“Isn’t there, Goddess?”
Her gaze flared as understanding blossomed. “Okay...this is from your fiancée, mother of your two children. My actions notwithstanding, you lost out on six years with them because of Evangela. I’d say you’ve paid.”
“Now who’s looking for excuses?”
She fisted a handful of the navy blue T-shirt he wore and tugged. “Looking, found and proud to own it.” Sighing then, she released him, looked down into her lap.
“Hill when I thanked you before, it wasn’t just about Marci, but everything.”
“It was no single act on my part, Sef.”
“That’s what I’m thanking you for. For making me see that all this- all the way back to Mick writing her book to those sweet, brave kids sleeping warm and safe now… it wasn’t because of one thing one person did, but a long stream of things. A stream of singular acts by many different people got us here. Not all of us played our parts in selfless and heroic ways,” she looked from SyBilla and Caiphus to Brogue and then down to study her hands.
“But the parts we played, got us here just the same. So thank you for making me see that.”
Hill dipped his head. Propping an index finger beneath her chin, he tipped her head back. “I love you,” he said.
“I love you,” she spoke
the words as her lips met his.
CHAPTER
THIRTY-SIX
The mass exodus of children occurred the following afternoon. It was near dusk and a caravan of trucks drove the kids across a private tarmac to the planes that would mark the ascent into their new lives.
Those who had joined forces to bring the kids to safety, began their departures as well. This, after Caiphus shared news he had received from Roman. Vale Tesano was dead. There were no additional details according to Roman. That detail alone was to be shared only among immediate family and those closest to it.
As far as the general public would know, Vale Tesano had apparently disappeared himself. This, to avoid questions related to recent allegations of high ranking personnel at several multibillion dollar corporations, having ties to child prostitution and slavery.
After a bit more chatter following that
scathing report, some set off by land, others by air. Hill left
with Caiphus, SyBilla, Bashir and the rest of the Vestige team for
the detention facility in Mexico. Persephone and Marcella set off
on a far more delightful excursion.
***
Kailua, Hawaii~
Persephone and Marcella arrived that morning following a commercial redeye flight they took out of Minneapolis. The ‘normalness’ of the trip was a welcomed treat after the excitement of the past weeks.
The past weeks...Persephone could hardly wrap her head around all that had happened. They’d found explanation and ending to the Black Island mystery. The girls were getting to know their family. Hill had asked her to marry him…
She studied the ring with its uniquely exquisite hand-crafted band. The sun peeking from behind the moon. ‘One can’t exist without the other’ Hill had said. She hadn’t realized how much those words pertained to them until he was back in her life.
She and Marcella had talked almost nonstop from the time they’d boarded the plane. They’d quieted down during brief intervals along the flight to nap or bask in the beauty of the evening skies passing outside the plane window.
Persephone wouldn’t label Marcella’s excitement and mounting happiness as especially contagious, not when she was already beyond giddy herself. She’d wanted time with Marci to just let the woman absorb the new experiences of such mundane things.
They grabbed an out of the way table in an airport pub and spent just shy of an hour taking in the traffic of fellow travelers rushing to their gates. Then, Persephone called her security house and had her people send a car to collect her and Marci from the airport.
While they waited at another airport pub, that one specializing in hot, fresh-from-the-oven bagels, Persephone enjoyed discussing the history of the place she now called home. She told her old friend about how alive she’d felt the first time she’d breathed in the air.
Marci inhaled as though she were breathing in some of that life. “It’s like the island without the ugliness.”
“Hmph,” Persephone gave an agreeing smile. “Now, the island is like the island without the ugliness.”
Marci reciprocated the smile and nodded. “It was like that for me when I first got there-to the island. Half of us didn’t know what the place was only that it seemed so much better than where we’d come from.”
Persephone reached across the dark oak table to squeeze Marci’s hand. “You wanna tell me about it?”
Marci gave a nervous laugh. “I don’t even know how I’ll tell Bashir.”
Persephone squeezed Marci’s hand again. “You know he’s all for you? Anything you tell him, he’ll believe it. You’re not alone- not anymore.”
“Everything’s changed-just like that-so fast,” Marci gave a quick, bewildered shake of her head. “My life...with Shelanon...I’d accepted it-it was all it’d ever be. I don’t know exactly what to do with all this…” she gave an airy wave, “all this extra.”
“I advise you to take it slowly- there’s no need to rush.”
“Brogue...He...he wants to see me after I’m settled.” Marci blinked, appearing nervous suddenly. “I don’t know how long that’s gonna take, but I don’t want to take forever to call him.”
“Then don’t,” Persephone brought her palm down on the table decisively. “There’s no need to rush, but that doesn’t mean you should waste time either.”
“I gotta tell you Perry, I’m uneasy about being this happy,” Marci expelled a rejuvenated breath. “Does that make any sense?” laughter hugged her words.
Persephone laughed then too. “It makes
perfect sense.”
~~~
The ladies arrived at Persephone’s around lunchtime that day. A light crew from housestaff to security had manned the estate during the weeks of the family’s absence. Persephone was glad, for she enjoyed the opportunity to cherish the solitude of her home. Trouble was, she rarely had time to do it.
The girls and her mother were usually in residence which resulted in a full staff on hand. Finding the place not quite so busy, was just right for what Persephone had in mind for Marcella’s visit-relaxation, quiet, reawakening.
They walked into the main house and Persephone gave directions on where to place the luggage while Marci strolled the lower level. Persephone made a quick call to the girls’ instructor, alerting the woman to when she expected the children to return and setting up a time to call back to establish new instruction dates.
