Chapter 6: Chapter 6 WAKE UP CALL

“Mom. Mom, wake up.” SJ gently shook his mother’s shoulder. The sun was coming up and soon the rest of the house would be awake. He needed to know exactly what to say if they asked him who he was.

Scarlet opened her eyes to find her son staring at her. She pulled him in her arms and kissed his temple. More than ever she knew the value of the life they had. Unlike Kayla, she was never going to say goodbye to anyone she loved.

“Hi baby, how was your flight?”

“It was cool. But Aunt Kayla was anxious the whole way here.”

“Kayla.” Scarlet knew that her best friend would need her now more than ever. It was time for her to be there for her, just as she was when her parents died.

“Where is your dad?”

“He is in the living room with Uncle Solara. What are we going to tell them?”

“Tell who what?”

“What are we going to tell the humans about me?”

Scarlet thought about it for a second but came up with nothing, “Let’s go ask your dad.”

They went to the living room and found Stephan and Solara seated on the sofa in deep conversation.

“What’s going on guys?” She knew the looks on their faces. She had seen it so many times before, but this time it was different.

“I’m worried about Kayla. Her thoughts are making me very anxious. She needs to stop looking into her grandmother’s head.” Solara rubbed his palms over his knees.

“She is just worried about her.”

“No, the thoughts she is having are suicidal. Scarlet, Kayla will not be able to handle it if her grandmother dies.”

“I’ll go up to her. Stephan deal with this.” She pushed SJ towards his father then ran up the stairs.

Scarlet walked into the room, Kayla was lying in her grandmother’s arms on the bed. Her mother stood over them her eyes swimming in a sea of tears.

“Come here.” Nana Cooper beckoned Scarlet to her other side, then tapped on the bed.

Carefully Scarlet climbed over them to go and lie on her other side. She gazed at Kayla’s face and could see distress and fear curved all over her smooth ebony face. She put her hand over Kayla’s which was resting on her grandmother’s chest.

“The two of you have been watching over each other since you started college. Your friendship is priceless. Because of it, Scarlet was able to survive the death of her parents and you, my baby, will get through mine.” Her voice was clear and strong. The weakness that was there the day before disappeared.

Kayla didn’t speak; she just looked into Scarlet’s eyes.

I don’t think I will survive it if she dies.

Yes, you will, just as I did. You have me, Stephan, SJ, the twins, and Solara to help you get through this.

I don’t think I can.

You have to.

If I knew I would be watching my family die one by one, I would have killed myself a long time ago.

Don’t say that. Your grandmother doesn’t need that kind of attitude around her right now.

Maybe I should turn them all. Have eternity with them.

I don’t think they would want that. Just love them for as long as you can.

Kayla knew that she couldn’t cry, so there wouldn’t be any physical evidence of her pain. She was going to suffer in silence with only Solara knowing her pain.

“You have each other and the men in your lives. Focus on being happy.” Nana Cooper’s voice rang in the air once more.

“Speaking of men, we have already met Scarlet’s husband. Where is your man?” Iris redirected the conversation.

“He’s downstairs,” Kayla mumbled her head cuddled on her grandmother’s shoulder.

“We should go meet him.” Nana proposed. She was weak but very enthusiastic. “I want to see this man, with my own eyes. Honestly, I still can’t believe there is an actual man out there capable of handling you.”

“What do you mean by handling Nana?” Kayla looked up and smiled at her grandmother. She knew exactly what she meant, but she loved it when her grandmother described her.

No one could describe her better than her grandmother could. She always used the words, headstrong, stubborn, exhausting, and intolerable. At times she told her that she exhibited the behaviors of a male child and not that of a beautiful lady.

“Get me my robe honey. I want to go down and meet that poor man.”

“Offer him your condolences.” Iris handed her a white satin robe.

“That poor man asked me to marry him.” Kayla gloated. She looked around the room her eyes settling on the two Cooper women that were now silent.

“What?” her mother was the first to speak.

“He knows that once he marries you he can’t bring you back.” Her grandmother cautioned. “He gets to keep you forever.”

“Nana!” And forever it would be.

Even when she was sick, it was admirable how hard she worked to make everything seem normal.

“Come here my children. Help me move these old bones downstairs.”

“Nana I think you should let him come up here.” Kayla was against her grandmother making any unnecessary movements.

“Kayla Marie Cooper, you’d better help me down those stairs.”

They didn’t try and convince her any further. Whenever her grandmother called her by all her three names she knew better than to argue with her.

It was much easier for them to take her down the stairs. Scarlet and Kayla practically carried her down, making sure she didn’t use any of her much-needed strength. Carefully they lowered her into the chair and Iris placed a wool blanket over her legs.

Solara, Stephan, and SJ stood as they watched the frail lady bring brought to the living room. When she was comfortable Stephan went to her, he kissed the back of her hand in greeting.

“This is my younger brother.” He introduced SJ.

“I see the resemblance.” Iris stared at both of them.

Scarlet was relieved that they were able to come up with a clever identity for their son.

Kayla stretched out her hand to Solara. He walked up to her and stood at her side, smiling down at the old lady.

“Nana, Momma, this is Solara the poor man I’m about to marry.” She made sure she used the term they used to refer to him.

Kayla’s grandmother and mother stared at Solara their eyes wide with shock.

“I didn’t think my grandbaby would ever marry a white man. But I never thought she would ever marry.”

“Nana, he’s not white. His last name is Gomez.” Kayla corrected her.

“During my time we weren’t allowed to have interracial relationships. But the world has grown since then. My biggest worry is whether or not you can control this little ball of fire?”

“I manage ma’am.” Solara grinned.

“It’s a good thing you have some meat on you. You can wrestle her when she gives you any trouble. Kayla always solves her problem by fighting.”

“Not any more Nana. I use my words these days.” Kayla defended herself. She hadn’t gotten into a fight ever since she met Solara; killing one of Zen’s men didn’t count.

“I wouldn’t dream of wrestling with your granddaughter. I’m afraid she will beat me.”

“My daughter keeps saying that you are getting married. When is the wedding set for?”

“A month.”

“Two days.” Nana put in. “Come Thursday you will marry my granddaughter in my backyard.”

They all stared at her as she planned the impossible. Kayla knew that she couldn’t put a wedding together in two days, especially if the rest of the family was to attend.

“That is impossible Nana. I can’t plan a wedding that will involve the whole family in just two days.” Kayla protested.

“You don’t have to worry about that. Your mother and Scarlet will help you.” She had made up her mind.

Kayla was about to protest again when she heard her grandmother’s desperate thoughts.

Give me two days Lord. Thursday I can watch my baby get married and say goodbye to my family.

Kayla grabbed Solara’s arm to keep herself from tipping over. The grief threatened to pour out of her; she could feel her control slowly slip from her.