by Faith Gibson
“Good morning,” Daddy said as he and Momma came into the room. Momma was not a morning person, but it was Christmas, so she gave us a smile before she went in search of coffee. Daddy came over and sat down between us on the floor. He had to move some of the paper out of the way, but he did it with a smile. Daddy was always smiling, especially when Momma was around. While he sat there cross-legged, he sang a Christmas song that we all liked. Some of the songs they played on the radio were pretty, but they were kinda on the serious side. Since we weren’t ever serious, Daddy sang silly songs.
When Momma came back from the kitchen, she sat down next to him. And when I say next to, I mean on top of. He didn’t care, though. Daddy just wrapped his arms around her middle and kept right on singing. I liked his singing, and by the smile on Momma’s face, I think she did, too. He pushed her hair over one shoulder and stroked it. He did that to mine sometimes when he was trying to get me to go to sleep. I liked it, and it did make me sleepy. It also made me feel loved. After all our presents were open, we thanked our parents for everything. They didn’t go overboard, but we already had everything we wanted. Plus, they took us to the mall where we picked names off the tree for little kids who didn’t have anything. We spent all day buying up toys and clothes, and Momma said that would make us appreciate our stuff more. She was right.
“Tabby, look behind the tree. Isn’t that another present?” I scooted to the back, and sure enough, there was a little box with a blue bow on it. It didn’t have a name on it, so I shook it.
“Whose is it?”
“It’s kind of everyone’s, but we’ll let your father open it.” Momma handed me her empty cup and said, “Please put this on the coffee table.” I did as she asked while Daddy opened the box. Momma turned in his lap, and Nio crawled closer so we could all see what was inside.
Daddy took the lid off the little box and stared. Then he looked up at Momma, and I swear there were tears in his eyes. “Daddy, what’s wrong?” I asked him, getting worried.
“Nothing’s wrong, baby. But it looks like you won’t be the baby much longer.” Daddy pulled a white plastic stick out of the box and grinned.
“Merry Christmas, Stone,” Momma said, and Daddy kissed her hard.
“Best present ever, Red,” Daddy said, kissing her again. This time it was soft, and I might have seen their tongues. I knew that was the way grown-ups kissed, but I thought it was kinda gross.
“Wait, are you saying we’re gonna have a baby in this house?” Nio asked, his voice squeaking. “Like a stinky little version of Christina?”
“He or she won’t be stinky. Not our kid,” Momma said when Daddy let her come up for air. “But yes, you’re going to be a big brother.”
“I’m already a big brother,” he protested. I don’t know why he was so bothered about it. It’s not like he was the baby anyway. I was.
I tried to make him feel better. “Now, you can be a really big brother, because you’re only kind of a big brother to me. Ten minutes doesn’t count as much as seven years.”
“Whatever. Can we eat now? I’m hungry.” He shuffled back to his side of the tree, picking up a new baseball glove.
“Yes, we can eat,” Momma said, ruffling his hair.
“I’m glad we’re having a baby, Momma,” I whispered when Nio couldn’t hear me. I didn’t ever want him mad, and I knew he wouldn’t want me to be happy since he wasn’t. I’d just have to talk to him, and he’d come around.
“Thanks, sweet girl. You’ll make a wonderful big sister.” Momma smiled and hugged Daddy again. I never thought she’d want another kid after me and Nio. She said we drove her up the wall, but I know she still loved us. Maybe she was hoping for a do-over and was thinking this kid would be less trouble and more like our daddy. Good luck with that.
Jonas
When Jonas and Caroline woke on Christmas morning, they’d planned to spend the day alone as they did each year. It had become a tradition to eat pancakes and sip coffee by the fireplace while listening to Italian music. Caroline had just poured the first batch of batter onto the griddle when Jonas stepped next to her, staying close as he often did. “I’ve been thinking,” Caroline said with her eyes on the batter. Without looking at her mate, she asked, “What do you think about moving?”
“Moving? Where would you like to go?” They had been in New Atlanta for a long time, but with the prosthetic masks, they were able to disguise who they were when they went out on the town. He enjoyed being close to Tessa and the others and hadn’t even contemplated moving again. Not for a long time.
“I don’t know. Maybe back to Egypt? Then we would be closer to our other children.”
“The ones who want nothing to do with us? Caroline, what brought this on?”
“I just… Never mind.” Her tone was sad, and her mood was melancholy. Seeing their oldest children had broken something inside his mate, and he wasn’t sure moving would repair it. Jonas stepped up behind Caroline and wrapped his arms around her waist.
“Whatever you want to do, my love. We’ve had a good run here.” He didn’t want to pack up and relocate to the land where so many sad memories were. What if they moved and none of their offspring would have anything to do with them? It would be the two of them against the world much like when they left their families in Italy. He and Caroline had made a few friends back then, but they were all gone now. Sure, they could make new friends, but it wouldn’t be the same as what they had now.
Jonas couldn’t fathom a life without Tessa’s smart mouth or the twins’ antics. Jonas enjoyed teaching Connor. He relished his time with Isabelle and her other children. Sophia was another bright spot in their lives. She had left home at sixteen to be with them, and she still spent as much time at their home as possible. Marley often asked Caroline to watch Amber Marie so she could have an afternoon to spend alone with Dane. He knew it was more for Caroline’s benefit than Marley’s, and he appreciated the gesture. He enjoyed all the grandkids and looked forward to seeing many more over the years to come. If they moved, they wouldn’t have that.
Before they could continue their conversation, there was a knock at the back door. Jonas opened the door to find Isabelle, Dante, Maria, all the kids, as well as Lucian and Marcella standing there. “Well, who is it, darling?” Caroline asked, flipping the pancakes. He stepped back and allowed everyone to come inside.
“Merry Christmas, Mom,” Isabelle said. “Dad might have mentioned something about pancakes, and we’re hungry.”
Jonas couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face when his family was inside and removing their coats. He hadn’t mentioned pancakes, but Isabelle knew it was their tradition. Jonas had a feeling it was his daughter’s way of calling a truce since the conversation from the night before had been tense. His youngest was fierce when it came to making sure her family was happy as well as protected, so when there was discord between any of them, she always found a way to make things better. Caroline set about making enough breakfast for them all while Isabelle and Maria set the table. With the arrival of their children and their families, Caroline’s mood lightened.
After breakfast, Connor asked Jonas to follow him downstairs to the lab where the two of them had spent many hours poring over formulas. Jonas had known his grandson was smart, but never would he have imagined Connor was brilliant enough to do what Isabelle claimed. Not yet. Once the teen explained how he was able to replicate Tamian’s cells, he knew the boy had, indeed, outsmarted Jonas. It had been the one thing Connor refused to write down, because he didn’t want another situation to arise like had happened with Gabriel, thus resulting in the Unholy. On their way back upstairs, Connor cryptically said, “Congratulations, by the way.” He didn’t elaborate, so Jonas took it to mean he was referring to the formula. Jonas let it go and followed his grandson to the family room where the others were swapping stories.
Marcella and Lucian had been in New Atlanta for a week when their mates made the trip from Egypt to be by her side. They had be
en there the other times she had gone through treatment, and they weren’t going to miss being there this time. With Marcella being a half-blood, she had been convinced human medicine would never be enough to completely cure her. The first round of chemo and radiation had been successful, but only because the mass in her body had been so small. When it came back a second time, the treatments hadn’t worked. She had given up on living much longer, until Isabelle went to visit.
While Marcella and Lucian spent time with Sophia and Dane getting to know one another, Jonas, Isabelle, and Connor spent several days in Isabelle’s clinic where they performed more tests, proving to Jonas the formula worked. Sabrina, as Chief of Staff, was able to have Marcella admitted to a private room where only the family and Gargoyles were allowed access. The other rooms in the wing had been kept vacant so they had all the privacy they needed. The hospital was equipped with everything necessary to monitor Marcella’s progress.
“Are you ready?” Jonas asked Marcella. They hadn’t really talked about anything other than what was going to happen once they started the process.
“I am. I’ve been ready since I was first diagnosed,” she admitted. Lucian was on one side of the bed, and Imari was on the other. The scowl rarely left Lucian’s face when he was around Jonas, but he had on a happy face for his sister. Imari was a quiet man, but the love for his wife was written all over his face. Jonas didn’t ask either male to leave as he administered the serum.
Jonas wanted to assure his daughter she would be okay, but he wouldn’t make a promise like that. Not with things between them still fragile. Lucian followed Jonas out into the hallway and asked for that promise. “Tell me this is going to work,” he demanded.
Jonas stood taller when what he really wanted to do was sag his shoulders and sigh. “I wouldn’t have administered the serum if we hadn’t already done extensive testing,” he said instead of telling his son the words he needed to hear. “Lucian, your sister is strong. The formula Connor came up with has completely wiped out the cancer cells in every test performed to date.”
“And you trust a fifteen-year-old with the biggest cure in history of mankind?”
“Yes, I do. I am a genius. I’m not saying that to make myself look better; I’m stating fact. Having said that, Connor’s IQ is much higher than mine, plus his mind works differently. He can see things the rest of us cannot.”
Lucian stared at Jonas, his eyebrows dipping low. When he frowned, he looked so much like Caroline. Instead of responding, he returned to his sister’s room.
Sabrina, being one of the top oncologists in the country, performed the daily tests. The formula didn’t work at first. Jonas suggested it was because his daughter had Gargoyle blood and the test subjects had been human. He and Connor left the hospital to rework the formula to include more of Tamian’s cells. When they found the correct amount, the cancer began shrinking. Jonas had been afraid to introduce Marcella’s body to too much of the serum. Sabrina convinced him his daughter could handle small daily doses. After eight long, agonizing days, the cancer was no longer detectable. When Connor told Jonas everything was going to be okay, he had been right, as usual. The formula he and his mother came up with worked.
Marcella’s room was crowded. Imari, who hadn’t left once the procedure started, was seated next to his mate on the bed, holding her in his arms. Lucian and Rayna, Jonas and Caroline, Isabelle and Sabrina were all in the room when the final test came in. With her family by her side, Marcella became a miracle. Like Tamian had been the first clone, Jonas’s oldest daughter was the first recipient of a full-proof cure for the dreaded disease known as cancer. Knowing Jonas was a large part of why the cure was a success went a long way in warming Lucian to his father. They still had a long way to go, but Lucian no longer looked at Jonas with hatred in his eyes.
After another week of monitoring her system, Marcella was sent home. Instead of immediately going back to Egypt, Marcella and Imari agreed to stay in New Atlanta as long as Jonas felt she needed to be monitored. While they were waiting for the final test, Caroline had been busy, getting the second floor ready for their daughter and her husband, just in case. When they arrived from the hospital, Jonas and Caroline were pleased their daughter wanted to stay with them.
“I want to thank you both,” Marcella started as she looked around the spacious room that was to be hers and Imari’s for the next few weeks. “You didn’t have to be so accommodating, not with the way Lucian and I have kept you out of our lives for so long.”
“Nonsense,” Jonas said.
“Marcella, you have nothing to apologize for. You had every right to be upset with Jonas and me. We lied to you in saying we were your parents’ friends. I hope one day you can understand why we did it.” Caroline turned to wipe a stray tear, but Marcella turned her so they were face to face.
“I do understand, and I forgave you a long time ago. Life is too short, even being Gargoyle, to hold on to past hurts. Regret is a waste of time. We can’t change the past. All we can do is improve on the future. This…” Marcella swept her hand down her cancer-free body. “…this more than makes up for everything.” She pulled Caroline into her arms and held on tight. Jonas had to blink his eyes several times to keep the tears at bay.
“Thank you, my darling girl. I’ll leave you to get settled, and I’ll go start lunch. There’s a crew downstairs, and they won’t wait long until they are raiding the kitchen.” Caroline pressed her palm to her daughter’s face before walking off.
Jonas wasn’t as quick to leave. As with Tamian, Jonas was amazed at the miracle standing before him. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.
“None of that now. Like I said, regret’s a waste of time. Let’s start fresh, shall we? Lucian might not be the genius you are, but he is brilliant. Once the two of you have a little time, I have a feeling you’re going to get along well.”
Imari came into the room. “Am I interrupting?” he asked, searching Marcella’s face.
Jonas answered for them both, “Not at all. I need to talk to Isabelle about something, so I’ll leave you two to get settled.”
“Thank you, Jonas. For everything.” Imari held out his hand, but Jonas pulled the male into a hug instead of shaking his hand.
“Thank you for taking care of my girl,” he whispered. Jonas clapped Imari on the back and hurried out of the room.
The formula was sent to the FDA where it would undergo rigorous testing before it was approved, but for now, having Marcella free from the disease was all that mattered. As wonderful as it was, Jonas and Isabelle couldn’t agree on who would be given credit. He didn’t want his name associated with the cure since he was supposed to be dead. Isabelle was emphatic she had nothing to do with revamping the formula; that was all on Connor, but she also didn’t want her son to be put under the scrutiny he would be if his name was associated with it. She suggested her father make up a fake name, have Julian create a new identity for him, and Jonas come up with an original mask to use when he had to go out in public, much the same way he’d done when he was posing as the Chief of Staff several years ago. Jonas suggested giving credit to Sabrina, but that posed another problem. Whoever was named as the finder of the cure would have to go in front of various boards. They would no doubt endure countless hours of scrutiny in front of cameras and microphones.
Several of the family had gathered at Jonas’s home once again since that’s where Marcella and Imari were staying while in New Atlanta. The house which was normally quiet was filled with talk and laughter. Connor came up from the basement and stood in front of Lucian, holding out a drawing.
“What’s this?” Lucian asked. Instead of answering, Connor walked away without explaining.
Isabelle looked over her brother’s shoulder. “Huh,” she muttered, also offering no explanation.
“Is this…” Lucian continued to stare at the picture before folding it up and tucking it away in his back pocket. He didn’t offer to show it to anyone else, and no one questioned him about it. The c
onversation returned to the matter at hand – who was going to take credit for the cure.
After many hours of discussion and argument, Lucian surprised them all. “I’ll do it.”
“You’ll do what?” Caroline asked as she came into the room.
“I’ll be the face of the family when it comes to the cure. I might not be as brilliant as you are, Jonas, but I was raised by a doctor, and I will be able to speak knowledgably about the subject. I’ve listened to you and Connor when you talked about the cure. I have an exceptional memory, and I don’t mind being put to task.”
“That would mean spending more time here in the States,” Jonas reminded his son.
“Rayna and I had already been talking about moving, but we never could decide on a location. We’ve discussed it over the past few days, and we’re thinking New Atlanta might be okay for a while.” Lucian subconsciously touched his back pocket where the drawing was.
Jonas kept his emotions from showing on his face, but his heart was about to beat out of his chest. If Lucian was willing to move closer, hopefully that meant he was warming to his biological parents. If that was the case, maybe he would talk to the other siblings, and one day soon, he and Caroline could be reunited with all their children. While Jonas smiled at his son, Caroline did not. His mate began openly sobbing, and he went to her, drawing her into his arms. He led her out of the family room into the kitchen where she could fall apart without everyone staring. Up until that moment, they’d held out hope their oldest son would forgive them. His willingness to help the family as well as move to New Atlanta was as good a forgiveness as if he’d spoken the words aloud.
“I know this makes you happy, but what I feel coming from you is something akin to dread. Caroline, what’s going on, my love?”
