But the Children Survived (59 page)

“It never has before, sir.  I love Mrs. Wilmer and I would never hurt her.  But if you take the boxes out it'll...she'll get bad,” Ethel said. 

Where had he been all the years Ethel had protected Emily? 

“Where does she get all these dolls?”

“She orders them on the Internet,” Ethel replied.

“How does she know about the Internet?” 

“Andrew showed her.  He thought it would cheer her up to look at stuff on there.  She took to it real fast.”  Ethel was smiling at the thought of Emily on the Internet. 

“But where is the computer?” Jacob couldn't understand how all this had been going on right under his nose.

“It's next to her bed, on the other side where you couldn't see.  It's a laptop computer.”  Ethel was so tickled by Jacob's confusion that she had to keep herself from laughing out loud.

“Where is Andrew?”  Jacob asked.

“He hasn't come home yet.” 

“When he does, send him in to see me.” 

“Yes, sir.” 

They reached the top of the steps and Jacob went to his study and sat behind his desk.  He was completely flummoxed.  For the first time in his life, he didn't know what to do.

Chapter 75

When Andrew came home, Jacob called him into the study.  He told him to shut down the Internet in his house.  He next told Andrew that he’d been trying to come up with some way of dealing with Emily's declining mental state.  He told Andrew about the dolls and Andrew said he already knew.

  He told Jacob that he’d been watching his mother curl the dolls' hair since he was a little boy.  Jacob was floored that his son had never confided in him.  Andrew said Jacob would've just gotten mad, and it did make his mother happy.  Jacob asked Andrew what he thought they should do with his mother.

“You can't send her to Blaine's.  She would go ballistic.  We need somewhere safe.”  Andrew had been reading about biospheres on the Internet.  He told his father that they could build something like that on the empty piece of property they had in Palm Harbor, Florida. 

Jacob had forgotten about that property.  He’d bought it on a whim, thinking it might be worth something one day.  It was a huge piece of land surrounded by woods. It would be the perfect place to hide a facility like that.  Andrew could computerize the place.  Then Jacob said, “Why not make it a real biosphere and have a farm and animals?”  They would tell Emily they were going down there to avoid a nuclear holocaust. 

“She'd never agree to leave her family up here,” Andrew said.  Emily had a large extended family in New Jersey and New York.  Jacob despised them all, but she enjoyed her family, and the thought of leaving them in a nuclear wasteland would guarantee her never going underground.

“We could build little houses, one for each of her useless relatives.  We could invite them down to visit.  We would need a dining hall of some sort.  We could also have a library and a wing for scientific research.  This could really be interesting, Andrew.  It would work.”

Andrew felt good that he had been able to please Jacob.  It didn't happen very often.

Jacob hired Martin Prevost to design the biosphere.  When the biosphere construction was completed, Andrew moved into it with a handful of electricians and plumbers.  He set up the computers to run the satellite dish and all the locks and entrances in the facility. 

When Christie Cramer arrived, Andrew remembered her from the New Jersey laboratories.  He’d had a little crush on her, but she only had eyes for her fertilizer.  When she was transferred to Florida, Andrew had thought of following her, but his mother's condition forbade it.  Now, he might have a chance to get to know her.

Andrew set up the virtual room for his mother.  He also set up her bedroom with the wall to wall dolls she’d requested he take with him in his car when he drove to Florida.  She asked him to make sure he put them in her room.

 The walls were full when he still had one large box to empty.  He decided to leave it until she came down.  He stored the box in the basement.  The basement was huge and he had no idea what his father planned to put in there. 

When the furniture arrived, Andrew set it up just like it was at home.

Jacob didn't tell Andrew everything he planned to do with the biosphere.  The truth was, Jacob had been told he had cancer.  He had started treating himself with the purple potion, and had divided what he had between Florida and New Jersey. 

Jacob had Simon bring the spores down and supervise the installation of the wall safe to store them.  Jacob had forgotten he stored his little notebook in the safe, a notebook full of ideas and doodles.  When Simon packed the tubes up for transport, he threw the notebook in the box as well. 

Jacob also had Simon supervise the installation of the supermarket-sized freezers in the basement and had them filled with food.  He asked Simon not to tell Andrew.  He didn't want Andrew to know that he planned to seal them all in the biosphere until he or Emily died. 

Jacob knew Andrew would object to being held prisoner, but it was the only way Emily would be able to cope with her incarceration.  Jacob believed that one day, Andrew would see the logic behind Jacob's actions and forgive him, maybe even thank him. 

Jacob hired Christie Cramer and Gerald Todd because he knew they were in a vulnerable state and would most likely agree to his offer of research in the biosphere.  He supplied them with everything they needed to make it look official. 

He also employed a doctor recommended by a colleague.  The doctor had been involved in a Medicare scandal and lost his license.  He would be grateful for any employment, and Jacob needed a physician in case his cancer took a turn for the worst and he needed pain medication.  He would have his New Jersey physician call his prescriptions down ahead of time and have Simon pick them up at the pharmacy. 

Jacob then asked Simon to move into the biosphere and pose as a plumber supervising a young guy named Pat Luca, who’d been brought over from Tampa to live and work in the facility.  Jacob told him he wanted Simon to be his eyes and ears until he could move in himself. 

Calvin was a mechanic in Atlanta when Jacob Wilmer hired him.  It was to be a temporary job, and Calvin needed the money.  He had a friend working at the Tampa facility who recommended him to Jacob.  He was to keep the trucks in tip top shape and help Christie with the field.

The last person he brought in was Jasper, an electrician from his Cranberry facility.  Jasper supervised the installation of the wiring of the facility and the satellite dish that Jacob had acquired through a “friend” in Washington, D.C. 

When he and Emily actually entered the biosphere, they would take any of their staff who wanted to go.  They could also hire servants from the area.  Ethel and John were getting older, so they agreed to accompany them to Florida and a warmer climate. 

Simon reported that everything was in place.  Jacob had given notice to the board to elect a new CEO as he was stepping down for reasons of health. 

The week before Jacob and Emily were due to arrive, Andrew heard the alarm and ran to investigate what had set it off, only to find the hatchway leading out had been sealed shut.  He had programmed the automatic shutdown in case of a nuclear disaster or poisonous attack as per his father's instructions.  He thought the guy was getting a little nutty in his old age, but did it anyway.  He was just as shocked as everyone else when the damned thing worked.

Epilogue

Andrew looked at himself in the mirror.  The tuxedo was a little big, but it would do nicely.  Christie had picked it up when she took the girls to find their dresses.  It was black with satin lapels and a black tie.  Andrew thought he looked pretty sharp. 

He left Jason’s bedroom and walked down the stairs to the first floor.  The kitchen was empty.  Most of the guests were out on the beach, waiting for the wedding to begin.

Andrew walked out onto the deck.  He could see Pat and George, but didn’t see his best man.  Pat saw him and waved, and Andrew walked over to join them.

“Anybody seen Jason?” he asked.

“I think he’s with Jenny,” George replied.  “You’ve picked a splendid day for a wedding, Andrew.”

“Yeah, it couldn’t be any nicer,” Pat said.

“So, when are you leaving?” Andrew was looking at Pat’s boat, anchored to the dock next door to Jason’s house.

“Tomorrow morning.  Jay says I can stay here tonight,” Pat said. 

“Well, I hope you find a woman, Pat.”  Andrew smiled.

“There have to be live women in Puerto Rico,” Pat said.  “I mean the stuff can’t go over salt water, right?”

“That’s what they tell us,” George said.  “I’m thinking of taking a trip to Martha’s Vineyard myself.  It’s been years since I’ve been there.  I have friends there, you know.”  George looked out at the ocean.  “At least I have hope that they’re still with us.”

“I’ll miss you guys,” Andrew said.  The three had been through a lot together.

“Well, I haven’t decided definitely yet, Andrew.  And I would come back,” George said. 

“What about you, Pat?  You gonna bring your bride up here to meet us?” Andrew asked.

“Of course I would.  You guys are my family now.”

Mindy and Maria Elena ran past the men.  They were dressed in their bridesmaid’s dresses and looked like little princesses.  Mindy wore a pastel pink sleeveless satin dress with a full skirt that almost reached her ankles.   Maria Elena’s dress was lavender with puffy sleeves and ruffles that went around and around her skirt.  Baby Girl and Ricky were chasing them and barking.

“Hey, slow down,” Andrew yelled.  “Christie wants you to stay clean until the ceremony.”

The girls slowed down and looked at Andrew. They giggled, and slowly walked to the large group of girls gathered around the buffet table.

“They’re gonna get dirty,” Andrew said.  “Christie won’t like it.”

“Patrick, I believe it’s time to start the music,” George said, and Pat nodded as he walked to the deck.

 Pat was in charge of the music.  He’d found an electronics store close to the biosphere and picked out a massive sound system for use at the wedding.  He’d given it to Jason in exchange for the boat.  Jason had been given him sailing lessons for several weeks now, and Pat felt confident he could handle the boat.  He’d been cooped up too long, and he looked forward to being alone for a while.

Pat put the CD in the player and the music began.  It was the
Pachelbel Canon in D.  Mindy and Maria Elena ran up to the deck, turned around, and then slowly walked towards the archway that had been placed near the water for the ceremony.  The guests had gathered for the ceremony, and made a path for the girls.  Baby Girl and Ricky followed them.

 Jenny walked out onto the deck.  She was wearing a sweet yellow strapless dress with a full skirt covered in crystals.  She walked down the steps and over to the archway.  Jason was standing next to Andrew wearing a tuxedo.  Jenny thought he looked very handsome. 

Then Christie appeared at the doorway.  She had chosen a simple, straight ivory gown that hung loosely on her slender frame.  She looked beautiful.  Julius was waiting to escort her to her groom.  She took his arm, and walked across the sand to join Andrew at the archway. 

George had been chosen to officiate.  He was taking his post very seriously.  George wasn’t a religious man, so he chose to read “An Apache Song.”

“Now you will feel no rain,
for each of you will be a shelter to the other.
Now you will feel no cold,
for each of you will be warmth to the other.
Now there is no loneliness for you,
now there is no more loneliness.
Now you are two bodies,
but there is only one life before you.
Go now to your dwelling place,
to enter into your days together.
And may your days be good,
and long upon the earth.”

The couple exchanged rings.  Then with tears in his eyes, Andrew kissed his bride.  Christie could barely contain her happiness.  She jumped up and threw her arms around his neck, clinging to him with all her strength.  Everyone cheered.

Katie rolled her eyes as Alyssa cried.  Alyssa looked over at Austin, who had grown a foot taller and looked so cute.

Dani and Joe came up to the happy couple and hugged them.  Dani was six months pregnant.  The biosphere kids ran up to them and almost knocked them over.  It took a while to get them to settle down, but when George brought out the wedding cake, they all ran to the buffet table leaving Andrew and Christie alone.

“I love you Christie.  I always have and I always will.” Andrew held her hand. 

“I love you, too, Andrew.”

Christie was teary and couldn’t speak.  She’d thought her life was over when Neil and Haley died.  To be given this second chance was just too much for her.  Andrew put his arms around her and held her while she cried into his shoulder.

Maria Elena walked slowly up to Andrew and Christie.  Christie noticed her standing close by and put her arm out.  Maria Elena put her arms around Christie and Andrew, and they put theirs around her.  She was now living with them in the Wilmer residence.  They were officially a family.