Danny didn’t like the tourists because the kids still lived in the original house. Her grandkids, great-grandkids and families lived in the first barracks that were built. Only blood family members were allowed to live on the original farm now. That was one she didn’t like, but kept her mouth shut.
“Dad would want us to,” Danny sighed and couldn’t stop the tears from rolling down her face.
Buffy slowly stood up, “You know we would still go,” she said with a sigh, looking at the date on her watch; March twenty-seventh.
Grabbing their rifles, the two slowly walked down the steps and climbed in Danny’s car. “If this thing was bigger I would like it,” Danny said, closing her door.
“These are great,” Buffy grinned. “You can go really fast, forever.”
Pressing the button to turn it on, Danny looked out. “That’s why you can’t borrow my car,” she said, pressing the accelerator.
“I only speed outside the walls,” Buffy protested.
“Buffy, you’re almost eighty,” Danny sighed.
“Like Daddy said, ‘I’m only old when they throw dirt in my face’,” she said with a grin, then the grin slowly dropped.
“Yeah,” Danny said with a moan. She passed the driveway for the farm as buses loaded with tourists pulled out. She pulled over to the side and got out, looking at the massive statue of Debbie. She closed her door as Buffy got out and turned around, looking at the statue of Steve.
“I miss you, Bubba,” Danny said crying.
Stepping close, Buffy wrapped her arm around Danny. “We told him to always keep his health band on,” Buffy said in a hushed voice.
Danny lifted her right arm, looking at the silver band around her wrist. When it detected an abnormal heart rhythm or biorhythm, it called for help. This was one of Jake’s inventions with Sandy after she’d finished the immunization for the blue virus. Because of this one thing, survival went up among citizens for a multitude of injuries.
Have a heart attack, they would put you on bypass until a new one was grown from your own tissues over a week. Genetic research was still done, but only on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and nowhere else. Any citizen could get them and most did pay the monthly monitoring fee. The lives it had saved was astronomical now.
Steve had passed last year from a heart attack in his sleep.
“It was his choice, just like Dad’s,” Danny whimpered.
“Come on, Danny. They are waiting for us now,” Buffy said, guiding her to the car.
Danny climbed in as Buffy ran around and got in the driver’s seat. Turning around, Buffy saw no more buses were pulling out. “At least this year, we aren’t taking pictures with tourists,” Buffy said as a guard put a sign in the road.
‘Area Closed. First Families only. Be prepared to show ID’, it read.
“They ask for my ID and I’m going before the discipline committee,” Buffy vowed, slowing and the guard just waved her past.
“Guess he didn’t want an old lady kicking his ass,” Danny laughed, wiping her face.
Buffy parked the car and climbed out, looking around. “Will you go over with me to the other house?” Buffy asked in a pleading voice as Danny shut her door.
Giving a sigh, Danny looked at Buffy. “I always do, don’t I?” Danny groaned, looking across the road at the replica farm.
“I like the stories,” Buffy smiled.
Not able to help it, Danny chuckled. “Yeah, we’ll get Matt, Jake, and Mary to come with us.”
Buffy clapped and walked around the car. Danny held out her hand and Buffy clasped it as they walked around the house. Glancing at the pool, Danny’s eyes got misty, thinking of the memories. Moving past the center, they saw a few of the family at the huge mausoleum that allowed only those that were there in the very beginning to be placed inside.
Nobody was at the memorial of marble statues that Mr. Henry had made so long ago yet still looked pristine. Danny stopped and looked at the statue of Debbie, “Hi momma,” she said with a smile.
“See? We made it, Momma,” Buffy said, wiping her eyes.
Hearing kids squealing, they both turned to see a large group come out of the center. Holding hands, they both walked toward the group as their kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids ran over, hugging them.
Danny and Buffy returned the hugs and moved through the crowd and stopped at a very old man walking with a cane and two old women. “Hey, Daddy,” Danny smiled.
…….
A one-hundred-and-eight-year-old Bruce looked up squinting, but recognized the voice. “Pumpkin and BB,” he called out in a trembling voice as he smiled. Like Debbie had said long ago, Bruce didn’t see two elderly ladies, he saw two little girls in front of him. The same way he saw all his kids.
Danny and Buffy moved over, hugging him. “You don’t have your sweater on, Daddy,” Danny said, holding him tight.
“You tell him, Danny,” Angela said, moving over as Danny let Bruce go. “I told him to put it on, but he was playing with the kids and trying to chase them.”
“Daddy,” Buffy gasped, letting him go. “You can’t be chasing the kids.”
“Says who?” Bruce said in a cracking voice, puffing out his chest.
A tall robust man stepped out of the center, surrounded by men wearing suits. “Guys,” he said, looking at the throng around him. “I’m with my family and I swear if you don’t piss off, I’ll shoot you.”
The group looked at him and one nodded, “Yes, sir, Mr. President.”
As the men moved off and the man walked over, Buffy hugged him. “Still the same Joshua,” she laughed.
Joshua moved over and hugged Danny. “I’m not as bad as PJ was when he was president,” Joshua laughed.
“PJ was a good president,” Stephanie snapped.
“I know, Mom,” Joshua laughed and looked at Danny. “I still should’ve done what Danny did when she was asked to be president.”
Stephanie laughed, “No, beating up a group of people wasn’t very smart.”
“I only had to do pushups,” Danny huffed.
“Be glad they never asked me,” Buffy said.
“I think you two would’ve made great presidents,” Bruce said, hugging them.
“Dad, Emily and Sherry served in the Oval Office,” Danny said with a straight face. “That was enough of this family’s female blood.”
Bruce looked at Danny and smiled, “At least nobody made them serve longer,” he cackled. “I thought Mike was going to beat me when I told him the only way I would serve again was if he was president.”
Matt came over and hugged Danny as she remembered how an election was held and the population had voted for Bruce and Mike to serve a third term. When he’d heard the results, Bruce had gone on TV, yelling at everyone. With Mike as president, Bruce started fading out of the limelight as much as he could, but that wasn’t much.
A channel on TV had played the recordings of Bruce twenty-four-seven for the last fifty years and it was still one of the most watched stations on TV. When Bruce had left office after that term, he’d gone home and took care of the kids as Angela and Stephanie worked.
That didn’t mean he was done. Bruce had just gotten back from Washington to stop a bill that wanted to change the laws of the colonies on the moon and Mars, raising the taxes of each. Bruce sat before Congress and told them they were Americans and bound by the same laws this planet was and to say otherwise was against the Constitution. The bill died on the floor.
Angela and Stephanie moved over, each grabbing an arm of Bruce’s. “You ready, baby?” Stephanie asked.
With a warm smile, Bruce nodded. “You bet, Little Red.”
Stephanie scoffed. “Very little of my hair is red, baby.”
Danny looked at Stephanie and then at Angela and neither looked in their nineties. Then she looked at her Dad and couldn’t believe he was getting close to his one hundred and ninth birthday.
“Hell, at least you got hair on your head,” Bruce cackle
d as they slowly walked toward the memorial. “I have to trim my ears and nose more than I do my goatee.”
Bruce looked over at the mass of bodies that represented the generations of his family. “Slow down, baby,” Angela said as Bruce tried to speed up and the crowd parted to the stone bench in front of statues.
He looked at the new additions like Marcus and Carroll, then over at Millie holding her wooden spoon. “Mike, she has her spoon,” Bruce laughed, looking over at Mike’s statue.
“You better hush before Carroll gets a switch,” Stephanie giggled and looked at the right side at the statues of Gene and Sandy. They were the last ones added. She looked around till she saw their kids and grandkids. “We’re the last,” she mumbled.
“What, baby?” Bruce asked, leaning over toward her.
“Just thinking of all the good friends we were blessed with,” Stephanie said, wiping her eyes.
Bruce turned and looked at Debbie’s statue. “Yes, we were blessed,” he said and everyone quieted down.
A little boy ran over and hugged Bruce’s leg. “Can I sit by you, Papaw?” he asked.
A woman ran over, picking up the boy, “Sorry, Daddy,” she said.
“Jessica, you let him stay here,” Bruce said, trying to remember his grandchild’s name.
“He needs to stay by his mom,” Jessica said, turning around as a young woman walked over, taking the boy.
“Sorry, Papaw,” she said and Bruce grinned, knowing her name because he had five granddaughters with the same name. He wasn’t sure how many great-granddaughters had the name, his memory was getting rusty.
“Debbie, he’s okay,” Bruce smiled at her. Debbie smiled at him as Bruce turned back to Debbie’s statue with a sigh.
“Let’s sit down, baby. I’m getting tired,” Angela said and Danny laughed, knowing Angela wasn’t tired. That’s how they always got Daddy to do anything.
Watching Bruce sit down still looking at the statue of Debbie, Danny sighed. “Momma had his heart, but he shared what was left with Angela and Stephanie,” she mumbled and Matt put an arm over her shoulders, hugging her tight.
Feeling someone move beside her, Danny looked over and smiled. “Hey, Jake,” she said and hugged him before Mary stepped over to hug her.
Jake looked back at Angela and Stephanie, leaning their heads on Bruce with his arms around them. “Yeah, I thank God for Angela and Stephanie. I still wish they would’ve taken that trip to the Mars colony with us,” Jake said, putting his arm around Mary.
Nodding, Danny sighed at the love Daddy had for Momma, and still had some to give to Angela and Stephanie. She glanced at Bruce’s wrist and saw he still hadn’t put on his medical bracelet. Then, she looked at Angela’s and Stephanie’s wrists and sucked in a breath. “Jake, when did Angela and Stephanie quit wearing their medical bracelets?”
Shrugging his shoulders, “I don’t know, but I’m not surprised,” he said with a frown.
The group sat silent for a few more minutes, then Bruce cleared his throat. “I hope everyone has lived up to what you wanted,” he said.
Angela squeezed Bruce, “I pray we have because I can’t think of anything else we could’ve done.”
Bruce looked from her then to Stephanie, “You two have done more than any,” he chuckled. “You put up with me and kept me in line.”
Stephanie laughed, “I didn’t mind.”
The family moved in as Bruce told a story from the past. Jake and Matt groaned, hearing Bruce start the bigfoot story, but then they smiled, remembering their brothers. When Bruce was done, everyone filed past the statues and dropped a flower in front of them. Danny and Buffy kissed Bruce and then stopped behind him as Angela and Stephanie stood up slowly.
“Bruce, you don’t stay out here long,” Angela said. “You’ve had a cough.”
“I’m fine,” he smiled as she kissed him.
“Baby, don’t make me have to send someone for you,” Stephanie said and then kissed him.
“I won’t be long,” Bruce said as Buffy and Danny helped Angela and Stephanie to the Center for dinner.
Like every year, the family gave Bruce time to sit alone, looking at Debbie’s statue. “I still miss you,” Bruce said as a tear ran down his cheek.
Staring at the statue, a scent filled his lungs and Bruce felt his heart skip a beat. “You think I haven’t missed my stud muffin?” Bruce heard behind him.
Jumping up much faster than he should’ve been able to, Bruce spun around with wide eyes, knowing that voice anywhere. “Debbie?” he gasped as a figure walked toward him. When it stopped, Bruce cried at the sight he only saw in his dreams.
“I told you that you would see me one more time here,” she smiled and walked over. Bruce drank in the sight of her as she stood in front of him. Debbie looked exactly the same.
Bruce lunged forward expecting his arms to pass through her, but they met her body as he pulled her into a strong hug. Debbie wrapped her arms around his waist and Bruce cried out, dropping to his knees and sobbing, holding her tight. “I’ve missed you so much,” he wailed. “I thought you and God forgot about me.”
“I know, baby and I’m sorry, but it was the only way. Otherwise, I would’ve stayed,” Debbie said, crying with him.
Leaning back, Bruce looked down at her, “But I’m an old man now,” he said whimpering.
“You look just the same to me, baby,” she said looking up at him and smiling.
Cradling Debbie’s face in his hands, he kissed her and then Bruce looked at his hands. “What?” he gasped, looking at his strong, young hands.
“Like I said, you look the same to me, baby,” Debbie smiled as she caressed his face.
Glancing over his shoulder, Bruce saw an old man sitting on the stone bench with his eyes closed and a smile of relief on his face. “Is that me?” he asked.
“No baby, it is only a shell,” Debbie said, turning his face back to hers. “You are with me again.”
He hugged her tight, “Man, my shell looked old,” he said with tears pouring out of his eyes. “I don’t ever want to let you go.”
“You won’t ever have to, baby,” Debbie said hugging him back.
Leaning back again, Bruce caressed her face. “Did I do what you wanted?” he asked in a pleading voice.
“Yes, and so much more, baby,” Debbie said then hugged him. “Are you ready?”
“Ready?” Bruce asked.
“To come with me,” Debbie said. “Everyone’s waiting on you.”
“Huh?” Bruce said. “Of course, I’m coming with you as long as I can. I’m sure I’m in deep and won’t be with you long if I’ve died.”
A laugh he hadn’t heard in over half a century burst out and he closed his eyes, thankful it wasn’t a memory. “Baby, you did what was asked of you and no matter where you go, I’m coming,” Debbie said laughing. “Look over there,” she said, pointing.
Bruce’s jaw fell open, seeing Mike and Nancy and everyone else. “Steve,” Bruce cried out.
“Yes, baby. He’s there waiting also,” Debbie said, standing up and pulling Bruce up.
Debbie dropped her hand to his, holding it tight. “Baby, what about Angela and Stephanie?” Bruce asked, pulling Debbie to a stop.
She looked up at him with a big smile. “You have no idea how much I wanted to hear you ask that. The crap they put up with standing beside you? I would’ve broken one of your legs,” Debbie chuckled.
“Sorry,” Bruce said, looking down.
Stepping up, Debbie lifted his chin. “You spent longer on this world with them than you did with me and that was part of your task, loving them.”
“So, they will be alright?” Bruce asked timidly.
Debbie smiled, “You and I will be here for Stephanie tomorrow and Angela a few days later. Each of your time is done and each task set for all of you has been completed. They will live with us forever.”
Bruce hugged Debbie tight, “I swear, if Angela puts on fuzzy socks in the bed, I’m spanking her.”
“Come on, Bruce,” Mike yelled and Bruce looked up to see everyone waving him over.
“I’m ready,” Bruce said.
Holding hands, Bruce let Debbie lead him over to his friends and family.
Danny walked out of the Center and looked over and saw Bruce slumped over. “Daddy!” she cried out, taking off in a run. She stopped as a scent hit her and she saw the smile on Bruce’s face.
“Momma came for you,” Danny cried, looking around. “I love you, Momma!”
“I love you too, Danny,” a soft voice said in the wind.
Danny moved over and hugged the shell that used to be her Daddy. “I love you, Daddy, and I’ll miss you.”
“I’ll see you again, pumpkin,” Bruce’s voice said gently as a breeze.
“I know, but until then it’s going to hurt,” Danny said crying and holding the body tight.
“The hurt reminds us of the love we felt, pumpkin. Never be ashamed of the hurt because when your tasks are done, you will see us again,” Bruce said.
“I’m your daughter and I hope I’ve made you proud,” Danny said, lifting her chin but still crying. “I had the best teachers in the world.”
“You have always made us proud,” Debbie said with her voice fading away.
Danny kissed what was left here of her Daddy on the forehead. “Getting old isn’t so bad,” Danny sniffled and wiped her nose. “Not if you had a good life.”
The End.
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Blue Plague: Hope: Book Seven Page 53