I was dreaming about that garden again, walking with Farley, when I startled awake.
“Child, sleep longer, if you need it!” Pas stroked my head.
I didn’t feel Farley’s body beside me. “Put me in stasis! I can’t stand it!” I cried aloud, as I’d never cried in my life! Not for Tommy. Not even for Millie!
Farley ran to the bed in his diplomat’s uniform. “Ella—”
I backed. “No, no, no, I want my Farley, not his brother! I want to have Remembrance, and I want to go to Burial Chambers and stay there! If I can’t have my husband, I don’t want to be aware!” I gripped the covers with both hands. It was our family color, that deep lavender that I loved.
He sat by me and held a shaking hand out to me. “Love, is me. Pinda says he can wake bones.”
It didn’t really register. “Who’s Pinda?”
“A Councillor. Ella, please. You must eat! My love, you need healing! Pas!” He pulled me into his lap, and I hugged him. He’s not warm.
“Farley!” I nodded for his leiwege and tried to put him in it, but fell on him. All of me ached bad from all the smashing and lifting!
Pas called another healer and they both sang! I didn’t want to sleep again. Pas smeared pastries on me and put a lot under my dress' collar. Farley put that dress on me. I clung to my husband and fought to stay awake.
I woke up feeling fine. Farley still slept. I watched his chest and heard steady triples with just an occasional skip. He's warm. He's not sweating. Pas had that sad look. I got teary. “Is he still dying?” I stroked his soft, blond curls and enjoyed the warmth in them.
“Ne. I wish I could tell you, he is well. I find much wrong that ne healer can help. He thinks himself strong, and well. I can strengthen his body. Pirad’s gradual healing for hearts is very well. But his memory, as all in Esta Faho, is unwell. We must ne leave him. He enjoys writing progs by you and he may rest frequently.”
“What about the 6th level poisons? Without the necklace—”
Daddy sat by me. “There you go babbling about that necklace! Just say you lost it and be done with it! I once made a mistake that brought our server down for 2 days and 25 people couldn’t work! It was miserable and I worked a 25 hour day to try to fix it, and I couldn’t! But you’re alive, and Farley’s alive, and isn’t this a wonderful place to live? We have satisfying work, and you wouldn’t believe it, but Esta Faho has this therapist named Suma! She’s wonderful! All of us are taking her anger management class—”
I sat up and Pas propped us up. It was downright pleasant to hear my father excited about anger management!
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Farley woke up and a lady brought a whole platter of sweet pastries for us to enjoy.
Mama handed me a box of Godiva chocolates. “These are all for you! I learned to trade, can you imagine?” And, they were my favorite dark chocolate dessert truffles, too!
“Thanks, Mama!”
Jo and Rose told me about their new art tutor. Allison also studied with him and loved it! Their Zheien friends also studied with her.
As I listened to them, Pirad touched my mind. Pinda found the poisons and Mican’s device to gather them. We took all the poisons from Esta Faho and destroyed all of them. Because we salvaged Mican’s ship, we found tech to help me cure everyone. It will be gradual. Memory problems will improve, though I cannot say how much.
Oh, I’m so glad! Thank you, Pirad.
Thank you. You damaged his ship. Since the two of you absorbed the crystals from the necklace, and the white Tessite from it, you may find that at odd times, you can use it. Tech from the 6th is not easy to destroy completely.
“Bae Farley, you aren’t going to die, are you?” Rose hugged his arm. Breath caught in my throat!
He put her on his lap and put an arm around me, too. “I nae feel dying. Pas, am I well?”
His red-gold eyes opened wide and he smiled. “My son, I think you are well enough to go to your home today. And I shall stay there with you. If Ella’s family needs me, I can run next door.”
With Pas there, I felt safe. I smiled at my handsome husband and rubbed the back of those golden curls. Rose actually smiled and hugged back.
And, Allison hugged us, too! “I’m happy to be Zheien! I don’t ever want to go back to Earth again!” Then, she looked Farley right in the eyes. “I’m really glad you’re going to live! I need another brother!”
“What am I, Swiss cheese?” Karl shoved her.
She shoved him back, with a giggle. “No, you’re my first brother! I think I’ll keep you. I already adopted Sylvia. It’s like having Millie back.”
We walked out and in the little walk through our city to the Earthan colony, I saw Elsie and Sylvia enjoying musical instruments in a display, and Nespa sat on Elsie’s other side serenading them. Nathan and Yelena watched an artist do a sandpainting. Becky and Tom danced, and Becky’s really good at it. Bedelia and Jos walked about, looking at displays, and sharing looks of love. Stacy and her five kids enjoyed riding dorna with her fella. So many friends! I kept myself too busy to make any, in school. Farley needs all of his friends. I can handle that.
Jason, the one who lives with my family, rode to Allison and helped her onto his dorna and walked by my other sisters. All of ‘em smiled, and I enjoyed it. The girls met their friends at that artisan and I never saw my sisters so animated!
Galarsmen walked on Konomai’s arm, and he smiled at Farley. Nomo was on Galarsmen’s other arm, and the old master healer was also smiling. Kids walked with them. They sat in a mud marsh and all the kids took turns slathering golden mud on his legs.
Nitomahan and Tom with Becky sat by my sisters and joined in an art lesson. Imagine Governor Brown sitting in mud and making art with kids? Well, occasionally he does go to a library and read with kids. But our king and 1st prince do this every day!
And, our cute little Victorian in lavender had every flower imaginable surrounding it, and a soft swing on the porch with hearts. Maybe now we can finally relax and lose the feeling that disaster’s around the corner. But, if we don’t, we have our families. In our living room sat Farley’s parents and grandparents, and a roomful of uncles, aunts and cousins. I realized that I’m not dreading the social any more. After all we’ve been through, it’s nice to have family.