I shifted my gaze to him thoughtfully. "How old are you?"
"I'm ninety-two years old. Vampires become adults at age sixty. Anthony, Michael, and I were born in the same month of the same year. Our mothers worked and planned to have us at the same time. The three of them were best friends and hoped we would be three girls, but Supay women are rare. Jaime is fiercely protected. She’s one of four female Supay children in the entire world. They’re not pure Supay, but female Supay are so rare it doesn’t matter. Any one of us would die to protect them.”
I walked over to a bale of hay and plopped down onto it. "Okay, so my husband was fifty years older than me, and I'll be dead by the time my sons are grown. What a great day this has been." I curled my body up on the hay and rested my head on my knees.
Elias sat beside me and pulled my curled form into his arms as I cried. "This can't be real. You still haven't shown me any proof. This has got to be some elaborate hoax. Please tell me my family is safe and none of this supernatural juju stuff is real?" I sobbed in earnest.
Elias swayed our bodies back and forth. "It's real, Riley. I'm sorry to have shocked your world, but it's real. We’ll figure out a way to keep everyone safe and together, I promise. I already have a rough idea of how we might accomplish it."
My mind couldn't bear more information. I didn't ask what his new plan might be. I just cried.
"When can I see the boys?" I asked a few minutes later when my tears were spent.
"Anthony should be bringing them out to play soon. We’ll watch from the bushes on the side of the barn. Then I'll leave you there to watch while I go let Anthony know that I would like to tell Danyelus and Tammy what's going on.” He turned his head toward the manor. “Actually, I hear them coming now."
He peered out the doors of the barn. "They're coming. Let's go out the back, and I'll get you situated in the bushes."
Chapter 5
I sat in the bushes, mesmerized, my eyes glued to my sons. They were real, they were in front of me, and they were unmistakably my boys. I could see myself and Michael written all over them. Tears coursed down my cheeks, and I didn't bother wiping them away. The boys played soccer while tiny Jaime skipped around with a jump rope. Elias and Anthony conferred, then walked over to join Tammy and Danyelus, who watched the children from a small settee. They spoke for several minutes until Tammy and Danyelus grew visibly agitated.
Danyelus yelled something, but I was too far away to hear the specific words. Anthony and Elias sat down beside them, pleading. The soccer game lulled as the young boys stared at the adults in confusion. The cat was out of the bag. How long should I sit here and wait? I wondered. The desire to hug my boys overwhelmed me.
The children lost interest in the adults and resumed their game. The adults calmed, and I saw Danyelus nod his head. Elias jumped up and ran over to me, a blur as he crossed the yard. It was my first bit of proof that he was something more than human, and it took my breath away. I’d dismissed Anthony as having pulled a prank until I saw Eli move.
"Come on, Riley. It's time to see your children." Elias held his hand out to me, and I let him pull me up. I stood behind the bushes for another second. The big moment was upon me, but it was difficult to put one foot in front of the other. Elias tugged on my hand. “It’ll be fine.”
We trudged across the yard, my stomach in knots. I would’ve thought I would sprint across any yard that held my boys, but nerves made me reluctant. The children played their game and didn't even notice us coming. Danyelus and Tammy stood, but my gaze was glued to my boys.
They laughed as they played keep-away from the other young boy. His golden hair and dimpled grin outed him as Elias's son. The other boys chased him toward me. The older two ran at half speed to let the younger two keep up. Anthony's son loped along comically, making dramatic swings of his arms like someone miming slow motion running.This is the forty-four-year-old?I giggled to myself.This must be how Anthony and Elias were as teenagers.
The boys stopped short when they spotted me. Strangers must’ve been rare in their protected world. They clustered together and ogled me warily. Jaime glanced up from making a crown of daisies when she noticed her friends go silent.
"Riley!" she shouted. She jumped up and grabbed me around the knees in a ferocious hug. "I'm glad you stopped hiding! Come meet my Aunt Tammy!" She grabbed my hand and dragged me over to the other adults.
I kept glancing over my shoulder at my children but gave the adults my full attention when I heard a female voice. "Did you even think about how her presence would disrupt and hurt the boys? They can't go with her, and she can't stay here!"
My stomach turned to lava. She was right. It became hard to breathe and tears filled my eyes. "I'm not here to interrupt their lives or upset them. I just want to see the children, and then we'll be on our way," I lied through my teeth, trying to stop the tears. Tammy's eyes softened.
"I'm sure this is excruciating for you," she whispered. "But I've raised those boys for five years. Even though this isn't your fault, I must think of them first. Elias and Anthony did a reckless thing bringing you here. This will implicate us in a major breach of law."
Tammy jumped as I reached out and grabbed her hand. "I'll only tell them I knew their mother and father, and I wanted to meet them. A quick visit, and then Elias and Anthony can take me home," I pleaded, and lowered my eyes in deference. "Maybe once in a while, if you can manage it, I could bump into you or… or come for dinner," I begged. "Say hi, see how they're growing. I won’t try to take them away, I swear. Please let me speak to them, even if only briefly." I hungered for even a few moments with them.
Tammy nodded her head and clasped my hand. "Boys!” They ran over dutifully and stared at me with curiosity. “This is Riley. David and Daniel, she was a friend of your mother's. She’d like to speak to you and see how you’ve been."
My sons stepped forward. David held out his hand politely. "My mother’s name was Riley."
I looked at Tammy, taken aback. Her face mirrored the surprise on mine. I didn’t even think about him knowing my name or recognizing me.He’s old enough to remember me.
"Yes, David." I shook his hand. "It, uh… it was a big joke between your mother and me, having the same name. You remember my face?” He nodded. “I was around quite a bit when you were young. Your mother and I were very close." I turned to Daniel and got down on my knees.
"Hello, Daniel. My name is Riley. I've wanted to see you for so long. Would it be okay if I asked for a hug?" I prayed he wouldn’t be too shy. I needed to feel him in my arms.
Daniel smiled big and ran into my arms. "Oh goodness, Daniel, you give excellent hugs. I might need more before I leave, would that be all right?" He smiled and nodded.
"Yesh, Mish Riley, that would be great!" He had an adorable lisp.
The tears that I'd so valiantly fought finally fell as I clutched him in my arms. "I've missed you boys. I loved being around you so much before your father died."
