Interview with the Man in the Nice Suit

   I watch from the door as Sebastian looks around. After I turn on lights, I am finally able to get a good look at him and the other two ladies in his entourage. Sebastian has slick black hair, one would think that he has straight hair if it weren't for the little curls lifting up on the back of his neck. His hair is also really shiny. It sparkles under the little light I have. I've never seen hair shine like that. The closer I observe his hair, the sooner I realize that it seems like it doesn't move. My eyes shift down to look at his.

     They were two almond shaped orbs of brown with gold flecks nudged under perfectly arched and groomed brows. His lashes are long and pretty, I imagine that snowflakes get caught on them more often than my own stubby ones. His nose is a tad crooked, on the bridge, it curves ever so slightly to the right, hardly noticeable at all. His lips are plump and round, they match his beautiful skin tone, which reminds me of a sweet I am far to poor to afford. My gaze then shifts down to his suit. I knew it was nice outside, but now, with better lighting, I see just how wonderful it is.

     I know the type of fabric from staring in the window at the seamstress' store in town. Silk. Rather than it being black, it is blue. A very dark blue silk suit. His jacket is completely buttoned up, and hides away the rest of a silver tie with interact designs on it in the same blue color as the suit. My gaze shifts back to his face as he walks around. I can see the exact moment he catches himself showing his true feelings. He stares at a large ring where I heat up my pots for tea or broth on my stove. His upper lip curls up at the corner, a look of disgust only for a second before he recollects his composure and plasters a pleasant smile on his face. I hate fake people.

     "Miss Burks, is it okay for us to move things around to make room for what we need to do?" He asks swiping his hand over a small round table. The two ladies look once at the table, then to me.

     "Sure. I forgot my things outside. I'm going to get them and then I will clean that off for you." He gives me a smile and nods, so I quickly turn and go back out the door. I throw the bag over my shoulder and lift the pot bringing it inside. I set the pot by the stove, and then put the bag on the small sliver of a counter I have by my sink. Turning around, I take the three short steps from the sink to the table and begin cleaning it off. As I do this, the girls and Sebastian quietly talk amongst themselves. "Will this be enough room?" I ask stepping away from the table.

Sebastian looks at the table. His gaze shortly shifts to his companions, then it settles on me. He gives me a small smile with a nod. 

     "This will be just fine!" He exclaims as the two girls go on the backside of the table, opening their totes and beginning to lay out a series of different items in the lid. I shift my eyes between the totes as each girl sets out different items. Growing more anxious with each item, I shift my gaze to their faces. Same. They look the same...

     Both have their blond hair twisted up to look like a pile of rope atop their head. It seems so tight that it pulls on the corners of their large, doe-like eyes that are the  color of water beneath the willow. Their lips were thin and narrow. Despite being almost completely identical, I find one thing that appears different between the two. Each has a curve in their nose like Sebastian, but the noses curve to different sides. The girl on the right of Sebastian, her nose curves to the right, while the one on the left, her's curves to the left. That is how I will tell them apart. Moving on, I look at their outfits. It is not as nice as Sebastian's, but still of high quality.

     It is a short dress. It barely goes past their mid-thigh, but it covers their neck completely. There are two colors, both match the tie that Sebastian adorns. The fabric on the neck is that of the more silver color, with 3 blue buttons on the side that Sebastian stands. The silver fabric goes down the front almost like a rectangle until a single corner trails off as if wrapping around the body. Once it comes back around, it is that dark blue color, as if it had changed its mind along the way. The fabric of the dresses are  not silk, rather one I do not recognize, but it still looks nice. Looking between the two girls, I realize that the people who dressed them made sure they were a mirror image of one another.

     "Miss Burks?" I turn to look at him, his eyes have a strange look to them, like a fuzzy glaze. "Please sit down so we can talk."

     "Oh, okay." I say as I go but stop short. "Would you like some tea?" I turn and begin filling a pot with water and set it on the stove. Knelling, I quickly get the fire going once again, throwing in a few new logs.

     "What brands do you have?" He asks with a smile and I raise an eyebrow.

     "Brands?"

     "Yes like, Mrs. Queeny." The girls state and Sebastian waves his hand in dismissal.

     "Or perhaps Le Thé Du Paradis." He says and I turn grabbing my jar with my tea. "Oh, is this a more rustic brand I haven't heard of?"

     "I made it." I state and they go quiet. "I also have some sweet bread that you can have with your tea."

     "No thanks." The girls say with a shudder and Sebastian crinkles his nose slightly, then regains his composure.

     "As much as I would like to, we actually have strict rules from the government to not take any food or drinks from the girls we visit." He bares his beautiful white teeth in a smile and I nod as I continue making myself tea. Liar.  "I must say, it is rather impressive that you can do that... Where did you learn those skills if you don't mind me asking?" My body grows cold as I wash my hands and then grab a rag to dry them off. Turning to face them, I shurg as I step around the counter, trying my best not to look at the forbidden cook book on the table. 

     "I have lived alone sir, I had to do something to survive." His eyes were scary cold as he looks at me. I continue to wipe my hands, then casually throw the towl over the cook book, hiding it. After a few seconds, the chilling expression is gone and he greats me once more with a smile. Relief fills me as  I take a seat across from him. 

     "Of course you have had to do that! How follish of me to question that." He smiles at me then straightens his back. "Now, let me explain why we," he pauses to wave his hand between the three of them, "are here." He folds his hands together and smiles at me. "We are here to do an induction interview for The Marriage Process." He claps his hands as if he cannot contain the excitement, but I stare at him, dumbfounded.

     "What?" Is all I can utter in the moment.

     "This is your interview for The Marriage Process!" He repeats and I blink a few times. Am I still sleeping under the tree? "So I know this is really exciting news, because after this you may possibly get your happily ever after! So first thing to do is we need to do this interview..."

     I can't hear him anymore. What does he mean? Why am I in it? Why would the government allow a messed up gene pool to be put into their silly, little experiment? My very presence ruins their perfect society and they want me to spread those genes to future generations? Are they nuts? They must be... the room, it is spinning? I feel like I cannot breath.

     Standing up, he stops talking and I walk over to the stove to where my water is boiling ferociously. As I slowly make my tea, he stays quiet, perhaps sensing that I am startled and overwhelmed by the news. I sit back down and look him in the eyes, compiling all my thoughts into one good question.

     "Why me?" I ask and that foggy haze over his eyes lifts. This time his expression shows his true feelings, and he does not snap back too quickly. He is surprised. "Everyone knows that I am the messed up person in town, so why am I being included?"

     "Everyone deserves love." He says with a sincere smile. "Don't you want to find out who your supposed to be with?"

     "How is that fair on the four men who are picked for me?" I ask and he leans back into the chair. The two girls share a look. "There a plenty of candidates for this season, leave me out of it." 

     "You are not allowed to opt out of this." Sebastian says in a low tone and a shiver runs through my spine as the memory resurfaces. "You do remember Miss Dalworth don't you?" 

     The one and only time someone stood up to the system. No one knows what happened to her when they paid a visit, they just know that nothing about her was the same after. Sebastian and I stare at one another for a bit, and he cuts his eyes towards the window. Someone is watching.

     "I find that very sweet that you wish to opt out for the sake of others Miss Burks! I shall write that in as one of your enduring qualities!" He states and as he holds out his hand, one of the girls places in a stack of papers. The other hands him a pen and he begins writing. 

     "What is this for?" I ask peering over and he gives me his toothy grin again. 

     "We conduct interviews with every single participant for the season to help the government make better matches!" He exclaims and I raise an eyebrow. 

     "The matches are going up this week though. That's a lot of interviews to do in one week." I state. 

     "Actually we've been doing this for months." One states and Sebastian has a look of anger flash across his face before smiling once more. 

     "Yes, we have and you were the last one! The government already has picks, they just use these interviews as final factors, as well as giving the public more information when this is all broadcasted." I had forgotten this was broadcasted, since I do not own a television. "Anyway, during this interview, the two lovely ladies behind me with all be conducting a measurement check and health check." He states as they nod slightly. "Now that you know what is going on, do we have your consent to move on with the process?" He asks with a smile. 

     I sat for a second staring at the three of them. He has made it perfectly clear I cannot not do this, so I'm not sure why they ask for consent now. Though I do not wish to do it, I would rather do it and suffer the humiliation than loose all thought and knowledge about myself that everyone says Dalworth suffered. 

     "Okay." I state as I  hold my chin high and try my best to seem ready. "I consent." He smiles brightly and I am suddenly engulfed in activities that are foreign to myself. As they go, I try my best to maintain a nonchalant look, but deep down, I'm terrified.

***

Thank you all so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I hope that you continue to join me on this journey and I hope to see you next time!

Sincerely,

P&P