by Leyton, Bisi
“Lara—” Coles continued.
“Elliot, if you stand in their way, they’ll kill you too. They’ll slaughter you like an animal.” Her mother continued to cry.
“We have to try and do something,” Coles said.
“Like what? Do you have any ideas? Jason hasn’t found another way to shut down the Nucleus, which means Wisteria, has to go and do it from the Family’s home realm. If she does, she’ll never come back.”
Wisteria wanted to close the door and move away. She’d heard enough, but she’d never have this opportunity again to learn about who she really was from her mother.
“If there is a way out, we’ll find it,” Coles assured her. “The first thing you need to do is talk to your daughter and let her understand—”
“Are you out of your mind?” Her mother’s voice became deep and controlled. “You’re not going to tell Wisteria any of this.”
“You’re joking,” Coles replied.
“Elliot, she’s still recovering from the virus and I can’t burden her, not till she’s stronger.”
Her mother’s words sent daggers into Wisteria’s heart. This will be too much for her to bear. She closed the door.
“No, what are you doing?” Garfield moved past her to continue to listen in. “This is what you’ve always wanted to hear.”
“Yeah.” Wisteria sat on the bed and noticed her legs were trembling.
“Tell her,” Coles bellowed. “She’s a woman and deserves the truth.”
“She’s a child, my child, and I decide what’s best for her. You don’t get a vote in this matter.”
“Lara, when you married me, Wisteria and David became my family too, so I get more than a voice, I have a duty to do what is right by them. If you don’t come clean to Wisteria and David, I will.”
“Elliot, you tell them anything and I’ll take them away from you. I swear you’ll never find us.”
“Don’t threaten me with my own family,” he warned her.
“Then don’t interfere with me and mine. David and Wisteria are not your concern,” her mother maintained.
The front door slammed shut and moments later, the front gate crashed to a close.
“Whoa,” Garfield exclaimed.
“She’s insane.” Wisteria rubbed her face.
“Shh…” Garfield whispered.
The front door opened and after a few seconds, it closed. Wisteria peeked out of the window as the tall figure of her stepfather moved slowly to the gate.
Chapter Seven
Best interests
Three days later, Wisteria sat in one of the island’s observation tower or crow’s nest with a rifle, aimed out through the window.
She was assigned to a spot overlooking the channel and watch out for unknown passing ships, but in the weeks she’d been there, she’d only seen the pirate ships that traded with the island for their excess crops and pharmaceuticals.
“Anything interesting?” Garfield climbed up the hole through the floor.
“Nothing today. A lot of the crews who used to trade with us have been killed off by rivals who tried to take over their routes, but with the piron net up, these new crews can’t find us.”
“So, maybe we should take down the net, so we don’t starve—”
“What are you doing up here? You and Amanda don’t have plans?”
“I saw Steven sniffing around here. Don’t tell me you’re considering him again.”
“Of course not, but seriously, I’m tired of arguing with you about him. He was a mistake I made. I accept that.”
“I wasn’t having a go at you about him. I’m the last person who can talk to you about picking the right person.” His sighed. “I’m such an idiot.”
“What’s going on?”
“I’m—a crap judge of character.”
“No, you’ve been right about Steven. I’m just tired of hearing it.”
“Amanda’s pregnant,” he let out. “
“Oh—um—congratulations?”
“David’s the father.”
“My David?”
David Kuti is Wisteria’s seventeen-year-old brother. David and Amanda had had an off and on relationship until earlier this year when she finally decided to get with Garfield or so Wisteria thought.
“That’s impossible,” she gasped.
“You didn’t realize they were sleeping together?”
“No, but I haven’t seen him since I moved in with Amanda. I know he’d been spending a lot of time with Poppy and Byron, after his shift at the plant, I thought they were getting back together.”
Poppy Cheung was the sixteen-year-old mother of David’s toddler son, Byron.
“I thought Amanda was over him.” Glowering, he shook his head.
“What do you want to do?”
“What can I? She’s in love with him.” He sat back and folded his arms.
“I doubt it. Amanda’s never been happier than when she’s been with you.”
“But then she does it with that arse?”
“You can’t talk about him like—”
“But it’s true. He got Poppy pregnant, dumped her and came after my girlfriend. What do you call that?”
“He’s still my brother.”
“Why did I even come here?” Rising, he stomped back to the door. “Naturally, you’ll defend him.”
“Don’t go. I’m not happy with what David did and I’m not taking his side, but I don’t have much family left.”
He halted. “Lucky for you because I don’t have any family here. So, I’ll have to make do.”
“Garfield—”
“Are you going to at least move out of her house?”
“And go where? Back to my mother’s? Forget it. She tried to ship me out to the other side of the world and has refused to talk to me about it. Even Coles has moved out, so why should I stay?”
“She’s your mother. Family first? Isn’t that why you’re defending David?”
“I’m not defending him.” She jumped up. “But my brother didn’t hide who my father was or that I had a sister. When I confronted her about it, she told me never to talk about it for as long as I lived in her house.”
“I guess we’ve both got relationship crap to work through.” He smiled at her. “Did Coles tell you about their fight at your old house?”
“Why would I?” Coles climbed up through the hatch door. “I heard you in the house and reckoned if you had any questions, you’d ask and not try to manipulate me into volunteering information.”
“Major?” Garfield greeted in a low voice.
“Why are you here?” The man scowled at him. “This isn’t a place for you to hang out with my stepdaughter. Don’t you have a girlfriend whose time you should be wasting?”
“I came to see if Wisteria was okay.” Garfield leaned back against the window.
Coles climbed up. “Let me put it this way, this is a restricted area. You’re a tracker, so I expect to see you when you’re leaving or returning from patrol and not here, distracting one of my guards.”
“Fair point.” Garfield nodded. He used to be terrified of Coles. While he was a little unsettled, he kept calm. “But, I put my life on the line outside of these walls every day. I understand the risks.”
“Risks? You drive around Norton after people like my soldiers and Wisteria cleared out most of the biters years ago. Riding around those safe villages doesn’t impress me.” Coles glared at him.
“Yet, you took me to bring your stepdaughter back from Franklin. You remember?” Garfield noted.
Coles rocked back on his heels and laughed. “Get out.”
Garfield paused for moment to stare at him before he left.
“Stop picking on him.” She peered out of the window at the empty sea.
“He should stop making it so easy.” Coles chuckled as he sat on the bench next to her.
“Mum send you right?” Wisteria guessed.
“I’m head of security. I’ll check on my people, even if they’re my stepd
aughter.”
“Ex-stepdaughter.”
“When are you going home?”
“When are you?”
“I haven’t moved out.”
“David told me you haven’t been there in three days.”
“David’s not been spending a lot of time at home and I’ve been working nights at the control center. You remember that? You’ve worked some nights too.”
“But you’re normally home in the morning. David said you’re not.”
“Go home before your mother loses her mind and goes after Nate.” Coles exhaled.
“You’re head of security. Isn’t it your job to stop that?”
“I’m also married to your mother, so there some fights not worth having.” He laughed. “So, you’ll be back for dinner or am I going to have to make it difficult for you?”
“I’m eighteen, so no one can make me do anything as long as I follow the rules. I’m earning my keep—I’ve kept all my shifts on the wall and keeping up with my engineering classes with Thomas Clarkson. I notified the ration center of my move, so my rations will come.”
“Wisteria—”
“I’m done dealing with her lies. I’m on my own and it’s time we stop pretending we’re a happy family.”
“You’re not alone. You have David, Beck and me.”
“You knew about my real father, my sister, David being adopted and didn’t tell me. Yeah, you’re clearly on my side.”
“You overheard the conversation. You could’ve come to me and asked. I would’ve told you, but you didn’t.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be the father figure and want to help me?”
“Father figure? Wisteria, you want another father figure?”
“Stupid right?”
“No, I didn’t realize you felt that way.”
“I don’t. I need to sort out what you want from me.”
“I love your mother. I love you kids. If you’re looking for an ulterior motive, you’ll be searching for a long time.”
“Then why did you keep me in the dark?”
“Because your mother asked me to.” Frowning, he sighed again. “Like you said, you’re an adult. You want me to tell you something? You ask, but I won’t volunteer to tell you what your mother and I discuss. If I feel it’s your business, I’ll tell you.”
“My business?”
“Your mum’s my wife and some things are going to be between us, but as far as your life goes, I’ll do my best to answer any of your questions.”
“Fine.” She nodded. “What happened to my father?”
“You want to start with that one?” He remarked in surprise.
“Yes.”
“All your mother ever told me is what you heard at your old house The Family tracked them down in Nebraska years ago. When they found him, they didn’t leave him or your older sister alive.”
“When did this happen?”
“A few years after you were born. She joined Red Phoenix because she thought they’d protect her and you. She met Doc a few years later and they married.”
“And David?”
“David’s mother was an RZC administrator who died of a drug overdose your mother knew here.”
Biting her lip, she sat down on the bench. “Does David know this? Of course not, she’d never tell him.”
“Are you going to tell him?”
“He deserves the truth. He’s got to be free of her lies too.”
Talk to your mother first about what you’re going to do.”
“Why? She’ll try and stop me.”
“She might surprise you. Give her another chance.”
“Fine,” she seethed. “I’ll stop by before dinner and ask her to speak to David.”
“I wasn’t talking about David. You need to tell her you want to go after Bach.”
“Ha.” Bitterly, she laughed. “She’ll have me locked up for sure.”
“I’m not going to lie to you, no one has a clue how they’re going to resolve the situation with Coia or the Family, but we’re going to find away. We’ve the brightest minds on this island working on this.”
“Mum’s probably right, there’s no way to stop the Family from coming after me, even with the piron net. My being here is putting everyone in danger.”
“You going after Bach is never going to happen. Those people hate humans and if you go to their realm, you’re probably not going to come back. No matter what your mother says, I can’t allow that to happen. You’re too important to me.” He squeezed her shoulder. “We’ll figure something out.”
“So, what’s the point of talking about it?”
“Because she understands what it’s like to lose someone she loves.”
I haven’t lost Bach, she wanted to believe, but her heart felt hollow.
“Wisteria, move home tonight and work out your problems with your mother, please.”
*****
“The prodigal daughter comes home.” Wisteria’s mother strolled into the hallway of Coles’ farmhouse a few hours later.
Wisteria arrived to give her mother one more chance, but wasn’t expecting much. “Coles told me to come.”
“Apparently, he had to beg my own daughter to do the right thing.”
“The right thing?” Wisteria stood a few feet from the front door and considered turning back.
“Now you’re done playing the rebel, I’m soaking beans in the kitchen. Wash off the skin, because I’m making moin-moin,” her mother instructed causally.
“Please tell me about my father. I heard you and Coles talking at the old house. You said the Family tracked my father down.”
“Huh.” Her face broke into a broad smile. “Captain Benisah procured some red beans and I want to make your brother’s favorite.”
“At least tell David he’s adopted.”
“If I tell David the truth, you’ll come home?” Her mother asked.
That wasn’t enough. Wisteria wasn’t even sure after all this time what would ever be enough.
“Tell me the truth about what?” David came out of his room, holding a bottle of green liquor.
Wisteria noticed the disheveled dark hair of seventeen-year-old Zola Bonnet, a new arrival in the town.
Zola ducked back into the room and shut the door.
“Who is she?” Her mother glared at him.
“No one. What do you need to tell me?” He rested against the door.
“Ask Mum.” Wisteria pointed at her.
“What? Are you okay?” Concerned, he approached their mother. “Has something happened to Beck?”
“Your baby brother’s fine and if you two keep making noise, you’re going to wake him up.” Her mother headed to the kitchen. “Wisteria, wash the beans and stop this nonsense.”
“So, you’re not going to tell him.” She followed her mother.
“There’s nothing to say.” Her mother lit the candles in the room.
“Nothing to say?” Wisteria exclaimed. “You have to tell him or he’ll hear it from me.”
“Hear what?” Entering the kitchen, David shouted as he slammed the kitchen door shut. “What are you on about?”
Suddenly, a high-pitched scream rang through the house; the infuriated cries of fifteen-month-old Beck Coles seemed to rattle the walls.
“Damn it Wisteria, you woke him up. Why do you have to upset everything? Why can’t you trust that I have your best interests at heart?” Her mother headed to the door.
“My best interests? You tried to sent me away,” she called after her.
“You did what?” Confused, David gasped. “Mum, what is she talking about?”
“I’m going to get Beck.” Her mother opened the door.
“We went to Pottingham, Mum, Sabine and I. Mum contacted—” Wisteria started to explain.
“Wisteria wants to inform you that you’re adopted,” her mother announced coldly and disappeared to get Beck.
She couldn’t believe her mother. “Mum, I’m not saying you should tell him l
ike this. I wanted to make sure she told you. I’m sorry David.” She turned to her brother.
Bewildered at first, David’s eyes trailed from his mother to Wisteria. Then his expression became sadder. “I know I’m adopted.”
“What?” Wisteria gasped
“I was three when she adopted me. I remember my old family and I talk about it a lot with her,” he went on.
“How come you kept it from me?”
He looked troubled as he thought of his next words. “Mum and I thought you wouldn’t be able to handle it. We were going to tell you eventually, but—”
“But what? I’m too unstable or weak?” Wisteria stormed out of the kitchen door.
“Wisteria, stop.” Her mother appeared at the end of the hall.
“You tell him about his life, but can’t do the same for me.” Wisteria pointed at her brother.
“You’re not like your brother. You’ve got to be protected.”
“I can take care of myself. You said it yourself—I’m strong.”
“You’re stronger than you were, but you still need me to look after you. Every time you’ve gone up against those people, you’ve barely survived. Someone had to save you.”
“Save me? I wouldn’t have been in those situations if you hadn’t allowed Doc to use me or if you’d told the truth.”
“Or if you did what I said and kept away from that boy.”
That boy was Bach.
“Bach would’ve always found me, because we’re bonded. The least you could have done was to prepare me for the hell I’ve gone through, but you tried to keep me weak.”
“Baby, you’re only mad at me because your boyfriend is gone. You want to tell him your moon will reflect in his eyes or some other rubbish, because all you care about is making him happy. That’s not strength.” Her mother laughed again.
Wisteria’s blood to boiled.
“It’s true Wisteria. You’re not emotionally or physically capable of standing against the Family or any of the thugs who roam the streets outside the island’s wall. You need someone, either me, Bach or Coles, to get you out.”
“I’ve held my own more times than most people on the outside.”
“That is a lie.”
“Twice I rescued David from Woolmer. I saved Amanda from biters in Norton. I—”