When the rains may come (Science Fiction)

Epilogue

Two years since the war ended

Gemma's private jet landed at the Moudrin international airport. She was with the entire team again. Erik, Brendan, the Harris family and even the woman named Daisy and her daughter Aaria.

They made their way to the arrival hall, looking for familiar faces. It didn't take them long to find some. Gemma instantly smiled at the girl but the metal rail waving at them excitedly.

#

"They're here, Lisa!" Cathy snapped enthusiastically.

Lisa half jogged over to the metal rail. Ana was in her arms. The three of them waved at the people they'd fought alongside two years ago.

#

It went how any get-together like this one goes. They hugged, they kissed. They greeted each other with smiles. Germaine complimented Cathy about her longer hair. Cathy playfully punched Clint in the stomach. "You don't look like a skinny nerd anymore."

Clint winced and grinned. "Thanks, grandma."

Marie put her arms around Cathy and held her for a long time before letting the girl greet the kids. Zack had grown a good head taller since the last she'd seen him. "You've certainly taken after your dad, huh?" She smiled at him before smiling playfully at Aaria. "Aren't you gonna introduce me to your girlfriend."

"She is not my girlfriend!" Zack blushed fiercely.

The girl giggled. "I'm Aaria and this is my mom, Daisy." She nudged the tall women ahead.

Daisy scoffed. "Look at you, acting all grown up and introducing your mum as if I'm the child."

Cathy laughed. "Still nice to meet you Daisy." She shook hands with the woman who hit her with a charming smile.

Then Lisa clapped her hands to get everyone's attention. "Okay, guys it's time for the surprise!" she called out. "We rented a van just for today. It's waiting outside. We gotta get going now."

"Surprise?" Zack and Erik looked up at Cathy in unison.

Cathy rolled her lips, as if withholding a secret. "You'll see it when you see it. Let's get going now."

#

And quite the surprise it turned out to be. The van drove them for about another hour before they came to what seemed to be a national park that was hosting some kind of event.

When Erik and Gemma saw it they almost couldn't believe it. The big banner at the entrance of the national park read in bright, glowing colors:

MOUDRIN CELEBRATES

THE WINGED PASSAGE FESTIVAL

"Is this..." Erik looked at Cathy. "Is this really...?"

Cathy smiled slyly. "The same bird event your great grandpa used to tell you about."

Before they could say anything, Lisa wheeled over an imitation straw basket the size of a suitcase. "Alright everyone, are you ready for the picnic?" she called out.

Zack gasped. He looked up at Cathy too. "A picnic?"

Cathy nodded. "I'd made you a promise, remember?" She crouched in front of him. "That we'll come together for something like this again."

#

They laid out the picnic under a tree by the lake in the national park. Lisa unpacked the basket and Brendan helped serve everyone. There were a dozen different things to choose from the menu. Three different kinds of sandwiches, apples, oranges and strawberries, cookies, crackers and stuffed mini-peppers and skewered chicken. There were juices for the kids and beer for the adults and Ana joined everyone with her bottle of milk.