Genesis Girl (Blank Slate #1) - Jennifer Bardsley Page 0,35
ever get in a position where you don’t know what to do, ask him. Clarifying questions are your friends. They always help, and they never look suspicious.”
“Yes, Ms. Lydia. Of course, Ms. Lydia.”
Ms. Lydia smiled at me. “You’ll do great, Blanca. Remember, follow my instructions until your purchaser gives you enough of his own.” Then she blessed me and sent me away.
If only she were here to tell me what to do now. Cal barely tells me anything.
“So what should I do, Seth?” Cal’s still talking to the Virus, and they don’t know I can hear. “I don’t want her to trap herself in there again. Should I take away the lock on her door? Or perhaps remove the door completely?”
“No,” says the Virus, for some reason defending me. “Don’t take away the door. That would mean taking away the last ounce of privacy she has left. You’ve already done a pretty good job of that as it is.”
“I didn’t mean to hurt her,” Cal sounds beaten.
“I know, Dad.”
“Now I just want to help her.”
“Me too,” says the Virus. “So how do we do that?”
“I don’t know.” Cal clears his throat. “That woman Lydia keeps calling me about letting Blanca go to that Vestal banquet she mentioned last month.”
“Are you kidding? We should keep Blanca as far away from those people as possible.”
“That was my first thought too,” says Cal. “But then I wondered if maybe it would reinvigorate her.”
“Reprogram, is more like it.”
He’s such an idiot. I’ve never seen a computer in my life. How could I reprogram one?
“Maybe she’ll be happier if she spends some time with her own kind,” Cal says. “Lydia wants to introduce her to a young man she thinks Blanca would like.”
The boy who sells soap! My soul mate!
“I can’t believe you’re considering this,” the Virus says, his voice rising. “None of those people should be trusted!”
“I’m not going to trust them, Seth, but I do want to hear what they have to say. Letting Blanca be around them for one night shouldn’t damage her any more than she’s already damaged.”
I still can’t believe he thinks I’m damaged. But Cal’s right about one thing. Letting me go to the Vestal corporate banquet is the perfect decision. That will make everything better.
“That’s the worst idea ever, Dad,” the Virus says. “The only way it would be remotely okay is if you go too.”
“To the Vestal banquet?” Cal asks.
“Yeah,” says the Virus. “That way you can keep an eye on her.”
“I’m not sure that’s allowed. I don’t think they let outsiders into a function like that.”
“Make them,” says the Virus. “Have Blanca call them up and say the only way she can come is if you go too.”
There’s silence for a moment. Cal must be considering.
I don’t know what to think myself. There’s probably no way Ms. Lydia would ever let Cal come, even though he doesn’t have finger-chips anymore. I’m not sure I could convince her.
“Maybe … ” Cal says. “Maybe I could say that I can’t let Blanca be introduced to this young Vestal Lydia wants her to meet unless I’ve met his whole family at the banquet.”
“Yeah,” says the Virus. “It’s worth a shot.”
There’s more silence. My mind whirls. I’m already planning what I’ll say to Ms. Lydia when I write her a letter later today. But then the wheels stop spinning, and I hear Cal say one more thing.
“I want Blanca to know that I’m sorry and that I only want what’s best for her now.”
“I know,” says the Virus. “Hopefully she hears that message one way or another.”
“She doesn’t have anyone on her side,” Cal continues. “Only me, and you too, if you still want to stick around.”
I don’t have anybody? Cal’s so clueless! I’ve got a whole Brethren of Vestals behind me! I’m part of the most important society there is!
“I’ll stick around,” the Virus answers. “It’s going to take both of us to help her.”
“Great! It will be wonderful having you back at the manor. I’ll ask Alan to arrange for movers to pack up your apartment.”
“Whoa! Wait a second,” exclaims the Virus. “I’m not moving back home. Where’d you get that idea?”
“You said you’d stick around.”
“Yeah, like stop by every day to see Blanca.”
I clench my fists. There’s no way I want to see the Virus that often.
“But I thought this was the opportunity for our second chance,” says Cal, with disappointment.