“Are you checking to make sure you and I are still you and I?” I ask.
“If you put it that way… yes,” she smiles, hugging me tightly.
“One day,” I begin, still hugging her. “All of this will be over with, and you will marry my brother, and give me lots of nieces and nephews, and you both with always be near Jake and I, and all will be okay. Zac and Dia will play with each other and be the best of friends.”
We pull apart, tears streaming down her face. I grab her hand, hoping she knows I believe every word of what I had just said.
“I know, Liz, it’s just hard to see the end picture. You have always been so good at that, not me.”
“You are great at everything.” I squeeze my best friend’s hand.
“I love you my sister,” she smiles.
“Love you too, my friend, my sister.” I hug her again.
“It’s time,” Jake says, leaning through the doorway.
Mar wipes her eyes as I steady my shaking hands by grabbing the hem of my shirt.
We all walk back into the room, ready for what may come, not knowing if we will ever make it out of this place alive.
Chapter Twenty-Five
All members of both groups stand around the large storeroom, awaiting instructions from Rose as to what we need to do. She looks at each one of us with her arms folded over her chest.
“It has come to my attention,” she begins, “there may be a need for a meeting between the leaders of the newcomers and myself. Liz and Jake may attend the meeting with myself. You may bring one member each from your group and choose a member from my family to attend as well. Take a moment to discuss, and I will be prepared for what it is that you deem so important.”
She said the entire thing stone faced. It is hard to tell if she is mad or not, which makes the thought of what we are about to do more frightening. I have been taken by The Force, put through hell and back, and I am afraid of this woman thirty years older than I am.
Our group huddles tightly together.
“Who do you choose, Jake?” Samantha asks.
“Eli,” Jake responds, sure of his answer.
My brother looks at Jake as if he had misheard him, but instead of questioning him, he walks over to Jake and stands next to him.
“And you, Liz?” Magi asks.
“I…I don’t know,” I stutter.
“You already have Eli, so you don’t need me,” Mar says. I think she says it to make sure to let me know that there will be no feelings hurt if I don’t pick her.
“You sure?” I ask.
“Very,” she genuinely smiles.
“Either Magi or Shawn,” I say.
Samantha scowls at me but remains quiet.
“I can get my information straight from you,” Magi says, “Sam nor I either one need to be there,” she sends a sideways glance towards Samantha. “Plus, Samantha and I would be better off keeping an eye on Robert.” She smiles at him sitting on the ground.
“It’s settled, then.” I smile. “Shawn, it is.”
“And Cara is the one from their group we want with Rose, correct?” Zac asks.
“I think that’s best,” I agree.
We break apart, letting them know who we have chosen from both groups to come to our meeting. Why does it have to be so formal? When those of us from The Force decide to have a meeting, we allow all our group members to talk. There is no sense or pride in allowing one or more of our people to remain in the dark.
Moments later, we are standing back out in the small room at the opening of the building.
“We are changing locations today,” Rose begins, as if we are the biggest inconvenience. “Please, make this quick, and then we expect to never see you again! Am I correct?”
“If that is what you want,” Jake begins, “but first, we have a proposition for you.”
“I am not in the mood for propositions,” Rose frowns.
“Just hear them out,” Cara interrupts.
“I knew this had something to do with you.” Rose spits the words at Cara like venom from a poisonous snake.
“I’m sorry, Rose,” Cara begins to explain, but before she can continue, Rose slaps Cara across the face, hard.
“After all I have done for you!” she yells.
“And I appreciate you saving my life,” Cara says, holding her cheek.
“I gave up Cloe for you,” Rose says, a bit softer this time.
“I know, Rosa Maria, but this is not my path anymore, and I need to live my life.”
“Which is with these people?”
“I feel it is.” Cara looks at us. A red whelp growing on her face every second she speaks.
“And you want to take my child away from me?” Rose accuses us.
“With all due respect ma’am,” I try to sound confident.
“Don’t give me that all due respect and ma’am garbage, you want to take Cara from me, and I suspect you have an offer for her?”
She stands stoically, awaiting a response from one of us.
“Uhm,” I lose all words.
“What, cat got your tongue?” she mocks me.
I open my mouth to speak again, but I don’t get a single word out before she holds a shushing hand in my face.
“Tell me,” she begins, “why did you choose these two young men to come to this meeting with you? Are you at the very least able to tell me?”
“Yes,” Jake begins, “this is Eli. He is Liz’s twin brother. I hated him when we first met, because the man sitting on the ground in the other room gave them up when they were kids, and
