Phoebe Wren and the Vortex of Light (11 page)

“Agreed,” said Cosain, his perfect features intense, golden eyes gleaming. “You have done well, Neam. You have all done well brothers! This new information will give us the leverage we need to thwart Schnither and his hordes once and for all. Now, I must speak with Phoebe and bring her up to speed with these events. Brothers, stay here and watch a while. We cannot afford complacency at any time.”

And with that, the Captain of the Heavenly Host was airborne, heading for the hospital hallways where Phoebe, Demetrius and Phoebe’s parents were saying their final emotional goodbyes to colleagues and friends.

Phoebe and Demetrius tried to be patient while Jack and Eva Wren bid their final tearful farewells to the doctors, nurses and hospital staff, many of whom had become like family to them during the course of the last decade. Phoebe had already said her goodbyes, and given that she had really only gotten to know a handful of her parents’ colleagues, this had taken only a matter of minutes.

“Come on Dem, let’s wait out by the car, it’s getting a bit claustrophobic in here,” said Phoebe, and she and Demetrius began to make their way outside. Just before she walked through the hospital’s automatic doors for the last time, Phoebe glanced behind her for a final look at the medical facility her parents had helped to build. From humble beginnings, the primitive establishment had blossomed and grown, and now stood as the area’s main source of health care. Phoebe felt a surge of pride for all that her parents had achieved, and her eyes misted as the proximity of their departure hit her anew. As her eyes ran across the still dusty reception area, she spotted Cosain, who was striding purposefully across the chequered floor towards her. The sight of the formidable Heavenly warrior always took Phoebe’s breath away, and she wondered if it was a sight she could ever grow accustomed to. Phoebe gestured to Cosain that she and Demetrius would be outside, and then the two friends rounded a corner outside the hospital, and awaited his arrival. Never one for predictability, Cosain made his entrance from above Phoebe’s and Demetrius’s heads, and swooped down to meet with them.

“You couldn’t have just used the front door?” Phoebe asked cheekily, then chided herself for being disrespectful. Cosain, however, was obviously not offended and even seemed to enjoy the repartee with his young ward.

“Where would have been the fun in that?” Cosain teased, and smiled at the plucky young girl in front of him. For all that she had been through these last few weeks, Phoebe possessed an impressive and unwavering faith that Cosain had rarely seen in even the most tenacious and established of mortals.

“Phoebe, Demetrius,” As quickly as it arrived, the levity had gone from Cosain’s voice, and the teenagers could see that he had serious matters on his mind. “Neam has rejoined us from his reconnaissance at the airport. The information he has relayed will be invaluable to us, and will certainly assist us in our quest. But the threat from Schnither and his cohorts is by no means void or without substance. They are as serious about their mission as we are about ours, and will stop at nothing to prevent Jack and Eva from returning to Ireland and setting up Celtic Justice Missions. Do you understand what I am saying, Phoebe?”

Phoebe looked at Demetrius, who was staring intently at Cosain. He turned to look at Phoebe.

“Yes, Cosain,” Phoebe heard her own voice answering the Heavenly Captain, although she barely recognised it. “I understand exactly what you are saying. You’re telling me that the Atoner has plans for us, but that the enemy will do whatever it takes to destroy those plans – and us.”

“Exactly,” replied Cosain. “But you have my word that my brothers and I will protect you with every fibre of our beings. We will guard you with our very lives.”

Phoebe reached out and took Cosain’s hand; she looked up into his celestial face and smiled. Despite the gravity of the conversation, Phoebe trusted the Captain of the Host and his fellow angels.

“I know it, Cosain, and I am very grateful,” she said.

“Phoebe? Phoebe!”

Eva Wren’s voice sounded above the hustle and bustle of hospital noises, as Phoebe started to attention and let go of Cosain’s hand.

“Go,” said Cosain, “You need to get home now. But be alert, Phoebe, be careful.”

“We’re coming, Mum!” shouted Phoebe, as she and Demetrius disappeared again back round the corner of the hospital.

“I wondered where you had vanished to,” chided Eva, “We’re ready to go, you guys need to come with us.”

Eva’s eyes were watery and red, she had obviously found the morning difficult. Her long red hair was scooped up inside a black and white spotted bandana, although a few rogue strands hung loose around her pretty face. Eva’s familiar blue scrubs had been replaced with faded jeans and a red checked shirt, and her trademark blue sneakers peaked out from beneath the hems of her jeans.

“Demetrius, Jack and I need to talk to you. It’s something we should have spoken with you about earlier, but with everything that has happened today, I’m afraid we just never got the chance. I’ll let Jack explain.”

Demetrius looked at Phoebe, his brown eyes twinkling. “Oh, okay Mrs. Bird,” he quipped, using the nickname he had given Phoebe as a term of endearment for the woman he had come to regard as his stand-in mother. He could scarcely contain his excitement, and he could see that Phoebe felt the same, but they both knew that they would have to employ their best poker faces. Cosain had let the cat out of the bag when he told them that Demetrius would be accompanying the family to Ireland, and now he and Phoebe were so excited that they could hardly stand still.

“You two are full of beans today,” Eva smiled, little realising that the teenagers already knew what it was that she and Jack needed to discuss with Demetrius. “I wish I had half your energy!”

She shook her head, causing a few more strands of fiery red hair to fall loose, then turned and walked towards their blue Jeep. For a brief moment, Eva paused, looking back wistfully at Medical Miracles Hospital.

“I’ll miss this place,” Eva said quietly, to no-one in particular, and she waved at Jack who had just walked out through the automatic doors and joined his wife by their Jeep. Jack put his arm around his wife’s shoulders. He too looked tearful, and smiled sadly.

“We’ve had some amazing times here, eh Eva?” he said to beloved wife, “And we’ve made memories that will last us a lifetime.”

Eva smiled up at Jack, then squeezed his hand. “That’s for sure,” she said, “But I know that this next chapter will be equally incredible for us. The best is yet to come, Jack, I believe it”

‘If only you knew, Mamma!’
Phoebe thought to herself, and blew the air silently out of her puffed out cheeks.
‘Incredible really doesn’t come close…’

“Come on kids,” called Jack, as Phoebe and Demetrius smiled a knowing smile at each other, then ran to the Jeep and hopped in.

“Seatbelts,” said Jack, as he turned the key in the ignition, shifted the stick to drive, and pulled away from Medical Miracles Hospital for the millionth time and the last time. “We’ve got a lot to do, and a long journey ahead of us. I hope you’re both ready for a busy few hours?”

“Yes, Dad,” replied Phoebe, “We’re good to go. All geared up.” And she raised an eyebrow out the Jeep window to Cosain, who was travelling unseen alongside the family as they set out on what would be the journey of their lifetime.

The Wrens’ blue four by four vehicle rumbled along the dusty tracks towards their almost empty home. All the passengers seemed content with their own thoughts for the best part of the journey, until eventually Demetrius broke the silence with a question.

“What was it you needed to speak to me about?” he enquired, when he just couldn’t wait any longer to be asked the question he was more than ready to answer.

“Oh, yeah… Uh, Jack?” Eva was caught off guard, and deflected Demetrius’s enquiry towards her husband.

“Well, Dem, it’s like this,” Jack picked his words carefully, and paused before he went on. “Eva and I have been speaking with your Uncle Esau and Aunt Martha during the last few weeks, and they wondered… that is,
we
wondered – uh,
we all
wondered whether you might like to… well, come back to Ireland with us? I mean, there’s no pressure, and this will be entirely your decision, but given the fact that your folks… uh, well, with them not being around any more…” Jack’s voice trailed off. “I’m sorry, Dem, I don’t mean to be insensitive.”

The fact was Jack was right. Sixteen year old Demetrius had a limited memory of his parents. Julius and Theodora – or Teddy as she had been affectionately known – had met Jack and Eva at Medical Missions, where they worked alongside them during their gap year in 1990. The pair had been inseparable, and had married in 1992, the year before Jack and Eva were married. They had been thrilled to welcome Demetrius into the world in 1993, and for a few happy years the family had lived and worked in Johannesburg. On their way home from Medical Missions Hospital on an unexceptional Monday in September 2000, everything changed, when the Kwangas’ car slid off the track and crashed head on into a tree at the bottom of a steep bank. There had never been any acceptable explanation for the freak storm that blew up from nowhere and disappeared just as fast, but no-one had any doubt that it was the sudden torrential rain which had sent the Kwangas’ vehicle careering irretrievably out of control. Julius and Teddy were killed instantly, but against the odds, seven year old Demetrius survived the crash, although he had sustained fairly serious injuries. After a time spent recuperating in hospital, the young boy had been taken in by his mother’s sister, Aunt Martha, who loved him and raised him in a manner that would have made her sister proud. Jack, Eva and five year old Phoebe had moved to Africa just a few short weeks after the accident; Jack and Eva had been devastated by the loss of their friends, but Demetrius and Phoebe had struck up an instantaneous friendship which, even at their tender ages, they knew would last a lifetime. From the day they met, Demetrius and Phoebe had shared a bond which was deeper than friendship – Jack and Eva always commented that the pair were more like siblings, but whatever their connection, they had been joined at the hip for ten years, and now, just forty eight hours before they were to be separated to opposite ends of the earth, the teenagers were being offered a lifeline which would allow them to stay together.

“It’s okay, Jack, I don’t mind you speaking of my folks,” said Demetrius sadly. Ten years on, and Demetrius still felt a twinge of sorrow when his parents were mentioned, although on this occasion his sadness was eased by the prospect of a new life in Ireland with Phoebe and her family. He looked across at Phoebe, whose excitement had been usurped by concern for her friend – this was a huge move for Demetrius, and although she desperately wanted him to come with her to Ireland, she needed him to weigh up his options so that he would be able to make the right choice. Of course, the thought of being able to see Demetrius every single day made Phoebe feel like jumping up and down with glee, but she was trying hard not to allow herself to be selfish, and so she waited nervously for his decision.

“What did Uncle Esau and Aunt Martha think to it all?” Demetrius enquired, obviously concerned at the thought of hurting his beloved aunt and uncle in any way.

Eva turned around in her seat and smiled sympathetically at Demetrius, whose furrowed brow and worried look tugged at her motherly heart. “Esau and Martha know that you’re old enough to decide for yourself what’s right for you, Dem. Of course they would miss you dearly, as would your cousins, but I think that as long as you’re happy, Esau and Martha will be content with whatever you decide to do.” Eva already fulfilled a motherly role in Demetrius’s life, and he trusted her implicitly.

Aunt Martha. Demetrius could picture her sweet face and kind brown eyes. He had no doubt that she and Uncle Esau loved him dearly, but somehow he also instinctively knew that his place was with Phoebe and her parents, and what he and Phoebe had experienced together in the last day only served to reinforce their connection. Besides, Esau and Martha had their own kids – Bessie, Jacob and Grace – to think about. Demetrius adored his little cousins, who in reality had been like younger siblings to him. He would miss them all so much, but somehow he felt at peace that the decision he was about to make was the right one for him at this time.