no marriages. They were not needed. But she had a glimpse of another life and only then did she dare to dream of falling in love, of finding a young man to marry, to bond with. But it was just a dream. She stood now before Antel Hogan, about to give him her innocence at thirty-one years of age. The same man who had taken her mother’s virtue as well.
Mother Hogan held out her hand, beckoning her to come closer. In her other hand was the potion she was to drink. Fiona took the final steps, her gaze landing on that of Antel Hogan’s. She was afraid.
She was suddenly very afraid.
***
“Our neighbor is not home yet,” CJ said as she sauntered into the bedroom at ten. At Paige’s raised eyebrows, she added, “Fiona.”
“Maybe she stayed in Hoganville,” Paige said, closing her laptop.
“I suppose. I was looking forward to meeting her, though.”
“Why? You think she might have horns or something?”
CJ laughed, turning her back to Paige and pulling her shirt over her head, leaving herself naked from the waist up.
“Must you? Really?”
“Just getting ready for bed. Don’t look if it bothers you,” she said, smiling as she heard Paige leave the room and slam the door. She shouldn’t tease so, she knew. Not if they expected to make it through this assignment without getting a divorce.
Of course, they had to do other things as well. Like get a TV. With Paige holed up in the bedroom, CJ had stayed in the living room, her only entertainment was the music on her phone. It would be much easier if they could get along for an extended period of time. She really didn’t think the kiss was overdoing it. In fact, they had been so playful with each other, it would have seemed odd not to kiss in that particular moment. And if she really thought about it, she could almost say Paige was the one to initiate it.
“Was barely a kiss anyway,” she muttered as she climbed under the covers, tugging at the sleep shirt she was not used to wearing. God, how many months of this?
“Are you decent?” Paige called.
CJ grinned. “I’m always decent, baby.” She could picture Paige rolling
“I must join the others. Belden will lead you.”
Fiona nodded, taking several deep breaths before following her mother down the stairs. Belden was waiting, and she could see the excitement on his face. Couplings in the chamber only happened a few times each year. Recently, those times occurred less and less as the flock grew older and older. Once you wore the black robe, however, couplings in private were allowed, as long as it did not produce a child. Mother Hogan was the only one who could sanction a new birth in the flock. Fiona felt honored that she was chosen. If she bore a daughter, then the Hogan bloodline would continue. When she was of age, her daughter would then move into the estate and live with Mother Hogan. She would be next in line. That thought made her heart swell. Her own daughter could someday lead the flock.
“You look beautiful, Fiona.”
“Thank you. I’m nervous,” she admitted.
“Mother Hogan favors you. Do not be nervous.”
Easier said than done, but she kept that thought to herself. Antel Hogan was a big man, much older than herself. Older, even, than her own mother. As far as she knew, Antel Hogan and her mother had only joined the one time, that in the same chamber she was being led to now.
She was trembling with fear, with anticipation. They were all there, dozens of black robes with only one remaining white robe. Mother Hogan was standing near the sacrificial altar, her deep purple robe appearing almost black in the dark chamber, which was lit only by a handful of torches. Antel Hogan stood to her left, his hood covering his gray head, only his face visible.
Fiona paused, accepting the inevitable, yet clinging to a long- ago dream—when she had dared to dream. She had no reference as to what to expect from her life other than what she saw in Hoganville. There were no marriages. They were not needed. But she had a glimpse of another life and only then did she dare to dream of falling in love, of finding a young man to marry, to bond with. But it was just a dream. She stood now before Antel Hogan, about to give him her innocence at thirty-one years of age. The same man who had taken her mother’s virtue as well.
Mother Hogan held out her hand, beckoning her to come closer. In her other hand was the potion she was to drink. Fiona took the final steps, her gaze landing on that of Antel Hogan’s. She was afraid.
She was suddenly very afraid.
***
“Our neighbor is not home yet,” CJ said as she sauntered into the bedroom at ten. At Paige’s raised eyebrows, she added, “Fiona.”
“Maybe she stayed in Hoganville,” Paige said, closing her laptop.
“I suppose. I was looking forward to meeting her, though.”
“Why? You think she might have horns or something?”
CJ laughed, turning her back to Paige and pulling her shirt over her head, leaving herself naked from the waist up.
“Must you? Really?”
“Just getting ready for bed. Don’t look if it bothers you,” she said, smiling as she heard Paige leave the room and slam the door. She shouldn’t tease so, she knew. Not if they expected to make it through this assignment without getting a divorce.
Of course, they had to do other things as well. Like get a TV. With Paige holed up in the bedroom, CJ had stayed in the living room, her only entertainment was the music on her phone. It would be much easier if they could get along for an extended period of time. She really didn’t think the kiss was overdoing it. In fact, they had been so playful with each other, it would have seemed odd not to kiss in that particular moment. And if she really thought about it, she could almost say Paige was the one to initiate it.
“Was barely a kiss anyway,” she muttered as she climbed under the covers, tugging at the sleep shirt she was not used to wearing. God, how many months of this?
“Are you decent?” Paige called.
CJ grinned. “I’m always decent, baby.” She could picture Paige rolling
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