Ascension Discovery

by Amy Proebstel

  Daven had tasted the soup and declared, “Well done, Amanda.”

  Nena and Riccan both agreed as they promptly finished their portion of the soup.

  Talk around the table turned to other family matters and Amanda was relieved not to be part of the conversation. She was able to relax and enjoy the rest of the meal. She laughed at some of the family anecdotes, usually to Riccan’s despair.

  As promised, when the meal was over Riccan announced they had to leave. They all walked together to the back patio where Riccan’s parents, once again, remained at the railing to watch them leave. Amanda lengthened her step to keep up with Riccan. He was obviously in a hurry to get going.

  Once they had returned to Riccan’s garage on Earth, Riccan turned to her and said, “I really would love it if you could accompany me on a few of my trips. I want you to go for yourself, not for any ability for which you might possess. I don’t want you to feel in any way obligated because my father put you on the spot.”

  “I’d love to go with you. I’ve known you a lot longer than you’ve known me. Believe me, I’d be going for purely selfish reasons. I enjoy spending time with you,” Amanda admitted. She had said more than she intended, but she could tell the words meant a lot to Riccan.

  “Well, you get the job of telling your parents. I’d like to take a short trip tomorrow. We’d be gone for two days. Do you think you could swing that?”

  “What about going back to Tuala tomorrow? Don’t I have more lessons to learn with your father?” Amanda hoped she had not offended Daven to the point where he no longer wanted to instruct her in more lessons.

  “As we were walking out my father suggested we come back in a couple of days. He has some matters he needs to take care of,” Riccan answered easily.

  Amanda felt foolish for only thinking about her own needs. Of course, Daven would have other obligations on his time. Amanda was not his only consideration, and she had been selfishly taking him away from his duties as an Elder. “Okay, I’ll figure out something to tell my parents.”

  “Good, I’m looking forward to taking a trip with you!” he said as he palmed the side door open from the control panel. “It’s a little after seven o’clock Earth time. I think we should call it an early evening so you can wake up a little bit earlier tomorrow. Do you think you can get here by nine o’clock in the morning?”

  Amanda smiled at his little dig in her oversleeping that morning, and she said, “I’ll see what I can manage. Obviously, I can’t make any promises. For some reason, when I’m with you, I’m more exhausted than normal.”

  “Time travel and interplanetary travel has that effect on people with a weak constitution,” he teased back.

  “Are you saying I have a weak constitution?” Amanda smiled as she tried to come up with a good comeback. She laughed out loud as she had to agree he was probably right so she conceded, “Okay, you got me there. Just give me a few more months to regain my strength. The doctor did tell me I still have the body of an eighteen-year-old so that would make me half your age and very resilient.”

  “Touché, Amanda!” Riccan laughed.

  Amanda turned serious again and asked, “What should I pack for our trip?”

  “Nothing formal or anything. What you’re wearing right now is perfect for where we’re going,” he answered as he appraised the way her clothes fit on her slim body. He looked away before his mind could take the next leap.

  Amanda appeared not to notice him suddenly shifting his gaze. She was too excited for a new adventure. The idea of telling her parents was slightly daunting, but she was, after all, an adult. She could decide to take a trip if she wanted. She would make this work.

  Amanda pulled into her parents’ driveway at half past seven. She almost skipped up the walkway and let herself in the front door. She was still smiling when her mother suddenly appeared from the living room.

  “Amanda! Where have you been? I tried calling you at least a dozen times and yet you never picked up your phone. Do you know how worried I’ve been?” Diane rushed forward and hugged her daughter even though she was upset. Her daughter had come home safely, and she had to keep reminding herself it was all going to be okay now.

  Amanda had not thought to check her phone. She knew it would not function in Tuala anyway. She pulled it out of her purse and noticed the screen showed thirteen missed calls. “I’m sorry, Mom, the ringer must have been off. I didn’t mean to worry you. I’ve been with Riccan.”

  “That’s what I was worried about. We have no idea who this Riccan man is. He could be dangerous, Amanda. I don’t think you should be spending so much time with him. Why don’t you stay home for a few days?” Diane reasoned with her daughter.

  “I wish I could, but something has come up. I’m going on a business trip with Riccan tomorrow. We’ll be gone for two days.” She tried to sound confident even as she was quivering inside. She almost felt defiant as she told her mom the plans she had already made.

  “No, Amanda! You can’t go, it could be dangerous.”

  Amanda could not help but chuckle at how ludicrous her mother was being as she answered, “Riccan’s not dangerous. Please have some faith in my ability to read people.”

  Chris walked up at that moment and put his hands on Diane’s shoulders as he said, “Diane, Amanda is a grown woman. She doesn’t need your permission to go.”

  Amanda was so thankful for her reasonable father, but she decided not to push her luck as she said, “I promise to answer my phone whenever you call, Mom.”

  Diane was clearly unhappy, but she knew she had lost the battle when her husband sided against her. She simply said, “Make sure the ringer is turned on.” She pulled away from her husband’s hands and walked stiffly away into the kitchen.

  “I didn’t mean to upset her,” Amanda whispered to her dad.

  “I know, honey. She just needs some time to adjust to your independence. She’ll come around eventually.” He looked into the kitchen to see his wife holding herself up on the edge of the kitchen sink as she stared out the window. I hope she’ll eventually come around, he thought to himself as he smiled reassuringly at his youngest daughter.

  Amanda went into her room to let her parents talk without her. She had to pack a small suitcase, and she still had not decided what she would take with her. Amanda decided to listen to the messages her mother had left on her phone. She sat on the edge of the bed and pushed the key to play all of her messages.

  By the end of the thirteenth message, she felt truly awful for how frantic her mother had sounded. She had gone from concerned to angry to downright scared over the course of the day without hearing from Amanda. She would have to ask Riccan if there were any solution to the communication problem so her mother would not have to endure another day like today.

  If her intuition were correct, she already knew the answer to be negative. She added the question to the growing list of the things to ask Jehoban. At first, she had thought it might be too trivial for the Creator of the Universe, but then she convinced herself He would not want any of His children to suffer. Her mother was definitely suffering right now, and she would do anything to take that pain away, even if it meant asking Jehoban.

  Having another inspirational idea, she pulled out her phone and texted Riccan: ‘Can you pick me up tomorrow? My mom would like to meet you before we go on the trip.’ She hit the send button and went out to tell her mom the change in plans.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  THE NEXT MORNING Amanda was awake and getting ready to go by eight o’clock. After showering she toweled her hair dry as she walked into the kitchen to get her breakfast ready. She was halfway tempted to try to create the dish using her power, but she was too paranoid about her mother catching her at it. In the end, she opted for a bowl of Cheerios.

  She draped her towel over the chair back and sat down to eat. When she was almost finished, her mother came into the kitchen to talk.

  “Are you sure you have to go on this trip?”

&nbs
p; “Yes, Mom. I want to go. I need a change of scenery as well as something constructive to do,” Amanda answered patiently and took her last spoonful. She took her bowl to the sink, rinsed it out, and put it in the dishwasher. Her mother was being conspicuously silent, so she turned to find out if she had left the room.

  Diane had seated herself at the table and watched her daughter intently. There was something different about Amanda which she could not put her finger on. She tilted her head and considered what it could be before finally realizing she now had an air of confidence she had not displayed since she was a teenager.

  “What are you thinking, Mom?” Amanda asked while she returned to the table to sit across from her mother.

  “I was just trying to figure out what it is about you which is different. You’re more confident than you’ve been in a long time. I guess you spending time with Riccan is doing that for you. I don’t know.”

  “I’m sure Riccan’s company helps because he doesn’t treat me any different than anyone else. He doesn’t watch me for signs of weakness or think I’m incapable of anything. I’m not saying that to make you feel bad, Mom, I know you love me. He just doesn’t try to limit me, and I’ve found it quite refreshing. I’m learning new things about myself every day when I’m with him, and I’m grateful for it.”

  Amanda fervently hoped her mother’s feelings would not be hurt with her admission, but she had spoken nothing but the truth. The skills she learned under Daven’s tutelage were filling her with self-worth as well as confidence. She had not thought about it consciously, but her mom had obviously seen it.

  Diane nodded and then finally said, “I’ve seen it myself. I can’t say that it doesn’t scare me to see you being so independent, but your father was right when he said I’d have to let you learn to live your life. I’m sorry if I’ve been too overbearing. I just love you so much.”

  Amanda reached over and patted her hand resting on the table and said, “I know that, Mom. I love you too. Thank you for trying to understand my situation. I didn’t feel the seven years of fright which you did, so it’s as though I’m just carrying on from where I left off. Granted, I’m a bit more tired than I was back then.” Amanda chuckled to try to lighten the mood and was rewarded when her mother smiled in return.

  Diane glanced at the clock on the microwave and asked, “So tell me a bit about Riccan before he shows up on our doorstep.”

  Amanda spent the next ten minutes telling her what she knew about Riccan, his job, his volunteer service, and his friendship in general. She tried to make their friendship sound casual, but her mother was obviously not fooled.

  “I take it you’re pretty smitten with him then?” she asked casually. She had followed Amanda into the bathroom so her daughter could continue to get ready while still allowing her to talk to her mom.

  “I do care a great deal for him,” she started and then raised her hand to stop her mother’s protest. “I know I’ve only known him for a short time, but there’s more to it. Someday I may even tell you about it.”

  Diane raised an eyebrow at her daughter’s last statement. What could she possibly mean by that? she asked herself. I guess I’ll have to wait until she feels it’s the right time to tell me.

  Amanda heard the knock on the front door and raced out of the bathroom to answer the call. She grinned broadly when she saw Riccan standing nervously on the stoop. “Come on in, Riccan.” She turned around and saw her mom had followed her across the house. She began the introductions by saying, “Riccan Stel, I’d like you to meet my mother, Diane Covington. Mom, this is Riccan.”

  Diane extended her hand and Riccan took a hold of it and shook it briefly. He smiled at how much Amanda and her mother looked alike. There was no denying that Diane was Amanda’s mother, she was merely an older version of the same person, although with shorter hair.

  “It’s very nice to meet you, Mrs. Covington. I hope you won’t be terribly inconvenienced because I’m whisking Amanda away on such short notice. Her skills are very important to the success of this trip.”

  “And just where are you taking my daughter, Mr. Stel?” Diane said with very little politeness in her tone.

  Amanda looked at her mother to see if she should interject herself into the conversation.

  Riccan answered with a grin, “We’re going to New Orleans.”

  It was now Amanda’s turn to be surprised. She had no idea they would be going as far as that. She had imagined a short road trip, to do what, she was still unsure.

  “What is in New Orleans?” Diane continued to grill Riccan.

  “Mom…” Amanda began.

  Riccan cut off Amanda and said, “It’s okay, Amanda. I should have told you yesterday so you could share with your parents. I’m searching for a lost family member. My family has been trying to track down some family stories, and I believe my great-uncle may have some answers.”

  “Where will you be staying?” Diane asked.

  “Royal Sonesta New Orleans on Bourbon Street,” he answered easily. He had expected to be questioned closely. Now he wished he had planned to sit down with her parents before whisking her away. He could understand her parents having qualms about the suddenness of the trip.

  “You’ll have a separate room, right?” Diane inquired.

  “Mom!” Amanda was mortified at her mother’s question.

  “Of course, Mrs. Covington. I don’t have any plans on trying to take advantage of Amanda’s friendship. Please believe me when I tell you she will be safe in my care.” Riccan managed to keep the smile from his face as he realized just how ridiculous his last statement sounded.

  “I’ve instructed Amanda to keep her cell phone ringer turned on so we can contact her. Be assured we’ll be calling her a couple of times per day,” Diane warned. She wanted to make sure Riccan knew they would be keeping tabs on their daughter.

  “I understand. I’m hoping we can be back tomorrow or the next day at the latest. If our plans change at all, I’ll be sure to have Amanda keep you updated.”

  “That sounds reasonable,” Diane answered. She wanted to be able to find a reason to keep Amanda home, but she discovered she was actually beginning to like this man her daughter was leaving with. He had a certain charisma which was infectious. At least now she understood the draw her daughter had toward the man.

  Amanda could see her mother and Riccan were getting along, so she raced out of the entry and grabbed her suitcase from her bedroom. She hurriedly returned to where they still stood looking at one another, and announced, “I’m all ready to go whenever you are.”

  “Let me take that for you,” Riccan said as he reached forward and grabbed the suitcase from Amanda’s hand. He turned to go back out the door and stopped himself to say, “It was a pleasure meeting you, Mrs. Covington. I’ll have Amanda text you my phone number so you can call me if you want.”

  “Thank you, that’d be appreciated. It was nice meeting you as well.”

  Amanda held out her arms as she approached her mom to give her a big hug. “I promise to keep a lookout on my phone for your calls. I’m not used to having a cell phone yet, but I’ll try really hard. Wish me luck!”

  “Good luck. Come back as soon as you can!” Diane said as she felt a horrible sense of déjà vu as her daughter once again left her on the doorstep while she traveled to parts unknown with a man. She hoped this journey would not have such a disastrous end. Diane managed to smile and wave at her daughter as Riccan closed the passenger door and Amanda waved from her seat. She watched them drive away. As soon as she shut the front door, she broke down into tears of despair and heartache for what might happen.

  “I’m sorry about that, Riccan,” Amanda said as she looked out the side window, too embarrassed to look at Riccan.

  “No, I’m the one who’s sorry. I should have considered your parents’ feelings about this trip. To them, I’m a total stranger, and they would deservedly be scared for your safety. I should have made some time to meet both your mother and father b
efore stealing you away.”

  Amanda chuckled and asked, “Is that what you’re doing? Stealing me away?”

  “It kind of feels that way!” Riccan chuckled.

  “Are we really going to New Orleans to find your lost family member?”

  “Yes, we are. There are a couple of other things I’d like to check out while we’re there, but essentially, the trip is to locate my great-uncle, Roderick Rockwood.”

  Riccan had to pay attention to the road since he was navigating his way to the FL-836 toward the Miami International Airport. The drive should take only about a half hour as long as traffic did not get too stacked up along the way. Their flight was scheduled to leave before noon so they would have to hurry to get checked in on time.

  He merged onto the FL-953, leaving only a couple more miles to travel until reaching the busy airport. He followed the signs to parking and managed to find a spot which was not too far out of the way. Riccan wheeled the two bags to the American Airlines ticket counter.

  Amanda believed he had picked the wrong line when he entered the First Class line, but she tagged along anyway. The attendant asked them for their identification to which Amanda and Riccan both presented their driver’s licenses.

  “Do you have any baggage to check today, Mr. Stel?”

  “Yes, two bags,” Riccan replied.

  “Oh, it’s okay, Riccan. I can take mine with me, you don’t have to pay to check it,” Amanda swiftly countered.

  “Both of your bags will be checked for free since these are First Class tickets,” the attendant corrected Amanda.

  She felt her face blush as she realized Riccan had known what he was doing when he chose the check-in line. She appeared to be the only one who was left out of the loop. “Oh, well, then never mind,” she mumbled as she looked down at the floor between her feet.

  Riccan pocketed the two tickets as the attendant took their bags from the scale and threw them on the conveyer belt behind her ticket counter. “Let’s hurry up and get through the TSA checkpoint so we can get to our terminal.”