“Perfect, we will put it on her bracelet,” the nurse said as she wrapped a plastic bracelet around Bela’s tiny wrist.
When Kyllian was led back to the waiting room, he found that Irene was already there and waiting nervously. It seemed she hadn’t heard the news, so he told her everything he knew. But he was soon interrupted by a buzzing in his pocket. His father had given him an old technology that had been on Erath over two centuries ago known as a pager. It was meant to let the wearer know that a person was trying to get in contact with them, and it had numbers based on the level of need.
Kyllian was annoyed as he pulled out the device, but as he looked at it and saw it was an emergency, he didn’t know what else to think but that something had happened to his father.
“It’s my father. It says it is an emergency,” Kyllian looked to Irene and said, feeling pained at the idea of leaving.
“It’s alright; they said she would be fine, and I am not leaving. She isn’t even awake to see you yet. Do what you need to do but be safe. This could have something to do with Tuuleuss,” Irene warned, and he nodded, knowing she was right.
He took off out the door, speeding away to the mansion on the land skimmer he had used to bring Savanah there. This better be an actual emergency.
* * *
Thomas continuedto shove papers in front of Kyllian like a madman, shaking and skittering. Kyllian didn’t know what to make of it as he kept saying the same things in nervous, broken language breaking out in a sweat. He was clearly distressed, and Kyllian knew with everything going on to take it seriously.
“I am losing it, son, I am losing it. I don’t know how long I can do all my work right. I can’t be trusted. I had a lawyer draw up all of this. Everything is yours. If you just sign, everything is yours. I’m a giving everything to you. Only you can protect us now.”
He wasn’t making any sense, and more than ever, Kyllian knew that his father had been tainted, and maybe this was a moment of clarity: perhaps his last one.
Not knowing what else to do, he did as his father asked, taking everything for himself: the property, the job as mayor, the assets: everything was his now. He was careful to look over each business document to see if he could glean anything from them, blocking his father out as he was unable to calm him down. By the end of signing all the documents, Thomas’ voice had turned into a screech, and the once intimidating man kept curling up into a ball in his seat in complete fear.
As Kyllian looked over the last document in front of him, he saw just what he needed, a way to get proof, but it was also proof his father knew on some level all about the trafficking. A shipment of women was coming in the next night on a ship, and he would find a way to be there to meet it. Right now, he needed to get back to Savanah and his child.
He placed his hand on his father’s shoulder in as much comfort as he could muster. “I will be back a little later. I have my own business to take care of, but I will be back, okay?”
He didn’t even know if he could reach his father at this point, but he had to try.
By the time he walked back through the doors of the hospital, he was crying, confessing everything to Irene about his father’s mental state. If anyone could understand what that felt like to watch a loved one lose control over themselves, it would be her. But there was no comfort to be had, not until he heard the words coming from the doctor. “She is awake and asking to see you and Bela. She says she loves the name.”
Kyllian practically ran to Savanah’s bedside, his eyes sparkling with happy tears as he kissed both mother and child on the forehead. “This is perfect, all of it. I am so glad you made it through. I love you both so much,” she declared, taking a hand of theirs in each of his.
Savanah smiled up at him, looking exhausted, but just as content. “Then, marry me,” she said to him, plain and simple.
Kyllian was startled for a moment, but then chuckled. “Of course, I will.”
