Love Is Enough

Chapter 6

The next morning, things are slowly returning to normal. We're settling into a routine. It's so different and sad without Shawn. It weighs on everyone. We all miss him. I wish I could bring him back, and so does everyone else. Janie isn't doing well either. She's so sad and depressed. She can't eat much, and she's always staring off into space with a blank look on her face. She just kind of drifts around, so different from how she used to be. She used to be so fun, so happy and carefree. She used to be one of the most talkative people on the island. Now she barely speaks. It's like a part of her died with Shawn. I've tried everything I can think of to help her, but nothing I do seems to work. I guess I just have to give her time to get over everything. I know she's very sad, and it breaks my heart to see it. But, we get back to a somewhat normal routine. We agree that no one should go back to human territory for a while until things die down. We can't risk losing anyone else. Conrad and I are doing better, but there is a slight difference. Things were blissful and nothing ever felt off before our fight. It was like a fantasy. Things are still blissful, but it's not a fantasy anymore, it's not perfect anymore. He's trying really hard, and I know he feels bad for how he acted. But I can't shake the thought that he doesn't trust me out of my head. He swears he does, but if he trusted me, he wouldn't have freaked out about me spending time with Sam, it wouldn't have been a big deal. I'm trying to get over it and put it behind me, but it's much harder than I thought. All that said, I love Conrad. More than anything, and I know my baby loves him too, because Conrad is the baby's father and he's good to us. I can't imagine anything different, but I know now that I'm growing up.

The next morning, I am woken up by someone jumping on my bed. I jumped, scared almost to death. "I swear, whoever is jumping on my bed better move before I commit murder, and I definitely will so don't doubt me." I sit up and see Conrad sitting there, eyes wide. "Ok ok please don't murder me! I was just excited because today's the day we find out the gender of our baby!!!" He just can't help himself, and starts jumping again. I roll my eyes. "Here, let me help you get up. We have to meet Janie in ten minutes!" I roll my eyes yet again, I swear he is like a little kid sometimes. "Ok, I'm already expecting one child to raise, don't be another." "Ouch, good one!" He says, pretending to be hurt. I get up and get dressed, ignoring Conrad making a face at the outfit I choose. After that, we headed down to meet Janie. Conrad literally bounces the whole way. We get there, and within five minutes, Janie sends him out for a little while. "You are being too happy and hyper, it's five in the morning and I haven't even had coffee yet. Go away." We laugh as he does what he's told, even with a smile on his face.

After Janie gets everything situated and gets some coffee in her system, she lets Conrad back in. "Ok you two, are you ready to find out the gender?" She looks excited for the first time since Shawn's death. Conrad looks like this is all he's ever wanted. I nod, thinking that life is truly amazing. "Ok guys, here goes. You guys are having a...... Ok, y'all are having a girl!! Congratulations!" She looks at us happily. Conrad looks like the whole world has just been given to him. I love that this makes him so happy. "I hope she looks just like her mother." He says, looking at me with happy tears in his eyes. And I completely lose it at his words. "I love you Conrad." He leans over and kisses me. "I love you too, Amaria. More than anything." Right now, I'm so happy that I don't know what to say. I have everything I could ever want. And Janie looks more like her old self, you can see the happiness peeking through. It's what I've been praying for since we lost Shawn. I get up and hug her, holding her. We cry so much too.

After the appointment, we join everyone else. They have just finished chores and are sitting down to breakfast. We sit down, and I realize that I'm starving. We eat pancakes, waffles, eggs, bacon, and toast. We also have sausage. It's a great breakfast. Afterwards, we clean up and then I help the kids with their schoolwork. They are getting really good at doing it too. Lacey is amazing at math. She can get any problem right, and can do it in her head. Not only that, she actually likes doing it. I admire her for that, I'm good at math but I never liked it. A lot of people would still say I'm lucky, just because I'm good at it. After that, we get started on lunch. Then we entertain the kids more, usually taking them swimming. After that is when all the adults discuss strategies, because even though we would all like to forget it, we are still in a war. That war is even more dangerous for us because we have been deemed fugitives and have very few allies left. Most of the rebellion has been killed off. They hunt every one of us down, because they know that a rebellion's strength is usually in their numbers. But what they don't know is that numbers are not our only strength. Our hope provides strength. Even if there is only one of us, as long as that one has hope, the rebellion can never die. It would build right back up. And that is the beauty of this whole thing. As long as there are people who believe, then our mission will always last.

Usually, the boys are the ones who talk about the war. Julie goes too, but me and Janie like to take care of the camp and the kids. We don't really like hearing about the war, it sets us on edge. I mean, they still fill us in on the plan, but I leave the actual planning to them. I just do what they decide. I play a big part in the plans, mostly because I have the biggest amount of powers out of everyone. For that reason, I am considered the strongest. And that means I do the most work in the plans. But I honestly don't mind. I mean, the pressure gets to be a bit much sometimes, but I like the fact that I'm doing something important and helping the people I care about. And I would say we have a lot of powers, all of us combined. My powers are invisibility, mind reading and telepathy. I can freeze people for a little while, and I can feel people's feelings and alter them to some degree. I can also create plants, and can conjure fire and water. I can control the weather and create storms too. I can also see the future. Like I said, I have a lot of powers.

Conrad has teleportation. Julie has the power to talk to animals. Janie has the power of healing. She can heal any injury, even death sometimes. Sam has the power to fly. Luke has the power of lasers. Max has the power to hear anything, no matter how far away and to see no matter how far away. So, collectively, we have a lot of powers. And that makes us strong and powerful. That makes us a force to be reckoned with. That makes our enemies fear us, which makes them try harder to destroy us. They try everything in their power to do just that.

After the war planning, Janie and I cook dinner while everyone else cleans and has free time. We cook tacos, and we make so much, it seems like we are feeding an army. We get everything on the table, and call everyone to dinner. Everyone eats and talks and has fun, like one big happy family. I'm so happy for everything we have, and I hope nothing takes it away. I also hope my baby feels the same love that I do. I hope my baby knows this family, and knows that any of us would do anything for any of the others. We are a family and would do anything to protect each other. That is all I care about. That is the only thing I care about keeping. I cannot afford to lose it.

After dinner, we help the kids get ready for bed. Lacey helps a lot, even though she's only twelve, she's very mature for her age. She helps get the younger girls Chloe and Grace ready. Jack is very good with little Ben. They are very close, because before we found them, they were all each other had. They were together, and they suffered together. But they were stronger together. After the kids are all in bed, the adults relax finally. Julie and Luke go to the movie area. I raise my eyebrows, looking at Conrad. He just smiles. "When did that happen? Are they together?" I whisper to Conrad. He looks at me, an amused look. "Yeah. How did you not know that? They've been together for like a week now." "Wait. How do you know this and I don't? That is crazy!" He just looks at me and laughs.

Max goes with Sam. I think they are working on a new project. Max likes to come up with ideas for things, Sam draws them, and then we all help build them. They make a great team. Janie goes to her room to read. Then it's just me and Conrad. "So, what do you want to do?" He says, wrapping me close in his arms. "I don't know. What do you want to do?" I say, looking up at him. "Well, I can think of one thing." He presses his lips to mine. I smile, loving it. He runs his fingers through my hair as he kisses me. We kiss for a while, and then I get tired. We lay on a blanket spread across the cold sand. I lay back, melting into him and drifting off to sleep.