Fellowship & Fairydust

As we moved up to our apartment, Eini kept looking around the place like she was starting to have second thoughts. When she saw our apartment, her jaw dropped. “Uh, Braxton? Why do all these people look like you?”

“They’re my siblings,” I told her.

With a gasp, she asked, “WHY WOULD ANYONE HAVE SO MANY KIDS?!” 

My mother chuckled, “We do have a big family, don’t we?” She put her hands on her hips and beamed proudly, “I’ve birthed ten children and carried eleven. I’d say that’s an accomplishment.” Eini stared at her with wide eyes, and my mother sighed, “The truth is their father and I were never rich in riches, but we had a lot of love and wanted a big family to give it to. I’d say we achieved that, wouldn’t you?”

Eini looked at my mother like she’d grown a second head, “What does that mean?! How do you guys even have enough space for all of you? Wouldn’t it have been better to get a place on the Upper Levels?”

My mother looked at me with her eyebrow raised, “She’s from the Upper Levels, isn’t she?”

I nodded and turned to the rich girl, “We can’t afford a place on the Upper Levels. We’re lucky enough to get by here, but there’s little left over, and what we do save usually goes away the next time one of us gets sick or when the place needs a repair. It’s been that way since Mom and Dad were my age.”

My mother looked at the group of us, “I was about to start making lunch, but since it looks like we’ll be fourteen today, I should probably get some more food, first…”

“Oh, I can help get something.” Johri offered. 

“Why don’t we all go with you?” I asked, “Many hands make light work, after all.”

That earned a nod from Dad. “Excellent Braxton. We’ll make it a family outing.”
My coworkers blinked at that. “An outing? We’re just getting food.”

“There are fourteen of us today,” my mom pointed out, “And Braxton’s back and he brought friends. We should celebrate a little.”

I turned around and noticed Eini putting her holo-screen away. “What are you doing?” I asked her.

“Pulling some strings,” She replied, “Everything’s so cramped and run-down I called in my Mom’s best architects to renovate the whole neighborhood.”

We stared at her. “What kind of renovations?” I asked, cautiously.

“I was thinking total,” Eini replied nonchalantly, “expand the walkways, make the houses bigger, all of the pakomi.” She sighed, “It’s like the only perk of being the Ashburnham-Krista heiress.”

I gaped. Arguing for renovations to the Lower Levels had won me my scholarship to the Institute for Neo Harthyn and even then the judges’ critique was that it was too idealistic, and here Eini was, ordering the start of it because she could! Then it hit me: she was ordering it all at once. “Eini,” I said, “Thank you for the wonderful thought, but it would be better to do only one or two projects at a time. Renovating everything would force a lot of people outta their homes, and most of us don’t have anywhere else to go.”

“Oh, relax,” Eini replied, “It’s just an assessment for now. We’ll handle the details from the Station! I just wanna get the circuit switched on!” 

I sighed in relief, “Thank you.”

Eini crossed her arms and smirked, “Now, why don’t you guys let me start my spending spree early? Lunch is on me!” She turned to my siblings, “And anything else you want!”

My mother seemed conflicted, “Are you sure? You’re so young, wouldn’t you rather save your money for when you’re older?”

“It’s a special occasion,” Eini reassured her, “And besides, I’ve been cut off from shopping for months and I won’t see the mall again until I get to leave the Station for good. I feel like spending today!”

My mother put on a smile I knew all too well, “Well then, I suppose we should get ready to go. But before we do, may I have some privacy to talk to my son?”

Eini shrugged, “Your house. Just let me know when everyone’s ready to go.”

With that, everyone left the room. I could hear Eini promising Elli and Fi she’d get them shiny things before the door closed. I turned to my mother sheepishly.

My mother crossed her arms, “That girl has a problem, and I am shocked to see you enabling her like that.”

“I don’t know what else to do…” I trailed off, “She won’t take ‘no’ for an answer, and we need her to…” I trailed off. Mom didn’t know what had been going on at the Station. About Jason and Clair, and especially not about the spy. If she knew we suspected Downtrod involvement, she would never let me out of her sight. Not after what happened to Kenneth and Marcas.

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