“I’ll let you know how it is,” Sophie replied over her shoulder.
Excitement glowed in Sophie’s eyes. A new blockbuster Hollywood movie had just released this week. It was the first A-list new release to have graced the screen in over ten years. Tinseltown was officially up and running again. The entire country was celebrating it.
“It’s nice to see them together,” I commented after they left.
“And it’s about time.” Sara’s legs continued to swing from their dangled position.
Sophie and Victor had been dating for over a month now. In that time, I’d never seen Sophie happier.
It warmed my heart that Victor didn’t seem to care that Sophie had chosen to stay infected. Both of the twins were still on the fence about whether or not they’d take the cure even though it had been available all summer. I wasn’t surprised.
They’d spent the majority of their lives sharing a telepathic connection. In a way, it was what bonded them. Taking the cure meant they’d lose that. It also meant Sara and I would lose our link.
I’d never voiced my opinion to Sara about the cure. In all honesty, I didn’t have one. I felt so strongly that each Kazzie should have their own free will, that I only wished for Sara to do what was right for her.
Still, I was terrified of unintentionally saying something that would sway her. So I kept my lips sealed, and anytime Sara brought it up, I simply listened to her internal debate.
The sound of Victor’s car pulling away carried through the open window just as Sharon rounded the corner from the kitchen. She wore jeans and a short-sleeved blouse. Her auburn hair was swept up into a bun with the familiar tendrils framing her face. Held within her grasp was the ancient tea tray holding her rosebud and cherry blossom tea set.
“They already left?” Sharon glanced out the window as Victor’s car pulled away.
“Yep.” Sara’s feet dropped to the floor as she leaned forward and snatched a cookie from the tray. “I think the movie starts in half an hour. Hopefully, they’ll still get good seats.”
Sharon poured tea into three cups as I eyed the small pile of cookies next to them.
She must have noticed because she picked up the plate and held it toward me. “Want to try one? I just made these, and I plan to make a batch of gingersnaps tomorrow. Now that food isn’t rationed in the grocery stores, I stocked up on baking supplies. I have enough chocolate chips and flour to last me a year!”
I laughed at the gleeful expression on her face and grabbed a cookie.
Since all borders had opened throughout the world, now that a cure was available, farming was on the rise, and world trade was back in action. Sharon was in heaven. Her entire kitchen was stocked with so many food items I often didn’t know what to do when I opened the cupboard. Usually, items fell out.
It didn’t help that most of them puzzled me. I had no idea how to cook with the majority of her ingredients. Luckily, Sharon and Davin seemed perfectly happy to keep me fed.
Chirping bird sounds came through the window. Outside, yellow finches sat on the birdfeeder. It was another of many changes happening in the world today. Last year, buying seed to feed wild birds was unfathomable. Those seeds would have been used for planting or to feed livestock. One would never have considered using it to attract birds simply for viewing pleasure.
I smiled in contentment as the birds chirped away. Taking a bite of the cookie, my contentment grew as the soft doughy goodness coated my tongue. Sugar and chocolate had recently become two of my favorite foods. I closed my eyes and enjoyed it.
Just as I was about to reach for another cookie, someone cleared his throat.
My eyes flew open.
Davin stood leaning against the wall by the entry. His arms were crossed while his electric blue eyes twinkled in amusement. In his fitted t-shirt, his broad shoulders strained against the fabric.
“Are you ready to go?” he asked. The amused expression stayed on his face as I downed half of my tea. “Our flight leaves in two hours.”
“Is it already time?” My stomach flipped as excitement coursed through me. Davin and I were about to embark on our first true adventure together.
“Yep. Time to get moving.”
I hastily stood and grabbed a second cookie for the road. Davin and I had flights booked for the afternoon. We were flying to British Columbia to spend a week on the coast. It would be the first time either of us had left the country.
“Oh my God! Have fun!” Sara squealed. “I can’t wait to see pictures when you get back. Make sure you take at least a hundred, and if anything exciting happens, you have to fill me in.”
She jumped up to hug me. Her warm slight form pressed against me.
Sharon stood next to bid us farewell.
Brushing the cookie crumbs from my top, I took Davin’s outstretched hand. The feel of his hard, warm fingers closing around mine made my heart flip.
He grinned wickedly. “Ready?”
I nodded as tingles of anticipation caused goosebumps to erupt along my forearms. “Ready.”
27 – A FUTURE IS BORN
One year later
My hands fluttered nervously over the long white dress. Lace and pearls covered the full-length gown. The train extended several yards behind me. It was a frivolous purchase even though it was my wedding dress.
“You look so beautiful, Meghan.” Tears moistened my mother’s eyes. She’d helped me pick out the dress on our numerous trips to antique gown stores.
“Davin will be speechless when he sees you,” Sharon said from my other side. She dabbed the corner of her eyes with a tissue. Her eyes had been moist for most of the morning.
I glanced back at the six-foot mirror and couldn’t believe the image that stared back at me. My long brown hair was swept up into an intricate arrangement of swirls and twists. Sunlight reflected off the pearls and gems woven into the beaded belt that cinched at my waist.
I felt elegant and special—the way every bride should feel on her wedding day.
“Just a few more buttons and then you’ll be all set.” The twins fussed behind me finishing with last-minute details. Considering the dress had over a hundred tiny buttons trailing up the middle of my back, I felt thankful for their assistance.
“Almost done!” Sophie smiled as her blue fingers swiftly finished the last few buttons.
“There. You’re ready!” Sara’s excited exclamation came next. Her skin shimmered as she said something telepathically to her sister.
It had been over a year since the Kazzies had been given the option of taking the cure. So far, both twins had decided not to. Because of their decision, they were still harassed periodically, but it seemed that they’d grown used to it over the months.
And every week, those taunts seemed to grow less and less as the fear in our country continually subsided. Since the vaccine had proven so effective, and so few Kazzies remained, for the most part, the public turned a blind-eye to the Kazzies who’d chosen to remain infected.
“We’re missing something.” Amy’s voice snapped me out of my reverie. She stood on my other side and tapped a finger to her mouth. “What are we missing?”
My friends surveyed my appearance as sunlight poured in through the windows. We were currently in an old church in Mobridge that had been abandoned long ago, but it wasn’t where Davin and I would be married. It was simply the most suitable place to get ready.
Davin and I were going to be married outside on the South Dakota prairie on the land his ancestors once roamed. Our wedding guests were already out there waiting, while my friends, mom, and Sharon helped me get ready.
It was almost noon which meant the ceremony was due to start soon.
“Let’s see,” Sara said. “We have something new.” She pointed at my dress. “Something old.” She nodded toward my earrings which had belonged to my grandmother. “Something borrowed.” She fingered the tiny diamond bracelet on my wrist that belonged to Sharon. “And . . . that’s it! We don’t have anythi
ng blue. Where’s that necklace we bought, Sophie?”
Sophie’s eyes widened. “Oh my gosh, it’s still in my purse! I can’t believe we almost forgot!”
The twin raced to her bag and pulled out the tiny sapphire pendant nestled in the middle of a ring of pearls. When the twins had presented it to me as an engagement gift, I’d fallen in love with it. The sapphire was the exact shade of Davin’s eyes.
Sophie rushed back to my side. Placing the necklace carefully around my neck, Sophie secured the tiny clasp.
When she finished, the tiny little pendant sparkled in the sunlight.
Sara smiled. “That’s better.”
My heart fluttered a hundred miles an hour as my friends, mother, and soon to be mother-in-law, helped me from the room. We ventured down the dusty, forgotten halls to the front of the church. Outside, the limo waited that would take us to the ceremony.
It was only a twenty-minute drive to the area within the Cheyenne River Reservation where Davin and I were getting married. Reservation 1 had ceased to exist. Once again, this land was called as it had been before the First Wave.
In the back of the limo, my long dress spread everywhere. Sophie giggled when she had to push it aside so she could sit down.
“I can’t wait to see Davin’s face.” Sharon dabbed her eyes again. It seemed like she’d been crying on and off all morning.
I squeezed her hand. “Me too.”
My mother and Sharon both gazed at me with contented expressions. Over the previous year, they’d become friends in the intermittent times they’d spent together. I imagined they’d grow even closer in the coming years.
Twenty minutes later, when the limo pulled up to the vast South Dakota prairie, I gazed in wonder at the beautiful scenery. This land had been abandoned since Reservation 1 closed, but that only emphasized its natural beauty.
Miles and miles of tall prairie grass swayed in the summer breeze. Wildflowers grew in abundance, dotting the land in a plethora of color.
In the distance, small areas of the fence that had once surrounded Reservation 1 still existed. A brief memory of cutting through the chainlink fence flashed through my mind. It had been so many months since Ian and I had dared that break-in to find Sara with hopes of saving Davin and my friends.
Now, the fence was mostly gone. It had been torn down throughout the months by locals who’d been scavenging for building supplies. The government had never bothered to dismantle it, so locals had taken that task upon themselves.
Only bits and pieces of the fence remained. It was the same with the watch towers. Even though our country had been slowly growing and becoming prosperous once again, goods and services were still hit or miss. As a result, people still foraged and collected items as they found them. The watch towers had proven valuable resources for wood and metal.
All eyes turned on me when I stepped out of the limo. Bright sunlight streamed around.
Our ceremony would be simple. There were no chairs for our guests, carpet for me to walk down, or a fancy trellis for Davin and I to stand under. It was simply a gathering of friends and family on the wild South Dakota land.
Everyone parted to make room for me as I stepped forward and, in that coordinated movement, I saw Davin standing at the end.
He stood solemnly in a new suit and tie. His jet-black hair flowed around his shoulders. Even from the distance, his sapphire eyes shined.
I saw his breath hitch before a smile spread across his face. My heart fluttered at the sight.
It was hard to believe that only three years ago he’d been a prisoner within Compound 26. At that time, I hadn’t known he’d existed. I hadn’t known of the atrocities he and the other Kazzies had been subjected to. It had all been a nightmare that I had not yet lived.
Now, seeing him standing tall and proud, the last Sioux warrior to roam this land, my heart filled with so much pride and love I thought I would burst.
Sara and Sophie brushed against my sides. Each reached down to squeeze my hand.
“You look beautiful, Meghan. And Davin looks fantastic. I’m so happy for you.” Sophie whispered the words into my ear just as I felt a scratch in the back of my mind.
Sara’s telepathic voice came next. I’m so thrilled for you. I love you like a sister and Davin like a brother. You’ll always be my family.
Tears filled my eyes despite trying to blink them back. It didn’t help that Sharon and my mom were already crying. It was going to be an emotional day no matter how much I tried to control myself.
My dad stepped forward from the crowd and extended his arm. His brown hair and brown eyes shone in the summer sun. A simple suit and blue tie adorned his frame.
The twins and Amy stepped into position in front of me just as Victor, Sage, and Mitch appeared to escort them down the grassy aisle. The women wore simple flowing dresses of various cuts and colors. The men wore various degrees of suits, although I caught a peek at Mitch’s t-shirt under his suit jacket. Dear, Math. I’m not a therapist. Solve your own problems.
I bit back a smile.
The days of coordinated, luxurious weddings with frivolous decorations and thousand-dollar dresses had died with the First Wave. Now, most people were simply happy to have survived and be allowed to spend the future with the one they loved.
Charlie and two of his friends sat in chairs off to the side. The three of them picked up their instruments and began to play the wedding march. My friends walked down the grassy trail in front of me. Davin’s smile grew.
And at that moment, it all hit home.
It became real what I was about to do. I was going to marry the only man I’d ever loved, and everything I had ever dreamed of was happening right before my eyes.
“Are you ready, kiddo?” My dad looped my arm through his and placed his other hand over mine. He squeezed.
“I’ve been ready ever since I met him. He’s the one, Dad.”
“Then let’s go.”
My dad walked me to Davin’s side as our friends and family watched on. When we reached him, my dad handed me off.
Davin’s grip was firm and warm. He was always so warm. That was something I’d never grow tired of. Since he’d opted to stay a Kazzie, despite our initial concerns over him passing the virus to our unborn child, his warmth was permanent and absolute.
“You look beautiful,” he whispered.
“So do you.”
He smiled, his white teeth flashing in the summer sun.
My breath felt shallow and tight. It had nothing to do with my ever-present anxiety and everything to do with the dashingly handsome man that was about to become my husband. It felt like a thousand tiny butterflies fluttered in my stomach.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sergeant Rose, his wife, and his two sons looking on. I’d never seen the guard smile as wide as he was right now. To his side, stood Cate and Harper. Next to them were Sharon and my parents.
Everyone held tissues in their hands.
“Shall we get started?” Ian stepped forward to conduct the ceremony. His reddish hair curled in the wind, and his dimple appeared when he grinned. He’d become an officiant for the very purpose of marrying Davin and me.
Ian unfolded his papers and began the ceremony. And before our friends and family, as the sun shone down on us on the wild South Dakota prairie, Davin and I promised to have and to hold each other, to love one another, to stay with and cherish each other, until the day we died.
Never had words felt so true and complete as we pledged our commitment before our friends and family. Tears of happiness rolled down my cheeks.
Davin wiped them away as tears moistened his own eyes.
And in that moment, everything was so perfect. So complete.
Only one thing was missing.
I tilted my chin up and gazed at the expansive sky above. Somewhere, somehow, I knew that my brother lived on. He may not be in this world, or even in the universe we called home, but I knew that he still existed and one day I’d see him again.
I wish you could see this, Jer. I wish you could see everything that has happened since you died. I’m so happy, and the only person missing here is you. Know that I love you, brother, and I always will. Wherever you are, I hope to see you again one day. But right now, I’m happy, Jer, and I’m okay. I’m truly okay for the first time since you died, and I know I’ll stay that way.
When Ian finished the ceremony, Davin pressed his lips to mine. And in that kiss, I came home.
Pulling back, he tenderly wiped another tear from my cheek. “We did it,” he whispered. “It’s you and me now, together forever.”
I squeezed his hand as love and hope filled my heart. “Yeah, we did it!”
AUTHOR’S NOTE
Hi … did you just finish reading The Complete Makanza Series? If you’re reading this, you probably did. And if you need a moment to collect yourself, I totally get it. I may have shed a few tears when I wrote that last page and the finality of this series hit home.
So my goal anytime I write a book is to create a world and characters that become as tangible to you as the world we live in. I want you to feel their emotions and understand their pain and frustrations. I want you to see what they see, and experience every touch, smell, and heartache that comes their way. If you experienced any of that while you read this series, then I’ve accomplished what I set out to achieve.
I’ll end my note here by saying thank you for reading my work. I love creating stories, meeting my new characters, and building fantastical worlds, and I'm thrilled that you've discovered my books.
So turn the page if you would like to learn more about what else I've created. I hope to meet you again in another novel soon! ♥ K-
THANK YOU!
Thank you for reading The Complete Makanza Series. If you enjoy Krista Street’s writing, make sure you visit her website. You can join her newsletter to hear about her new releases and also learn about Krista’s other books and series.
https://www.kristastreet.com
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The Complete Makanza Series: Books 0-4 Page 114