Emmanuelle’s Choice

The preparation

And she turned and went back inside.

“I am sorry for yelling at you, Emma, but you know the air takes up most of our electric portion.”

“Yes mama. I am sorry. I will try and remember.”

Deidre walked up to her daughter and kissed her on the forehead. “I know my beautiful daughter. Perhaps you should eat a half a slice of pie.”

Another dig at her weight. The pleasure she had just felt in her mother’s affections, dissipated with her comment about Emma’s weight. She couldn’t help that whatever she ate stuck to her.

Emma took her seat, her head dropping from her mother’s acid tongue.

“Oh Emma. It’s fine. Plenty of men like bigger women. You’ll find a man.”

But the damage had been done years before when she first started getting “chubby” as her mother affectionately called it.

“Attention everyone!” Announced her father when everyone was seated at the table. “Your sister has a very special announcement…She’s been invited to the Platinum Ball!”

Complete silence.

Then everyone started laughing saying “funny” and “good joke dad”. Then Emma thrust out of her chair and grabbed the invitation. “Look!”

That shut them all up.

Chapter TWO

Emmanuelle sat in her chair in her bedroom staring off into the distance. She shared her bedroom with her brothers and sister so this moment of peace was rare. But she knew better than to expect it to last.

As if on cue in walked her sister.

“I’m only coming in to get my colorpad. I’ll only be a moment .”

Emma smiled at her baby sister. “It’s ok, Jocelyn.”

Her baby sister looked as if she wanted to say something else, but then she shook her head and left.

Emmanuelle simply sighed. Normally she would go back after her disorder and insist on knowing what the matter was, but today, well she just couldn’t muster the care to. She was certain it was nerves about the Platinum Ball. She couldn’t believe it was only 2 hours before they had to leave so that they would arrive on time, actually they should be 30 minutes early as long as nothing went wrong.

She stood up and walked slowly to the bathroom. She and her sister used their parents bathroom to shower in, and her brothers shared the other. They were quite blessed to find this 2 bedroom 2 bath unclaimed after the Great War of 2182. The war took 3 billion lives, and countless damage had been done to the entire planet. However three billion human lives may have been lost, but half a billion nonhuman lives surfaced from their hiding spots in other dimensions. That’s when Earth 2200 began and vampires, elves, sorcerers, and were creatures began to roam the earth alongside humans.

She made her way to the “girl’s bathroom and after starting up the water, took her shower. A rumor had once been circulated that the earlier generations had to pay for food, water and electricity. It was hard to believe but they had actually taught it in class so it had to be effect right? But that seems so ridiculous to Emmanuelle for those were basic necessities. It seems absurd to actually have to pay for life’s necessities.

Once she was dried off, Emmanuelle put on her bathrobe and returned to her room. Mama had gotten the robe at the War Goods shop. She had washed and washed that robe to get all the dirt and dust out, and finally after 5 separate washes, she had managed to get it all out.

Looking at her alarm clock on her nightstand, or the pieces of wood her father had fashioned together for her that served as one, she saw that her Aunt Henna would be arriving any minute. No sooner had she thought the thought, than the telltale sign of her horse and buggy arrived.

Through the thin walls she heard her Aunt’s unmistakable high pitched voice and then the knock on her door.

“Emma, your Aunt Henna is here.”

“One minute mama. Let me get my dress on.”

“Let us know when you are dressed.”

Drawing in a ragged breath, for she was quite nervous about tonight. A hundred dreadful thoughts raced through her mind.

“Ok Aunt Henna. I’m ready.”

Her mother opened her door followed by her aunt.

“Oh Deidre, you did such a good job. Her gown is absolutely stunning!” Gushed her aunt.

Emma had to agree. The gown was stunning. She had no idea her mother was so talented. Why, she felt like a princess wearing it. Yet she was certain all the other girls invited would have much better gown considering they all had money.

“Do you really think so Henna? I spent all night making it.”

“It’s stunning, sister. I love it!”

“Well, let’s get our young princess here ready for the ball.”

“Indeed.”

The two women primped and polished up Emmanuelle until after nearly two hours, they stepped back and surveyed their work. “Wow! You really do look like a princess Emmanuelle. Princess Emmanuelle. It’s got a nice ring to it don’t you think?”

Emma refused to answer such a ridiculous question. She was certain they didn’t mean it anyway.

Deidre gave her daughter a little nudge of encouragement and said, “Finish getting ready, Emma we have to hurry. If we don’t leave in 30 minutes we will be late.” By late she meant not thirty minutes early.

“Yes, mama.”

“Alright. Be out here in fifteen minutes. Your father will want pictures.”

“I will be.”

The Matron of the Coldbrook family shut the door behind her and at last Emma had a few minutes to herself. The butterflies in her stomach were now attacking themselves. She felt frozen with fear. How was she gonna get through this?

Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly. Little by little, that’s how.

She slipped into her slippers that her father had made. Perfect fit. Goodness but she had tiny feet. She buckled the one buckle and smoothed her hands over the gown smoothing out any wrinkles. With a last few adjustments and a single gold chain, she decided she was ready to go.

Emma opened the door and stepped out into the family room.

“Wait right there,” her father said running into their bedroom and grabbing his picture taker.

Emma indulged her father, allowing him his little pleasures. “Say happiness,” he said to make her smile, which it always do

The time had come for them to go to the ball.

The trip seemed to take no time at all. As they drove, blackened fields from the Great War that they hadn’t gotten to yet in order to plow it down and get down to the rich soil so they can grow crops again.

All too soon, or so Emma thought, they arrived at Lady Marabelle’s mansion.

The lady of the house herself came out to meet and greet their guests.

“Emmanuelle, child so good to meet you. Please come in, and meet some of the guests.”

Emma took the hand LadyMarabelle offered and allowed her to lead her inside, and Emmanuelle couldn’t believe her eyes.

Chapter Three

Stepping through the door of Greenscape Manor, Emmanuelle couldn’t believe her eyes! Floating lanterns in every color lit the room. Looking down at her dress, she marveled at how the silver embroidery her mother had stitched into the dress sparkled in the light of the lantern. Emmanuelle fingered the stitch work as her heart broke just a bit. Her mother had planned on using the thread for her anniversary gown. Emmanuelle made a silent promise to herself to replace the thread times two.

“Alright my darling daughter. This is where I leave you. I will be back at one to pick you up.”

“One?” Squeaked Emmanuelle.

“You’re right, one o’clock is too early. It will barely be getting over by then. Two o’clock and no a moment later.”

Emmanuelle sighed. At least they had given her an extra hour. “Thank you mama.”

“All right. Go and join the other party goers and go have fun.”

Emma was already looking out across the dance floor. It was amazing! Of course, she had seen vampires, elves, and sorcerers before, but never in one place. And there had always been rumors that demons also attended disguising themselves as humans. How so very interesting!

All the decorations were like treasures her. All at once she realized that she must look like some simple country girl gawking at all the decorations.

She tried to look like she belonged, watching all the women and trying to casually imitate them.

The dancing hasn’t begun yet for they all stood in the foyer waiting to be let into the ballroom.

She wondered if she’d see anybody she knew here. She doubted it, however a young vampire female had come to her aid once. It had been late and she was just looking for a bite to eat. Gratefully she didn’t want to eat her. Veracity had been her name, and when Emma had told Veracity her name, she had said she like Emma’s name as well, Emma’s full name.

Lady Mirabella’s ballroom was so big, why they could fit 4 of Emma’s houses put together in a square, and 4 more on top of them. Oh what she wouldn’t do with a place so large. Jocelyn would twirl around like a princess in this place. Emma knew she would.

Lady Mirabella walked up to a very stout looking elf. “Emmanuelle, this is La’mer, he is Prince Le’Vanton’s consort and first in command.”

Emmanuelle bowed her head as Le’mer took her hand and uncurling her fingers, pressed his own to hers, palm to palm.