The Gathering (57 page)

“Stupid kid.
 
He has no idea what he’s in for.
 
Oh well, not my problem, I just deliver the goods.”

She rolled over and went back to sleep.
 
Darla shook her head and lay back down.
 
She soon heard Rona’s breathing slow and deepen and decided then that things would go differently from what Rona had planned.
 
Darla rolled over and soon fell back asleep.

77

Alia had woken Sean as the sun had started to come up, then she walked him back downstairs and to the kitchen door.
 
He kissed her and smiled.

"This is a great day."

"It just started."

"Yeah, but it's the first day of the rest of our lives…together."

"Aren't you the romantic?
 
Go on... get out of here.
 
Come back after you've changed."

He laughed and kissed her one last time then he turned and walked out the door.
 
Alia smiled and started to walk back to the front stairs when she heard a noise on the back staircase.
 
She stopped and walked softly towards the back of the castle.
 
Just as she was about to walk out, she saw Coeli and Sam kissing good-bye.
 
Alia stepped back in the shadows.

"Are you sure you're ok?"

Coeli smiled and whispered back to him.

"I'm great.
 
Really."

Sam smiled at her.

"Yeah, you are that."

Coeli blushed and Sam kissed her again.
 
Alia watched and felt that twinge again.
 
Her baby was no longer a baby.
 
Sam finally walked out the door and Alia stepped out from the shadows.

"Coeli Eleanor Stark."

Coeli spun around, her eyes as big as saucers.

"Mommy?!"

"Mommy, huh?
 
And what was all that about, Young Lady?"

Coeli stammered and looked at the door and then back at Alia as she pointed to the door and the stairs.

"I… I… we… but we…"

"Uh huh."

Alia smiled and walked up to her daughter.
 
She raised her hand and Coeli watched it slowly come to her face.
 
Alia gently took Coeli's chin in her hand and smiled at her.

"Was it any good?"

Coeli sighed and smiled.

"You're not mad?"

Alia shook her head.

"No, you’re all growing up at your own pace and I can’t change that.
 
I just want you to be happy.
 
But you didn't answer my question."

Coeli blushed and smiled, nodding sheepishly.
 
Alia looked stunned.

"So you…"

Coeli again nodded.

"Yeah."

"Wow…good for you Sam."

Coeli giggled and embraced her mother, smelling her hair.
 
Then she looked into her mother's eyes and gasped.

Alia smiled and put a finger to her lips.
 
Coeli hopped around and clapped her hands.

"Sean?"

Alia nodded and Coeli threw her arms around her mother's neck.

"By the gods, it's about time."

"So you're ok with it?"

"Oh, Mom…daddy's been gone for three years.
 
It's time."

"C'mon, Kid, let's get some coffee."

They walked back into the kitchen as the castle began to stir.
 
Vivian entered, looking stunned.

"Your Majesty?
 
I think you should see this."

"What is it, Vivian?"

Vivian motioned for her to go outside.
 
When she did, she was surprised to see ravens perched all over the village.

"What is this?"

Alisha came running up to her, followed by Vance, grinning ear-to-ear.

"Can you believe this?
 
She's everywhere, Mom…everywhere."

Alia saw Sean walking towards her, wearing different clothes, and she felt herself blush as he winked at her.
 
Mona Gantry walked over to them in a panic.

"Alia!
 
I'm sorely concerned as ravens are a sign of the devil…what are we…"

Alia shook her head.

"Mona…Mona…the only reason the raven was ever associated with the devil was because the Romans, at that point Christians, did not like the power the pagans of Britain had and they associated everything pagan with the devil.
 
This is a good thing.
 
It means that the goddess is with us."

A raven landed on Alisha's shoulder and she stroked the bird.

"Totally good thing."

Mona smiled nervously as a bird landed next to her and squawked.
 
Elena Petrulengo skipped towards Alia.

"Oh, look at this.
 
It is wonderful!!"

Alia laughed as the pagans of the Fail began to celebrate.
 
They brought out strips of meat for the birds to eat.
 
Alia smiled as she watched.
 
Maybe Sean was right.
 
It was a great day.

78

Scott sat on the bench opposite Paul Stark's memorial.
 
He was staring at the intricate artwork that surrounded the pillar, his face resting squarely in his right hand, which was resting on his knee.
 
He appeared to be doing an impression of the Thinker.

Sam smiled as he walked up to his friend and sat down next to him.

"What're you doin', Bud?"

Scott continued to stare and shook his head.
 

"Trying to figure things out, Red."

Sam leaned forward and looked at the pillar.

"What things?"

Scott leaned back, resting both elbows on the back of the bench and sighed.

"When we left Pasadena to come to the Gathering, I thought things were gonna be way different then they're turning out.
 
I never really expected to be with Sara, ya know?
 
I thought we'd finally see one way or another if you had it in you to tell her how you felt and then you go all freaky and fall for Coeli, thus opening the door for Sara and me… and there was something that made me go for it.
 
I never told you that."

Sam smiled and nodded.

"Yeah?"

Scott shrugged and leaned forward.

"Yeah, something inside… not the imp, but something else.
 
It was like a voice."

"A voice?"

"Yeah, I don't know, I guess I'm trying to come to terms with staying here.
 
Now that we're together, I can't imagine leaving Sara, but at the same time, Pasadena's my home.
 
I don’t know."

Sam looked at the ground and nodded.
 
Then he started to smile.

"It's funny, ya know…usually I'm the one sitting there, trying to figure things out, never sure about my next move."

Scott smiled and looked at Sam.
 
In that moment, he noticed something different about his friend.
 
There was a certain calm about him.
 
Sam returned his gaze.

"Here's what I think, Bud…I think that Pasadena will always be our home, no matter what, but for me, my heart is here in the Fail.
 
I don't care where I am as long as Shay is with me.
 
I finally get it.
 
I finally get what that memorial means and I get what the Gathering is all about."

Scott stared at Sam, hanging on every word.

"No matter where we go and no matter what we do in our lives, our parents will love us and support us and we'll always be able to go home, but we have to choose our future, whatever that is.
 
My future is here with Coeli and I think your future is here, too…and I think you just needed someone to tell you what you already knew."

Scott laughed and nodded his head.

"Yeah, Red, you're right.
 
I guess maybe I was feeling a little guilty about leaving my mom and dad, I mean Henry isn't exactly the hardest worker, ya know?"

Sam smiled and looked at the pillar.

"He was a good guy."

Scott nodded.

"Yeah, I remember."

"I'm hungry."

Scott arched his eyebrows.

"The love of my life is coming and she's hungry."

Sam laughed and they stood up as Sara and Coeli came around a corner.
 
Sara wrapped her arms around Scott's waist.

"I heard that."

Scott leaned over and kissed Sara.
 
Sam hadn't heard anything as Coeli walked up to him and smiled, blushing slightly.

"Hey, Beautiful," Sam said.

She grinned and then Sam kissed her softly as Sara and Scott watched with confused looks on their faces as several seconds of kissing passed and Sam and Coeli were lost in each other.
 
Finally, Sara tapped Sam on the shoulder.

"I'm hungry."

"Sorry."

Coeli mumbled an apology and they set off towards the Dining Hall as Sara and Scott followed.
 
Sara furrowed her brow.

"Something's going on."

"Yeah, I thought that, too.
 
They seem different, don't they?"

Sara looked at him and nodded, but was distracted by a large raven on a tent.
 
It stared at her and she found herself staring back into its black, round eyes, until Scott tugged her towards him.
 
Then she heard a voice.

"Tell her to come to me, Child…tell her it is time."