Box Set #4: Sisterhood's End: [The 3 book 4th adventure of Egg and the Hameggattic Sisterhood]

by Robert Iannone

  That was kind of an ‘in your face’ statement to Rose’Alynnia and by extension her daughter.

  The Queen, like her mother before her, showed no emotion. “Would Zynn-Zaz’zia consider other names?”

  “We would not,” she replied emphatically and defiantly.

  “Then there is nothing further to discuss. Meeting adjourned,” and Megg walked out so quickly no one had a chance to stand and bow.

  “Perhaps you offended the Queen,” suggested Tink’rrr. It was a statement, not a question, and he didn’t wait for an answer. He and the other two men left the room leaving only the former sisters.

  “Did I hurt her feelings?” asked Bree who wasn’t trying to do that.

  Serenity’s laugh startled the others. “What?” asked Aeri’elle.

  “She left because she was beginning to smile and didn’t want anyone to see it. But I did and it was a very big smile.”

  “But when will she bring back the Sisterhood? And Egg?” asked Tee’ka who was probably the hardest hit by the events. Egg was still her first, and closest, friend.

  No one answered. They had promised the Queen that they would never ask her about it.

  *****

  Earth

  “It’s going much too fast,” complained Mrs. Graystone.

  “What is?” asked her husband.

  “Life.”

  “Oh that. Not much we can do about that.”

  “Stop it. You know what I mean.”

  “Not really.”

  “Ashley graduates from college this year. Then I’m betting she and Aaron will get engaged.”

  “Yikes. Our first born getting married . . . that doesn’t seem possible. I’m too young to be a grandfather.”

  “No you’re not. The problem is that Aaron works in Boston so Ash will be moving there.”

  “Boston’s nice.”

  “It’s over a thousand miles away . . . that’s not nice.”

  “Between texting, video chats and airplanes, you’ll hardly notice.”

  “I’m her mother . . . I’ll notice.”

  “True dat.”

  “Please, it’s bad enough when Egg says it. Coming from an old man like you is just disturbing.”

  “I’m not old.”

  “My mother’s remarried . . . something that never entered my mind.”

  “I thought you liked Ezra?”

  “He’s absolutely wonderful . . . but he married my mother.”

  “Oh, I see.”

  “And Egg . . . she’s a junior now. She’ll graduate high school next year. Who knows where she’ll go to college.”

  “I don’t think college is in her plans.”

  “Of course college is in her plans. What else would she do?”

  “I just . . . well, try to keep an open mind.”

  “Now you’re just being silly. Anyway, she has a pilot’s license and her own plane. What were we thinking letting her fly? Girls shouldn’t fly . . . that’s not normal.”

  “Tell that to Amelia Earhart.”

  “Great. Look where it got her . . . lost over the Pacific. That makes me feel so much better.”

  “It’s obviously what she loves to do. Her grades have improved dramatically. She smiles all the time. She goes out with Sylvia and the guys and seems to be enjoying a healthy lifestyle. I’d say flying was doing her a world of good.”

  “What about that karate thing?”

  “Tae Kwon Do . . . and I for one love the idea. She’ll test for her black best in a few months and that’s awesome. A least she’ll be able to defend herself if she runs into somebody mean.”

  “Well, I guess that’s true. She was pretty defenseless before. Now she can stand up for herself.”

  “Are you worried about being an empty nester?”

  “Maybe.”

  “We could get a dog.”

  “What kind?”

  “I really like Max . . .”

  *****

  Grammy’s Farm

  “You got the wheel.”

  “Rodger.” The wheel was actually called the yoke . . . the stick that controlled the plane’s attitude. When Ezra said ‘you got the wheel’, he meant that Egg was now in control of the aircraft. She turned the craft and aligned herself to the dirt strip while cutting back on the gas so the plane was all but gliding. Holding the nose slightly up, she let gravity pull her gently on to the runway. Once down, she gave the engine a little gas and taxied over to the hangar where the plane was to be parked. It was also where Grammy was waiting.

  She turned off the engine and the radio, removed her goggles and climbed out. “Hi, Gram. What did you think of my landing?” As Egg was getting older, somewhere along the way Grammy had been shortened to Gram.

  “How can I criticize perfection? How was the rest of the flight? Like his new love?”

  “Gram, he named it Eloise . . . and like her namesake, she’s amazing.”

  Ezra came up to his two women. “Your granddaughter has quite the talent for aerobatics.”

  “Why are you surprised?”

  “Oh, good point.”

  “Lunch is ready if you’re hungry.”

  “Starving.”

  “Me, too.”

  “Dear one, you seem awfully cheery today. What’s going on?”

  “Flying does that to me.”

  “Yes it does . . . but there is something else. If you don’t want to share, I’d understand.”

  “Would you?” teased her granddaughter.

  “No, not really.”

  “In that case, I had a dream last night. It was the Myst Tree.”

  “NO.”

  “Yup.”

  Ezra interrupted. “Are you saying you actually talked to him? One of those dreams?”

  “Yes and yes.”

  “Egg, my love, if you don’t tell me what he said I might scream.”

  “Can’t have that, can we? Ezra thinks you’re always in such great control.”

  Grammy looked at her husband and quick smile passed between them. “Perhaps not always. Anyway, please . . . I’m dying to know what he said. I assume it was good news?”

  “Um . . . not exactly good news. He said me and Syl were sorely missed by our sisters. Lots of changes going on but he didn’t say what they were. The reason he visited was to give me one of his riddles.”

  “Did it make sense?”

  “They never do until they do. He said, “When necessity demands it, that which sings true will tend to your needs.”

  “What the hel . . . um, heck does that mean?” asked Ezra.

  Grammy and Egg laughed. “To paraphrase my granddaughter, ‘you never know until you do”.

  “Wow. I gotta tell you, as much as riding on the back of dragon was amazing, to be able to talk to a tree would be . . . out of this world.” As he usually did, he smiled at his clever turn of phrase.

  However, all he received was a couple of “Booooo’s.”

  “No, no, no,” he complained. “It was witty and you know it.”

  “Of course it was dear,” and Grammy squeezed his hand.

  “Thank you. Egg, why did that make you so happy?”

  Grammy answered for her granddaughter. “It means the final chapter of Egg and the Hameggattic Sisterhood hasn’t been written yet.”

  *****

  “You ever notice that my plan A’s never work so we always go to plan B.”

  Sylvia smiled at her friend who often started bizarre conversations with nonsensical statements or questions. “Yes. That’s why you need a backup plan.”

  “Yeah . . . but from now on I’m going to outsmart them. You, my Feminion, should have thought of this yourself.”

  “What in the world . . . any world . . . are you babbling about. And who is them?”

  “From now on, I’m going to call all my plan B’s, my plan A’s . . . and all my plan A’s, B’s. This way, my plan B’s which are really my plan A’s will work. Then I’ll never have to use my plan B’s which I now call plan
A’s . . . which I do to fool everyone. How clever am I now?”

  “If I may quote a talented wit from Aerianna . . . GOOD GRIEF”.

  “Syl, you’re just jealous that I thought of it before you did. Not to worry, I’m only going to deduct a half point from your ‘How good a Feminion are you’ scorecard. And don’t forget, I grade on a curve.”

  “You used to be borderline crazy . . . well, you are way south of the border now.”

  “If you’re trying to get that half point back by buttering me up, I have to be honest - it’s not working.”

  Sylvia grabbed Egg’s hand and dragged her to a park bench. “What is going on with you? You’re practically giddy.”

  “I’m a naturally happy person. Everybody knows that.”

  “Egg!”

  “I think I had one of those epipy things.”

  “Epipy? Oh, epiphany.”

  “Yeah, that one.”

  Syl couldn’t help but be amused . . . however, she kept her grin inside her head and not on her face. “Okay, about what?”

  “Life, the universe and everything.”

  “Wow . . . it’s lucky your brain didn’t explode.”

  Egg smiled. “Yuk, that would’ve been totally gross.”

  “In about three seconds, I’m going to pull your hair until you tell me what’s going on. One . . . two . . .”

  “Okay. Okay. I’ve been giving a lot of thought to what Dazzle said and stuff Ezra’s been talking to me about. And, she was right. I was acting like a stupid kid and not a mature leader. I could have gotten everyone in serious trouble.”

  “Really?” Syl was surprised because this was the first time in almost four years her friend even mentioned the Queen. “Do me a favor and tell Grammy that.”

  “I will. Anyway, when they come, I’ll go back and apologize.”

  “When who comes?”

  “Not sure, but I’m guessing Tee or Serenity.”

  “I’m not following.”

  “Dazzle will open the portal and send one of our sisters here. I just know she will. Then I’ll be able to go back and tell her I’m sorry and she was right. Then she’ll reinstate the sisterhood and I can be Flying Girl again.” When she finished, her face was beaming with the anticipation that her life would get back to normal . . . well, her idea of normal.

  On the other hand, Sylvia didn’t believe any of that was going to happen. “Egg, what’s your plan B?”

  “Plan B? What are you talking about?”

  “What happens if Dazzle doesn’t send someone?”

  “Now you’re just being silly. Of course she will. We’re the Heroines of Aerianna, remember?”

  “Vaguely. Still, why would she do it now?”

  “Maybe they need our help. Why else would the Myst Tree talk to me?”

  “Well, that’s a good point. But, that was months ago and Dazzle hasn’t sent anyone. Even if she did, it might be years before it happens.”

  “I guess. But, I just have a feeling. That’s why I’m carrying this from now on . . .” and she reached in her pocket and pulled out . . .

  Sylvia was surprised. “Where did you get that?”

  “I think Tee slipped it in my pocket when I hugged her goodbye.”

  “That was four years ago. Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “As soon as we got home, I locked it away and completely forgot about it. I was cleaning my closet yesterday and came across the little chest I used to put my suit in. That’s where I stashed this. Out of sight, out of mind.”

  “You know that thing can’t work from so far away?”

  “Why not?”

  “Not enough power. If Serenity was going to use it, she’d have to be a lot closer.”

  “Oh.” Disappointed, she slipped it back in her pocket.

  Not wanting to kill her friend's good mood, Syl said, “But the space portal idea was probably right. And if . . . I mean when they use it, it’ll open up at Grammy’s. Lucky that you spend so much time there.”

  “It’s where my airplane is. I just love that thing.”

  “Pretty cool that a seventeen year old girl has her own plane.”

  “Yeah. Really cool,” and the smile returned to her face.

  *****

  Still on Earth

  A very busy summer

  Ashley graduated with high honors and was immediately offered a job in Boston. To no one’s surprise, she accepted.

  “Are you going to marry him?”

  “He hasn’t asked me yet.”

  “I don’t get it . . . why can’t the girl ask the guy? Why do we have to wait for them to do the asking? Everyone knows how dim-witted they are.” Egg was mostly teasing.

  “Remember how you hated boys. ‘I’ll never have a boyfriend’, you used to declare at least once a week. Now look at you.”

  “Things change.”

  “Like little girls becoming young women.”

  “Yeah, like that.”

  “I don’t want to sound like Mom, but you are being a . . . geez, I hate this phrase . . . a good girl.”

  “Does an occasional kiss make me bad?”

  “No.”

  “Then yes, I’m being good.”

  “Never thought I would ever get to ask you that,” chided her sister.

  “As I said, things change.”

  “What about Aerianna and the rest?”

  “I’m still hoping they will send someone. I’m ready to apologize.”

  “It’ll happen. Like I told you four years ago, the galaxy still needs Flying Girl.”

  “I guess.”

  “What are you going to do about the parents when the time comes? You can’t go to college and go off roaming the stars.”

  “A real conundrum, that.”

  “Nice word. That’s like three syllables . . . very impressive.”

  “Ha. And I’m still in high school.”

  They went quiet for a bit. Then Ashley said, “If he asks, I want you as my maid-of-honor.”

  “You better.”

  “Kind of strange isn’t it. This whole growing up thing. Moving away from your parents, getting married, having a career and maybe starting a family. It seems like it was just last week I took you to that Fandango Sally concert.”

  “OH MY GOSH . . . I completely forgot.”

  “The concert?”

  “No. Remember when you got lost and had to turn around?”

  “Vaguely.”

  “Well, you drove off the road and down the embankment. You and Syl passed out. So I changed into Flying Girl and pushed the car back up the road. Then I used the bracelet to fix your bumps and bruises and make you forget the accident.”

  “Are you kidding me?”

  “Nope. But I couldn’t tell you or Syl because . . .well, because I couldn’t.”

  “Amazing. And you flew me to San Francisco after Brad and I broke up. You really took care of me, you little squirt.”

  “I’m a hero, what can I say.”

  *****

  Still later

  It was a short phone call.

  “We’re in the car. I’ll be home in an hour.”

  “I can’t believe you did it.”

  “Wasn’t really hard. You just fall – I’m almost certain that you can do it to.”

  “You’re such a goof. You fell from three thousand feet up – that’s pretty much insane.

  “It makes my parents feel better.”

  “Which makes them as crazy as you.”

  “To be honest, when you’re sitting with your feet dangling out of the plane, the thought of jumping out is pretty scary. But once the chute opens, it’s actually fun.”

  “If you go skydiving again, can I come?”

  “Really? That would be awesome.”

  “See . . . I told you you’re crazy. I’m not jumping out of an airplane . . . I’m not insane.”

  “What happens if you’re flying with me and the engine conks out? It’s an old plane. Parachuting to safety may be the
only way to save your sorry butt.”

  “Actually, there is one other way.”

  “Which is?”

  “I’m never going flying in that contraption again. Good bye.”

  Grammy turned around to talk to her granddaughter. “She wasn’t thrilled with the whole concept, was she?”

  “Falling out of an airplane and plummeting to earth wouldn’t be her first choice of things to do on a lazy summer’s day.”

  “And that’s why she’s your Feminion,” chimed in Ezra. “Smart girl.”

  “True dat.”

  *****

  Later yet

  Egg was dressed in black – very Ninja-like. Zeke and Zack both wore white . . . a more traditional color when testing. All three had red belts . . . the last level they had earned. But now, they only needed to break a few boards to complete their black belt test.

  “Eloise, step forward,” said the instructor. She did as she was asked and bowed, which he returned. “There are four boards, please begin.”

  Egg took a deep breath, stared at her first target with incredible intensity then yelled at the top of her lungs “Ki-hap” (it sounds better in Korean). She took two steps forward, jumped up using her left foot and kicked out with her right. The board shattered.

  Without stopping, she twirled, ki-hap-ed again while punching straight ahead. The board broke in two. Turning in one fluid motion, she swung her other hand out and with the edge struck another board and broke it.

  The last one required a tornado kick . . . where you spin around a complete 360 degrees, throw one leg higher than your head and strike your target. She yelled, spun, kicked and the board died . . . falling to the ground in two pieces.

  She walked back to her instructor, and bowed once more.

  He nodded and she removed her red belt and turned her back to him, arms stretched out at her side. He took a black belt from a table, snapped it to release its ties, then wrapped it around Egg’s waist. He tied the traditional knot in front.

  She turned once more to face her instructor and bowed. He returned it then shook her hand and everyone applauded.

  Fifteen minutes later, the two boys had finished their tests, receiving their belts and applause. They found their girlfriends and exchanged hugs and even a kiss (after all, it was a special occasion).

  They received congratulations from their parents then excused themselves.