First People: La 'lor Ae

Time Heals

Sybil, dressed in a yellow waitress uniform with her white apron and white non skid shoes, smiles at the customers sitting in a booth near the front of the cafe. She had adjusted quite well I'm Tumwater. Two years had passed, and she was the happiest she had ever been.

David and Liam are sitting in their favorite booth in the back of the Copper Kettle, David always loved watching his wife work. Sybil's eyes follow his stare across the restaurant to Sam. Her uniform is a copy of the one she wears. But Sam has the manager name tag and refuses to wear the frilly apron.

David was always saying he wished desperately that she would take him up on staying home now that she was several months along in her pregnancy with the twins. She was stubborn though, determined and strong. It was one of the reasons he loved her.

Sam takes the rest of her customers breakfast orders quickly and turns to head over to her husband and youngest child. Walking up to the table with a sorrowful look on her lovely face.

"Mama, it's ok." Liam's voice breaks Sybil from her day dream, and she comes up behind Sam putting a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Hey Sibbie!" His blonde locks bounce as he enthusiastically nods at her. "It's my first day of school. Can you believe I'm in 3rd grade?! He says third graders have the best classrooms at Tumwater Elementary." He nods again as if he's been told this in reassurance several times. Sybil snickers, smiling at the cherubic boy.

"You're sure? I want to take you." Sam says, tears already welling up in her sad blue eyes. David smiles and looks back up at her with the sweetest expression.

"He is a big boy now." David says gruffly, gripping Liam's shoulder with a manly shake and a clench of his jaw. Liam rolls his eyes but nods in agreement anyway.

"Yes, but all the kids in my grade ride the bus." He says flatly. "I'm eight now momma, not a baby." He grimaces.

"When did you grow up so fast?" Sybil and David both watch Sam's face carefully, she really struggled with letting the boy go in any way last year and had a breakdown on his first day in 2nd grade. after what happened with Eli two years ago she had gone through serious therapy. It was understandable, after what she had nearly lost.

David smiles up at her and winks, giving her a subtle signal that he is still going to follow the bus in the ranger truck to the school. Sybil suppresses a smirk at the tender moment between them. He would do anything for Sam. Their love was beautiful.

Sam's lips twitch as she fights a giggle. Her lashes still wet with tears. Liam hugs his mother tightly as he stands from the booth.

"I'll be ok, and I'll come home." He recites, taking his last bite of toast. He had said those exact words to her every time that they parted ways after the event on Rainer.

Liam was a shining star, a wonderful empathetic little boy. He had a silent promise in his eyes every single time he said those words to his mother. David audibly swallowed, feeling the emotional connection they share. He'd become very sensitive since Sam had told him of their babies. Liam rubs a hand over his mother's round belly and leans down to kiss her.

"See you baby brothers." He speaks soflty, warming all of their hearts to the point of pain. This was everything she needed in his life, they were the two most perfect parents on the planet and she would die for them and Liam... and Eli. Eli more than anyone in this world. Sam's boys had become David's sons. In their wedding he had pledged to be the best father to her boys that he could be. Had taken each one by the hand and promised not only to love their mother but them as well. He had, fiercely. The next two would be the luckiest boys to ever be born.

Sybil smiled.

"Pinky promise me." Sam says sternly, causing Liam to laugh. They lock pinkies and Sam nods once. Her face a serious mask again.

"I'll come here to the diner after school Mama." Liam says and with that he is sprinting for the door. The bus already pulling up outside to meet him. Sybil reaches out and grips Sam's fingers in hers tightly. She had been her caretaker, her teacher and her friend for these last two years.

"Ok. Bye." Sam's voice is so pained, and she hated to hear her sound so sad.

"He will have the best day." Sybil says in reassurance and Sam pats her hand tenderly.

David stands from the booth and wraps his wife in a hug. She sighs and laughs blaming this as another one of her hormonal reactions.

"Will I ever be ok again?" She asks him in a soft voice. It nearly breaks Sybil's heart.

"You are OK now Sam, you are the strongest person I've ever met." His hand roves over her stomach, and he presses his lips to her temple. "I love you. Gotta go follow our boy." He says and leaves her standing there with a genuine smile lifting the corners of her mouth. The woman turns to look at Sybil and she knows the gaze so well now that she smiles brightly. She looks at her as the girl who saved her oldest boy and was now like family to her. Reverence in her eyes.

Sam turns again watches Liam settle into his seat on the bus through the window. She is concerned, but visibly shakes it off. She rolls her shoulders back and lays a hand over her belly, pulling her cell from her pocket to look at the screen sadly. A picture of Eli is the background, and she sucks in air through her teeth. The sting of his loss burning through her once again.

"He will be back for winter break." Sybil says gently.

"I know. But my first baby is away at college and now Liam is going to be gone during the weekdays again and I just can't believe it." She sighs. Time moves so quickly.

"I used to think it so incredibly slow." Sybil says dejectedly. "You will have your hands full soon enough." Sybil says, pointing at her swollen abdomen.

"Yes. And so will you.." You've got to help me, I'll be greatly outnumbered now. Besides the boys need to know their godmother. Don't ya think?" Her large blue eyes light up with meaning.

"God mother?" Sybil asks, her attention going to Sam's face with excitement.

"Mmhmm, me and Dav talked it over last night. It could never be anyone else Syb." She hugs her fiercely and Sybil cackles from beneath her arms, startling her. "What?!" She laughs nervously back at the ethereal woman. "What is so funny about that?"

"Faerie... god... mother." Sybil enunciates each word and then bursts into laughter again. Sam snorts and doubles over. They had watched hundreds of movies over the years together, Sam calling it "people homework." The way her people were portrayed in most of those movies had made her roar with laughter time and time again.

"Shut up!" Sam slaps her on the back playfully. "Shut up."