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F6: Bliss

By: FAWCker



This story is a submission to the sixth Friendly Anonymous Writing Challenge (FAWC) and a tribute to the founder of FAWC, slyc_willie, who we lost unexpectedly in October 2015. The true author of this story is kept anonymous until the end of the competition. Authors base their story on a list of four items. Their choices included the following letters: S L Y C. Each item was used in the story. There are no prizes given in this challenge; this is simply a friendly competition.

The list for this story includes: Yarn, Yearn, Yodeller, Yacht

* * * *

Lisbeth carefully tucked the precious pages she had secretly scavenged from the bottom of a crate of supplies back into the hollow of her bed frame and twisted the plain knob back into place. Sighing she pulled on the heavy tunic required for the assemblies and walked from the small cell that had served as her room. She had called it her cell since her coming of age and the move from her home to the girls dormitories.

Aside of the assemblies any interaction between the young men and women of the commune was strictly supervised and scrutinised until a match was made and agreed upon by the council and a marriage ceremony conducted. She had been content once to accept her fate and had giggled with the other girls as the boys grew to manhood and began showing off their strength and skills within the commune hoping to win their favour. A girl could let her parents know her preferences, but she had seen over time that it mattered very little in the pairing decisions. Lisbeth knew her fate if she stayed here, and fates name was Gabriel Blackman.

As she walked slowly across the common ground between the dormitory and the assembly hall, Lisbeth could feel the hair on the back of her neck prickled with the sensation of being watched. She steeled herself against looking back. To look back would be to encourage the gaze and she had no desire to encourage Gabriel Blackman. She had other plans for her life, and though fate all but strangled her here, she hoped that the choir mistress would provide her with the opportunity she needed to escape a life as wife to Gabriel Blackman.

Lisbeth entered the building and pulled the door closed behind her. Still she didn't turn to see who followed her but instead walked swiftly to the choir circle and took her place amongst those gathered there. She took the hand of her best friend and squeezed it showing a small smile her glittering eyes the hint of excitement at the news the choir mistress had hinted she had for them today.

"Now that everyone is here I can introduce you to our special guest. This," she indicated an austere man standing beside her dressed in black, "Is Pastor Phillip from our sister Assembly in Miles."

"I have heard great things about this little choir, and I am looking forward to your performance tonight," he smiled warmly at the group. "Just as you must practice your songs of praise so I must practice my sermon. I look forward to talking with you all intimately at the supper this evening."

"He's on old letch," Abigail whispered to Lisbeth. "He gives me the creeps." She pulled a face and turned back to the choir mistress who had begun speaking again.

"You don't have to marry him," Lisbeth retorted in the same hushed tone. "He is just the ticket out of the gates what we do after that is up to us." Lisbeth sang her heartfelt praise to the light for bringing Pastor Phillip for the following hour of choir practise.

Leaving the choir practise, she knew who would be waiting. She dreaded it, and she lingered with the choir mistress and Abigail as long as she could to discuss the possibility of travelling with Pastor Phillip to perform at his Assembly. 

It wasn't that there was anything wrong with Gabriel. In fact, it was quite the opposite. He was a good and kind man who lived by the laws of their commune with exactitude and would make some girl a wonderful husband. He was skilled with the hammer and saw as well as being intelligent. If she was honest with herself, as she was sometimes late on hot nights, he was a very good looking man too. It was just that he was so boring. There was no surprise about him, nothing unexpected to make her stop and take a second look. He was a good solid, steady man that any sane girl would want chasing her. Lisbeth though was insane in her friends eyes and she knew it. 

She was insane according to the commune's council and the beliefs they extolled. She wanted to go out and experience the world outside their fences. She wanted to see for herself the ladies wearing the short skirts and pretty undergarments shown in her carefully guarded contraband pages. She wanted to hear other people's music and not just the carefully chosen list of the choir mistress, but the heavy bass beats she had heard on her two trips to town when cars full of young people her age had driven by where she had stood. She wanted to eat the bad foods and drink the fiery drinks. She wanted to taste life and all that came with it. 

She wasn't the one for Gabriel. He needed a nice quiet woman who would cook for him and clean his house and give him big bonny babies to play with and teach his trade. That was not the life she wanted, not right now anyway. She wasn't sure if she would ever want that life. 

Taking a deep breath, she left the choir mistress and walked to the door. She let go of Abigail's hand lest anyone see them having physical contact without supervision and opened the door. The had walked no more than five steps when Gabriel stepped forward with his older, now married brother Elwin. Lisbeth grimaced inwardly, but she stopped to smile and greet the two men.

"Hello, are you coming to the assembly tonight?" Lisbeth asked as they stood close enough to halt the girl's progress across the common. 

"We've learned a new song and Lisbeth has the solo part," Abigail gushed overwhelmed by having two of the Blackman men show interest in what they were doing.

"Well then I will be happy to be there," Gabriel said in his low, quiet voice. "I like the way you sing, Lisbeth." He gave a gentle smile and tilted his head. "I was wondering if you would join our table for supper tonight," He asked still looking at Lisbeth.

"We'd love to!" Abigail exclaimed not wanting to be left out of the invitation. 

"I will save a seat for you both then. I am looking forward to it. I hear there may be dancing in honour of the visiting pastor. Do you like to dance?" Gabriel spoke to both girls though his eyes remained on Lisbeth.

"Ooh doesn't that sound wonderful?" Abigail forgot herself and gripped Lisbeth's arm shaking her in excitement.

"It does," she agreed disentangling herself from her friend and smoothing out the shapeless tunic she wore. 

"I will look forward to the assembly if only to hear you sing," The small gentle smile spread once again across Gabriels face as he locked eyes with Lisbeth. 

"Can we walk you ladies back to the dormitory?" Elwin suggested as the awkward moment passed between Gabriel and Lisbeth. 

"Of course, that would be lovely of you," Lisbeth spoke with forced cheer and turned towards the cell she called home now letting Gabriel fall into step beside her. 

"Will you dance with me tonight Lisbeth?" Gabriel said in a rush of low words. "It just that I would like to... it just that it's time to make some decisions and..." 

"Poor Gabriel," Lisbeth stopped and turned to him. Standing in the middle of the common, she reached out and stroked his cheek softly, "There is no need to be tongue tied with me. We have known each other since we were but babes." She knew full well that this was scandalous behaviour, but she wanted to shock him into some sort of reaction. His cheek nestled into her palm momentarily and breathed deeply before dutifully stepping back to preserve her reputation.

"Lisbeth you know the rules, you mustn't degrade yourself like that," he motioned that she should continue to walk with him and turned back in the direction of the dormitory. "I am grateful, though, for you have eased my worries." His smile was wider this time as he looked at her and his eyes shone with the promise her touch had given him.

Lisbeth cursed herself. She should have thought about that more before touching him like that. Far too often she was far too impulsive and did not look beyond her immediate action to what the consequences would be. She knew she had given hope to a good and kind young man that she had no intention of marrying.

* * * * 

Lisbeth and Abigail talked excitedly as they entered the supper following the assembly that evening. Pastor Phillip had invited three of the young women to visit his assembly hall in two weeks' time for the celebration feast of their patron. While the arrangement wasn't set in stone, the choir mistress had intimated that permission from the council would be no more than a formality. 

"Freedom," Lisbeth breathed excitedly into Abagail's ear. "It is so close I can almost taste it. Nothing can ruin my mood tonight!"

"Just don't do anything silly that they can punish you for," Abigail warned. "You know they will look for any reason to keep us from leaving the commune even for something like this."

"I will be good I promise," Lisbeth murmured unable to stop smiling even to greet the men of the high council. The girls hurried through the room to the Blackman family table and took the seats offered by Gabriel. She looked around for her parents and spied them as they always were at the family table she used to sit at, her chair now taken by the wife of her brother. It was a commune law that girls were to cease living with their parents at their coming of age and move to the dormitory where their virtue could be kept safe until a suitable husband was found for them. Some girls never left that house, and weeping could be heard some nights. Lisbeth knew that to spurn any offer of marriage was to condemn herself to a life of servitude to the high council. There were few choices for a free-spirited girl here in this place, and she knew she had to get out.

"Thank you for joining our family this evening," the older voice of Francis Blackman said in similarly gentle tones to that of his sons. "Lisbeth," he nodded in her direction, "and Abigail. You both have voices to rival the birdsong. It was a joy to her you this evening lifting your sweet voices in praise of the light."

"Thank you for your generosity in offering us a seat at your table, we are honoured to be counted amongst such respected men and women as you have within your home," Lisbeth said smoothly to Abagail's nodding affirmation of what she said. 

"Be welcome, eat and speak freely you are amongst family here," Frances intoned in the formal way of inviting the girls to relax and join in the table conversation freely.

For once Lisbeth let the conversation wash over her saying very little. She sat demurely looking down at her food in a conscious effort to curb her impulsivity and lessen the risk of any punishment that could jeopardise her visit to Pastor Phillip's assembly and her one chance at escape.

"You're very quiet tonight, Lisbeth," Gabriel said from beside her. 

"I am sorry Gabriel I was just thinking about something that happened after choir. Perhaps they will announce it tonight," She explained.

"What?" Gabriel exclaimed. "Has somebody made you an offer?" A range of emotions quickly flitted over his face. She couldn't tell if he was sad or mad about that prospect. 

""Oh no, nothing like that," she quickly reassured him and forgetting herself quickly reached out to cover his hand with hers in a comforting way. Gabriel looked down at her hand but didn't seek to move his marvelling in how small and soft it was in comparison. It took Gabriel's father to clear his throat loudly before the innocent touch ended and they withdrew their hands to their laps.

"It would seem it is time for you two to approach the council and make your intentions known before any more unseemly incursions occur in public." Frances lectured the young people at the table. While Gabriel blushed deeply at having been reprimanded by his father Lisbeth gasped audibly and her eyes went wide in shock.

The one thing she had been determined not to do had occurred, and now there was nothing she could do to take it back. All those times she had flirted with danger, impulsively touching his arm or hand as they walked between the assembly and her cell, it hadn't even entered her head that she was doing anything wrong when she had sought to reassure him that no other had made her offer. She wasn't even sure now why she had done that. She certainly had no intention of marrying him she reminded herself. 

With the pink flush of a guilty person, Lisbeth lowered her eyes and realised she had trapped herself. She had touched him not only in public but in front of his father. There had to be a way around this. "Think Lisbeth, Think!" she screamed inwardly at herself. 

"Excuse me, Master Blackman," it was Abigail who spoke making Lisbeth raise her head again curiously. "It's just that Pastor Phillip has offered to take the some of choir to perform a small concert at our sister Assembly in Miles. Perhaps it would be prudent to wait for our return from this engagement. It would be cruel to part newlyweds so soon even just for a few days."

"When would this visit to our sister assembly be occurring," Frances did not question the veracity of the story only it's timeline. 

"Pastor Phillip will return to his parish in ten days, and the choir mistress will accompany him with the chosen singers," Abigail informed him. Lisbeth marvelled at her cool-headed friend trying to avert the awful situation she had created. As she watched her friend though she realised in a sudden flash of clarity that it was not her that she was trying to save from marriage but Gabriel. It hadn't even occurred to Lisbeth that Abigail would wish to be wed to Gabriel though she should have guessed. They had both talked about him constantly and while Abigail always agreed with the reasons why Lisbeth shouldn't marry Gabriel she had only ever praised him for his skill and beauty.

Suddenly Lisbeth became inexplicably jealous. She certainly didn't want to marry Gabriel only to break his heart when she left, but she felt like her friend had duped her and she didn't want her to have him either. She felt like she was caught between a rock and a hard place when Frances spoke again.

"There is no reason we couldn't spare Gabriel from his work for a few days to accompany the choir mistress and her flock. It would seem a much safer course of action to me," he nodded to his son who had gone from a look of disappointment to one of sheer joy in moments. 

If she had to pick the thing she liked most about Gabriel, it would be his expressive face. She could always tell what he was feeling, and she smiled warmly at him totally confused as to what to do. She had one burning question, though. 

"Gabriel," she said looking up at him through her long lashes. "I love to sing more than anything. As my husband, you wouldn't stop me from accompanying Pastor Phillip and the choir mistress would you?"

"My father has taught me well that to have a happy wife is to have a happy life," his gentle bass said softly, and his eyes showed his pleasure at her use of the titles, husband and wife. 

"Your wife was a very lucky woman," Lisbeth said to Frances, "To have such a good and kind husband."

"It was me that was the lucky one," Frances corrected her. "She was the other half of my soul, and it was left torn and tattered when she left this world." His children all bowed their heads in remembrance of their mother. "Seeing young love bloom around me helps my soul to heal and I will welcome you to our family with open arms.

She felt Abigail tense beside her. This had somehow all gotten out of hand. She needed her friend to be on her side, to come with her when she ran away. Yet, here they were talking about weddings and bristling with jealousy over Gabriel Blackman. She said nothing and willed her friend to remain silent and keep her secrets. 

"Excuse me again, Master Blackman, "but we rushed here from the small meeting after the assembly, and I feel I must use the washrooms, may Lisbeth and I be excused for a few moments, please." Once again Abigail had come to her rescue and saved from saying anything further in response to his offer to welcome her into the family, she stood and moved away from the table with Abigail.

"What on earth is wrong with you? Have you forgotten all those plans we have been making for the last year that we have been in the dormitories?" Abigail sounded furious with her.

"No, but what was I supposed to do? We don't have much choice. You know what happens to girls who turn down offers, besides once I run away I will be excommunicated and he will be free to marry again if you are so interested in who he marries. Were you hoping it would be you?" Lisbeth asked with more acid in her voice than she intended.

"Oh you can't be serious," Abigail said aghast. "We had plans. We had dreams. You were the one who didn't want to be stuck here barefoot and pregnant!"

"Shush," Lisbeth cautioned her. "If anyone finds out we will both be punished and left in the dormitory to serve the council for the rest of our days. Don't you dare think I will face that punishment alone and then who would marry Gabriel, that whiney voiced Selena Goodman?"

""No!" Abigail hissed, "He wouldn't, he couldn't!" Lisbeth nodded happily at the reaction and dawning light going on inside Abigail's head. 

"Thank you, though, you saved me more than once from committing myself to that fate tonight," she squeezed her friend's hand, and they went back out to the dining hall and their supper companions.

It had all spiralled out of control from the moment they left the bathrooms. Frances had approached the high council to announce his sons offer, and Gabriel had formally presented her with a promise ring. It was at that point that that there were several objections to the union surprising both the young people involved and the high council.

Pastor Phillip objected on the grounds of the impending concert and Lisbeth's gift being squandered here in this small commune where it couldn't be heard by all of the followers of the way of the light. Daniel Bowerman objected in that he had not been able to get close enough to even talk with Lisbeth because of Gabriels's selfish ways and that he too should be given the opportunity to make an offer. Several young women openly cried at the loss of such a bachelor, but Abigail had stayed silent. 

Frances and Gabriel skilfully deflected all objections and pressed forward with their offer. Having no real choice, Lisbeth accepted the promise ring from Gabriel and stood by his side as their friends and family came to greet them.

"Thank goodness," her father said relief evident in his voice. "Your mother has been inconsolable since you were taken to the dormitory now she will be able to visit you in your own home." Lisbeth had been surprised by the words and the crushing embrace he had wrapped her in. It was odd that it hadn't occurred to her that her parents may not like all of the council's rules. For her, it was just part of life here and assumed that the parents of girls were glad to be rid of the burden of their care. Her mother only cried but held her in a gentle hug softly rocking her and saying nothing, in the same way, she had when she had left home.

* * * * 

The council was swift in its deliberations and the next day she was delivered to the women of the commune to be prepared for her wedding night. The women laughed loudly as they told tales of their wedding nights and described the beastly weapon that hung between their husbands legs. She was told that the secret of a happy marriage was to milk the beast at least once a day.


F6: Bliss



"Milk the beast?" Lisbeth gasped wide eyed at the lewd expression. In the end, she turned to her mother who had sat quietly to the side smiling at the women who were enjoying the rare night they had to discuss such things openly and without shame.

"The last time we had one of these gatherings old Rowena told me to get down and kiss it, even suck on it like a nice piece of honeycomb," Ruth divulged to the small group who remained late into the night. "My husband thought I had become possessed of the devil but he enjoyed it so much he didn't care if I was Satan himself," she cackled loudly.

The chiming of the Assembly bell noted the hour to retire, and the women quickly gathered themselves and walked piously from the small cabin they had been allotted for women's things. Children were birthed in this cabin, women's health problems were seen to, and girls on their coming of age spent a day here with their mothers before being taken to the dormitory. As the women began to file out of the cabin, her mother held her back.

"Do not put much stock in most of what they have said," she said quietly. "Let your husband be your guide and you will not find it a totally unpleasant experience. In fact, you may quite like it. It will hurt the first time but only the first time. There is nothing to be afraid of, trust me."

"Thank you mother," and in an impulsive moment she hugged the woman to her.

"Even as a small child you could not help but show your emotions physically," she smiled. "I am proud that you came from me. You will be a fine wife, and I am sure a good mother. I wish you sons so you will not have to give them up as I had to give you to the council." Her face clouded momentarily. "Promise me that you are happy, all I ever wanted was for you to be happy," there was genuine anguish in her voice, and she looked around furtively. "Not everyone belongs here, you must be true to yourself, or you will live a life of misery." She turned then and fled from her daughter knowing she had said too much.

Lisbeth watched her go with an incredulous look. On the eve of her marriage, that was not the advice she had thought to receive from her quiet, pious mother. She went to bed with visions of trying to milk a beast between the legs of Gabriel. It was hard to imagine despite the lurid descriptions given to her that something so big could be hidden in their trousers. The longer she tossed and turned in wakeful wondering the more curious she became, and she found she was quite looking forward to her wedding night, but she was also scared of what being married would mean for her.

She needed to talk to Gabriel, not in the strict formal way they carefully observed in front of everyone but really talk to him about what it was he dreamed doing with his life. She knew he would be content here with a family and community but maybe just maybe, like her he thought about the outside sometimes. Looking out of her window, she could see dim light radiating from a dying fire behind the meeting hall where the residences lay. Of course, the men would have had a similar evening to prepare Gabriel as she had enjoyed with the women.

Telling herself that they couldn't punish a married woman, and it was only a matter of hours before she would be beyond the reach of the dormitory mistresses Lisbeth pulled on her coat and tiptoed from her room. Filled with adrenaline, she kept to the shadows and skirted the buildings heading toward the dim light of the dying fire. Not even in her wildest moments had ever snuck out at night, and she felt more excited than nervous as she crept on silent, bare feet unfeeling of the cold as the adrenalin pumped through her body. 

Lisbeth peered around the corner of a darkened house and saw two figures, one the large muscled torso of Gabriel, his handsome profile made more so in the flickering firelight, the other his father who seemed to sag under the weight of the night sky. As if sensing hr presence Gabriel turned to look in her direction his eyes widening as she stepped out into his view and signalled to him. 

"Well father I think it must be time for sleep, you go on in, and I will put this out," he said amiably. 

"You're a good man, my son. I am proud to be your father, and I know you will have sons to be proud of now too," Frances murmured his voice heavy with exhaustion. "I should stay to put out the coals."

"I will not sleep much tonight, Father," Gabriel smiled self-consciously. "Let me take care of it, there is no point in both of us being awake all night."

""Okay, okay, try and get some sleep, my son," Frances got to his feet and kicked a boot of dirt over the glowing embers to help them cool off faster. Gabriel too got to his feet and walked his father to their home before returning to the coal pit and kicking more dirt onto the glowing embers. Turning his back on where he knew Lisbeth stood be unbutton his trousers and pissed on the coals willing them to die faster because he did not want to walk away before they were sufficiently doused.

Lisbeth watched and waited for long moments leaning against the wall in the shadow and watching the man who would be her husband by the end of the day. She didn't want to hurt him, but she had to be honest with him about her yearning for a taste of the freedoms of the world outside their small community. She wouldn't tell him all of it, though, definitely not the part about her escape plans, but she wanted him to know what as in her head and heart before he took her to be his wife. She needed him to understand and accept who she was, the good and the bad facets of her personality.

"What are you doing here?" Gabriel whispered as he finally approached her and took her hand pulling her into the darkness behind his home.

"I needed to talk to you," she replied suddenly unsure of herself in the face of his obvious disapproval.

"We have a lifetime to talk that is a promise ring on your finger, not a wedding ring. What would the council say if they caught us?" he demanded.

"I dunno, what? Make us get married for being together without a chaperone?" She realised how absurd that sounded and laughed softly.

"I have always known life with you would be unpredictable, but you take such big risks," he sighed giving a half smile enjoying the sound of her musical laugh. "You are not like the other women here, you were always some kind of wonderful, even when we were kids."

"I was?" Lisbeth was taken aback. She remembered being in trouble often for bending the rules or going into area's children were not allowed. She never paid attention to her lessons and the only things she managed small successes in were music and singing. 

"Yes you were," he said softly. "I think I fell in love with you when you found that big lizard and brought it to lessons in your coat pocket."

"No one would have even known it was there if it had just stayed put," she said defensively. Then she looked up at him, "I got in a lot of trouble that day, and you fell in love me?"

"I think it was the way you cared more about what would happen to the lizard than you did about what would happen to you," he smiled and lifted his hand as if to touch her but withdrew it again.

"Gabriel we are going t be married in a few short hours," she took his hand in her own and laced her fingers through his. "I certainly hope we will be touching often today," she smiled up at him in the moonlight, and he seemed to relax.

"It's all I can think about," he admitted. Sure that he as blushing Lisbeth reached up her other hand to touch his cheek feeling the heat in it.

"Me too," Lisbeth laughed.

"Is that why you came?" Gabriel seemed shocked by her words.

"No, well not exactly, I wanted to talk to you about the stuff that makes me different from the other girls I guess. I needed to know you understood that I couldn't be like, well like Selena or Mina," she said measuring her words.

"I'm glad about that," Gabriel said quietly. "I have already told you that is exactly why I love you."

Lisbeth felt the pressure to respond, but she couldn't say it, how could she say she loved him when she still planned to leave him. She hadn't let herself think about love here in the commune. She knew to stay here would mean marriage and she knew deep down that she was lucky that to have caught the eye of this good and strong man when she had a reputation for being a bit wild and unruly. Still that seemed to be why he loved her. Without thinking, she reached up and kissed him, brushing her lips over his softly and feeling them part in an audible gasp.

"You go too far," Gabriel groaned, but his arm curled around her waist. He looked into her eyes searching them and bent his head to kiss her harder wanting to taste those lips and feel her body against his.

Surprised but not frightened by his sudden ardour Lisbeth kissed him back and leaned in against him as he pulled her closer. She could feel all of the muscles in his arms and chest pressing against her making her feel small and fragile. 

"I just didn't want you to wake up tomorrow expecting me to be the perfect wife and mother. I mean I. . ." she whispered breathlessly when he broke the passionate kiss only to have her words cut off as he kissed her a second time.

"I know you," he groaned softly. "I know that life with you will be anything but ordinary, but that is what I want. I want you, like this, more than anything right now, but I want you as my wife, first of all, so we have to go now before we ruin what promises to be a wonderful wedding night." He took her hand then and looked around walked with her in the shadows back to the dormitory.

"See you in a few hours," she whispered reaching up to kiss him one last time. The kiss was shorter but ended in a tight embrace. "I love you too," she said in hushed, nervous tones and then fled across the small gap and quietly went into the door. On silent feet, she stole up to her room and climbed into bed lying there staring at the ceiling and wondering why she had said she loved him and marveled at the bulge in his trousers that grew each time they kissed until the first rays of dawn stained the sky.

She sat up and looked at the dress that had been created the night before by the women of the commune. The yarn used in its weaving was bleached a brilliant white and looked strange to her in comparison to the dull blues and greys of the tunics that were everyday wear in the commune. She took the contraband pages from the hollow post of her bed and looked at them for the last time.

"How can I love and want to marry Gabriel Blackman when I yearn for the freedom of a life away from here," she asked herself looking at the pages showing pictures of men and women wearing brightly coloured clothes and strappy shoes with heels rather than the utilitarian boots, she had known all her life. "What choice do I have?" She knew that to refuse would mean hurting a man who loved her with all her faults as well as possible sanctions for being seen as too ungrateful, too fussy or even too vain. She couldn't risk being held back from the trip to Pastor Phillip's Assembly. She just hoped Gabriel would not go back on his word and try to stop her from going on that trip. She had forgotten to ask him about that, but she didn't think he would now.

The curiosity laced excitement she had felt with the dawn of her wedding day quickly evaporated as she saw the future freedoms she yearned for evaporating in the same way in the cold light of morning. Still she knew she had to go through the motions regardless of how she was feeling, so she got up and went down the hall to the bathroom to prepare herself.

"I knew you would be here early to take all the hot water," Selena hissed from behind her as she walked through the bathroom door slamming the door shut making Lisbeth jump and squeal in surprise. "You always take the best of everything without a thought for the rest of us, not even your only friend Abigail. Poor thing, whatever will she do now that you are to be married to the boy she loves."

"Oh and I thought you might be here to ask to be one of my maids today. Too bad I had such a pretty dress made with you in mind," she seemed to consider Selena as the girl fought for words. "Oh well, I am sure with a few pins Emily will fit it quite nicely."

"You liar," Selena spluttered.

"You said yourself I only take the best Selena. Are you telling me you are not the best of the girls here?" Lizbeth stripped off her sleep shirt and turned on the hot spray of the shower. "Go away Selena you have upset me enough already on the morning of my wedding." Lisbeth moved under the spray and closed her eyes blocking out the girl from her thoughts.

The slap that hit her cheek came without warning, hard and fast, knocking Lisbeth from her feet and causing her to hit her head hard against the wall. Dazed and confused she lay in the bottom of the shower stall watching the bare feet of Selena Goodman flee the room before everything went black. 

Abigail had been roused by the chaotic noise in the corridors outside her room, and she padded to the door to look out sleepily at what was happening. A small group of girls hovered around the door to Lisbeth's room, and she panicked that her friend had fled during the night rather than face being married and chained to this commune for the rest of her life. She felt disappointment at having been left behind, then anger softened with the knowledge that Gabriel would remain a bachelor.

"It's her word against Selena's," Mina said in her high pitched whine, trying to protect her friend from muttered accusations in the small group.

"Give it up Mina you were both seen leaving the bathroom before Becky found her and got help," Lucy groaned and rolled her eyes. "You'll be in as much trouble as her if you don't start telling the truth about what happened."

"What happened?" Abigail cried her anger replaced by anxiety.

"Yeah Mina, what happened?" Lucy asked, her arms folded across her breast and a scowl on her face.

"I don't know I was only the lookout," Mina said in a tremulous voice.

"Heavens!" Abigail exclaimed and pushed her way through the small group to see Lisbeth lying prone on the bed a large egg continuing to swell on her head and the side of her face turning blue. "Liss!" she cried and fell at the side of the bed clutching her hand. 

The medic held her other hand at the wrist and consulted his watch. He frowned and turned to the window. He made a few gestures with his fingers to whoever was waiting below. Then he returned to his contemplation of her pulse. 

The dormitory mistresses moved the girls away from the room and herded them towards their normal morning duties and breakfast. 

"There is nothing you can do here Abigail," the medic told her gently. "I have called for the ambulance she will be well cared for, I promise." He helped her to her feet.

"An ambulance?" That was almost unheard of in their commune. The medic could heal most things and set broken bones.

"An x-ray is all, just to be sure," he reassured her in a soothing voice. "Now go and do what is needed before you get yourself into trouble." He lied easily to the girl. He was concerned that Lisbeth wasn't waking up and prayed it was just a severe concussion and not anything more sinister.

Abigail had barely had time to dress before hearing heavy footfalls on the stairs, peeking out of her room she saw two men walking into the room in which Lisbeth lay with large bags and what looked like a large silver sled. It was barely more than two minutes later when they left again carrying Lizbeth's lifeless body on the sled. Abigail rushed from her room to follow them down the stairs to the waiting ambulance, tears streaming from her eyes. A large figure loomed before her blocking her view and stopping her in her tracks. She looked up into the ashen face of Gabriel Blackman.

"What happened to her?" he demanded.

"I don't know Abigail cried, "The girls said it was Selena and Mina. She won't wake up Gabriel! She won't wake up!" She buried her face in her hands and sobbed.

* * * * 

Lisbeth woke up in a strangely white room. Tubes ran from her chest and wrists to stands beside her both foreign and frightening in appearance. She gasped and tried to sit up alerting those around her to her wakefulness and was immediately hit by a blinding headache and a wave of nausea she had not expected. She felt rather than saw the hands encouraging her to lie back again. Her head sank back into the pillows gratefully.

"Relax Liss, lie back you're in the hospital," the soothing voice of her mother sounded in her ear as footsteps hurried on hard tiled floors. Slowly opening her eyes she looked at her mother, trying to comprehend what was happening and why she felt like a horse had kicked her in the head.

"I see you're awake," a man in a white jacket said approaching her bed. "Can you tell me your name?" He shone a small light into her eyes and studied her waiting for the answer.

"Lisbeth Firestone," She said uncertainly.

"Do you know where you are?" The man, who Liss presumed was a doctor now, asked.

"In a hospital?" She sounded as unsure as she felt.

"That's right," he smiled gently. "Can you tell us how you got that nasty bump on your head?"

"I ... I don't remember hitting my head," Lisbeth blinked and lifted a hand to her face feeling the swelling. 

"It may come back to you," he said kindly. "You've been asleep for a while, so it's only natural you are still a bit foggy." He checked her eyes again, and she couldn't help notice that his friendly demeanour with touched with an edge of concern. "What do you remember?" he asked pleasantly as he stood and went to write on the chart at the end of her bed.

"Well," she considered the question. "I couldn't sleep because... Oh gosh, Gabriel!" Her eyes flew wide, and she looked at her mother.

"He waits for you," her mother said softly squeezing the hand she held. "We can talk about that later, answer the doctor."

"I couldn't sleep," she repeated, "So I got up early to shower and wash my hair." She took a breath and frowned finding that the movement hurt her face. "Selena Goodman came in, and we argued. I told her to leave me alone and put my head under the water," she stopped thinking about what happened next. "She slapped me," her fingers touched the unbruised cheek, at least that's what it felt like and then..." she concentrated willing her memory to show her more but after some time stopped and looked up at the faces around her bed. "Then I don't remember anything until I woke up here just now."

"That fits with the story we were given when you came in," he nodded. "The slap probably knocked you off balance on the wet floor causing you to hit your head." He continued to nod and spoke as if to himself. "We'll start you off on a light diet and keep you under observation for a few more days before sending you home," he continued with the conversation that seemed more with himself than her.

"Thank you, doctor," she said softly feeling fatigue creep up on her again.

"Rest now while I talk with your mother," the doctor looked at her and gave her an encouraging smile.

Lisbeth watched as her mother stood and squeezed her hand before following the doctor from the room then closed her eyes to sleep again.

Over the next two days, she found that Selena claimed to have done nothing to her and that Lisbeth had probably slipped after she had left the room. With Lisbeth in a coma, there had been no one to argue with her story except Becky, who had found Lisbeth and saw the glowing handprint on her cheek but hadn't been in the bathroom when the argument happened to say for sure how Lisbeth fell. Lisbeth's recount of the argument, however, had pulled apart Selena's story, and she was now house bound until Lisbeth returned to face her attacker.




F6: Bliss



Gabriel had been withdrawn and uncommunicative until her recovery had been announced and Lisbeth prayed that he didn't see it as God's retribution for the illicit meeting on the eve of their wedding. She yearned to see him and make sure he understood that this was not their fault but only the anger of a spoilt girl who was used to getting what she wanted. She had asked to see him but was unsure if her request would be granted. The hospital had stipulated that immediate family only could visit her while she had been in the coma and since she had woken it seemed to have remained that way with her mother being the only familiar face she had seen since the first day that she woke.

The second day saw a delegation from the commune arrive at the hospital. Her mother was sent home to take care of her family's needs for the day. Two by two the female elders of the commune visited with Lisbeth, telling her news of her friends and the general day to day life of the commune. They each stayed for an hour or two before giving way to another pair of women. The Choir Mistress and her sister came late in the afternoon and Lisbeth smiled at the familiar face.

"Well this has certainly gotten way out of hand," the choir mistress said distastefully taking Lisbeth by surprise. "I don't know why you must persist in all this obnoxious behaviour. You merely had to wait for a week, and you could have been gone to the sister Assembly and that would have been the end of the whole debacle."

"Put an end to what?" Lisbeth asked in shock at the venom in the voice of the woman she had thought to be a caring friend.

"This nonsense with Gabriel," she spat. "Do you know how much work I had to put into getting you passage away from us and him?"

"From the time my daughter was born Gabriel's mother, and I had planned their wedding," the other woman raised her face to look squarely at Lisbeth who gasped as she realised who it was. "My Selena did not do what you say she did, and you better recount that story before you leave this place. You will also give back the promise ring you stole from Gabriel," she ordered.

Lisbeth wanted to laugh the whole situation. It was ludicrous. She had tried to dissuade Gabriel for months, dreaming of escape from the strict confines of the commune. She was shocked to speechlessness.

"Hush Margaret," The choir mistress turned on her sister. "In this bag," she indicated a large canvas bundle that lay on the floor, there are several sets of reasonable clothes, a bus ticket to Tenterfield and an address of a friend of mine who is a singing coach there who will help you find your way in the world. Don't come back, just leave here and this place. It will be better for everyone," she said her harsh tones softening slightly as she added, "even you."

"Your mother was an outsider, did she ever tell you that?" Margaret sneered. "People like her shouldn't be allowed to steal our men and bear their children. Selena was clumsy, but you can rest assured that if you dare to come back and go through with this absurd wedding plan, I won't make the same mistakes." The threat was clear in her tone.

"Margaret! Stop, now is not the time. Lisbeth wants to escape don't you dear? You were just waiting for the opportunity, like the visit to Pastor Phillips Assembly. Alas, that will not happen for you now though I imagine Abigail will still have the opportunity. I doubt she will wish to return once she is offered a place there as you would have been. It's a much more progressive assembly than ours, with their clothes and attitudes to love," she said knowingly. "I quite enjoy my little visits to Miles."

Lisbeth continued to remain mute as the two women's voices filled the air. One spoke with pure venom, and the other spoke with a strange conversation about what Lisbeth might encounter once she left as if it was a foregone conclusion.

Anyway dear, your mother will be here shortly so we will be going. I wish you all the best on your journey and will pray for your success in your new life. You have a voice given from God use it for if you come back it will surely be wasted." The choir mistress picked up a smaller bag from within the larger one that she picked up and put in the large bottom drawer beside Lisbeth's bed and the two women left.

Lisbeth lay back on the pillows thinking about what they had said. This was exactly the opportunity she had wanted and had been waiting for, of course, she would take it. They hadn't needed to threaten her. An image of Gabriel floated into her mind, and she felt guilt at leaving him. The night before the almost wedding she had realised that she did love him, she had just never let her mind think about it before because she had been so determined to escape the life of a commune wife and mother, with no other purpose than to breed and look after her family.

She felt good, she was healing, and the headaches had lessened to little more than an occasional throbbing in her temple if she sat up to fast or swivelled her neck too fast. She would wait until after she had seen the doctor tomorrow morning and then she would decide what to do and where to go. She sat up slowly and opened the draw. Opening the bag she saw a purse that seemed stuffed with money and a bus ticket that was refundable. Lisbeth had never handled money in her life or seen bus ticket but she read all the details on it, and the money seemed like a lot. 

The clothes were colourful and in foreign materials. She felt excitement override her feelings of guilt about leaving Gabriel and Abigail to be happy with each other and quickly closed the draw again. She was going to do it. She was going to leave. She went over the address in a small notebook until it was emblazoned in her mind. Each time that she tried to imagine what it might look like though Gabriel's house and his smiling face telling her that he loved her for who she was, came into her mind.

Searching the top two drawers of her nightstand she came up with paper and a pen and began to write three letters. One for her parents, one for Abigail and the hardest one for Gabriel. The choir mistress had been right, all their lives would be better off without her, and she wrote passionately about why that was the truth of it to each of them.

Her mother had arrived looking worn and tired and reassuring her that she was almost ready for a nap herself when she had finished writing a letter to Abigail, ostensibly because she missed her very much, she encouraged her mother to sleep in the reclining chair at her bedside. Then she stopped writing and looked at her mother.

"Margaret said you were an outsider," she said to see if it were true.

"She had no right to tell you that," her mother said sadly not denying the statement. "When your father was a young man, they would allow the young people of the commune to leave for a year to experience the world and choose for themselves whether to come back or not. So many girls did not come back or were ruined by the world that they stopped that practise and now only young men who request it are allowed some few months out in the world."

"Is that how you met father?" Lisbeth asked interestedly.

"Oh yes. He was such a good and kind man, strong as an ox and very handsome," she said dreamily. "I would have followed him into hell in those days, sometimes I think I did," she gave a sad smile.

"The other women haven't been kind have they mother?" Lisbeth knew the answer.

"Not always but it is of no importance, sometimes we have to follow our hearts. They say that for every heart there is an equal, as a matching half, a soul mate and if you are lucky enough to find it there is nothing you can't endure for a love like that," she smiled. "Your father and I love each other even more now than we did when we were first married. The snide remarks of a few silly women can't take that from me."

Lisbeth remembered that as a child before her coming of age there was always the comfort of loving hugs and softly kissed cheeks and foreheads. She remembered guiding hands in hers and over hers as she learned new skills and knew instinctively why she was so impulsive about unseemly touching now. It was part of who she was, who she had brought up to be by loving parents. 

"Mother if I wanted to take a few months, just to see a little bit of the world and maybe visit your family out there would you let me go?" Lisbeth asked tentatively.

"If I knew you were prepared and were going someplace safe," the older woman answered and then listened to her daughter tell her of the visit she had received from Margaret and the choir mistress. "This is what you want?" her mother asked at the end of the tale not questioning the truth of it. 

"I do but..." she paused as the thought sprang to her mind, "What if Gabriel is my other half and I am handing him to Selena or Abigail?"

"If he is your soul mate, the two of you will find each other again," her mother answered with certainty. She then looked at the pages her daughter had been writing, "Are those goodbye letters?" she asked softly and saw the tears form in Lisbeth's eyes as she nodded.

"Just a few months, no longer," she got up and went to the bed to hug her daughter fiercely. "Promise me, Liss, you won't go forever without any word to me like I did to my mother," tears escaped her eyes then. She knew if she held her daughter back she would be miserable. She had always had a feeling this day would come, and she was glad she would have the opportunity to say goodbye.

"Well then," she said and stood up sniffing away the tears. "Just remember you asked for this. I am not about to put my daughter on a dirty Greyhound bus on her own. If you are determined to go and see the world, then you should do it properly and safely. I am going to the bathroom I will be back in a few minutes." 

Lisbeth was stunned that her mother had taken the idea of her daughters impending flight the way she had. Admittedly in her relief Lisbeth had promised to be gone for a few months only but still the woman had surprised her. She leaned back thinking about all of the revelations this day had brought her.

"No going backwards now," her mother sighed when she returned some time later. "Finish your letters and I will tell you a story about a little princess." 

The story was about a girl who was born to a life of wealth and opulence. She was given everything money could buy the best clothes the best schools the best nannies. She had everything but the attention of her parents. She thought they didn't love her, that they doted on her brothers and preferred their friends to her. She started acting out, doing the wrong things with the wrong crowds. Alcohol and drugs were a very real part of her life until she met a common man who was good and kind. He didn't care what are she drove or what parties she went to. He didn't care who she or her parents were. He cared about her and why she would treat herself so badly and let others treat her that way.

"You have lived such a sheltered life with us here in the middle of nowhere I worry for you going out into the world," her mother said softly as Lisbeth struggled to keep her eyes open. "Sleep now," she whispered kissing her daughters cheek and taking the letters from the drawer along with the bag left by Margret and Catherine, which she didn't want to go missing in the chaos that would erupt in the early hours of the morning. She would deal with those two women when she returned. She may have taken all their insults and jibes for herself over the years, but she would not let them mess with her daughter. She was sure this address they had given her was probably for a brothel of some description, but she would find out for herself when she approached the council. There were enough good men there to hear her out regardless of the women's standing in the Assembly.

In the hallway outside the room, she looked up at the big clock at the end of the ward and nodded. It had been so long since she had seen her parents and she wasn't looking forward to this reunion. She went back in and sat in the recliner and waited for the drama to unfold. Hoping that this wouldn't harm her husband's standing in the commune, and she worried over the whole situation as she dozed off knowing it was worth the risk to ensure her daughter's safety.

"Melody!" Lisbeth woke to the cry of a woman who rushed to her bedside and held her face between her hands making her give her own cry of alarm.

"I'm here Kasey, that is my daughter Lisbeth," she said tiredly shaking her head and standing from the recliner.

'She looks so much like you did when..." Kasey looked between Melody and Lisbeth. "Oh darling don't you worry about a thing I am here now, I will get you the best medical care available."

"Where's Daddy?" Melody asked as Kasey smothered Lisbeth in her ample bosom as she hugged the girl tightly.

"He's taking care of the paperwork, we are taking you both back to the city where they have proper doctors," Kasey informed them.

"I'm not coming with you, Kasey. This is my home now, and I won't leave my family," Melody said with conviction. 

"I am your family, yet you left me without a backward glance," Kasey said anger creeping into her voice.

"Be honest Kasey, you didn't even know I was gone. Even Daddy didn't notice for the first six months before he sent someone to look for me," she sighed. "I don't want to argue, I made my choice. Now Lisbeth must make her choices. She wants to know you and your world that is the only reason you are here."

"Sweet Melody," an older gentleman said as he came into the room. Lisbeth watched as he picked up her mother and hugged her.

"Put me down Daddy," she complained but Lisbeth could hear the change of tone in her mother's voice to one of affection. Lisbeth watched as a second man entered the room behind her grandfather and approached her bed. Kasey made way for him and stood to the side watching as the man examined her face.

"Fell in the shower did you?" he asked looking into her eyes with a blinding torch.

"Yes, Sir," she answered in a whisper blinking against the bright light and trying to readjust to the dimly lit room again.

"I disagree with your current doctor's diagnosis and believe it would be best to transfer you to a hospital with an MRI machine so we can be sure there is no residual damage," he said officially. "You are over eighteen, so I do not need your parent's permission to move you. If you would sign the release papers, we can be on our way."

Lisbeth looked at her mother as if to ask what she should do. Turning to follow her gaze the officious doctor spoke again. "Officially I was called in for a consult due to ongoing headaches and advised the patient to sign the forms for her transfer against yours and her current doctor's wishes. That way there will be no issues of distrust with the local community groups. Ah, here he is," her doctor arrived in the room with a wheelchair. 

"Remember always that I love you, and you must come back to me," Melody said with emotion as she helped her daughter from the bed to the wheelchair and hugged her tightly.

"Come home with us Melody," her father said sadly knowing what her answer would be having had this conversation on two other occasions.

"I can't Daddy, my life is here now, and I am happy," she said quietly moving to hug her father. "Happier than I ever was before coming here with William." She hugged her mother farewell without saying anything. Kasey seemed about to launch into a diatribe about being hurt and rejected by her own flesh and blood as she had done on the two other occasions they had seen each other but closed her mouth firmly and walked from the room her back stiff and her walk purposeful. 

"She's changed a great deal since your brother's death, Melody," her father said softly. "Try to give her a chance next time." With that, the small group followed Kasey out to the waiting ambulance. The doctor and Melody stood at the front of the small rural hospital and watched the lights of the ambulance disappear into the night.

"Come and get some sleep," the doctor encouraged. "I will take you home in the morning and explain what happened." They walked inside the now empty, save for the night nurse, building and Melody went back to the room where her daughter had lain still wondering if she had done the right thing and worrying about the fallout for her husband with the council.

"The story is true. I have been concerned. The fault will be mine alone," The doctor smiled. "Can I get you something to help you sleep?"

"No thank you I don't like taking any medication these days," Melody laughed thinking of the days she would have jumped at the offer.

* * * * 

Lisbeth or Bliss as her grandparents had named her now sat on a lounge on the front deck of their yacht enjoying the smells of the ocean and the spray that sometimes rode on the wind up to mist over her. The revelation that her grandparents were wealthy was nothing compared to the voice and music of her grandmother that pumped through her ears via a player and earphones. 

While not exactly backwards at the commune like their Amish brethren they were not encouraged to use or interact with the limited technology they had there particularly the girls of the commune. In the last few weeks, she had discovered computers and tablets and Android phones and a wealth of music that did not sing the praise of God. Strangest of all she found that Kasey was a famous singer. It was strange sort of music that interspersed singing with the warbling voice of a yodeller. Some she admitted wasn't so bad, and she sang along as the music pumped into her ears.

"Yodelay he yodeloh oh;

You rock my world

Yodelay he yodeloh oh

When I grow up, I wanna be your girl."

"You've got quite a voice," Eric, her grandfather interrupted her thoughts. "When you said you liked to sing you made it sound like a pleasant pastime like singing in the shower or the car."

"I've only ever sung in the Assemblies with the choir. I did get a couple of solos, though," she smiled. "I love singing more than most anything," she admitted.

"I have an idea, let's find Kasey," Eric said and held out his hand to her. Since her arrival in their lives Bliss as they called her had brought both his wife and himself nothing but Joy. The sheer look of wonder and gratitude as she discovered all the things they took for granted in their everyday lives for the first time. If singing was what made her happy, then he would give her every opportunity to explore that talent.

They wandered into the cabin and found Kasey thumbing through a collection of sheet music with her guitar by her side. Looking up as her husband led her granddaughter into the room she couldn't help but smile. The relationship that was quickly growing between them was more than she could have expected. Melody had told the girl nothing of her grandparents and without the baggage of past wrongs and guilt to weigh her down Kasey was making the most of every moment they shared.

"I have a surprise for you, Darling," Eric smiled and went to the stereo in the corner and pulled out a keyboard. "This girl said she liked to sing, but she never told us how good she was. Listen to this," he said and typed a few keys then played an instrumental track of the song she had just been singing along with. Lisbeth immediate got stage fright as her grandmother looked at her expectantly.

"I can't sing your song," Lisbeth said quietly dropping her head in embarrassment. "I was just singing along to the music on my player. I'm sorry." She blushed deeply. 

"Nonsense we can sing it together," Kasey encouraged picking up the tune as it got to the chorus.

"Yodelay he yodeloh oh;

You rock my world

Yodelay he yodeloh oh

When I grow up, I wanna be your girl."

She continued to sing lifting Lisbeth's chin and smiling encouraging as the next verse started.




F6: Bliss



"When I grow up I want a cowboy

With dust all over his jeans

With a horse named Jack 

And a ten-gallon hat

He is nice but looks so mean."

Lisbeth joined in tentatively at first but seeing Kasey's reaction of happy surprise she began to enjoy singing and harmonising with her. By the time, the song finished she had found she was disappointed that it was over.

"I think we found your duet partner for the awards night," Eric said cheerfully, "You two sound like you were meant to sing together."

"Oh Honey! Yes! Yes, yes, yes! How clever you are," Kasey said excitedly. "Bliss baby we are going to be spectacular! We'll need a new song and we'll have to head back as soon as possible to go and see Collette about costumes. There is so much to do!" She went to pick up her phone and begin making calls when Eric brought her back to reality. 

"Darling, slow down, we have plenty of time it's not for another month or so," Eric soothed. 

"Exactly we need two or three months to pull this together, and we only have a month to do it in," Kasey exclaimed.

"Let's get out of the way of the hurricane," Eric laughed and pulled Lisbeth over toward where he stood. "Let's get you some more music to listen to and see if you can pick up a few more tips from the master over there, while I go and talk to the captain about our change in plans.

From that moment on Lisbeth was swept up into other people's plans. She couldn't remember agreeing to sing with her grandmother in public. She certainly never agreed to change her look or the style of clothes she liked to wear now, not that she had a style exactly. She loved jeans and soft cotton blouses and after being made to change into a variety of glittering gowns that seemed to cling and slide over her body she finally spoke up, al-be-it quietly.

"Kasey, can't I just wear my jeans? I'm not comfortable in this," she admitted picking at the silver sequins of the dress she wore. She had thought she would love all the new clothes and new experiences, and she did to a point. She liked the freedom of the shorter skirts or jeans and thin blouses and even the soft T-shirts, but she also felt very exposed, more so than she thought she would have. New foods and new experiences every day kept her feeling off balance and overwhelmed. She was enjoying the life she really had nothing to complain about but it always seemed in the darkness of the early morning hours that something was missing. 

She wondered what her mother had said to the council about her sudden departure to a city hospital as was the cover story, and why she had said she hadn't gone with her. She wondered how long she could stay away before being deemed a runaway and excommunicated. Most of all she wished she knew what Gabriel had thought and done when he heard the news. She wondered if he waited in the vain hope she would return. She couldn't imagine returning in the near future. She still had so much to see and do and learn. Guilt swept over her again as she remembered the promise she had made to her mother about returning to the commune.

Sitting up as the thoughts tumbled in her head keeping sleep from her tired eyes she turned on the music that she had been listening to night and day since her grandparents had decided that she should sing at an even with her grandmother. She let the music lull her into slumber as she sang along letting the words and melody overtake her thoughts.

It seemed like she had been asleep mere minutes when her alarm went off heralding the start to another rigorous day. Groaning she slid from the crisp white sheets and padded softly to the bathroom. She looked into the mirror with bleary eyes and tried to recognise the girl there as the girl she had been less than a month before. Her hair although still long now had unnaturally bright highlights that even if she had lived on the beach for a year never would have come to her hair unbidden. It was also straightened to lifelessness and even in her sleep tussled state it hung perfectly down her back.

She smiled at the thought of having to hide wisps of hair that escaped her braids as a child. The impulsive, ragamuffin who always seemed to find trouble and leave mayhem and chaos in her wake was gone. In this world, her inappropriate need to touch others was welcome. Her joy over small pleasures didn't have to be hidden in case she was seen as being overemotional or spoilt. No one judged her here in this world. She could do as she pleased within reason, ask for anything and receive it. 

She stepped into the hot shower and scrubbed herself down again. It didn't matter how many times she showered in a day now she never felt clean of the perfumes and potions her grandmother insisted the stylists use on her. She could hear rustling in her room as she turned the water off and grabbed a towel. Sighing she wrapped the towel around herself and went to sit in the chair of torture.

Once her hair and makeup were done, she went down to breakfast. Her diet was supervised and while she was never denied anything she wished when she put two pancakes on her plate rather than just one a small click of the tongue and flippant comment would come from Kasey.

"Gosh I wish I could eat like that but if I ate pancakes every morning I would be as big as a house," she would look meaningfully at Lisbeth.

"Don't be silly Darling," Eric would chime in. "You are just as beautiful as the day I met you and she is so young she needs the energy."

"Bad habits are hard to break," she would maintain her stance and Lisbeth would choose to eat the fruit and yoghurt that her grandmother favoured.

After breakfast, she had a guitar and voice lesson with a music coach. This was her favourite time of the day. She loved music and would endure all of grandmother's passive aggressive behaviours for the mornings spent with David. He made the music fun, and she quickly picked up the basic cords of some of the more well-known country songs. At the end of each lesson, she would strum along as she went through vocal exercises and honed her natural talent as a singer.

The afternoons she spent with her grandparents in practise and preparation for the event. The costume seemed the hardest obstacle to overcome. It seemed the outfits that were most flattering to Kasey did nothing for her or her complexion and vice versa. She overheard the wardrobe mistress with the makeup artist once complaining about temperamental has been artists trying to reclaim their youth through their children, and she felt sorry for Kasey, who she had never considered as old or has been. She had never known her when she was a rising star, so she had just assumed that she had always been this famous and universally adored by all.

She began to look more closely at the relationships her grandparents had with the people who constantly surrounded them. There was no doubt they loved each other which was evident in how they spoke to each other and how they touch constantly. A gentle but reassuring hand on the shoulder or back told of their closeness. It was their relationships with the others in their world that surprised her when she looked at them critically. These people were employees, staff, they neither loved nor hated Eric or Kasey, they were indifferent at best and complained often about Kasey's demanding nature.

Eric and Kasey lived in an isolated bubble for two and as much as they tried to bring her into their world and their bubble she had to admit she was different. She had grown up in a place where no one was isolated if anything the bubbles that people lived in overlapped too much. Everyone knew everyone else's business. There were few secrets in the commune and those that were kept by the council everyone knew about anyway. There was no chance of social isolation there but also no confusion about who you were and where you belonged. People may not have always got along but if there was a need everyone would help regards of their personal feelings. She wondered who would come to help Kasey and Eric if a disaster befell them.

Each day Lisbeth watched as Kasey seemed to alienate the very people who could and she thought would be her friends if she just took a little more time to talk to them instead of treating them as the hired help they were. As if to make up for her grandmother's lack of regard for them Lisbeth put in an extra effort with everyone, learning names, asking about their lives and loved ones. It didn't take long for the people who worked for them to begin to smile when she entered the room and offer to do little things for her that were generally outside the scope of their jobs.

The closer it came to the event in which they were to sing the tenser Kasey became, snapping at everyone including Lisbeth. Eric came to the rescue where the costumes were concerned bringing up old video clips of well-known duets where the women did not wear matching clothes just complimentary colours. With the costumes decided upon the final song list had to be agreed upon including their duet.

With time being so short, Eric suggested she practise two songs only, and Kasey could choose which she wanted to perform. He mediated between the two of them at every turn when Kasey's demands threatened to overwhelm Lisbeth. On one particular day when nothing Lisbeth did seemed to be right Eric seemed to reach breaking point himself.

"Bliss, could you go and see David I think he has a surprise for you?" He asked in measured tones as if holding something back.

"We are in the middle of something here!" Kasey yelled at him. "No, she can't go and see David until she gets this right!"

"She can and she will," Eric voice became stern and brooked no further argument. "Could you all give us a moment, please?" 

Lisbeth was one of the last to leave as the people in the room hurried out of t door. As it shut, she could hear the argument that had begun. 

"Do ou want her to run away too? Can't you see that you are pushing her too hard? She has no experience, and you are treating her like some seasoned backup singer!" Eric's voice seemed to be rising in volume with each sentence.

"Come on sweetie, you don't need to hear that," Kasey's assistant wrapped an arm around her shoulder a guided her away from the room to where David sat with the other members of the backing band. Tuning a guitar made from dark wood than usual with lighter coloured wood inlaid in a pattern she couldn't quite make out while his hands draped in front of it.

"Hey there sweetness, I thought you andKasey were practising with the backing track," David smiled as the two women approached.

"We were, but I was messing up, so we are taking a break. Eric said you had something for me?" Lisbeth tried to smile, but her thoughts worried at the argument she had heard. He looked inquisitively at the woman beside hr who nodded pulling a face and rolling her eyes heavenward.

"Sure do," He said happily. "Come over here and take a seat." He moved from the bar stool he had been seated on to tune the guitar. "Now hold this," he held out the guitar to her. "That's perfect," he watched her critically as she found the finger holds to strum a few basic chords.

"It's beautiful," she said softly enjoying the feel of it in her hands. "It seems smaller than the one Eric gave I am sure Kasey will love it. She often says the one she holds feels too big and heavy." 

"It's not for Kasey, it's yours," David chuckled. "Its got your name on it."

"It's for me?" Lisbeth pulled it away from her body and looked at it properly. The inlaid lighter wood on the front depicted the stylised form of an angel and the word Bliss written in a decorative script. "It's so beautiful," she said her amazement at receiving such a gift evident in her voice.

"Kasey's old guitar was fine to learn on, but you need your own if you are going to appear on stage with her," David explained. "A buddy of mine made this for you. In record time I might add," he chuckled again.

Lisbeth slid from the chair and hugged him tightly before thinking about what she was doing. "Thank you so much! I can't believe you did this for me. I am just a girl from the country I am not a star like Kasey!" She shook her head as she left the embrace. "I'm sorry," she murmured. I didn't mean to..."

"Hug me? Sweetness you can hug me anytime you want," he continued to chuckle. "In fact you could hug anyone in the band that they would think themselves lucky." There was a murmur of affirmation, and she turned to look at them all blushing slightly with embarrassment. "Slow down there fella's the cue starts here." David joked.

"I grew up in a pretty strict place. I guess I am just not used to the freedom to do stuff like that yet," she said softly to deter and further shows of affection. She wasn't sure why had explained but felt it necessary. She had always been the one to go to far, but here she was seen as a conservative young woman. She hadn't realised how hard it would be to adjust to life outside the commune.

* * * * 

"I wish to go and see the world and seek out Lisbeth Firestone. If she is beyond help, I will be there for her, and if she is recovering well I will bring her home," Gabriel said in a strong voice as he stood before the council. "It is my right as a man of this Assembly."

"And if she has been tainted or ruined by the outside world?" The pastor asked.

"Then we will know the answer to that question, and I will return to my family. I must know I'm heartsick at the thought of her being beyond help and alone in a strange city," Gabriel said earnestly. "I will take letters from her parents and friends, if sh is able she will return with me."

"You are among the best of us. We cannot risk you to the outside world. I vote no," Councillor Goodman said without sympathy. 

"I have four strong sons who are equally skilled. We can spare Gabriel for this time and take up the slack left by his absence," Frances stepped forward. 

"We do not help our community by alienating this young man. Each of us was young once and filled with the ardour of first love," another Councillor smiled. "I say yes."

The vote went on with each man saying their piece before voting.

* * * * 

The days that followed the argument had been different with Kasey being less demanding and slower to become angry about the details that didn't match her wishes exactly. Lisbeth worked hard and practised continually to try and be all the things Kasey needed her to be. Her grandmother seemed to become more aloof though and aside of staged rehearsal barely spent any time with Lisbeth.

She harmonised easily and even when Kasey changed something mid-song was able to adjust seamlessly so as not to cause any further rift between her grandparents. It seemed she walked on eggshells now, and all the enjoyment she had found in music and singing seemed to drain from her as she became tense anytime she went near her grandmother. Even Eric's constant present seemed to disappear from her life, and she ate meals with the staff at the house or with the band members. She had never felt so distant from everything that was going on around her. 

She began to feel homesick. Not so much for the place itself because she had never felt like she had belonged there as the others did but for her friends and family, and the knowledge that they believed she belonged there and with them. She knew she had a place in that community and though she may not have wanted or liked it at the time, she realised that she had belonged in a way shouldn't fathom until now and she had a man who had loved her for exactly who she as. She tried not to think about Gabriel, and who he was now courting, it hurt too much coupled with the homesickness and she felt caught between the two worlds feeling like she couldn't live happily in either of them now.

The final dress rehearsal had gone well Lisbeth thought, but Kasey mood had soured as the day went on. Even the magic little white pills that Eric seemed to feed her often were not helping the stress that seemed to radiate from the woman. Lisbeth knew now that this would be her first and last appearance with Kasey, she wasn't sure what she would do after it was over, but this world of stardom was not what she wanted. She missed choir and singing as part of a group. Maybe she could go to the Assembly in Miles and beg Pastor Phillip for a place there. She shook her head knowing that was unlikely. She had no desire to return to a dormitory for young women.

Keeping her thoughts firmly on what she would do after this was over, she went through the motions of what she had to do to prepare for the evening ahead. She barely recognised herself when she looked I the mirror and it saddened her to think she had changed so much. She found the realisation that she had traded one cage for another and the freedom she yearned for had never been hers hard to take.

She had walked the red carpet with David several steps behind her grandparents who stopped often for photographs and autographs. No one knew who she was nor did they seem to care as she stood patiently time after time again to wait for Kasey to have her moments in the spotlight. Once they got inside the theatre was filled ith row upon row of celebrities who paid little attention to who arrived. They made their way to their seats. Lisbeth couldn't help but look at the amazing gowns and suits that the other people wore and she suddenly felt self-conscious amongst these glamorous people.

The evening went in a blur of performances and applause for awards. It seemed no time at all before her grandmother was called onto the stage to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Her short speech became longer than expected as she thanked a myriad of people and final at the end she thanked her husband and dedicated the song she was about to sing to him. Lisbeth waited for Kasey to call her up to the stage and became increasingly nervous a he watched her move to where her band was already set up and take up a microphone.

"This was my very first song to be played by country music stations around the country. I'm afraid it's been far too long for me to be able to sing it like I did back then so I would like to invite someone very dear to me to come on up to the stage to sing with me. Could you all welcome to the stage my granddaughter, Bliss."

She stood from her seat and the spotlight immediate shone into her eyes almost blinding her. As she had rehearsed, she looked ahead of her at the ground and walked carefully knowing that to trip would be one of the biggest blunders and would infuriate the woman she was trying so hard to please.

"This is her first ever performance, so please make her welcome," Kasey reiterated as she finally went up the steps to stand on the stage beside Kasey. A microphone and stand were brought out and placed before her, and she stood like a deer in headlights looking out over a sea of faces. Taking a deep breath, she blocked out everything but the band listening for her cues.

"Walk in the country with me

Watch the sun sinkin' down on the trees

It's gonna do us some good

To get back down to the wood

Take a little walk in the country with me."

The applause a the end of the song was deafening, and they exited the stage arm in arm. 

"That was amazing, can you hear that applause?" Kasey bubbled at Lisbeth. "What am I saying, of course, you can, it's deafening!" They were guided to a publicity area for photos and questions and the rest of the night went in a blur for Lisbeth, who along with Kasey never made it back to their seats.

She was handed glasses of champagne that she sipped at not liking the bitter liquid and hoping for a coke or even water at that stage. She became so thirsty that she ended up drinking the champagne that seemed to be in abundance backstage. Lisbeth had never felt so relaxed and by the time David found her she was giggling helplessly as a man chatted to her about how wonderful she had looked on stage and was troking her ribs as he stood with an arm around her.




F6: Bliss



"Having a good time?" David asked in a disapproving voice.

"Sure but I could use some water this stuff tastes dreadful," she held up the empty glass in her hand.

"How many of those have you had?" he asked taking the empty glass from her.

"One or two, I am so thirsty. Any chance of a coke, instead?" she asked hopefully her words slurring as she spoke.

"How about I take you out for something to eat before you do something that makes Kasey mad enough to fire us both," David looked around for Eric or Kasey. "Come on superstar lets let them know we are leaving."

"Oh I don't want to leave yet, I am happy to wait for them," Lisbeth said as she staggered slightly toward him.

"Yeah let her stay," the man she had been talking to intervened tryng to keep his arm firmly around the staggering girls waist.

"Two words for you mate, jail bait," David said and pulled Lisbeth in the direction of Eric. "It was a lie, but you could never tell these days and she was only nineteen.

"Eric, I've gotta take Bliss home, some idiots been feeding her glasses of champagne she is pretty drunk already, and we don't want her throwing up on Kasey," David gave a small chuckle making light of the situation.

"Get the driver to take you home and then come back for us later. Alice will be there to let you in," he spoke of their long term housekeeper who maintained their country house with her husband.

"You got it," David said and walked with Lisbeth toward the backstage exit. Thinking they were lucky to have gotten out of the theatre unnoticed he made his way to the car tapping on the driver's window to alert him to their presence. "Home James," David chuckled and pushed Lisbeth into the back of the car. "Go through the Macca's drive through on the too she's gonna need a burger and a coke too." He shook his head.

"She better not throw up in the car," the driver grumbled.

"Better grab an extra bag at the drive thru then," David replied without humour.

"Shit," the driver peeled away from the parking lot eager to get the girl home and out of his car.

The ride home was rapid, and David half walked, half carried the now tired and unsteady girl into the house only to be accosted by a tall, muscular young man. 

"What did you do to her?" Gabriel demanded.

"Look, mate, I dunno who you are but you had better back off right now," David said warily. "Melody?" he asked as her mother came from behind the young man to gather her daughter into her arms.

"Mother, I'm so glad you're here. I thought I saw Gabriel too. This is a lovely dream. I wish I could go home but I can't," she said sadly. "I miss you more than I thought I would and him too. It's shame this is a dream I would like to tell you that."

"I miss you too," Melody said softly turning her towards the living room. "David play nice with Lisbeth's fiance," she said meaningfully.

"Pffft, I am aways nice that's how I end up in these messes," David complained and followed her into the living room. "What are you doing here anyway? You should have come to the award ceremony Kasey would have loved having you there."

"She wouldn't have even known I was there. It's always about her. Where was she while Liss was getting wasted?" Melody shook her head. "Don't tell me, agents and press, lining up her next big comeback on the back of my girl's talent. I saw the televised version. What was Daddy thinking letting that happen?"

"It was Eric's idea. He heard me singing along to the pony song," Lisbeth said sleepily as she sat on the couch and then lay down stretching out along its surface.

"Look I've gotta get back since you're here to look after her. Just don't leave before we return," David said. "Promise me Melody. Not like last time, I don't think Eric could take that."

"Where would I go with Lisbeth in that state," Melody said angrily, guilt and worry welling up to amplify the feeling. David shrugged and left hoping that she meant it.

"We should go home. I wish I could come home Mother, really I do," Lisbeth said in a whispered voice. "I just don't think I could watch Gabriel married to someone else. I didn't give Margaret the promise ring though see," she held up her hand. "This one is mine forever."

"Gabriel hasn't married anyone else," Melody said softly smoothing her hair from her face. 

"He'll have to eventually, Margret said she would do a better job than Selina if I came back," Lisbeth whispered sadly.

"That's why you came here?" Gabriel seemed stunned.

"I forgot you were in this dream," Lisbeth smiled lifting her head slightly to look at him. "I love you, you know, but I would have made a dreadful wife if I hadn't seen the outside world just once." Her voice was drifting away as she spoke. "It's not like I thought it would be. I just swapped cages is all."

"Sleep now Liss," Melody began humming a tune she hadn't sung since her children had grown up and she stroke her daughters hair watching her breathing deepen into sleep. Frances stepped out of the shadows and rested his hand on his sons back.

"Let's get some rest now that you know she is safe. Let Melody deal with the situation as she sees best and you can talk to Lisbeth in the morning about how much she loves you and you her." Frances said with a grin, feeling for Melody and the complicated situation she was in now.

"We will stay close enough to hear you should you need assistance," Gabriel said, and though reluctant to leave her side he did as his father said and moved to the other end of the large room and stretched out on the floor with a cushion under his head.

In the small hours of the morning, the two women had gone up to Lisbeth's room to clean up and sleep in a comfortable bed before Eric and Kasey came home. Regardless of the news that her daughter and a strange young man were at their house Kasey had been too invested in reigniting her career to pass up the opportunities the night had given her. Eric too had been busy promoting his wife's cause. While he still sat as a member of several prestigious boards of hospitals and other businesses he had become his wife's manager after the death of their son and was determined to stop the disintegration of the one person left in his life that he truly loved.

The sun had risen before Eric and Kasey returned. They seemed unconcerned about the men in their kitchen, and Eric helped himself to coffee as Kasey went up to bed without even acknowledging them. Eric took a seat at the bench where the housekeeper had prepared cold breakfast platters and looked at the two men. 

"I'm Eric, and this is my home, and you are?" He inquired in an even voice. 

"Frances Blackman and my son Gabriel," the older man held out his hand. Eric looked at it for a long moment before taking it. 

"I'm sorry you have come all this way only to be disappointed. Bliss won't be returning to that place with you," Eric said confidently. "She is happy here. She has everything she could want for and more."

"She didn't seem very happy when I spoke to her last night," Gabriel said darkly.

"It was her first big event; she will get used to them. We have plans for an album and a concert tour," Eric said. "She loves to sing more than anything just like Kasey."

"She loves me," Gabriel answered as if that trumped anything the man had said. "We are getting married as soon as she returns home."

"Well then my friend, I hope you are a patient man because she is not going anywhere with you for some time," Eric said easily but with less confidence. "It's strange that she never mentioned you to us, or spoke of the place you live. I mean if she loves you, you would think she might have mentioned you at least once in all this time."

"Let's wait and see what she says when she wakes," Frances intervened between the two men that obviously loved Lisbeth in their own ways. "We would not force her against her will to return with as I am sure you would not force her to stay," he said meaningfully.

"If you will excuse me, gentlemen," I need to check on my wife," Eric said and left the room without another word. Being uncomfortable in the large silent house Gabriel and Frances went out to walk around the extensive grounds enjoying the mild spring sunshine.

Lisbeth woke up with her head feeling heavy; she felt very unwell, and she rolled on her side remembering fragments of the strange dream from the night before. Her eyes widened as she looked into the face of her mother who stirred at her movements.

"Good morning, Liss? How are you feeling?" Melody asked her voice heavy with sleep.

"Like I've bumped my head again," Lisbeth admitted.

"Good, it will remind you not to drink alcohol again," Melody said without sympathy. "Water will help there is a glass beside your bed."

"I had a dream last night that you came, and Gabriel and Frances were here too, but they wouldn't leave the Assembly, would they?" Lisbeth asked trying to clear her foggy mind as she sat up to drink the water.

"Gabriel asked the council for leave to come and find you, thinking you were still in the hospital. Frances and I have accompanied him on his first journey because there are no assemblies in this part of the country on which he could rely." She paused as Lisbeth took in her words. 

"It wasn't a dream?" Lisbeth gasped, she felt sick with shame at having acted the way she had in front of him. "He came to ask for a release from him promise," Liss said sadly. "Not that I blame him especially after he saw me last night."

"He loves you, Liss, he came to honour his promise to you," Melody said gently. "We came to take you home."

"Home?" She seemed confused. "But Margaret and Selina... I can't go home, and now he knows the truth about where I have been instead of in a hospital bed. He knows it was all a lie. I can't face him, Mother! I can't bear to see the disappointment when he looks at me."

"He has come a very long way to see you, Liss. You need to let him speak his mind. You owe him that much," Melody said suddenly serious. "Get up and have a shower, you will feel better for it."

The women showered and changed before going downstairs. Lisbeth took her time choosing the right outfit and settled on a long flowing dress that was soft and light but still demure enough not to upset their sense of how a woman should look in public. Her mother cast aside any of her concerns and doubt as she pushed her to go down to the kitchen and have some food to settle her stomach.

"Liss," she paused just before they left the room, "You haven't been dating other boys have you? I mean if you have slept with anyone..." She stopped speaking at the look of horror on her daughters face. 

"I haven't even kissed anyone, Eric and Kasey have kept me so busy with preparing for this event I haven't spent time with anyone but David," Lisbeth said quickly horrified that her mother would think such a thing about her.

"I had to ask," Melody apologised. Relief flowed through her, after seeing Lisbeth drunk last night she hadn't been sure what other things she had been doing here. The women went down to the kitchen and found Alice cleaning and preparing lunch. She made them a snack and told them that the two gentlemen had gone to walk the grounds.

It was Lisbeth's turn to feel relief. She was anxious about seeing Gabriel and the fragments she remembered from the night before told her she owed him an apology. The food and cool water settled her stomach, and the last of her headache faded away. Physically she felt better but when Melody suggested they go for a walk to find Gabriel and Frances, her stomach twisted once again with nerves.

They had only walked a short distance from the house when they saw them in the distance. Lisbeth noted how evenly their strides matched. The taller form of Gabriel keeping time with his father, both of them solidly muscled men. Even as her pace slowed his seemed to quicken and they met under a corpse of Jacaranda trees, the grass appearing like a carpet of brilliant lavender.

"I'm sorry," she said as soon as he was close enough to hear her quiet voice.

"Why?" he asked confusion clear on his face as he worried she had not meant the words she had said the night before.

"I found this wonderful old tree just down the track I was hoping you could help me identify it," Frances said to Melody, and the two of them faded from the lavender carpet to a good distance away leaving the two young people to talk openly and honestly with each other.

"Why are you sorry Liss?" Gabriel asked again.

"I'm sorry I lied about where I was. I am sorry I didn't come straight back to honour the promise we made. I am sorry you had to come all this way to find me," the words spilled from her mouth.

"If you meant what you said last I am not sorry about any of it?" Gabriel said closing the gap between them.

"I was so tired and unwell I am not sure I remember everything properly," Lisbeth admitted.

"You said you loved me," he said softly his small smile radiating the hope he felt that everything would return to the way it should be. "You said you needed to see the world outside our home before you could be a good wife for me. You said you wanted to come home." He touched her face where the large bruise had faded away. "I am sorry Selina did that to you, and I am sorry Margaret threatened you, but you won't have to worry about their interference again. I promise." She reached up and placed a hand over his where it touched her face amazed that he would touch her so willingly here in this place. 

"I am not sure I could ever be the wife you want or deserve," Lisbeth admitted. 

"You are perfect for me in every way possible." His hand curled around her waist, and he pulled her to him. She felt the hard muscled body against her and looked up her eyes shining at how easy he made it for her to love him. His head descended, and he kissed her then hard and fiercely. "Come home with me Liss, we can be so happy there if you just trust that I know you and love you just the way you are. Marry me."

"Yes," she whispered and kissed him wrapping her arms around his neck and holding to him tightly. She didn't care what the cage looked like if it felt like this. She could be on the moon and be happy kissing this man.

"I don't want to wait," he said seriously. "Let's find a pastor here, today."

"Can we do that? What about your family?" Lisbeth was startled.

"My father is here to witness it, and your mother," he said enthusiastically. "Marry me now, here today, under this tree! I don't want to let you go again. We deserve the wedding night we planned so long ago. I don't want to wait anymore. We can do it again when we return home if you want."

"Yes," she finally said after trying to think of a reason not to and coming up with nothing. It was easy to be caught up at the moment, and she let herself be carried away on the wings of love and the feeling of belonging she had in his arms. 

Frances and Melody seemed surprised by their announcement but did not try to dissuade them from the idea and as they walked back up to the house. Melody knew her mother would be the one to cause problems if she was awake and prayed that she had decided to stay in bed all day. It was not to be, though.

Kasey had ranted and raved about her career just starting to take off again and the duet they had planned to record with Lisbeth. She had moaned that once again everyone was letting her down, and she wouldn't allow it after everything she had done for the girl.

"What have you done for her mother?" Melody cut through the tantrum viciously. "Did you even once ask her if she wanted to b on stage last night? Did you ask her if she wanted to wear that ludicrous dress that made her look ten years older? Did you even once treat her as anything but a backup singer?" She shook her head disgustedly. "Don't bother answering I know the answer, I goddamn lived the answer to that question."

"She said we loved to sing more that almost anything," Eric said calmly. 

"I was singing along to a player, I had no idea about all of this at the time," Lisbeth broke her silence. "I just wanted to see the world and experience new things and get to know you, but I spent more time getting to know David and Alice and the others than I did with either of you. I've been so lonely here, and I want to go home."

"Stay a few days just record the duet with me, I promise I will be better. We can go shopping and spend some time together in between the recording," Kasey could see her comeback dissipating before her eyes.

"I've made Gabriel wait long enough. I'm getting married today, and I would really like it if you could be happy for me and even be there at the ceremony," Lisbeth said, "I'm sorry Kasey but I don't want to be a backup singer or a superstar like you."

"Please Bliss Baby, just the duet and I won't ask another thing," Kasey's voice took on a pleading tone. "Then you can go back to that compound and never see me again."

"It's not a prison Kasey, we protect our young ones, but the older married women can go to the town to sell their candles and lace. If you really want this why don't you get Daddy to build you a recording studio there, I am sure Lisbeth would be happy to visit you and sing now and then," Melody had begun to feel sorry for her mother. She looked so much older, and the light in her eyes had diminished over the course of the conversation as if she was dying inside.

Lisbeth was stunned. The freedom she craved was there all along. How had she not known that? She knew that some of the women went into the town, but the majority did not, and she had never questioned why that was, thinking that they had special privilege as being part of the council or some such. It had never occurred to her that most of the women, her mother included would choose to stay closer to home.

"You never told us that we could see you there," Eric sounded stunned. All this time and he had thought of her being held by the commune unable to leave even if she wished to. The fact that she could and didn't, meant that what she had said the last time she saw them was true. She did not need or want her parents in her life. 

"There was no point. This is different, and there is very little I wouldn't do to ensure my children's happiness," Melody said stiffly.

"Were we so very bad?" he asked sadly.

"Worse," Melody said unemotionally. "And I can't believe I let you do it to my daughter."

"Get married here then, tonight. I will organise everything. Let me make it up to you Bliss. It will be wonderful. I never got to go to your mother's wedding give me this much at least," she reached for her phone even as she spoke. 

"You will just make it all about you, let her go and find a celebrant and have a nice quiet ceremony," Melody sighed.

"I won't. I am trying to say sorry the only way I know how. Let me do this much for you, Bliss, please," Kasey's voice took on a pleading tone.

"It would be nice to be married under the Jacarandas at sunset," Gabriel could see the heavy rift in the family and the pain it brought them all and he felt for each of the three women and Eric.

"That's perfect!" Kasey jumped on his apparent agreement. "Why don't you all go and enjoy some lunch and I will make it happen. It will be beautiful." Kasey went and closed herself in the home office and began calling in every favour she had.

Within an hour, vans started arriving and Eric disappeared to help his wife while the four men and women sat on the back deck watching with some trepidation. By mid-afternoon, there was such a hive of industriousness occurring on the grounds that Gabriel and Lisbeth became quite overwhelmed.

Kasey appeared at the rear door and ushered them inside and to their room upstairs to dress for the event. She presented Lisbeth a simple but beautifully crafted wedding dress and a pale pink gown for her mother. Two girls did their make-up and hair. Similarly, the men were treated to new suits that they chose from a rack ranging in sizes close to their own and a barber shaved them and cut their hair.