The Livingstones

Prologue

Faith Livingstone pruned upon her crinkled dress as her steely gaze swivelled around the room. She couldn't be happier to be surrounded with such elaborate ladies from around the world.

Her greying hair was pulled into a straight bun, a few strands of hair mischievously sticking out of its shape. Supreme Court wanted to capture this historical day, but Faith simply wanted this matter to be handled in privacy. Yet, Faith could still see the press desperately trying to bust in the room.

Her pashmina scarf laced around her neck made her feel a tad hot, but it was worth it for the other seven girls sitting in the room. 

One of them was stroking a small bump on her belly as she whispered loving sentences to it. Another, with dark hair, nervously rapped her fingers against her thighs. Next to the girl with dark hair, sat an older girl with auburn hair fidgeting around her seat, itching to get some of her personal space. A pair of twins with dark hair linked their arms in pitiful silence. Across them, sat an overweight girl and a dark-skinned woman with cherry-red lips all sleeping in sync.

Faith balled up her dress in her fists as she tried to neglect the pessimism trying to course her veins. All the young women had fought for their lives, and now, the government had ought to give them something well-deserved; something they never had--

"Faith April Livingstone," addressed the judge, shifting in his seat.

"Present," she said.

"We are gathered here today to administer something that has never been done before in human history," Judge Prescott paused. "The legalization of an all-women family."

The witnesses burst into chaos as disapproving whispers filled the room. Still, Faith held her stance.

"Order," the judge banged the gavel upon its post. "Order."

When the crowd silenced, Judge Prescott gave Faith a sympathetic look and urged the jurors to throw their inquiries to the woman sitting lonelily on a chair in the middle of the courtroom.

"Miss Livingstone," Faith squeaked a present, "you have requested a legal permit to authorize a family consisting of only females, yes?"

"Yes."

"Miss Livingstone, you have also requested eight adoption papers to the eight women to my right?" a juror gestured to the eight girls to her right.

She nodded. "Yes."

"Miss Livingstone, are you aware that by doing this you are not only creating a revolutionary change but also a possible riot between genders?" pressed another juror leaning forwards in his seat.

Faith struggled to keep eye contact, but her voice was as calm and cool as ever. "Yes."

The courtroom buzzed with disbelief once more as Faith kept her eyes on the eight girls by her side. They rocked with excitement and delirium.

Judge Prescott knocked his gavel irritatedly upon its post as he screamed for order. "Order in the court! God forsake we need some order in here!"

The courtroom fell into an abyss of silence. Faith wiped beads of sweat off her forehead as she locked her lips tightly.

The twins, with their glittering almond-shaped eyes, whispered to each other as the pregnant girl elbowed the taller twin in her ribs. They shared dirty looks until the jury started to inquire Faith some more.

The jury was obviously trying to beseige Faith into her own doubts. Howbeit, she stood firm upon her statement and amazed the jury and the judge; Faith Livingstone wasn't going to give up that easily.

"The jury will now decide on whether Ms. Livingstones's petition should be legalized," announced Judge Prescott.

The jury turned to one side and began an intensified discussion. When they all nodded their heads in agreement, Faith felt a jolt of energy hit her like a bullet train.

"The jury has made their decision," Judge Prescott divulged.

A jury representative stood up and read the paper in her hands twice before she cleared her throat and began. Faith crossed her fingers and watched her girls do the same.

"The letters for the authorization of the all-female family, the Livingstones," she read aloud, putting everyone on the edge of their seats, "have been--"

In fright of what might happen, someone involuntarily sneezed, causing the court to go into fits of laughter. The woman who had sneezed covered the two bright splotches of red upon her cheek as she shrunk into her seat. Judge Prescott laughed the hardest and forgot to even bash the gavel upon its post.

The jury representative cleared her throat (everyone turned their heads) and proceeded with her statement.

"As I was saying," she muttered, "the jury has agreed to legalize this all-female family."

"Legalized it is," Judge Prescott acknowledged the room and striked his gavel twice, signifying the end of the petition.

The seven girls ran towards their hero and engulfed her in a bone-crushing hug. Despite the sensation of having her spine break in half, Faith enjoyed the embrace and hugged back almost immediately.

From the corner of her eye, she could see Judge Prescott waving at her and giving her a thumbs-up.

"Congratulations," he mouthed as Faith giddily grinned back.

It was finally time to go home.