"Sleep will make her better?" Max perked up at the idea.
"Yes," Ben confirmed.
"Ok, then. You should definitely sleep, pretty Dr. Salma. That way you can feel better enough before the party. Shouldn't Mr. Vin and pretty Caeli sleep also? They had a heralding morning, too."
"Harrowing; yes, you are absolutely right, Max. They should rest. I think I will go and tell them just that while you fetch your game."
Ben had been watching them for almost half an hour. Neither Vin nor Caeli moved and they didn't appear to be speaking to each other. From Ben's observations, it looked as if this was probably the first time they had ever let something come between them, and neither one had a clue how to begin to close the gap. He could tell they were each standing on the precipice, searching for the bridge that would reunite them. Ben finally decided to give them a little nudge in the proper direction. As Max ran off in search of a deck of cards, Ben quickly retrieved a shirt from Vin's closet and a throw blanket off the end of their bed, and walked down the beach.
"Vin," Caeli hesitantly began. The silence was finally too much to bear. She at last worked up the courage to interrupt his thoughts.
He looked over with great relief at the sweet sound of her voice. Vin wasn't certain how much longer he could stand this gulf between them without any hope of spanning it until she was willing to talk to him. Unfortunately, she had no sooner spoken his name when someone approached them from the hotel. Caeli took a few steps further away, and Vin took a step over to intercept Ben before he could move any closer to her.
"Vin, Caeli. Are you two ok?" Ben handed Vin the shirt he carried.
"Fine," Vin replied and thanked him for his shirt as he donned it.
Ben briefly explained about Scott and the recovered Book of Elements. Though Vin said very little in his distracted responses, Ben was more disheartened that Caeli would not even acknowledge his presence. Whatever happened must have hurt her deeply. Vin was not ready to share that story yet.
"Ben, I appreciate you coming out here, but your timing couldn't be worse. Not to be rude, but could you give us some privacy for a while longer please?"
"Of course; I didn't mean to interrupt." Ben handed Vin the blanket and nodded toward Caeli, hoping it would give him a starting point. Then he left the couple alone to work through their problem. If anyone could bring Caeli back from whatever dark place she was in, Vin could.
Vin moved over to stand next to Caeli. He could not decide what to say first. He thought of a dozen things that he needed to tell her, but couldn't bring himself to say them. Instead, he sent a warm, comforting breeze to wrap around her, taking the opportunity to place the short blanket around her shoulders as well. Vin hoped she might continue whatever she was going to say before Ben showed up and help him out, though he was certain he didn't deserve it.
"Thank you," was the only reply she could form as she pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders.
Caeli glanced over at him, not knowing what to say next. Could Vin ever understand that she did not mean a single word of the hurtful things she said? How could she explain the extremity of the struggle she was facing when he showed up? She didn't try because there was no excuse. Instead, Caeli subtly called up her gift. Within moments, a dark-colored blob washed up near her feet. Vin moved to see what Caeli was doing as she reached down to pick it up. After wringing it out, she placed it in Vin's hand. It was the only thing she could think of to express how grateful she was for the personal risks he took on her behalf. As he accepted the wet shirt, stained with her blood, Caeli tentatively took hold of his other hand. It was the break Vin had been hoping for and more than enough to break the ice.
"I'm sorry, Caeli. I didn't have any right to force my choice on you no matter my intention. I should have had more faith in you. All I wanted was to keep you from getting hurt any further. I was scared for you. I thought I was helping. I needed you to be all right. Even as I say it, I can hear that I was only thinking about what I wanted. I didn't stop long enough to consider what you wanted. Can you ever forgive…?"
Vin's words were interrupted as Caeli wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. He had not noticed that she moved closer while he spoke. He was so focused on the words of his apology, that he wasn't paying specific attention to Caeli's movement until she was right in front of him. Vin gladly responded to her kiss, letting his sodden, blood-stained shirt fall into the water as he did. He much preferred to hold onto her instead of that awful reminder of the terrible event.
"Of course, I forgive you. I understand why you did it and how much it hurt you. I never should have put you in such a position, and I am very sorry that I said such awful things to you, Vin. I know it's no excuse, but I was terribly upset. I realize that my mind has been more clouded than not most of the week. I am the one who is hoping you will accept my apology. Thank you for having the strength to do what was necessary when I could not. I love you, Vin."
"Oh, Caeli, I love you, too." Vin held onto her tightly now, tears in his eyes, vastly relieved. Caeli understood. After several minutes, he finally loosened his hold and looked down at her.
"Caeli, are you ok? Do you need anything?" Vin asked, concerned that she may still need assistance.
"I'm not hurt. Raphael healed all of the physical damage. The rest will take time. I'm not even sure that I have processed it all yet, but I will be all right," she replied.
"Yes, you will; and I will be with you to make sure that you are," Vin insisted.
"That's so good to hear. I was worried. The way your brow has been furrowed, I was afraid of what you might do."
"What do you mean?"
"I thought you might consider moving on without me after all this."
"Never, Caeli," Vin assured her.
"To be completely honest, I thought I might have gone too far when I blew up Vicki's car."
Caeli missed the smile that played on Vin's lips at the mention of that particular incident.
"Seeing her here after seeing those photos was the final straw. I had lost so much already. The thought of Vicki wanting to steal you away from me, on top of everything else, was too much to endure. I needed to act on the emotion that boiled inside of me. I might have exploded if I didn't vent. I couldn't actually bring myself to hurt her, so I unleashed my feelings on her car instead. Afterward, I regretted the childish outburst and did not want to read your reaction. So I released our connection, afraid to know what you were thinking," Caeli explained.
Vin actually laughed out loud at her confession, leaving Caeli puzzled.
"Caeli, seldom does a man get to witness such a tangible display of how much passion his wife feels for him. And there was, indeed, a lot of emotion in that blast. It was a rare gift, and I thank you for it. My reaction was not at all what you might think. In fact, the response it generated would very likely embarrass you."
Vin's caress on the side of her cheek and his playful grin were enough to tell her what his words carefully avoided. He predicted correctly, of course, and the resultant blush that tinted her cheeks confirmed it. Caeli quickly changed the subject and finished what she needed to say.
"Worst of all was walking that tunnel in silence and then standing here anguishing over the outcome. It nearly broke me. I will find a way to cope with the horrors of this week, but I could never handle losing you. I thought you might never speak to me again, and I couldn't really blame you after everything I've put you through."
"As I've said so many times before, for a Baptist gal, you take on enough guilt that you could be a devout Catholic." Vin looked down at her and laughed.
Although he was elated to have Caeli back, Vin was still baffled by one thing. Caeli had not been speaking to him because they had both misjudged each other and were still trying to remedy the situation. And Ben had not been able to get through to Caeli either. Yet, oddly, Max was able to walk straight through all of the chaos and talk to her. His words held Caeli's attention.
"Caeli, I'm curious
. What did Max say to you?" Vin asked.
"He said he was sorry about our baby." Caeli turned her face away from Vin for a moment so that she could wipe an unseen tear from her cheek. Max had actually said that his mother would take good care of both babies up in heaven, but that was too difficult for Caeli to repeat. Vin let her have the private moment without discussion. He was well aware of the pain even those few words caused her. His own pain was only slightly less.
"How did Max know about the baby? Actually, never mind, I think I know the answer to that. Max has a special bond with his uncle. Caeli, I need to know if you heard Michael and Raphael's explanation. Do you understand what Michael did?"
"Yes. There's no need to repeat it. Once was difficult enough."
"I'm sorry; and I'm sorry you found out like that. Although the loss of the babies leaves a hole in my heart, having you alive is so much more important. I'm happy to have you healthy and safe. That is all that matters to me. Without you, there would be nothing else."
"Thank you, Vin. Given all the heartache that you and everyone else have suffered this week, my troubles seem petty by comparison." Caeli could tell that Vin was worried about how she was coping and tried to put his mind at ease.
"Caeli, there is nothing petty about…"
"Vin, please, do we have to talk about it now? It's over. Could we please leave it at that for a while?" Caeli interrupted. This week had been packed full of death and sadness, and only time could heal those wounds. At the moment, Caeli neither wanted to revisit nor examine the details.
"Of course, I understand." Vin continued to hold her in silence as they stood at the edge of the now calm water. Caeli rested her head against his chest and wrapped her arms around him. He reversed the short blanket so that he could wrap it around his shoulders and encircle her as they stood there. After several minutes, Vin questioned her further about Max. The boy had said more to Caeli than just that bit about their son.
"What else did Max have to say?" Vin asked.
"He made me aware that you are going to have a nice bruise on your leg," Caeli looked up to see Vin smile.
"That strong kick definitely runs in your family. I should probably warn Ben," Vin laughed.
"What do you mean it runs in my family? Max is not related to me. Salma even tested his blood," Caeli asked, confused by Vin's insinuation.
"Actually, he is, though you can't tell it from normal tests. Rika was as much Max's biological mother as Apela's wife. One of the main reasons Rika chose you is because you shared her lineage. Therefore, that makes Max a member of your family. He is only distantly related, but family nonetheless," Vin went on to explain the circumstances of Max's birth. Caeli had to admit that it did make sense. It explained Max's unique skillset and the strong bond they had developed.
"Vin, the moon will be full tonight. That was the deadline."
"Yes, but you don't have to worry about it now."
"I know. But, with the storm darkening the sky, it will be visible before long. I would rather not stand out here to see it make its appearance. In fact, I would prefer not to see it at all. I am ready to go inside if you are. Max's lunch offer is beginning to sound pretty good."
"I imagine you could use some genuine sleep, too. After lunch, how do a soft mattress and an afternoon nap sound? I will even lend you my shoulder as extra incentive," Vin attempted to entice Caeli to rest. As soon as she allowed herself to settle down, he knew her exhaustion would do the rest; but he could read in the expression on her face that Caeli had other intentions.
"No, that's ok, don't even bother to decline. We will forego sleep a while longer. What is it that you want to do?" Vin asked.
"I would like to see Salma. Max mentioned something curious, and I would like to make sure her shoulder is all right," Caeli replied casually.
"What did Max have to say about his favorite pretty doctor?"
"Childish fantasy that is not mine to share, but I do want to see her. Do you mind if I talk to her for a few minutes?" Caeli actually smiled.
"That sounds mysterious. Is anything wrong?"
"No," Caeli replied.
"All right then. As long as you don't mind my company, we can go wherever you like," Vin agreed. He was not about to be parted from her again.
"I don't mind at all. I am rather fond of you."
They turned and walked up the beach, together again.
Nobody was aware of the lone man standing in the shadows near the cave entrance. Unnoticed, he reached into the water and retrieved the blood-soaked shirt discarded by Vin and wrapped it in a large, dark rag. He stared at the couple walking away for several minutes before turning, himself, to leave. No one heard the parting words uttered with disdain for everyone he had been watching the last couple of days. He held a special contempt for Ben and Caeli. His hatred for them was now boundless, and in turn, boiled over onto their respective families.
"Well, Scott, looks like you are the one who came up short this time. I should have been around more to teach you better survival skills. This prize was beyond your grasp. Don't worry, Son, I will make sure they pay dearly for your death, and I will make a small fortune in the process." With that, Sam walked away.
CHAPTER 59
When Vin followed Caeli inside, they found two people in the lounge. Caeli held tightly to Vin's hand and subtly moved to stand closer to him; a nervous reaction. She was feeling unusually vulnerable around other people, even her friends. Vin squeezed her hand in support, letting her know that he understood, as they continued to move across the lounge.
Apela and Maku were hanging decorations for Max's birthday party. It reminded Vin that today was Ben's birthday as well. He wanted to wish him a happy birthday when the circumstances permitted. Now was not the time. Other than the two men preparing for the party, no one else was around. Vin noted a surprising lack of activity in the hotel. It seemed empty.
"Where is everybody?" Vin asked.
"You just missed Ben. He was entertaining Max for a while, but then decided to join his wife. She is resting in their room."
Maku further explained that the guardsmen left to return to storm duty now that the threat was nullified. Since the protestors, Lorrie, and Scott were the only known sources of strife for Dr. Erickson and Caeli, they were confident that the trouble was finally over. Ben agreed with them. Apela invited Colonel Franks and Jeremy to stay for Max's party, but they needed to return to help their team do paperwork on this case and tie up loose ends. They said they would try to come back in time for the party.
"So, Max's birthday is today. Six years old. I'm sure that will be a fun age for him. What time is his party?" Vin asked.
"It will be later this evening around dinnertime. All of us are in need of a little fun and relaxation after this morning's events and the trouble that has been following us all week," Apela answered. Maku had already told him about his sister, but Apela was determined not to let that dampen the joy of his son's birthday. Apela did not want Max to remember his birthday as the day his aunt died.
"Pretty Caeli! There you are. It's good that you finally came in, but I don't want to play with you right now," Max told her seriously as he walked into the lounge carrying a half-eaten cookie.
"Max, I'm sorry that I was rude to you outside. I have had a rough morning, and it has made me a little bit grouchy," Caeli apologized.
"Harrowing," Max corrected her.
"What?"
"You had a harrowing morning, like pretty Dr. Salma. So you shouldn't play right now. Mr. Ben says you need sleep after a harrowing morning so you can feel better. You should sleep. Go sleep. Take Mr. Vin and go to your room," Max ordered.
It was all Vin could do not to burst out laughing. Caeli, on the other hand, was momentarily speechless. Never before had she been told to go to her room, much less by a six year old. She didn't quite know how to respond, though it did bring a smile to her face.
"Max, go on and play with your cars. Leave Vin and Caeli alone. You will have plenty of
time to talk to them at your party." Apela shooed Max away, but not before he jumped up into a chair beside Caeli to whisper in her ear once again. This time she nodded with a small smile in response. Max ran away, loudly exclaiming to Apela that pretty Caeli said yes.
"Maybe I should be worried after all. It seems this young man gets more compliance out of you than I do. What did you just agree to?" Vin was extremely curious.
Before Caeli could respond, Apela put forth an answer for her.
"I don't know what he said to get her to agree so quickly, but I believe Max enlisted your wife as his personal chef. He has been pestering me about it all morning. He absolutely insisted that she would cook for him."
"Caeli, do really feel up to it?" Vin asked.
Again, before she could answer, Apela chimed in on her behalf.
"Max requested a special birthday meal, and your wife agreed to fix it for him. He would be terribly disappointed if she changes her mind; but if you do, please let me know as soon as possible. I'll find an alternative. However, from what I understand, Vin, this is one of your favorites, too."
"Not unless we're having pancakes for dinner. Wait a minute, are we?" Vin laughed.
Caeli nodded affirmation. It was a bitter-sweet request. Max asked her to fix Vin's favorite meal. She wanted to help Max celebrate his birthday, so was not able to refuse such a simple request. Yet, the memory of the last such meal still plagued her.
"What can I say? I'm a pushover for a cute face. We'll see you guys a little later," Caeli said as she took Vin's arm and walked toward Salma's room. She knocked softly on the door.
"Come in, Caeli," Salma's voice answered eagerly.
As she walked in, Caeli found Salma sitting cross-legged on the bed and Ben reclined in a chair with his feet propped up on the mattress. Ben rose as Vin and Caeli entered, causing Caeli to stop short beside Vin. He kept his arm around her while she took a deep breath to steady her nerves and then let go of Vin's hand. She walked over and hugged Ben. Ben noted the smile on Vin's face and knew the two had finally resolved whatever matter was troubling them earlier. He never doubted that they would.
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