"Sounds good," Eric said. He glanced at Maria who was still kneeling in front of Lylya and back at Todd. The two men struck off towards the house next door.
Kiara began to leave, but Lylya took hold of her hand. "But," she said softly, "you stay…please."
Kiara glanced at Maria.
Maria smiled and nodded.
Lylya returned her attention to Maria and sternly studied her face for a time. "You are not…mother," she said finally.
"I know, I know," Maria said. "I—"
"But," Lylya interrupted, "you are like…aunt. We are family, but… You are not my…mother but, new. One doesn’t necess...necessery take away from the other." She glanced up at Kiara and back at Maria. "I am…in family. I…stay."
Maria sobbed and pulled the little girl to her.
Kiara wrapped her arms around them both.
~~~
The group had stopped short of the Riley front door, and been standing silently watching. Suddenly Gladys and Stacey were embracing. Louis simply looked on with a strange, uncharacteristic grin on his face.
Eric Wheeler glanced around at each of them. "Okay," he said slowly, returning his attention back to Todd. "This looks like a chick flick to me."
"Yeah..." Todd said. "Today would have made a damn good chick flick."
Eric stood silently for a time contemplating the scene. "How about that beer?" he said finally.
Two Weeks Later
~~~
By all accounts, spring had come early to the new residents of White City. Another lazy Saturday afternoon had arrived and filled back yards with lounging families and friends. Barbecues were charbroiling as children frolicked and giggled nearby.
Melancholy faces mirrored the same contented state of mind, of new awakenings from a nightmare unimaginable. Adults and children alike basked in the gentle, cool breeze that carried with it the smell of freshly mowed lawns and bunches of soft new lilac blooms.
God was in his heaven again, bringing with him the warm sun, blue skies, peace and security.
For practically everyone, all seemed blissfully normal again, but for Maria, life had blossomed into a breathtaking wonderland. She had found happiness in Parktown, a happiness she could never have imagined for herself, but this? From paradise, she had stumbled into heaven.
It was the second balmy March weekend, which meant the weekly Riley-Wheeler barbecue was taking place in the Riley back yard. Todd and Eric drank beer, talked sports and hunting, while hovering over a roasting pot-pourri of steaks, hamburgers, hot dogs, and an occasional crayon tossed in the mix.
Maria sat contentedly with Stacey, sprawled in a lounge chair and shaded by a rolling sunscreen that covered her very own back yard patio. A nearby circular table served as a resting place for sun tea, lemon wedges and soda pop.
The two younger Wheeler girls were dashing about, laughing and yelling, taken away to some mythical childhood dimension only they were aware of.
Lylya and Kiara had clearly formed a bond that day in the shed. They would often be seen passing secret information to each other, followed by a cloak-and-dagger hand signal that never ceased to make Maria smile. Even little Lylya with her intense worried eyes had been seen smiling a time or two, always in the presence of Kiara. Maria couldn’t be sure, but she could have sworn she had actually heard Lylya laugh once.
It happened at a time she was walking past Lylya’s room. Kiara was with her, of course. It was a sweet lilting musical laugh that Maria longed to hear again.
Lylya was clearly starting to relax. No mention had ever been made of the supplies stored under the bed, and Maria had noticed that aspirin, canned food and other basics were reappearing on the shelves.
A small speaker sitting nearby amplified the sound of a discontented baby.
"Baby’s awake," Maria said moving to get up.
"No," Stacey said. “You relax. Sadie will go get him. She loves that baby. Sadie, will you go get Josh for Maria?"
"No me!" Ally yelled.
"She said me!" Sadie yelled back.
"Both of you go," Stacey said, "but Sadie gets to carry him, and don’t fight over him."
Sadie rushed into the house followed closely by Ally. Moments later Sadie appeared carrying Joshua and smiling proudly.
The appearance of baby Joshua never failed to bring Kiara running. Lylya would usually wander over soon after.
Maria pulled the crying baby out of Sadie’s arms, lifted a blanket over herself and began nursing.
"Stacey," Maria said after the baby settled in. "Do you remember those wolves?"
"Do I remember them? Do I have nightmares about them every night? Yes."
Maria smiled softly. "You know it's funny, I had it in my head they were leading us out of the mountains. I was so out of it."
“Well, turns out they were, or...they did. I'm sure they didn't plan to lead us out, it just sort of happened that way—but you know...If they would have let us go back to the Jensen cabin, we would have been killed."
The conversation was interrupted by the men arriving at the table carrying a brimming plate of food. Hot dogs and hamburgers were distributed. The children sat in a tight circle around Maria, contentedly munching their lunch.
Todd and Eric took their places across from their wives at the table.
"Oh, Maria," Eric said, as he sawed on his steak. "Before I forget, I need for you to sign a magazine for a friend of mine at work."
Maria looked up and grinned. "Why?"
"Maria’s a star," Kiara said.
Maria swiped at Kiara. "Stop…Why would someone want me to sign a magazine? It’s just a picture."
Kiara leaned close to Lylya."She used to be Jessie Espinosa’s girlfriend."
Lylya glanced up at her unimpressed and returned to her hot dog.
"Why does anybody sign anything?" Eric said. "Come on, sign a few magazines for me? The guys will really appreciate it."
"A few?" Maria yelled. "I can’t even go shopping anymore. You’d think I did something wonderful the way people are treating me. Louis walks around here all the time and no one even knows him, and he’s a Nobel laureate for heaven’s sake."
Todd glanced up. "If some yahoo asked Louis for an autograph, we’d be hearing about it till the moon went out."
"Oh I forgot to tell you," Stacey said grinning. "Some kids in the high school have a Maria Rose fan club. That’s what you get for being so beautiful."
Maria winced and quickly dropped her eyes to her nursing baby. "Maria Riley," she said without looking up.
"I’m sorry," Stacey said softly. "I keep forgetting how bad you hate that 'beautiful' thing."
Maria glanced up and shrugged. "It makes me feel uncomfortable sometimes. It’s not like I’ve done something great."
"You will," Lylya said abruptly, drawing everyone’s attention. "You will do great thing."
"Oh, I don’t think so," Maria said reaching to ruffle Lylya’s hair. "Except for maybe, having brilliant, perfect children."
"No, you," Lylya said, her small voice monotone. "You will do great thing."
Maria smiled. "That’s sweet, honey, but how would you know something like that?"
Lylya pulled her attention away from her hot dog and gazed up at Maria. "I know, but, it is…secret."
Maria raised her eyebrows. "Oh I see. Well, maybe I will do great things. Who knows—but don’t wait in the street."
The Wheeler children giggled.
Lylya looked at her quizzically before returning to her hot dog.
"Hmm," Maria said pulling her baby away, "I think Joshua has had enough." She gently tucked the blanket away and sat Joshua in her lap.
Lylya glanced up at the baby. "He is…Masih ad-Dajjal," she said gently patting his blanket, "but…you call…Jesus. But not really."
Maria gasped and jumped to her feet, her chair banging away across the patio. The sudden movement startled Joshua who began crying.
Todd slowly rose to his feet. "Lylya," he said softly, "let’s
not talk about that, okay?"
Lylya nodded and returned to her hot dog.
Maria stood staring at Lylya before turning and locking eyes with Todd.
The table became quiet. After a time Maria moved back to her chair, sat down and began pacifying Joshua. Within moments he was cooing in her lap.
Stacey stared at Eric for a time and turned her attention to her children. "You know what? Why don’t you guys go next door and play on the swing set?" She glanced at Maria and back at Kiara. "Maybe you and Lylya could take Joshua over and have him play on a blanket?"
Maria looked at Todd.
Todd paused and nodded slightly.
"Okay," Maria said, "but, make sure he’s in the shade and…don’t let him put anything in his mouth."
Kiara reached out for Joshua."We know."
Within moments the children were making their way out of the Riley back yard. "Take your food with you," Maria called.
"I’m stuffed," Kiara yelled back.
Lylya returned and sternly pushed the remainder of her hot dog into her jacket pocket.
Soon, the adults were sitting in silence around the patio table.
"You know," Stacey said, breaking a long uncomfortable silence. "Kiara and Lylya have become the very closest of friends."
Maria smiled and glanced at Todd."Yeah, I know. Isn’t it cool? It’s just what Lylya needs."
"Kiara told me the secret."
"What secret?" Maria said.
"How she was able to break down Lylya’s defenses."
Todd, obviously knowing where the conversation was going, joined in. "Secrets, they shared each other’s secrets."
Eric pulled away from the table slightly, looking as if he would rather be somewhere else.
"We’ve been through so much together," Stacey said softly, "and something is going on with you. I think I would very much like to know what that is, because, Maria…you’re my closest and dearest friend."
"Something's going on?" Todd said. "What do you mean?"
Eric leaned back in his chair. "She doesn’t mean anything. Did you do much hunting in Parktown? I heard Louis tagged a deer up there on the—"
"It’s true," Maria said.
Eric stopped talking and dropped his eyes to his beer.
"Maria," Todd said softly. "I think we should talk."
Stacey shook her head. "No, things are too strange around you two. Why are the Mums here? Because of the picture? That doesn’t make sense. Nigel told me you three and the Fasbenders came from Nebraska after the day. What were you doing there so close to the day? Nebraska was ground zero. Why is President Hatfield involved with you guys? Why were you traveling with a Nobel laureate? Why are you three so—?"
"Stacey," Todd said interrupting. "Louis and Gladys just sort of fell in with us. I think you may be overreacting."
Maria held her hand up."Joshua is not a normal baby."
"Please, just be quiet,” Todd said, turning to face Maria. “We need to talk."
Maria returned Todd’s gaze. "Why does it matter? The Vinces know exactly where we are."
"Because, the locals can’t know about…" Todd’s voice quieted. "Josh's life could never be normal if they knew."
"You know," Eric said finally breaking his silence. "I’m not sure what this is all about but it kinda’ sucks that you don’t think we can keep a secret."
Todd stood for a moment slowly scanning his back yard, blew out a sigh and sat down. After a time, he motioned for Maria to continue.
"Todd and I were students at UCLA," she began. "I had an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. A chance at a family that, at the time, I didn't think I’d ever have." She sat staring into her tea glass for a time and continued. "I was offered a chance to be a surrogate for a very special child."
Stacey leaned forward listening intently.
"Joshua is a clone," Maria said finally.
Stacey leaned back slowly. "Clone? Like in the movies?"
Todd smiled. "Yeah, just like in the scary movies."
"But I thought that was illegal."
"It is," Todd said. "But back then, nobody cared much about the rules."
"They’re called the Vinces," Maria said, "the people who cloned him. They tried to take Joshua away from us, just before he was born."
"What?" Eric said. "Why would they do that?"
Todd turned to face Eric. "I guess it’s sort of important that you know who Josh is; why he’s so important, and why President Hatfield has taken an interest in him."
"Okay," Eric said, leaning forward.
"See, they found some DNA in a church in Rothenberg, Germany," Todd continued. "They cross matched it with the shroud of Turin and the two samples…matched."
"Okay," Eric said, "and—"
Stacey was already shaking her head. "Stop it!" she said. "I don’t want to hear this! It’s impossible and I don’t want to hear it!" She stood and quickly left the yard.
Eric watched her leave. "What’s wrong with her?"
Todd paused and blew out a sigh. "Eric, Joshua is the clone of Jesus Christ."
Eric pulled back and sat staring. "That’s…that can’t be," he said stammering. "God would never allow that to happen."
"It happened," Todd said softly. "There are even a few people who have it in their minds that our Josh is the second coming of Christ."
"No -- no," Eric said. "There will be signs before the second coming. He won't come in some test tube."
"Listen to me, Eric," Todd said. "There were signs. A lot of signs. Big, big signs."
"What signs? A burning in the bosom? Josh floating in the bathwater… What?"
"Josh was born in a barn in Omaha Nebraska at the moment Dante passed overhead; the same asteroid they think was over Bethlehem when Jesus was born. Just before he was conceived, the world suffered the only worldwide earthquake in history…You remember the earthquake, don't you? How are those for signs? And there were a lot more, let me tell you."
Eric slowly stood and glared at Todd. "You're telling me that all the hell this world has been through…all that my family has been through…the end of America…was just some sign? I'll have Kiara bring your kids home."
"Eric," Todd said. "Don't be that way—"
"I’m a Christian!" Eric shouted, interrupting Todd. "You’re telling me that Joshua is God's clone? How am I supposed to take that? It’s blasphemy! What am I suppose to do with that?" He quickly moved away from the table and left the yard.
"I didn’t know they would react that way," Maria said sadly. "We just lost our best friends."
"That’s why we can never tell anybody else. Now we know why."
Todd leaned and took Maria’s hand. "Ol' Father Jenkins didn't have much by way of scruples, but he did seem to know how the world would react to our little boy."
"Do you think this is really the end of our friendship?" Maria said tearing up. "I love Stacey. What are we gonna do without the Wheelers? Oh my God, what will Lylya do without Kiara?"
She leaned back in her seat. "Damn it! Why didn't I listen to you? You tried to stop me."
"No, no," Todd said. "Eric made me feel guilty about trusting them with the truth and all. I was ready to tell them. I'm just as surprised by their reaction as you are."
They sat for a time listening to the neighborhood. Finally Maria spoke up. "Didn't Eric say he was going to send Kiara over with the kids?"
"Yeah," Todd said thoughtfully. "It's been awhile. I wonder what's taking them."
"Maybe they had to take a minute to gather the kids' things."
"S’pose so. Maybe we should go see if they need help."
They walked together, making their way next door.
Todd pushed the gate open and saw Stacey gently rocking Joshua, Eric was standing over her. The children had obviously been sent away.
Todd and Maria slowly moved closer.
Stacey looked up and smiled nervously. It was obvious she’d been crying. "What a shock. I’m sorry I reacted that way." She gentl
y brushed her finger over the baby’s cheek and looked back up at Maria. "So it’s true? Joshua is the Lord's clone?"
Maria smiled sweetly. "Yes, but he’s not the Lord. He’s Joshua, He’s more like a twin."
"No," Eric said, "nothing like a twin. Now I'm not saying he's the second coming, you understand— and I'm sorry I blew up over there, but…after seeing him again I realized, when I look at him all I can think of is his Father. You know: the great I AM, the creator of all life, the God of the universe and everything in it. Whose second son is now lying in my wife’s lap."
Todd smiled.
"You’re right about things never being the same with us," Eric continued, "but we’re still best friends. Just don’t tell us anything else like that, and don’t be surprised if we look at Joshua sort of sideways from here on out."
Maria knelt down and gently hugged Stacey.
"Did Jesus look just like this?" Stacey said.
Maria nodded."Louis says he almost certainly looked just like this."
"Unbelievable," Stacey said softly.
Chapter_Ten
Maria had risen early the following morning with plans to get some shopping done. Over the last few weeks, since the picture hit the newsstands, going out had become something of a trial. The Mums had to be forewarned in time for them to ‘advance the event’: another example of military phraseology Maria would never quite get used to.
On her way out, she stopped off at Lylya’s bedroom door and gently knocked. Most children would have simply yelled come in, but Lylya soon appeared at the door and peeked out.
"Lylya," Maria said. "I have to go out. Could you and Josh go stay with Stacey for a little while this morning? Todd had to leave early."
To Maria’s surprise Lylya smiled a bright sweet smile. "But," she said, "Could Kiara watch baby here at…home and…me too?"
Maria grinned in response to the surprising smile. "Well, I suppose you two could watch him, but you’ll have to talk to her. It’s Sunday and I think the Wheeler kids go to church."
"But," Lylya said, pulling the door open to expose the inside of her room, "she is talk on…phone. She said can come."
The Son of Man 2, Elders of Zion Page 23