Conform or Suffer

Chapter 45 Tea Party

Inside Quig and Grew-Ella's Apartment, Two Years Later

*

Quig arranged a teapot and cups on top of moving boxes, with a tray of hummus sandwiches, butterscotch cookies, and applesauce cake.

Grew-Ella packed old papers dated February 15, two years prior, with the headline, Former Supermodel and Past Queen Yoleta Burton is Elected Prime Minister. Interim Prime Minister Junior Sean-Mack Has Been Named Director of Finance.

"The apartment is a disaster, and we're moving to our spacious three-bedroom apartment," Quig said.

"You should see my messy office. I've been overworked, and I don't remember the last time I talked to you." Yoleta sat on a chair and ate two slices of cake. "Trent finally struck a deal to avoid the blood contract. He handed us more information implicating Sean-Mack."

"But he's still too scared to turn on Vex." Grew-Ella felt her hip and moaned in pain.

Yoleta stared at Grew-Ella. "Are you sick?"

Grew-Ella scrunched her face up and covered her hand over her lips. "We were told it isn't contagious."

"Hope you feel better soon. I should have visited you earlier. Have you heard from Zill?" Yoleta asked.

Quig shook his head, 'no.'

Grew-Ella dropped the papers onto the floor. She appeared ashen, and she ran into the bathroom. Her hand covered her mouth.

Yoleta discarded a beauty contestant-style sash on a moving box. "You and Grew-Ella should apply to be king and queen. I'll outlaw most murders."

"Count me out. I don't care who wins. Avery-Joy only entered to rescue Cutter."

Yoleta sipped her tea. "My modeling contract required me to enter, but I also wanted to show pride in my kingdom."

Grew-Ella emerged from the hall bathroom. "Quig makes me feel beautiful, and we don't have the time. We have jobs, romantic private time, and a family. Betsy visits most weekends, and we have our daughter, Magpie, four days a week."

"When did you foster a daughter?" Yoleta asked.

"Around six months into our marriage, but the adoption isn't complete."

"Right now, she technically lives with a second cousin, but it isn't a stable home."

Grew-Ella sipped her tea. "We paid for her badge removal. Magpie is worth it, even if we lose her to another family."

"Where does she sleep?" Yoleta asked.

"We converted our laundry room into a bedroom and are washing clothes in the kitchen. Betsy and Magpie share a room when she visits," Quig said.

"You met Magpie." Grew-Ella ran to the bathroom.

"Yes, I remember her. She is the dragon girl," Yoleta said.

"Do you want me to hold your hair back?" Quig asked Grew-Ella through the guest bathroom door.

"No, I'm peachy; talk with Yoleta."

Yoleta spoke to Quig. "Junior recommends renting the non-prison workhouses to factories and private schools for cash."

"Vex and the current workhouse board won't allow that," he said.

"Lana's postcards will take care of that." Yoleta's temporal watch formed on her wrist. Congratulations flickered in a pulsating rhythm. Her mouth turned upwards into a sly grin.

Grew-Ella's painful grunts could be heard.

Yoleta waved at Quig. "Let me be the first to congratulate you."

"What do you mean? Why are you congratulating us on Grew-Ella's illness? We cut our second honeymoon at the campsite short during spring break."

"If Frog takes me to the woods on our next honeymoon, I'd fake being ill. Don't get me wrong, I'm fond of survivalist training and camping, but it isn't romantic," Yoleta said.

"Grew-Ella isn't faking. She has acid reflux." Quig poured Yoleta a cup of mint tea into a deep blue teacup.

Grew-Ella trudged back and nestled against him. "He commissioned the tea set for me. Isn't he a darling?"

Yoleta clutched the teacup. "Well, congratulations again on the baby. I'm sure Grew-Ella is pregnant." Future memories filled her brain. "Buy two cribs."

"That would be nice, but she miscarried several times, and it was harder than either of us realized," Quig said.

"We cried a lot, but we went through our losses together, but it would be amazing if we received a rainbow baby," Grew-Ella said.

"Schedule a doctor's appointment." Yoleta counted the security cameras in the room. "I'll provide an extra guard."

He cuddled Grew-Ella and touched her belly. "I'm paying students to move our furniture and will take a test after we move in. Karen painted the living room to match the old one."

"You have a 3D med and food printer. Print up a test now," Yoleta said.

Grew-Ella walked to the kitchen, printed a dozen pregnancy strips, and entered the bathroom.

"I know the odds are against us, but wouldn't it be amazing?" Quig asked through the door.

A half-hour later, Grew-Ella patted her belly and spoke. "Hello, Dad. I retook it seven times." She looked down at her feet for a moment. "Even after all the terrible things my sister has done to me, I feel bad for her because her brain is twisted by our kingdom's beauty standards."