Heritage (Under Revision)

Chapter 19 - Elena

“Where have the days gone lately?” I say to myself, entering the Grand Hall, my arms laden with bags full of decorations for Leon’s birthday party in a few hours.

I received a text message on my TAPs shortly before I gathered up all of the party supplies, sent by Ethan to tell me he was stopping off in the control rooms to check the status of the continually persistent anomaly still plaguing Ethan s mind.

I can see it in his eyes when anyone mentions it. It’s worrying him, and if I’m not mistaken, and when it comes to Ethan, I’m usually not, I think it’s causing him mental strain and anxiety. The nightmares have been coming more and more frequently lately, and sometimes he’ll space out during a normal conversation, almost as if the little mutant girl is standing in the shadows, haunting him.

I deposit the decorations on one of the long buffet tables in the Grand Hall as thoughts of Ethan flood my mind. Every time he goes into that damned control room his mind wanders back to our time on the XR-3 Zeus.

Deciding quickly to check up on him, I leave the Hall and make my way down the long corridor, turning left past Blaze Hall and knocking softly as I approach Ethan’s office door.

I hear Ethan’s voice speak softly from the other side of the door and I twist the handle, poking my head in cautiously.

“Hey Ethan, are you ready to go?” I say to him softly as he checks his wristwatch.

“Yeah babe, just give me a few,” he replies as I enter his office, making my way over to him.

“Are you ok?” I ask concernedly.

“I...I don t really know, Elena,” he says, stammering. I had this strange vision.

“Of what? The girl?”

“Yeah, and of Dante too. He looked like he was ripped to shreds, and he told me that...they’re waiting for me,” Ethan says, his voice trembling.

“Waiting for you?” I ask curiously.

“Yeah, and I swear on my life Elena, it was so real. It was like both of them were standing in front of me. I got the same feeling that I got when I first saw her.”

I can plainly see the distress on my husband’s face as he admits his hideous vision to me, the pain etched into his strong features. I cross the room and wrap my arms securely around his waist, embracing him lovingly.

“Hey, it’s going to be alright Ethan. We both saw that station get sucked into a wormhole. It’s gone forever and so are the monsters that lived in it,” I say to him in what I hope is a comforting tone.

“You’re right, thanks Elena. You always know how to make me feel better,” he replies, before kissing me softly.

“Come on, hun. Let’s go get our son’s party ready,” I reply, linking my arm through his as we make our way back to the Grand Hall to prepare.

We begin unloading all of the supplies once we get back to the Hall before Ethan and I begin blowing up balloons, hanging streamers in shades of metallic silver, blue and black and instructing both the caterer and DJ where to set up. Ethan begins working on the stage a short while later, while I decorate the tables.

We’ve had Leon’s favorite restaurant cater the event, and a well-known DJ shuttled in from the mainland to supply the music.

“Well hun, what do you think?” Ethan asks me, taking a step back awhile later to admire our work.

“It looks great, Ethan. You did good with the stage.”

“Well, it’s our boy’s eighteenth birthday, he deserves a good lookin’ stage for when he steps on it.”

“There’s our birthday boy now,” I say to him, turning around as I notice Leon entering the Hall.

“Whoa, this place looks amazing guys! Looks like you didn’t need my help after all,” Leon says excitedly.

“Well, why should we make the birthday boy make preparations for his own party that his parents are throwing for him?” I respond.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right, but don’t go spoiling me now. That’s bad parenting,” Leon says with his signature smirk. He looks so much like his father when he does that.

“You’re already spoiled, you little bastard,” Ethan replies, holding an identical smirk.

I can’t help but to laugh at the similarities between the two of them.

“My God, you two are so obviously father and son,” I say, giggling as they turn in unison and flash the trademark grin once again.

“Whoa, six o clock already? We gotta go get ready, people,” Ethan says, checking his watch.

“Alright, I’ll see you guys later tonight,” Leon states, waving to us and leaving the Grand Hall.

I can’t help but to watch him go as memories of his childhood rush back to me like a sharp breeze. His first steps, his first words, the first time he laughed...it all seems like it was just yesterday.

“Eighteen already. He’s turning out like you, ya know? He’s just wising up faster,” I say to my husband with a grin.

“Yeah, I know he is. Sure wish I had my parents around when Damien and I enlisted. Maybe then, a lot of the things that I did in the war wouldn’t have happened,” Ethan says with a thoughtful look on his face.

“Hey, the war made you who you are today. And I love the man that you are today. I wouldn’t change anything about you. Out of all that darkness came the light of your good heart,” I say to him, comfortingly. He just smiles at me, which I return as I lace our fingers together.

“Yeah, looks like you’re right again, Elena.”

“Yeah, I know I am,” I reply in a smartass tone.

“Alright smarty, let’s go get ready for our son’s party,” Ethan replies, rolling his eyes at my cockiness and grinning.

“Haha, ok babe.”

I can feel Ethan’s hand relax in mine, and I can only hope that tonight will be everything we hoped and dreamed for our only son as we say goodbye to his childhood forever.