Oracle

by Amy Reece

  “Mat and Tara are coming too. They’re bringing a salad. I’m making pasta. I’ll get it started as soon as I finish feeding Olivia.” Tara was expecting their first child in less than a month. They’d had a heartbreaking miscarriage a year and a half earlier and were nervous and excited for this baby. Tara was planning to take a leave of absence from her job at the Albuquerque Police Department crime lab for at least six months as soon as the baby arrived. I had taken a year off from teaching in order to be with our daughter full-time and loved it, although I missed my classroom. Jack had finished his stint with the army and was working for Sandia National Laboratories as a mechanical engineer, a job he loved and which afforded us a very comfortable lifestyle. We had lived in Germany for a year during his time on active duty and then he had done a nine-month tour of duty in Afghanistan while the kids and I returned home. Kai and Megan had been the only thing that kept me sane during that awful time. We had conceived Olivia soon after he returned home, possibly that very night.

  I settled into the rocking chair that Jack had bought when we found out I was pregnant and settled my daughter at my breast, reveling in the knowledge that I was feeding her from my own body. What a miraculous thing! I was mostly kidding about feeling like a Jersey cow. I loved being a mother, but couldn’t deny I was exhausted. Olivia was a good baby, but even good babies need to eat every four hours. Jack came in and double-checked that I had some juice to sip while I nursed, then grabbed a pillow off the sofa, stretched out at my feet, and promptly fell asleep. I struggled to stay awake, at least until I moved Olivia to the other breast. I could hear the lawn mower outside. My son had gladly taken over the chore for his father, even after an exhausting soccer practice. Kai had grown and filled out a good deal over the past five years, and had made the varsity team as a sophomore at the high school he and Megan attended. In spite of her desire to sleep, I could hear Megan puttering in the kitchen, no doubt starting dinner, as she did frequently since Olivia’s birth. I had learned to cook slightly better in the last few years, but I would never be cordon bleu quality, by any means.

  As I looked at my husband, crashed on the floor, heard my son outside mowing the lawn, my sister-in-law prepping dinner in the kitchen, and my daughter falling asleep at my breast, I thought I must be the luckiest woman in the entire world. I had so much love in my life. I reached up to wipe away the tear—a happy one—that ran down my cheek. Life was so good.

  THE END

  Acknowledgments

  Here we are at the end of the Seeker Series and I have to admit I’m kind of sad about it! Jack and Ally and all the rest have become real to me over the past year and a half and it’s hard to let them go. But all good things must come to an end…until the spinoff series, that is!

  There are so many people to thank for their help and support during this process! First, I’d like to thank the folks at NaNoWriMo (http://nanowrimo.org/) for what they do to encourage people to write their novels. On November 1, 2013, I had never seriously considered writing a novel. By November 30, 2013, I had the first 50,000 words of Seeker and a new passion for writing.

  I also want to thank the team at Limitless Publishing. You gave me a chance and I can’t begin to tell you all how much I appreciate it. From the amazing covers, careful editing, creative blurbs, and tireless marketing, this has been a wonderful experience and I look forward to more in the future.

  My family has been super supportive in my writing endeavor and I love you all for it. My husband, Lyle, picks up the household slack and never complains that I write too much. My girls, Cat, Bri, and Lacey, are my beta-readers and sounding boards. Mom, Betty, Merle, Jeanette, Sheila: thanks for reading and telling me you enjoy my stories. Merle, I’m working on one without the paranormal, just for you.

  So many of my friends have been wonderful throughout this process. Carol, I have no words. Just thank you. Mark, your encouragement means a lot. Michelle, you are my best cheerleader! Jen, thanks for being a fan! John and Shawna, you guys rock! Thanks to you all!

  More than anything, I want to thank my readers. You guys are awesome and it’s such a privilege to connect with you and hear what you think about my stories. Thanks!

  About the Author

  Amy Reece lives in New Mexico with her incredible husband and two ridiculous mutts, Greta and Sodapop. When she’s not writing, she’s teaching high school English and social studies or maybe wandering through a thrift store in search of the next lucky teapot for her vast collection. She is an unrepentant bookaholic and has overflowing bookshelves in nearly every room of her house. Her favorite authors include J.R.R. Tolkien, J.K. Rowling, and C.S. Lewis–must have something to do with initials! She loves to travel and is hoping to need many research trips for future writing projects.

  Facebook:

  https://www.facebook.com/areeceauthor

  Twitter:

  https://twitter.com/AReeceAuthor

  Blog:

  https://amyreece.wordpress.com/

  Goodreads:

  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13884337.Amy_Reece

  Pinterest:

  https://www.pinterest.com/alreece12/