Page 47 of The Pacifist
“The book is very old so you have to be careful with it.”
“Don’t worry. The Gray Manor is filled with antique books. I’m used to reading them with care.”
“Yes, but this book is extremely precious.”
With both hands, she held the book I handed her as if it were a newborn baby with a fragile neck to protect. Slowly she turned it around to read the title on the cover. “Gardening in Cold Climates.”
I gave her a smile. “I thought you might like to read it.”
“Wow, that’s so nice of you, Jonah. Thank you.”
With an amused smile, I revealed, “The cover is from a different book. The real one is underneath.”
“Oh.” Mila removed the first cover and then her eyes popped to double size. “Is this…?”
I nodded. “Yep! It’s the infamous book that aroused a nation and made the council ban all romance books.”
Her fingers trailed above the title on the green cover without ever touching it. “I can’t believe this.” She gave me a quick glance as to assure herself that I wasn’t joking.
“It’s the real thing,” I confirmed.
Mila swallowed and stroked the book while whispering the title aloud. “Forbidden Letters from the North.”
“I smuggled it out from the restricted section. Hence the false cover.”
“But Jonah, this isn’t who you are. Breaking rules and laws like this and putting your future on the Council at risk.”
With her sitting on the counter we were eye to eye. “What if it is? I don’t agree with the restrictive laws. None of them make much sense to me.”
“But aren’t you afraid your critics will use it against you?”
My head fell forward and again, I let out all the air from my lungs. “I can’t live my life in fear of losing my place on the Council. If I do, it will paralyze me and I won’t be able to make any change.”
Mila lifted my head. “So, what are you going to do?”
Chewing on my lip, I thought about it. “What I always do. Be myself.”
“What do you mean?”
“I have to stay true to who I am and what I believe in. I can’t be a populist and say what people want to hear. I’m different than the other members on the Council, but I see that as a good thing. Maybe the majority of the population prefer things the old way, but what about the rest of us? Who’s going to speak for the rebels, the romantics, and the thrill seekers, if not me?”
Mila’s dimples popped out as her face softened in a smile. Swinging her hand through the air she spoke in a narrator’s voice. “Authenticity is the highest form of integrity. Quote Councilman Jonah Cervici.”
“Are you making fun of me?”
“No. I’m in awe of you.” Placing her hand on her chest she still smiled. “When you talk like that it makes my heart beat faster.”
“You are making fun of me!”
“No, it makes complete sense because if you can’t be true to yourself, you can’t be true to any cause. I get it!”
My shoulders relaxed. “Does that mean you agree?”
“By agree, do you mean if I want you to challenge the other hundred Council members to see things differently? Of course I do.”
“Good, because that’s what I was elected to do in the first place.”
Mila blew out her cheeks. “True, but be strategic about how you do it. Everyone is threatened by change. It’s the same back home.”
