Unspoken

Chapter 25

November 8, 1992

"Daddy!" Sami screamed, running out the front door of her grandparents home. The air was cool, and the sun was shining. Her little legs were flying across the lawn, until she threw herself into John's open arms, saying over and over again, "I missed you! I missed you!"

"Hey, Peanut!" John said with a huge smile, swinging her around. He smoothed his hand over her sleek blonde hair, holding her close. "I missed you, too. Where's your brother?"

"Daddy!" Eric cried, coming to a screeching halt on the edge of the front porch. He saw Marlena leaning into the back of a large van, and yelled, "Mama!" Martha and Frank Evans came to the front door right behind him, but he was already off the porch, and following the same path as his sister before him... straight to John.

Carrie climbed out of the van with Brady, as Marlena unbuckled Ryan's car seat. Both of them were asleep. Only Alais stared around with wide blue eyes taking in her new surroundings. "Where we at?"

Marlena chuckled. "We're at grandma and grandpa's house. Do you remember I told you about my mama and papa?"

Alais nodded, trying to peek outside. She kicked her legs, but she was stuck in her seat. "I'anna go out, and see!"

Since Ryan was deep in sleep, Marlena climbed further in, and unfastened Alais's booster latch. "C'mon, monster."

"Raawr!" Alais said, scrambling down onto her feet. She liked being monster.

As Marlena was lifting Ryan out of his car seat, she heard Eric say from a few feet away, "I want to meet my other brother!"

John came closer, saying softly, "Hold on there, slugger, your mother is getting him out of the van."

Sami started hopping up and down to get a look at Brady as Carrie walked towards the house. "Calm down, Sami! Let me get him in the house!" she laughed. "And don't you dare wake him up."

Eric wiggled between Marlena and the car door to get see Ryan, and he was immediately face to face with Alais. Her curls were wild and unkempt from sleeping on the plane and in the car. She grinned. "Hi!"

Eric stepped back in surprise, not expecting to be greeted so enthusiastically.

"I'm Alais," she said. She looked him over, asking, "Do you like hide and seek?"

"I like that," he said, still unsure. The small girl in front of him scared him a little.

She climbed down from the van, and wiped dust off on her pants. "Carrie said you gots horses here. You gots horses?" she asked.

Eric's eyes brightened, "Oh yeah. We got lots a horses. Sami and I, we got our own horses, and grandpa... he might let you have one too. One that you can ride, but you gotta take care of it. That's the rule."

Alais glanced towards the house just as the door closed on Sami and Carrie. Looking up at Marlena, she asked, "We goin' in?"

"Yes, darling. Just let me get Ryan," Marlena said.

"I've got him, Doc." John placed his hand at her waist gently, and she turned her face to look up at him. His voice was soft when he said, "You and Eric can head in. I'll be right behind you. We can get the bags later."

"Mom can go with Alais," Eric said. "I want to see the new baby."

"He's not much of a baby anymore. Once they're mobile we call them toddlers." John gently scooped his hands underneath Ryan, and lifted his sleeping son from his car seat. Eric stood up on his tiptoes, trying to get a better look.

"He's got orange hair," Eric whispered in surprise. "That's weird. You and mom don't have red hair."

"That's something your mom can explain," John said softly. "It's something scientists like to call a recessive gene."