The Sadian Chronicles: Book 2: From Mercury To Venus

And Baby Makes Four: Part 3

Marianna panicked at her baby's screams. She tried keeping her eye on the rocky, twisted road while trying to soothe the baby's cries. She didn't realize the trauma that it could cause a newborn.

Her heart ached at the pain he was going through, but the tragedy soon ended when she spotted the cabin. As she drove up, she saw Carla sitting on the porch. When she looked up to see Marianna at the wheel of the truck, she sprinted towards her.

"Marianna," she shouted and came towards the truck. "Where have you been?"

"Not now, Carla," she said trying to ignore Carla and concentrate on her crying baby. "I've had a rough day."

"Don't give me that," Carla said sharply. "I want to know..." Just then Carla noticed the tiny infant sitting in the worn car seat. "When did this happen?"

"It's too long a story to go into right now," Marianna said tried to quiet the baby. "Reese just decided to make an early entrance."

"Reese? Peculiar name," she said and gave her funny look. "Anyway, we should take him to the hospital. If he's premature..."

"He's fine, Carla," Marianna said and exited the truck with Reese in hand. Carla put an arm around her as they walked without conversation back to the house.

Once inside Carla's questions came out like spitfire, while Marianna ignored her, caring more about her son.

"Marianna, we need to talk," Carla said trying to get Marianna's attention.

"After lunch, please," Marianna said and took the baby into the kitchen. "Do we have any salad?"

"Mary, stop for a moment and talk to me," Carla screamed and followed her.

"Carla, I'm a little busy right now," Marianna said as she placed the car seat on the table. "Can we talk about this later?"

"No," Carla said and slammed her hand down on the counter. The noise was enough to startle little Reese, and he let out a wail. Marianna did her best to calm him down. "I want to know where you've been the last two days."

She reached for her salad but dropped it on the floor, while holding onto Reese with the other hand. "It's better that you don't know."

Carla came over to help her clean up the mess. Their shouting match upset Reese so much that he wouldn't stop crying. Marianna sat with him at the table and attempted to calm him.

"Is he alright?" Carla asked in concern. "Mary, I don't want to be hard on you, but I just worry because..."

"Because of Brown and his stooge Marcus," she said finishing her sentence.

"What if they hurt Reese or you?" Carla asked and that was a real possibility.

"It wasn't them," Marianna said, leaving the kitchen in favor of the bedroom. She put Reese in the crib that rested in the left corner of the room.

Carla was unrelenting in her interrogation. "Mary, please, level with me."

"Fine," Marianna said as the baby drifted into sleep. She walked, followed by Carla, out of the bedroom and back into the living room. Carla sat down in her favorite chair, while Marianna remained standing. She paced slowly back and forth.

"I was making my weekly trip into town when this man approached me," she said and Carla's face went pale. "He was desperate, and these men were chasing him. So I had to help him escape."

"Are you telling me that some strange man approached you, and you...?"

"Carla, calm down, because it's not what you think," she said trying to explain. "He was in trouble, and I had to help him. He's like me, Carla. Those people were going to kill him. I couldn't allow that."

"So what did you do?" Carla asked scolding her.

"I got him out of there as quickly as I could. He said he had a sister in the next town, so I took him there, but there was a surprise waiting for us, some government types. Carla, someone's trying to wipe us out."

"How do you know that?" Carla asked looking as if she didn't believe it. "You're sounding paranoid, Mary, and I can't go through that with you again."

"I'm not crazy, and they were there in Ellie Brewster's farmhouse," she said trying to convince her. "They tried to kill us all, but I..."

"No," Carla said shaking her head. "Tell me you didn't. You promised me."

"I didn't have a choice," Marianna said and thought back to day before and what she was forced to do. "I already have too much blood on my hands. Ellie and Ed are two very fine people and if it came down to their lives and me being guiltless, well, I guess you already know my choice."

"So you killed to save them?" Carla asked and Marianna turned away from her.

She then looked back after a moment's hesitation. "Yes," she said without guilt. "I guess the stress of the incident sent me into labor."

"Is there anything else?" Carla asked having her arms folded across her chest.

"No," she said and looked towards the bedroom. "I just came home."

"Mary, don't ever do that again," Carla said and rose to her feet and embraced her.

"Do what?" Ty asked as he came through the front door. "Mary?" he shouted and came towards her.

"Not so loud," Carla scolded him while putting her finger to her mouth. "You'll wake the baby."

"Baby?" Ty question, and then looked over at Marianna with a big grin on his face. "You mean Mary..."

"Yes, Ty," Marianna said looking like a proud mother, "and he's perfect."

"Well," Ty said and smiled while he embraced her. "I guess baby makes four."