Powers

Chapter 22: Reunion

In the morning we were told we had the day off. Gail appreciated it, as she began to play around. She whispered to herself in the flowers. Mark and I just sat on the bed watching her.
"Is she alright? I mean, last night. You two stayed as Amaya the entire evening" I whispered to Mark. I watched as Gail bounded over some of the flowers.
"Yeah she's alright. I was the one who kept us as Amaya last night. I was using her to block out everything from Gail. I had complete control over Amaya, which is why she was holding onto you. But Amaya has a mind of her own as well. Even with me covering Gail's senses within her, Amaya kinda just did what she wanted. She really likes you, Jack. She feels the need to mother you" Mark explained. It made me feel better about Amaya's actions last night.
"She does, huh?" I kinda suspected with how she held me so protectively.
"Yeah. She was trying to put a veil over your eyes as well so you didn't have to deal with all that stuff" Mark shrugged.
"But then you would have" I sighed.
"Yeah I would've known everything, but I'm glad you didn't let her form with you." Mark nudged me. I cracked a small smile. I looked over at Mark, who took my face in his hands and placed a generous kiss on my lips. I then proceeded to hug Mark. But a knock on the door interrupted the peace.
"Chief, your first guests have begun to arrive" a voice carried.
"What? I thought it was the day after tomorrow? As in Friday?" I jumped up.
"It had been moved Sir, an event has come up, making it that the others must leave. Both the marriage and the coronation will be set tomorrow" my heart fell into my stomach. My head began spinning.
"Hey calm down" Mark caught my shoulders.
"I-I just... everything was already so rushed... and now..now even more so" I managed to spit out. I didn't want things to go so fast. It was too fast.
"Jack, breathe, we have to get through this, then I promise you peace the rest of your life. For now, we have to go get our fancy outfits on to greet our guests" Mark pulled me along with him. Gail followed not far behind us. She caught my hand, holding it tightly in hers.
"It's alright, Jack. I'm here" she smiled. She floated to my height, where she then placed a flower behind my ear. Her movements kind of calmed me. Or the spinning at least. My heart threatening to jump out of my chest was still a bit of a distraction. The three of us then made it to the tailor, who rushed us in. She mumbled things under her breath like 'always late' or 'no respect for my job' I frowned as I heard her say the last bit as she sewed a sleeve onto my jacket. She had the levitation powers, making the needles and fabrics fly at will. They worked fast, sewing the clothing together in such a quick, neat form. My jacket was a deep forest green while Mark's was navy blue. Gail's small dress was a rich brown. It would make for quite the family photo.
"Go. The three of you" the tailor nearly shoved us out of the room. We were in there for what, maybe twenty minutes. She had gotten good at her job. I admired my suit, which had a charming tail. There was black trim outlining the edges of the jacket. A white shirt beneath had a black bow tie around my neck. Skinny pants gave the entire set up a look of modernity. Mark was in the same outfit as mine. As we went down the elevator, Mark took my arm in his, ready to escort me.
At ground level, we were escorted to the entrance. The other Chiefs had already arrived. Their headdresses each flaring above their heads. Which made me nervous, as I didn't have mine. Mark, Gail and I were then placed near the door, way in front of the others. The doors swung open then, having people I have never even seen enter. Upon entrance, they kissed our hands, bowed, congratulated us, and continued onto the others. I had one last older man kiss my hand just as I spotted mom. I excused myself and ran out of the building to greet her.
"Mom!" I shouted. A wide smile spread on my face. I hadn't seen her in months. I had gone through so much with out her.
"Jack! Oh my darling" she opened her arms just as I bounded into them. I wrapped my arms around her back, swinging the two of us back and forth.
"I missed you mom" I sighed. Her hand was on the back of my head, gently rubbing it.
"I know you did" she kissed the top of my head. "Now, stand and let me take a look at you!" She joked. I did as she asked, standing in front of her, tall and proud.
"How's it looking?" I smiled.
"A bit skinny, but still my boy" she playfully hit me in the stomach. I chuckled.
"That's good" I snickered.
"And what's this?" She bellowed. I turned to see Mark now outside as well with Gail set on his hip.
"Mom, that's Gail, our adopted daughter" I introduced her. She then floated behind Mark, too shy to say hi.
"Well she took a page right out of her father's book. Shy as can be. It's alright darling, I'm only your grandmother" mom quieted her tone.
"Gail, it's alright. You'll be seeing much more of your grandmother so you might as well get used to her" I waved her forward. Gail reluctantly floated forward towards my mom. Mark joined me by my side, grabbing onto my waist. Gail shyly approached my mom, touching her cheeks.
"Grandma" she spoke quietly.
"Yes, I am" my mom smiled at her.
"Oh..my...god" I heard Mark then gasp beside me.
"What? What is it?" I turned to look where he was looking. From the convoy of arriving guests, I saw a woman that looked strikingly similar to Mark. He had her eyes. Her hair, however was brown, telling me he had not gotten his powers from her.
Beside me I felt Mark drop to his knees. His mom saw him. Even if she had not seen him since he was five, she instantly recognized him. She rushed over to him.
"Oh my boy" she kneeled down in front of him, lifting his drooping head. I decided to back off from the long overdue reunion. My mom caught my wrist as I backed off.
"No use running off, he's going to need you after this one" she whispered to me.
I watched as Mark's mom took him into her arms. Then he sobbed. I could see his shoulders shaking. Tears were streaming out of her eyes. Again, a reunion long overdue. Mark was never usually a cryer, but this time, he sobbed like a child. And his mom was there supporting him.
A few times I even caught myself with a wet face.
"Oh my dear, things are finally falling into place for you" my mom nudged me. I grinned at her.
"Yeah, they really are, for once" I admitted.
"Why don't we get Mark, and have him lead his mother to her room for some privacy" she pushed me forward. I didn't want to break up such a beautiful thing, but I guess I had to. I knelt down beside Mark and softly tapped his shoulder.
"Mark, I think we should bring your mom to her room, don't you think?" I asked. He lifted his head to look at me. His face was red and blotchy now. His eyes puffy from the tears.
"Uh, yeah" his voice struggled not to crack. I helped him to his feet. I took my mothers arm in mine and led her inside with Mark doing the same with his mom. Gail gladly flew between us all.
Inside we were shot looks by Aeon and Ignacia, who I politely gave the middle finger as we walked by. My mom whacked me in the stomach.
"Be polite, it reflects badly on me" she told me off.
"Sorry mom" I apologized as I rubbed my stomach.
Mark and I then secured our mothers with the best rooms possible along with free access to any service they wished to have. This place really was converted to a five star resort. The rooms were on the top level, with a grand view of the forest around.
"Jack, you wouldn't mind if I spent the evening with my mom?" Mark asked just as we reached the doors.
"No, go ahead" I shook my head. He smiled.
"Thank you" he then went into the room with his mom.
I proceeded to talk with my own mom until ten, when Gail officially passed out beside me.
"Well I think that's a pretty good signal for me to go" I plucked Gail from the seat beside me.
"Alright then. I'll see you tomorrow at the ceremony" she waved me goodbye as I left the room. I quietly made my way down the halls and elevators back to Mark and I's room. It was still dark when I entered it. I flicked on the lights, growing a small cot for Gail in the corner. I gently placed her on it. I didn't bother hanging the suit I decided to plop onto the floor. I clicked off the lights and went to bed by myself.
In the morning I woke to a still empty bed. Mark hadn't come back last night. I decided that going to breakfast this morning would be a laid back kinda thing. I woke Gail and took a robe from the bathroom. Both her and I walked towards the breakfast with our eyes still half closed. She didn't even have the energy to float, she just waddled beside me with her hand locked on mine.
The breakfast room was already packed with guests. I saw a few I recognized, including Felix and Marzia. Phoenix was sitting beside a nearly asleep Ethan. Mark was nowhere to be seen. I then went on to help Gail with her food. I gave her toast with yoghurt and fruit. She didn't complain about the basic meal, but proudly carried it to a table she chose. I myself took a large cup of coffee with a muffin, bagel, and an egg. I started sipping the coffee, waiting for the caffeine to kick in. As I groggily looked around the room, I noticed Mark's mother who had just entered. I stood to invite her to my table. She smiled and accepted my invitation. She didn't go eat right away, instead she sat beside me as I munched away at my food.
"Is Mark alright?" I asked her.
"He's asleep. He stayed up quite late last night so I gave him extra sleep" she nodded.
"You wouldn't mind if I went to get him?" I asked her. I had waved down my own mom to come sit with her.
"Not at all, I was just about to go eat" she told me.
"Okay, could you look after Gail for me?"
"Of course. Mark told me all about her already" she smiled at Gail.
"Gail you have to stay with your grandma for now, okay? I'm going to go get Mark" I told Gail as I packed up my half eaten food. Gail nodded, her yoghurt spread across her cheeks. I kissed the top of her head before I headed off to find Mark. As I threw my garbage away, I was stopped by a server.
"I have a message to tell you that you are to go prepare. You must be dressed" he told me. I was barely listening to him. I was so stressed by now, as the caffeine had kicked in and I had become fully aware of what day it was.
"Yes alright" I brushed him off, running to catch the elevator. I clicked the top floor, anxiously waiting for it to go up. My anxiety took advantage of my powers, creating thorns around my feet. Cacti with dangerous looking spines. I had so much to sort out. So much to do still before I would be brought to wherever to live out the rest of my days.
The elevator door opening even spooked me. I ducked my head down and quickly walked over to the room. I knocked on the door quickly. No answer. He must still be asleep.
"Mark. Open up" I continued to bang on the door. When he still didn't answer, I let myself in. He was still asleep on the bed. I felt so frustrated with him. He was just sleeping there while I felt like I had just made a life ending decision. I picked up a pillow and flung it at his face.
"Wake up!" I shouted. It wasn't anger, but panic and fear that controlled the tones of my voice. I began pacing. I heard Mark grunt. "Get up! We have so much to do today! We have to get dressed! We have to practice that dance again! I-I have to go get Gail from the breakfast room... I-I have to go talk to people!" I cried out to him. He was on his feet.
"Hey, hey. Stop and look at me, Jack" he commanded. I stopped my pacing to look at him. "Take a breather, things are going to sail smoothly today, don't worry. Breathe in and out" he raised his hands up and down, allowing me to inhale and exhale with the movements. It still didn't calm my frantic brain.
"It's not helping. Not one bit" I shook my head.
"Alright, then we'll get going" Mark grabbed my shoulders. He pulled me beside him, rushing us out of the room.
"I just need space, I need to finish things" I shoved him off of me.
"What are they Jack? It doesn't help you when I can see you want my help, but you're not letting me for some reason. I know you're stressed, and I understand it, I am too"
"Then why aren't you freaking out? Huh? Am I just the stupid over emotional one?" I flung my arms up in the air.
"Jack, you think I'm not emotional over this? You think those tears streaming down my face yesterday were fake? You think I'm not scared of what's about to happen today? For christ's sake, Jack, half a year ago we were just two boys stuck on an island, living in a mud hut and thinking our world was grand! We had no idea any of this was going to happen! Not the war, not your power, none of it! Out of all our concerns, having to be a Chief had never been one of ours until now. It came fast and it was shoved in our faces, so yes, I am damn scared, but I'm shoving it away because I know how expressive you are of your emotions and I have to take care of you because I love you. So please, please just chill for one moment here, and we can do whatever you need to do together" Mark huffed. I was breathing just as heavy as he was, but now I got hold of my anxiety.
"Okay" I nodded in defeat