Chapter 4

“She’s gray.” Greta’s surprise wasn’t because of the kitten’s presence, but her color.

“Defective.” Her grandma smile big. Her eyes glowed and seemed bluer.

Paxine wondered if that was how she would feel if she got a cat? Now she wanted one more than ever.

“I see. Defective to the point of perfection. I will have the facilities made ready and call the trainer.” Greta danced over to the door.

“Her name is Tinder,” her grandma said.

“Excellent. Welcome, Tinder.” Greta danced out of the door.

“Why did you name her Tinder?” Paxine gave Tinder a quick pet . She found Tinder’s coat to be ultra-silky soft.

“That’s her name. She told me.”

“She told you? But how did she know her own name?”

“You’ll learn.” Her grandma sat at her desk.

“When?” Paxine knew she was sounding impatient.

“In time.”

“Erg.” Paxine flopped onto the sofa. She hated waiting. “Can I at least play with this kitten?”

“If she wants to play.” Her grandma placed her handbag on the floor. Tinder’s head popped up.

“Hi, Tinder.” Paxine wiggled her fingers at her.

Tinder ran, hiding under the desk.

“The desk is glass, silly. I can see you.” Paxine laughed.

Tinder dashed under the nearest sofa.

“Great, so it doesn’t look like we’re gonna play.” She rolled her eyes and leaned back onto the sofa. Kittens were supposed to be fun, and this one was anything but. She thought she would be better off playing with the Waterer.

“The trainer will come later this afternoon.” Greta appeared to set down food and water bowls, before dancing out again.

“Thank you Greta.” Her grandma was sorting through papers on her desk.

So what did one do with a kitten like this, Paxine thought.

She sat up when the kitten dashed from under one sofa to the next like a gray shadow. Her grandma rustled a paper and the kitten dashed from the sofa to the end table by the TV, around the chair and over to the food bowl.

Crunch.

Grandma’s food is always good, Paxine thought, giggling.

Whoosh. The gray shadow followed the wall to the windows and up. The curtains rippled as Tinder made her way along them until a bird flew by and she froze. Another bird flew by before Paxine realized that Tinder was already in the last window, moving without a sound.

“I guess invisible can be good,” Paxine said, thinking aloud.

“My thoughts exactly.” Her grandma’s voice startled her. She was also watching Tinder.

“She is very different from your last one.” Paxine shifted in her seat to keep Tinder in sight.

“Each one is unique.”

A flash of gray dropped from the windowsill and moved under her grandma’s desk, then she disappeared.

“Where did she go? Cats can’t really become invisible.” Paxine tried to see through the desk.

Her grandma smiled, almost laughing aloud. “She’s in my lap.”

“Oh.” She felt some disappointed that any entertainment from Tinder was over.

“I just got an email from your mom. She’ll be here in an hour or so. When the trainer comes, I want you to sit and watch. No questions and no talking.” Her grandma was staring at her screen.

“And no asking why.” Paxine leaned back into the sofa.

“Exactly. You will know why soon enough.”

Paxine didn’t know that cats needed training. Her friend Mia had a cat and the only training her cat seemed to need was litter box training, and someone told her that cats litter box trained themselves. So what training did her grandma’s kitten need? Making tea? She almost laughed aloud.

The desk phone buzzed.

“The trainer is here,” Greta said.

“Bring her in, and inform Garon, please. Thank you.”

The door opened and a slender, dark woman entered. She carried a large leather bag and wore jeans, a short-sleeved shirt, and clogs.

“This is Paxine, my granddaughter. She is observing today.” Her grandma rose from her desk while holding Tinder in her arms.

The trainer nodded, sitting on the sofa.

Her grandma sat beside the trainer, loosening her grip on Tinder. The kitten dashed off, but her grandma didn’t seem concerned. The trainer tipped over her leather bag and toys spilled out. Both her grandma and the trainer moved the toys around their feet and then ignored them.

“Training can’t be forced.” Her grandma spoke in a quiet voice, but to her and not the trainer. The trainer seemed quite content to remain silent.

A gray paw flashed out from under the sofa on which her grandma and the trainer sat, but her grandma seemed to know where the paw was, even though it was out of her sight, and picked up the toy and moved it to one side, then she waved her hand. The trainer did the same.

Paxine didn’t see what waving hands were training Tinder to do. None of them spoke any commands, and all Tinder was doing was staying under the sofa, moving along the edge as if avoiding the hand waving or maybe following the hand waving. Either way it all looked the same to her.

Buzz.

“Sorry to bother. Dalia is here and Mrs. Huntsboro.”

“Thank you. We will be right out.” Her grandma helped the trainer pack up her toys. “Thank you for being good, Paxine. Make sure you do your speed-reading homework.”

“Yes, grandma. Hi, mom,” Paxine said, exiting her grandma’s office.

Her mom was dressed in an elegant silk dress with matching shoes, but the woman that stood beside her looked like she stepped out of a magazine.

The woman seemed to know how well dressed she was since she posed as if a model on a runway, brushing an invisible hair from her face and patting her bleached blonde hair before letting her hand trace her ear and finger her earring, which matched her necklace. Her diamond cluster wedding ring glinted in the light. She wore a perfect frozen smile as if dozens of cameras were taking her picture.

“Nice talking with you Patricia,” Paxine’s mom said to the woman.

Patricia’s smile moved but a fraction as if that was enough of a response and cat walked her way into the office.

“How much did she say those shoes cost?” Greta said with amazement after the door shut.

Her mom did a short shake of her head before heading toward the cube landing. The next view was their house. Paxine followed her mom to the living room. She felt instantly bored.

“Moooom.” She drew out the work in a long drawn out moan.

“Paaaaxine.” Her mom responded by mimicking her.

Paxine flopped on the sofa in the living room. “I don’t have a Room. I can’t play my games…”

“You spent the whole day with your grandma.”

“Moooom.”

“And your birthday is coming up… Did your grandma get a new kitten?”

“Yes, she got a kitten. So if I’m good I can get a Room for my birthday?”

“No, but it would make me happier if you’re good.” Her mom laughed. “I’m sure you’ll get a whole bunch of new games and toys and clothes.”

“Yeah, but I can’t play any of the games.” She let her exasperation show through.

“Ahhh, the problems of being rich and famous,” her mom said in answer.

“Ha ha.” Paxine punched the sofa cushion. It was soft and her hand hardly felt it.

Rich and famous, my foot, she thought. The whole problem was that her dad was an international lawyer and politician. For some reason, because he was good at his job, he needed extra security. Extra security meant mechanical deactivators were everywhere throughout their house. Deactivators prevented electronic devices from working, which meant her games didn’t work. A Room, however, was a special room that allowed you to use any electronic device within its confines.

“Can I go to dad’s office?” She knew there was a permanent Room there.

Her mom didn’t hear, having already left the living room.

“Mom?”

Paxine punched the cushion again. It was weeks before her birthday.

“Mom?” She followed her mom into the kitchen. “Can I at least go to school tomorrow?”

“I thought you were ahead in your homework?”

Since she was home schooled, she usually only went to class for exams or getting new books.

“I am but I have to invite everyone to my birthday party.”

“You can send out invitations” Her mom started setting the table for dinner.

“No one sends invitations out any more. You ask them in person and get a response right then and there.” Paxine thought her mother out of anyone would know the current etiquette of parties.

“So how many are you asking?”

“The whole class and we’re going to do a whole day of virtual reality games.” Paxine said, feeling cantankerous.

“Uha. And how many is that?” Her mom could tell she was just being ornery.

“Alice, Paulie, Marcus, and Mia. The usual,” Paxine said.

“For a minute there I thought I needed a layer cake for each year. Twelve layer cake just to feed them all.”

“That would be okay. Chocolate, right?” She licked her lips.

Her mom laughed. “Yes, you can go to school tomorrow.”

Beside, thought Paxine, she had some grandma homework to do.

“In fact, tomorrow is your lucky day. Your dad and I have to go out, so grandma will pick you up from school and you’ll have dinner with her.”

“Wow, a restaurant and I can order my own dinner.” Paxine pretended to be starry eyed. Dinner at a restaurant with her parents was no different from dinner at home. She had to eat what ever was in front of her, which meant she never got to order what she really wanted.

“Sorry. I hear it’s dinner at grandma’s house.”

“That’s okay, too. I love Marietta’s food.” Marietta was her grandma’s housekeeper.

Her mom laughed. “You sound like we never feed you.”

“Well, then, what’s for supper?”

“Italian sausage stew. You’ve had it before.”

“Yeah, that’s good. When’s supper?”

“An hour.”

“A whole hour. I’ll starve by then.” Paxine pretended she was already getting weak.

“Well, while you’re starving get your school stuff together so we’re not running around in the morning. Security escorts don’t like to wait.”

Her dad’s extra security meant she was escorted to school, just as her mom was escorted wherever she went. Neither of them liked being escorted, but they didn’t have a choice.

“Mom, where’s my school bag?” Paxine ran through the kitchen the next morning.

“On the counter.”

“Where’s my…?”

“In the living room.”

The security escort wasn’t looking happy. Paxine had her school bag ready to go before breakfast, but she had emptied out a couple of books to make sure her finished homework was there and somehow the books ended up everywhere but in the kitchen where she unpacked them.

“Paxine.” Now her mom wasn’t sounding happy. “You’re going to be late, and I have movers coming at any moment to start packing.”

“Almost ready. There.” Paxine zipped shut her backpack and headed toward the door.

“Get going. See you tonight.” Her mom stood there as if expecting something.

“No time for a hug mom, gesh. Later.” Paxine rolled her eyes. She was getting too old for hugs.

The escort opened a closet door, which held his cube. In private homes, closets served as cube landings. The cube dinged its departure and dinged its arrival in the school parking lot.

Paxine rushed out without a word. The first bell to get to class was ringing.

“No running in the hall.”

Paxine spun around. “Marcus.”

A short, heavy boy, with a brown crew-cut hair and dark eyes laughed at her. His glasses jiggled.

“You scared me,” she said.

“Yep. Ha. You’re late. Coming to school finally?” He fell into step with her.

“My birthday’s coming up. Can you come?”

“A girl’s birthday party?” he said, looking disgusted.

“Virtual reality games,” she said in an offhand manner.

“Count me in.” He followed her into class.

Paxine knew Marcus wasn’t the type of kid most people invited to parties. He didn’t talk much and he was always showing how smart he was when he did talk. However, he shared her love of virtual reality games and was a worthy opponent. She loved the challenge of beating him.

“Mia,” Paxine said to a girl who was a few inches shorter than her.

“Yo, Paxine.” Mia flung her long brown hair out of her eyes, cutting short her conversation with another girl who Paxine knew was Chanti.

Chanti had vivid red hair. She was the Principal’s daughter and very quiet with the habit of being embarrassed by everything and turning as red as her hair.

Mia slapped hands and tapped elbows with Paxine in greeting. “Finally, you’re coming to school.”

“Just for today.”

Chanti gave an embarrassed little wave as she sat at her desk. Paxine felt a little sorry for her, but Chanti didn’t play virtual reality games. Her mom was totally against them.

“My birthday is coming up. Can you come?” Paxine gave Chanti a half-hearted wave back.

“Of course. Saturday after next, right? Time?” Mia said.

“Eleven, of course.”

“Virtual reality?” Mia said, looking as if there could only be one answer.

“Yeah, of course.”

“Paulie coming?” Mia looked beyond Paxine.

“Paulie coming where?” A tall blonde boy jumped behind Paxine. He was the most popular boy in class, but he wasn’t stuck up about it, and he loved virtual reality games.

“My birthday. Virtual reality,” Paxine said without a flinch.

“Count me in,” he said.

There were going to be some jealous girls, Paxine thought, but she didn’t care.

“We need five to play Emersion de Resistance,” Marcus said in a mumble behind everyone.

“Alice.” Paxine motioned to a blonde girl sitting at her desk.

Mrs. Corner, her teacher, was trying to get everyone’s attention.

Alice didn’t seem to have heard Paxine and the others talking, but Paxine knew better. The best way to describe Alice was the ‘I’m always going to be good’ sort of student, but Paxine knew her weakness.

‘Virtual reality,” Paxine mouthed to Alice who had turned her head just a bit.

“Excuse me, Mrs. Corner.” Alice rose from her seat and joined her. “Class is starting, Paxine.”

“Birthday. Can you come?” She ignored Alice’s attempt at being bossy.

“Yes, I can. Thank you. Usual time?” Alice was very proper.

“Yep.” Paxine spun to face Mrs. Corner.

“Paxine.” Mrs. Corner was zeroing in on the reason the last few students were ignoring her.

“Good morning, Mrs. Corner. I’ve got homework to turn in.” She pulled out a bunch of papers from her school bag. It was nice never needing a note to explain her absences. As long as the school kept receiving her homework, the school was happy with her progress.

“Glad you could make it. Take your seats everyone,” Mrs. Corner said, taking the papers.

“Who thought of a virtual reality game that requires five people. That is just plain stupid,” Alice was the last one to join the group at lunch.

“How do you always know when it’s pizza day?” Paulie said.

Paxine rolled her eyes. “It’s Friday. Every Friday is pizza day.”

“Oh, yeah.” He laughed, digging into his second piece.

Marcus sat hunched on her left. He usually ate alone, but Paxine always sat by him when she was there, and Paulie, Alice, and Mia always sat by her. Mia sat on her right. Paulie and Alice sat across from them.

Alice brought her lunch, as usual, but today she was eating pizza. Her pink and blue flowered lunch bag sat ignored by her.

“You know your mom’s going to know you ate pizza.” Paxine poked her bag.

Alice shrugged. Paulie took her lunch bag.

“See. Someone took my lunch,” Alice said. “I had to eat something.”

Everyone laughed.

Paulie opened her bag and stole her sandwich. “Your mom does make the best sandwiches.”

“It’s yours. But the pudding is mine.” She grabbed her lunch bag back. “So why five players.” Alice moved the topic back to the virtual reality game.

“The inventor had four best friends, so he geared the game to include them,” Paxine said.

“But you can’t even play the game unless there are five people. So like, even to practice, you need five people.” Alice slapped Paulie’s hand away from her pudding.

“He designed the game just for himself and friends, but someone liked it so much, they marketed it,” Marcus said. “Say, do you have enough goggles and gloves?”

“I guess he wasn’t the only one with four friends who liked to play virtual reality game,” Paxine said. “Besides, it keeps it even. Everyone gets the same amount of game time and practice. I can hardly wait.”

“But who would come to school just for pizza day?” Paulie managed to steal Alice’s pudding without her noticing.

“Paulie, I didn’t come to school for pizza day. I came to invite you guys to my birthday party. Duh. Besides, tomorrow is moving day, and my mom was going to have a house full of packers today. I think I’d rather be here.” She rolled her eyes.

“When we last moved, I found the perfect skeleton of my snapping turtle under my dresser.” Marcus was staring at his empty plate. “Do you have enough goggles and gloves?”

“Razor? So that’s what happened to him,” Mia said. “I liked him. Yeah, I have two pairs of gloves and goggles, I’ll bring them both.”

“But you’ll have to pack when you get home. That’s no fun.” Alice looked around for her pudding. “I don’t have any goggles or gloves.”

“Not going home. Going to grandma’s. Mom and dad are going out. Something with my dad’s work. I have two pairs of gloves and goggles. So if everyone brings what they got, we’re set.”

“I wish your birthday was this weekend,” Mia said.

“I know. I hate waiting.” Paxine stole Alice’s pudding away from Paulie who wasn’t looking.