Sanctuary 2 (The Foliage Series Book 4)

by Aline Riva

  Joy looked at her husband and laughed, the normality of the conversation was such a relief after the weeks of pretence after Ash had faked his death – an idea proposed by Lynch, to unite the communities in grief and to set in stone the new resolve to maintain peace and unity – and most importantly, now the world believed him dead, it left them free to leave and start a new life - away from the public eye and threats against their family...

  “Don't!” she said to him, “He'll hear you! Its only because he's aristocracy that we're off to live in his castle!”

  “That's true,” Jekel replied, then he ran his fingers through his hair and glanced in the mirror, “Are you sure the artificial patch that replaces the veneer looks okay?”

  She gave a sigh, having lost count of the times he had asked her that question.

  “Yes, Ash – your hair looks fine!”

  Then Joy thought back to the morning after Jekel had faked his death – when the world believed his body was at the med centre, in truth, he had been taken there very much alive to have the veneer removed and replaced with an artificial scalp patch with hair to match his own, just to be sure that decorative panel he was known for - something that would make him easily identified – was gone.

  Then as she thought back to all that had led to this, her smile faded.

  “I can't believe I cried like that, but when you said it to me, it sounded so real. It's all seemed real. It's only because I knew you'd used stealth mode and gone over to the motor home that I got through it – I don't know how Travis kept it a secret like he did! And seeing Riley pronounce you dead....it was freaky!”

  Jekel's eyes lit up with pride.

  “That's because I gave such a convincing performance!” he said proudly.

  Joy laughed.

  “And you nearly blew it...Who lays down to die and thinks to grab a comb and do their hair first? Good thing I spotted that and moved it or it would have looked like a set up!”

  Jekel laughed too.

  “Well I wanted to look good – I knew there was a journalist at the party so there was bound to be pictures...I wanted my death scene to look good. Tragic, but good...And we both knew the journalist needed to be there to witness it - that's why Lynch invited her! It was Kade who cracked me up. I did feel bad when I lied to him and said I was dying. I really did feel bad about that, honestly! But he's got a big mouth so we had to keep him out of it. But when he showed up here today...”

  Joy giggled, nodding in agreement as she recalled how Kade had stopped by earlier that morning while the motor home was still parked in the driveway of the mansion.

  He had turned up in a very emotional state, Joy had invited him in and he had then stepped a little closer than she expected as they stood together in the kitchen area of the motor home.

  “I know we both miss him,” Kade had said sincerely, “And you don't have to leave, Joy...I could come over and keep you company sometimes... everyone says how much I look like Ash...I can never replace him but... come here, let me hug you...”

  Kade had given her a hug, as one hand had slid down her hip seductively. And Joy had stepped back, a look of amusement on her face.

  “If you do that again, I'll tell him!” she said.

  Kade's eyes had widened in utter confusion.

  “But Joy, he's dead...”

  “No I'm not,” Jekel had replied, coming out of stealth mode, “And I appreciate the offer but don't do that again, she's my wife! Those rumours of my death? All a set up, my friend!”

  Then Kade had burst into tears and hugged him, before asking why he had lied to him.

  “Firstly,” Jekel had replied, “Because you have a big mouth and you might have blown my cover, and secondly....I wanted you to cry over me on stage. You stood there and sobbed. Every one of my fans will love you forever for that...”

  As they recalled Kade's visit that morning, Joy and Jekel shared an amused glance.

  “The look on his face when he saw me!” Jekel said.

  “I know!”Joy agreed, “Oh, it was a picture!”

  Then as she drove on Jekel paused for thought, looking to the open road, before turning to his wife again.

  “I'm glad we've got this new start, it's a chance for us to get away from everything and just be a family – no threats, no more lunatics out there -”

  “And just in case there are, we're fully stocked with guns.”

  “We'll be okay,” Jekel replied, “We've made it, Joy. I really do think we're going to be okay.”

  She glanced at him, looking into the eyes of the man whose fate had been entwined with hers from the day Murdock had picked up the life sign on the ground and set down the war bird in that ruined town. It all made sense, this was meant to be – she knew it as sure as she knew she wished Murdock could be there to share this moment.

  “I think so too, Ash,” Joy agreed, “It will be okay – we're going to be just fine.”

  And the motor home drove on, heading for its destination as Joy kept her sights on the horizon and the long road ahead and her thoughts settled on the future and how it would be.

  Joy:

  As I drive on towards the place where we will finally call home, I've never felt happier. I have my daughter and my son by my side and after all we have been through, Ash is still with me. I don't want to think about the past and all the hard times, I don't want to think of how many times I thought I was losing my husband as he fought his long battle to overcome the effects of the damage he suffered on the day we fought for Sanctuary – I just want to remind myself dark times are finally over.

  I'm going to miss the others, but Flynn and Kait will be busy with the bar as always and probably more so on the day Felix Lynch kisses his bride under a shower of confetti. I'm glad they're happy.

  I've seen Lynch turn from an angry and bitter man into a loving partner to Elise and a devoted father to their daughter. And Riley is so right, he's better off doing what he does best, treating the cyborgs and building androids that serve the community. Lynch will be a great leader, he was born for the job and I think he knows it, too. And when Fi gets older, he's going to tell her the truth about Ash and why we left. I know Travis will be thrilled to see her again when they come to visit. And as for Kade Silk, he's spent years trying to be the next Ash Jekel. Now he's got his dream job – although I'm not so sure if he will ever really commit to Steph...he doesn't seem to be that kind of guy.

  Only time will tell, as it does for us all as life unfolds. But I think they're all going to be okay. I think the Valley and the City will stay strongly bonded, and eventually the anti cyborg threat will fade out... But how many generations that will take, is anybody's guess.

  All I'm thinking about now is the future and as I drive along and head towards it, I'm looking forward to it. I'm also taking a brief moment to glance to the skies, because I'm thinking of Murdock. I have never wanted to see him as much as I do now, because the only thing I'll ever wish for is to see him again – because I want to tell him something important:

  I want to tell him how happy I am.

  End