by Lola StVil
“You think she has fire power?”
“Hold out your hand and summon a fireball—a small one,” Ruin says.
Aaden does as she asks. She then touches him with the tip of her finger and suddenly the fire grows to twice its size. Aaden is pleasantly surprised and the two share a laugh.
“That’s amazing,” he replies.
“Yeah, well, I wish she loved fire a little less. Once she had me chase a fire truck to a five-alarm fire. I tried to stay at a safe distance, but she wouldn’t have it. She only felt happy when we got close.”
“You can actually feel when she’s happy?”
“Yeah.”
“Is she happy now? I mean, is she really okay?” he asks.
“Sparks, say good morning to Daddy.” All the lights come on in Ruin’s room and in the hallway. I’m betting all the lights on this block are on now.
“You did a great job with the fire. Can you do it again?” Aaden says as he takes Ruin’s hand in his. His daughter does as her father asks. The flames grow even higher this time.
“You’re a natural.” He beams.
“Okay, now can you say good night so your dad and I can talk?” Ruin asks.
The baby does not listen. She keeps all the lights on.
“Sparks, say good night,” Ruin repeats.
The baby disregards her mother.
Aaden signals to Ruin that he has an idea. He calls out to his child.
“Sparks, say good night or no more fire,” Aaden says with authority.
Some of the lights in the room go out, but a few are still on.
“I will not tell you again, young lady. Good night,” Aaden says firmly.
All the extra lights go out. Only the dim light from Ruin’s nightstand remains.
“She’s stubborn,” he says.
“I wonder where she got that from?”
“I have no idea,” he jokes.
“Yeah, it’s a big mystery.”
“Okay, maybe that’s my fault. But hey, you’re a Kaster. She’s getting a lot of bad habits from you too.”
“I know; this poor kid doesn’t stand a chance.” Ruin laughs.
“Well, whatever happens, we can’t officially name my kid ‘Sparks.’ So we better come up with her real name soon.”
“I actually have one in mind,” she says softly.
“Okay, let’s hear it.”
“Well, I thought we could honor the people in our lives that we love. You know, the beings that mattered to us, your mom and my grandmother.”
“Your grandmother’s name was Rose, right?” he asks.
“Yes. So, I thought we’d name her Ameana-Rose.”
“Ameana-Rose,” he repeats to himself. He looks over at the markings on Ruin’s arm and gently traces them with his finger. He’s lost in thought.
“Do you like it?” she asks.
“That’s…perfect,” he says, lost in her eyes.
“I was nervous you wouldn’t like it.”
“Well, I love it.”
“Silver, if you have questions, you can ask,” she says as she studies the uncertainty on his face.
“I don’t want to upset you.”
“You won’t. I can handle it. What do you want to know?”
“Luna told you everything that’s happened since you first passed out.”
“And you want to know about the Dazzle I took?” she asks.
“Yes. Were you pregnant before from someone else? Did you try to use Dazzle to stop Sparks from coming into the world? I mean, what happened?”
“It’s not often a girl will know when the Alexi is coming, but I had a feeling. It’s like an intuition. I had it for days before the bird actually landed. You and I had been fighting a lot, and it seemed like every other day we had an issue. One night, a feeling came over me. It’s like when I was human—I’d be walking down a dark alley and something told me to walk faster; I didn’t question it, I just walked faster. Well, something told me the Alexi was coming soon. That was the same night you and I had our biggest fight.”
“I remember. We set a few buildings on fire and we had an argument about saving a drunk human who had fallen asleep on the floor of one of the buildings. You were pissed because I risked my life to get him help.”
“Well, the Paras were on our track, and if we were caught, it would have been really bad for us.”
“But I saved him and you helped.”
“In the end, yes. When we got back to our hotel room, we made up. And I thought if the Alexi came I wouldn’t just be okay with it, I would be excited. Then in the middle of the night, you did something, something that let me know there was no hope for us—you called out for Pryor.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah…while I was in your arms, you called out for someone else. I left that night and I made the tonic.”
“What happened?”
“Dazzle is bitter. It’s best to drink it in two gulps. I drank half of the Dazzle. I was about to finish the other half when you texted me. You said ‘I need you.’ And I thought…hey, maybe this could work. Maybe I can still have a family.
“So I threw away the other half of the Dazzle. And when the Alexi came, she was a little disoriented, but she managed to get airborne. Silver, you should have seen her take flight with Sparks. It was so beautiful, the best moment of my life.”
“So you were going to stop her from living, but then changed your mind because I texted you? Diana…how can you base so much on one text?” he asks.
“It wasn’t just one text, Silver. One day, you happened to brush past me and Sparks just released this wave of joy and contentment. She knew who you were. I couldn’t take that from her.”
“I wish you had told me. Now there are all these moments with our daughter that I missed.”
“I know. I’m sorry. And I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about not taking the Tam in the first place. I guess it doesn’t matter that I intended for you and me to live happily ever after. It doesn’t matter that I did this because I thought we both wanted it. What matters is that I lied to you. And again, I’m sorry.”
“Yeah…okay.”
“Silver, I love you. I am always going to love you. But I love my daughter more. I’m not here because I love you; I’m here because she loves you.”
He looks over at her, not sure what to say. She takes his hand in hers and speaks with sincerity.
“My life stopped being about me when the Alexi took off into the air with our daughter. She is all that matters. I would give up my love for you, my powers, and my life for this little girl. Nothing is going to come before this child.”
“Diana—”
“Silver, please let me finish. There was a period where Sparks wouldn’t rest and I couldn’t figure out why. It drove me insane because I feared that I was going to lose her. It turned out she was craving the sounds of nature, of all things.
“So I got a cabin and we lived there for months. She fell in love with the sound of one particular bird that would come outside our window and chirp. And only that specific bird’s sound would put my little monster to sleep. Do you know what a Honduran emerald is?”
“Um…no,” he says, confused.
“Well, that’s the bird your daughter fell in love with. It turns out it’s a hummingbird that is so rare there are only a hundred in existence. So when the bird didn’t come and sing by the window, I had to track it down. It was the only thing that would put her to sleep. It took forever. Here I am, a demon brimming with powers, and I’m scaling trees looking for birds to record so I can put my kid to sleep.”
“Did you find it?”
“Yes! I was so happy, Silver, I nearly cried. Okay, I kind of did.”
“I take it you recorded it?”
“Yes, I play it every night for her and it knocks her right out.”
“Wow…guess you have a knack for motherhood.”
“I don’t know if I do or not. The only thing I know is that she comes first. When she’s around
you, she’s happy. She’s at peace. So around you is where I want to be. And it’s not just you. Ever since I’ve been part of the team, she’s been calmer and more focused.”
“What do you mean?”
“When we did charity as part of the team, I could feel her discovering new feelings: empathy, concern, and gratitude. She never had that before. She got that from being around your team. That’s why I pushed Pryor so hard—I needed her to let things go back to the way they were a few days ago.”
“This situation is just…it’s hard on her. We just started being together and…”
“Yeah, I know. Now I’ve cursed you with a child, right?”
“No, Ameana-Rose isn’t a curse. She’s just unexpected.”
“Yeah, I get that. Here’s the thing, Silver, I can find a rare bird or a blazing fire, I even tracked down the last remaining singing ‘Elsa’ doll from the Frozen movie she loves so much. But what I can’t do is make her father love me.
“I also can’t get the team to treat me like they did before. Hell, maybe they never even liked me and it was all in my head. Either way, it’s time Ameana-Rose learns her first hard lesson: Mom won’t always be able to give you what you want.” She looks out the window and tries to steady her voice.
“The team cares about you, both of you. Everyone just needs more time.”
“Hearing me and Pryor argue upset Sparks more than I could have guessed. She’s only been around the team for a short while and she’s already so invested. That’s not good. Sooner or later Pryor will get rid of me, and leaving later will hurt even more. That’s why I need to go now.”
“What?”
“After my checkup is done, Sparks and I are leaving the country.”
“No! You can’t do that. Diana, I know we have issues, but you can’t take her from me. I will give you whatever you want, but you can’t—”
“This is not a tactic to get what I want. Yes, I would love it if you would look at me the same way you look at Pryor. But I’m a mom now and I don’t have time to daydream about you and me. You wanted Pryor, go to her. Be happy.”
“And just forget I have a kid? Are you serious?”
“I never said you had to forget.”
“Then what the hell are you saying? Because it sounds to me like you’re taking Sparks away because I’m still with Pryor.”
“When she’s born, you can spend as much time with her as you want. You can have her because I know she will be safe with you. But since I can’t separate her from me right now, she needs to go where I go. And I need to be somewhere where I am not misunderstood and hated. Somewhere where people will see me as more than the sum total of my mistakes.”
“Diana, don’t leave. You don’t know what could happen to the two of you out there.”
“We’ll be fine. I’ll call you often and text every day so you know how she’s doing.”
“No! This is bullshit!”
All the lights go on in the room once again.
“Argh, you woke her.” Ruin groans.
“Mommy is sorry she yelled.Sparks, we love you, say good night,” Ruin pleads.
Surprisingly the baby does as she is told, and the light goes off, leaving only the night-light on.
“Diana, please don’t do this.”
When Ruin speaks again, her voice is decidedly soft and more relaxed. “Silver, what do you want from me?” she says, exhausted.
“I want you to stay.”
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“BECAUSE IT HURTS, OKAY?”
They both look around the room, fearing that the lights will come on, signaling they have once again woken up the baby. However, the lights stay off. Relieved, Ruin continues to speak.
“I didn’t pass out because of what Pryor said. I passed out because I knew it was true. You told me you didn’t love me the way you love Pryor. You said that many times before. And I thought I could change that, but now that I have to look after a child, I am forced to be realistic about my situation. I am having a child for an angel who is not in love with me. I will deal with it because I can’t afford to fall apart.”
“You don’t have to deal with it by going away.”
“Yes, I do. Everyone here hates me. I wanted Sparks to be part of a family, but that’s gone now. Everyone thinks that I’m some heartless bitch who trapped you. Pryor thinks I’m a nuclear bomb that went off in the middle of her love life. The team thinks I’m some evil stalker chick. The Demon world rejects me because I helped you. And the one thing I wanted to give my daughter was the one thing I never had—a family. I thought I could get it for her here, but…”
“Ruin, we can be a family. The humans do it all the time. I will be with Pryor, but you and I can raise her together.”
“What will your team members say to her about me when I’m not around?”
“They would never say anything bad about you with our daughter around.”
“I was in and out of consciousness back at Luna’s apartment. I heard your girlfriend. She basically thinks I’m some man-stealing tramp. No matter what I do, I will always be ‘Ruin’ to this team and maybe to the world. But my daughter will only know me as ‘Mom’ and I like that. For the first time in my life, I’m okay if I don’t fit in somewhere. I’m okay because I have her. It’s even okay that you don’t love me, because she does, unconditionally. And I won’t let your team change her mind.”
“Diana, don’t do this. I haven’t known about my daughter for more than a day, but she has become a part of me. Don’t make me say goodbye to her, please.”
“I am to blame for getting you into this. Now I’m helping you to get out of it. You can go to Pryor and be with her. You were never meant to have a family with me, and I get that now. You can go. Aaden…you are free.”
Chapter Eight:
Let’s Play A Game
When Aaden comes out of Ruin’s room, he hangs his head low and has his hands in his pockets. We don’t get to talk because Luna enters the hallway and tells us she will watch Ruin for the night and that she should be ready to go home in a day or two. Aaden wants to stay, but Luna tells him to go because it’s hard for Sparks to fall asleep when her dad’s around. Aaden grudgingly agrees to head back to the house.
On our way home, Aaden is silent. He’s so deep in thought it feels like he’s a world away. I’m not sure what to do or how to reach him. Should I let him talk this out with Ruin and mind my business, or should I step in? After going around and around about it in my head, I finally make a decision.
“Hey, we should land and walk the rest of the way,” I suggest.
“Our block is a no-fly zone, but we still have like ten more blocks before we have to land.”
“I know. I thought it would be nice to take a walk—longer than a block or two,” I reply.
He nods and we land several blocks away from the house. The New York City skyline looms before us. The skyscrapers stretch high in the sky, as if desperately trying to reach Omnis. The vibrant lights surrounding the billboards and marquees add a vibrant glow to the already glamorous city.
The humans walk by happily discussing the play they went to see, the new restaurant they just tried, and their relationship issues. We turn the corner and the sound of the crowd dies down. While Aaden and I aren’t alone, it does feel fairly private.
“Aaden, I…I overheard you and Ruin talking. I’m sorry,” I admit.
“It’s okay.”
“Do you think she’s serious about leaving?” I ask.
“Yes.”
“You can make her stay, can’t you?”
“Pry, I can’t force her to be somewhere she doesn’t want to be. I mean, it’s not good for Sparks if her mom is stressed out, and that’s exactly what would be happening. And even if she wasn’t pregnant, Diana’s no pushover. She’s not just going to do something because I want her to.”
“She nearly died today. She has a lot on her mind. Maybe in the morning she’ll rethink her position o
n this,” I offer.
“And if she doesn’t?”
I open my mouth, but nothing comes out. I want to help, but he’s right. If Ruin is determined to leave, then there is nothing anyone can do. Then against my better judgment I say something that could launch us into an argument.
“Don’t get mad, but…could she be manipulating you so that you will go with her?”
“You really think I’m that easily played?”
“No, but I think you love your kid and that could make you blind to certain things.”
“Pry, you heard her, she’s serious about doing what’s best for Sparks. And I don’t want her to go, but I get why she wouldn’t want to stay where people hate her,” he counters.
“I don’t hate her.”
He looks at me as if to say he doesn’t believe a word I’ve said.
“I’m not her biggest fan, I will admit that,” I reply carefully.
“I think she really was being truthful. I looked in her eyes and something is different about her. I’ve only known about Ameana-Rose for a day and she’s changed everything for me. Diana has known about her for months. I don’t see how she could remain the same.”
“You may have a point,” I reply uncertainly.
“It doesn’t matter which scenario is true. In the end both result in me losing my daughter. I can’t face that. Pry, what should I do?”
“Well, as the First Noru, I am issuing an order: you will come home with me, and for the rest of the night, you are not allowed to have bad thoughts. It would be a waste of time because everything is going to work out. We’ll find a way to fix this,” I vow.
“You’re gorgeous. Do you know that?” he asks as he studies me.
I laugh and shake off his remark. He takes my hand in his and looks into my eyes.
“I’m serious. You are without a doubt the most beautiful girl I’ve ever laid eyes on.”
Silver blood finds its way into my cheeks and I look away, not wanting him to see me blush. He pulls me closer to him, and we stop walking although we are now only three blocks from home.
“Hey, look at me. I’m serious. You are exceptional,” he says.
“You can’t say things like that to me.”