I looked at the girl and shrugged nonchalantly. “Everyone wanted me dead. They were all trying to kill Victor.”
“Yeah,” Liz said. “He only has, like, a million enemies.”
“That’s true, and the best way to get to him was to kill me because we were connected with one beating heart,” I said. “I had no idea when I ventured off from the castle how much danger I was in. I had a big X on my back.”
The girl laughed, nudging her friend. “They’re acting out their play. Let’s buy tickets online. We gotta go see it!”
“Hey,” I said, “can I use your cell? I need to call my father so he can pick me up in town.”
The driver reached in his pocket. “Here you go.”
I smiled. “Thanks.” I made a quick call, and my dad was elated and promised to meet us.
Victor stared at the truck and ran his hand across the hood. “This is how you transport yourself from place to place?” he asked the driver.
I reached for Victor’s hand. “It’s just like riding a horse, only way, way faster—and gas is more expensive than hay.”
“Dude, you act like you’ve never seen a truck,” the driver said.
“He’s getting back into character,” the girl said, laughing and staring at Victor’s blue eyes.
The guy chuckled. “You actors… You guys are definitely Hollywood material.” He hopped out and lowered the gate so we could all climb in the bed of his truck. “I bet you guys are hungry after practicing your lines all morning.”
“Please tell me you’ve got some modern-day junk food!” Liz said, her eyes lighting up.
He threw Liz a bag of potato chips, and she yelped in joy. “Mmm! I haven’t these in over ten years.”
“Seriously? Ten years?” the driver said. “Where in the hell have you been, lady? I thought they had Ruffles everywhere.”
“Did you hear a word I said?” Liz asked. “I was trapped in another dimension, another world.”
Charles nudged her, but it didn’t deter her.
The driver looked at me and shrugged. “Is she still acting?”
“She’s on a diet,” I whispered. “Hasn’t seen potato chips in forever.”
Manners went out the door, and Liz ripped the bag open and stuffed a whole handful of chips in her mouth. “Gosh, I missed these! All that salty greasiness…”
“Wow, that must’ve been some diet,” the guy said. “It’s not good to deprive yourself, or you’ll just… Whoa, look at you!” he said with a chuckle.
Liz and I burst out in laughter.
“Feel free to wrap up in the blankets back there,” the driver said.
“Thanks!” Liz said, opening a soft brown blanket for she and Charles to cuddle under.
I smiled as Victor wrapped us in a blue one; it felt so warm snuggling next to him. Liz was chowing down on chips when I grabbed the bag from her, laughing. “Hey, I’m the one with all the cravings, remember?”
“True, but I haven’t had a chip in a decade! Those guys aren’t getting anything back but an empty bag,” Liz said. “Whoa!”
“What?” I asked.
“Says here these things were almost four bucks! What’s with the inflation?”
“You’ve been gone a long time, Liz—a real long time.”
“Well, anyway, I hope they know I’m eating all of these. Giving Ruffles to potato chip-depraved women. Seriously, what were they thinking?”
“I know, right?”
Tires squealed as the truck sped off.
“Do you remember how much fun we used to have with those—”
“Those potato chip fights!” Liz threw a handful at me.
“Yeah, we’d stay up all night, raid the fridge, and watch all those old movies.” I grabbed a few chips and popped them in my mouth, savoring their flavor. “Mmm…” I pulled out another and handed it to Victor. “Try it.”
He bit into it, then swallowed. “Crunchy…salty. It’s quite different.”
“The crunchier and the saltier, the better! Wait till you try pizza!” Liz stood and held the bag up in the air, letting the wind rush through her hair. “Yeah, baby! Hey, California, it’s great to be back!” she roared. “Woooo-hooooo! I’m home! I’m really home.”
I smiled.
“Guess what I’m gonna do first!” Liz shouted through the roar of the wind.
“What, besides eating the junk food of strangers?”
“I’m gonna take a hot shower and put on a pair of blue jeans and tennis shoes, then order a pizza with extra cheese and pepperoni, then down the entire thing, followed by a two liter of Pepsi. And ice cream! I want to eat an entire gallon for dessert. Then I want to watch a movie and read a book!” She glanced down at me. “You got any good books?”
“I have hundreds of them on my Kindle.”
“Kindle? What’s that?”
I squeezed Victor’s hand and laughed. “She is almost as behind on the times as you, my love.”
“Seriously, what is it?” Liz asked.
“An e-book reader.”
“E-book, huh? You mentioned that before. What is it?”
“Nobody buys books anymore. They just download them. When we get to Mom’s house, I’ll show you hers.”
With my Immortal hearing, I could hear “Sweet Alabama” playing in the background. I nodded to the opening notes in the song.
Liz glanced down as her garments flew freely in the wind. “It’s such a great song, isn’t it? Even if we aren’t from Alabama.”
“The words ring so true,” I said. I was back home, in the world I knew and loved. I’d never thought I’d see California again, but there I was, and nothing could have been sweeter.
Liz tapped on the back window as we sped down the road. “Hey, boys, turn that song up!” She reached for my hand, and I stood. She held my arm up in the air as the wind gushed over us.
I loosened my bun and let my hair fly back and whip around in the wind.
“The Larker sisters have returned!” Liz yelled.
“Wooo-hooooo!” I screamed. Over the last year, I’d worked hard to fit in with the Royal Court. I’d dressed and acted the part, had gone to all the fancy dinners, and behaved. But now I was just letting it all go, and it felt wonderful. I intended to live life to the fullest. I knew every day was a gift, and I vowed to enjoy every single minute, hour, and every precious second I had with Victor. I felt like I had been given a second chance at happiness with him, and I wasn’t going to blow it. I’d love and cherish Victor forever, with twice the intensity of a thousand suns. I would never take him or life for granted again. When I met Victor’s gaze, he smiled, and that beautiful smile was all I’d ever need.
I could hear the guys talking in the cab of the truck, and one muttered something about how we were going to fly off if they hit one wrong bump. The other argued that they should just let us have our fun. We began singing the lyrics and dancing, and Victor smiled at us. He knew he could never hold down my carefree spirit, and that was one thing he loved about me.
Back in the other world, Liz had claimed she was fine with never coming back to California, but seeing her there like that, I could tell how excited and happy she was to be home. I had to admit that I felt the same way, and I was thrilled that I’d be able to show Victor my world. I hoped he’d love it just as much as I did.
Chapter 14
My father picked us up in town and had the biggest shock of his life when he learned Victor wasn’t dead. He drove us back home, which took hours, in complete shock and utter happiness. We warned my mother so she wouldn’t faint, thinking she was seeing a ghost.
Finally, I climbed out of her car and laid my eyes on the familiar brown, two-story house with the shutters on its windows, 2168 Halstead. I even admired the polished brass numbers that made up our address. I’d grown up there, and I could still picture Liz and myself as little girls, running across the giant yard, playing tag and hide-and-seek. I realized that before long, I might be able to watch my own children playing in th
at very yard; the thought brought tears to my eyes. My crazed hormones were making my emotions fly all over the place, and I was completely overwhelmed when I caught sight of the big oak tree in the front yard and the wooden swing on the porch.
Liz grabbed my arm, her voice wavering. “Is this a dream? Tell me I’m really home.”
I threw my arm around her. “We’re home, sis. We’re really home.”
My dad reached for a cigarette, then felt his pocket. “Forgot my lighter.”
“Dad,” Liz said, “you’ve got four lighters right here. We’re all Immortals, and we possess the power of fire.”
His brown eyes twinkled. “When you were five years old, I told you that you’re gifted and unique, but this isn’t what I quite had in mind.”
Liz smiled and lifted her hand. A tiny ball of red light, as big as a dime, appeared. She softly blew it, and the little fireball hovered above my dad’s hand, just long enough for him to light his cigarette. Then the red orb dissipated into the air.
He smiled and ran a hand through his short brown hair. “Thanks, Liz.”
“I thought you stopped smoking,” she said.
“After all I’ve been through…” He let out a breath. “Don’t even get me started.”
My dad had been ripped apart by Liz’s disappearance all those years ago, and when he thought he’d lost me too, his world had shattered. My dad had been to hell and back.
My mom screamed Victor’s name and hugged him. “Victor, you’re alive!” He embraced her in his arms and hugged her tightly. My mom loved Victor after only knowing him a short time, and they got along beautifully. I could see how happy she was that he was alive. She then hugged me, Liz, and Charles, wiped the tears from her brown eyes, then said, “I thought I’d lost Liz, then Sarah when she disappeared during the expedition.” She clutched her chest. “Dark waves of grief gripped me. I was in absolute torment and pain. Losing your only two daughters is something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.”
“Mom,” Liz said, her voice wavering, “we never met to put you through any of this. We’re so sorry.”
I suddenly felt guilty for staying in Tastia. My mother had grieved my loss and had suffered deeply. I never forget the look on her face when Victor brought her back for my birthday party. We cried, we laughed, and we hugged. I loved my mother with all of my heart, and it was the best birthday ever.
I gripped her hands, and my mom continued, “I found my Liz and my Sarah, but we feared her dear husband was gone. I don’t think my old heart can take any more of these yo-yo emotions, but I’m so happy to have all of you alive and breathing. It’s nothing short of a miracle.”
Her eyes glistened with tears as she pulled me into a hug. “Please don’t leave. Please say you and Liz will stay here forever.”
I met her gaze and wiped a tear from her cheek. It was a promise I could not possibly make, but my mother was my world, and it killed me to see her so upset.
“I can’t lose you again,” she said, gasping between breaths.
I wanted to say the two words she longed to hear: “You won’t.”
She hugged me tighter. “I can’t do it again. I just can’t. Your father and I can’t live through that kind of pain.”
I rubbed her back to reassure her, but I couldn’t make her the promises she wanted to hear, and that tore my heart apart more than anything. So I just held her and hugged her. She was spilling out her pain, still feeling the darkness that had consumed her over the last year, but Liz and I were back. I was opening the door and letting the light shine brightly through. There was a bright future in front of all that pain and darkness.
She wiped her eyes with her sleeves, then hugged Liz. “Welcome home, baby. We’re going to have the best Christmas ever.”
“We’re all together,” Liz said. “I couldn’t be more thrilled then I am at this very moment.”
My mom sobbed as she spoke, emotion consuming her voice. “I love you and Sarah so much. This is the happiest day of my life.”
“I can make it even happier,” I said, my heart swelling with joy.
Liz met my gaze and smiled.
“Having all of you home is the only Christmas miracle I need,” my mom said.
I gripped Victor’s hand and met my mom’s gaze. “Mom, Dad, I’m pregnant. Victor and I are going to have a baby!”
My dad threw his arms around me as my mom squealed. “This is truly the happiest day of our lives,” he shouted.
My mom and dad hugged me so hard that I could hardly breathe. It was great to see them so happy after all the tragedy they’d been through. They congratulated us over and over again.
My mom wrapped an arm around Liz. “You’re going to be an aunt.”
“It’s wonderful!” she said. “Charles and I are ecstatic, and we’re going to spoil that kid rotten.”
“Grandma is too,” my mom added.
Liz glanced slowly around her. “Charles, this place brings back so many childhood memories.”
He gripped her hand and smiled. “I can’t believe I am standing in front of the house you have told me so much about.”
A tear slipped down Liz’s cheek as she stared at the house. “I’m home, Charles. I’m really home…and it’s not a dream.”
He pulled her close. “No it isn’t.”
Liz snuggled into his chest, then glanced at my mom. “Is my old room still there?”
“Just the way you left it,” she said. “Go look.”
Liz looked lovingly up at Charles. “Wanna go see my room?”
He smiled. “Lead the way.”
She smiled back, then darted into the house with Charles.
I threw an arm around my mom’s shoulder as we walked up the old, familiar sidewalk that I used to mark with chalk when I was a little girl. Liz and I had created the most beautiful sidewalk portraits, and I smiled at the memory.
“We can do all our favorite Christmas traditions,” my mom said.
“Are you going to make your famous Christmas eggnog?” I asked.
She couldn’t stop grinning. “Baby, I will make whatever your heart desires. Today is your day.”
“Welcome to our home,” my dad said, motioning to Victor.
“It’s not a castle, but we love it,” my mom added.
The beige living room looked exactly as I remembered it, from the white upholstered sofas and chairs with brown toss pillows, to the dark wood end tables paired with an oversized leather ottoman. A thick white rug lay across the floor, and cascading brown draperies hung from decorated curtain rods. Serene landscape paintings hung across the walls.
“It’s beautiful,” Victor said. “I’m honored to be a guest in your home. Thank you for your kindness.” He glanced up, stunned at the crystal chandelier hanging in the entryway.
“We don’t use wrought-iron chandeliers with candles,” I said. “We use glass and electricity.”
He stepped into the living room and walked over to my mom’s porcelain lamp and touched it. “This is the lighting you told me about.”
“Yes, electricity. We can turn it on or off the lamp by simply turning the black knob.”
His eyes lit up. “When you told me about it, it was hard to comprehend. I could not understand the existence of such power, but seeing it with my very own eyes…it’s truly amazing.”
“Imagine this technology in our castle,” I said.
“Your world is so different. Your lighting and transportation is completely different from ours. Words can’t describe it.”
Grinning, my dad motioned to the fireplace. “It is so warm and toasty in here, yet there’s no fire.”
The lines in his forehead crinkled. “How is that possible?”
“We have a gas-powered furnace that pumps warm air into the house.” My dad pointed to the thermostat. “We can control how much heat we want with this.”
“I see your world has many amazing things to offer.”
“I have so many good memories growing up here,” I said, gla
ncing around. I walked over to the fireplace mantel and picked up a fifteen-inch porcelain doll, dressed in a flowing dress. She was holding a bouquet and was etched with a golden sixteen. The last time I had seen it, it was in my apartment. I couldn’t even begin to imagine the grief my parents suffered when they packed up my belongings, presuming me dead.
My mom touched my arm, her voice wavering. “I kept this out because it reminds me of you.”
I swallowed hard. “I never thought I’d see it again.”
Wrapping an arm around my waist, my mom smiled through the tears. “You have no idea how much strength and inspiration this music box gave me. I hoped you were somehow still alive somewhere.”
I turned and hugged my mom tightly. It was an emotional reunion. My mom was more to me than just a mother; she was my best friend, and I loved her more than life itself.
“When I saw it at the mall, I knew it was the perfect birthday gift,” my dad said. “The girl looks just like you.”
I wound up the music box and watched the girl twirl around as a sweet melody filled the air. “You got me this for my sixteenth birthday.”
The corner of my mom’s eyes crinkled as she grinned. “We were at the mall, and your father and I fought over whether to get you this or the pearl necklace.”
“And who ultimately won that struggle?” Victor asked.
My mom’s face beamed at the memory. “Sarah got both.”
My dad chuckled. “Yes she did.”
I looked up at Victor. “I’m so blessed to have such beautiful parents.” He wrapped an arm around me, pulling me close. I felt like I was back home again. I had my parents and my sister and the man of my dreams standing at my side. Best of all, we were having a baby. We were safe, and nothing felt better. It was the first day of the rest of my life.
My mom gripped my hands, smiling. She let go, but my hands continued to clutch hers. I didn’t want to let go. I couldn’t bear to be away from my mom. I desperately wanted her to be part of her grandson’s life. I could see us moving to another state, but never another dimension. My heart sank the more I pondered.
When a scream echoed from the kitchen, my heartbeat spiked. I darted through the doorway, my nerves on edge. “What was that?”
Eternal Fire - Book 3 of The Ruby Ring Saga Page 16