"You would learn everything so quickly!" An excited May clasped her hands together.
"And you would even outstrip her." Niall said.
Neva could see May Mae glaring at her husband, but he just shrugged and offered them a playful grin.
"It's true." May smiled at her.
Neva returned back a smile.
The three of them were in the living room. May Mae sat beside her on the couch, and her husband on the one parallel.
May and Niall had been narrating her life as Neva had asked them to.
Niall and May had took her in after the accident which took her parents when she was only ten.
Just like Rhett had said.
And now she knew the reason why her father, Dr. Neal Noe was involved with the making of the virus Ruhd.
It was only because he had been exploited, forced by the influential industrialist, his chief, whose name her aunt and uncle didn't know.
He with other employees were victims for the creation of both the virus and antitode for the employer's own personal gain.
Dr. Neal Noe turned in those involved to the covenant for their offences.
And Dr. Neal Noe had become a target, a nemesis of his chief who wasn't ever seized for he always took caution and worked under shadows.
Later, his own colleague Dr. Draco Earl betrayed him.
Dr. Neal Noe disclosed Dr. Draco Earl before he could go further with his scheme.
But the danger hovering over Dr. Neal Noe and his family only worsened.
It was for the safety of his daughter that he had incited her as the key to the capsule where the only remaining sample of Ruhd was secured, until he could course another way, she would at the least be alive.
But most of the times, Neva's mind was in and out between the conversation with her aunt and uncle. It had been three days since her time in Erriador.
The day before, Rhett had taken her to Riverdale. A city within Erriador with a distant of two hours drive.
It was a quiet, secluded place with only a single cabin for shelter in the forest by the sea.
Inside the cabin, his then Boss Elk and another agent that she had already made aquaintance were already there.
She was handed a cell–phone, and made to call Ishmael to ensure he could track the exact destination they planned to seize him.
"Neva,"
"Huh?" Neva met May's worried gaze.
"You're shaking," May squeezed Neva's hands.
Neva looked down at her hands placed on her lap, and only then did she realize she had been trembling, like she had yesterday, when she had heard Ishmael's frantic voice mixed with, somehow relief and keenness.
Her voice shook then, urgent and answering him as Elk had instructed.
She hoped, he had heeded her ragged breathings, or the loud throbbing of the heart for the reason being apart from him, but not her fear of him; of him finding out she had betrayed him.
He assured her he would be coming to take her back soon.
"Are you worried about your children?" May asked.
Neva nodded slightly. It was the half–truth.
She had been told Ace with another agent had gone to fetch the twins from Finland, while Ishmael was already here in Erriador.
"Don't be. They will be safe." May smiled.
Neva pursed her lips and nodded again.
But the uneasiness in her bones still lingered. What if something went wrong? Did she make the right choice?
"We had twin babies too, once.
But they were gone while only newborns, within weeks of each other." May sighed, her gaze lowered and laced with sorrow.
"I'm sorry." Neva mumbled softly.
May shook her head. Her face replaced with a sensation of being favoured.
"You made us whole, Neva. You were our greatest blessing." May said leaned in to embrace her.
"Thank you for providing me a home." Neva encircled her arms around May.
May shook her head. "You're our daughter. You hurt me with such words.
But I thank you too, for being safe. And I'm guilty, for not being there when you needed me the most. I'm sorry I couldn't care for you properly."
"No. It's me who should be sorry."
May pulled away, she had tears dribbling down her shrunken cheeks. "Don't ever put the blame of sickminded people on yourself Neva. It is I who failed you,"
Neva's gaze softened. "Aunt,"
Niall seated himself beside a weeping May wiping tears with the sleeve of her cardigan, and in consolation, he gently squeezed her shoulder.
"Mama," Rhean said, sauntering into the living with Zoro trailing him behind with a fluffy wagging tail.
Neva smiled at him and opened her arms.
In response, Rhean sped towards her, crashing in his mother's embrace with a bright grin blossoming on his face.
Neva secured him on her lap as a meek Zoro sat down before them.
"Are you done feeding Zoro?"
"Yes." He nodded, grinning wider as Neva called him a good boy and kissed his rosy coloured bread–cheek.
"Have you told him about the anticipated, friends?" Niall asked.
Neva's smile withered.
She found both Niall and May's gaze on her.
She shook her head. "Not yet."
"Better you tell him before he's startled."
"Yes."
"Who's friends Mama?" Rhean looked at her.
Neva didn't know how to disclose them to him the right way.
Her aunt and uncle gave her a reassuring look, and silently left the room to give them space.
"Rhean," Neva started.
She paused to drink in his adorable face, blinking, looking at her with those big and round, starry cocoa eyes.
She revealed a shallow smile and caressed his cheek. "How would you like if you had a little brother, and a sister?"
Neva felt her heart drop at his immediate frown.
"Don't want." He said and lay his head on her chest, arms hugging her.
He just got back his mama, he didn't want to share her with anyone else.
Neva sighed.
She wrapped her arms around his small frame.
"Will you be angry at me, if I had two other babies just like you?" Neva felt him stiffen.
He didn't respond.
Neva too didn't say anything. She just kissed the crown of his head and held him, gently swaying them side–to–side.
She knew he was upset, and she allowed him enough time to register the abruptness of the situation.
"They are here," Rhett said.
When Neva glanced up, she found him on the doorway.
He had a calm expression.
"The kids."
Neva closed her eyes in ease and breathed in relief.
But she couldn't ignore the knot in her stomach at Rhean's tightened arms around her.
"Rhean," Neva grabbed his arms and pulled away.
Her heart broke at his lowered head, clear tears trickling down his chubby cheeks.
"Nothing. No one can change my love for you." She wiped his tears with the pad of her thumb.
Rhean got off her.
And Neva couldn't reach him as he bolted off, past Rhett who didn't stop him.
"I'll see Rhean. Go to them." Rhett ensured and closened to her.
Neva stood up. "He'll be fine right?"
Rhett smiled and held her hands. "He'll be fine."
He kissed the surface of her hands, one after the other.
Neva smiled back at him.
"Go," he said.
Neva nodded and walked away.
---
Hurrying downstairs, the heels of Neva's slippers clicked on the tiled stairs, she could already make out the shrill cries of her daughter coming from the driveway.
They must be terrified being in an unfamiliar environment with strangers.
Neva opened the entrance door with Zoro behind her.
Zoro instantly barked at the sight.
Neva with horror watched as a frantic Inaya thrashed in Ace's arms.
Tiny claws attempting to scratch his face.
She rushed to them.
She called her name, but Zoro's barks muted her appeals.
Ace struggling with Inaya stepped towards the house. Relief washing his withered face as he saw Neva.
He dipped his face back as Inaya attempted to wound his face again.
He gripped both of the Inaya's hands together, still carrying her with the other arm.
"Naya, look at me." Neva cupped Inaya's cheeks and made her face her. Her eyes were puffy and red, face flushed and tear stained.
Her thrashing instantly ceased.
"Mumma!" She cried.
Neva caught Inaya as she threw herself on her.
Heart aching at her shivering form and croaked cries.
She was so cold, only a thin white frock shielding from the chillness of the darkened evening.
"Shh... I'm here. Mumma's here." Neva rubbed her back.
Each deep and painful hiccups twisting her body.
She caressed her head and kissed her temple. Inaya's arms were circled around her neck. Face buried in the crook of her neck. Neva felt her shoulders getting soaked through the frabric from her tears.
"It's alright. You're safe."
Neva murmered softly in her ear as she neared the car with a strained woman by the unveiled door to the passenger's seat.
She gazed up at Neva and sighed.
"Your mother's here." She lowered herself and said to the boy inside on the passenger's seat. Loud enough for him to hear over the growlings of Zoro.
She moved away as Neva stepped towards the opened door.
A stiffened Isaiah was seated wearing a grim face, fracturing to reveal the verity of his frightened little heart the moment his eyes landed on Neva.
His eyes glittered with tears, chin trembling. He climbed off the car and hastened to her.
"Oh Isaiah." Neva caressed Isaiah's head. He whimpered, arms tightly wrapped around her legs.
"We should head in."
Neva looked at the crouched woman, brushing the golden fur of a now seated and quietened Zoro.
Neva nodded.
Ace had already gone inside the courtyard house.