Page 87 of Outside The Wire

“Now, just hear me out. You have a nice young man out there and he’s everything we would want for you, but honey, be sure about him because he isn’t going to buy the cow if the milk is free.”

“I am not a cow!”

“And that’s not milk you’re selling.”

“I’m not selling anything!”

“It’s a metaphor, dear. I thought you understood that,” she said, cocking her head to the side.

“Of course, I understood that,” I hissed. “It’s a little hard to miss the less-than-subtle hints you’re throwing at me.”

“Well, you never can be too sure. All I’m saying is be careful. I would like to see a ring on that finger,” she said, grabbing my left hand and tapping my ring finger. “It would be a shame for you to get pregnant and be left all alone.”

“Is that really what you think would happen?”

“Well, it’s a sad state our world is in.”

God, she could be so dramatic sometimes. “Thanks, Mom, but I think I can handle this.”

“Just be sure, darling.”

I shot her a sarcastic smile and left her in the kitchen to see what other mayhem was happening while I was being lectured to by my mother. I had really hoped to be there when my father appeared, but it seemed I missed the introductions.

“I would recognize that tattoo anywhere!” my father shouted. “You were in the military!”

Oh, crap. This wasn’t good.

“Yes, sir, I was.”

My father narrowed his eyes and advanced on Asher. “Government propaganda. That’s all this is. Do you know why we have a military?”

Asher opened his mouth, but never got the chance to answer.

“It’s all about mind control!” my father shouted. “And you’re part of the system. They’re using you to control us. It starts with you fighting foreign wars, but then we come to rely on you. We see how much that show of force is used for good and realize we feel protected and secure by you. Suddenly, you’re on our streets, protecting us, keeping us safe.”

He spun and looked at the rest of us, already lost in his tangent.

“That’s what they want us to believe! And that’s when they swoop in and take over. No more guns for any of us. They take our land and our freedom! They take our rights, and before you know it, we bow down to the government and do only as they say. Mark my words, you heard it this day!” he said, pointing at the ground.

“Okay,” I smiled, walking over to my dad. “That’s enough of the conspiracy theory talk for one night.

“Conspiracy theory,” he huffed. “It’s only a theory if you bury the truth!”

Noelle sighed, flopping down in a chair. “I need a drink.”

“Dad, why don’t you get that, um…thing you were working on. You can show Asher.”

I had no idea what he was working on, but there was always something. As soon as he left the room, I turned and glared at Asher. “What did I tell you?”

“How exactly was I supposed to stop him from recognizing a tattoo?”

“Cover it up!”

“With what?”

“Makeup!”

He snorted out a laugh. “Right.” When I didn’t laugh along with him, he stopped. “Baby, don’t you think you’re getting a little too worked up over this?”

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