"Mom, I'm not going," I said to Amelia, folding my arms across my chest.
Shay's father, Kent, sighed as he placed his hands on my arms. "Sweetheart, your mother really wants you to go tonight." He gave me a look that said I didn't have a choice.
Just then, Renn came in the front door from his college classes and froze in the foyer, obviously wondering what was going on.
"Good! Renn, you're here!" I said, moving closer to him. "Then let Renn go with us, at least."
"Go where?" Renn looked between us as if we had all gone crazy. "What's going on?"
I sighed, shaking my head. "Mom's trying to set me up with someone at the Club and wants me to go alone."
Renn shook his head. "Nope. If she goes, then I go."
Kent looked hopefully at his wife, giving her a kind smile.
Amelia huffed, throwing her arms up. "Fine! Everyone go get ready. We're leaving in a half hour. We're supposed to be there at seven o'clock." Mom stormed down the hallway and slammed hers and Father's bedroom door behind her.
Kent looked at us apologetically. "I'm sorry, kids. But you know how your mother is when her mind is made up." Then he followed his wife down the hallway and into their bedroom.
"What was that all about?" Renn asked, setting his backpack on a nearby chair.
"I love Jack, and Mom won't let me go out with him, saying that he isn't of the 'right social class' for me." I sighed, shaking my head. "Now, she wants me to go to the Club and I'm sure she wants to set me up with someone that she deems 'appropriated'."
Renn scoffed, his eyes filled with disbelief. "You're kidding, right? Jack seems like a nice enough guy." He tilted his head sideways, a crease forming between his eyes. "Does he know about the baby yet?"
I nodded, letting out a deep breath. "I told him, and it doesn't matter to him."
"You're kidding...." Renn repeated, his eyes wide in disbelief.
I shook my head. "No, I'm not. The only think he asked was that the baby not know that he's not the father."
"Wow...."
"Yeah, right?" I sighed, shaking my head. "Then I told him that I had to go to the Club tonight and that I suspected Mom wanted to set me up with someone, and then Jack hit the roof and stormed out. Then Mom told me that 'he wasn't for me' and forbade me from seeing him again. Then she fired him from being my tutor."
"No way!" Renn shook his head in disbelief. "You mean, after he said that he would love and accept the baby and that he wanted to be with you, Mom still forbade you from seeing him?"
I nodded. "Yes. Now, I'm afraid I'll never see him again."
Renn sighed. "Well, you know the way Mom is about social classes."
"Yes, but what should it matter?" I asked. "I plan to be independent and earn my own money and take care of this baby anyway. What difference should it make whether Jack's in the same social class? He's a wonderful guy!"
Renn nodded. "Well, we'd better get ready to go before Mom hits the roof again." Then he pulled me in for a hug. "But don't worry. Everything will work out."
I nodded, starting down the hallway. "Renn, thanks for coming tonight. The only way I'd agree to go was if you came with me. I don't want to be railroaded into a loveless marriage because I'm pregnant, and I know you'll help me."
He nodded and then kissed the top of my forehead. "You're right, sis. By the way, if things get too bad here with Mom, the offer to share an apartment with me still stands."
"Thanks, Renn," I replied, glad that Shay had a brother that would stand by her like that. And I felt lucky to have him as a brother, too, even if he didn't know it.
We each hurried to our rooms and when I walked in Shay's bedroom, Stellan was waiting for me.
"Hey," he replied, his eyes filled with concern. "Are you okay?"
I nodded. "You heard everything?"
He nodded but was a bit distant.
"What's wrong?" I asked, looking through the closet for an outfit.
He watched me for a moment and then shook his head. "Nothing."
"Come on. Spill." Mom likes us to dress up when we go to the Club, so I chose a discrete blue dress that wasn't too short and laid it on the bed. "What's wrong, Stellan?"
He shook his head, giving me a weak smile. "It's silly really."
"If it's bothering you, then it's not silly." I looked at the dress laying on the bed, and then at him. "Could you turn around, please? A little privacy?"
"Oh, yeah! Sure," he said, turning around as I asked.
I took off the dress I was wearing and quickly slipped into the other one. "Now, tell me what's wrong." Once I was ready, I said, "You can turn around now."
Stellan sighed as he looked into my eyes. "I know that you're acting on Shay's behalf, but I didn't like it when Jack kissed you."
I stood there, looking at him in stunned disbelief. "You were jealous?"
His breath came out in a huff. "I knew I shouldn't have told you." He sat on the edge of the bed, shaking his head. "We're not supposed to have feelings for our charges."
I sat down beside him and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "No, Stellan. I think it's sweet. But you know that on my jumps, I may have to do things like that for my host, right?"
He nodded, understanding. "Yes, I know. In fact, it's never bothered me with my other charges before. I'm not sure why it's bothering me now."
"In Shay's body, I feel her emotions, as well as my own. I hope that makes sense." I bit my lower lip. "It's Shay who has feelings for Jack. Understand?"
He nodded but said nothing.
"So, when I kissed him, Shay felt it, but I felt it, too." I sighed, trying to explain. "I hope that makes sense."
He nodded again. "Yes, of course. Forget I said anything."
Knock, knock, knock!
"Shay, it's time to go!" Mom yelled through the door. "And don't even think about not going!"
Stellan gave me a weak smile as he ran his fingers through his perfect dark brown hair, and it fell back into place. "I'm so sorry. We're not supposed to get emotionally involved with our charges."
I leaned onto his shoulder. "Don't worry about it. I think it's sweet."
He looked down at me and raised an eyebrow. "Sweet?"
I nodded. "Don't worry. I like you, too."
"Okay, okay. Enough of the mushy stuff," he said, rising to his feet and then helped me up. "I think you'd better go before Shay's mom starts freaking out."
I nodded, but couldn't help but think about what Stellan had just told me. But I wondered if he actually liked me… or just me in Shay's body. Time would tell.