Rite of Revelation (Acceptance Book 2)

by Sarah Negovetich

  I wipe back a few more tears. “You sound like you’ve been talking to Daniel.”

  “Yeah, well, everyone once in a while he stops talking about how amazing you are and says something that isn’t completely stupid.”

  I laugh, though my heart isn’t really in it. “Thanks.”

  “You don’t have to thank me.”

  “I mean it. Thank you.” I stand up and wipe my clammy hands against my pants. “But we need to stop saving these little heart to hearts until someone dies.”

  “Deal.” Elizabeth stands and gives me a short one-armed squeeze. “Speaking of which, I was thinking maybe you’d want to help me find a new home for these.” She gives the bag with Molly’s stones a little shake. “It’s time.”

  “I’d be honored.”

  Twenty-Seven

  We push through the dining hall doors, and the atmosphere outside has changed completely. The fire died down some and the crowd shifted a bit farther into the square. On the edge of the crowd, Ana’s body burns in peace.

  “Goodnight.” Patrice waves at us as she heads off to our room, but it doesn’t look like anyone else is going to be calling it a night for quite a while.

  At the heart of the square, dozens of lights are strung up from trees and porch roofs, giving the space a party feel. Liam has taken up residence on one of the porches with a huge barrel. In small groups, villagers come to him to share a hug and get a cup of whatever he’s passing out.

  “What in the world?”

  “Rebecca. Elizabeth. Over here,” Liam calls over to us, his face split into a wide grin.

  “Liam, what’s going on?” I spread my hands out at the crowd as several guitars strike into an upbeat melody. “It looks like a party out here.”

  “That’s exactly what it is.” He fills a mug from the barrel and hands it to me. “It’s okay to feel sadness and pain over losing Ana, but tonight we celebrate her life and the lasting legacy she has on all of us.”

  I take a sip from the mug. It’s simultaneously sweet and bitter. “What is this?”

  “Village specialty. Dandelion beer.” Liam hands a mug over to Elizabeth and grabs his own. “To Ana.”

  “To Ana.” I take another sip and let the creamy warmth spread down my throat. All those hours my father spent in the yard trying in vain to rid our yard of dandelions. My mother ordering him back out when he missed them. “If the people back in the Territories had known what these weeds could make, they might not have worked so hard to eliminate them.”

  Liam tilts his mug, and his eyes take on serious gaze. “Some people are so worried about achieving an unrealistic perfection that they miss out on something unique and special.”

  Tears well up at the bottom of his eyelids as he stares at the fire in the distance.

  We step away from the porch as others line up for a drink to toast a beautiful woman. The music kicks into high gear as a violin joins into the tune. Those without a mug move along with the music, skipping about without any sort of pattern. So different than the waltzes, gavotte, and cotillions Cheryl and I used to practice in our rare moments of freedom.

  The energy is contagious. Even with my hands full, my toes tap along to the sailing melody. A celebration is exactly what I’d call this.

  “I was wondering where two of my favorite ladies wondered off to.” Daniel walks up behind us and puts an arm over each of our shoulders. “I see you wasted no time in finding the refreshments. Though, Rebecca,” his voice takes on a tone of mock horror, “I’m shocked to see you with a beer in your hand. What would your mother say?”

  “Before or after she fainted from pure humiliation? And how many mugs have you raised tonight?”

  Daniel grabs my cup, hands it to Elizabeth and pulls me by both hands into the growing group of dancers. “Enough that I want to embarrass myself with the woman of my dreams.”

  “You’re crazy,” I shout above the swelling music. “And possibly tipsy.”

  “Crazy in love,” he shouts back, spinning me around and pulling me in close.

  The music soaks into my clothes and through my skin to sit on my heart. The tempo picks up and my feet move along with it, spinning and jumping like a child. It should feel wrong to be this joyful, but it doesn’t. The sadness is still there, sitting just below the surface, but this is right. If Ana were here she’d be right in the middle of the crowd, grabbing anyone who got too close to be her next dance partner. She lived life with abandon, taking advantage of every day of freedom given to her.

  “I have to stop.” There’s a brief pause in the music long enough that I don’t have to shout at Daniel.

  “Okay, we can sit for a bit.”

  “No, no I don’t mean stop dancing.” I grab his shoulders and his hands wrap tighter around my waist. “I have to stop spending so much time worrying about what-ifs and could-haves. I don’t have to stop caring about everyone else out there, but I can’t let that concern stop me from living this life.”

  Daniel pulls me in until not even the wind could pass between us. “You deserve to be happy.”

  “I think I finally believe you.”

  “Announcement, gather round. Constance has an announcement.” One of the women playing the guitar hops down off her chair and offers a hand to Constance to climb up.

  The noise fades away, but not the kind of silence as during Ana’s release. This is the kind filled with unspoken promises.

  “Okay.” Constance wipes her hands on the side of her skirt. “I hadn’t quite thought this through.”

  Thomas pulls another chair over to her and hops up on it to hold her hand.

  “Right, well, since this is a celebration of life, I thought it might be a good time to let everyone know.” She looks at Thomas and breaks into a huge grin. She’s giddy with love for him. “Thomas and I are having a baby.”

  Cheers erupt from the gathered crowd and the musicians launch into a cheery tune to celebrate the good news. I rush forward with Daniel into the sea of well-wishers.

  “Constance!” She pulls me into a huge hug the second we get close enough. “What? How! I thought you couldn’t have children.”

  “Well, that makes two of us.” Excitement pours out of her, and she can’t even stand still. “I made Doc give me the test three times. Turns out Dr. Harold was wrong about how much damage there is.”

  “I can’t believe it.” I pull her into another hug, and happy tears fill my eyes. “Congratulations. You are going to be a wonderful mother.”

  “Thank you,” she whispers, so softly I can barely hear her over the music. “Thank you for everything.”

  I pull back and flash her a wicked grin. “Rebecca is a lovely name for a girl.”

  The guys are shaking hands and slapping backs. For a second I can imagine this scene completely different, with all of us gathered in the backyard of a typical house in the MidWest Territory. Instead of this amazing, eclectic celebration, we’re having a spring garden party complete with fresh lemonade and orchestral music pumping through the sound system.

  It’s the perfect image of everything I ever wanted. And it looks horribly boring. How in the world did I ever think that kind of life was right for me? Would I really have been happy living the same planned out life as everyone else? Would I have pretended like my mother, but hated everything?

  Thomas pulls Constance into a one-armed hug, his free hand falling to rest on her belly. Daniel wraps me in a hug from behind and all I feel is love. Thank the stars I’ll never have to find out exactly how dull my life might have been.

  “We have an announcement, too.”

  “Are you…” Constance smiles and lifts her eyebrows at me.

  “No, but we are getting married.” I squeeze Daniel’s arms. “I know we already said we’re married, but that was the PIT, and it was rushed and no one was there and it just…well, we want to do it the right way.”

  “This is wonderful.” Constance waves Daniel off so she can give me another hug. “You have to let me make you a
dress. Nothing as elaborate as a Territory dress, of course. But trust me, you’ll be stunning.”

  “I’d love that.”

  “Oh, I’m so excited.” Constance is squeezing my arms so tight she might actually cut off circulation.

  “Hey, everybody.” The people closest to us turn at her shouts. “Rebecca and Daniel are getting married.”

  Another swell of shouts lift up from the dancing melee and the excitement takes over. Everyone is shouting, hugging, and well-wishing. My heart might actually burst from an overabundance of love. It sounds cheesy just thinking it, but there’s just so much joy it tingles along every inch of my skin. I may actually be getting everything I ever wanted.

  The crowd thins around us as a new song kicks into gear. Daniel grabs my hand, spins me into him, and kisses me right there in front of everyone. It’s quick and strong and leaves my head spinning when he pulls away.

  “I love you, Rebecca Collins.”

  “You keep saying that, and I’m gonna make you marry me.”

  Daniel laughs so loud he almost drowns out the music. His hands fall to my waist and he picks me up, twirling us both around.

  My head is spinning double time when my feet hit the ground. “Where is Patrice?”

  “I think she was heading up to our floor to change her shirt or something. Why?”

  “Because she’s going to be my sister, and I want to ask her to stand with me at the wedding.”

  “You never cease to amaze me, you know that?”

  “Then I’ll make it my personal mission to keep you on your toes no matter how many years we’re married.” I lift up on my toes and return his kiss. “I’ll be back.”

  Liam is still on Doc’s porch, refilling mugs and sharing stories.

  “Did I hear the news right? Are you and Daniel tying the knot?”

  “We want to make it official, here with all of you.” I pat his arm on my way to the door. “You’re our home now.”

  “We’re lucky to have you.”

  I push open the door and wipe at my eyes. I hate that Ana won’t be there to see it, but I won’t be sad. Seeing everyone so happy and full of life was all Ana ever wanted for any of us.

  My feet are light as dandelion fuzz flying up the stairs. “Patrice, I need to talk to you.”

  I freeze less than a foot into the room. Patrice and Eric pull back from what seconds ago must have been a hot and heavy make-out session. They both stand, slightly awkward, only inches apart amid the gauzy white sheets that serve as our walls.

  “I was going to say you’re missing the party, but it looks like you’re doing okay up here.” I back up toward the door. “I’ll just talk to you tomorrow.”

  “Wait,” Patrice reaches out to me, her face desperate. “You can’t tell Daniel.”

  It’s not at all nice, but I can’t help the laughter that bubbles up and out of me. “Oh trust me, Patrice, I have no intention of telling Daniel anything about this.”

  The relief is evident on both their faces. “Thanks, Rebecca.” Eric takes her hand. Maybe I should feel a little twinge of envy. After all, last year it was me Eric was holding close. But I don’t. All I feel is happiness.

  “I really appreciate you keeping quiet about this,” Patrice says.

  “Maybe don’t thank me yet,” I say, taking another step toward the stairs and grabbing the door handle. “I’m not going to say anything.” I wink at them both. “But you’re going to have to.”

  I pull the door closed and skip down the stairs. Back outside, the party is going as strong as ever. I grab another mug from the table by Liam and let the slightly fruity ale fill me up.

  In the crowd, Daniel dances with Elizabeth while Constance and Thomas clap to the music and shout encouragement from the sidelines. They look ridiculous and amazing. Arms and legs flying in a dozen different directions. Elizabeth could be the world’s worst dancer if she wasn’t in competition with Daniel for the title.

  I finish the drink and nod at Liam on my way to the crowd. “Daniel, how about we give Elizabeth a break and show them all how it’s done.”

  “Careful, princess,” Elizabeth says as we trade places in the dance. “He gets a little wild with his leading foot.”

  I take Daniel’s hands and turn him in an awkward spin. “Who said I’m going to let him lead?”

  “Good call,” Elizabeth yells over her shoulder. “I’m going to go check on Eric.”

  I watch Elizabeth thread her way through the crowd and straight to the building I just left. So much for not saying anything. No way Elizabeth doesn’t come running back down here with a wicked grin on her face in less than five minutes.

  I chuckle at a picture of the moment in my head.

  “What are you laughing about? My dancing isn’t really that bad, is it?”

  I smile up at him. “To be fair, yes, it really is. But I wasn’t laughing at you.”

  “So what were you laughing at?”

  “Can’t a girl laugh just because she’s happy?” I pull in close until our noses are almost touching. “Because right now I am immensely happy.”

  “Me, too.” Daniel nuzzles down into my neck, resting his cold nose in the warm skin where my neck and chin meet. “You make me happy.”

  Wild laughter flows out of Doc’s office. Elizabeth is almost bent over, grabbing her stomach and working not to trip off the porch. A terrified Patrice and Eric appear at the doorway.

  “Oh Daniel,” Elizabeth calls out in a sing-song voice.

  I wrap a hand over my mouth to keep from giggling. The scene is too much to hold in. Patrice looks ready to run at a moment’s notice. Of course, it’s not her that should be ready to bolt once Elizabeth spills the beans.

  Elizabeth makes her way to us, still laughing, but holding it together a bit more. She hands Daniel a mug filled to the brim with ale. “Here, you’re gonna need this.”

  I catch her eye, and the two of us are hopeless with laughter. I want to bottle this minute up and store it away in my pocket for those days when nothing seems to go right.

  “So I was thinking,” Elizabeth says between barely contained fits of laughter. “How’d you like to be kin?”

  “What!”

  Daniel looks up and stares right at Patrice and Eric. Everything freezes for a second, and then Eric takes off, running down the street.

  Everyone breaks out into laughter, including Daniel. Well, everyone except Patrice, who looks torn between going after Eric and giving her brother a swift kick in the pants.

  The expression on her face only makes me laugh more. Yep, a bottled-up little moment in time would make this just about perfect.

  Daniel swings me around and kisses me again as if we’re the only ones within a hundred miles. Never mind. Keep the bottle. I’ll take this. Right here. Forever.

  Twenty-Eight

  “Knock, knock.” Daniel pokes his head through the door, all smiles until he gets a look at the office.

  With Constance helping for the past few weeks, I’ve been able to keep from completely sinking under the workload. But with taking time to explain the system and answer questions, at times it feels like we’re working backward. The maps that used to line the walls have all come down so we can remark delivery paths and route the riders around the villages that won’t trade with us anymore. Now maps cover more than half the floor.

  Old folders filled with trade sheets are scattered on the desks. We’ve been trying to figure out where to get some of our essentials for this winter now that our trade partners have been cut in half. It’s a tedious and, so far, unfruitful process. We need those villages. I’ve even got Ethan and some other riders delivering bottles of dandelion ale to soften them up.

  From a quick glance, it looks like two imbeciles are in charge of trading for all of Allmore. It doesn’t help that morning sickness has Constance running to the bathroom and scattering maps as she goes every few hours. Thank goodness Carol keeps her supplied with crackers or the poor girl would never have food in her bell
y.

  “You might as well come in.” I try to keep my tone light, but the strain of keeping up without Ana is wearing me down.

  “Wow, I’m kinda afraid if I step in the wrong spot you’ll end up with a trade for shoe leather instead of breakfast oats.”

  “You and your stomach will be pleased to know the food trade has been almost completely untouched.”

  “Oh no,” Constance jumps up from her chair, but by the green shade of her face, she’s not going to make it down the hall.

  “Trash can.” I point at the metal basket in the corner, and Daniel hands it to her just in time.

  “Sorry,” Constance says, wiping her mouth off. “I was doing okay until you started talking about breakfast.”

  “It’s fine. In fact, today’s been a little rough.” I take the can and flash her a convincing smile. “Why don’t you head home and get some rest. You and that baby need to take it easy.”

  “But we’re supposed to research more of the villages this afternoon.”

  “It can wait. Your health is more important.” I take her by the elbow and guide her toward the door. “I’ll send word to Thomas so he can come keep an eye on you. I don’t like the idea of you sick in that house all by yourself.”

  “Okay, I’ll go,” Constance still sounds unsure, but her face is already more relaxed. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Bye, Daniel.”

  Constance makes her way down the stairs and I collapse into my chair, my head flopped back to stare at the ceiling.

  “So I guess that answers the question of how are things going.” Daniel plops down in the other chair, but promptly jumps back up, sets the sick-filled can on the stairs and closes the door. “That’s better.”

  “I wish I could set all the rest of my problems on the stairs and they’d disappear.”

  Daniel walks behind me and uses his warm hands to massage out the tension in my shoulders. “Want to tell me about it?”

  “It won’t do any good.” I lean forward so he can work at the knots in my back. “Doc has a list of items he needs to prep for Constance’s delivery and I still have no idea where we’re getting half of our winter supplies with so many villages cutting us off. Add to that a hormonal, pregnant woman who desperately wanted to make me a wedding dress for next week and coming up empty handed with any appropriate material.”