July 20th. Cloudy afternoon. James was walking around the corner from the inn all the way to the Lunn’s Bakery to get some food. As he was walking, he was wondering about Delianna and was anticipating seeing his parents on this day.
‘I wonder what Delianna’s doing. She’s been living with me for two months. I think she’s… growing on me. Every time I wake up, she’s always gone. When it’s night, she’s there. Right by my side. Also, she’s starting to… feel on me. What am I supposed to do about that? She’s… beautiful. I feel… like… I should—No! What am I thinking?! I shouldn’t think like that about her. I will have to marry her if I want to… go to that stage. But then again, it’s in the cards. Besides that, I hope my parents got my letter and I hope they’re here. I… can’t believe I’ll see them in person.’
As he was in thought, he arrived and entered the bakery as the owner was behind the showcase of baked goods.
“Ah, hello, James. How are you today?” The baker asked.
“I’m fine Samuel. You?” James asked.
“Never been better. How may I help you?”
“I need a couple of loafs, a few desserts, and if you have any turkey in your meat locker, I’d like to have that, too,” James replied.
“Sure thing.” Samuel said. “So, how’s the psychic business?” He asked as he was getting out loafs of bread.
“It’s good so far. No clients for today and I saw I was in need for some food so I decided to come here so I can make something and save some food for later.”
“Understandable. Also, Harland told me that you have a woman staying with you now. A vampiric one. How’d that happen?” He asked as he was wrapping the loafs of bread.
“It was back in April. She came out from the bushes saying that she was being chased by a group of men. What she told me; the men were committing genocide.”
“Where?” Samuel asked as he wrapped up a couple of desserts.
“South of Velorice City I think, or the next city over. She didn’t divulge enough details.” James replied.
“Oh, I see… Well, on a lighter side, I think I’ve found the one. I think I found the right woman!” Samuel said with a smile on his face.
James looked at him with a straight face.
“Do you want me to see if you’ll be with this woman?” He asked.
“If you please.” Samuel replied.
James looked him in the eyes and started to pick up something.
“Black hair. Blue eyes. Her name is Kathlene?” James asked.
“Yes.” Samuel replied.
James picked up on other things about the woman.
“I see you two will have a great life with each other. In a short period of time, you’ll be married to her to where you two are going to have a baby girl together.”
“Seriously? I was always thinking for a boy. Will she and I have another child?” Samuel asked.
“I am unable to see that, unfortunately. It might be far down the line.” James replied.
“Oh. Well, if it’s only a girl, that’s fine with me.” Samuel commented as he gave James the loafs of bread and the desserts. “Thanks for that. That’ll be 8 Veles.”
James gave Samuel money for the food.
“You have a good day, James.”
“You as well, Sam. See you soon.”
James left out the bakery and onto the road.
~~
After the bakery, he walked a few miles to St. Lithe. As he reached the corner to the sanctuary’s front door, he saw Sister Deborah and Sister Theresa on the front steps of the sanctuary. He walked up to them and gave them both a hug.
“How are you doing today, Sisters?” James asked them.
“Oh! We’re doing fine, dearie.” Theresa replied.
“We have a surprise for you, darling.” Deborah stated.
James had a surprised look on his face making Theresa and Deborah smile at his reaction.
“They’re here?” He asked.
Theresa and Deborah nodded.
“Just go on in. They’re talking to Father Nyris near the pulpit.” Theresa said.
They moved to the side for James to open the front door. He walked into the foyer and opened the cathedral door. When he did, he saw a middle-aged woman, who is Elsa, wearing a blue dress with coins and beads and wearing a scarf covering her hair with skin a shade darker than his. Next to her was middle-aged man, who was Gad, with salt and pepper colored hair with the same skin tone as James, wearing a cotton long sleeved shirt and cotton pants with leather boots. James walked slowly up to the pulpit. Nyris looked to James who was walking up. The middle-aged man and the middle-aged woman looked in the same direction as James came up to them; James looked at the couple and was full of joy inside
“James?” Elsa asked.
“Mother.” James said and looked over to the man. “Father?” He asked.
Gad smiled at James.
“My son.” He spoke.
All three embraced in a hug with Elsa weeping on James’ shoulder.
~~
James, Gad, and Elsa were sitting in the pews in the sanctuary by themselves to have time with each other.
“So, what is that you do in this day in age, James?” Elsa asked.
“I work as a psychic. I set up a booth around the corner from here. I live in an inn not too far from here and I come over here to help Father Nyris and the sisters with the orphans or sermons for Sundays.” James replied.
“Interesting for a psychic to help out in a sanctuary. People in these times don’t associate those two together.” Gad said.
“Why is that?” James asked.
“Because commonly, the church never accepted what they thought was the work of the devil.”
James was surprised about this revelation.
“But it’s not. It’s harmless. It works only with the flow of people, even nature itself.” He stated.
“Even if you say that to them, they won’t believe you. That’s how my mother and father were.” Gad replied.
“Really? How did that go for you?”
Gad felt anguish and sighed.
“Well…” He spoke. “Around the time you were conceived, my family disowned me because I laid with your mother, and she is Roma. I was raised in a very religious household, and they thought of Romas as demons. But ever since knowing your mother, that wasn’t true. She was much wiser of everything in this life. There was nothing of malice or evil in her voice; your mother is an honest woman. They thought that she had cast a spell on me just so she could have a mate. I told them that I willingly wanted to be with her and told them she was with child, which was you. That’s when they disowned me. Before I left, I took some documents of mine, some money and I went on my way. Sadly, I didn’t know where your mother was, and I left to the north of Velorice City near the Kianu region.”
“Where did you two live before going up north?” James asked.
“South near Silenti.” Gad replied.
“I lived in the Seran Desert.” Elsa replied.
“Where would you both meet up down there?” James asked.
“Near Coriga Town.” Gad replied.
James then looked to Elsa; wanting to know more.
“Mother… That night. When you dropped me off here, what happened down there?” He asked.
Elsa started to shudder as she remembered that night.
“Midnight March 8th. That was the night that I gave birth to you. The area I was in had witches, some humans, and vampires living down there. Everyone knew each other; we were peaceful. Then some radicals came down and started ransacking the area, killing humans, witches, and vampires alike. I guess they just thought it was a village of vampires and decided to come and raise hell. And let me tell you, it looked like hell. I was in so much pain, but I knew my sisters and I had to leave. Two of them had to carry me while one held you, but the one that held you was killed. I had you back in my arms and we ran for our lives. As we ran in Velorice City, we saw that the rampage didn’t stop at the Seran Desert. I saw Gad’s parents’ home burn down to the ground and I heard their screams. I was able to find Gad’s sister, Ester, and we ran all the way over at this cathedral. We stopped over here, I told them I was going to drop you here, Ester found a dry basket, since it was raining. I put you in it, knocked at the door, and we left because they were coming. Now the reason why I had to leave you—”
“Mother don’t worry.” James interrupted. “I know why you did what you did. They were coming after you, you dropped me off at a safe place. If you didn’t, who knows what would’ve happened with you and me. I don’t think I’d be here today. So, I thank you for that.”
Elsa started to tear up; Gad consoled her.
“Well, I’ll continue the story.” Gad spoke. “I’d say around the end of March, she, her two sisters, and Ester came to where I live; I guess Elsa had a premonition of where I lived. She told me she had you, but she had to keep you here and we married around July that year after the radicals died down. And she said: “Down the line, when he’s a man, we’ll see him again.” And this is that day. Thank the Maker.”
“So, how is Auntie Ester?” James asked.
“She’s fine. She lives next door to us.” Elsa replied.
“What about my other two aunts?”
“We went our separate ways when said I was staying with your father.” Elsa replied.
“What were their names?”
“Elodia and Rene.”
“Also, if you want, you should come and visit us, James. See new scenery.” Gad suggested.
“Sure. I’ll be more than happy to do that, Father.” James replied.
“You know, James,” Elsa spoke. “You don’t have to call us Mother and Father. I feel like you’re forcing yourself to say it.”
“You can sense if I’m forcefully saying it?” James asked.
“A little.”
“I’m just trying to get used to it. You two made me, but most of all, you two love me. I can feel that from you both. That’s enough for me to call you, Elsa Carso-Ruth, Mother, and you, Gad Ruth, Father.”
“If it is, so be it.”
Gad looked outside and saw the sun was going to set soon.
“We need to leave now. The sun will be setting soon. To know where we are, I’ll write you the directions to get there.” He spoke.
Gad took a piece of paper and a pen with a vial of ink and wrote the directions to their home and gave it to James. Afterwards, The three got up and walked out if the cathedral to Gad and Elsa’s carriage. Gad helped Elsa get up onto the carriage; followed by Gad who was holding the reins for the horses and sat in the seat.
“Make sure you send a letter to when you’d want to visit. Okay, James?” Gad said.
“I will. See you both soon.” James replied.
Gad whipped the reins, and the carriage rode away. Elsa waved goodbye; James waved back as the carriage was out of view. Nyris walked up to James.
“Well, I hope you had a good visit with your parents.” He stated.
“Yes. Yes, I did.” James replied and looked to Nyris, realizing something. “Do you need my help before I leave?”
“Yes. I need help for the next sermon on Sunday.”
“Okay.”
James and Nyris walked back into the sanctuary to figure out what Nyris could say for the next sermon.
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