I tried to control the volume of my voice as excitement threatened to explode from my chest. Kate smiled up at us as she held her beautiful baby girl in her arms.
Let me introduce you all to Samantha Hope Fletcher. Sam for short.
Tears welled up in my eyes as the name of our dear friend lived on. Kate’s eyes mirrored my own as she looked from me to the face of her sleeping infant.
I love it.
We wanted a way to remember his sacrifice and thank him. Without so many people’s sacrifices, she wouldn’t have a future. She is one of the first born to a generation without the Influencers. You all gave her a life.
I looked around the room at people I cared about most in the world. Richard, Noah, Kate, Ben, and now baby Sam. Never had I been more grateful that each of those faces looked back at me. Together, we would remember the past and have hope in a brighter future. Together.
***
Richard, Ben, and I walked through the hospital’s parking lot toward the SUV, each of the men on either side of me.
So, Rich, when will you return to Texas?
He chuckled and ran his hand through the feathered hair on top of his head. Turning to look at him, I cocked my head to the side inquisitively.
I was actually planning on moving here…
As my feet halted on the blacktop, Ben and Richard both turned to look down at me. Richard looked shocked by my wordless reaction.
This was not the reaction I thought you would have.
But who will take care of the cow?
I smiled as I opened my arms to embrace him. His low chuckle rumbled under my tight hold of his waist. When I pulled away, Richard’s eyes were misty.
I just felt like Texas wasn’t home anymore. You guys have given me something I’ve never had before.
Ben’s hand patted Richard on the back as they both grinned at one another.
Glad to have you, Rich.
Richard, the man who had loyally served the Society for most of his life, was now free from their grasp. He had a life to live, people to love, and family that loved him back.
A weight was lifted from my chest with the knowledge that Rich would be there for Kate and Noah when Ben and I returned to the cabin. They would have each other. Yet, in place of my joy, I felt dread as I imagined leaving them.
XXV.
INFLUENCED
Ben and I stayed in the guest room of Kate and Noah’s new house in the weeks following Sam’s birth. The happy mom and dad returned home to balloons and a banner welcoming their new baby.
Richard had traveled back to Texas to move his stuff to Oregon and was working on completing the paperwork to sell his house there. After Ben and I left, he would be staying in the guest room until he found his own place. With plenty of space in their new home, Kate and Noah refused any option of hotels or cheap apartments.
While in Furlow, I took Ben to the places of my past: the park where my mother took me on picnics, my grade school, the apartment where I lived before I was recruited, and the veteran’s memorial where we honored my father.
Patiently, he listened to the thousands of words that spilled from my mouth as I shared my childhood with him. As one of our last stops, we stood before the house which had belonged to my mother and me. Though the small yellow house with white shutters was now inhabited by another family, it looked exactly as I remembered it.
I have so many memories of this house. It wasn’t just a house, it was home.
Do you miss living there?
In some ways. It isn’t home without her though.
Ben studied my face as I pulled myself from many memories of the small home and my mother.
Now home is where you are.
He smiled as I stretched on my tiptoes to kiss his lips. With one last glance at the little yellow house, we drove away hand in hand.
Now a week later, Noah held his baby girl in his arms as he and Kate said their goodbyes to us on the front porch. I squeezed Kate tight and let her go before I lost control of tears threatening to escape.
I’m going to miss you, Kate.
Visit often, Darcy. Or I will find you.
I laughed as her fabricated threat broke into a smile. Carefully, I hugged Noah without waking Sam from her afternoon nap.
With our goodbyes said and hugs given, Ben and I drove away from their house as they stood waving on the porch. A tear escaped down my cheek as I turned to face the dashboard. Ben’s hand rubbed my shoulder as he looked over from the driver’s seat.
My head was bowed and I watched as tears escaped my eyes and covered my jeans in large drops.
You know, Darcy, I’ve been thinking a lot about what we are going to do now.
Yeah?
And I thought we wouldn’t be happy hidden in that cabin for the rest of our lives.
My head shot up as I looked over at him in shock.
But that’s your home. It belonged to your parents. I would never ask you to leave it.
You don’t have to ask me. Plus, it would act as a nice vacation home when we want to get away.
Where would we go?
Ben was silent as he parked the car on the side of the road and looked at me. His eyes gleamed as he smiled. But he wasn’t smiling at me but at something behind me.
I looked around at our surroundings for the first time since leaving Kate and Noah’s house and noticed we had gone in the opposite direction of the cabin. He had parked in front a house on the outskirts of town, secluded from any neighbors.
Where are we?
Home.
Wait, what?
Come on, let’s go in.
Ben stepped out from the driver’s side and circled to my door where I remained seated, looking at the house incredulously. It was an adorable house with white shutters and a stone walkway to the front porch. He opened the door and extended his hand to guide me out of the vehicle.
Hand in hand, we walked to the front door and paused. He dug in his pocket and brought out a key, using it to open the door.
Welcome home, Darcy.
I had lost the ability to speak as the shock of his announcement hit me like a ton of bricks.
Ben chuckled at my expression of disbelief and continued walking through the house, giving me a tour of its rooms.
The front door opened to an open concept living room and kitchen with wooden floors. I smiled as I noticed the kitchen cabinets were white, reminding me of my childhood home. The granite countertops added a modern touch to the dainty cupboards.
Ben’s hand grabbed mine and pulled me down the hallway. The master bedroom had a white comforter much like the one in the facility where we had spent so many nights getting to know one another. Along the edges of the room was a string of white lights hung along the ceiling, adding a romantic, soft light.
He stopped and looked down at me with concern written across his face.
Are you okay, Darcy? You haven’t said anything yet.
Yeah, I’m just shocked is all. This is ours?
I bought it last week, move-in ready. It took me this long to put the finishing touches on it.
I can’t believe you bought me a house.
Darcy, I’m sorry for not talking to you about it first but I saw how upset you were when we talked about going back to the cabin.
No, I’m not mad. I’m amazed. Thank you, Ben. I don’t even know how to thank you enough.
He nodded to the French doors on the opposite side of the bedroom, leading to the outside.
As the doors opened to the back yard, the breath left my lungs as I walked to the middle of the grass. All around me were flowers, freshly planted. Not just any flower, but dozens of blue hydrangeas.
During the months we had spent alone in the cabin before being found, Ben and I had spent much of the cold winter learning everything about each other. In the countless details of my past, I recounted the story of my mother coming home to blue hydrangeas my dad had planted in their backyard. He had remembered.
Tears ran down my face as I looked a
round at the myriad of flowers surrounding me. As I turned to look for Ben, I found him right behind me.
Before I could speak a single word, he smiled tenderly and bent down on one knee. In his hand was a small cream-colored box with vines carved onto its surface. He slowly opened it and revealed the ring from Cornwall, the one I had noticed in the market. The gold of its intertwining bands shimmered in the sunlight, the diamonds twinkling brightly.
I have been wanting to ask you a question for a while but there was never a good time.
Flashes of his hand in his jacket pocket at the market and at Stanage Edge filled my mind. He had been trying to propose all along.
His hopeful green eyes looked up at me as he spoke the words I had wanted to be asked all my life.
Darcy, will you marry me?
A soft smile spread across my lips as I looked down at Ben and then around at the backyard. Yet, I didn’t see the blue of the hydrangeas or the house or even the green of his eyes. I saw my future.
Noah and Kate with their three kids running between the flower beds, Sam helping her younger siblings smell the tall flowers. Richard sitting at the picnic table telling one of his life stories with the wide, curious eyes of his grandchildren looking up at him.
Ben holding our son in his arms as he smiled at me. Dogs and kids and family filling the backyard, filling our lives and hearts.
In that moment, I saw everything I had ever wanted. Then, it hit me. For the first time in my life, I was grateful for the Influencers. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t have any of it. I would have never met Kate and Noah, my best friends. Richard would not be like a father to me.
Yet, most of all, I would have never met Ben, the love of my life, my partner, my hero. My life had been forever changed, forever influenced. With one word, I agreed to the rest of my life with Ben, to the house and kids and family. To it all.
Absolutely.
EPILOGUE
AS TOLD BY BEN
BEN
I will never forget the first time I saw you when you were born. Ten fingers, twelve toes.
Dad, I do not have twelve toes!
No, of course not. I meant ten.
The corners of my father’s eyes crinkled as he laughed from where he sat on the edge of my bed. He had come to tell me goodnight before he left on another one of his business trips. My mother walked through my bedroom door, her smile illuminating the entire room.
And what are you two laughing about?
My father stood up from the bed to allow my mother room to reach me. She tenderly brushed my hair from my face before kissing my forehead.
Nothing. Dad was just making another lame joke.
Hey, my jokes are not lame!
I smiled and rolled my eyes as he pretended to be offended that his teenage son disliked his jokes. My dad wrapped his arm around my mom’s back as they stood looking down at me.
I still don’t understand why I can’t go with you this time.
My parents’ faces sobered as I repeated our fight from that night’s dinner when they had informed me of their abrupt departure. Mom was the first to speak, her words persuasive yet calming.
This trip is different. But your father and I will be back before you know it. Until then, your Aunt Margot will be watching you.
But I don’t like Margot. She’s so serious.
That’s just how she is. But she loves you so behave for her while we’re gone.
Fine, but I still think I should go with you.
My father cleared his throat before taking control of the conversation.
You’re staying home and that’s final. Now, you’re the man of the house until I get back. Remember everything I taught you, okay?
He stepped forward and offered his hand to shake. As I took a firm hold of his hand, he smiled down at me proudly.
Perfect handshake.
Together, they made their way to the door and shut the lights off. I could see their silhouettes from the light in the hallway as they hesitated by my door. My mother’s tender voice traveled through the dark room to where I lay in my bed.
We love you, Benny, more than the world.
***
As I looked through the window at snow falling outside, I remembered my parents’ last words to me before they departed for their trip to South Sudan. Had I known it would be the last time I saw them, I would have laughed at my dad’s joke and wouldn’t have fought with them. I wouldn’t have let them go.
Yet, these were the memories and regrets which shaped who I was today. Every single event in life had molded me into the person I was always meant to be. And I wanted to remember every single detail, the good and the bad.
I glanced over my shoulder at the hospital bed behind me, Darcy lying asleep with her golden blonde hair cascading down her shoulders. Quietly, I made my way to the chair beside her bed and watched as her eyelashes fluttered on her cheeks.
As I studied her face, I remembered my life since that fateful day at the facility when I first laid eyes on her. Never before had someone distracted me without a word, a single glance stopping me in my tracks.
She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, my eyes eternally drawn to her. So many moments of devastation and happiness had happened since that day in the facility. Yet, in every memory, I saw Darcy’s captivating blue eyes and golden hair.
And in every detail of her face, I saw her bravery in the Vietnam airport as she sacrificed her life, her confidence in my abilities as I studied my father’s notebook, and her excitement as she stood on the cliffs of Stanage Edge. I saw her training at the facility, asleep next to me in bed, and laughing at the dinner table surrounded by our friends and family.
Now, I studied her lying in a hospital bed, her face pale with exhaustion. As I eyed the scars along her arms peeking out from the hospital gown, I remembered back to my parents’ cabin when those tiny pink marks were fresh wounds.
Without a second thought, she had sacrificed herself for me and for the rest of the world. When I found her, the unbearable feeling of loss threatened to tear my heart from my chest. The wounds and torment she must have endured tied to that chair.
I remembered the fury in her eyes as she beat Warden against the ground, protecting the loved ones whose lives he threatened. She was absolutely the most beautiful, powerful, selfless person I had ever met.
How long have I been asleep?
Darcy’s voice interrupted my thoughts as I looked up to find her beautiful blue eyes watching me from her pillow.
Not long enough. You need to rest.
Don’t be silly. I’ve been through far worse.
She shrugged off her exhaustion and eyed the bundle lying against my chest. I smiled as I looked down at our newborn son sleeping in my arms, his brown hair peaking from the sides of his powder blue hat.
How is he?
Well, he still has all ten fingers and twelve toes.
Standing from the chair, I carefully handed him to Darcy and watched as she smiled down at him. As he stirred in his blanket, I saw the flash of her wedding ring as she repositioned him in her arms. She tilted her head upward to tenderly kiss my lips. Together, we studied every detail of our son.
Hello, Charlie. Welcome to the world. I’m your mommy and this is your daddy. Auntie Kate, Uncle Noah, and Grandpa Rich will come to see you in the morning.
I leaned in closer as she spoke softly to our sleeping infant, rubbing my thumb across her arm. Carefully, I lowered my voice as to not wake Charlie.
Yes, and we have so many stories to tell you. About all of us. About your grandparents and your amazing mommy and all the people who fought for a better world for you.
Darcy’s eyes were misty as she looked up into mine, a smile illuminating her face. We looked deeply into one another’s eyes, visions of our past flashing in their depths as I continued.
Because we shouldn’t forget the past. It not only makes us who we are, but it shows us how far we’ve come. And the legacy we have yet to leave.
Though the Society was destroyed, the Influencers are still among us. But they don’t exist in a board room or a hidden facility in the middle of a desert. No, the true Influencers are far greater: Ouma caring for orphans in South Sudan, Hannah interning for the government, Brendan decoding a secret society’s network, and Sam losing his life.
The Influencers are Kate and Noah protecting their unborn child’s life, Rich defending them in their time of weakness, Charles and Olivia Lewis helping the needy all over the world. And now, Charlie, as he lives in a world better because of all these people and learns of their impact.
Samantha, Charlie, and the children still to come will not only learn about the Society, but about the real Influencers: the ones we are and the ones they will become.
The Legacy: The Influencers Book 2 (The Society) Page 17