Life - Message From The Past

22-Living Life

Chastity looked at Gwen. "You were saying, Mom?" Then gave a sarcastic laugh.

Austin stood proudly by his masterpiece with the short sculpting branch. "It's...it's where we live." He shrugged not knowing how his family would respond. Using the stick he pointed to an area of the spirals. "We are right in this area. It's called the Orion Arm." He looked to Gwen. "Our sun right here!"

Gwen beamed with joy for her son. "Really? Tell us more, Austin!"

Grabbing a long stick he pointed to the center of his sculpture. "Right here..." In an excited voice he continued. "They say there are two massive black holes." Austin moved his hands in an animated circular motion describing how the galaxy spins. "They say that there's something called density waves...that's what causing the spinning motion!"

Gwen seemed surprised. "Black holes? We're doomed!" She ran towards her only son. "Are you gonna save us?"

"Mommmm!" Austin rolled his eyes.

"Told you, Mom. Total geek!" Chastity teased her brother before using her foot to destroy Orion's Arm of the galaxy. "Oops, Wonder Woman just destroyed the outer rim." She made eye contact with Austin before running towards the lake in a bid for safety.

Austin took off after his sister with vengeance in his eyes. "Chasttttt!"

"What do you think Harmony?" Gwen pulled her daughter close.

The daughter answered honestly. "Austin is lonely, Mom." Harmony pointed to the sky. "He would rather be up there than here with us."

Gwen looked to the sky before acknowledging her youngest. "You may be right, Harm. How did you become so smart, hey?"

Harmony ignored the question by her mother and asked one she felt much more important. "Will we ever see Mr. Fartham again?" She looked up at at Gwen.

"I wish I knew, Harm. It's been a long time since we seen him, hasn't it?" Gwen ran her fingers through her daughter's hair.

"Why did he go away?" Harmony wanted to know.

"I guess he felt he needed to go." The mother shrugged not knowing the real reason.

"I miss him." Harmony surprised Gwen.

"You miss him? Why do you miss Mr. Fartham?" She asked her youngest daughter.

"He seemed really nice and I...I love Charlie!" Harmony looked down the beach, recognized Jeremy's dog. "Charlie?" The youngest child became so excited that she ran to meet the dog calling her name. "Charlie! Charlie! Here Charlie!" She danced waiting for the border collie to reach her. The happiness could be heard with her little squeals.

"Wait a minute, Harmony!" Gwen could not hold her daughter back.

Dr. Corber found it difficult to hold Charlie back as the dog took off for the child. Madeline began to run but it was of no use as she could only watch Harmony and Charlie come together.

"Oh Charlie! I missed you so much!" Harmony shrieked with joy as the dog licked her face without mercy. "Charlie!"

The dog settled down and sat in the sand beside the young girl awaiting Madeline and Gwen.

"Harmony, are you okay?" Gwen knelt beside her daughter.

Harmony laughed as she sat up in the sand. "Mommmmm! It's Charlie!"

"I know it's Charlie, Baby." Gwen could only laugh seeing Harmony covered with slobber and dog hair matted against her cheeks. "How'ya doing, Charlie?"

The border collie yelped happily and began to run to the lake and circle back trying to entice the young girl to the water. Harmony took the bait and Charlie bounced into the surf to cool off.

Gwen turned her smile to Madeline. "Maddie!"

"Hi, Gwen!" The two hugged. "You are looking great! How are you feeling?" The doctor gave the mother of three a quick look.

"Great! I feel great!" Gwen's smile left no doubt she felt as good as she claimed. But her smile turned to a look of inquiry. "Jeremy?"

Madeline could only shrug. "I haven't heard from Pete in a long time, Gwen."

"Jeremy's cell?" Gwen reached for anything positive.

"Nothing from his cellphone." Madeline and Gwen walked shoulder to shoulder towards the water. "I really don't know what to say."

"He's fine." She looked to the horizon. "Yeah, he's good." Gwen spoke to reassure herself.

Madeline smiled adding a shrug. "No new is good news, I guess."

"How did you find us here? In the middle of nowhere?" Gwen frowned. "Didn't you get lost the last time you drove this way?"

Madeline laughed and nodded in agreement. "I did! Guilty as charged. But I had Bobby give me precise directions before I set out today."

"Sold out by my own brother!" The two women laughed.

"I guess he still worries about you." Madeline felt bad about giving up her source.

"He will always think of me as his little sister." Gwen kicked at the wave coming towards her. "Could be worse, really."

"Bobby told me he knew Jeremy growing up." Madeline looked at Gwen. "He never had much luck at relationships even back to junior high."

"I honestly wasn't into Jeremy. Bad eh?" Gwen winced.

"From what I gather he felt invisible." Madeline thought for a moment. "Could be the reason he avoided you all these years."

"So now it's my fault?"

Madeline laughed. "Are you kidding? All his fault, but it explains why he was not interested in the popular girl."

"I was never that popular!" Gwen laughed. "Well, I had friends."

"I am just saying you two experienced life differently. Not good or bad. It's just the way it went." Madeline smiled. "What's important is the future."

"If he doesn't show up, call or send a carrier pidgeon pretty soon there will be no future, Maddie." Gwen shook her head.

Madeline did not want to look Gwen in the eyes. Not this time. It has been weeks since Pete has checked in, leaving doubt in even the most positive minds.

In The Desert

Pete's cell phone had been dead for most of the three weeks in the desert. He had been weighing his options of heading back to the city to contact the Thompson twins and Madeline. But he never felt comfortable or ready to leave his best friend alone.

The tug of war for Pete proved very stressful and left him with a difficult decision. He entered the shack for the hundredth time this day only to have Emelina shush him away from Jeremy. This time she guided the friend outside.

"He needs more time." The elderly woman patted Pete on his shoulder. "Go, do something. You have done nothing but worry for your friend."

Pete shook his head. "I can not leave Jeremy. "He..." The friend did not want to say he may die.

"Here is a list for my son, Miguel." Emelina smiled. "He will gather what I need."

"Do not look that way." Emelina frowned. "He will continue to get better."

"Better?" Pete disagreed. "He hasn't said a word in weeks!"

"He is healing. His body needs all the energy to heal ~ not to talk to you." The elderly woman turned Pete towards the truck. "He will be fine." Emelina handed him a list for her son. "Go, and be back before dark."

Pete reluctantly got into Miguel's truck, started the engine, and took a long look back at the shack. "Sorry Boss, I need to charge my phone. What do I tell Madeline?" He pulled away from the shack and drove down the dusty trail that led to the highway.