Paige and the Quest for Truth: Book 2 in the series

19

Chapter 19

Maude hadn't moved, still slumped in the same defeated position. Well, she wasn't sure she should still refer to her as Maude, but this wasn't the time for her runaway thought train.

Paige placed her hand on top of her friend's. "Please tell me what's going on. The truth this time. I deserve that much, at least, don't I?"

Maude took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. "Of course you deserve the truth, Paige. I am just not sure where to start."

Paige looked up at her and managed to whisper. "The beginning would be good."

Maude proceeded to tell her the story, starting with the fight at the Atlantis Library. "You were so brave up there on those steps. I knew just by the determination in your eyes that we were going to win. I saw that Marcus was in danger, and I knew what I had to do. I had to give him a chance to delete the Erasers. I didn't think, I just reacted. I didn't want to leave you, Paige." Her voice shrank to a whisper with the last sentence.

That was a lot for Paige to process. She has suspected and accused Maude of being Billie, but now it was confirmed. She had to know why she had to know the rest of the story. Why had Billie come back now?

"Why...I mean...Why come back now Billie? You can time travel on this ship. Why wait so long to come back to me? Why lie to me?" The questions tumbled out of her, rapid-fire.

Maude, well, Billie, chuckled a bit. "Still feisty as ever, my dear. I am so glad you haven't lost your fire. What I told you at the beginning of our quest still holds true. Time travel could jeopardize our defeat of The Erasers. I could not risk that, as much as I wanted to.

Kyle was right, time works differently in the Eraser Zoo. It was almost a lifetime for me between pushing Marcus out of the line of fire, and the defeat of The Erasers. As soon as they were defeated, all the cages in The Zoo were unlocked, and we were free.

Unfortunately, by the time we were free, only two of us were left alive. You met Poppy. He and I stole a portal ship that had belonged to The Erasers and promptly escaped. I helped get Poppy set up at the market, and made my way to you Paige."

Billie then got up and went about making them some tea, giving Paige a chance to mull all of this over. She watched her move about the kitchen, now knowing who she really was. She still couldn't believe she hadn't seen it before. She would know Billie anywhere, elderly woman, or not. The domesticity of it nearly broke her. Everything she and Billie had missed out on. An entire lifetime of missed opportunities flashed through her mind.

Billie sat back down, passing her a cup of tea. "I am sorry Paige. I am truly sorry for everything we have missed out on. I missed you, I missed you so much. If there was any other way to get back to you, I would have figured it out.

I know I lied, but I am not sorry for that. I am old, and frankly not sure how much time I have left. I wanted to see you again. I selfishly wanted one last adventure with you, my love, even if you couldn't know who I really was. Part of me, also, wanted to help you to move on. I wanted to be sure you were cared for. Marcus and Thaddeus seem like wonderful surrogate parents."

Paige held her head in her hands. "But Billie, how am I supposed to do this? Obviously, I can't let you go, this whole mission proves that."

Billie placed her hand on Paige's shoulder and smiled at her sadly. "I'm sorry, my dear, but you do have to let me go. I have one more item on my top-secret to-do list. This is one that you can't help me with. I need to drop off you and Kyle and be on my way. It was so good to finally see you again after all these years. I never stopped loving you."

Paige just hung her head. The touch of Billie's hand on her shoulder, after all this time, threatened to break her. Billie was back, but she couldn't have her, not like this, never again. She didn't know how she was supposed to do this, but she did know where to go.