SEVENTY-TWO

Mr Welshes watched, as the forty men battled in four groups of roughly twelve, each battling with the hope that they may be chosen by Anubis to go and retrieve the chosen ones.

They put heart and soul into their performance, but he seemed unmoved with all their actions, till one of the men caught another by the back and gave him a suplex, cracking his neck in the process.

It gave Jonathan a slight, but noticeable change in expression which motivated the men to do more.

Forthhold stood, watching the men till he took a deep breath as he smelled fresh pomegranates and watermelons then looked to his side as his wife held his arm and said,"I missed you."

He turned to her then said,"I was only fulfilling my duties, needed to get us our daughter, our one and only daughter."

She smiled and played with his wig beard then said,"Don't take too long."

She slowly modelled away and he looked at her with a smirk, then back at the men, as the final twelve remained...

***

I climbed onto the bed and asked Rose what she was reading.

She turned to me and said,"It's...a Bible I found in the attic."

My eyeballs furrowed slightly as I asked,"What are you doing with that? We shouldn't waste our time on fantasies like it, especially since your father could be planning anything by now."

She looked at me for a few seconds then asked,"If you think so, then why do you still have it?"

I sighed then said,"It...it was Mark's...he read it virtually every night before going to bed and told me some stories from it from time to time, but I barely remember them anyway, but besides that, I really missed being with you and wanted another taste of that strawberry chocolate."

She made a face I had never seen her make in a situation like this then said,"Not tonight Tommy."

I asked, confused,"Why?"

"I'm just not in the mood."She said and turned over.

That was odd.

I just pulled the sheets over myself and slowly passed my hand below to touch her behind, but she turned over to face me as if she didn't want it, then smiled and held my hand instead, before closing her crystal blue eyes.

I wondered why she was acting that weird, but just brushed it off and went to bed, it didn't work.

I missed her touch, I missed her lips and I missed her closeness, but she didn't want to give me that pleasure, even when we were in a relationship... didn't that very book say a man and woman couldn't restrict each other for they belonged not only to themselves, but to each other?

She tilted her head the next morning when I told her this and said,"I thought you didn't remember what Mark told you about it."

"I remember just a little, but it's too foggy to make a big deal about."

She walked closer to me and held both my hands, looking into my eyes.

She was so close, I could feel her lips as I took in a deep breath of her rosy hair.

She then said,"Remember what I said about dating Xander and Charlie at once?"

"That you were no longer interested in dating two guys?"

"That I didn't want to taint the white rose I was any longer, the white rose of anyone else, especially you. Tommy, I have regretted breaking your virginity every day and have slept very little because of it."

"You don't have to worry about it, I asked for it, it wasn't a reversed rape or something."

"But I pressured you into doing it, I kept bothering you to pop the question for us to get married, but I should have just patiently waited, I truly love you, more than anyone else, so I don't want to ruin any longer, the innocence Mark tried his best to instill within you."

"You're not ruining anything, Rose, I love you too, let's... let's talk about this."

"...you still have college to go to, please go."

"I'm not leaving until you promise you'll make time for us to have an intimate conversation."

She nodded, then gently kissed my cheek and left.

I found myself holding the air, my hand missing her soft cheek, then banged my fist on the counter...what was going on with her?

Whatever it was, I still had to keep my word and go back to school...it was the book...

***

Ruby walked through the hallway with Lucy, who was pounced upon by the triplets.

Ruby smiled at the thought that in just a few months, she was going to have a child of her own.

Lucille was in the training room, doing advanced gymnastics and the men were on a drive.

Markella looked at Ruby and tilted her head and she bent on one knee, the girl was beautiful, possibly more than herself and Lucy on their own.

Thomasina brought out a dried out salamander and shoved it into Lucy's face then said,"Lookie what I found mommy!"

Lucy widened her eyes then turned to Ruby who smiled slightly and said,"It's not poisonous, where did you find it Thomasina?"

The girl pointed at the pond and said,"I'll name her Sally."

It turned out...the girl already knew its classification, distribution and adaptations...of course she did.

Lucy then asked,"Honey, isn't it dead?"

"Nope..."Thomasina said,"... it's just dormant, could you get me some water to put it in, please?!"

"Okay, okay..."Lucy said, being dragged away by the child.

Lucia asked if Ruby could carry her and she did, then the girl started pulling down her eyelids.

"What are you doing?"Ruby asked, giggling nervously.

"Checking the tone of your eyelid to know your blood level, aunt Ruby, you need more iron."

"And more vitamin B."Markella said,"Your skin's flaking, that would be terrible for the baby."

These kids knew more about Ruby than she knew about herself.

They dragged her to the kitchen then began opening drawers and cabinets and pumping each other up to reach the higher shelves then Lucille came to sit by the kitchen counter, with her usual gum and phone.

Ruby looked at Lucille hopefully and the girl said without looking,"Don't worry, they got their cooking skills from Mark and are way better than mom."

Ruby just hoped she wasn't playing another of her teenage tricks on her.

In a few minutes, the girls brought the food up to them, which actually stunned Ruby.

It composed of a wild salmon filet mignon, excellently fried in oil palm oil, with multicoloured seaweed to the side, avocado and olive slices as a garnish and a mixed fruit and berry smoothie, which the two prepared in astonishing speed and harmony.

They served the Ruby and Lucille, but Ruby was having second thoughts, then looked to the side to see Lucille emotionlessly feeding on the food, then back at it, with the girls looking at her with hope and expectation.

Ruby already knew by the aroma that it tasted...good, but wasn't sure about the tasting part, till Markella placed her hand on Ruby's and Thomasina used a knife and fork to take a piece of the salmon then direct it to Ruby's mouth.

Ruby slowly parted her lips and tasted the piquant seafood...