Matronly
Duties
By Melissa Kendall
Genre: Romantic Science fiction
Centuries after
the asteroid that sent Earth into the ice age, the remaining humans live in
underground sanctuaries. As the Impact Bi-Centennial Anniversary approaches,
Bethanie Greene prepares to take her place as the Government's new leader. Or
so she thinks.
With her life
planned out, Bethanie trains to become the next Matron of the underground
nation of Oceania. Until six weeks shy of taking office she's kidnapped by
extremists; then rescued by a handsome stranger.
Harboring a
deep-seated resentment of the government, Howard James struggles to survive in
a world where those in power wished he didn’t exist. Ironically, he finds
himself rescuing the soon-to-be head of the government, Bethanie Green. Torn
between his resentment of everything she represents and her beauty, Howard
shows Bethanie a different side of life in Oceania, while at the same time
opening her eyes to the injustices of the government she is meant to lead.
Can Bethanie
trust this man? Who is this handsome stranger who fights everything she
believes in?. And he gets under her skin like nobody has even dared before.
Against all
odds, Bethanie must decide if her heart and her duties can coexist.
My body shakes
at the thought of what could have happened to me yet again. I’ve heard stories
about the slums, and I have to take a few deep breaths to calm myself.
“I was silly
running away, I get it. I just couldn’t stay in your home any longer.”
Howard sighs.
“Just because my parents raised us with traditionalist values doesn’t mean we are
anything like the Trads. You accused us of being a drain on society, but you
don’t even know us.”
“You’re right, I
don’t. But you don’t know me either. If you did, you would understand why it’s
hard for me to understand your way of life. It goes against every law, moral,
and convention I’ve been taught. So I can’t be sorry for what I said, even if
I’m sorry I ran out of the house.”
Howard takes a
deep breath, then exhales long and slow. The expression on his face looks a bit
like pity but with a dash of guilt mixed in. “Look, maybe I’ve judged you
unfairly based on preconceived notions, but—”
A loud bang
echoes outside. Howard glances at me with a panicked look on his face, and then
pulls me off the crate onto the floor behind. I sit up, and turn to yell at
him, but male voices outside keep my mouth closed. I instead huddle closer to
Howard as he puts his hand around my shoulders. He pulls me in until I’m tucked
against him.
“Did you see
where she went?” a man’s voice asks.
“Nah, she just
vanished.” The voice of this one sounds young.
“Damn, the boss
isn’t going to be pleased about this.”
The crunch of
shoes against pavement indicates they are on the move again. The sounds trail
off until they’re no longer audible. I sigh in relief, all the tension fleeing
my body.
“Are you okay?’
Howard asks, rubbing my shoulder.
I glance up,
only then noticing how little space is between us. His blue eyes have flecks of
grey in them, and there’s a smattering of freckles covering his nose and
cheeks. His warm breath tickles my cheek almost like a caress, and his jaw has
the barest hint of a five o’clock shadow. He really is captivating.
“I’m fine,” I
eventually say, the words a mere whisper.
The butterflies
in my stomach return with a vengeance. Howard licks his lips as they turn up
ever so slightly in a smile.
“Good.”
I can’t stop the
sigh that slips past my own lips. Howard leans forward a little, then moves
closer still until his mouth is pressed against mine. I don’t dare move. A zing
of something, I’m not sure whether it’s pleasure or fear, shoots through me.
His lips are soft and wet, and the sensation is unlike anything I’ve felt
before. I can’t even decide if I want him to continue or stop. When he pulls
away though, a feeling of disappointment bubbles up inside me.
My first kiss.
Goosebumps cover
me from head to toe, and unbidden, my fingers move to my lips. Glancing at
Howard, he stares at me for a minute, then moves to sit further away.
“I’m sorry. I
shouldn’t have done that.”
I shrug. “It’s
okay.”
Howard frowns
and then looks across the room.
Part of Matron
training is learning not to form close relationships. It doesn’t mean it never
happens. I’ve heard the odd story here and there from the other women, and I
realise that’s probably what Gail was trying to tell me at breakfast the other
day. But in all honesty, I can’t remember the last time I had real physical
contact with anyone, above all with a man.
We sit in
uncomfortable silence for a few minutes. Tension rolls off Howard in waves.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Come
on,” Howard whispers. “We need to get to the house before those guys come
back.”
Melissa Kendall
is a forty-year-old mother of two from Perth, Western Australia, the
second-most isolated capital city in the world. Predominantly a stay-at-home
mum, she works a few hours a week as a software support consultant. She has
always loved to read and write, and spent most of her teens writing poetry and
short stories. Over the years, daily life got in the way and she lost the
passion for it, but after the birth of her first child, Melissa discovered
e-books and her interest in writing rekindled. She is now the author of four
published short stories. Matronly Duties is her first full-length novel.
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