After Thought

by P. A. Crenshaw

  “It’s Maddie and Adam. Please let them know we’re here.”

  The voice on the other end indicated confirmation and the gate opened. As they wound up the driveway, Adam got his first good look at the house. From the outside, aside from being Southwestern-looking, it didn’t seem like anything special. It appeared to be about the size of any average, ranch-style home.

  Before they could even ring the doorbell, the large, curved timber front door flew open, and a beautiful woman who looked to be around Maddie’s age ran out and threw her arms around Maddie’s neck so hard that they both almost fell over. She had long, black, straight hair, dark-brown eyes, and the dark complexion of a person of either Italian, Spanish, or Mexican heritage. Adam guessed she might have been of Native American descent. Both women were laughing and crying tears of happiness at the same time.

  The woman said, “Maddie! It’s been so long. I can’t believe you’re here.”

  Through her tears of joy, Maddie said, “I can’t believe it either. It’s so wonderful to see you again!”

  They hugged for a little while longer before turning their attention to Adam. Maddie wiped her eyes, took him by the hand and said, “Sancha, I’d like you to meet Adam.”

  So the beautiful woman was Sancha, Maddie’s best friend. She was the one who had taught Maddie to use Refined Transcendent Power and counseled her, the one she called when she needed advice, the one that she’d known for over a century, the one who had saved her life. Adam instantly liked her.

  Sancha gave Adam a warm, welcoming hug and said, “Adam, I am so glad to finally meet you! You know, I put in a good word for you. If it weren’t for me, Maddie might not have even given you a chance.” She smiled and winked at him.

  Maddie shot Sancha a look.

  Adam said, “It’s nice to meet you too. Thank you for going to bat for me.”

  Sancha laughed, motioned toward the front door, and said, “Please come in.”

  As they entered the house, Adam realized that the front entrance didn’t give a clue to the grandeur of the home. The adobe vestibule led them across a covered outdoor pathway to the main house and into a grand living room with windows from floor to ceiling that displayed one of the most amazing mountain views Adam had ever seen. He gasped as he stared at the majestic Sandia Mountains framed by the brilliant blue sky.

  It was then that Adam realized the majority of the house had cleverly been built into the side of the foothill. It wasn’t a single-story, ranch-style house after all. It was a sprawling, luxurious mansion.

  He said, “Sancha, your home is beautiful.”

  “Thank you so much. I’m glad you like it.”

  “Like it? From what I’ve seen so far, I love it.”

  “Would you like a tour?”

  “Absolutely,” he said.

  As they turned to follow Sancha, a tall, stocky man appeared. He looked to be around Sancha’s age, maybe a little older, and he was muscular and well-built. He had a look on his face that Adam couldn’t read. He got the feeling that this man didn’t easily trust people, and one wouldn’t want to cross him. Yet there was a softness around his eyes that suggested he could also be kind and caring. He had the same dark hair as Sancha, but cut short, and the same dark eyes and complexion. Adam assumed that he was Mel, Sancha’s husband.

  Maddie confirmed this when she ran to him and hugged him tightly. “Mel!”

  He easily lifted her off the ground as he hugged her back. “Madeline, it is so good to see you.”

  He gently put her down and looked at Adam disapprovingly, like the look a father gives a boy who is taking his daughter on a first date. It was a look that said, ‘I don’t know you and I don’t trust you. You better take care of my girl or else.’ Adam knew he would need to treat Mel with respect.

  Maddie said, “Mel, I want you to meet Adam.”

  Mel stepped toward Adam, extended his large hand and said, “Miguel Ángel, a tu servicio. My friends call me Mel. Nice to meet you, Adam.” He did not smile as he gave Adam a hard stare.

  Adam looked him in the eyes, shook his hand firmly, and said, “It’s nice to meet you too.”

  Mel squeezed Adam’s hand a little too hard. It was only for an instant, but Adam got the message. He felt as if Mel was sizing him up and trying to see into his soul. He was trying to determine Adam’s intentions and if he was worthy enough to be with Maddie. Adam had to fight the urge to shrink away from his intense gaze, but he did not look away. He stood firm. He wouldn’t let Mel intimidate him.

  Sancha interrupted their moment of machismo as she said, “Ahem. Now let’s go for that tour.”

  As they toured the grand house, Maddie said, “This is what RTP can do for you, Adam. You can have anything that you want, anything that you can imagine, and anything that you can dream. If you believe it, you can receive it.”

  Sancha led them through not just one, but two large living and dining areas while pointing out the Southwestern Pueblo architecture-inspired tile floors, “Vigas,” or large cracked wood beams spanning the width of the home across the ceilings, and the many tall, flowing “Kiva” fireplaces, that looked to Adam like clay ovens. They also toured a massive, state-of-the-art kitchen, a theater room, a huge game room, and an exercise room.

  All the while Maddie kept glancing at him, smiling knowingly at his look of wonder. He had only seen houses like this one in magazines and on TV. This house could have easily been his dream home. None of the people that he knew could afford or even dream of living in such a place. A house like this seemed so far out of his grasp that he could not even imagine owning it. Hell, he couldn’t even imagine visiting a house like this, and yet here he was.

  Maddie said, “Sancha, tell Adam how you and Mel came to own this house.”

  “Simple. It’s our dream home. We manifested it.”

  This blew Adam’s mind. He said, “So you guys want me to believe that you manifested this house out of thin air like Maddie manifests corkscrews?”

  Sancha laughed. Mel stared at him stoically.

  Sancha said, “No, we didn’t manifest it instantly. Mel and I are real estate agents. Over the years, we have traded up houses and made some very good real estate investments. We have flipped houses and purchased rental property. We worked hard to get this house. But we always knew we could do it. We never doubted it.”

  Adam could buy that. It seemed more realistic and achievable.

  As the tour continued, they stopped by a wing of the house where Sancha and Mel’s children’s bedrooms were. The kids had not yet emerged to greet them. Adam wondered if they even knew they were there. The house was so big it wouldn’t surprise him if they didn’t.

  Sancha knocked and opened the door to one of the bedrooms. A boy who looked to be about ten years old was playing a video game. Upon seeing them, he jumped up off his beanbag chair, ran to Maddie, and gave her a bear hug. “Maddie! Maddie!” he squealed with delight.

  Maddie’s eyes welled up with tears again as she put her hands on his shoulders and held him at arm’s length, giving him a look-over.

  She said, “Manuel! You’ve grown so much. I haven’t seen you since you were a baby. How did you recognize me?”

  “Mamá shows us pictures of you all the time so we would know you when we saw you. She tells us stories about you too.”

  Sancha said, “Mannie, this is Mr. Adam.”

  Mannie beamed at Adam and said, “Hi, Mr. Adam. I’ve heard a lot about you too.” He smirked.

  Sancha exclaimed, “Mannie! Don’t be rude.”

  Adam held out his hand to shake Mannie’s and said, “It’s nice to meet you.”

  To Adam’s surprise Mannie threw his arms around his waist and hugged him tightly. Adam smiled and patted Mannie’s head. “We’re going to be good buddies,” he said.

  “Awesome, dude!” Mannie exclaimed.

  �
�High five.”

  Mannie released Adam and slapped his extended hand as hard as he could.

  “Up high.”

  Mannie jumped and slapped Adam’s hand high above his head.

  “Down low.”

  Mannie went for Adam’s hand again and he quickly moved it out of the way before he could hit it.

  “Too slow!”

  Clearly thrilled, Mannie giggled and said, “Again!”

  Sancha interrupted their little game as she said, “Maybe later, Mannie. Maddie and Mr. Adam are probably tired from traveling. I’m sure they need some rest.”

  Mannie looked disappointed, but he nodded in obedience.

  Adam said, “Maybe we can play some video games later or shoot some hoops or something.”

  Mannie was beaming again. “Sounds good, Mr. Adam. Catch ya later.”

  Sancha led them a few more doors down the hall. She stopped and knocked on another door.

  A young male voice said, “Come in.”

  As they entered the room, Adam saw a young man who looked to be about age seventeen sitting at a desk, intently staring at a computer. He looked like a younger, thinner version of Mel. There was no doubt whose son he was. The teen looked at them with eyes that looked wise beyond his years. It made Adam wonder exactly how old he really was. Sure, he looked seventeen, but maybe he had already learned to use RTP. Maybe he didn’t believe in aging and was much older than seventeen. Maybe even Mannie was older than he looked. Adam knew Sancha and Mel were older than Maddie.

  So when did they have their kids?

  A thought occurred to Adam. If Sancha and Mel were over a hundred years old and they had a ten-year-old, did that mean Maddie could still have children? And if she could, would she want to? He had always assumed he would have children when he got settled in life. But after hearing Maddie’s story he wasn’t so sure that would happen. Adam recalled Maddie saying she never wanted children with James and that James didn’t want any, either. But would she be open to having children at all? He would ask her later when the time was right.

  His thoughts were interrupted when Maddie said, “Luis! You’re all grown up.”

  The boy smiled confidently at Maddie as he stood and hugged her. He was definitely more reserved than his younger brother.

  Luis said quietly, “Maddie, it’s so good to see you.”

  To Adam he sounded sincere.

  Sancha said, “Adam, I’d like you to meet Luis, our oldest.”

  Luis looked at Adam for a moment, sizing him up. Then he held out his hand and said, “Nice to meet you, Mr. Adam.”

  Adam shook his hand firmly and said, “Likewise.”

  He sat back down and immediately began staring at the computer. That was it. No smile. No conversation. Like father, like son.

  Sancha seemed to sense the awkwardness. She said, “Okay then. Let’s move on with the tour.”

  Adam glanced at Maddie to gauge her reaction. She had a sad, distant look in her eyes. He wondered if she was thinking about her own sons. When she realized he was looking at her, she blinked and seemed to snap out of her reverie. She held his gaze for a moment and then looked away. Adam began to wonder if coming back here was such a good idea after all. It was forcing her to remember some very unpleasant moments from her past.

  Sancha continued the tour of the house. Next, they walked through a corridor that led to the back base of the foothill and a grassy backyard, complete with beautiful outdoor living spaces, multiple decks, an outdoor kitchen, an outdoor Kiva fireplace, a resort-style swimming pool with a built-in waterfall and swim-up bar, and a pool house that was bigger than Adam’s apartment. Adam guessed they could easily entertain at least thirty people comfortably. He would love the opportunity to cook and entertain there. It was luxury at its finest.

  The tour ended in the guest wing, where Sancha showed them to their room.

  “Why don’t the two of you rest for a little while and freshen up. I’m preparing a traditional meal for dinner. I hope you like Mexican food, Adam.”

  Before Adam could answer, Maddie said wistfully, “I haven’t had good Mexican food in so long. Adam, you’re going to love it.”

  Chapter 37

  Maddie was right. Adam had never tasted such delicious Mexican food. Sancha promised to share her recipes with Adam, but he doubted he would be able to duplicate them exactly. He figured she had over a hundred years to practice and perfect them. How could he measure up to that?

  The conversation remained light for most of the meal, with Maddie and Sancha doing most of the talking and catching up. They talked about old times, and things that happened before Adam was even born. He listened in wonder. They never mentioned Paul, or Maddie’s children, or anything hurtful from the past. Sancha’s boys piped in every now and then, especially Mannie. Mel said very little. His silence made Adam feel uncomfortable.

  At the end of the meal, Sancha served a dessert wine and flan, a creamy, rich, orange-scented custard with a golden, syrupy topping of caramelized sugar. Adam had never eaten anything like it. It was divine.

  He said, “Sancha, Maddie was right. Dinner was delicious. Thank you for sharing your culture with me.”

  “Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed it. We’re so happy to have you and Maddie as our guests.”

  “I had no idea where Maddie was bringing me until we arrived. It was a nice surprise.”

  He looked at Maddie and squeezed her hand. She smiled smugly, proud of herself for pulling it off without him figuring it out.

  Sancha said, “So, Adam, Maddie told me that you’ve been working on learning how to use RTP. How’s that going for you?”

  Adam thought for a moment as all eyes turned to him.

  “Well, okay, I guess. I mean, I have learned to manifest what I call ‘small things’ and I’m getting pretty good at it. But I’m having trouble with ‘big things.’ ”

  Maddie said, “That’s one of the main reasons we’re here. I mean, aside from visiting you all. I wanted to show Adam the possibilities.”

  Sancha said, “Just keep working on it and don’t give up. Based on what I’ve heard, you’re doing well and learning fast. You seem to be a natural at it.”

  Adam wished he felt that way about his progress, but it just wasn’t happening fast enough for him.

  After the boys were excused from the dinner table, the adults went on telling stories about how they had learned to use RTP and taught it to others. Adam listened intently, trying to learn all he could from these amazing people.

  At one point, Sancha brought up something about the underground and how they had managed to stay hidden with their secret identities for so many years. Curious, Adam asked, “Are Sancha and Mel your real names?”

  It caught Adam by surprise when Mel, who had been relatively silent for most of the night, spoke up and said rather firmly, “Yes, they are. But outside of this household and outside of the secure telecom methods, we do not refer to ourselves by our real names. The only reason we are telling you is because we trust Madeline’s judgement about her decision to bring you here.”

  He gave Adam a warning look. Adam nodded his understanding. Their secrets were safe with him. He would never intentionally do anything that would endanger Maddie or her friends.

  Sancha pulled two business cards out of her wallet and handed them to Adam. They looked to be laminated real estate licenses. The names on the cards were Sára and Mateo Gonzales—their aliases.

  Sancha said, “We never have our pictures made, and we always send hired agents to meet potential clients and show houses. We take a commission on the sales. We also get a large percent of our income from our many rental properties. We don’t take any chances. And we try every way possible to avoid falling into traps set by Paul or his people.”

  Adam shook his head in disbelief. It was so sad to him that these people had to li
ve in hiding, always having to watch their backs. It made him angry when he thought of Maddie, and Sancha and Mel, and others having to live this way. They were peaceful people, and they were being forced into hiding.

  Adam said, “I hope I’m not overstepping, but it’s a shame that you all have to live like this. Somebody needs to stand up to The Order. You are entitled to live your lives freely like everyone else, without worrying about being discovered and having to go through all of these measures to hide. It’s terrible.”

  Mel gave Adam a look he couldn’t read. Adam hoped he hadn’t insulted him.

  Mel said, “Of course we have thought about that, Adam. Standing up to the KTP seems to be the obvious answer. But those who have tried to stand up in the past are either dead or part of The Order now.”

  Maybe that was true, but Adam refused to give up so easily.

  He said, “But what if the underground could get organized? If there are enough peaceful practitioners of RTP, maybe as a group we could confront the KTP and reach a peaceful agreement. Sort of a like a treaty. If the KTP won’t cooperate, then we declare war.”

  Maddie, Sancha, and Mel all looked at Adam with wide eyes.

  Mel said, “We are a peaceful group of people. We do not use RTP for evil or for killing or for war. That is what prevents us from standing up to the KTP.”

  Adam figured he was treading on thin ice, and he didn’t want to offend his hosts, so he said, “I understand your reasoning. But that doesn’t make it any less unjust.”

  Mel gave a half nod. Adam didn’t know if it meant he agreed with him or he was just ending the conversation, so Adam dropped the subject.

  When the dinner was over, Maddie said, “I’ll help you clean up these dishes, Sancha.” They went into the kitchen, leaving Mel and Adam alone at the table.

  Thanks a lot, Maddie.

  Mel stared at Adam for a long moment, and then he said, “Do you like Mexican beer?”

  Surprised, Adam said, “I don’t believe I’ve ever tried one.”