Isaura (24 page)

In a few years’ time, the new generation of children would
start school. If they were anything like Adelaide, everyone in Spade would
know. I was excited by the changes we'd made and the differences we shared.

Adelaide had moved in with Ainsley, the test results sealed
tightly in an envelope. Neither had the courage to open and Ainsley thought it
best to wait, fearful Adelaide might pull away if the results weren't what
they'd both hoped.

Today wasn't only a celebration of freedom from the Republic
of Cabal but of hope. Humanity would live on. Albeit some women grew restless, missing
their husbands and their old homes, so Hunter and Gavin decided to chance a
mission to Torv to bring the men to Spade. It had been a long overdue promise,
pushed aside in fear of war. Henry couldn't hold out much longer. The catch: it
might be a one-way ticket for Hunter and Gavin if caught. Spade would have to
deny everything to prevent war. It was risky. I wasn't thrilled that both my
father and uncle planned to go. They were the last bit of biological family I
had left. I hadn't heard from my mother and doubted I ever would. I wasn't
welcome in Genesis and the only person I trusted to find her was Gavin. I
didn't think she'd speak to him, I know I hadn't wanted to the first time I saw
him in Torv.

“You're leaving?” I wrapped my arms around Gavin's neck. I
wasn't ready to say goodbye.

“Just for a little while, kiddo. You know it's got to be
done.” Gavin patted my back.

For the first time, I wasn't jealous about his trip to Torv
or that I was staying in Spade. Gavin and Hunter hopefully wouldn't be
recognized. They hadn't gotten caught on previous missions to Torv. Pulling
back, I stared down at the ground, a faint smile on my lips. “You better come
home in one piece. I have some news you'll want to hear when you get back.” I
didn't know if I'd ever see him again.

“And what news is that?” Gavin asked, pushing a lock of
blonde behind my ear.

“You come home,” I insisted, “and I'll tell you then.” I
wasn't going to do this, say goodbye. I gave Gavin and then Hunter one last
hug. I wouldn't say the words. “Be safe,” I offered with a weak smile.

“Take care of her.” Gavin glared at Joshua before offering a
friendly hug.

Joshua stood beside me and wrapped an arm around my waist as
Gavin and Hunter climbed into the car. We stood outside the gates of Spade,
just beyond the wall. Nothing but dirt and fields stretched on for miles.

“You could have told him,” he whispered into my ear as I
smiled sadly, waving goodbye.

“I know.” I didn't want to jinx it.

The engine of the car roared to life. Gavin and Hunter waved
as they pulled away from Spade and headed south. The car sped away in the
distance until I couldn't see it anymore.

“You miss them,” Joshua whispered against my ear.

“Of course I do.” Gavin hadn't always been there for me, but
recently he showed he'd grown up, become a man. I appreciated what he'd done,
helped me find Joshua and helped rescue me and the other women from Torv. I
would always be grateful for his actions. He'd proven himself with time. He'd
slowly grown to become a father to me.

“He'll come home,” Joshua assured me as much as himself. He
took my hand and led me back through the gates into Spade.

“Where are we going?” I asked as we walked through the city
center.

“Tonight is a celebration of our independence,” Joshua
reminded me. I didn't feel like celebrating. Two people I cared for had
traveled into the unknown. They planned to smuggle people out of Torv. If the
Republic of Cabal wasn't as terrible as Cabal had once been, they'd be allowed
to leave willingly. None of us knew what to expect. Two years was a long time.
Changes would have happened within the new government and with Isaura gone for
good, no one in Spade knew what was going on down south. We'd kept our
distance, as promised. “I think it should also a celebration for something
else,” he reminded me.

I felt the smile grow on my lips as my hand stretched over
my abdomen. In a few months we were going to be parents. I hadn't always felt
ready but now I looked forward for what was to come.

Three months passed and with it, Gavin and Hunter returned
with two of the women's husbands from Torv. I hadn't seen either of them yet
and was excited to share the news with both my father and uncle.

“You'll see them at dinner,” Joshua assured me. “In the
meantime you should rest.” He was concerned if I was anxious it could cause me
to miscarry. I pushed all thoughts aside as I rested a hand on my swollen
abdomen.

“I want to see them now.” I couldn't wait. I didn't have the
patience for it. “Help me find them.” I slipped into a pair of shoes and headed
out the door.

“Pretty soon we're going to need to find another place to
live.” I shot him a look. “I don't mean outside of Spade,” Joshua clarified. “There
just isn't enough room for all of us in the bedroom.”

Stepping outside, the sun was high up in the sky and forced
me to squint as my eyes adjusted to the light. “I know. We'll talk about that
later. I need to see Gavin and Hunter.” I wanted to know they were home and all
right.

Together we descended down towards the city square.

“Olivia!” Henry called and I spun around, finding him poking
his head out of his office. “Do you have a few minutes?”

My eyes lit up the moment I saw Gavin and Hunter behind him.
“You're home,” I breathed a sigh of relief. Walking in past Henry I wrapped my
arms around Gavin, pulling him tight to me, as much as I could.

“Wow, you're pregnant.” Gavin glanced from my stomach back
up to my face. “Congratulations! When did this happen?” he asked, surprised.

“Six months ago,” I confessed. “And it's twins.”

Hunter laughed. “Really?”

Joshua snaked his arm around my waist as he stood beside me.
“We're excited,” he answered. “A little nervous, but I know Olive is going to
be a great mother.”

I blushed and quickly changed the subject. “So you made it
home safely,” I beamed, glad they were both alive and well. “How did the trip
to Torv go?”

Hunter glanced at Gavin before answering, “We were able to
bring back two men with us. The rest who wanted to be reunited with the
families in Spade were provided a map. We suggested they make travel
arrangements with one another. It's safer in large numbers.”

“That wasn't all we did,” Gavin offered. “I was just telling
Henry about the first draft of a treaty that would cease any and all fighting
between our nations. Truth is–” he paused. “They need our help. After Isaura
died, the women who were part of her experiments were released back into the
population of Torv. Almost overnight fires erupted in buildings, and minor
earthquakes occurred. The women treated with Mindonsiphan have no idea what
they're capable of doing and no control over their abilities. They're volatile
and the Republic of Cabal has rounded them up into camps. They don't know how
else to protect the rest of its citizens.”

“That's horrible.” I felt nauseated and rested a hand over
my stomach. I never wanted my children to experience what we had in our
lifetime.

“It is,” Gavin agreed. “As part of the treaty, they're
requesting we send a team to help train the women to control their abilities.
If we do that, they've agreed to allow them to reenter the general population
or they can come to Spade if they'd prefer a new life. In exchange for our
help, they've agreed to send out patrols through the Gravelands to clean up the
outlaw problem, since it is still technically their land, and reestablish order
throughout the nation.”

It would take time and resources but our world would be safe
once again. Everything we'd fought for, we'd finally achieved - freedom and
hope.

As if one newborn wasn't enough to stress a new parent out,
we'd found ourselves with twins, a boy and girl. It hadn't felt real until the
day I brought two beautiful children into the world and finally took them home
with us.

With the excitement of two children, Joshua and I moved into
a small cottage on the south side of Spade. The town was expanding and the
walls built of stone were coming down. The treaty had been signed and a dozen
women from Spade had journeyed to Torv to not only train them but also explain
to them what they were going through. I couldn't imagine having experienced it
completely on my own. It would have been frightening.

“I have a surprise for you,” Joshua smiled as he carried our
daughter, Hannah, in his arms. I sat outside on an old blanket with Connor
nestled in my arms. It was a warm spring afternoon, with a slight breeze.
Behind us the walls had come down and the expanse of grass and fields had
become a playground for the children.

Adelaide ran around, doing cartwheels while Ainsley watched
her. I glanced from Hannah down to Connor. “You do?” I smiled unable to imagine
anything that could top what we already had, our family.

“Close your eyes,” he teased.

“No way!” I laughed. “Just, out with it! I just gave birth
to two children of yours. You don't get to keep secrets!” I shot him a glare as
if that would do anything to convince him to give in.

It worked. “Fine, fine.” He laughed as he waved over Gavin
and someone else.

From a distance I could see the familiar face and my heart
leapt. How could it be her? Was it possible? “Olivia?” I heard her voice, it
was honey to my ears and knew without a doubt it was exactly what I was seeing,
the truth.

“Mom?” My voice caught in my throat and my eyes welled.
Could it be her? I never expected to see her again, let alone find her in
Spade.

My mother ran towards me with Gavin walking close behind. I
didn't stand up, I couldn't move, transfixed and shocked. Why was she here? Was
it for good? Gavin's voice cut through my thoughts. “I thought it'd be nice for
your mom to meet her grandchildren. I hope it's okay I brought her to visit.”

My eyes lit up, the smile refusing to vanish. “Yes, of
course! Come sit down,” I gestured towards the empty space on the blanket
beside me. I didn't budge, my arms cradled Connor. Leaning down, I placed a
soft kiss to his forehead. Her eyes shined as she stared at the sleeping bundle
in my arms. “Would you like to hold your grandson, Connor?”

“Yes!” She practically ripped him from my arms, as gently as
she could. “He's gorgeous,” she cooed staring down at his sleeping form. “How
old is he?”

“Only a few days,” I smiled, glancing at Gavin. “How did you…”
The words were lost on me.

Gavin bent down watching the interaction. “I knew she'd be
pissed at me but the minute I told her she had two grandkids waiting to meet
her, she'd give in.” The smile on his face was priceless. “Don't get me wrong,”
he shot Samantha, my mother, a look. “She gave me hell there and the entire way
to Spade but I think it's worth it.”

“You deserved it,” my mother retorted, glancing up for only
an instant before returning her full attention to Connor. “You have twins?” she
asked, holding him tight but wanting to see Hannah as well.

Joshua gently rocked Hannah in his arms. She'd woken up but didn’t
fuss as long as he remained constantly in motion. “Hannah, meet your
grandparents.”

“She's gorgeous, they both are,” my mother cooed at the
infant in her arms.

“What happens now?” I asked staring at her, watching her
fall in love all over again.

She dropped a kiss to Connor's forehead. “I think you get to
take a break from saving the world and enjoy being parents.”

“That's not what I meant,” I responded. “What about you?” I
asked again. “What are you going to do now that the Republic of Cabal and Spade
are starting over?” I wanted to know if I'd ever see her again or this was one
last goodbye. She seemed so afraid the last time I'd been in Genesis. The
circumstances were different but I needed to know if she'd accepted me for who
I'd become.

My mother smiled coyly, handing me Connor as she studied my
father's face. “I was thinking of moving here, to Spade. I'll need a place to
stay and I'll have to find a job,” she laughed nervously. “I'd like to see you
more, Olive.”

“I'd like that, too,” I agreed.

Her eyes landed on Joshua, an eager smile on her face. “Have
you spoken with your father recently?”

“I haven't seen him since Genesis.” Joshua cleared his
throat confused. “Why?”

“He left home several months ago,” she frowned. That wasn't
the answer she'd expected from Joshua.

“On foot?” Joshua was appalled.

“Word is he hitched a ride. I have no idea who with. We were
hoping he found his way to you.” Her brow furrowed, upset.

“Maybe he still will,” Joshua whispered, hope evident in his
voice. “He wouldn't have known we were in Spade.” He glanced at me. “If he made
it to Torv, he could have gotten wind about us in Spade but wouldn't have been
able to get here. Maybe now with the treaty and safe passage through the
Gravelands he'll find his way to us.”

“There's always hope.” I smiled, trying to reassure him that
he was still out there, alive.

Gavin sat down on the blanket beside us. “He's got your lips
and hair,” he mused staring at the sleeping infant.

“He has Joshua's eyes,” I added
. “They're
beautiful.”

“I'm sorry we kept things from you,” Gavin whispered. “We're
both deeply sorry.”

“It's forgotten,” I offered. It would never be forgotten.
I'd learned to forgive them, to move on past the hurt and the heartache. They'd
done the best job they could to raise me. Things hadn't been perfect, my mere
existence should never have been - according to the government - but here I
was, alive and free.

About the Author

Ruth Silver attended Northern Illinois University and
graduated with a Bachelor's in Communication in the spring of 2005.  While in
college, she spent much of her free time writing with friends she met online
and penning her first novel,
Deuces are Wild,
which she self-published
in 2004.  Her favorite class was Creative Writing senior year where she often
handed in assignments longer than the professor required because she loved to
write and always wanted to finish her stories.
 
Her love of writing led
her on an adventure in 2007 to Melbourne, Australia.  Silver enjoys reading,
photography, traveling and most of all writing.  She loves dystopian and
fantasy young adult stories.  Her debut novel published by Lazy Day Publishing,
ABERRANT, was released April 2013.  The second novel in the series, MOIRAI,
continues the saga. ISAURA, is the final installment in the ABERRANT trilogy.
Ruth has been actively writing since she was a teenager.  She currently resides
in Plainfield, Illinois.