Loveless Ages

Chapter Seventeen

I wake up in his arms. It takes me a second to look at his face and to realize that it is Xander that I am looking at. The air is thick, white, and filled with vapor.

“Is she okay?” I hear Josh ask. I blink a couple of times and then try to sit up.

“Where is Saige’s father?” I ask loudly.

“I’m here,” I hear someone say. I turn and have to squint to get a good look at him.

“Are you alright?” I ask as I pull away from Xander and stand up.

“Yes…you saved me,” he says, “You know my daughter?”

“I do,” I say, “She’s a friend.” He smiles widely.

“How is she doing?”

“She’s alright.”

“It’s funny how you two are sitting here making small talk even though the entire government just exploded and a life changing chemical is floating in the air,” It’s my mother. I look at her and smile. She’s okay too. We stare at each other for a moment and then we turn to the wreckage. It is even messier than the first explosion I saw- the one that Adriel tricked us into causing. We all stand there and watch in awe as the building crashes to the ground.

“Hundreds of people died today,” my mother says aloud. None of us say anything.

“We didn’t know it would happen,” Xander tells her.

“Was every member of the government in that building?” Josh asks.

“Every important one,” my mother says, “Beside me.” Xander takes my hand.

“What’s done is done,” is all he says. I turn to look at Josh. He shows no emotion, which isn’t a good sign. I firmly take his hand and am pleased that he doesn’t pull away.

“What now?” I ask.

“I guess… I guess we have to start all over. Let’s…make a democracy or something. We can cater to the citizens. We can let them be free,” my mother says. After another heavy silence, she speaks again.

“The dome is coming down tomorrow.”

We can’t get into a car because the air is filled with thick fog and driving would not be safe. Instead of driving, we walk. Many people stand outside looking around and speaking among themselves, wondering what has happened. They debate whether or not it is the end of the world.

“How does the gas work?” I ask Xander.

“Almost instantly,” he replies. And he is right. In the streets I see people yelling and others crying. I even see some people kissing. Kissing in Schlutonia? That is something that would have been unfathomable to me a year ago. But it’s happening! I can’t help but smile. There are some people that are unhappy but there are also people that are ecstatic.

“We did it,” I say, almost not believing it. The streets of Schlutonia are usually very orderly. People usually walk through the streets exchanging pleasantries with each other. None of it was ever real. But this- this is real. The laughter, the lust, the tears, the agony, the fear. I see it in their faces. I see it in everything. I shake my head.

“Oh my,” I say, “This is happening. This is really happening.” Xander nods his head.

“Yep,” he says.

“I want to go home,” Josh says, “And check on my parents.”

“Right!” I exclaim, “And my grandparents.” But it isn’t safe to drive and my house isn’t in walking distance.

I arrive at home hours later and Saige’s father is with us. When I enter the house I go into the kitchen and see my grandparents sitting across from each other. They look into each other’s eyes sweetly and there is a large smile on my grandfather’s face. I look at Xander who is focused on something else. Cesar waits in our living room.

“Malinda!” Cesar says, “Have you seen outside? It’s just like one of your paintings.” I laugh.

“Yes I have,” I say with a nod. His eyes set on Xander. I turn to see my grandparents finally snap out of their own little world. Their faces fill with joy as they see my mother. And just like that, the whole room is filled with happiness and tears. A father reunites with a long lost son and a daughter is reunited with her parents. My baby is resting in a basinet in the living room and I lift her up. I look into her big green eyes and I smile widely.

“I love you baby girl,” I say to her. And as I see the tiny toothless smile stretch across her face, I swear that she understands me.

We have a big dinner that night. My grandparents cook something extravagant. We have Josh’s family over along with Cesar, Saige’s father, and my mother. We even invite Charumati, who is thrilled to see her brother again. The color in the paintings on the wall now seem to jump off of the walls. Xander and I excuse ourselves away from the table early and we bring Luna up to my room.

“I’m so tired,” I say.

“I’m beyond tired,” Xander tells me.

“Did you call Saige and tell her to come?” I ask him.

“Yes, I did actually,” he says. We crawl into bed and I lay enveloped in his arms, holding Luna close to me.

“What’s next for us?” I ask him. He smiles and runs his fingers through his hair.

“We can do anything. We can stay here and start a family. We can get in a car and go on an adventure. Honestly, I don’t care what we do as long as I’m with you,” Xander says. I smile and kiss him on the lips.

“I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you,” I say quietly. He runs his fingers through my hair and it isn’t long before I drift off into a peaceful sleep.