Looking at the daughter she had not seen grow up, Amanda wondered what Jena wanted to do. She obviously loved being back together with her sister, but she was not as happy at being reunited with her mother. Amanda could hardly blame her since she had been raised by Chelesa and not herself.
She was not exactly angry over what had transpired, more sorry for the loss of the relationship. Obviously, Jena had been well-cared for since she seemed a very happy toddler. She did not want to take her away from the mother who had raised her, yet she wanted to have a part in her life as well. Amanda was, however, a little bit hurt because Jena was more excited to see Juila than herself.
Then there was Juila to consider; with her sister back in her life she flourished with more animation than Amanda had ever seen in her. They were inseparable, which was where Amanda ran into the heart of the problem. She wanted them to stay together.
If nothing else, Amanda needed to go back to Tuala to talk about this situation with Alena and Bryon. She trusted them to have the best understanding of the entire convoluted situation. Maybe she would sit down with Bryon, Alena, Barla, Rasa, and Riccan where together they could figure out how to work out an arrangement where everyone could be satisfied. She was not exactly sure how she would get the group gathered with everyone’s busy schedules, but she had to at least give it a try.
“Wasn’t that fortunate, Amanda?” Diane asked.
“I’m sorry, I wasn’t paying attention. What were you talking about?”
“I told Riccan we were on the verge of moving to New Mexico several months ago. Chris finally agreed to quit his job and sell the house so we could be closer to Shemalla and any news from you. One thing after another cropped up to delay our move. Now I’m so thankful we didn’t go, because then you wouldn’t have known where to locate us. Weren’t we all so fortunate for it to work out so well?”
Amanda smiled at her mother’s story. She had known her mother would be anxious to get word from her and she was grateful her note had made it to her parents through Rasa. “Yes, Mom, I can’t imagine you two living anywhere but here. This is where we all grew up. Do you think you’ll stay put since we’ve returned?”
“Oh, most definitely. It did make me sad to think about leaving, but I worried so much about how you were doing in Tuala and I wanted to be as close as possible to the only link we had in Roswell.”
“I understand, Mom, but now we need to figure out where Shemalla went. It’s not like her to abandon her post at the museum. She respects Elder Vargen too much to let him down, so something must have occurred which was out of her control. What happened during the last contact you had with her?”
“She was only here for a few minutes while she and Chris put the sleeping children into their beds. Her cab was waiting for her in the driveway to take her back to the airport. She got in the cab and drove away and we haven’t seen or heard from her since.”
Amanda contemplated her mother’s statement, feeling to her core something seemed wrong. Suddenly she realized the glaringly obvious problem, Amanda could understand Shemalla needing to fly to Florida with the two children, but not the return flight. “Why would Shemalla fly back to New Mexico when she could just translate herself in an instant?”
“Oh, I don’t know. I never thought about that since it’s what we’d normally do to go home. I forgot about her ability to travel on her own. It’s possible she decided to take a vacation. Did you check with her work?”
“No, but I think I will today.” Amanda did not like the ominous ideas which swirled around in her brain. What if Elder Vargen found out about Shemalla’s dealings with herself and her parents? Could she have been taken back to Tuala to be interrogated by the Elder? She had been afraid of the possibility, yet thought it unlikely when she had helped Amanda before. Maybe her fears had been realized.
Chris scraped his chair back from the table and stood up. “I’ve got to head out for work. I wish I could stay home and visit. Save some stories for me to hear when I get back.”
“Oh, Dad, I’d tell them all over again just for you. I love you.”
“I know, sweetie.” He gave his youngest daughter a hug, kissing the top of her head where she sat in her chair before he repeated the farewell with Diane. Chris gathered his keys and waved to everyone at the table. “I’ll see everybody in nine hours.”
Diane wished her husband could stay and visit, however she was also thankful for her time alone with Amanda and Riccan. She could see the chemistry between them even if they had not acknowledged it yet. She liked how Riccan handled the children as though it were a natural thing.
The children all appeared to be done eating and were just playing with their plates and silverware waiting to be excused from the table. Diane eagerly stated, “Okay, children, you may be excused to go play now.” All three kids hopped down from their chairs and raced back into the living room to begin a game of building cabins with Lincoln Logs, something they had never seen before.
Diane had hoped to speak privately with Riccan and began, “Amanda tells me your father’s an Elder. What does he think about you coming here with Amanda?”
“My situation is a little different than that of the other Elders’ children.”
“Really? How so?”
Riccan wondered how much detail Diane might be looking for so he opted to go with the short version of the story. “My grandfather’s from Earth. He moved to Tuala after meeting my grandmother. They had my father, Daven, and then moved to live with Jehoban when he was asked to become a student.
“Because they lived with Jehoban they had access to a Gate where they traveled to and from Earth regularly to visit with my grandfather’s family. When my dad grew up, Jehoban made him into an Elder who had access to his own Gate in Boca Raton. When I was growing up we came here to vacation and also visit the few relatives still living. I’ve grown up knowing both worlds and I even lived here for a few years.”
“How amazing!”
“Now I use the things I’ve learned from Earth and apply my knowledge of flying to my telepod. I’ve also integrated the training from my father into the telepod as well.”
“What training would your father have given you? I thought he was an Elder. Aren’t you an engineer?”
“I am for now. When my father’s ready to step down, it’s expected for me to follow in his footsteps as an Elder. From the time I was a small boy, my father has been training me in all of the aspects of being an Elder.”
Diane still looked confused.
Amanda took pity and simply said, “Riccan created a portable Gate in his telepod. Only Elders have access to portable Gates.”
“Oh! I guess that would make your telepod a one-of-a-kind then, wouldn’t it?”
“Absolutely. It also allows me to travel with impunity.”
“Also very convenient. So what does your father do as an Elder?”
“He works with petitioners, patrons, and citizens by handling all of the disputes from his District. He also takes care of adoptions, crystal ceremonies, healing, teaching, and weddings.”
“It sounds like he is kept pretty busy.”
“For sure. He has several people who assist him, but the needs of the people never seem to end.”
“How long does a person stay an Elder?”
“It depends on the person, but usually between thirty to fifty years.
“What about your mother? What does she do?”
“Her name’s Nena and she’s a teacher.”
“What age group?”
“First and second year students. She loves to teach them how to access their birth crystals and see how they grow in confidence as they achieve success.”
“Do you have any siblings?”
“No, I’m an only child.”
“What do you two plan to do?”
“I’m up for whatever Amanda wants.” Riccan looked over to Amanda to hear how she would answer her mother.
“Like I said before, Mom, there’re some things I n
eed to take care of back in Tuala. I think we should go back tomorrow or maybe the day after. Since Willian needs to stay here until the trouble at home is taken care of, I was thinking of leaving Juila with Jena here so they can have more bonding time. Would that be okay with you?”
“I would love it, but when will you be coming back?”
“I’m not sure. It could take me a week or two to get everything accomplished. Do you want to write a letter for Aunt Barla?”
“Oh! I forgot to read the letter you gave me last night!” She jumped up from her chair and rushed into the living room to get the letter from the coffee table. She returned a few moments later with a pleased expression on her face. Diane opened the envelope and rapidly read the three pages and sighed as she set it down. “I miss her.”
“What did she write about this time?”
“She told me stories of her children growing up and a few things about her husband. You can read it if you want. I figured you had already seen it when Barla gave it to you.” Diane pushed the pages over to Amanda and thought about what she would write back.
Amanda looked through the pages and smiled at the stories Barla had written to her sister. They were similar to the ones she had been told when catching up with her aunt a few weeks before. She wished there were a way to get the two sisters reunited at some point, but the crossing through the gate blocked a person’s memory so that would make it complicated.
“Are you going to write back?”
“Absolutely. This is kind of fun sending letters back and forth. I never dreamed a time would come when I’d be able to speak with my sister again and now this…”
“What is it, Mom?” She could see her mother was trying to hold back tears.
“I’m just being silly. So much time has been lost, but at least I know she’s been happy and healthy. This outcome is so much better than what we believed for longer than you’ve been alive.”
“Have you talked to Grandma about her yet?”
“No. What would I say? Your daughter didn’t drown decades ago and she’s alive, but you can’t see her because she lives in a different world. She would think I’d lost my mind.”
“There has to be some way. Grandma has to know her daughter’s still alive. Wouldn’t you want to know?”
“Yes. I already know how it feels to live with the thought you were gone. I wouldn’t wish that scenario on anyone. I’ll have to come up with something to tell her. Maybe Barbara, I mean Barla, could write a letter for Mom. It’s so hard to think of her living with a different name. Did she ever tell you why she changed it?”
“No, but then again, I never thought to ask either. I’ll have her write a letter for Grandma.”
“Do that, and see if she has any ideas about telling Mom about her situation. I’m sure she’s had time to ponder it all these years.”
Riccan captured their attention and motioned toward the children and whispered, “Look at what they’re doing.”
Both women turned to peer into the living room. The children had constructed a log cabin from the play set and now they were making the blocks float above the house. The children were not using their hands to play, just their minds linked with the elemy through their birth crystals.
“What’re they doing?” Diane asked with her brows furrowed in confusion.
“It looks like they’re pretending to fly telepods,” Riccan answered.
“Is that normal?” Diane had not seen any displays like this while they had played before.
“Not at their age,” Riccan replied as he watched in fascination.
“I told you the children were learning fast. Alena was testing Juila’s limits before we moved to Durseni. She was amazed at how many levels she was able to achieve.”
“Where did she learn it from?” Riccan asked. He knew the levels could be difficult to learn as they were not a natural instinct. Someone had to have taught her.
“Jena taught her.”
Both her mother and Riccan stared incredulously at her. Riccan asked, “But Jena hasn’t been anywhere near her. Who taught Jena?”
“Elder Debbon must’ve since Jena taught Juila through their twin link. Alena once told me that Juila had made blocks fly across the living room while she chased them. I’ve seen her do it myself when we were at home in Durseni. When I asked her about it she told me ‘her other self’ showed her. That was how she described Jena since she didn’t remember actually having a sister. They looked just alike so she believed Jena to be herself somewhere else.”
“That’s amazing. I wonder if it happens with all twins.”
Diane remained silent as Riccan and Amanda spoke. Memories of her past dreams plagued her as they discussed her grandchildren learning to do amazing things with their minds and yet they both did not seem to think it odd at all. The journey to Tuala had changed Amanda more than she had originally believed.
Amanda saw her mother’s expression and laughed out loud. “We sound insane, don’t we?”
“I’m glad to hear you agree!”
“Things are definitely different on Tuala. You could tell the children were different the first time you heard them talk, right?”
“Yes, thankfully you had told us they were advanced for their age when you came home the last time. It was hard to imagine it as you described, but since these kids have been here, I understand what you described before. Their motor and language skills are much further along than Earth children their ages. How do they do it?”
Riccan attempted to explain, “The connection to the elemental energy through their birth crystal helps mature their minds. They’re able to talk and move at a much earlier age so they’re able to learn about the association between Tuala and Jehoban. Spirituality is an important part of our society.”
“Why would Elder Debbon be teaching Jena if she’s too young?”
“I’m not sure, but I’ll be finding out. Elders are supposed to teach the children, but there are guidelines for when to start. Elder Debbon is the First Elder so he may have had a reason to begin which I don’t know about.”
“Will Alena get in trouble for testing Juila?” Amanda was concerned her friend would be reprimanded for her part in educating the children.
“No, testing is different than teaching. A test can be administered at any age; only the teaching is restricted to begin at the age of three. Willian should have started his training and it’s possible Jena sat in on his lessons.”
Amanda shook her head as she remembered a conversation she had had with Juila. “That’s not what happened. Juila told me Willian was jealous of Jena’s time with his father. She was learning how to use her skills and Willian was not included.”
“Interesting,” Riccan mused as he wondered what Elder Debbon had been thinking. This was a curious development.
“Let’s go in the living room to watch the children play,” Amanda offered. With the idea of leaving on her mind, she wanted to spend as much time as she could with her daughters. She hoped she was making the right decision with leaving them with her mother while she returned to Tuala. She did not actually have any real reason for going back except she wanted to say goodbye to her friends and family.
They spent the day in idle conversation and with being entertained by the children. They had lunch and moved to play outside. Amanda relished the time she had with her family as much as she appreciated hearing Riccan talk about his life on both Tuala and Earth. It sounded as though he had enjoyed an eventful childhood.
After Chris got home they continued to visit and finally put the children to bed. Diane had been thinking about Amanda returning to Tuala and she could not come up with any real reason for her to return. She decided to ask, “Amanda, why don’t you stay home and let Riccan handle informing Elder Debbon of his son’s whereabouts?”
Amanda had been anticipating this question and had already decided to tell her the truth. She knew her mother would not appreciate the implications of the actual predicament, but thankfully her father’s inf
luence and wisdom would keep her reasonable. “It’s complicated, Mom. Do you remember when I first came home and told you about Bryon and Alena’s children?”
“Yes. What’s that got to do with this?”
Ignoring her mother’s question she continued, “Do you remember how I told you their oldest son was betrothed to Andera? Andera was living with their family as their first-daughter. Well, it appears we have the same situation between Willian and Jena.”
“Are you trying to tell me that Jena is betrothed to Willian?” She stood up, angrily pointing her finger toward the bedrooms, and continued, “You’re saying those two children are supposed to get married?”
“Calm down, Mom. You’re going to wake them up.” She had known this reaction would come; her mother had been upset about the whole betrothal idea even without knowing the children involved. Having her granddaughter involved brought her mother to a new level of anger.
“What are you planning on doing, Amanda?” Chris asked calmly.
“I spoke to Alena about this before we came home. I was just as upset to think my daughter’s future had been set without my knowledge or consent. Alena told me the contract was irrevocable unless I wanted to offend Jehoban. He has already helped me so much it would seem truly ungrateful to break the agreement.”
Her mother looked at her in horror as she realized what her daughter was saying and asked, “Are you going to let this travesty happen?”
“The simple answer: yes. The complication comes with where Jena’ll live. It would be unfair of me to take her away from the only family she’s known, but it would also be cruel to keep her away from her sister. I’m going to have to figure something out with Elder Debbon and his wife to see what we can do.”
“Amanda you’re not making any sense. You have your daughter back; simply return Elder Debbon’s son and call it even!”
Amanda sighed at her mother’s obstinacy. “I think the sooner we get this ordeal sorted out the better off everyone’ll be.” She turned to Riccan and stated, “We should probably go back first thing in the morning, okay?”
Ascension Discovery Page 84
