Something in the Water

EMMA:

Vanessa is all smiles when she hands me the lilac colored envelope.

I take it with a smirk. "What's this?"

"Open it." She bites her lip in her excitement.

I stick my finger beneath the flap and tear it open. It's an invitation to her wedding. "Oh, wow." I breath, not really expecting such an honor.

"I really hope you can make it. I know it's a little last minute, but we can't wait any longer!"

I check the date at the bottom, which informs me the wedding is in just a little over a month. "I'd love to come," I start, dropping my eyes to my growing middle section. "But I'll look like a whale."

"You'll look beautiful! Just as long as you don't steal my spotlight." She pats my arm playfully.

I try and smile back, but I secretly wonder if I will be stealing her spotlight, but for a different reason. I've been trying my best to stay out of the public eye, and seeing how she's inviting me, it must be a large guest list. "If you say so."

"Oh, and it says you can bring a guest, so make sure Ben looks good, too."

It's like another slap in the face. If the guest list was large a second ago, it just doubled if everyone brings someone with them. "I will, but are you sure you want me to come?"

"Of course! I know we've only known eachother for a few weeks, but I'd love for you to be there. You've talked me into getting married, anyway."

She's right. I've forced her into considering it. She didn't even want to be a mom, even though she's around babies all day. She says she's had her fix, but apparently she's changed her mind. "Okay."

A nurse pokes her head in the door and asks if one of us can take a stack of files down to the front desk, so I jump on it. I need a second to catch my breath before I start agreeing to more crowded events.

I can't deny the invite now. I shouldn't have sounded so sure. Maybe I can make something up later, because it is on such a short notice. She'd understand then, right? We have gotten pretty close, and I wouldn't mind going if I wasn't pregnant at seventeen. I hate being the topic of conversation - I've just barely escaped school for the summer. But we can't win them all, can we?

When I make it to the front desk, a blonde girl is signing herself in on the touchscreen. She glances up at me, and I have to do a double take.

"Hey!" Sara grins widely at me. She hasn't smiled like that since she found out I lied to her.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, a bit shaken up by so many surprises today.

The grin fades a bit. "My dad's still here for another day, just to be safe."

"Oh," I half frown. "I'm sorry."

She waves her hands at me. "Don't be. He's totally himself, if it weren't for all of those machines he's hooked up to. He keeps complaining about how he's wasting his time sitting in a room all day."

It sounds like her dad. "That's good, then. Tell him I say hi."

"Actually, do you think you can point me in the right direction?" Her eyes trace the complex hallways infront of her.

I smile, knowing how easily she can get lost. "Sure. What room?"

Sara purses her lips, her forehead wrinkled slightly. She leans her head over the counter and asks the secretary to repeat the number.

"Thirty-three eighty-one." She reports back to me.

I resist an eye roll. "Third floor. I'll take you there."

We start for the elevators next to the lobby. Sara has that spring in her step that I love so much, and I'm glad she's pretty much back to normal.

It's been eating away at my brain, so I decide to ask. "Where's Sam?"

She grunts. "Home. Being a couch potato."

I push in the button with the arrow facing up. "Is he still upset?"

"I don't really know. He won't speak. Not even at dinner, when the whole family is with him- well, Mom and I."

It still breaks my heart. "I should send Ben over there."

Sara takes her turn pressing the 3rd floor button once the elevators open. Luckily, we're the only two on here. "That might do the trick. Maybe Sam's just low on testosterone, since he's been the only man in the house for four days."

I laugh at her strange predictions. "Maybe you're right."

We reach room 3381, and Mr. Shepherd is looking very lively, regardless of the beeping machines beside him. It's a good sign. Sara punches in the code the secretary had her write on her hand and skips in to kiss his forehead.

He lifts his attention from the laptop computer. "Oh, I'm glad you're here! Hi there, Emma." He waves quickly to me in the doorway. "I have something to show you."

Sara seats herself on the edge of the bed, her arm over her dad's shoulders. He turns the screen to allow Sara to see what has him so excited.

She raises an eyebrow. "A house?"

"Not just any house, hun. I've talked with your mother, and it might be our house by the end of the summer!"

I considered leaving them alone, but now there's now way I'm leaving. "You're remodeling?" I question, feeling guilty for butting in, though there's no such thing in that family.

"Not exactly." He turns the screen again to let me see. It's a beautiful white house located somewhere out in the countryside, with rocking chairs on the porch and large trees in the yard. A field of wildflowers grows in the background. Literally, right out of a movie.

"It's beautiful," I say, uncertain of what he's trying to explain.

"What do you mean, it could be our house?" Sara asks, her voice lowered to a fearful tone. I still don't understand.

Mr. Shepherd drops his head humbly. "Well, I've decided that it probably won't be best for me to - well, I mean I probably shouldn't -" He sighs, lost in his words. "I think it's time that I retire."

I see where this is going now. I watch Sara's face to see if she gets it, too.

"The doctors say I should try and avoid stressful enviornments, and your mother and I have always wanted to live out in the country -"

"You want us to live there?" Sara jumps off of the bed. "Seriously?"

He's quick to change her mind. "You love it out there, too. Remember the vacations we took when you were young?"

Sara is turning red. "Yeah, but that's when I was ten and without the rest of my life to worry about! What about school? It's our senior year next year! I don't want to leave and go try to fit in at another school! I want to graduate with my friends!"

"Sara, I don't think you should yell." I advise her.

She realizes my concern, and zips her mouth shut. When she's mad, she either explodes or locks herself in. I know the second part alot better than the first.

"I think it will be good for us, hun." He reaches for her hand, and she hesitantly gives it to him. "You'll see. I know you'll love it."

Sara doesn't smile, but she doesn't frown, either. Her expression is undecided. She knows her dad well, but we both know he won't be the same if he doesn't have something like living on the countryside to look forward to, especially if he can't work anymore.

She doesn't protest, but I want to. They'll be moving this summer, which means I'll be losing two of my closest friends before my baby even gets here.

. . . . . . . .

BEN:

Emma's sending me to get Sam out of his comatose state, but I'm buzzed with a brilliant idea.

On the way to Sam's, I stop by the Evaluation Center. Mr. Sullivan needs to hear this.

I spin the corner and slip into his office just barely taking the time to smile politely at his wife.

He's a little irritated. "I would appreciate it if you didn't mind knocking before you -"

"I know where to send Emma."

His eyes widen at my moderate volume, and he leans to see if the door is closed behind me. "Sit down." He motions toward the chair in front of his desk.

I walk over to it, but support my weight with my hands on the back of it. "The Shepherds are moving south, somewhere completely out of the Evaluators' radar. No one will know she's out there, and you know as well as I do there isn't a better family for her to stay with. It'll be perfect."

"How do you know this?"

"Emma told me about it just now. Mr. Shepherd is having heart problems, and he -"

"Yes, I know that." He waves me off before I start to ramble. "But is it definite that they'll be moving?"

I shrug. "Most likely. Mr. Shepherd has always talked about living there, and now that he's retired nothing is stopping them."

He still shakes his head. "I can't agree to anything until we know for sure."

"We can convince them to do it!" I try to keep my voice down. I'm only so excited to see such a perfect plan falling into place. "They love Emma, and I'm sure they wouldn't mind -"

"Ben," He sighs, rubbing his hands in his salt and peppered hair. "Do you understand what you're telling me?"

"Well, yeah. Not unless there's something else..."

He points with his fingers this time. "Sit down, please."

I follow his order.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd assume you were trying to get rid of my daughter."

I laugh a little. "No, not at all. I just want her to be safe."

"If the Shepherds move, and Emma goes with them, then yes, she'll be safe. But if and when she leaves, we can only keep in little contact with her for two and a half years. You understand that, right?"

It's a little different than I pictured it. "You won't go with her?"

He checks the time. "Look, it's not as easy as sending her away to safety. There's alot more that goes with it, and we have to keep it under control."

I knew it couldn't be that easy, but I have no idea what else he's talking about. "Can you tell me what would happen if the Shepherds were moving?"

He purses his lips. "I told you we were breaking the law, correct?" I nod my head sheepishly. "Good. So follow along here, alright? If Emma leaves, I'll need to forge her a completely new life, meaning an entirely false set of records. One of the reasons this needs to happen is because she'll have the baby with her, and it's illegal to raise a child under the circumstances."

I'm not completely prepared to take in all of this new information. "Wait, so you're going to make her a fake ID?"

He stares into space, but nods slightly. "I guess you could say that."

"Fake name and everything?"

Another nod.

It's already illegal, but it's genius. With a fake name and age, she can raise her baby without anyone questioning it. And since he's an Evaluator, everything will be completely legitimate. "Wow." I chuckle.

"But we can't forget about her actual identity, because the folks around here will be wondering where she's disappeared to. I guess we can just state that she's off staying with relatives to find peace away from the media. As for the baby, we'll unfortunately need to state a miscarriage."

It's starting to get seriously complicated, and I question whether it will actually work. "Oh."

"So with that taken care of, Emma can raise her baby wherever the Shepherds are planning on relocating under a new identity. After three years, she can return without any suspicion and move on with her life, though she won't ever be known as Emma Sullivan again."

"And you're sure it will work?"

He sighs. "I don't see any other options."

I have a few questions. "But if everyone thinks she's had a miscarriage, how will she be able to have the baby if it's supposed to be a secret?"

"I have persuasive methods." He says. "I can ask her doctor to make a special house call."

He plans to pay Dr. Stevens a huge wad of cash. I don't think she would pass it up. "And you said she'll have to change her name?"

"I'm sure she can keep Emma as her first name. As for the last..." He trails off, almost like he senses my disapproval approaching.

"She can take mine." I offer. "That would work, right?" We'll be getting married eventually, so it would fit nicely.

"Ben, we're all making sacrifices for Emma's happiness. You understand that." He folds his arms over his chest as a sense of authority. "As far is the law is concerned, in order to have successfully introduced a child into the world, both spouses must be married, licensed, and at least twenty years old. I can forge all of it without too much trouble, but Emma will need to play out what I write up for her."

I think I see the problem. "So you'd have to forge me a new identity, too?"

He doesn't hold back. "It can't be you."

It goes right over my head. "What?"

"If the real Emma still exists while living with relatives, then the real Ben needs to exist as well. Your history together won't allow both of you to disappear."

I feel my future falling through the grates of a sewer. "I can't marry her?"

He's careful with his words. "You can't be her spouse under her new identity, no."

"Will I ever be able to -"

He struggles to explain. "It's complicated now. But basically, if she moves in with the Shepherds, and she needs to be married, there's an option for her under that roof."

It takes me a second to catch it. "Sam?" I choke on his name.

"If they agree to it, and if Sam agrees to it, I can alter Sam's records to state a new age, connecting Sam and Emma as a married couple that has passed the Evaluation and is raising one child together."

My throat gets tight. "But they won't really be married, right?"

He leans back in his chair. "As far as the law is concerned, it's enough of a marriage to pass an Evaluation. But depending on your opinion, they won't be actually married. But be aware that all of this can only play out if Emma thinks it's appropriate. Her opinion is what matters most."

My sigh is broken, but it's relieved. "Okay, so all we have to do is convince the Shepherds to move, take Emma under their wing, and change Sam's records? Then you can take care of the rest?"

He just stares at me. I must look like I'm going insane, because that's how I feel on the inside. Emma Sullivan will be staying with relatives and virtually forgotten by the world, while Emma Shepherd is playing out her forged life with husband Sam and newborn baby. Back at home, we'll be here making sure everything stays in place until Emma Shepherd returns and, what? "Divorces" Sam to marry me?

What he has just proposed is probably the most reckless and unbelieveably illegal plan the world has seen in a long time. But he'll do anything for his daughter, and so will I.