The Secret Family

Little Colton with Red Hair

"Iris, you ready for today?"

"What is it now?" She sat up in bed, with dry drool at the corner of her mouth and matted hair.

"Come on, it's your birthday! You get to do anything, but within reason, of course."

She rubbed her eyes as she stated, "I would like for my birthday to go to sleep. The Amoris haunted me with nightmares last night. Your Expiration Date happened in 4 years. Is that why you keep it covered?"

"Darling, yes, that is why I keep it covered. I don't want people to throw me a pity party all because of my Expiration Date."

She laid back down, and I headed downstairs for breakfast, with a little rectangular box in my pants pocket, jingling a bit.
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"Head Amoris, Micah, will you let me live past my Mark? You let Jonas live past his, since I am the closest to his power rank out of my cousins."

"Beta, we would, but that would defy our way of life. We could possibly give you that, but for exchange of the girl's life."

I was in total shock.

"Micah, why? Does she really mean that much to you?"

"Yes, Beta. She means that much to us, she has defied us for too long."

"Well, as I remember, Jonas expired before Iris, so he's been expired for the longest, sir." I let the 'r' roll off my tongue slowly.

"True, but Beta..."

"But what! You said she must die because she had defied your Mark for too long, yet it turns out Jonas had been expired for way longer than Iris Levine. He must be the one to die, if you want the one who has been expired for the longest."

"Fine, Beta, but you owe us, you can live until you are seventy, then you'll die of natural causes, a heart attack. You can live past your Expiration Date. Good day, since we have other matters to attend to."

The Amoris left to go to a lower level in the basement of the estate, leaving me alone.

I had 39 more years to live and enjoy, with Iris.
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"Iris, my darling, I have two surprises for you!" I walked into our house, feeling extremely giddy.

"Me too, just give me a minute! Don't go into the kitchen!"

I sat down in the living room, waiting for my beloved Iris. Hopefully she would like my gift, a beautiful Ruby bracelet, to match her hair.

"Colton, close your eyes! Don't peek!"

I quickly closed my eyes, and when Iris told me to open them, I was in full awe.

"Colton, this is Achilles, and he's from the orphanage in the town I hid out in with Jonas that was where we drove his car off the cliff. The reason I adopted him was because you had four years left, so you could enjoy being a dad fit a while."

"Darling, about that, I talked to the 'people', and they gave me 39 more years. So your name is Achilles?"

"Yes sir," he then hid behind Iris, so shy.

"Hey, son, you can hug me if you want to, I'm proud we adopted you. We'll care for you."

"Really? Well, okay. I was always ignored back at my old orphanage. They made fun of my red hair and freckles. Don't I look just like mom?"

"Yes, you do," I then hugged him, and gave Iris the bracelet, which she immensely enjoyed.

"Oh, Colton, one more surprise. I'm pregnant!"

I hugged Iris and Achilles, enjoying the group hug, since the Society frowned upon officials, like me, to be involved with displays of affection.

"Darling, you'll be a great mother. Happy birthday!"
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"Okay, Colton, you hold Achilles, and I'll hold the twins. Now don't hurt mommy's belly."

We were taking the Mother's Day picture, and I was excited since Achilles, the twins Stephen and Emma, and the baby on the way were finally to sit down for a few minutes with the promise of ice cream.

"Alright! Let's go get ice cream. Umm, Iris, you want to get Achilles buckled in while I deal with the twins. It'll be easier on you."

"Okay," Iris was then humming an old folk song from the Dark Ages, which was beautiful.

"So, who wants what, starting with you, Ace, then Stephen, and finally Emma."

"Chocolate!"

"Rocky Road!"

"Green and brown stuff!"

"Oh, and I'll get a vanilla waffle cone."

"Me too."
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We stopped at a creek on the way back home, and decided to stop at it, to enjoy Mother's Day.

"Iris, why are you so worried?"

"Colton, I'm worried for Emma, something bad is about to happen."

"And why is that?"

"Jonas and the Amoris have been threatening me, in real life and my dreams."

Dear God, they promised.

"Hey, I'll talk to them, you'll be safe and also the kids. I promise."

"Okay."

We finally headed back, and everyone took a nap, except for me.

I was too stressed out.

I decided to call up Jonas.

"Jonas Blackwood! Why have you've been threatening my precious Iris and daughter!"

"They belong to me, not you. You stole her away from me. I need a wife, because I need a heir. She must be my wife."

"Or you could go out and find someone."

"As if! That'd be too lowly!"

"Well, Iris was what you consider 'too lowly', but look at her now, you scumbag!"

"Fine, Beta, but once your gone in four years, she's mine."
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We were at the private hospital, since Iris had just given birth. She was holding our second daughter, Ariel Love.

"Awww, she's precious. She'll be the good one, I think."

"Oh, Colton, when will you realize I'm going to raise her to be the good rebellious."

"The good rebellious?"

"Yeah, like how I'm the good rebellious. I saved the part of Society that was clean. I'm sorry, but Erik was the bad kind of rebellious."

"Well, I'm in agreement she'll be the good rebellious then, it'll suit her, just like you."