Ascension Watchers

by Amy Proebstel

  She recalled Jon telling her he could not remove his necklace until after he came of age at eighteen. Finding this necklace would mean it belonged to an adult, so she could probably reason with whoever’s it was, letting them know she merely admired its beauty.

  With her mind decided, she boldly slid her head through the loop and let the pendant drop down onto her chest. The moment the chain rested across the back of her neck, she felt a tingling sensation crawl all over her body, almost like the pins-and-needles feeling she would get when blood circulation was restored.

  Thinking this was probably a very bad idea, she picked up the pendant and began to remove it. There was only one problem, it would not come off. She felt a sense of horror and dread to think she had just stolen someone’s birth crystal, looking around for the owner to come charging up and accusing her of theft. Could this day get any worse?

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~

  For the past seven days, Zoey had worried over Vinia’s whereabouts since the ill-fated visit to her house. After receiving Dr. Gascon’s terrible news of Vinia’s escape from his facility, her nerves were shot at the end of her workday. Time seemed to creep by as she checked her watch several times each minute before being able to clock out.

  As soon as the clock struck five, she jumped up from her chair, grabbed her purse, and headed toward the nearest exit. Just imagining that woman being on the loose, knowing she would make a beeline to her children, she rushed across the parking lot to get to her car. Who knew where that woman had ended up? It would certainly take her several days of travel to get from New York to Florida; she could be on her doorstep even as she thought about it.

  Each day without any word made her more anxious than the last, almost like waiting for the other shoe to drop. Friday had not come soon enough for her. Thinking about spending a couple of days in constant contact with her children had become an obsession. She needed to be near her children to keep them safe until Vinia could be found and returned to the sanitarium.

  Frustrated beyond belief, Zoey’s hands shook so much with fear and adrenalin, making it nearly impossible to unlock the driver’s door. Eventually, she managed to succeed. She threw her purse across to the passenger’s seat even as she plunged the key into the ignition and twisted it to start the engine. Pulling her door shut became an afterthought as she looked behind her to begin backing up out of her parking space.

  Not even recalling the drive home, Zoey parked her car in the left-hand space inside the garage. She pulled the keys from the ignition before dropping them into her purse, which she had retrieved from the other seat. Just as she was getting out of her car, fully prepared to tell the kids everything, she realized she could not say anything without implicating herself in Vinia’s disappearance.

  “Well, that’s just great!” she said aloud in the enclosed car. Reviewing her lack of available options, Zoey opted to go inside and make dinner. If she were to maintain a semblance of normalcy, she would regain her children’s trust and better be able to keep tabs on them until Vinia could be found and returned to the sanitarium.

  With her plan decided, Zoey left the car and the garage. Oliver’s stance on Vinia telling them the truth still grated on her nerves, causing her to feel betrayed by her own husband. Maybe he would need psychiatric help before all of this was over, but Zoey decided to be strong for her whole family. She would make sure they all came out of this together.

  When Zoey entered the kitchen, she saw Jon sitting at the breakfast bar, working on his homework. “Hey, Jon. How was your day today?” She leaned onto the counter across from him, trying to keep her tone as friendly as possible. All of the kids had been distant with her since that woman had shown up at their house.

  Jon jotted a couple more numbers before setting his pencil down, shutting his book, and looking up at his mom. “School was fine. I just finished all of my calc homework. Now I only have a few physics problems to work on over the weekend. What’s for dinner?”

  Zoey smiled at her son. One thing could always be counted on—Jon’s appetite. “I suppose we need to make sure you have enough to eat to fuel all of that brainpower! I don’t know how you get through all of those calculations so easily. What would you like me to make for dinner tonight?”

  “How about scrambled eggs and beans?” Jon asked hopefully with raised eyebrows and tilting his head to the side.

  Zoey shook her head in dismay at his request. “That’s your dad’s specialty, but I could probably get it made just as well. Go get the beans from the garage, and I’ll start mixing the eggs.”

  Jon grinned as he jumped off of the barstool and rushed past his mom on his way to the garage. He really wished he could have had fried foxl since he had had another taste of it recently at the Stel house, but he knew the request would upset his mom. He opened the cupboard of canned goods and found the string beans. Feeling optimistic, he grabbed two jars and hurried back inside.

  “Thanks, Jon,” Zoey said as he set the jars down on the counter next to where she was breaking eggs into a mixing bowl. “You might as well tell Behn and Val that dinner will be ready in about ten minutes.” She cracked another egg smartly onto the side of the glass and released the contents with a satisfying plop. She picked up another egg.

  “I’ll let Val know, but Behn’s not here,” Jon answered offhandedly, already moving out of the kitchen to do as he had been asked.

  “What do you mean he’s not here? Where is he?” Zoey’s hand froze over the dish, disregarding the slimy egg whites pouring over her fingers.

  Jon shrugged his shoulders before replying, “I don’t know, he said he had something to take care of after school. Maybe Val knows something.”

  Zoey dropped the egg, shell and all, into the bowl as a foreboding feeling overwhelmed her. She grabbed the washcloth from out of the sink and balled it up between her hands. “Let’s go ask her right now,” she said curtly, marching out of the kitchen, not waiting to see if Jon came with her. With the barest knock of curtesy, she opened Valentina’s bedroom door before her daughter even had the chance to reply. “Where’s Behn?” she demanded curtly.

  Valentina covered the mouthpiece of the phone receiver and replied, “I don’t know. Isn’t he in his room?”

  Spinning around on her heel, Zoey rushed across the hall and burst into Behn’s room. A quick scan of the empty only emphasized her worst fear. She lunged forward and looked into his closet only to discover many of his clothes missing along with his duffle bag. “No, no, NO!” She turned around, desperately wanting to prove herself wrong. She spotted a note on the desk with Behn’s handwriting on the front of the folded paper: MOM & DAD.

  Her hands shook as she picked up the page and flipped it open to read.

  Mom & Dad,

  Please don’t worry about me. I need some time to work through some things on my own. Breaking up with Juila has been harder than I ever imagined. I promise I’ll be safe, so you won’t have to worry. I’ll be home as soon as I can.

  I love you both,

  Behn.

  “She has my son,” Zoey whispered as she felt her legs crumple under her weight. Luckily the bed broke her fall, and her hands clutching the note dropped to her knees. An uncontrollable moan escaped her throat at the agony she felt in her heart for what could possibly be happening to her son even as she sat there feeling sorry for herself.

  “Mom, are you okay? Did Behn leave you a note?” Valentina asked softly. She stepped forward until she was close enough to read what was written.

  “Did you know about this?” The expression on her face showed her dismay at her daughter’s betrayal of her trust.

  “No, Mom, I swear. I was just talking with Willian on the phone, and he told me what Behn was up to. He said he was coming over, maybe you could ask him. I swear I didn’t know anything until just now, and I was coming to tell you.”

  “Willian? What does he have to do with this?”

  Thinking rapidly, Valentina needed to come up with a plausible explanation that wo
uld not implicate Willian in Behn’s departure to Tuala. She shook her head slightly and replied, “Nothing, except Behn talked to him after school today about going to see Vinia.”

  “What? How could he do such a thing when he knows how I feel about her? I want you to call Behn and tell him to come home immediately!” Her previous weakness and despair evaporated with her rising anger as she burst up from the bed to tower over Valentina. No longer concerned with her composure, she did not even attempt to moderate her hatred of Vinia.

  A look of dismay covered Valentina’s face as she registered her mother’s request. She shook her head and replied, “Mom, I can’t do that.”

  “You can, and you will. NOW!”

  Adamantly shaking her head in denial, Valentina tried to reason, “Mom, we have no way of getting in touch with her. She’s in Tuala. It’s not like we can pick up the phone and call a different dimension.” She chuckled, trying to lighten the mood, but immediately saw her mother’s face only redden with anger and frustration.

  “Don’t you dare spout that nonsense with me. You didn’t have any trouble contacting her when you wanted her to come and talk with your father and me! You and I both know it’s a bunch of hogwash and if you don’t get moving right now to get this fixed, then I’m going to call the police and report your brother as kidnapped.” She stared fixedly at Valentina for a few more moments until she realized her daughter stubbornly remained rooted to her spot. “Fine! Let’s see what the police will do with your precious Vinia once I’m through with her. I’ll make sure she’s prosecuted to the fullest!”

  “Mom, please stop,” Valentina spoke softly as her mother brushed rudely past her. Wishing Behn had stayed home to take care of his issues with Juila, Valentina stomped her foot in frustration at having to clean up his mess. She charged after her mother, catching up with her in the living room just as she picked up the phone. “What are you going to say, Mom? My son left me a note saying he needed space, and a woman who claims to be from a different world is holding him? What about Behn? Or me? Or Jon, for that matter? We all are telling you the same thing. You can’t call the police unless you want all of us to be investigated.”

  Zoey’s eyes narrowed in anger as she finally heard Valentina’s words of reason. In a burst of frustrated rage, she growled, “Vinia should have stayed locked up in that asylum where she belongs!”

  The color drained from Valentina’s face as her realization dawned from what her mother spoke. In a quiet, accusatory tone, she asked, “How did you know about Mom being held by Dr. Gascon?”

  “She’s not your mom! I am! That woman is clearly insane, and I can’t have her poisoning the three of you with her lies. I know about Dr. Gascon because I called him. He deals with people like Vinia and he was thrilled to get the chance to treat her! You should be thanking me for trying to get her the mental help she desperately needs!”

  “How could you, Mom? Are you saying that all three of us need mental help, too? Do you think we’re all insane? What about Dad? He believes us, does he need to be taken against his will and ‘treated’ by Dr. Gascon?” The sense of her mother’s betrayal overwhelmed her to the point where she could no longer stand to be in the same room with her. “I can’t do this anymore! Do what you feel you need to do, Mother, but just know that you’re only hurting us more. You have no idea what your jealousy might have cost us all.”

  Zoey watched as Valentina turned on her heel to return to her room. She looked down at the phone in her hand, for the first time wondering if this call would cause irrevocable problems for her once-peaceful family. Deciding the satisfaction she would feel for incarcerating Vinia was not worth the risk of her family being investigated, she returned the phone receiver to the charging cradle. Without her righteous anger fueling her body anymore, she wearily slumped down onto the couch, resting her face in her hands as her elbows balanced on her knees. Everything had turned upside down ever since Vinia had come into their lives. When would they ever be a normal and happy family again?

  Chapter Thirteen

  DEBBON MADE SPECIFIC arrangements with Riccan to be brought to Earth. He had met him in Durseni, where Riccan worked, and had hitched a ride on his telepod to his home. This was the first time he had ever seen Riccan’s place, and he had to admit he was not impressed with the sterile grey interior.

  Riccan looked over at him, seeing his expression of dismay, and began laughing out loud. “This isn’t where I live, Elder Debbon, this is only where I keep the telepod.”

  “Oh, that’s a relief! I was starting to wonder why you’d want to be here when you could remain in the beauty of Tuala.”

  “There’s plenty of beauty here, you’ll see.” Riccan led the way out of the garage and into the house. He could hear Debbon’s approving sounds as he started to see all of the luxurious amenities inside. “So you said that Willian is going to stay in Telae for a while? What brought that on?” He had his suspicions regarding this sudden change of venue for his son, but he wanted to know if Debbon would share the truth with him.

  “Chelesa is worried about Willian being here on Earth. She also wants us to put some distance between him and Valentina until I can finish my research on her family. You can appreciate the situation our son has put us in by stating he plans to marry her. If we were any other family, it wouldn’t be a big deal, but Willian’s my successor and his wife will be the most important woman in the District. I don’t think Willian’s really thought this through very well.”

  Smiling at Debbon’s complete admission, Riccan’s estimation of him increased ten-fold. “Ordinarily, I’d say you were correct. However, with this thing they have going on with their fused life-lines, I’m pretty sure they didn’t have much say in the matter.”

  “Hmph,” Debbon replied non-committedly.

  “Does Willian know you’re coming?”

  “Yes, but he doesn’t know about my other surprise.”

  “I don’t even know about that. What is it?”

  He held up the bag he carried and said, “I brought a portable patil to be installed at Valentina’s house.”

  Riccan raised his eyebrows appreciatively. “That should make things a little easier.”

  “My thoughts exactly. As I told Chelesa, Willian would be less inclined to need to travel back to Earth if he could see and talk to Valentina through the patil. I’d say it’s a much safer alternative.”

  “True. So I guess I’ll be driving you over to get Willian then.”

  “Driving?”

  Riccan grinned and simply replied, “You’ll see. Think of it as a much slower transport.”

  “Okay.”

  Riccan’s surprise mode of transportation did create quite an impression on Debbon if one wanted to say he completely horrified him with how loud and smelly the gas engine could be. “I admit they have a way to go on their transportation choices. I believe the car manufacturers have made great strides in using electricity for engines, but it’s still in its infancy.” Riccan pulled up in front of Willian’s foster home and came to a stop and pointed to the modest home beside them. “This is Willian’s house.”

  “There’s not much to it. Why would he prefer this to home?” Debbon asked dubiously.

  “I don’t think he much cares where he lives as long as he gets to see Val!”

  “True.”

  Riccan shut off the engine and got out of the car, noticing Elder Debbon mirrored his actions. Together they walked up the sidewalk, and Riccan knocked on the door. They could hear barking issuing from inside, followed by a shushing sound as the door opened. Riccan had never met Melissa before, but he had heard all about her and her cute little black Pomeranian which she held in her arms. He smiled and began introductions, “Hi, I’m Riccan Stel and this is Willian’s father, Elder Debbon. Is Willian ready to go?”

  “Please come inside. Willian is on the phone right now, but he’s expecting you. Elder Debbon, your son has been a pleasure to have, a perfect gentleman.”

  “That’s very
good to hear. If you need anything, please let us know, and we’d gladly repay you for the kindness you’ve extended to my son.”

  “Oh, goodness, that’s very kind of you. We don’t need anything, it’s been our pleasure to help your kind out.” Melissa blushed as she realized how patronizing her last statement sounded. She hastily added, “I’ll go see if Willian’s ready.”

  Riccan had to smile at her rush to get away from them. He would have to think of some way to repay their family for helping. Nothing readily came to mind at the moment, but he decided he would ask Amanda later what she could think of for them.

  Debbon looked around with great interest to see the contrast between this house and Riccan’s. There actually was no comparison since he could probably see the majority of this house right from the front entryway, unlike Riccan’s sprawling mansion and gated acreage property.

  When Willian finally appeared from some unseen room down the hallway, he did not appear to be very happy. Debbon wondered if he and Valentina had been fighting, but decided to wait until they were back in the vehicle before asking. He noticed Willian carried a large duffle bag that seemed completely full, probably with Earth items.

  “Do you have everything?” Debbon asked.

  “Yes. Do you mind if we stop by Vala’s house before we go? I think she’s pretty upset, and I think it’s partially my fault.”

  Debbon looked over to Riccan before he answered, “I think that can be arranged. It’s very thoughtful of you to want to make amends before you leave.” He clapped Willian on the shoulder the same as he would with anyone he approved of.

  Willian’s troubled expression changed to one of appreciation of his father’s approval and consent to go. He turned to Melissa and said, “Thank you for allowing me to stay here. I hope I wasn’t too much trouble. Please tell Marcus that I said goodbye again.”