But the Children Survived
Page 45
The girls slowed down and looked at Andrew. They giggled, and slowly walked to the large group of girls gathered around the buffet table.
“They’re gonna get dirty,” Andrew said. “Christie won’t like it.”
“Patrick, I believe it’s time to start the music,” George said, and Pat nodded as he walked to the deck.
Pat was in charge of the music. He’d found an electronics store close to the biosphere and picked out a massive sound system for use at the wedding. He’d given it to Jason in exchange for the boat. Jason had been given him sailing lessons for several weeks now, and Pat felt confident he could handle the boat. He’d been cooped up too long, and he looked forward to being alone for a while.
Pat put the CD in the player and the music began. It was the Pachelbel Canon in D. Mindy and Maria Elena ran up to the deck, turned around, and then slowly walked towards the archway that had been placed near the water for the ceremony. The guests had gathered for the ceremony, and made a path for the girls. Baby Girl and Ricky followed them.
Jenny walked out onto the deck. She was wearing a sweet yellow strapless dress with a full skirt covered in crystals. She walked down the steps and over to the archway. Jason was standing next to Andrew wearing a tuxedo. Jenny thought he looked very handsome.
Then Christie appeared at the doorway. She had chosen a simple, straight ivory gown that hung loosely on her slender frame. She looked beautiful. Julius was waiting to escort her to her groom. She took his arm, and walked across the sand to join Andrew at the archway.
George had been chosen to officiate. He was taking his post very seriously. George wasn’t a religious man, so he chose to read “An Apache Song.”
“Now you will feel no rain,
for each of you will be a shelter to the other.
Now you will feel no cold,
for each of you will be warmth to the other.
Now there is no loneliness for you,
now there is no more loneliness.
Now you are two bodies,
but there is only one life before you.
Go now to your dwelling place,
to enter into your days together.
And may your days be good,
and long upon the earth.”
The couple exchanged rings. Then with tears in his eyes, Andrew kissed his bride. Christie could barely contain her happiness. She jumped up and threw her arms around his neck, clinging to him with all her strength. Everyone cheered.
Katie rolled her eyes as Alyssa cried. Alyssa looked over at Austin, who had grown a foot taller and looked so cute.
Dani and Joe came up to the happy couple and hugged them. Dani was six months pregnant. The biosphere kids ran up to them and almost knocked them over. It took a while to get them to settle down, but when George brought out the wedding cake, they all ran to the buffet table leaving Andrew and Christie alone.
“I love you Christie. I always have and I always will.” Andrew held her hand.
“I love you, too, Andrew.”
Christie was teary and couldn’t speak. She’d thought her life was over when Neil and Haley died. To be given this second chance was just too much for her. Andrew put his arms around her and held her while she cried into his shoulder.
Maria Elena walked slowly up to Andrew and Christie. Christie noticed her standing close by and put her arm out. Maria Elena put her arms around Christie and Andrew, and they put theirs around her. She was now living with them in the Wilmer residence. They were officially a family.
Mindy noticed Calvin standing by the side of Jason’s house and ran over to him, giving him a big hug.
“Calvin, when did you get back?” she asked.
“Little lady, I’d like you to meet my children, Joshua and Aaliyah. “
The boy and girl were behind Calvin. They slowly walked around him and stared at Mindy. They’d been alone at their house when Calvin found them. They were hungry and scared. They’d buried their mother in the backyard, and their resentment towards Calvin was palpable. He’d left them alone and their mama had died.
Calvin had tried to talk with them as he drove them to Florida, but they were resistant. It would take time, lots of time, for them to come around. Calvin was learning to be patient.
Mindy took their hands and pulled them towards the buffet table.
“George made a cake. You’ve gotta see it,” she said as she pulled them along.
The other kids came up to them. Soon Joshua and Aaliyah found some of the Atlanta kids and opened up. They even smiled. Calvin felt hopeful for the first time since leaving Atlanta that his children would be alright.
Julius and Maisie came over to greet Calvin. Julius asked about Atlanta, and Maisie commented on how beautiful his children were.
As the party broke up, the kids said their farewells to Pat. They all hugged him and told him to come back soon. Dani and Joe wished him a safe trip and Mindy said goodbye. Baby girl followed them to the school buses.
Andrew and Christie were spending the night at the Carson’s house. They hugged Pat and wished him well.
Julius and Maisie held hands as they walked to the school buses. They had taken to each other immediately and were now inseparable. They helped each other up the steps of the bus and sat in the first seat behind the driver. Julius liked to give Joe directions as he drove.
George was tired. Joe and Dani had taken the kids to the school for the night so George could help clean up Jason’s beach. He had a bottle of wine he’d put aside for this evening, and he and Pat sat on the deck and drank a toast to pleasant journeys.
Jason drove Jenny back to St. Thomas and kissed her goodnight. He was going to be nineteen in a few weeks, and he was going to give Jenny a ring. They both knew how short life could be, and Jason didn’t want to wait any longer. He knew he loved her and believe she felt the same way. As he kissed her goodnight, he was sure of it.
*****
People were starting to return to the United States. Planes were flying American citizens home for free, and the servicemen and women were returning in droves to reclaim their homeland. No one was prepared for what they found when they came home. The landscape was covered with bones from sea to shining sea. It would take years to clean up from the disaster.
The people from the biosphere were connecting with the returnees little by little. With more adults available, the kids were finding homes and leaving the biosphere and St. Thomas.
As the school emptied, Joe and Dani were thinking of getting a house for their growing family. They could still run the school as a day school with Julius and Maisie’s assistance.
Christie kept the field well-tended and hoped to get pregnant soon. Andrew spent his days searching for people on the satellite.
Jason had gone to Vinnie’s greenhouse to find the Dono di Russo plants. They were all withered and dead, but he scraped up the purple spores and took them back to the biosphere, just in case.
Pat found a lovely woman in Puerto Rico with long brown hair. He kept it trimmed, and she kept him happy.
George found his old friends on Martha’s Vineyard and invited them to the biosphere for a holiday.
Dani gave birth to a little boy and called him Joey. He had blond hair and gray eyes, just like his big sister.
Alyssa and Katie stayed with Mindy and became her sisters.
Ricky and Baby Girl had a 20th birthday, and everyone came to the biosphere for the party.
And in New Jersey, Jacob Wilmer sat in his overstuffed chair, sharing a cup tea with the skeleton of his lovely wife, Emily.
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