When she nodded, peeking up at him, he leaned back against the chair, pulling Anne with him. “I knew you were meant for something great.” He pointed to his chest. “I used to remind myself that I might be a tad prejudice. You are my daughter, my only child, after all. When you were so insistent at being called Lara, I rolled the name around and around in my head.” He shrugged and shook his head. “I couldn’t do it. I’ve always thought Solara was a name that would be put in the history books. Shortening your name felt as if I weakened your imminent greatness somehow. It is how some people feel about luck. You know, how athletes have certain rituals they go through before they compete? Lara is a common name.” He held up a finger for every name he said, “Laura, Lori, Laurie—you name it.” Wrapping his hand back around his wife’s waist, he continued, “Solara is not a common name, and the meaning behind the name, the solar eclipse that occurred when you were born, is considered a wonder across the planet. People travel around the world to see one occur. We celebrate the event, we do a countdown, we take pictures. But we also come away with this feeling of…” He searched for the word.
“Wonder,” her mom finished. “When I saw one, I came away with the feeling that there are forces greater than little, tiny me. I realized I was a part of something far bigger than I could fathom.” She grinned, a grin that Lara noticed mirrored her own. “Of course, my thoughts were wholly on the astronomy side, not the spiritual or fantastical.”
“All that from a name, Dad?” Lara settled back into the bed, feeling the weight of destiny for the first time on Earth. Her parents were telling her the exact opposite of what she expected to hear.
“Well,” her mom drew out, “that is where your father started the conversation when you left last time. And I’ll tell you now that I yelled at him that he should have named you something normal. If he had, you’d still be here. After he left me alone with only my thoughts, I went back through your life, like a play-by-play reel. I thought of every school function, every friend, every party, every… Well, you get the picture. You know what I realized?”
Lara did a mental review of some of her memories, but nothing stood out. “No?”
“You never fit in.”
Lara flinched, but her mother’s eyes kept her from looking away. Despite the pain it caused her, she crossed her arms, knowing full well her parents would see it as a defensive gesture. When she managed to tear her eyes from her mom’s steady gaze, Lara glanced at her father. His own face showed how much he agreed with his wife’s words.
“R-Really?”
Her father asked, “Do you miss your friends?”
Her thoughts immediately turned to Chion and Eiren, and she flicked her eyes to the door—the door that Skye had gone through. “Yes.”
He grinned, “No, Solara, I mean your friends from high school and college. Do you miss them?”
The question threw her. Of course, she missed them. Lara closed her eyes and pictured her friends. Becky came to mind first; the others were a little harder, especially those from high school. She hadn’t kept up with them since she graduated, looking instead to college for new friends. Lara admitted, “I haven’t thought of them except in passing.”
“And when James asked you about your friends, you immediately thought of Skye, Erin—
“Eiren,” she corrected.
“Yes,” her mother said, smiling her apology, “Skye, Eiren, and Chion. You want to know what I think?”
She rolled her eyes. “You’re going to tell me no matter what I say. Why do you even ask?”
“Fine, Miss Smarty-Pants. What I think is that if it wasn’t for your father and me, you wouldn’t miss Earth at all. You have always stood apart from others. Now, for what I know. What I know is that we have raised you as best we could. You are courageous, which from the harrowing tales Skye has told us, your courage should never come under question. You are strong, both in mind and body. But what is more important is that you are intelligent and open-minded. You, Solara, are exactly what this other planet needs.”
Lara stared at her mother, never once dreaming her mother would believe in her so much. “You really think so?” She paused before whispering, “Won’t you miss me though?”
This time, tears spilled over on both their beloved faces. Her father choked out, “Of course, we will. But I think—no, I believe—you are needed by others more.” He cleared his throat. “I am so proud of you. From what Skye has shared, you could have so easily curled up in a ball and decided that you were having a psychotic break. I look at you now and see someone who is powerful.”
When she opened her mouth, he waved her silent, “No, listen. I know you can’t do magic here. That isn’t what I’m talking about. You probably don’t realize it, but you hold yourself different. Even as sick as you are, I can see it. Your eyes hold a piercing intensity they didn’t before. You are more aware of your strengths and shortcomings, and it shows.”
Her mother crossing her legs the other way drew her attention away from her father. The woman’s hand waved in such a way that it took in Lara’s entire body. “In the time since spring break, you’ve settled into your own skin. You now know who you are better than most older adults ever accomplish. Baby, don’t you understand? You were born to have this adventure, travel to this other world, and make a difference. With all of that said, remember, the choice is yours. Only you can decide what your next step is.”
Lara’s heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest. The belief they held of her was staggering. They knew this was likely the last time they’d see her, and although her parents were not necessarily okay with it, they were at peace with the decision.
They were proud, so immeasurably proud of her. It was written all over their faces. She had the best parents in the world.
With so much she wanted to say, she focused on the most important thing they needed to know and remember. “I love you both so much.” She stretched her arms out, and her parents didn’t disappoint. The group hug lasted at least five minutes, perhaps longer.
Her mom released her and stood up with a briskness that brought an end to their heartrending conversation. The older woman straightened her clothes as she announced, “Now, Skye has been the consummate gentleman by waiting downstairs while we spoke with you. Lara, you need more rest, fluids, and food. I’ll go find my laptop so you can show that boy what Earth has to offer. I have a few things I need to put together, so I’ll check on you in a few.”
Her dad rubbed his hands together with glee. “I have so many ideas. I’ll go and grab a few movies I think he’ll like.”
That evening and the following day, Skye was ramrodded into learning as much about Earth and its animals, inventions, and solar system as time allowed. Her friend’s brain had to be mush from both the amount of information crammed into it as well as from shock. The whirlwind marathon of all things Earth was enough to put even her into an information download coma.
By the fourth day at home, she felt better. She was on the mend but not completely healed. Lara had to keep a tight rein on her mother since the woman kept wanting to take her to the hospital.
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Every meal she ate came from a list of her favorites. Her father picked up dinner from her favorite Mexican restaurant, a family-owned business that had been passed down through at least two generations. After the first bite of the salsa with tortilla chips, Skye refused to eat any more, much to her parents’ amusement. To her taste buds, though, it was nirvana in a large, plastic bowl. She slapped away her dad’s hands every time he came close to snitching some. Her mother also made her favorite desserts. When Skye carried her back and forth from the living room to her bedroom, Lara had caught sight of the kitchen counter littered with the mouthwatering remains of brownies, pecan pie, cheesecake, and German chocolate cake. Lara was certain she’d stacked on the pounds after gorging on every meal, but she couldn’t find a single iota of regret in her. Every new dessert her mother made, Skye took to it like a starved animal, eating at least two helpings. Despite recovering from her wounds, Lara made sure every day was filled with laughter and happy reminiscing.
At last, the night came when both Skye and Lara needed to leave. Chion and Eiren had had enough time to reach Luthis, especially since they didn’t have to worry about carrying her through the tunnels. Everyone stood in her bedroom, the atmosphere somber.
“Lara,” her mom said as she handed her a wrapped present, “I had this made for you.”
Lara took the small package, smoothing out the small wrinkles in the paper. It felt like a book. “A present? You are giving me a present?”
“Solara, just open it.” Her dad demanded with an amused smile, walking over to where her mother stood in front of her.
“Okay, okay, geez. I’m sorry I even asked.” Sharing a curious glance with Skye, she ripped open the paper. Letting the wrapping paper flutter to the floor, she gasped when she flipped through the laminated pages. “Oh my God,” she breathed without taking her eyes off the treasure she held. “H-How in the world did you find time to do this?” Inside, her mother had put together a plethora of pictures in chronological order with a short description beneath each photo. Lara showed Skye, who was peering over her shoulder, a picture of her father grinning like a fool while holding her less than an hour after she was born.
Her mother explained, “I tried to think of something you could take with you that wouldn’t take up much space. You gave us a list of things you and Skye needed for traveling, but you forgot about the things that matter when you are older. I didn’t get much sleep since I wanted to keep this as a surprise for you. I scoured all the photo albums and digital pictures I could find. As I’ve gotten older, I have learned what is truly important.” She reached over and grabbed ahold of Lara’s hands, the book held between them. “Solara Meghan Conners, always remember that family is one of the greatest gifts God gave us. I tried to pick the ones I thought would keep your memories of us alive. Most of the pictures include what I consider family, both close and extended relatives. I also included photos of events and friends. You may be a million or even billion of light years away, but your father and I will never stop loving and missing you.” Her mother’s last words passed through trembling lips surrounded by two lines of tears.
Forgetting the book she held, Lara sprang forward and wrapped her mother in a fierce hug, ignoring the pain her wounds caused her and the warmth spreading under the bandages. “Thank you for the pictures. You are right. I would have been devastated when I could no longer picture either of you as clearly as I can now.”
Giving Lara a gentle squeeze, her mom pulled away. “We have one more surprise for you.”
Skye reached over her shoulder to take the book. He murmured, “Let me hold this while James gives you your last gift.” In a daze, Lara watched him carry the book over to their packs as if it were made of fragile glass. Out of the corner of her eye, Lara saw her mother elbow her dad in the side.
“Ah, yes, my turn.” Her father held out a small, velvet jewelry bag for Lara. It took her a second to get with the program before she could take it with a shaky hand. When she simply stared at it, he bumped it with his finger in a silent order for her to see what was inside.
Pouring the contents into the palm of her hand, she took a stuttered breath. “These are Grandma and Grandpa’s rings. You kept them?”
Her father nodded, except his eyes weren’t on the rings. Instead, they bounced back and forth between her and Skye. “My parents put in their will that their rings should be held in safekeeping until you were of age to have them. Before she died, your grandmother claimed that there was no need to wear her wedding ring anymore. Everyone knew who she had married.” He half laughed before adding, “She told me that God knew who she belonged with, and if He had a problem with it, she’d set Him straight.”
Both Lara and her mother laughed, knowing that was something the woman would have said with all seriousness. Her grandmother had loved her husband with a strength and depth that Lara saw every time she’d visited, but she was also one hundred percent a firecracker. She glanced at Skye, blushing. She cleared her throat before asking, “So, the wedding rings?”
“Yes, Solara, the wedding rings are yours when you are ready to marry. Both rings are already sized to fit. I snuck in a measurement while you slept that first day.”
“Skye knows?” she squeaked, unable to believe that her father had given Skye the heads-up.
“I do.” Skye walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder, turning her toward him. “After your father explained the tradition, I agreed to also have my finger sized.”
“We don’t even know if we’ll stay together,” she exclaimed, aghast that Skye stood so calm before her.
He scoffed. “We are Lan’Ai, Lara. If we follow in the footsteps of the last Lan’Ai, we are destined to love one another.”
“This calm you are exuding is scaring me,” she accused, glaring at him while she cradled the precious rings in her palm.
Skye raised an eyebrow at her, his lack of embarrassment obvious for both her and her parents to see. “Unlike you, I have had a few days to process everything. We are Lan’Ai. Although our first days together were rough, our bond has strengthened with every hardship we have overcome.” He shrugged. “We are not yet ready to finalize our bond, far from it.” He lifted his hand and drifted a gentle finger over her Lan’Ai mark. “But the future is already written by the marks upon our brow. The ceremony where we will exchange these rings is merely a formality.”
She swallowed hard, glancing at her parents to determine how they took his statement. Her father was nodding, and her mother had an “aww” look. Taking her time putting the two rings back into the small bag, she pulled the bag closed and tied the two ends into a knot. “So, we’re in a relationship?”
At her question, Skye actually rolled his eyes and huffed out a laugh. “Yes, Lara, per your father’s command, I am officially courting you.”
His answer made her choke. She thought Skye might have spent a little too much time talking with her father and watching movies. It was the only reason why he’d start acting so comfortable about the thought of marrying her. The attraction was there, but they’d barely kissed. And she was supposed to be completely on board with this new situation?
No pressure.
No pressure at all.
Feeling the effects of standing so long, she knew she didn’t have much more time. Putting aside her feelings of betrayal as Skye was supposed to be running for the hills, she gave her father a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
“Solara, I just want you to be happy,” he whispered in her ear. “I need to know that you are happy and loved. Marry him, or don’t. It is your choice; I just wanted you to have something from our family to share with your husband.” At a more normal volume, he said, “I love you, and I am proud to call you my daughter.”
“It isn’t too late to come with us.” She’d argued with her parents last night about coming with them to Aradun, but they’d declined.
“No, your mother and I are too old to go galivanting around a war-torn continent. Our lives are here. Your life is only beginning. No, we will stay here where we belong.”
Her father gave her one last kiss on the forehead before releasing her. He clasped Skye’s arm in a tight grip. “Skye, I am happy I could meet you. I wish you the best of luck wherever your life takes you. And if you do marry my daughter, know that I would have been proud to call you my son.”
Skye dipped his head before giving the man a deep bow of respect. Lara detected a sheen in his eyes before he blinked and turned his head away. Her mother rushed over for another hug and a kiss, and then she did the same with Skye.
Lara announced in a quiet voice, “It is time.” She dropped to the bed with a long, tired sigh. Everything was already packed and ready to go. The coil was in one of the bags, and she realized that Skye had already packed both the book and the rings while she said her goodbyes. Watching her parents hold each other on the other side of the doorway made her tear up.
God, it was really happening.
Skye pulled on first one pack, then the other. Drawing her onto his lap, he turned them both until they could see her parents. No one said another word, and silence descended.
Time passed. The sound of Skye’s heartbeat made her drowsy despite her eyes clinging to the sight of her parents. She blinked, fighting the need for sleep.
Skye said in a low voice, “Sleep.”
As if his soft command brought it to fruition, she closed her eyes for the last time.
And slept.