Chapter 40
”Serena did this?” Muscles tensed, Ike struggled to stand from the wheelchair. His mind was flooded with a torrent of emotions--peace, confusion, anger.
Sebastian came to his side, linking an arm under his to help him up. ”Gabs is pissed. Hasn”t spoken to Serena in over a week. I”m not sure how long it will take her to get over this.”
”She doesn”t want to believe they are gone.” Ike understood his baby sister”s frustration. No bodies had been found in the two years since their parents’ plane had disappeared.
”And she”s refusing to sign off on the paperwork to have them legally declared dead,” Sebastian said, then gave him an uncomfortable glance. ”She still thinks I”m looking for you, so you can help her stop Serena.”
Ike was quiet. He knew it was hard as hell for Seby to lie to his sister. His friend couldn”t hide how hard he”d fallen for her. Loving Gabs and keeping her in the dark could blow up in Seby’s face if she ever found out the truth. The implications weren’t lost on Ike.
”Now, Serena is asking for the same thing. She thinks you’ll be on her side,” Sebastian said, his words ending with a questioning uplift.
Ike took a gingerly step forward. Pain shot up through his leg, but he ignored it. He had to get closer to the memorial erected for Bernadette King and Pastor Peter da Costa. Grief and sorrow lodged in his chest.
Crafted from the finest marble, whiter than the clouds that danced above in the azure sky, the memorial stood as a beacon of remembrance and honor. It was adorned with intricate carvings that depicted the rich tapestry of his parents” lives—moments of triumph, tenderness, and unparalleled generosity that had defined them. Memories flooded his mind as he recognized each of them. At its base, an array of his mother”s favorite tropical flowers was arranged in a semi-circle around the structures, the sweet fragrance filling the air.
”So, whose side are you on?” Seby asked.
Ike said, ”Both.”
He knew in his heart that his parents were gone. But he wasn”t ready to let them rest in peace until he knew what happened to them. Where was the plane? Had it crashed near the border of Ethiopia and Sudan like they thought? Or had it gone down in Lesotho as the Brazhensky thugs had implied? He had to know the truth.
”Can I have a moment alone?” Ike asked.
Seby hesitated, then acquiesced. ”I’ll be down the hill. Text me when you”re ready to go back to the compound.”
Ike hobbled forward, then knelt before the massive marble stone with his father”s name engraved. Pressing his forehead against the cool stone, he closed his eyes, unwilling to shed tears.
”I thought I”d have more time to make you proud. Show you that I could do real good in the world,” Ike whispered.
A soft touch lingered on his neck as smooth arms embraced him. He didn”t flinch or budge. He knew who was with him.
She had come back to save him.
”Your father was always proud of you,” Ava said, pressing her face into his neck. ”You were his greatest accomplishment.”
”Doubt he felt that way after I turned into a monster. Hired killer for the PISCOs. He never knew how many lives I took. Playing judge and executioner for the Palmchat Islands government.”
”Forgiveness isn’t earned. It’s freely given.”
Ike heard his father”s voice overplayed with hers. One of Pastor Peter”s favorite sayings. ”How did you know my father?”
”Doesn”t matter. All that matters is that you never stop looking for the truth,” Ava said.
She turned his head to face her, cradling it in her gentle palms. Their lips met softly at first in a tender kiss, then grew stronger as passion blazed between them. He caressed her lips as she sucked on his tongue, captivating and hypnotizing him with her presence.
Ike needed her. He needed Ava.
Too soon, she pulled away and was gone.
Like a mirage.
Resting his hands on the top of the marble, he pulled himself to stand. The fading orange sun rays cast an ethereal glow over the monument, illuminating a small, rusted bronze key on top.
Ike reached for it and held the small metal in his hand.
Had it always been there?
Or had she left it for him to find?