Morning Musings

“Wake up, dear!”

Sophia stretched and groggily opened her eyes.

“Mmphf.”

“Come now. None of that. You have a lot to do today.”

“Like what?”

Sophia’s personal assistant pulled a list from the pocket of her jeans. As she did so, Sophia assessed the younger woman. Marie always looked very put-together. Her simple outfits never showed even a hint of a wrinkle. Her blonde hair was always pulled back into a ponytail and never had even a single wisp out of place. She was as organized on the outside as she was on the inside.

“You have to organize the shipments for the new house. You have a virtual meeting with the decorator at ten. Then there is a doctor’s appointment at one. You have a meeting with the board at three and a dinner date with your husband at 6:30. The headman wants your input on what staff he plans to bring with him to the sky. That can happen anytime, but it is important to complete it today. You also mentioned that you wanted to go through your personal effects soon to decide what you wanted to bring with you. We really should get that done today as well.”

Sophia groaned and rolled over in bed. She looked out the window and saw it was raining. Again.

“Give me five more minutes.”

She pulled the covers over her head.

“You’re not sick again, are you?”

She heard Marie move across the room to the side of her bed. Sophia felt the other woman affectionately lay a hand on her shoulder.

“I will have some tea brought up. And crackers. The doctor said those would help in the morning when you are sick. Meanwhile, I put some clothes out for you. Take a few minutes to rest and drink your tea and then I will come to brush your hair and help you get dressed.”

“Can you have someone bring me chocolate cake instead?”

“You know the doctor wants you to focus on eating healthier.”

“I will. But right now I really want chocolate cake.”

“Fine.”

“And maybe just a little splash of coffee?”

“It’s not good for the baby.”

Sophia peeked out from the covers.

“Please?”

Marie smiled at her.

“Your husband is going to fire me if I keep giving in to your wishes like this.”

Then she walked out of the room to order chocolate cake and coffee. Sophia stretched again and sat up. She smiled as she thought of Marie’s last comment. Her husband would never fire Marie. Sophia wouldn’t know what to do without her. Besides, they already filed the paperwork and paid the rather high fees to ensure the woman could come to the sky with them.

The thought of everything she had to do weighed on her. Moving an estate was a lot of work, but the added factor of moving to the sky made the enormous task seem impossible. Every staff member had to be carefully vetted. Not only did they have to agree to leave everything behind to move to the sky, but they also had to undergo rigorous testing to ensure their loyalty to the family and their skill level for the job. Only the best of the best could come to the sky.

Sophia got out of bed, put on her robe and slippers, and moved to her in-suite table that overlooked the estate. She wondered, as she often did, what would become of it all? What would happen when all of the elite moved to the sky and left the ravaged earth to those who couldn’t qualify?

She shook herself from her thoughts just as there was a knock on her door.

“Come in.”

“Your coffee, ma’am. And cake.”

The butler smiled at Sophie indulgently. She nodded at the table and he set both items there for her. When he left, she stood by the doors to her patio to watch the rain some more. She gently wrapped her hand around her stomach and smiled.

“Don’t you worry little one. We will be safe in the sky.”

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Sophie may end up as a character in one of the upcoming novels that I'm still working on a title for. You can read more backstories from this world at the following links.