The Preservation Plan - Book 3 of 3

Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

"Are you sure about leaving?" Jessica asks Shadow. "After all, Pinia's always been your home."

"I don't want to leave, Jessie; I have to," he says sadly as they spend their final evening in Pinia sitting by a crackling fire.

"I'm actually going to miss this place, and of course the children," Jessica says, looking up at the stars.

"By the behavior of the children earlier today, it's obvious how much they're also going to miss you," Shadow says as he pulls Jessica close to him.

"I feel really comfortable about leaving Trevor in charge of the team. He's really developed into quite a leader. He certainly understands the children, and they've taken a real liking to him."

The next day, they travel back to the US, and a few days after that, after settling into Jessica's New York City condo, Jessica watches Shadow pulling on his coat, her head cocked to one side in uncertainty.

"Are you sure you don't want to call her first?" she asks.
"I'd much rather surprise her," Shadow answers with a smile. "Fine," Jessica says, throwing up her hands before reaching for her own coat. "Since the reservation is for seven, we should get moving." When they arrive at Luanda's apartment building, they hear shouting and pounding from the second-floor hallway as they're climbing the stairs. As they step into the hallway, they see a police officer pounding on the door of unit 215, the apartment across the hall from Luanda's unit.

"This is the police! Open the door!" the officer shouts.

"That's it," Shadow says in disgust as they walk toward Luanda's apartment. "I'm so glad we'll be getting her out of this hellhole." Ignoring the officer, he knocks on his mother's door. There's no answer. He drops his hand and sighs. "You were right, Jessie; we should've called."

"Here, let me call her," Jessica replies as she pulls out her flash-pad.

Before she can make the call, Luanda appears at the end of the hall carrying bags of groceries. Shadow and Jessica head toward her.

"Let me take those from you, Mother," Shadow says, reaching for the bags.

"Wow, this is quite a surprise," Luanda says with a smile as she relinquishes the bags. "I thought you'd already left for Pinia."

"We did, and we're back—back for good," Shadow replies with a smile.

"Back for good?" Luanda says, shocked. She frowns. "But Pinia's your home, son."

"It was my home."

Luanda regards him for a moment, then sighs. "Oh, Shadow, I've caused you so much grief."

"You couldn't be more wrong, Mother," he replies softly. "By opening up to me and telling me how my father forced you to leave Pinia, you opened my eyes to reality. My father only cares about the person he sees in the mirror." He turns businesslike. "Now, let's get these groceries put away so we can get to the restaurant on time."

"Restaurant? Oh my, you guys are filled with surprises," Luanda exclaims. "I love you so much," she says as she hugs Shadow.

"That's not our only surprise," Jessica adds.
"Tell her, Jessie," Shadow says.
"Well, Luanda, soon you won't have to worry about all this yelling and police officers banging on doors," Jessica says, glancing back at the ruckus in the hallway before closing Luanda's apartment door. "We were able to secure a unit for you in the building where I live."

Luanda gapes at her for a moment. "Oh my, I could never afford to live in such a place," she says, then she looks at Shadow. He responds with a wide smile. "No, Shadow, I won't let you. I mean, I don't expect you to—"