“You know.” It wasn’t a question. Heidi said it like a statement as if she could see the truth written on Harmony’s forehead.
“Yes, I do.”
“Do you believe it?”
“I’m not sure. It seems impossible.” They both stood awkwardly and then Harmony said, “I want to know for sure.”
“That’s why we’re here.”
“We?”
“Arrow is here, too.”
Harmony’s heart skipped a beat. “Where is he?”
Heidi looked sad. “Waiting for you.” She motioned for Harmony to follow and she obeyed.
They walked through the dimly lit theatre until they reached “Screen 7”. Harmony stepped into the room without pausing, but her heart was beating rapidly. She had known isolation, anxiety, and depression— but none of those feelings compared to what she was experiencing now. Her whole life as Harmony was a lie and the truth of her past could be frightening.
The auditorium was illuminated by warm light, which was comforting. Harmony was accustomed to the modern-day shift to LED lighting, so the old-style bulbs were unfamiliar to her. The room was filled with black, metal-backed chairs with hinged, cushioned seats. Each aisle was slanted down leading to the front of the room where a giant screen hung framed by red velvet curtains. She glanced back instinctively and saw Heidi pointing to the seats. Harmony saw the back of Arrow’s head and the dark lines of his tattoos peeping above his shirt collar.
He craned his neck to see who had entered and smiled when he saw Harmony. She walked down the slanted, carpeted aisle and scooted down row “G” to sit beside Arrow.
“It’s so good to see you in this place.” He said and wrapped his strong arms around her. The embrace made her want to spontaneously burst into tears.
When she pulled away she said, “Heidi caught me.” She glanced to the back and saw that there was a small window on the back wall with a camera poking cautiously out. Heidi was shuffling around in there.
“She found us, too.” Arrow said.
“Us?”
“The good Doc was with us, but…” Arrow averted Harmony’s eyes. “we had a falling out and got separated.”
Before she could inquire what had happened, the lights dimmed and a clicking sound started up in the back room. The camera flickered on and a movie began to play on the big screen. It was comforting to hide in the semi-darkness and focus her thoughts on what was happening. The little girl on the screen had long bleach-blonde hair and was playing in a field full of crabgrass and wildflowers. It wasn’t a very interesting beginning and there didn’t seem to be any kind of plot. The girl and her parents lived an average life.
Rather suddenly, the father left when the girl turned 11 and her first day of middle school was tragic to watch. Harmony was invested now. There were many moments where the girl would be left at her school until late at night by her mother who had turned to pills and alcohol. On several occasions, she tried to have friends over and her mother was passed out on the couch. School was spent avoiding the uncomfortable stares and conversations with guidance counselors. The little girl didn’t want her mom getting in trouble, so she always lied.
The girl grew up and attended community college after high school graduation. This girl was Heidi. The familiar dreadlocks and tattoos began accumulating during the latter half of high school and the beginning of college. Harmony’s chest tightened as Heidi’s first day of college included a very familiar face. Arrow. The two fell in love and the romance seemed to go too fast. Harmony’s insides were screaming, “No!” The dread she had felt upon entering this world consumed her. It was as if she knew what was going to happen. But how could she? Arrow stiffened beside her, but they did not speak to one another.
As if it couldn’t get any worse, Heidi got pregnant. The joy that filled her face was quickly replaced by fear as Arrow’s past began unraveling. She found out that he had been selling codes to hack through the chip’s security features. These were being sold to addicts and sold to her mom. He had told her it was for the greater good and that people in charge were preventing patients from overcoming their mental illness.
When Heidi was 12 weeks pregnant, her mother was no longer responsive. She had gone too far to numb her pain and there was no going back. To top it all off, Heidi went to her OBGYN appointment and was told her daughter had indicators for Down Syndrome.
“If you would like to terminate the pregnancy, I don’t blame you.” The doctor had said.
The next thing that happened was almost too much for Harmony to bear. The abortion of the child happened with no fanfare and no significant outward change, but Harmony could tell Heidi was in a lot of pain. The light had faded from her eyes.
The scenes came hard and fast at this point until they came to a screeching halt at a scene that only showed Heidi gazing at herself in the mirror. She glanced down at her arm where stitches had been sewn to seal the Thought Conductor under her skin. She steadily transformed into Harmony on screen and in that moment, the Harmony seated in the dim theatre felt a mental dam break as all her memories came back to her. She couldn’t breathe and all the pain and heartbreak felt like too much to bear. A buzzing heat started at the base of her neck and began to spread up her neck and across her skull.
Harmony sensed that Arrow was looking at her, but she refused to turn her head. She gripped the cold metal armrests for support, but she felt like she was going to pass out. When she started having feelings for Arrow, the only thing she was afraid of was his addiction. Now that she had her memories back, she knew he was the man the government had hidden her from. She had testified against him in court and sent him to prison. He had been the one who gave her biological mother access to Thought Conductor codes that destroyed her. Arrow was the reason she had lost everything.
She had terminated her pregnancy because she was scared of him and scared of an uncertain future. She could have been a mother at this point, but that wasn’t her reality anymore. Something inside her mourned that loss. Her baby would have been different and that difference would not have been accepted by others. She might have had medical issues. Harmony wouldn’t have known how to care for her. Her decision made sense and she didn’t have confidence that she could be a mother.
But all she wanted in that moment was to hold that child in her arms.
The screen faded to black. Arrow and Harmony sat in the dark as a ringing silence filled the air. Before Harmony could muster up the courage to speak, she heard little footsteps padding down the carpeted aisle. Out of the darkness appeared Haven. Her sweet smile and beautiful almond-shaped eyes were turned towards Harmony.
“You’re my real Mom.” Haven said simply. Her words came slowly and deliberately, but it was unmistakable the meaning of the words.
The shame and the guilt flowed through Harmony like fire. “I’m sorry…” The tears ran down her face and her voice shook.
“I’m okay now, mom. It’s okay. I’m with my Creator now.”
“Creator?”
“He loves you, too. He’s forgiven you. Find him and we can be together.”
Harmony embraced her daughter and sobbed into her very real shoulder. “You look so healthy and happy.” She said through the tears.
“I am.”
Harmony held her at arm’s length and looked at her closely. She was different, but she also looked so much like Heidi with blonde hair and a thin frame. But she then saw Arrow’s fierceness and sharp ears.
“I forgive you, Mommy.” Haven said sincerely.
Arrow shifted behind Harmony and she could feel him kneel and peer into Haven’s face. “This is our daughter?” He asked, his strong voice cracking with the beginning of tears.
“Yes.” Harmony whispered, glancing at him.
