Chapter 9 #2
But the panic that crosses her face as she looks at Ricky tells me she knows I’ve connected the dots. “Does he know?” Glancing over at Ricky, I can tell he’s slightly confused by this statement.
She shakes her head no … and I stand there, wondering what the right thing to do is. I can tell she’s wanted to say something, but didn’t know how, and now I’m putting her on the spot. Trying to soften the news, I move to lighten the conversation.
“Has Ricky ever told you two about his childhood crush and the woman he was going to marry? If you’re not in a huge hurry, please sit down because you’ve got to hear this.”
Kira’s eyes never leave Ricky’s and I can tell she’s torn, whereas DaR just gives me an encouraging nod and reclaims his seat. Kira, on the other hand, walks to the window, looking out as my story unfolds.
“I think Ricky was around seventeen when we met, and we had gone over to his papaw’s to help clean out their attic because they were going to put the place up for sale.
While loading a box, I found some old family videos.
Ricky came up behind me as I looked at them and started laughing.
I can recall him saying, ‘You know, when I was little, I was convinced I was going to marry the woman on those. Grab a box and let me show you.’
Awkwardly, we carried a few of the boxes down the long stairway, only to enter an old bedroom. The room looked like a museum. I was shocked when he flipped on the TV, and it still worked.”
This whole time, Ricky’s been looking at me oddly, as if he has no idea where I’m going with this, but my story never stops.
“Ricky plops one of these huge-ass tapes in a square box, and the screen gets all staticky before the sound starts to work. The next thing you know, we’d spent most of the evening watching the home videos of his great-grandmother and her husband, who looked entirely too much like my Ricky, even in the grainy video.
We both giggled when he told me that he used to watch them all the time when he was little, to the point that he announced at dinner one night that he was going to marry Kira on the tapes in Papaw’s room. What happened then, Ricky?”
“Lord, I had forgotten all about this until you just brought it up, but if you must know, it broke my heart when Papaw told me she was my great-grandmother. To me, she was just a beautiful young woman on the tapes, whose smile always captivated me. She was playful and thoughtful, and in my nine-year-old mind, the perfect woman.”
I watch his eyes dart toward Kira, who’s still standing with her back to us, and I can see his mind working. From the movement of Kira’s shoulders, I can tell she’s crying but trying her best to hide it from all of us.
“Ricky, what did you tell me happened to her and her husband?”
“No one knew for sure; the plane they were traveling on was never found. Or that’s all Papaw knew, anyway.”
I look at Ricky, then over at Kira. This entire time, DaR has remained silent, just watching it all unfold. When no one says anything, I just blurt it out since it’s always easier to rip the band-aid off quickly.
“Ricky, honey, Kira … is your great-grandmother. She’s the woman you watched all those years ago.”
Ricky gets up, walks around the chair DaR is sitting in, and approaches Kira slowly, as if he’s afraid she’ll run away. His words were barely a whisper.
“Is it true?”
She turns, tears flowing down her cheeks, while she wrings her hands nervously. “Yes Ricky, I’m your grandmother several times removed.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I wanted to, but you had lost so much already, … and you were trying so hard to rebuild your life. Mostly, I didn’t want the others to treat you differently or think you were getting special treatment because of me.
Or that’s what I told myself in the beginning, but really, I just didn’t want to explain to strangers what had happened to me.
When I saw you on the shuttle deck on Destiny, I thought I was seeing a ghost. My Rick was standing there for just a moment.
It took you turning your head for me to see the difference; even though there’s not much between the two of you, as you could practically be twins.
I almost collapsed right there and if not for the girls, I would have.
What you didn’t see was me falling apart and DaR hauling me off as the past consumed me, along with the pain that always accompanies it.
Once ANDI confirmed what my heart already knew, I’ve warred with myself constantly about keeping that knowledge from you.
Because I was so indecisive, I didn’t say a word, even to DaR.
The memories, the loss, it was all just too much, and in your mind I was long gone.
There was no reason for me to dredge up all those hurts, so I just helped from the sidelines.
Some days, I hoped you would recognize me, but I’d been gone from your world for such a long time that I was nothing more than a name mentioned in passing, not someone you actually knew.
I had no idea about the home videos. Honestly, I’d forgotten about them.
So, I did what I could. I made sure you were well fed and clothed.
Had DaR purchase the best weapons and an armor-piercing vest, so that you would be safe while on guard duty.
Many times, I wanted to hug you because I understood more than you realized the pain you were suffering through, but I always told myself it was for the best that I kept my distance. ”
“Is that why I got this pod?”
DaR stands, his massive arms crossed. “No son, that was all on me. Even though Kira thought she had kept that little piece of information from me, what my mate forgets is that I can feel everything she does. I knew the moment her eyes landed on you … who you were.
I will admit I am guilty of watching you more than the other males here.
I wanted to see what kind of man you really were, but you never disappointed me.
Even with your world lost and your heart destroyed, you still continued to do the right thing.
Because of that, you earned my respect, and I made sure you were well cared for because of it.
The fact that Kira is your relation had nothing to do with what you have earned on your own, but I will say I am glad it is now all out in the open. ”
Kira is shaking slightly, and for a moment, I wonder if Ricky is going to walk away from her, but when he reaches over and pulls her into his arms, I can’t stop the sob that leaves my throat as Kira clings to him, crying so hard that he’s practically having to hold her up.
DaR hands me an old-fashioned handkerchief. “Here little one, I have made it a habit to keep several of these on me at all times. My females are emotional, and it helps to be prepared.”
I smile at him through the tears as Ricky holds Kira until she can pull herself together. Finally, she steps back slightly from his arms. Immediately, DaR steps behind her, and I see her regain her strength simply by his presence.
I know the next question out of Ricky’s mouth as if I’m saying it myself. “How did you get here? And how do you look like you’re the same age as me when you should be nothing more than ashes by now?”
“We should probably sit down.”
All of us return to our spots, and I see her smile sadly down at DaR before looking over at us once again.
“I had no idea they never found the plane or the story they told you when I was taken.
They tore the plane apart mid-air. There was nothing anyone could do against them, but many tried.
Rick, the man you are named after, gave his life trying to save me from a race that was stealing human females called the Korgons.
I was one of dozens they took that day, and to say when we all woke up …
well … I wished many times that I’d died along with Rick.
DaR found me, only minutes from death. He took me to his home and in a panic, put me in a medical chamber that reset my body to its prime.
I have remained like this ever since, and I’ve been here a long time.
I loved your great-grandfather to the point that I mourned him for years. And it took me a long time to realize that by allowing myself to love another, I wasn’t replacing him, but that my heart was large enough to love another. And I do love DaR in a complete … but no less consuming way.
The past is painful for me, and there are days I feel like I’m looking at a stranger in the mirror, but I’ve come to love this world and many within it.
I’ve asked myself many times: if I could change things, would I?
And I can now say no, I wouldn’t. I was placed in this world for a reason, and I’d like to believe you are one of those reasons.
One thing I’ve learned is that everything happens just as it is meant to.
Ricky, I hope that you can forgive me for not telling you before. ”
“Would you have ever told me?”
“I’d like to say I would and I’ve come close so many times already.
You have to know, I want nothing but the best for both of you.
You are all the blood family I have left, and I pray you allow me to be a part of the world you two are going to build here together.
” Kira’s eyes turn toward me. “Ginger, how did you figure it out so quickly? Ricky has been around me for months now, but it only took you a few minutes.”
“It’s when you flipped your hair. I swear I saw you do that exact same thing on that old tape. You were almost the same age as you are now, and it just clicked. Honestly, you both have the same eyebrows so it’s not hard to see you’re related if you look hard enough.”
Ricky still seems slightly stunned, but smiles at me when I take his hand in my own before scooting closer to him on the couch. “I don’t know about you guys, but damn … is there ever a calm moment in life?”
DaR’s answering laughter echoes throughout the room.