The Soulmate Curse

CLOVE (for memory)

"Hey mum," said Finn after accessing the VR space wither mum. "Is everything okay?"

"Oh, yes. Everything's fine," came the reply. Her mum was smiling like it was Christmas morning. "I hope you're not too busy. I was hoping to share some news with you."

"I was kind of in the middle of something important, but I can spare a couple of minutes," said Finn. For some reason, her heart started beating really fast. "You seem happy. What's up?"

"Uh... I've been seeing someone."

"What? That's amazing!" said Finn. "But, what about the curse?"

"That's why I had to share this with you. This isn't supposed to be possible, but it is," said her mum. Her voice was shaking. "You said you'd have the day off to rest after your long week, and I was hoping to steal a little of your time tonight. I thought, maybe, you could meet him tonight? It'll only take a few minutes."

"You've organised a VR meet up, haven't you?" said Finn with a little laugh. "That's sneaky."

"Maybe a little. I'm just so excited," said her mum cheerily. "But it's up to you. We don't have to do this now if you're too busy."

Finn had never seen her mum like this before. She was acting like a lovestruck teenager, suppressing giggles, blushing, almost breaking out in song and dance. It was so weird. But it was also the best thing she'd ever seen. Her mum was so happy. It's not like she wasn't usually happy. It's just that this time there was a radiance inside her that Finn could feel even through the VR interface. Finn couldn't possibly deny her anything in this state.

"Okay, mum," said Finn, getting a bit more comfortable in her chair. "I'll spare you a few minutes."

"That's wonderful! Thank you dear," said her mum, clapping with excitement. Finn's eyebrow shot straight up at the uncharacteristic glee. "I'll bring your sisters on as well."

Ina and Sorcha joined them in the VR space and the three sisters were soon embroiled in a multiplayer game of VR Guitar Hero. This was the only way that Finn could beat her sisters at anything music related. Meanwhile, their mum left their space to go find her man and let him know he could join in the chat too.

"Okay girls," said their mum, joining them once more in their VR space. "They're ready."

"They?" questioned Finn. Her heart started up again. Why was she suddenly so apprehensive?

"He has two daughters and was hoping we could all meet up," her mum explained. "Here they are."

At that instant, in front of Finn and her sisters' virtual band stage, stood Zhen, a little girl with the same long dark hair as Zhen and Zhen's dad.

"Girls, I'd like you to meet Aldo Roberts and his daughters," said Finn's mum. "Finn, you already know Aldo. In fact, if it wasn't for you introducing us the way you did, we would never have got together. You know Zhen too, your roommate. And that's her little sister Akemi."

"Thank you, Leana. It's good to finally meet you girls. Although, as Leanna said, I've already met you once, Finn," said Zhen's dad with a heartbreakingly charming smile. Finn's heart ached when she saw that iconic smile on a face that wasn't Zhen's. "Akemi, Zhen, I'd like to introduce you to Leana, Finn, Ina and Sorcha."

Sorcha was the first to speak up. "How old are you, Akemi?"

From there, the three younger girls dove deep into conversation, getting to know each other and setting up another game of VR Guitar Hero amongst themselves. The grownups watched them walk away, excited to get acquainted. Finn was frozen in horror, trying to process what was happening. How the curse had struck her again. Zhen broke the silence between them.

"Dad, Mrs. Darrow, can Finn and I be excused for just a few minutes to talk IRL?" she asked politely. "Promise, we'll be right back."

"Of course, girls," said Finn's mum. "And please, you call me Leana, Zhen."

"Sure thing, Mrs. D."

Finn and Zhen exited the VR space. Finn opened her bedroom door to find Zhen standing just outside.

"We have to tell them," said Finn.

"Tell them what?"

"About us. How we feel about each other."

"We can't."

"What? Why not?"

This was the only way Finn could fight back against that stupid curse. Maybe even break it! This was her chance. She could feel it. She had to make Zhen understand.

"My dad was drinking himself to an early grave and there was nothing I could do but watch," said Zhen. "He hasn't touched a drop of alcohol for four months, which is how long he's known your mum! You don't understand how broken he was. I can't risk him going back to that place, Finn."

"But..."

Those cursed words continued to play through Finn's mind, dancing like possessed, manic spirits just taunting her.

To feel the pain that they have wrought/ Every Darrow girl will find her one true love/ But, whether they want to or not/ They will always betray what they have.

"What about your mum?" Zhen asked, breaking through her mad thoughts.

"What about her?"

Zhen raised her eyebrow. Finn went silent for a moment. The words of the curse were now being shouted at her in her mind. The Darrow women were destined to find their soulmate, love them, betray them somehow, and face loss, never to love again. That was their destiny. It had been for generations. Her mum had already loved once. And yet, here she was, loving another. She was happy again. Full of spirit. Hope. Purpose. Then there was Finn. She'd found Zhen, betrayed her, lost her, but then she'd just gotten her back. And now, she was facing a choice where the outcome would destroy either hers, or her mother's newfound love. It was a no-win situation.

Finn sighed. "I've never seen her this happy. Not since my dad."

Zhen nodded. "We can't tell them."

"Zhen, I can't just forget this, you and me."

"You have to," said Zhen, with a sigh. "We have to promise that we can't fall in love."

"That's insane. It's already happened."

"If we chose to be together, you know for a fact that they'll let us. They'll sacrifice their thing for ours. Then they'll go back to how they were before. You know this is true. Finn, promise me."

"Don't make me..."

"Finn," Zhen was pleading. Almost begging. "Please?"

"Okay," said Finn, buckling under the weight of Zhen's pleading gaze. "Alright. No falling in love."

Zhen offered Finn her hand. "Friends?"

Finn took a deep breath and reluctantly agreed. "Friends."

They re-joined the VR call just as her mum was telling the others about first meeting Aldo. How the first thing she did was slap him. Aldo joined in describing how that slap felt like an awakening from a fog he hadn't even known he'd been in. It was a sweet story, accompanied by just the right amount of 'aww' from the girls. They then ended up spending the rest of the night playing a multitude of VR games as one big, new happy family.