"Because I don't want to have to yank my hair out from the hefty fee I'd have to pay when we get back, honey."
"Good morning, Ma'am." The driver was standing next to the cab. He was of slim build; had a prickly beard and dirty-blonde hair tied into a ponytail. Looked like he was well into his fifties.
"Good morning." Mira smiled back, then looked at Rosie.
"Good morning, sir," she said.
"I'll get that for you." The driver quickly opened the back door and Rosie climbed inside.
"Thanks for coming," Mira said to him.
"My pleasure." He took the luggage and placed them in the trunk.
Mira slid inside next to Rosie as the little girl prissily positioned herself onto the leather seat.
"You look beautiful, Mom."
"And so do you, my little princess." Mira tucked back the child's hair.
The cab driver got in and started the engine. He cleared his throat and glanced back at Mira through the rear-view mirror. "All set?" He asked.
Mira's eyes met his. "Yes, we are."
They were on their way.
* * *
"Mom, can I sit by the window?" Rosie asked excitedly.
"Excuse me," a young man said as he brushed past Mira and Rosie who had just arrived at their appointed row.
"Sure honey, you can sit at the window," Mira answered.
Rosie quickly went through and climbed onto the seat. After resting her backpack on top of her lap, she buckled her own seat belt, then eagerly peered out of the window.
"Those men look like ants down there," she remarked.
"No, they don't!" Mira laughed as she fastened her seat-belt. "We haven't lifted off yet. How can they look like ants from this short distance?"
"Well, they do to me!" Rosie returned.
"My goodness… what beautiful hair you have, little girl!" An elderly lady commented as she was slowly passing by.
"Thank you, Ma'am!" Rosie shifted proudly in her seat, pressing her lips together as if she were the queen of that flying castle.
"She seems rather classy too." The lady bent down slightly toward Mira; voice lowered.
"She does. Doesn't she?" Mira grinned.
Smiling, the nice stranger continued on to one of the back rows.
"Can I put that into the overhead compartment for you?" a beautifully-attired attendant asked. She was referring to Rosie's backpack.
"Does she have to take it, Mom?" Rosie pouted.
"You can put it under your seat instead. Would you prefer that?" The lady offered.
"Yes, Ma'am."
"I'll take it for you," Mira reached over and placed it under Rosie's seat as the flight attendant walked off.
Everyone sat quietly as the plane revved for the take-off.
"Ready?" Mira asked Rosie who was looking out the window again. By then, the tarmac was clear.
"Yes, I'm ready. I'm ready to see Nana and Pops again. Are you ready?"
Mira could not recall Rosie's smile being any cuter.
"Yes. We're going to have a great time there. Mom and Dad are so excited to see you again."
"I'm excited to see them too!"
As the plane took off and smoothly elevated into the clear, blue sky, Mira looked over at the ground below.
"Everything down there looks like ants now, don't it?" Rosie turned to her mother.
"Yes, honey."
After a few moments, Mira rested her head on the head-rest. As she shut her eyes, her life in recent years suddenly flashed before her. Before long, she successfully blocked it all out and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.
2
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"Mom! Wake up!" Rosie shook her.
Mira peeled open her eyes, looked at Rosie, then around at other passengers who were getting ready to leave the plane. "We're here already?" she asked weakly.
"Mom, you slept the whole while!" Rosie's hand was at her side.
"I…I'm sorry, honey." She raised her eyebrows.
The cabin door opened and persons were filing out of the aircraft. She glanced Rosie's way and realized she already had her backpack on her lap. They both waited until most of the passengers had exited the plane before getting up to join what was left of the line.
"I can't believe we're here already," Mira said quietly as the little girl stood in front of her.
"Time flies. Doesn't it, Mom?"
"It surely does."
With luggage in hand, they followed the others through the long corridor with all its twists and turns, then headed toward the exit. It was a beautiful day in Mizpah and they were so glad to have arrived.
"There's Nana and Pops!" Rosie pointed to her waving grandparents who were standing several feet away from the exit. She took off running toward them and Michael knelt down happily awaiting her. She flew into his arms as Sara hugged her from behind.
It had been several months since Mira last saw her father, but it was obvious that within that time-frame, he had lost a considerable amount of weight. Must be all that yard work, she thought.
"So what am I…chopped liver?" she asked, approaching them.
"Oh, honey, I'm so glad you two are here, safe and sound!" Sara embraced her.
Michael stood and hugged Mira as well.
"How are you doing?" he asked.
"Just great, Dad. How are you?"
"Swell! Let me take those." He was referring to the luggage.
Mira released one of the bags and held on to the other. She didn't want him doing much lifting since he had been recently having occasional back pains.
He grabbed the other one as well.
"Dad, I could've managed that," Mira said.
"I'm sure you could, but I can too." He carried them over to the trunk.
"I'm so glad you two are here!" Sara pressed her face against her daughter's.
"We're happy to be here, Mom," Mira replied.
They walked over to the car together.
"How's Dad doing? He seems to have trimmed down quite a bit lately."
"Oh…yes. He's watching his diet more these days. You know him—likes to look his best. I heard from your brother this morning." She changed the subject rather abruptly.
"Oh? What's he saying?"
"He was just wondering if you and Rosie had arrived yet and said he wished he could have come, but he's so tied up at work right now."
"I know. We spoke last night. Rosie really wished Tommy would've been here." She spoke quietly as the little girl stood proudly beside her grandfather at the car filling him in on all the details of their flight.
"Yes, they're so close," Sara returned.
"She'll be fine, though. I'll find things to do to keep her busy during the two weeks we're here."
"You'll find things?" Sara asked with a smirk. "What're the rest of us… chopped liver?"
They both started laughing as they got into the car.
* * *
"Here we are…" Sara unlocked the kitchen door and allowed Mira and Rosie to enter first. The family always used that entrance since the carport was right adjacent to it. The front door mostly opened whenever guests showed up.
"It's been several months well; hasn't it?" Sara surmised.
"Yeah." Mira sighed.
"Well, I'm glad you sent Rosie ahead last Christmas since you couldn't make it."
Mira sat down in the living room and Rosie climbed up on the couch next to her.
"She had so much fun with Tommy that visit. Didn't you, pumpkin?" Sara smiled at Rosie.
"I sure did, Nana!"
The proud grandmother grinned. "And you'll have just as much fun this time!"
"Will I?" Rosie was excited only for a moment before her intellect kicked in. "But how? Tommy's not here this time."
"Because Nana and Pops are going to give you the time of your little, young life." She sat across from her. "We're going to play lots of games, go to the park, the movie theater…"
"Movies? Really? We're going to see movies?"
Rosie's eyes widened.
"Sure. Why not? Anything our little pumpkin wants to do—that's what we're going to do!"
Rosie got up, ran over to her grandmother and hugged her neck tightly. "Oh, Nana… you're the best Nana in the whole world!"
Sara was smiling from ear to ear as Michael passed with the luggage. "These'll be in your room," he said to Mira.
"Thanks, Dad," Mira replied.
"I almost forgot Dad didn't come in," she mumbled softly.
"He's always been as slow as a turtle, you know." Sara laughed.
"Don't say that about Pops!" Rosie exclaimed.
"Sorry, dear. I'm just joking."
A minute later, Michael joined them and sat in his favorite chair—the one with the invisible Reserved for Michael Cullen engraved onto the leather.
"So how's everything up there in California?" He asked.
"Everything's fine, Dad."
"The weather's good?"
"Pretty sunny for the most part," Mira indicated.
As she sat with them, Mira reflected on how quickly time had passed. Her parents now had graying hair—though she felt her mother still looked stunning for her age. She was putting in her last couple of years at the hospital after Michael retired from his executive-level position at the Gaming Board.
Mira remembered the years they had spent in that house—many of them held not-so-good memories, but a few did, particularly the ones after Karlen and Andy's saga came to a close. Her father's almost instant transformation into the man they wished he had been ages before was unforgettable and nothing less than remarkable. Despite his limited communication skills which still remained, by all accounts, he became a wonderful and loving husband and father.
"Still work for that chiropractor?" Michael broke the brief silence.
"He's a cardiologist, Dad, and yes, I'm still there," Mira replied.
Sara was looking on. She could tell that her husband had something he wanted to get off his chest, but wasn't so sure if he should."
Mira noticed too. "Rosie, would you like to watch TV in the bedroom for a while?" she asked.
"Sure. Let's go, Pops!" The child turned to her grandfather.
"Honey, how about you and I go?" Sara proposed.
"You and me, Nana?" Rosie appeared somewhat baffled. "But Pops and I always watch TV together. Aren't you coming, Pops?"
Michael managed a smile. "I'll come in a little while, pumpkin."
"Can we watch The Twilight Zone?"
"Sure we can, if it's on."
"I'll see if I can find it, okay?"
"Okay, pumpkin," Michael replied.
Sara and Rosie headed to the master bedroom.
Michael cleared his throat. "So, any thoughts on going back to school and getting your degree?" he asked Mira. "You only had… what… a year and a half left? Something like that?"
"I haven't thought about it lately," Mira answered.
"Why not?" The expression on her father's face was one of concern.
"I just haven't, Dad. A lot's been going on lately like work, getting Rosie into school, and a bunch of other things."
"I see."
Mira interlaced her fingers in her lap. "Dad, I know when you and Mom sent me off to college you guys had big dreams for me… and don't get me wrong, I was the one who gave you the idea that I wanted to become a doctor—just like Wade turned out to be. Instead, I got pregnant, dropped out of school and never went back. And on top of that, I know it seems like I settled for working in a doctor's office instead of becoming one like I had intended, so that's probably another 'slap in the face'. I understand where you're coming from, Dad and I'm really sorry I disappointed you and Mom…"
"You didn't disappoint us, Mira," Michael stated, but then noticed the look of disbelief on her face. "Okay, at first your mother and I felt let-down because we did have high hopes for you, but what I need you to know is that we still believe in you and we don't think any less of you because you got pregnant and dropped out of school. We just hate to see you settle for less than what you always wanted to be; that's all."
"Pops!" Rosie emerged with a grimace. "Nana and I can't find The Twilight Zone,"
"Okay, pumpkin. I'll be there in a minute," Michael said.
The little girl quickly headed back to the room.
"Dad, I love my job. Doctor Charles is a wonderful employer and I have lots of benefits there at the clinic," Mira explained. "I'm not saying that I won't eventually go back to school and finish what I started. I'm just waiting for the right time and I really don't think it's now."
"Okay," Michael started to get up. He held his lower back with one hand and leaned on the arm of the chair with the other. "I know you'll do what's best for you and Rosie. It was on my mind for a while, so I thought I'd talk to you about it."
"I understand, Dad."
"I'll go back there now and relieve your mother. She mentioned something about lunch when we were on our way to pick you two up."
Mira watched him slowly make his way to the master bedroom. She was grateful that her father had cultivated such a good relationship with his grandchildren—unlike anything she had ever experienced with him as a child. There was something about him, however, since his recent retirement that made her wonder and even slightly worry about him at times. An inner nudge was telling her that it wasn't because he was simply getting older, but that there was something more to it.
3
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"I'm about to make some sandwiches. Wanna help?" Sara was tying her apron in the kitchen.
"Sure, Mom." Mira proceeded over to a side table and grabbed the freshly baked bread sitting on a silver pan.
"When did you bake this?" She started slicing the loaf.
"A few hours ago. It's not so warm anymore, huh?"
"No, but surely smells tasty."
Sara retrieved the cold cuts from the refrigerator.
"Are you sure Dad's okay, Mom?"
"He's doing fine, dear, except for the back pain he whines about occasionally," Sara affirmed.
Mira sat on one of the stools next to the counter and helped her mother make the sandwiches.
"What makes you wonder?" Sara looked at her.
"I don't know. He just seems a little different—mellower I guess."
"Well, that should be expected. Your father's not as young as he used to be. People do tend to get mellower as they age. Don't you think I have?"
"No, Mom. I think not." Mira smirked.
Sara chuckled.
"So any new prospects lately?" Sara kept her eyes on the sandwich she was preparing.
Mira looked at her mother cross-eyed. "What do you mean by prospects?"
"You know... you met anyone special yet?"
"Mom, must we always have this conversation? You ask me the same thing at least every three months."
"That's because, you know…you're twenty-eight now, sweet pea and I think it's time that you settled down with someone nice."
"Is this a conspiracy with you and Dad?"
"What do you mean?"
"Dad questioned me about whether I'm going back to school or not and now, in the same hour, you're asking me about my love life."
"There's no conspiracy, dear." Sara's eyes met hers. "But do you have one?"
"What?" Mira scowled. "Do I have what?"
"A love life."
Mira sighed hopelessly.
"Bobby Newton's been asking about you a lot lately."
"For what?"
"He's been a little subtle about it at first," Sara went on, "but I notice that every time you come home to visit, he makes it a point to come see you. He's also been helping your father out in the yard most weekends and helps us with practically anything else we might need."
"Really?" Mira asked.
"Really."
"Why didn't you tell me he was keeping you guys so hot?"
"Well, I'm telling you now." Sara stopped what she was doing and leaned over the counter. "One day, I cam
e right out and asked him."
"Pray tell, what?" Mira was gearing up for the disclosure.
"If he liked you."
"Mom…you didn't!"
"I certainly did!" Sara straightened up again. "It was obvious that he did and I could see that he was just too shy to reveal it."
"What did he say?"
"Do you really want to know?" Sara seemed eager.
Mira thought for a moment and sighed again. "To be honest with you, Mom... No, I don't really wanna know. Bobby's a nice guy and all, but I'm not interested. I just wanna focus on me and Rosie. I don't have any room in my life for a relationship."
Sara's heart sank. "Mira!"
"What?"
"How can you say that? That you don't have any room in your life for a relationship? Don't you want to settle down with someone you can share your life with and grow old together with?"
"I can do that with my daughter, Mom."
"Now, that answer was just plain silly!" Sara's hands were at the waist.
"Not to me."
"For your information, dear, Rosie is going to grow up someday and meet a nice, handsome fella of her own. She's not going to court you, my dear. She'll have her own life to live." She leaned over the counter again. "Look…you've known Bobby ever since grade school and you two have always gotten along so well. Why not give him a chance? He is interested; he straight out told me."
Mira was quiet. Sara could tell that she was analyzing all of the information.
"I'm not interested, Mom," she finally replied.
Sara exhaled heavily. "I can't believe you, Mira!" She was shaking her head. "No man's ever going to be good enough for you. I'm right. Ain't I?"
"I don't know what you're talking about. Why are you making such a big deal of this anyway?" Mira was becoming agitated. "I'm a grown woman now, Mom. If I choose to be by myself for the rest of my life, that's my prerogative. I'm not saying that's what I want. It's just that…"
The Cornelius Saga Series (All 15 Books): The Ultimate Adventure-packed Supernatural Thriller Collection Page 10