Chronicle 13
The towering remains of the Kanishka Stupa rose above them.
Even in ruin...
It commanded attention.
Joanna slowly turned in a circle, looking up at the ancient
stonework.
"I've seen pictures..."
"...but this is unbelievable."
Arel-Sin nodded enthusiastically.
"It feels..."
He searched for the right word.
"...important."
Zas smiled quietly.
He'd visited the site before.
Many times.
Watching someone else experience it for the first time was
almost better than seeing it himself.
He leaned against a low stone wall while Joanna wandered a
little farther, reading one of the information plaques.
Her phone rang.
She almost ignored it.
Unknown number.
Something made her answer anyway.
"Hello?"
Amina's voice immediately came through.
"Joanna?"
"Speaking."
"I have good news."
Joanna stopped walking.
"The review board has completed its assessment."
A pause.
"Congratulations."
"You've been approved."
For a moment...
Joanna forgot how to breathe.
"...What?"
"You've officially been approved as Phoebe and
Armintie's foster parent."
The phone almost slipped from her hand.
She caught it just in time.
"Oh my God..."
Amina laughed.
"That was roughly everyone's reaction."
Joanna laughed too.
Then wiped tears from her eyes.
"Thank you."
"No."
Amina replied.
"Thank you."
The call ended.
Joanna remained standing completely still.
Zas noticed immediately.
"What happened?"
She turned toward him.
Her smile answered before the words did.
"They approved me."
Silence.
Then...
Arel-Sin whooped.
"Seriously?"
Joanna nodded.
"They approved me."
Arel-Sin threw his arms around her.
Zas followed a second later.
His hug was quieter.
...but no less heartfelt.
"I'm happy for you."
He said softly.
"You deserve this."
Joanna smiled through watery eyes.
"Thank you."
The celebration lasted only a minute.
Reality soon returned.
"So..."
Arel-Sin asked.
"...what happens now?"
Joanna thought aloud.
"The girls are entitled to return to Daral Lake."
"They'll need to collect their things."
"They'll need passports."
"Paperwork."
"School records."
She sighed.
"Amina said Peace Officers can accompany them if
necessary."
Zas nodded.
"I hope that won't be necessary."
He looked toward the mountains in the distance.
"I believe..."
"...The Elder will listen."
"He may not like every decision."
"...but I do not think he will stand in their
way."
Joanna nodded.
"I hope you're right."
Another silence settled.
Then Joanna looked thoughtful.
"...There's something else."
"What?"
"I'm really not ready to leave Purushapura."
She laughed softly.
"I've barely seen any of it."
"...and..."
She looked down.
"...I kind of want to enjoy this."
"We finally got some good news."
Arel-Sin nodded immediately.
"I don't want to leave either."
Zas smiled.
"Nor do I."
Then Joanna frowned.
"...There is one problem."
"Our hotel room."
She counted on her fingers.
"Two adults."
"Three teenagers."
"Two beds."
She laughed.
"The mathematics aren't wonderful."
Arel-Sin looked horrified.
"I'm not sharing with Phoebe again."
Joanna burst into laughter.
"I wasn't volunteering you."
Zas smiled.
"I suspect she would object just as strongly."
They all laughed.
Then Joanna grew serious.
She looked toward Zas.
"Do you think..."
"...the five of us could actually spend a week or two
together?"
"Before Cleveland?"
"I mean..."
She hesitated.
"Without everything falling apart?"
Zas didn't answer immediately.
He thought carefully.
Finally...
"I think..."
"...I can."
He looked toward the ruins.
"I would like to try."
Then he added quietly,
"...but..."
"...it is not my decision."
"It belongs to Phoebe."
"...and Armintie."
Joanna nodded.
"It does."
She picked up her phone once more.
"I guess..."
"...there's only one way to find out."
A few moments later...
Phoebe answered on the video call.
"Hey!"
Joanna smiled.
"I have some good news."
"I already know."
Phoebe grinned.
"Amina told us."
"We're really happy."
"So are we."
Joanna laughed.
"Actually..."
"I wanted to ask you something."
Phoebe's smile softened.
"What is it?"
Joanna exchanged one brief glance with Zas.
Then asked the question.
"How would you and Armintie feel..."
"...about spending a week or two with us here in
Purushapura?"
"No pressure."
"If it's too soon..."
"We'll understand."
Phoebe looked off-screen toward Armintie.
The girls shared a long, silent conversation with nothing
more than their eyes.
Then...
They both looked back.
Phoebe smiled.
"I think..."
"...we'd like that."
Armintie nodded.
"As long as nobody makes us share a bed."
Arel-Sin immediately pointed at the screen.
"See?"
"I told you she'd say that."
For the first time...
The idea of all five of them spending time together...
Didn't feel impossible.
It simply felt...
Like the next step.
Love Hospital suddenly felt much quieter.
Not because anything had changed inside the building.
Because Phoebe and Armintie were leaving it.
There were hugs everywhere.
Cornelia cried openly.
"I expect updates."
Phoebe smiled.
"You'll get too many."
"I'm counting on it."
Armintie hugged her just as tightly.
"Thank you..."
"For everything."
Cornelia wiped away another tear.
"It was easy."
"No it wasn't."
Armintie replied.
"...but thank you anyway."
Dr. Martin Eller shook each of their hands.
"I sincerely hope..."
"...I never see either of you professionally
again."
Phoebe laughed.
"I think that's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to
me."
"It is absolutely a compliment."
He smiled.
Finally...
Amina stepped forward.
She hugged both girls.
Not as a physician.
As someone who had watched them slowly rebuild themselves.
"I'm proud of you."
She said simply.
Phoebe swallowed.
"We'll visit."
"You'd better."
Amina replied.
Each girl wheeled a suitcase behind her.
Beside the clothes and personal belongings...
Love had given them both a laptop.
...and a mobile phone.
Their first.
Amina insisted they stay connected.
"Those are yours."
She had told them.
"No conditions."
"Just..."
She smiled.
"...don't ignore my messages."
Outside...
Five people stood together.
Zas.
Joanna.
Phoebe.
Arel-Sin.
Armintie.
It felt...
Unfamiliar.
Not awkward.
Simply...
New.
No one knew whether this version of the family would last
forever.
Or a month.
Or a week.
...but something had undeniably changed.
The tension that had filled the hospital room days
earlier...
Had softened.
Zas looked toward the hotel district.
"I should see whether we can upgrade our room."
Arel-Sin immediately objected.
"Can we go to Stego Burgers first?"
Phoebe answered almost instinctively.
"Yes!"
She turned toward Zas.
"Please?"
The word escaped her before she even thought about it.
It sounded exactly like it had years ago.
Zas smiled.
"I do not mind."
He glanced toward Joanna.
"...but that decision belongs to your mother."
Silence.
Joanna blinked.
She looked over her shoulder.
Almost expecting another woman to be standing there.
Then...
She realized.
He meant her.
Her eyes widened.
For one beautiful, impossible moment...
Everything else disappeared.
The paperwork.
The interviews.
The review board.
The hospital.
The wrestling.
The future.
There was only one thought in her head.
I'm a mother.
She laughed softly to herself.
Recovered.
Then folded her arms with exaggerated seriousness.
"Well..."
She cleared her throat.
"As your mother..."
The three teenagers looked at her expectantly.
"I have reached a carefully considered decision."
Zas struggled not to smile.
"The family..."
She paused dramatically.
"...may absolutely go to Stego Burgers."
Three cheers erupted at once.
Armintie threw both hands into the air.
Phoebe pumped her fist.
Arel-Sin looked victorious.
"I knew she'd say yes!"
Joanna laughed.
"My first parenting decision..."
"...turned out to be surprisingly easy."
Zas looked at her warmly.
"I hope..."
"...the rest of them prove equally simple."
Joanna smiled.
"I somehow doubt they will."
She slipped her hand into his.
"...but..."
She looked at the three teenagers laughing together as they
started walking toward the car.
"I don't think I'll have to face them alone."
"No."
Zas answered softly.
"You won't."
...and for the first time...
As they walked away from the hospital...
They didn't look like five people trying to become a family.
They simply looked...
Like one.
Back at the hotel...
The receptionist smiled as she handed Joanna the new
keycards.
"We managed to find something a little larger."
"A little?"
Joanna laughed.
"I'll take it."
The suite was far more spacious than the room they'd
occupied before.
A small kitchen.
A dining table.
A sitting area.
One bedroom with a large double bed.
Another with three single beds and a television mounted on
the wall.
The children disappeared into their room almost instantly.
Arel-Sin stopped.
"So..."
"I call this one."
He pointed confidently.
"So do I."
Armintie declared at exactly the same moment.
They looked at each other.
"No."
"I picked it."
"I picked it first."
"You absolutely didn't."
"I absolutely did."
Phoebe sighed dramatically.
"We've been here twelve seconds."
Zas watched the argument unfold.
Then looked at Joanna.
"I believe..."
"...this falls under your jurisdiction."
Joanna looked between the two identical beds.
Then smiled.
"I've solved it."
The two debaters stopped.
"You..."
She pointed toward the bed nearest the window.
"Arel-Sin."
She pointed toward the opposite one.
"Armintie."
Then she looked at Phoebe.
"...and because you're the only person behaving like an
adult..."
"...you get first choice."
Phoebe grinned.
"I like being rewarded."
"I'll take the middle one."
Armintie folded her arms.
"I still think mine was better."
Arel-Sin answered immediately.
"Mine has a better pillow."
"You haven't even touched it."
"I can tell."
"You can't."
"I can."
Phoebe rolled her eyes.
"They're both impossible."
The next argument began almost immediately.
"What are we watching?"
"Sports."
"No."
"Movie."
"No."
"Documentary."
"No."
"Cartoons."
"No."
"Nature."
"No."
Phoebe sighed.
"We're getting nowhere."
Joanna leaned into the doorway.
"Okay."
Three heads turned.
"Arel-Sin gets the television."
"What?"
Armintie protested.
"You two both have laptops."
"...and phones."
"You can watch whatever you want."
"We don't like headphones."
Phoebe replied.
"I know."
Joanna smiled.
"...but for now..."
"...use them."
"I'll buy you both a much nicer pair."
"...but these will do until then."
The girls exchanged a look.
Neither particularly liked the decision.
Neither could argue with the logic.
"...Fine."
Armintie muttered.
Joanna smiled victoriously.
"Excellent."
She quietly closed the bedroom door.
Almost immediately...
They heard another argument begin.
"You're sitting too close."
"I'm literally over here."
"You crossed the invisible line."
"There is no invisible line."
"There is now."
Joanna laughed.
"They're going to be okay."
"They already are."
Zas replied.
The two of them walked into their own bedroom.
For the first time in days...
There was nothing they urgently had to do.
No interviews.
No meetings.
No paperwork.
No hospitals.
Just...
Silence.
They sat on the edge of the bed.
Then gradually lay back beside one another.
Zas stared at the ceiling.
"It feels..."
"...peaceful."
"It does."
Joanna answered softly.
He was quiet for a while.
Then...
"I think..."
"...our family might work."
Joanna turned toward him.
"Our family?"
He smiled faintly.
"I know."
"I heard it too."
She reached for his hand.
"I'm glad you said it."
He looked thoughtful.
"I'm not sure I want Phoebe and Armintie to
leave."
"Or Arel-Sin."
"Or..."
He squeezed her hand gently.
"...you."
Joanna smiled.
"I don't really want to leave either."
Another comfortable silence settled.
Then she laughed quietly.
"...but..."
She poked his chest.
"I also don't think you want to rush into marrying
me."
He shook his head.
"No."
"I don't."
"Not because I doubt us."
"Because..."
"I want us to grow into it."
She nodded.
"I feel the same way."
She rested her head against his shoulder.
"So..."
"Let's not rush putting the family back together
either."
She listened to the muffled bickering coming through the
bedroom wall.
A smile spread across her face.
"Let's just let it grow."
She looked up at him.
"...like us."
Zas smiled.
Outside the bedroom...
Arel-Sin suddenly shouted,
"Stop stealing my fries!"
"I only took one!"
"You took four!"
"I took one four times!"
Joanna burst into laughter.
Zas closed his eyes.
"There it is."
"What?"
"The sound..."
"...of children."
For the first time in a very long time...
It didn't sound like chaos.
It sounded like home.
The hotel's complimentary breakfast exceeded everyone's
expectations.
Fresh bread.
Eggs.
Fruit.
Potatoes.
Bacon.
Even a cook making omelettes to order.
Joanna laughed as she filled her plate.
"I wasn't expecting this."
Phoebe grinned.
"I could get used to this."
"So could I."
Armintie replied, piling another hash brown onto her plate.
The five settled around a table near the window.
For a while...
Breakfast was peaceful.
Phoebe had one hand around a mug of hot chocolate.
Her other hand was busy exploring her new phone.
Armintie was no different.
Every few seconds one of them discovered something new.
"Oh!"
"You can customize the lock screen."
"Look!"
"They've got maps."
"What does this button do?"
Joanna smiled.
"Careful."
"That's exactly how people accidentally buy
subscriptions."
The girls immediately became more cautious.
Zas quietly worked through his breakfast.
Watching.
Listening.
Mostly smiling.
Only one person wasn't eating.
Arel-Sin sat with folded arms.
His untouched breakfast slowly cooled.
Zas noticed.
"Arel-Sin."
No response.
"My son."
"...Yes?"
"You have scarcely touched your food."
"I'm not hungry."
Phoebe looked up from her phone.
"You always say you're hungry."
"I changed my mind."
Armintie glanced between the three siblings.
Then down at the phone in her hands.
Understanding slowly dawned on her.
"Oh..."
Joanna noticed too.
"Arel?"
He sighed.
"It's not fair."
Nobody answered immediately.
Finally he admitted it.
"They both have phones."
"I don't."
Zas reached into his pocket.
"You may use Karim's satellite phone."
Arel-Sin looked at it.
"...Can it use social media?"
Joanna smiled apologetically.
"Not really."
"It can call."
"It can send messages."
"It can do a little Internet."
"...but..."
She winced slightly.
"It's not really built for Instagram."
Arel-Sin's shoulders sank.
"So..."
"...it's basically a really expensive old phone."
"That's one way of putting it."
Joanna admitted.
Zas looked sympathetically at his son.
"I understand."
"I truly do."
He rested a hand on Arel-Sin's shoulder.
"...but I cannot imagine the Order agreeing to purchase
you a smartphone."
"There is scarcely any mobile reception around Daral
Lake."
"I doubt they would consider it a wise use of communal
funds."
Arel-Sin nodded.
He knew his father was probably right.
It still hurt.
Joanna looked thoughtfully at him.
Then at Zas.
Then back again.
"...We could buy one."
Zas looked over.
"We?"
"I'll pay."
He immediately shook his head.
"You have already done far too much."
"I don't see it that way."
She replied.
"You've already paid for enough."
"I have?"
"You've spent your entire life taking care of
people."
She smiled warmly.
"Let somebody take care of you for a change."
Zas looked uncomfortable.
"I..."
"...am not accustomed to that."
"I know."
Joanna reached across the table and took his hand.
"...but families cover for one another."
"Sometimes one person gives more."
"Sometimes another does."
"It doesn't all have to balance by sunset."
She looked toward Arel-Sin.
"Besides..."
"He doesn't need the newest phone."
"He doesn't need the most expensive phone."
"He just needs something decent."
She smiled at Arel-Sin.
"You'll have Wi-Fi at Daral Lake."
"The village has Karim's network."
"The communal computers."
"It won't be exactly like living in
Purushapura..."
"...but you'll still be able to message your
sisters."
"You'll be able to video call."
"You'll be able to take pictures."
"...and..."
She grinned.
"...you'll finally be able to send your dad
memes."
Arel-Sin blinked.
"...Really?"
"Really."
His face lit up.
"Thank you!"
He jumped up and hugged Joanna so suddenly she nearly
spilled her coffee.
Phoebe laughed.
"There goes your breakfast."
"It was worth it."
Joanna hugged him back.
Armintie smiled quietly.
Then nudged Phoebe.
"...She's a good mom."
Phoebe watched Joanna ruffle Arel-Sin's hair.
She smiled.
"...Yeah."
"I think she is."
Across the table...
Zas watched the scene unfold.
It should have bothered him.
Another adult buying something for his son.
Another responsibility he wasn't carrying himself.
Instead...
He realized what unsettled him wasn't the phone.
It was how natural Joanna made it seem.
Not charity.
Not generosity.
Simply...
Family.
He reached over and gently squeezed Joanna's hand.
She looked back at him.
He smiled.
A small one.
...but one that said more than words ever could.
The electronics store was enormous.
Rows upon rows of phones.
Rows upon rows of accessories.
Rows upon rows of people who all seemed to know exactly what
they wanted.
Zas did not.
He stood in front of an entire wall of smartphones.
"They all appear identical."
"They're not."
Joanna smiled.
"They're different sizes."
"They have different cameras."
"Different processors."
"Different batteries."
"They're just..."
She laughed.
"...very good at looking the same."
A salesperson wandered over.
"Can I help you folks?"
Joanna smiled politely.
"We're looking for a smartphone."
"Budget?"
The salesperson asked.
Joanna gave him a figure.
He nodded.
"Excellent."
"I've got about fifteen I'd recommend."
Zas blinked.
"Fifteen?"
The salesman proudly gestured toward the display.
"This whole section."
Zas looked overwhelmed.
"I preferred it when there were fewer."
Joanna laughed.
"I'll take it from here."
The salesman wisely stepped back.
Joanna looked at Arel-Sin.
"So."
"What do you actually want to do with it?"
Arel-Sin thought.
"I want to text."
"Call."
"Take pictures."
"Watch videos."
"Look at maps."
"Social media."
"I want to play games."
Joanna nodded.
"What kinds of games?"
Arel-Sin hesitated.
"I'm not sure."
He glanced around, then pointed at a display screen nearby.
"That one looks cool."
Joanna followed his gaze.
Genshin Impact.
She nodded slowly.
"It does look cool."
Arel-Sin brightened a little.
"Can this one play that?"
Joanna considered him for a moment.
"Probably."
He perked up.
"Then-"
"...but."
He paused.
She crouched slightly so she was at his level.
"How often do you think you'd actually be able to play
something like that?"
Arel-Sin thought.
"...When I'm home."
"...and when you're home?"
"...Wi-Fi."
"...and when you're out helping your dad?"
He hesitated.
"...Not much."
"...and when you're camping?"
"...Not at all."
"...and when you're patrolling?"
"...No."
Joanna nodded.
"So what are you really going to use this phone
for?"
Arel-Sin looked down at his hands.
"...Pictures."
"Talking to Phoebe."
"Talking to Armintie."
"Talking to you."
"Looking stuff up."
He shrugged.
"...and games sometimes."
Joanna smiled.
"Exactly."
She gestured lightly toward the more expensive phones.
"I'm not against getting you something that can run a
game like that."
"...but between your responsibilities..."
"...and how things are at Daral Lake..."
"...it doesn't make sense to spend that much on
something you won't really be able to use."
Arel-Sin considered that.
Then nodded.
"...Yeah."
He glanced once more at the display, then back at the phones
in front of him.
"Tetris is still fun."
Joanna laughed softly.
"It absolutely is."
Joanna smiled.
"Perfect."
"That actually narrows things down."
Zas looked puzzled.
"It does?"
"A lot."
She pointed toward several expensive flagship phones.
"He doesn't need those."
"Those cameras are incredible."
"So are their prices."
She pointed toward another shelf.
"He doesn't need those either."
"They're built for people who game all day."
"So..."
She moved toward the middle shelves.
"...we're shopping here."
Zas looked relieved.
"I understand middle shelves."
The salesman returned.
"There is one other thing."
Joanna said,
"The village he lives in barely has cellular
coverage."
"Really?"
"Barely."
The salesman nodded.
"Where's the village?"
"Daral Lake."
The salesman gave a small, knowing nod.
"Yeah. There's only one carrier that gets anything
usable out there. They've got a tower near Behrain."
He gave a small shrug.
"That limits things."
He pointed toward a smaller display.
"Those models work with that carrier."
"Excellent."
Joanna smiled.
"That's already easier."
Arel-Sin wandered a few steps away.
Then froze.
"...Whoa."
He picked something up.
"I want this one."
Joanna looked.
Then laughed.
"Arel..."
"...that's a phone case."
He blinked.
"It is?"
"It doesn't even have a phone inside."
He turned it over.
"...Oh."
Phoebe immediately started laughing.
"So what made you want it?"
Arel-Sin held it up proudly.
Two beautifully illustrated crossed swords stretched across
the back.
"They're swords."
"I have to have swords."
Armintie nodded seriously.
"That's actually a solid argument."
Phoebe laughed harder.
Joanna smiled.
"I think..."
"...we can make the swords happen."
Arel-Sin looked relieved.
"So I can still have them?"
"You absolutely can."
She checked the compatibility label.
"It just means..."
"...we need to buy a phone that fits inside it."
"Done."
A few minutes later...
They had narrowed the choices to three phones.
Joanna handed each one to Arel-Sin.
"Hold them."
He did.
"This one's too big."
He handed it back.
"The other one's too slippery."
Back it went.
He picked up the third.
It sat comfortably in his hand.
"...This one."
Joanna smiled.
"I was hoping you'd pick that."
"It has the biggest battery."
"It'll last longer between charges."
She looked toward another aisle.
"...and..."
"...I'd like one more thing."
She picked up a compact folding solar charger.
Arel-Sin looked curious.
"What's that?"
"A solar charger."
"You can leave it in the sun outside your house."
"It'll slowly recharge your phone."
Zas looked impressed.
"I had not considered that."
Joanna smiled.
"I figured there'll be days when power isn't
convenient."
"This gives you another option."
She looked directly at Arel-Sin.
"...and..."
"I'd probably leave the phone at home most days."
He frowned.
"Why?"
"Because if everyone else your age doesn't have
one..."
"...there's no point tempting fate."
"You can still use it."
"You'll have Wi-Fi."
"You'll still call us."
"You'll still message."
"...but you don't need to carry it everywhere."
Arel-Sin considered that.
Then nodded.
"...That makes sense."
The cashier began scanning everything.
Phone.
Case.
Screen protector.
Charger.
Solar charger.
A pair of better headphones- each for Phoebe, Armintie and
Arel-Sin.
Joanna quietly added them to the pile.
Arel-Sin noticed.
"I thought you said later."
Joanna shrugged.
"I changed my mind."
The total appeared.
Joanna reached for her wallet.
Before Zas could object...
She gently rested a finger against his lips.
"No."
She smiled.
"My turn."
Zas looked at her for a long moment.
Then slowly lowered his hand.
Not because he enjoyed someone else paying.
Because...
Little by little...
He was beginning to understand that accepting help...
Was another way of loving someone back.
Rain drummed steadily against the hotel windows.
Purushapura disappeared behind a curtain of grey.
Any plans of sightseeing quietly evaporated.
Fortunately...
Nobody seemed particularly disappointed.
Phoebe lay across one bed, scrolling through her new phone.
Every so often she smiled.
Or laughed.
Or showed something to Armintie.
"Oh!"
"Look at this!"
Armintie immediately leaned over.
"That's adorable."
Arel-Sin sat cross-legged on his own bed.
His brand-new phone was already wearing its sword case.
He was busy customizing the wallpaper.
"...How do I make the swords bigger?"
Phoebe sighed.
"You can't."
"There should be a setting."
"There isn't."
"There should be."
Joanna smiled as she quietly closed the bedroom door.
She found Zas already lying on the other bed.
Hands folded behind his head.
Simply...
Watching.
"They seem happy."
He said.
"They do."
Joanna lay beside him.
For several minutes...
Neither spoke.
Finally Zas frowned slightly.
"I do not understand."
"What?"
"How they remain so absorbed."
"They have scarcely looked up."
Joanna smiled.
"What do you do when you're bored?"
"I am never bored."
She slowly turned her head.
Looked directly at him.
Raised one eyebrow.
Zas held her gaze for several seconds.
Then quietly surrendered.
"...Very well."
"I am occasionally bored."
"I knew it."
He smiled sheepishly.
"At home..."
"I keep a deck of cards."
"I enjoy solitaire."
Joanna nodded.
"I can see that."
"I've taught the children many card games."
"Even Phoebe and Armintie."
"They became rather good."
"...and chess."
"I prefer chess."
"The older members of the Order challenge me."
"Arel-Sin likes trying as well."
"He has never beaten me."
"He says..."
Zas smiled.
"...that one day he will."
Joanna laughed.
"I hope he does."
"So do I."
She reached over to the bedside table.
Picked up her phone.
"I have something."
Zas accepted it.
"What is this?"
"Candy Crush."
He looked puzzled.
"You match colours."
"That is all?"
"That's all."
He looked sceptical.
"Very well."
She showed him the first level.
"Drag this."
"Like that."
"They disappear."
"They do."
"They're candy."
"They're supposed to."
He nodded thoughtfully.
Then...
Made another move.
Another.
Another.
Joanna quietly waited.
After about a minute she held out her hand.
"My phone?"
No response.
"Zas?"
"One moment."
His eyes never left the screen.
"I nearly have this."
Another move.
Then another.
"...Interesting."
Joanna smiled.
Five more minutes passed.
Rain continued outside.
The children were still buried in their own devices.
Finally Joanna reached over and gently poked him.
"My phone."
Without looking away, he answered,
"I require one additional attempt."
"You said that three attempts ago."
"This one is strategically different."
"Oh?"
"I now understand the game's tactics."
"You do?"
"Yes."
"I squandered my earlier moves."
"I failed to anticipate the chain reactions."
He frowned intensely.
"...That was careless."
Joanna laughed so hard she had to bury her face in the
pillow.
"You are analysing Candy Crush."
"I analyse everything."
"So I see."
Another minute.
A loud chime rang out.
"Excellent."
He smiled.
"I have achieved victory."
Joanna held out her hand again.
"My phone."
He stared at the next level.
"...There appears to be another battle."
She burst into laughter.
"You've been playing for twenty minutes."
"...Have I?"
"You have."
"I did not notice."
She finally plucked the phone from his hands.
He looked genuinely disappointed.
"I was developing a strategy."
"I know."
She kissed his forehead.
"Now you understand."
"What?"
"Why none of the children are looking up."
Zas looked toward the other room.
Phoebe and Armintie were laughing over something on one
screen.
Arel-Sin was still proudly adjusting his wallpaper.
He nodded slowly.
"...I owe them an apology."
"For what?"
"I believed they lacked discipline."
He smiled sheepishly.
"It appears..."
"...the candies are simply very persuasive."
The next morning dawned beautifully.
The sky was a brilliant blue.
Not a cloud to be seen.
The previous day's rain had scrubbed the air clean, leaving
the mountains sharp against the horizon.
The temperature was unusually warm for the season.
Warm enough to be comfortable.
Cool enough that no one complained.
Breakfast was, once again, surprisingly excellent.
Only this time...
Everyone had a phone.
Phoebe answered a message.
Armintie was watching short videos.
Arel-Sin was proudly discovering new things his phone could
do.
Across the table...
Zas sat with Joanna's phone.
His brow furrowed.
"This level appears..."
"...impossible."
Joanna smiled.
"You said that about the last one."
"...and yet..."
"I prevailed."
"You did."
"So I shall prevail again."
Joanna laughed.
"I've created a monster."
After breakfast...
The five stepped outside.
The sunshine immediately wrapped itself around them.
Joanna took one deep breath.
"Oh..."
"This is too nice to waste."
Phoebe looked up.
"What are we doing today?"
"I was thinking..."
Joanna smiled.
"...we drive north."
"To Soastum."
"The old Roman colony?"
Zas asked.
She nodded.
"I've wanted to see it since I got here."
"I know most of it's gone."
"...but the ruins..."
"The old aqueduct..."
"...and the swimming hole..."
"They all sound amazing."
Armintie grinned.
"We're swimming?"
"If the water isn't freezing."
Joanna laughed.
"It'll be an adventure."
Everyone agreed immediately.
"Perfect."
Joanna said.
"Then..."
She held out both hands.
"Phones."
Silence.
"...What?"
Armintie asked.
"Phones."
Phoebe frowned.
"For what?"
"So I can look after them."
Arel-Sin clutched his new phone protectively.
"I just got mine."
"I know."
Joanna smiled.
"...and today..."
"...you don't need it."
Three teenagers groaned simultaneously.
Then Joanna looked toward Zas.
"...Yours too."
Zas looked up innocently.
"This is not my phone."
"It is currently."
She replied.
"I believe you called it..."
She smiled mischievously.
"...'one more battle.'"
He looked down at the screen.
"...I did."
Reluctantly...
He handed it over.
Joanna couldn't help laughing.
"I'm honestly surprised."
"You all lived practically your entire lives without
smartphones."
"I grew up with them."
"I should be the one struggling."
Phoebe shrugged.
"We're making up for lost time."
"I can see that."
Joanna slipped every phone into her backpack.
Then she looked at the three teenagers.
"...and you know something?"
"When I was your age..."
"My mom did exactly this."
Armintie blinked.
"Seriously?"
Joanna nodded.
"When we'd go camping..."
"She'd collect every phone."
"Mine."
"My brothers'."
"My sister's."
Phoebe smiled.
"Were you mad?"
"Oh..."
"I thought it was the cruelest thing she'd ever
done."
The kids laughed.
"...but she wasn't trying to punish us."
"She wanted us to actually be where we were."
She looked around at the mountains.
"Some days deserve your full attention."
"This feels like one of those days."
The family stood quietly for a moment.
Even Arel-Sin couldn't argue with the weather.
Finally...
He sighed dramatically.
"...Fine."
Phoebe followed.
"So do we get them back later?"
"Absolutely."
"I'm not confiscating them."
"I'm borrowing them."
Armintie laughed.
"That's exactly what parents say."
Joanna grinned.
"I've only been a mom for one day."
"I'm already learning."
Zas smiled quietly.
"I believe..."
"...I could also use a break."
Joanna looked at him.
"From Candy Crush?"
He nodded solemnly.
"...The candies are becoming increasingly
demanding."
She burst into laughter.
"I knew it."
With the phones safely tucked away...
The five climbed into the Land Rover.
For the first time since the devices had entered their
lives...
Not one notification interrupted the journey.
...and somehow...
The silence didn't feel empty.
It felt...
Peaceful.
The Land Rover hummed steadily along the highway.
The city slowly disappeared behind them.
Soon...
The landscape opened into rolling hills and fertile plains.
Occasionally the remains of forgotten civilizations peeked
through the earth.
A weathered column.
The foundation of an old wall.
The occasional stretch of ancient Roman road that somehow
still survived.
Joanna watched everything through the passenger window.
"I've been looking forward to this."
"I can tell."
Zas smiled.
"You've been reading."
"I have."
She grinned.
"Hundreds of times."
Phoebe leaned forward from the back seat.
"So..."
"What exactly was Soastum?"
Joanna brightened immediately.
"Oh!"
"I know this one."
She shifted in her seat.
"So..."
"After Emperor Trajan captured Hatra, he decided Rome
wasn't going to settle for just defeating Parthia."
"He wanted to finish them."
"So he pushed east."
"He died during the campaign..."
"...but not before effectively destroying the Parthian
state."
She looked proudly at Zas.
"So far?"
"So far."
He nodded.
She continued.
"Hadrian inherited everything."
"Most people remember him for wanting to pull
back..."
"...but in this part of the world..."
"...he actually built."
"He founded Soastum because he thought it would become
Rome's gateway to Asia."
She paused.
"I think..."
"...he wanted to rule India from there?"
Zas smiled.
"Not quite."
She laughed.
"I knew you'd catch me."
"He never intended to rule all of India directly."
"He believed that impossible."
"So instead..."
"He surrounded Rome with friends."
"Client kings."
"Friendly kingdoms."
"They ruled themselves."
"...but looked to Rome for protection."
Joanna nodded.
"Right."
"That was the bit I couldn't remember."
Zas kept his eyes on the road.
"Soastum became the centre of that policy."
"Roman merchants."
"Roman diplomats."
"Roman soldiers."
"They all passed through there."
"For almost a century..."
"It was among the most important cities east of
Antioch."
Armintie looked amazed.
"So why isn't it still there?"
Zas' smile faded.
"Because Rome forgot its limits."
Silence settled over the car.
Joanna picked up the story.
"The Empire kept expanding."
"India."
"Central Asia."
"China."
"It was impressive..."
"...but every new conquest needed soldiers."
"Roads."
"Forts."
"Governors."
"Money."
She looked out the window.
"...and eventually..."
"...there was too much Empire."
Zas nodded.
"Then came Shapur."
"The client kings who had once supported Rome..."
"...began supporting him instead."
"The Romans suddenly found themselves fighting everyone
at once."
Phoebe frowned.
"They lost?"
"They lost badly."
Zas replied quietly.
"So badly..."
"...that Rome had to abandon everything east of the
Euphrates."
"...and Syria."
"...and Egypt."
Arel-Sin's eyes widened.
"Egypt too?"
"For a time."
Joanna answered.
"...but Aurelian changed that."
"He defeated the Persians."
"He restored Egypt."
"...but..."
"...Rome never tried another great eastern
conquest."
"They'd learned."
Zas nodded thoughtfully.
"The Empire that survived..."
"...was not the largest."
"It was the strongest."
"They finally understood there is a difference."
The children fell quiet.
Eventually Phoebe looked out toward the distant hills.
"So..."
"Soastum is really..."
"...a monument to failure?"
Joanna shook her head.
"I don't think so."
She looked over at Zas.
"I think it's a monument to learning."
Zas considered her words.
Then smiled.
"I like that better."
He gestured toward the road ahead.
"You will soon see the aqueduct."
"Only part of it remains."
"It once supplied an entire city."
"...and the swimming hole?"
Armintie asked excitedly.
Zas chuckled.
"That..."
"...used to be the amphitheatre."
Everyone stared at him.
"The amphitheatre?"
"The foundations collapsed over many centuries."
"The basin filled with spring water."
"The locals eventually embraced it."
Joanna laughed.
"So we're literally going swimming in Roman
history."
"In Achaemenid history too."
Zas corrected gently.
"The Persians built the original reservoir."
"The Romans simply built over it."
Joanna smiled.
"See?"
She looked back at the children.
"This is why he's coming."
"I know the history."
She pointed at Zas.
"He knows the place."
Soastum was quieter than Joanna expected.
There were no towering monuments.
No reconstructed temples.
No grand museums.
Instead...
There were ruins.
Beautiful ones.
Ancient stone foundations peeked through carefully tended
grass.
The remaining arches of an aqueduct stretched proudly across
the landscape.
Informational plaques stood beside nearly every structure.
The walking paths were clean.
The gardens well maintained.
Near the entrance stood a wooden sign.
LEGIO SOASTRUM
Joanna smiled.
"I thought this was a Roman legion."
Zas chuckled.
"It is not."
"They are local volunteers."
"They adopted the name."
"They maintain the site."
A man sweeping one of the paths overheard them.
He smiled.
"We figured if Rome wasn't sending a legion..."
"...someone should."
The group laughed.
The volunteer shrugged.
"We survive on tourism."
"Mostly."
"Respect declared us a Historically Important
Territory."
"So we were promised funding."
He looked around the ruins.
"We're still waiting."
He smiled anyway.
"...but..."
"We've managed."
Joanna looked around.
"You've managed beautifully."
The volunteer beamed.
"Thank you."
He pointed farther ahead.
"The swimming hole's at its best today."
"Crystal clear."
He wasn't exaggerating.
As the family rounded the final bend...
Everyone stopped.
The old amphitheatre had become something entirely
different.
Its collapsed foundations had formed a broad stone basin.
Fed by ancient springs...
The water was astonishingly clear.
The remaining tiers of seating overlooked the pool like
nature's own grandstand.
Fragments of Persian masonry could still be seen beneath
Roman stonework.
It felt less like a ruin...
...and more like history still breathing.
Arel-Sin didn't hesitate.
He kicked off his shoes.
"I'm going!"
A tremendous splash echoed around the amphitheatre.
Phoebe laughed.
"Hey!"
"Wait for us!"
She and Armintie quickly followed.
Another splash.
Then another.
Joanna smiled.
She started unbuttoning her overshirt.
"You coming?"
Zas remained exactly where he was.
"I should stay."
"Why?"
"The valuables."
He nodded toward Joanna's backpack.
"The phones."
"They should not be left unattended."
Joanna looked at him knowingly.
"...Or..."
She smiled.
"...is there another reason?"
"There is not."
She folded her arms.
"You were looking for Candy Crush, weren't you?"
Zas hesitated.
"...Perhaps briefly."
"I knew it."
She took him by the hand.
"Come on."
A short walk away stood a row of sturdy lockers.
Joanna rented one.
The phones disappeared inside.
The locker clicked shut.
"There."
She smiled.
"Now nobody has an excuse."
Zas looked at the locked door.
"...Very clever."
"I try."
Moments later...
They were both in the water.
It was refreshingly cool.
Not cold.
Just enough to make the warm day feel perfect.
Arel-Sin immediately pointed across the pool.
"Dad."
"Race."
Zas smiled.
"To where?"
"The far wall."
"...and back!"
Armintie grinned.
"I'm in."
"So am I."
Phoebe declared.
Joanna laughed.
"I refuse to lose to teenagers."
Five swimmers lined up.
Arel-Sin counted.
"Three..."
"Two..."
"One..."
"Go!"
The water exploded.
Zas quickly pulled ahead.
His years swimming in mountain lakes showed immediately.
His strokes were smooth.
Powerful.
Effortless.
Behind him...
Armintie was surprisingly close.
Phoebe and Joanna traded places several times.
Arel-Sin fought valiantly but quickly realized his father
was simply built differently.
They touched the wall.
Turned.
...and raced back.
Zas reached the finish first.
Only a body length later...
Armintie arrived.
She surfaced laughing.
"I almost had you!"
"You nearly did."
Zas admitted.
"You have become remarkably fast."
Armintie floated for a moment.
Still smiling.
Then...
Almost without thinking...
She drifted over.
Wrapped her arms around him.
"Good race."
Zas hugged her back automatically.
"...Good race."
Neither moved.
The embrace lingered.
Just...
A little longer...
Than either expected.
There was no awkwardness.
No grand declaration.
Just quiet.
Finally...
Armintie let go.
She smiled.
Said nothing.
...and swam back toward Phoebe.
Zas remained where he was.
Watching her.
Wondering.
Not whether everything had been forgiven.
He knew it hadn't.
...but...
For the first time since Purushapura...
He wondered if healing had quietly begun.
Not through speeches.
Not through apologies.
Not through promises.
...but through ordinary moments.
A swim.
A race.
A hug.
Sometimes...
Those were the moments that mattered most.
The afternoon slipped by almost unnoticed.
The family wandered the ruins together.
Joanna insisted on stopping at nearly every plaque.
She read them aloud.
Sometimes dramatically.
Sometimes correctly.
Sometimes...
Zas quietly corrected a date or a detail.
Phoebe laughed every time.
"I think he's keeping score."
"He is."
Joanna sighed theatrically.
"I bring him on one sightseeing trip..."
"...and suddenly I've got my own historian."
"You are fortunate."
Zas replied with complete sincerity.
"Most guides charge."
Joanna rolled her eyes.
"You should."
She took another photograph.
"Everybody together."
The five gathered beneath one of the remaining arches of the
aqueduct.
Joanna balanced her phone on a low stone wall.
Set the timer.
Then sprinted into place.
"...Smile!"
The shutter clicked.
A perfect family photograph.
Then another.
Then one of just the children.
One of Zas and Joanna.
One of the girls.
One of Arel-Sin pretending to hold up the aqueduct.
Joanna made certain every photograph was shared.
"No favourites."
She declared.
"Everybody gets copies."
By early evening...
Their stomachs began making the next decision.
The small food court overlooking the ruins bustled with
visitors.
A wooden sign advertised the area's speciality.
RAPTOR NUGGETS
"Made with genuine Triceratops."
Joanna laughed.
"I keep expecting them to come with a tiny museum
brochure."
"It is excellent."
Zas assured her.
"It had better be."
They ordered.
Found an outdoor table overlooking the water.
The conversation drifted effortlessly.
Until...
Joanna's phone rang.
The screen read...
Triple X
She smiled.
"I'll just take this."
She stepped a short distance away.
"Hey, X."
His voice wasn't its usual cheerful self.
"...Hey."
"I hate making this call."
Joanna's smile faded.
"What happened?"
A pause.
"Vince."
"...Of course."
"He wants you back earlier."
"How much earlier?"
"I argued."
"I really did."
"I bought you another week."
"...but that's all I could get."
Joanna looked toward the family.
They were laughing about something Arel-Sin had said.
"...How soon?"
"I need you back after next week."
"The contract's nearly ready."
"...and..."
X sighed.
"...he wants to start working on the new
character."
Sugar Cane.
Even hearing the name made Joanna cringe.
"I understand."
"I'm sorry."
"I know."
"I'll be there."
She ended the call.
She remained standing for another moment.
Simply...
Looking out across the old Roman ruins.
Trying to enjoy them for just a few seconds longer.
When she returned...
Everyone immediately noticed.
Phoebe was first.
"What happened?"
Joanna sat slowly.
"It was Triple X."
Silence.
"Vince wants me back sooner."
Nobody spoke.
Even Arel-Sin stopped eating.
"I've got..."
She smiled sadly.
"...about another week."
Armintie quietly looked down at her nuggets.
"...That's not enough."
"No."
Joanna admitted.
"It isn't."
Zas reached across the table.
Took her hand.
Neither of them needed words.
They already knew.
This day...
This week...
This strange little family...
Had never been permanent.
Phoebe finally broke the silence.
"So..."
"...what do we do?"
Joanna looked around the table.
At every face.
Then smiled.
"We do exactly what we planned."
"We finish our vacation."
"We make memories."
"We laugh."
"We eat."
"We argue."
"We take too many pictures."
She squeezed Zas' hand.
"...and when next week comes..."
"...we'll deal with next week."
Arel-Sin slowly nodded.
"...One week."
"One week."
Joanna repeated.
"Then..."
Armintie forced a small smile.
"...then we'd better make it count."
Nobody disagreed.
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