Chapter Thirteen: Vanity Eve by Tina Semanas The final two days arrived. The most anticipated two days of the year, “Vanity Eve” and “Vanity Night Supreme.” Usually Beck would be basking in the excitement of this moment - fashion, pageantry and social media mania - but not today. She couldn't get Athan off her fevered mind. “What was he caught up in? Why would he be linked to the two fugitives? And where has he been? He’s so secretive?” But more than any other thought, the one that haunted Beck the most was, “What would I do without him? I have never been so happy, being married to a man who loves me - - it feels so right, so good.” “Beck, two minutes until we go LIVE!” said a headset wearing, clipboard holding eunuch dressed in all black. This petite production manager was scurrying around making sure everyone was in place. Tension at the state television studio, Sis 1, was running high. Top brass knew everyone across the country was tuned in to their station for these last two days which meant boatloads of money for the network, and if viewership was pleased there was continual potential for huge revenues. Sums in the billions from large corporations and advocacy groups were pouring in promoting hair products, clothing lines and of course, progressive femme-think. To have a perfect society The Sisters knew you had to have a common mind. And there was no better platform than the final festivities of Vanity Week to subtly infuse state propaganda to the unsuspecting millions watching. Partnering with The Sisters on their aggressive cultural engineering experiment was the cash laden LGBTQIAPEX (LAPEX) Foundation. The LAPEX agenda was clear: “To promote the wonder and glorious queerness of the ever-evolving and always changing human species. Relentlessly striving for complete individual autonomy and sexual liberty for every marginalized person was LAPEX’s ultimate goal.” To help achieve this, LAPEX and their vast network of richly endowed social justice associations focused most of their substantial wealth on Day 4, “Vanity Eve”, and Sis 1 felt the pressure to perform and push their agenda hard. With such large sums of money at their disposal, they went for the best, and the best was of course Beck Paris. To get her to leave her live vlogging for one day cost Sis 1 millions. And Beck Paris, Dowager extraordinaire, could not refuse. So from morning till midnight Beck agreed to host the Vanity Eve Extravaganza which included interviews and performances from an array of special guests, celebrities and Vanity Night contestants. And Beck knew an enormous amount of money was riding on her performance. Once again she was being signaled - - it was time for her to take her place in front of the cameras. “Beck, we are going live in 5-4-3-2-…,” The lisping eunuch in black said pointing his perfectly manicured index finger at Beck. “Hey, good morning and greetings as we get this party started! All day and all night I will be coming to you live as we countdown till midnight before the full-blown Vanity festivities come to herald in another year of Holiday cheer and unrestrained pleasure.” Beck turned to sit down on a soft black-leather lounge chair facing two large round women with their arms around each other sitting on a soft black-leather couch of the same design. “To begin our day we have in studio the prolific writing team of Tina & Nina Swinehart, who just came out with a new LAPEX Press best-seller entitled, ’Lesbian Love: The Closest Thing to Heaven.’” Beck’s mind - still clouded with thoughts of Athan - wandered off-script, something her years of polish and professionalism before the camera would never let occur before this turmoil with Athan. “I want to begin by welcoming you both. You look fabulous in your clashing, I mean, matching outfits of sparkling teal and peach.” Beck said with a slanted smirk. The ladies nodded. “Now, I want to begin with a question that has me puzzled...Heaven, huh? Why include the word heaven in your title? Hasn’t that been considered a forbidden topic of conversation for the last 50 years by The Sisters? You aren’t members of some secret cult or practitioners of an ancient superstition, are you?” Nina & Tina squirmed in their seats, hoping for a quick puff-piece and a volley of easy softball questions from Beck; they sat stunned by this awkward interrogation. Finally clearing her throat Nina said, “Well Ms. Paris, the word ‘heaven’ is being used metaphorically here, it is a state of mind denoting something that is above and better than the normal existence people daily wallow in. So all we are trying to say with this term is that ‘Lesbian Love’ is that sort of heaven for us and it can be for you.” Smiling at her lover for such a deft answer to Beck’s strange question, Tina gave Nina a soft squeeze of assurance on her arm. “So Nina, in your book you say Lesbian marriage, a solemn promise of commitment, is the ideal construct for obtaining this higher love. Why is that?” Beck asked. “Well, we believe a long term promise allows for us to be free and vulnerable with each other when you have a guaranteed commitment with each other. You can trust that the intimacy you share with your partner will not be exploited or shared with another, which research proves, leads to emotional health. Also marriage, by definition, assumes there must be a sacrificial commitment between both parties. And I find sacrifice demands a give and take, and a sharing of roles.” Tina said. This time Nina squeezed her partner's arm adding a quick giggle. Beck smiled, “How precious! Now let me jump off your last comment. You talk about two roles in your book, hinting that one partner must take on more masculine duties and one must embrace the feminine or softer position in the marriage for it to work - right? Now if I was to read between the lines, you are saying one must play the man? How can we expect a woman to lower herself and betray her superior gender by taking on the role of a man? Doesn’t the whole idea of the word “Lesbian” assume men and maleness and masculinity is unnecessary?” Both of the ladies’ eyes narrowed, and Nina the larger of the two, replied, “Well, we aren't praising men, we are just saying it is helpful to have complementary roles so you can assign specific duties to those roles. We have found the more masculine role is necessary to make final decisions when the partnership requires someone to make the difficult decision. Someone needs to keep a job so a steady income will come in so the other will be free in handling the domestic affairs. To say only males can do this sounds misogynistic, and we would never promote hatred toward women - - for heaven’s sake there are severe laws on the books for such crimes.” “There you go bringing up heaven again!” Beck said with a playful smile. “And, ladies, remember you were the ones praising the concept of masculine roles in your book - so you are the ones who should be careful. And with that being said, Nina, in the book it says you rather enjoy making decisions for the two of you and taking the lead, right?” Nina nodded, but no longer was her arm around Nina, but rather she sat up erect with both arms crossed. “Well reading your bio, it says at the age of 15 you decided to switch genders... you went from dressing like a male to a female, but you never fully went under transformative surgery. Are you not still a male? And could that be the reason why you chose the ‘masculine’ role that you did? And how can this be considered a legitimate lesbian relationship?” Beck was on a roll. Clinching her closed fists, Nina looked like she was going to pounce. “Now wait a minute Ms. Paris, we have true love!” Nina said. “Oh, I am not doubting that, it is the lesbian part I question...and Tina, what did you say earlier, ‘Marriage is a sacrificial commitment?’” Tina gave a slow reluctant nod, wondering about this line of reasoning, “Yes, I did say that.” “Well isn’t it true this relationship with Nina is your third marriage in the last 15 years? How is that sacrifice? How do you know now you have a higher love than before.” Beck said. A red-faced Tina replied, “It is precisely because research has said lesbian love at a late age is the most beautiful kind of love because it is the moment when a woman finds her true self. And with Nina I know this love is true!” Off stage an angry eunuch was signaling for cameras to cut the live tape. Scrolling across the television feed was a teaser for the upcoming teenage boy drag pageant that was to happen later that evening started playing. “Beck, come over here now!”, the eunuch said. “What has gotten into you? Our sponsors will not be pleased...oh no … they will not be pleased at all! Go to your dressing room and gather your wits, I will give you 15 minutes to compose yourself before you come back on to go live? I am going to lose my head.” Nina was consoling Tina with soft pats to her fat pink hand, “There, there,” Nina said, “we will call our vitup immediately after we are out of this studio to sue Sis 1 for emotional damages. And honey, it will be alright, remember, heaven is all a state of mind.” ----------------------------------------------- “Is this Octavia Hulambu? Hello, my name is Lacy Dias and I understand you are part of the Doyenne Conclave so I think you will want to hear this information I have found.” Lacy was calling from her apartment on her flat pad. “Who gave you my number? Do you know the severe danger for a mere citizen to contact a member of the Conclave privately? How dare any neophyte of the state approach me as an equal?” Octavia responded in a loud burst. “I am willing to take that chance because the information I have is of the highest threat level to our state and The Sister’s plan for a more unified people.” Lacy said swallowing hard. She rather liked the danger and the adrenaline rush that accompanied ‘living in the edge.’ “I’m listening.” Octavia said. “I know the name and the whereabouts of the person who is hiding the two fugitives. He is a wealthy and well connected industry mogul, and even more important than that, I have the name of a person who has been working alongside him in a secretive plot against the state - this person is a very well known celebrity in fact.” Lacy knew how to play poker. “Wait a minute, how does a singular citizen have such high level information while the rest of the government is still in the dark? If you are lying to me I will send you off to be processed in exile like a useless man. Do you understand me?” Octavia’s voice was shouting through the speaker of Lacy’s flat pad. “I even have reason to believe your very own Dr. Gladstone has been given this information and has chosen not to do anything about it while the fugitives remain at large. I am giving you this information because I am a concerned citizen, and I know a brilliant leader like you may be able to benefit with an ally like me in your corner.” Lacy knew she was pushing the limits dangerously close. On the other end of the line there was dead silence. A few seconds later Octavia responded, “So you are going to use flattery and blackmail? I will have your hide for this insolence….” “I can take this to another source if you don't want it.” Lacy was sure by Octavia’s tone she wanted this information something fierce. “All I want is to help the state.” Octavia replied, “If this information pleases me I will give you want you want. If it does not I will make sure you undergo a transformative surgery that is so hideous, so horrible you will be unrecognizable when the plastic surgeons are through with you. Do you understand?” Lacy smiled, she thought to herself, “Beck, now I will have my revenge!” ------------------------------ Athan’s flat pad kept buzzing, it was Beck. He wanted to pick up and talk, he missed her voice, her smile, her radiance, but as it stood he knew she couldn’t be trusted. “How did she know he was associated with Phen and Drew? Did she have his home bugged? Was she faking this marriage the whole time? Maybe she was what his father once said,’Never trust the gorgeous face of a Dowager princess for black widow poison runs deep in their veins.’” Stifling his feelings Athan knew there was one thing he must do, get Phen and Drew as far away from this place as possible and it was time to expedite production of project “Milk.” Phen was all the proof he needed of the blocker’s success.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
August 2018
|