He stopped cold. “Yes, ma’am.” He dropped his head, his long blond curls falling into his golden eyes.
Fi knew that she should cut his baby curls. After all, he was five years old. But she couldn’t bring herself to do it, and anyway, his father wore his hair long. “If you want to roughhouse,” she said, “please take it outside. You know that your Aunt Sara and Uncle Sean will be arriving on the Solar Transport with the cousins any minute, and I’ve been cleaning for a week. Please try not to break anything, ok?” She heard a voice calling and looked out the door. “Speak of the devil.”
Sean, Sara, and Rachel waved as they came up the road, followed by Sean’s youngest sister, Zoe, who appeared to have gained three inches in height in the past few months. Fi gasped as she noted the figures following her expected guests. Behind Sean and Sara walked each and every member of their Family. What on Earth?
“Uncle Sean, Uncle Sean!” Luke cried joyously as he ran to meet them.
As Luke plowed into a laughing Sean, Fi followed with only a modicum’s more restraint. She rushed to her family, hugging a laughing Sara, the merriment of a secret well-kept dancing in her “sister’s” eyes.
“Did we surprise you, Fi?” Sara asked as Fi squeezed her and waved the rest of her Family into the embrace.
“Ash!” Fi yelled, laughing. “Come quick!”
She released Sara with a kiss and grabbed Sarge, the first of the Family to get his arms around her.
“My goodness, Fi,” he said, “you are a vision.”
“Thanks, Sarge,” she said, kissing his cheek. “I’m pretty sure you mean, ‘You’re gigantic,’ but I’ll take it as a compliment.”
Ash came trotting out of the house with Anna in his arms and shouted when he saw their visitors. When he joined them, the greeting turned into a fantastic, obscene pile of a hug with Sarge and Lydia and José and his wife, Louisa, Mayra and her boyfriend Tyler, Lydia and her husband, Mike, and their new baby, Eli, and Dr. Cooper and Aliyah and a much less shy, much taller Aldy in addition to Uncle John and Aunt Lucy Skillman and the girls. It was all arms and squeezing and laughter and lots and lots of “We got yous!”
It turned out that the entire group had been approved to use the Solar Transport to attend the fifth anniversary Interdependence Day celebrations in Lakeland. It was all a very big secret between the mutual leaders, Jack and Larry. Solar Transports — buses and trains now retro-fitted with solar panels and fuel cells, were usually only used to transport goods. Human transport still mostly meant one’s own two feet or a biofuel car if you were lucky.
“It’s because they’re honoring the Seeders, Fi,” Sean said proudly. “They decided a little extra human cargo was worth it.”
Fi couldn’t have been more thrilled. Her love for Lakeland summers was only tempered by her homesickness for her Family in Eden. Having them all together for the celebration was almost too much. “Don’t lie to me,” she joked, “ you all just wanted to check out Lakeland’s legendary parties.”
Her mouth dropped open when Sara set the ebony-haired toddler in her arms down and the little girl wobbled toward Fi.
“What’s this?” Fi asked. “Someone is a big girl now, huh?” Sara nodded. When Fi’s family had left Eden in the spring, little Layla was just barely standing with assistance. Now she was walking.
“AnnnFi,” Layla declared.
Fi’s hand flew to her mouth. Walking and talking!
Sara took a look at Fi’s swollen belly. “Layla’s not the only one who’s a big girl these days.”
Fi swatted at her. “Shut up! You’re just lucky that you’re in the slim stage,” she said, nodding to the infant in Sean’s arms. “Little Fi’s appetite is keeping you thin.”
“AnnnFi, AnnnFi.” Layla tugged at her long skirt, the only thing that seemed to fit her in this pregnancy.
“Yes, baby, I’m sorry for ignoring you.” Fi swept Layla into her arms and cuddled her. Unlike Luke, who wiggled out of her grasp whenever she tried to corral him, Layla was still young enough to like being held. She popped her thumb into her mouth and sighed.
“Unfortunately,” Sean said, “I have a bundle of a different kind for you.” He held up the messenger bag strapped over his backpack. “Homework. Louis sends his regards, by the way.”
“Oh, and he made it a point to say ‘’Tell her the negative feedback loop on the new abscisic acid samples is perfect,’” Sara added, frowning. “Please tell me that means something to you.”
Fi grinned. “It does! That’s good news for my defense this winter. You guys are coming to that, right?” Her eyes traveled over her entire Family, their faces pink with the excitement of travel and surprise. She could just imagine all of these wonderful people there, like cheerleaders in the stands, pushing her, believing in her. What a blessing.
“How could we miss it?” Sean asked. “Yours will be the first new Doctorate to be awarded in Eden. I’ll be surprised if Larry doesn’t broadcast it.” Fi made a face. “Still a fan of fame, I see,” he chuckled.
“Not really.” Fi nuzzled Layla’s soft hair. “I’d rather keep it in the family.”
“Unfortunately, Fi,” John said, chuckling, “it seems your fate to be in the spotlight. Not many twenty-three-year-olds are responsible for developing new forms of cancer treatment.”
“I didn’t develop it!” Fi protested. “Everyone on the team did. And anyway, the Eve Protocol was all her own legacy in the end. When Rachel healed, it made us look closer, but Nutritherapy was happening before we started doing it on purpose.”
“All right, enough with the shop talk,” Sara said. “I’m pretty tired and I’m ready for some juicy gossip.”
They made their way back to the house together, catching up on all the news. The sun was just starting to set and Fi could smell the rabbits that Kiara had caught and prepared roasting over the fire. It was going to be a beautiful evening.
############################################
Later that night, after the speeches and accolades, Fi and Asher headed home, leaving most of their Family rocking out in Town Center. Fi was happy but exhausted when they finally reached their cozy little home. She was ready for rest.
In their bedroom, Asher slid behind her and kissed her neck, his hands resting on her enormous belly. “How are you feeling?” he murmured, his lips still pressed to her neck.
“Tired,” she admitted, “but good.” She gave him a kiss and then climbed into bed. “Are you going to check the Lists?”
“Yup.” Asher sunk into the soft chair by the bed.
He grabbed the tablet on the night table. A long time ago — an age ago now, it seemed — Fi had worried about Asher’s obsession with the Lists. Now it was more of a check-in than an obsession.
The Lists had changed with time. People could check them using the limited satellite internet that had been restored. The “Missing” could even leave messages for those seeking them. Asher’s conviction that his parents were still alive hadn’t wavered, and Fi would never take that away from him.
She snuggled into her pillow, thankful for the cool lake breeze streaming through the window. Asher tapped at the tablet quietly and the shush of the lake in the background began lulling her to sleep. Just as she was about to crash, Asher choked. Her eyelids fluttered open. The blood had drained from her husband’s face.
“What?” She sat straight upright, terrified that he’d found his parents on the List of the Passed.
“There’s a message.” His voice was distant, like he believed he was dreaming.
“What does it say?” She scooted to the end of the bed and grabbed the tablet from his hand. She looked down and gasped, her hands beginning to shake.
“David Alexander Grey - 11/9/1987. Current location - Redwood Region. Anna Quinn Grey - 2/14/1992. Current location - Redwood Region.” Their names were followed by a message. “Seeking Asher Grey.” Then there were three Chinese symbols.
Her eyes filled with tears as she recognized the character
s for “husband” and “father,” — characters that Asher had since gotten tattooed on the inside of his wrist, and characters that he’d once carved into his parents’ coffee table in hopes that they would return. But the third...that one she didn’t know. “What does this mean, baby?” she asked, her voice trembling.
Tears slipped down his cheeks. “It means ‘Son.’” She choked as he swept her in his arms, gripping her tight. “They’re alive, Fi. I knew it, they’re alive!”
Want More? Other writings by Rachel E. Fisher
The Blight (Eden’s Root #0.5) – FREE!
Want to know how the end of the world happened? Do you love a good scientific backstory? Then check out my free novella, The Blight, which tells the story of how the apocalypse in Eden’s Root came to pass.
Now available in ebook and paperback from Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com.
Eden’s Root (Eden’s Root #1)
The year is 2033, and the world hovers on the edge of explosion as unexplained crop deaths lead to severe global food shortages. In the United States, the Sickness is taking lives slowly, creeping its way into every family. Fi Kelly has already faced the Sickness in her own family, toughening her at a young age. But when her dying father makes a shocking confession, Fi realizes that her toughness will be pushed to its absolute limits. Saddled with an impossible secret and the mission of saving her little sister, Fi sets out to transform herself into the warrior that she must become to survive the coming collapse. Along the way, she will discover that evil can be accidental…and that love can be intentional.
Now available in ebook and paperback from Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com.
Reading on your Kindle Device (not Kindle app)? Click here to go to the Amazon page. (Only works on a Kindle, for all others, click the normal browser links above.)
Seeds of War (Eden’s Root #2)
The mission of Eden must be fulfilled and Eden’s best Seekers are needed. Forming a new group they dub the Seeders, Fi, Asher, and Sean are joined by a new addition as they set out to bring hope and support to the Topsiders in the form of radios and heirloom seeds.
As radio broadcasts begin to reconnect the survivors, the Seeders stumble upon mysterious broadcasts from unknown stations. When two of their own new radio stations go silent within days of each other, Fi and her companions realize that something is terribly wrong. Eden finds itself pitted against a growing and unknown force as their very mission lights the flames of war.
Now available in ebook and paperback from Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com
Reading on your Kindle Device (not Kindle app)? Click here to go to the Amazon page. (Only works on a Kindle, for all others, click the normal browser links above.)
Review Me Please!
Reviews are the life-blood of an independent author. If you got this far, I have to assume that you enjoyed my tale to some degree. Either that or you are oddly dedicated to finishing things, however objectionable.
That being said, did you know that less that 1% of readers ever take the time to give the author a good review? And so I am going to be annoying and push for the plug. PLEASE if you have five minutes and you liked the story, let Amazon know.
Leaving an Amazon Review – How To
Haven’t done it before? It’s easy. You do need to have an Amazon account, but you just create a login and then you are all set. The next step is to search Amazon using the title, Eden’s Root to go to my page. Scroll down to REVIEWS and leave me one please! Honesty is ok, how else will the author improve?
Please feel free to review me on Goodreads, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, or your own personal blog as well. I appreciate it!
Acknowledgements
Once again, I have to thank my wonderful editor, Adrienne Hovey. She is patient and dedicated and I couldn’t have done this without her. Period.
I also have to thank my beta readers, Terri Lewis, a literary genius and my personal God of Shiva, and Becky McKinnon, my hopeful romantic who never steers me wrong in all matters “Ash and Fi.”
It really is true that a novel is the work of many hands and voices. And I am all the richer for it. Thank you. Thank you all so much.
And finally, I have to thank my parents who have cheered and followed and tweeted and Facebook liked and talked my work up to everyone they know. Thanks for being the dogged believers in me that you’ve always been. No one who’s ever succeeded at any dream has done it without fervent cheerleaders. Many might find it quaint that my mom and dad are my biggest fans, but I recognize that not everyone has such support. And I will never stop being thankful for your belief in me.
About the Author
Rachel E. Fisher is a wife and entrepreneur living and working in sunny South Florida. Most days she enjoys outdoor activities like tennis and going to the beach, but on rare rainy days, she enjoys reading deep science-fiction or young adult anything. She is an admitted vocabulary nerd, and enjoys a well selected turn-of-phrase entirely too much.
Visit www.rachelefisher.com for updates on new titles in the works or follow me on twitter @edensroot.
Emergence (Eden's Root Trilogy Book 3) Page 31