Epilogue
April
April looked at Sonyawith new admiration. The older woman was strong and stoic. Even now as she calmly packed her suitcase, ready to move on. Her motions were graceful, her chin high and her eyes bright with promise.
Despite the horrors of the previous night, Sonya was as fresh as a daisy. She was everything April aspired to be.
These past weeks with her had been eye opening in so many ways. Sonya had shown her a whole new side of the world she lived in.
Her father, while open to the world, had nonetheless sheltered her. He’d allowed her to see, to know that there were dangers out there, but in a safe and restrained manner. She’d been trained to slay vampires and fight evil, without ever really thinking that the day would come when she would need that training.
With her eyes on Sonya’s every move, April thought of her slip up the day before; the word had escaped her mouth before she could even think of it.Mom. Was it simply a natural cry considering the circumstance? She’d heard of men at war crying out for their mother.
Or could it be a growing maternal bond between them that had her slipping up that way?
She wondered if Sonya had heard the call at all. If she had, she didn’t mention it. If she had, did it offend her.If she had, was she pleased?
“What do we do now?”she said as she handed Sonya a folded pink cardigan sweater.
Sonya took the cardigan, unfolded it and examined it with a critical eye. “I haven’t worn this in a while. Would you like it?”
April looked at the sweater and smiled. It was a lovely shade of pink, a shade that suited her skin tone perfectly. “I’d love it.”
“Here you go.”
“Dad didn’t let me pack up much when we left home,” April said, taking the sweater and holding it up to her chest.
“He didn’t let you pack much?”Sonya said in a mocking tone. “You forget that I saw the suitcase you arrived here with. I bet you have more than I do.”
They laughed, and she enjoyed the sense of release, however momentary it might turn out to be.
But her unanswered question remained with her. “What are we going to do now?”
“With the studio gone, we have no choice but to leave.”
April nodded. She and her father had already emptied the bungalow they’d just moved into. They’d not even had the time to unpack.
“Where will we go?”
