THE CITY

CHAPTER FIVE

They returned home with six days left to spare. They had managed manage to decipher most of the riddle but for one part. The city the birth of life. They had thought about it every day and every night since their return but no one was making any progress. Michael was constantly checking up on his siblings too see if any of them had succeeded. But he would get the same response each time and that upset him. Time was not his best ally. He didn’t know what he would do if he lost the fortune. He felt so powerless and there was nothing he could do.

Ruth was glad their father had done what he did. She felt closer to her father than she had before. She now understood how the past unites us with the future.

Veronica wouldn’t stop thinking about their little adventure. She was sad that it was now almost over. She had bonded with her brothers and sister something they hadn’t been doing. Their father’s death and his quest of the city had brought them close once again and she thanked him for that. Unlike Michael she didn’t care that they weren’t able to figure out what the city meant. It was out of pure curiosity that she wanted to know what the city was and not because of fear of losing the family fortune.

Edward on the hand had been the happiest since coming back. He was constantly on his phone talking to his new muse Aanya. He almost was even starting to forget about finishing the last part of the riddle. He had always preferred a simple life and in the event that they failed to figure out what the city meant he was totally okay with living on the five million dollars sitting pretty in his account. Michael was the business one. His father’s quest had led him to Aanya and he thanked him for that.

It was during this moment of happiness with only a day left to go that a thought crossed his mind. “What if the city was just a woman dad had met like I met my Aanya.” He said to himself jokingly and laughed. For some reason he couldn’t shake the thought out of his mind. He walked over to where he kept some of his childhood stuff then he saw it. He went to where his phone was and told his brother and sisters to meet him at Mr. Thomas’ house in the next thirty minutes.

When he got there he found them sited waiting impatiently for him to arrive. For the first time in his life he felt important.

“It’s about time.” Ruth said when he walked in.

“I figured it out. I know what the city the birth of life is. It all fits 6E has been our guiding star.” He said in an excited voice.

“Edward explain it to us we don’t understand.” Veronica said, the curiosity that was going through her was too much for her to contain.

“Alright here it is. ‘Walk in my ancient days to find the answers that you seek. The answer that you seek lies in the city, the birth of life.’ And ‘An empty soul I was before I entered the city that saved me. I was cold at heart and was drowning in deep sorrow but this city gave me life.’ Then we had 6E that meant many things but was the one guide we had throughout our whole journey all leading to this moment. We understood every part of the riddle but one part, the city. I don’t know why it took us so long to see. The city the birth of life was our mother.”

“I still don’t understand.” Veronica cut in.

“The city that saved him was not just any woman it was our mother. I was cold at heart and drowning in deep sorrow but this city gave me life he says in the riddle. Dad met mom at the orphanage. Ruth what was our mother’s name?”

“Florence.” She said and kept quiet then it hit her and she couldn’t stop laughing.

“Of course the city of Florence in Italy it fits like a glove.” She said and with a so big you would have thought she was still laughing.
It was at this moment that it dawned on the rest of them and they all started laughing.

“The city the birth of life. This should have told us at once that it could only have been mother. She gave birth to us she gave us life. She’s the city the birth of life. And you won’t believe this. ‘F’ the first letter from mothers name is the sixth letter of the alphabet and her name ends in ‘E’ the 6E that has been guiding us to this moment is our mother.” Edward continued.

“Wow!” Michael finally said and smiled.

Mr. Thomas who had been quiet until this moment finally spoke. “I was starting to get worried. I thought you would never get it. Great work guys your father would be proud. This is out of my hands now, who you name as the protector of the family fortune is entirely up to you.”

“It’s only fair that Michael runs the family businesses he was the one who always worked with father when he was alive.” Ruth said.
They all agreed and waited for Mr. Thomas to say something.

“Very well then, tomorrow you can go to his lawyers’ office and sign the papers.

Veronica stay behind I would like a word with you.”

The rest walked out with smiles on their faces. Veronica stayed behind and waited to hear what Mr. Thomas had to say.

“Here! Your father said to give you this if you ever got to this moment. He gave it to me the night he died. He said you would understand. You were always his favorite I never understood why.” Mr. Thomas said to her and smiled. He handed her the heart shaped pendant.

“I know now why I was his favorite.” she said and smiled. She received the pendant and opened it to see what was inside.

Inside was a note saying.

“Behind that which is her is the venom that killed me.”

“Mr. Thomas I don’t understand. What is this another riddle?” she said when she read the note.

“He said you would understand. Oh and don’t take too long. That will be all Veronica.” Mr. Thomas said to her.

She walked out thinking about what the riddle meant.

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