Coming Home: The Finders Series

CHAPTER 14: HOME AT LAST

I had dozed off for a bit while Phil drove.  I only woke up when Phil shook my arm.  I looked outside, and there was a sign—Solitaire Mountain Welcome Center—and below that was another sign that read Closed for Remodeling.  Phil and I both knew the truth about that, though.  The closed sign was there to keep out the tourists.  The fact was that it was the place of welcome for all the lost who were arriving home.  I reached back and woke up the kids. They yawned and stretched a bit before getting out of the car.  It would be a little while before anyone came up here to get the kids since they were not expecting us for another couple of hours yet.  I was going to wait until sun up to call the colony and let them know we were there.  While we were waiting, Eric looked up at me and asked if he could talk to me in private.  Elizabeth gave him a stern look, and I was not sure what passed between them, but I figured I would find out soon enough.

Eric and I walked a reasonable distance away, and I helped him up on the wall so he could sit there and we could see eye to eye.  He started kicking the wall with his heels, and I could tell he was nervous about something.

" Look, Eric.  Whatever it is you have to say to me, just go ahead and tell me because the longer you wrestle with it, the harder it will be.  Whatever it is, I will not think any less of you, nor will I be angry with you."

" You don't know what it is yet.  She says she will be angry when you find out." I grinned a bit.

" Try me.  I fooled you and her before, remember?  I might fool you again." After a few more seconds of silence, he began.

" Remember when you took that weeklong sleep in the cabin?" 

" Yes, I remember that."

" One day, while Mr. Jones was cooking, I snuck into your room."

I was pretty sure I knew what was coming, but I was not going to jump the gun on this.  All I said was "And?" Eric kept looking at the ground while playing with the button on his shirt pocket.

I turned so I was standing beside him rather than facing him, and I put my arm around his shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze.

" I would have thought that any kid who could stand up to the army would not have this much trouble saying what he needs to say." He just kept looking at the ground.

" I held onto your watch while you were sleeping," he finally said.  I nodded.

" And what did you see?" Tears began pouring down his face.  He was sobbing so badly that I had trouble hearing his next words.  I asked him to tell me telepathically so that I could understand him. 

" I am so sorry about your sister.  I did not mean to pry, but I was just curious, and then there she was, just lying there in front of me.  I know that is what makes you so angry, and I am so sorry." I turned to face him, took him in my arms, and gave him a great big hug.  I let him cry for a while, and then I let him straighten up on the wall again.  I debated with myself whether to tell this just to him or to both of them and finally, I had decided.  

" Elizabeth, can you come here a minute, please?" Again, she gave Eric a nasty look.  Phil made to follow, but I caught his eye and shook my head.  He realized this was just between us, so he stayed back.

When Elizabeth got there, I helped her up on the wall too.  I then took her hand in my left and his in my right.  I held them together so that all three of us were touching in the middle.

" First off, I am not mad at you for what you did.  In fact, I'm rather glad that you did it because that was how I used to be.  Now, however, I am no longer in pain over that.  The reason is because of you two. You may not have realized it, but on this trip, you both helped me get over the pain I was feeling. You helped me release the anger and hurt. You also helped me stop blaming myself for her death. You two had brought me healing when I needed it most. And for that, I thank you." Both the kids were looking at me now with serious expressions on their faces. Suddenly, they did not look like kids anymore. They were now young adults.