Little Cherine Book 06 - BPost010
“You were a tool.”He frowned. “I don’t recall defining your existence in those terms when I created you.”
“Did you say tool or fool?” he asked, teasing.
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She replied in earnest, “Both.”
He shrugged. “A fool I’ve been many times. I’ll have to think about the tool part of it though.”
“Do that. It would be wise of you to learn what you are.”
Soon as she was gone, Dommi burst out, “That cold vicious little bitch! I felt like slapping her.”
Robbie smiled. “Yes, the storm is about to break soon. She better wait until we’ve left Earth.”
Shiyra gave a short happy laugh. “We are actually going to your planet at last?”
Robbie slapped his forehead. “I forgot! You just might pass for a girl of our world, even with your strange eyes, but Merlin - he looks too strange, Terran but strange. Would he mind us tidying up his image?”
“You think you can keep him tidy? He doesn’t care what he looks like Robert. His species had little resemblance to his present appearance so he does not notice, the body is as clothing to him.”
“Don’t worry Robert. I’ll take him with me to the university. He will fit right in.”
“Just watch what he says. He gets over-enthusiastic about stars and he has a lot of information our astronomers don’t have yet.”
Luigi smiled, teasing. “I was not aware you are an expert astronomer.”
Robbie answered, deadpan: “How did you think I find my way out here?” Luigi blushed and began to apologise until we all burst out laughing.
The next couple of days went by in a blur of happiness - we were on our way home. We sat at the taverna watching as Claudia and Dommi zigzagged ahead of us on skis. Manoli was driving the speedboat and we could all sense his joy at being on water again.
“May I stir up a hornets nest?” Anybody asks that and Robbie would be interested or amused; Allan does and he tenses up. He gestured for him to go ahead. “Just a fanciful theory, not likely to happen, but it may help illustrate what is worrying me. I hope you will find the answer I need.
We were talking of all the millions of years we have to live, evolving and skipping across the genetic pool of the universe. Let us theorise that the time has come for you to choose to live again as an Anadir. By then let’s say you have a hundred girls. Would they all come with you? How would you handle a hundred females as an Anadir? Would you allow them to go off and become the mates of others? If you do, when your lives as Anadir are over, do they bring their mates and children and great-great-grandchildren with to your World? Would they all be part of your family? If you do not, do your girls leave your family and establish their own families and Worlds in the void?”
As he spoke I felt my dream die. Robbie smiled at me as he replied. “Who can say Allan. Your question presupposes an answer would be based on the people we are today. How can we guess in which directions evolution will take us? What if we reach the point where we are able to join as one or two souls and we go to our next lives as a couple?”
“I thought you denied the desirability of that happening as you would not be able to love each other?”
“I still do. Perhaps we find a way to still love each other? Perhaps we agree to bear the melding if it is just for that lifetime and then we can return to our present bodies? Make your own wild guesses Allan.”
“You go as a couple, have a child or more and they love the two personalities that make up their parents. Will they not be distressed to lose their parents when you split up again?”
“Why should they? We would go as Cherinians. That means we would return to the void countless times and there they would learn to love all of us, knowing our personality on their world is only a representation of all of us. We could even split up and yet leave enough of ourselves for those personalities to continue their existence, swelling the numbers of our family. You really are searching for problems in areas where the answers may only be limited by our imagination.”
“Just as the problems could be?” Cherine asked him with her naughty smile. He only grinned at her.
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Allan persisted. “One last scenario that cannot be dealt with so glibly. I warn you, this one may take your breath away, but I feel compelled to make it because of the argument you had with Sam about her becoming a Normal for a lifetime.
Imagine that within a couple of centuries Cherine finds life has begun to pall for her. She looks back at the early years and wishes she could live them again. She realises she could, without affecting our reality since she has already affected it. She comes back as Sam. No, hold on. What if she came back to see where Sam came from and finds out that she actually is Sam? What then Robert? Does she return to her time as Sam? At the moment of her return, does Sam become Cherine again? Do they meld or do you lose one of them? How would you handle it?”
“That is a stupid idea!”
“Cherine, is it that stupid?”
She shook her head. “No, I have been curious. It could have occurred to me to do so. But for me to be Sam! I can’t imagine that.”
“Why not. You would be far wiser than you are now which explains why Sam was born with the abilities or capabilities she had at birth. Sam, do you feel you could be Cherine?”
I laughed. “Your idea is fascinating and is meant to tear Robert up as he tries to imagine having to choose between the two of us. I cannot afford to let him make such a decision, even a theoretical one, for there would be no contest. As for me being Cherine, do I feel I could be her?” He nodded. “You answered that yourself Allan.” I said laughing at him. He stayed puzzled. “You said Cherine comes back a couple of centuries older and wiser than she is now and becomes me. Allan, she was born wiser than I am, why would she allow herself to become a silly Sam?”
“You want me to play devil’s advocate? What if my theory is the wrong way around? What if at the end of this loop you do not return as Sam? What if that wise and gentled Sam returns as Cherine?”
I looked into her eyes and they were gentle, her heart beating the rhythm of her love for me. Flushed by love and joy I answered him, laughing at the impossibility of his question. “Allan, I could never love myself as much as Cherine does. That proves she could never have been me.”
Robbie was looking at Eleni as she watched and listened to her Allan. “Allan, thank you for sharing your questions with us. Your mind flits around just like Sam’s does and you have achieved what you wanted with me. I will give a lot of thought to the possibilities and what you tried to teach us. Unfortunately Sam at present is too amused by her own brilliance to understand what you were trying to do. Give her time, she’ll understand and come up with another dozen theories of her own. For instance, I am the only one of the family who is not living the life he wants. This could cause me to become the first of us who is jaded, tired of the same foods, the same words, the same worries. What if I decide to return to a new life, would Sam be ready to take over as leader while I am away?”
I evaded his question with a question. “You would go without us?”
“Absence makes the heart grow fonder Sam.”
Cherine reached up a hand and touched his face. “We would not let you go alone, not even for that.”
Dimitri, Elia and Alki had long since joined us, listening without interrupting. Dimitri asked, “I’ve been wondering about your present mission. Why not short-circuit the problems of Aven? Bring back those of the Ii in bodies of her species and she would have no one to hate and seek out to destroy. After all, all souls are the same.”
“It could be argued, if that were true that I should bring back all species as one. It would lessen possibilities of future conflicts and we could all grow to be one faster.”
“I had not taken it that far, but it makes sense.”
“Dimitri, after all your experiences as a Normal, you can think so? I think that if the entire universe were filled with only one species it would lead to the worst possible conflicts.”
He grinned. “It is definitely true if they are given our characteristics. Terrans are more vicious when killing their own kind.” Everyone (of our species) agreed with him.
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Robbie shrugged, his hand softly rubbing Cherine’s leg. “Even if it did lead to an ideal brotherhood of love Dimitri, I still would not choose it. I would even prefer to risk warfare than do so. As we said recently, species are as individuals. We all have our quirks and points of view. Each of us sees life in different ways. Multiply those differences by those of dissimilar instincts, bodies and the way they perceive the universe and we achieve a diversity that brings us all closer to seeing pure truth. Even with the purchase of a car, we do not stand and look at it from one spot. We walk around the car a couple of times before deciding. Would you have us experience less of all life has to offer?”
Sol spoke up. “May I ask you a question as Solomon? Robert, if experiencing life from all points of view is so important, should not our leader have experienced all lives then? Would not your decisions be wiser?”
He grinned. “You are recalling my early years, my crazy years?”
“I miss them Robert. I think we are all grateful that you are still able to soar at times and surpass your craziness of those days.”
“Thank you Solomon, or Sol. I think most of our friends are grateful life has toned me down somewhat.”
Alki cleared his throat. “You are making the same mistake all elderly people make. They think the decisions they make based on experience and whatever wisdom they have acquired are the right ones. They forget that all great ideas and visions come from the young and crazy. All you can achieve will be mediocre if you decide to forget your craziness Roberto mou.”
“Are you calling me old, pappou?” Robbie quickly continued. “I guess I’ve been proving myself crazy lately - as if getting Latreia, Agapi and Empathia were not enough I go and link to Aven. You know Alki, I’ve decided I enjoy the big problems, it is the many small or trivial ones that drive me around the bend. I think of them as being tiny loops that don’t give my imagination space to move in.”
“You haven’t been doing so well with your big problem Roberto. This Aven, Dark Cloud, you cannot break through her hatred?”
“She is not my problem Alki, Empathia wanted to handle it and you know I would not interfere - except when she scares the hell out of me.”
“You will bring Aven to Earth?”
“Yes, I cannot leave her here alone. I’m afraid you will have to bear and grin it. She is bound to make many insulting comments about our lovely Athens and our people.” He lit a cigarette. “It will gall her to see that we come from such a backward species. She will feel contempt for us and yet, at the same time, it will cost her dearly that such lowly creatures hold the future of her people in their hands. It is sad, but she will not see any beauty because she will not want to.”
“Dad, I don’t agree. She has learned to look and I find her often looking out over the hills. I think she finds it beautiful here.”
“Empathia, I think it is more likely she looks at our world and remembers her own. It is more likely that our world suffers by comparison. I do not blame her. To me Earth is far more beautiful than the lace world. It is my home and I can identify with it, whereas the lace world is unreal in its beauty.”
“If you are still able to appreciate the beauty of home and our people, then I have a favour to ask of you Robert.” Startled Robbie looked at his father. He never asks favours of him. We could feel him tense up with anxiety, afraid the favour might be something he cannot grant - and he desperately wanted to.
“Would you paint for me a portrait of Rose? I want it for our pub, but I also want it to be painted with love.”
“Dad, I could never do justice to her, but if that is what would please you I’ll try. At least you will know it was painted with as much love as a heart can hold, for her and for you.”
That same night he began painting. As her face took form we shrank away, dismayed. This was not what his father had wanted. He ignored us, pouring out his heart as he etched in every line of pain and suffering she’d brought with her when she first came to us. When he came out for a coffee and cigarette he stretched, getting the kinks out of his body.
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“This painting is for my mother, for our mother Laura. I want her to see that her pain has not been forgotten. So many times I feel her looking at dad and she remembers and then has to block her pain so that he will not sense it. Themi is helping to take away the sting from those memories, but they will always be a part of her. The two of us are in those wrinkles, we are the biggest part of the pain in her eyes that made her look so hard and bitter. A mother losing both her children, alone and unloved, god but she makes my heart cry sometimes.” Laura flew into his arms and they clung to each other. Oh how he makes our hearts weep and grow with love for him!
The next day Robbie was feeling very sheepish. Laura decided the moment had been too precious for her not to show her mother. Laura was shocked when her mother burst into tears and then could not stop crying. Natalie suggested to her that she should call for Robbie and when he found out why he’d been called, he let his mother hold him while he wished he could disappear. He felt better about it when she opened up and talked for a long time and he felt how the talking helped to heal her.
We arrived back at our time and in the reality Freddie usually waits for us. Now it was time for the grand operation, thousands of guests to be carried home. We waited while Robbie and the protector took them all back. Finally he arrived, wiped his brow as if he’d been sweating, and grinned with real pleasure when Kyria Maria brought him his coffee and cigarettes.
“At last! Now it is just us.”
“I have no wish to go to your world. This one is bad enough, but better now that all your species have left.”
“I can’t leave you here Aven, it is not an option.”
She stood proudly, as if daring him to force her. She turned to Athia. “I will do this for you. We will let out that monster you created and you can have her company instead of mine.” Her words caught us totally unprepared and we made the mistake of showing our joy. Her eyes turned even colder, but she did not remark on it.
“One condition. You come into my mind and set her free, not Cherine.”
“Me!? If you want me to Aven, but the girls are much better at this than I am.”
“You do it! You are my jailer so you must do it.”
Empathia looked worried, but she could not see any ulterior motives that would threaten him, so she kept quiet. Robbie sat back in his chair and his body was held by a couple of the girls as he closed his eyes. We felt what he did, but did not react in any way, if he feels it is necessary, he must have his reasons, we decided. The protector hidden within him, they crossed over to her mind.
At the instant Robbie appeared he was attacked. She tore into him with savage glee and unbelievable power. Robbie would not have been strong enough to fight her alone and as it was, the protector only just managed to help his tattered mind get out of there. She followed into his body-mind, but by now we had all joined him so she quickly withdrew.
Cherine, Dommi, Aganthi and Claudia immediately concentrated on repairing him, weaving and binding what was left of our Robbie’s mind and personality while the rest of us stood on guard. Maria with Jade left us to watch over our bodies. It was just as well. Aven had grabbed the sword, meaning to kill Robbie’s body with it. She tried to fight them, but Maria was not held back by any softness and viciously slammed at her with her own powers. We later found out that only Maria could have done so, Jade would have failed.
Cherine was crying to Robbie, *Why did you let her hurt you my baby, why? You knew she was dangerous, but why let her do this without fighting back. Why my sweet baby.* It was her happiest moment when he sent back, *Both together with my sliver.*
It explained everything! She had used his own soul against him and held little Aven within her as she attacked, knowing Robbie would not dare try to hurt her in case he harmed our love.
As if our problems are not enough, we also have to care for Empathia. She has taken all the guilt to herself and something very precious has shattered within her. There is little we can do for her since she does not want us to, so we laid her within his arms and whether awake or asleep, Robbie holds on to her.
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Once the first stage of healing had been completed, they went through our minds, looking for any memory of his that is not in the common pool and they began binding memory to memory, trying to emulate the way the mind links memories to each other. It should have taken double the time, but something was driving Robbie with an urgency we could feel. Two days later he managed to not only open his eyes, but also sit up. Cherine found the courage within herself to put on that special smile he loves as she cheekily asked him, “Aganthi and her coffee and cigarettes or pappou’s chicken soup?”
“Coffee…honey please.”
He had not let go of Empathia and she sat straddling him, her legs to either side of his waist. He held her away from him so that she had to look into his eyes. He concentrated hard on forming the words to make a whole sentence
“What has this done to her, Athia mou. Is our little baby Aven shattered at having been used against me?”
His words brought pain to all of us. Not only in imagining how she felt, but that we had not thought of her.
“I don’t know daddy. I can’t feel her.”
“We have to get her out of there. I made too many mistakes, but this one is unforgivable. How could I have left her to be hurt like this?” Exhausted he could not say anything more.
Not our protector, the protector instincts within him were attacking him, but at the same time, those same instincts had to strengthen him so that he can save our lovely alien baby girl. When Aven attacked him, she tried to destroy the connections to his body and try as hard as he did he could not stand up, falling over again and again. He had to lay there bitter at his own inability to help a child he loves and he raged through his mind, shocked to see how much is gone.
“Don’t worry, we will get it all back Robert. Adam can fill in most of what is missing.”
“He can’t!” he cried out, his pain and fear tearing at the little there was of him. “Don’t remember how to get back to the Kinytians and Inguel. I’ve forgotten where the damn planet is!” How he managed to say the words was beyond us.
Cherine was as shocked as we were, but she kept her cool and thought of the obvious answer. “It does not matter Robert, Freddie can give you back those memories.”
“So can I Cherine.” Sol said as she left us for Solomon to take her place. “Do not worry Robert my friend, there are many of us who can fill in those memories for you. Heal yourself and bring back little Aven so that she can see she is still loved. Those are your priorities.” He looked so powerful and wise, the figure Robbie needed to have ordering him at this moment. Gently he smiled. “Again you have been proven right and we must learn from this experience. You always insisted we are not allowed to give Cherinian powers or gifts unless the person is a Cherinian. It was a mistake sending her back in as she was.”
Tina said, “We did it out of compassion Solomon. It was meant to help and strengthen her in her captivity.”
“Compassion and empathy must not be allowed to blind you Tina. They too need to be used wisely.”
Freddie came in with a worried comment that Aven is acting strangely. Empathia shouted, “We don’t care, we don’t want to know.” so he did not explain.
If it would have given any relief to Robbie we would have gladly made ourselves six inches high so that all of us could touch him. It was a far greater comfort for him having Cherine in his arms so the rest of us lay around them, our hearts aching from feeling his mind stutter at him. Sleeping did not help him, with so much of his mind damaged his subconscious was able to call up all sort of demons to terrorise him. Dommi went in with the protector and they helped soothe him.
In the morning Robbie insisted on getting up, he wanted to sit outside. We helped him get to our garden and he sat back with his eyes closed.
“Robert, you are better?”
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“Thank you Freddie.”
“Will you allow me to help? We recently divided, allow us to become one and when we divide again you will have most of what you lost.”
“No.”
“Why Roberto mou?” Aganthi asked.
“He is not whole. Must not be me.”
I explained on his behalf. “I think I know what he means. He had to edit himself or else Freddie would have been miserable without us. He had to make the changes that would make his existence as Freddie attractive.”
“Why did you not explain to me Robert? Never mind, we can discuss it when you are healed. I am worried about Aven. She has gone from strange to bizarre…”
“Leave my daddy alone!” Athia screamed.
“Cherine?”
“Yes love.”
“Explain to her.” Her eyes filled with tears. Robbie could not work out why or what to say, but he knew it was wrong of Athia. How can so much of a man be gone without the core of him changing?
“I’ll explain Robert. Freddie, tell us first, what is wrong with her?”
“She has not rested all night. She is trying to walk and keeps falling down. Her body is already bruised all over.”
“Do you understand Athia? Our little Aven is fighting her. You would abandon our love?”
“No.”
“Good, then come with me, we must go to her.”
“No mama, please don’t.”
“It is troubling your father Athia.”
Athia rushed to him. “Trust me daddy, we must not go to her, not yet.”
“Your baby.” She nodded emphatically, tears falling as she laughed and hugged him.
“Freddie, keeps us informed please.”
“Athia, it seems little Aven is successfully holding back her healer. Do you think she has a plan to weaken Aven so as to take over?” I asked.
“I don’t know. I don’t think she can do that. Sam, all I do know is that I must not go there, not yet. I don’t know why, but I’m sure.”
Wherever her gut feel came from it was right. At dusk Freddie told us Aven is calling for Empathia.
Athia was horrified by the sight that met her eyes as she jumped. Even as she rushed to her, Aven fell down again. Athia grabbed her and held her upper body up. Green eyes misted with pain stared back at her. “Help me, she wants to kill us. I told her Robert will put us back in a new body if she does, but she says she will kill that one also.”
Gently she smoothed back the hair which had matted on her forehead. “She is quite a warrior. You must be proud of her Aven, she is like a daughter to you.” Little Aven heard and she went wild, the battered body jerking. Athia screamed at her to stop.
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“Will you attack me if I come into your mind Aven? The little one needs to talk to me. If she stops attacking, will you use that as an opportunity to kill me?”
“No.”
“No means no Aven. Not strategy this time, do you promise?”
“Can you make the pain go away Athia. Can I sleep please?”
“Just one minute please.” Athia jumped them to her bed. She straightened out her limbs and lay down next to her. “I’m coming in my love. Sleep if you want.”
*Go away! You helped her!*
*Of course I did love. I did it because of you. Do you think my heart is not in pain, seeing my Robbie damaged and hardly able to finish a thought? I’ve had my turn for crying. Come to me and cry if you want to. I’ll hold you in me so that you are safe.*
*No.*
*You must not attack her love. Let her sleep.*
*I have to. I have to!*
*We loved you because you were not like her, now you want to change and become another Dark Avenger?*
*I have to. She must not touch Robert again. Ever!*
*She won’t love, we are all protecting him now.*
*No! Not your Robbie, mine. She took him from me, but I got him back, she must not touch him again.*
*Oh God! We forgot! My love, will you let me borrow him please? Robbie needs the sliver. He will get stronger and then I’ll bring the sliver back.*
*Take me with.* she cried, her heartbreak in her voice.
*If we say you must come back, will you agree to do as we say?*
*I promise.*
Athia folded her within herself and returned to her body. She felt the joy, but also the sobs of her rider, but now her mind was on Aven. She felt she had cheated, lied to her, even though she had not. Unable to handle her feelings of guilt she grazed her fingertips over the face gentled by sleep and jumped back to us.
“Give her to Robert.” her mother ordered. As she let her go and Aven sensed Robbie she cried in a long wail Robbieeeeeeee and sped to him. As she approached she faltered and cried out. His instincts took over and his tattered remains tried to envelop her. Very carefully she helped him and remembering what Athia had told her she let go of her pocket of his memories, Cherine and Dommi sped in and gathering them quickly placed them wherever they belong. Aven handed over to Cherine his sliver and Cherine carried him to the void so that he can reabsorb it.
“I feel a lot better now. What do I do with Aven?” he asked Dommi.
“Sol, could we have a new body for her?”
When the body appeared, we took Robbie to the void again. He released her and tried to become the void. He could not. The protector appeared and soon her tiny soul brightened as her cord was linked. We fed her with as many of our love motes as it was safe for her to receive and returned home.
We sat and listened as Aven described how she had been attacked, the sliver taken from her and the healer and memories examined and control of them taken away from her.
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“I could not stop her Robert, she just took me into her and used me to make her stronger. When she thought she had destroyed you, she was so happy that she forgot about me. I grabbed everything and ran away. I had seen how she used what you gave me so I decided to use it against her. I hate her!”
“Athia loves her.” I said softly. She could not understand, but we did not let her dwell on it. Cherine said it was urgent we enter her mind and gentle the pain. That night both Aven and Robbie slept without nightmares as he held her on his chest.
We were all asleep when Athia dressed and jumped to Aven. She entered quietly and lay down next to her. Aven moaned and snuggled up to her. Her sleep seemed to ease, become deeper as Athia put her arm over her. She lay there for hours trying to sense her friend. Her healer went in and repaired the damage to the body. Athia cried when she found out her friend had two broken fingers and a fractured wrist in addition to all the cuts and bruises.
When Aven turned over and slowly came out of her sleep, Athia gently rubbed her back and she gave a little moan of pleasure, spooning herself into Athia. Suddenly her eyes opened wide.
“What have you done to me?”
“You need to be on your own for a while. When we come back to Freddie we will return her if you want.”
“You made the pain go away?”
“My healer fixed you.”
She was silent for a time. “You did not give me good advice. You should have told me what a powerful weapon having a healer is and made me do anything I had to, to get my own.”
“It was impossible Aven, you had to love us for that to happen. It is not something you can pretend.”
“Why are you with me? I felt your grief and hate.”
Athia sighed. “I am only human. You hurt the one I love more than anyone else.”
“How is he?”
“We cannot go home yet. You tore him up very badly.”
“But you are all making him strong again? Yes, that is what you will do.”
Aven’s tummy rumbled and Athia giggled. “I’m also hungry. There isn’t anybody at the taverna, shall we go there to eat?”
Soon as they got up Aven grinned. “You should have taken your clothes off.”
“There isn’t anyone else to see me. The aliens won’t come to the taverna. Would you like me to go and change quickly?”
She shrugged. “It doesn’t matter.”
They ate and then wandered to a rock and sat watching the water. Tears trickled down Athia’s cheeks.
“Robert would say it was worth it if you did not hate anymore. Why can’t you change Aven?”
“What I feel does not matter anymore. I have given up, I could not even beat that little monster you created and she only had a sliver with her. How then can I fight any Cherinian and hope to win. My kind of win Athia, not yours.”
“You are in shock, soon you will be scheming how to fight us again.”
Robbie left his body with Cherine and went directly to Freddie. They examined what little Freddie had to give back and they returned. Freddie did not try to discuss what he had learnt about himself. He knew or sensed he has to wait for Robbie to recover.
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“Cherine, I need to get back home. I need it.” She nodded, tightening her arm around his neck. Cherine called and the protector appeared. Obedient to her he took us all home.
Chapter One Hundred and Sixty Eight
Soon as we arrived Alki jumped over. They had become worried when days passed and we did not turn up. He immediately sensed Robbie and his worry brought over the whole family. Aven - no, I can’t carry on calling them both Aven. Until she is given a name, I will call Empathia’s Aven, Aven, and our Aven, Haven. It sounds silly, but will have to do for now.
Aven was with us and Athia had sat her down next to her. She was examining the room, but otherwise her face looked more resigned than belligerent, as it usually does. When Alki expressed his concern she stared at Robbie, waiting to see what he will say.
Robbie grinned and with an effort replied, “I had a fight with Aven and she beat me. Not fight now, truce.”
Alki looked very angry. “Roberto mou, when are you going to get some brains. Why do you always make your enemies look like little girls when you know you cannot fight them? You must make them ugly hairy men - like me.”
Robbie chuckled. “Better no brains.” That made us all laugh and Athia had to explain to Aven.
With a spark of curiosity in her eyes she asked, “Then I am one of his weaknesses? He cannot fight young females?”
“That about sums him up.”
“Then he is right, Robert is stupid!”
“Aren’t you glad?” Athia said with a grin, knowing how her mind would start scheming again.
“Alki? Kef’lari? See people.”
“I’ll get my car. Dommi, get him an overcoat and scarf, it’s freezing outside and he must not try to use his gifts the way he is now. Marian and Dommi will come with me, the rest of you find your own way there.”
We bundled him up, Aganthi brought him some cash and he left. Soon as he was gone, Jade stood in front of Aven, her stance determined, but Athia only gave her one look and she turned around and walked away angrily. I warned everyone to be alert and went to Haven. “Come with me.”
She was unhappy when she saw where I was taking her, but she did not resist.
“Aven, this is your daughter. To be fair, I think we should say she is also our daughter since half of her mind and soul is from you and the other half from us. She needs a name, have you any preferences?”
“She is a thief and a traitor, what do I care what you name her.”
“Girls, for my own sake while writing I chose the name Haven for her. It is not a good name, has any one of you got a good one that suits her?”
“Have you asked what she would prefer Sam?”
I looked at her and she shook her head. She then changed her mind. “Can I have a name from Robert?”
“Do you mean you want him to name you, or that your name should be the female equivalent of his name? Tina is actually Robertina so we can’t use that one. Roberta, ugh! Let’s see Robbie….”
“Robyn!” Solace cried out.
“That is a boy’s name!” Rosie said.
“I saw a story where a girl was called Robyn. You spell it with a ‘y’.” Em-e asserted.
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I sensed that most of them liked the name and more importantly, Aven did. “We will call you Robyn then, after the red-breasted bird. It suits you and it is the closest we can get to Robbie. Are you happy?” She smiled shyly and hugged me.
I made her face Aven again. “We are not very good at sensing when you plan to cause mischief, but Robyn is part of you, so she can. She will stay alert all the time you are here and warn us in time. You will not even know she warned us, because she can speak directly to our minds. Any action you try to take while we are here will be dealt with very harshly. Athia, no games of strategy while we are here - we will not tolerate her doing anything that could harm innocent bystanders or expose us. I will hold you personally responsible for anything she tries to do.”
Softly Cherine said, “It is time for us to jump. I want to find a table for Robert before he gets there.”
As we walked away Robyn tugged at me and I leant down. She whispered, “I can’t feel her. You lied.”
I gave her a conspiratorial grin and a wink. We all felt how it boosted her self image and from then she kept on glancing at Aven as if checking up on her. It really annoyed Aven, but she controlled her anger and did not speak of it.
A number of regulars who knew us by sight stared as a bundled up Robbie was helped to our table. As we do when in public, most of us had made ourselves into adults, mostly so as to prevent the accusations and suspicions Robbie had to endure when we appeared with him as children. A group of young guys began to make jokes loud enough for us to hear, saying it is no wonder he is so worn out with so many of us for him to screw. We could not get angry with them because we felt how it perked up Robbie - he thought of it as a compliment to his sexual prowess; ahh, the male ego! No wonder they say the male ego is so fragile!
Jo had decided not to be fat while here and she appeared as a slim tall black girl of about twenty, her features, as she said, of Somali appearance. With her creamy complexion she is quite stunning and even with so many beauties she drew a lot of attention.
Robbie did not last long and we returned home as soon as we felt his need to lie down.
We wanted to take Robbie to the void so that Adam could help fill in some more gaps in his mind. We also wanted to add to his soul from his slivers that we hold. Robbie though was too tired and asked to be allowed to sleep. Once he was deep in a dream we got together.
“You have a plan Sam?”
“Yes. You know the saying, if Mohammed will not go to the mountain then the mountain must go to Mohammed. Why don’t we bring Adam here?”
“That is crazy!! I like it.” Cassie said and everyone agreed with her. Sol agreed to arrange for a body for him when we do so. We went to bed happy to have solved that problem. I drew first lot, with Annavi, staying awake to watch Aven. Robyn was allowed to lie next to Robbie and she went as a five year old. In his sleep he felt her and coming out of his sleep only long enough to lift and place her on his chest, he drifted off again with a smile.
Themi suggested we keep him quiet, so Alki asked everyone to stay away. He had meetings he should not postpone, so we told him not to worry, we will call for him if we need him. Soon after he left we brought Adam. We helped him sit up, but he was soon on his feet.
“I don’t understand why you like gravity. This pulling me down is not pleasant.” He cocked an eyebrow at Jo. “Seems I will be getting some interesting sharing, what could have persuaded you to look like that?”
She pretended to deliberately misunderstand. “Green is not an acceptable colour on Earth. Black is bad enough.” He found that very funny.
“You better take me to him. Did you warn him I’m coming?”
“No. We wanted to surprise him.”
Gently, “I don’t think now is the time for surprises. Cherine, will you warn him please?”
I hope you enjoy reading this story of fantasy, adventure and love - and should some of it be true for our reality, I hope you will love our Cherine.
Αλέξανδρος Ζήνον Ευσταθίου
(Alexander Zenon Eustace)9th December, 2019
- posted: 9th December, 2019
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