As Neva climbed up the stairs, she could hear noises of Inaya's wailings coming from the living room.
She routed straight through the hallway and halted her tracks on the opened entrance.
The scene that greeted Neva was May pacing back and forth by the glazed walls with an anguished Inaya in her arms.
May rocked her like one would a baby, gentle reassures as she patted the small of Inaya's back.
Zoro, the first to sense her lifted his head and barked loudly. Previously, he had been lying chin flattened on the floor with Rhean crouched down beside, little fingers brushing through the shiny smooth golden fur.
Zoro rised to all his fours and raced to her.
Barking loudly still.
"Mama!" Rhean arose and sprinted towards Neva as she walked in.
Isaiah who had been seated on the sofa jumped down on his feet and dashed after.
"Mumma!"
Neva smiled and knelt down, opening arms for her sweet boys.
"Mama,"
Neva caught Rhean as he fell into her embrace.
She then reached for Isaiah, who had his lips puckered, already beginning to weep.
She warmly wrapped them both in her arms. Absorbing this while. Eyes closed and living the home that her children were.
She caressed Rhean's head and kissed the side of his head—and then kissed Isaiah's.
"There there.
I was gone only for few hours.
And you already missed me so?" She chuckled lightly.
Isaiah only sobbed harder. Poor baby.
"Shh... I'm here now. Stop crying."
Neva felt the fabric in her shoulders getting soaked by their tears.
A goofy Zoro aggressively circled round them, sniffing with the fluffy tail thrashing around.
Occasionally he poked Rhean with big wet black nose. Huffing with mouth wide open and long pink tongue slithering out.
She wasn't scared of the golden retriever anymore, for they had fairly warmed up to each other these few days back.
Neva sighed, a hand hearteningly petting their narrow backs.
"Mumma,"
Neva looked up and saw her daughter.
Short chubby arms reaching out for her.
Her eyes softened at Inaya. Her eyes were glossy, long thick lashes wet, cheeks flushed and tear stained, a moue formed on her lips.
May had walked up to her, worry written all over her face.
"Where were you?"
"Long story." Neva returned and carefully seperated from her children.
She wiped Isaiah's watery cheeks. "Hush. Don't cry now." She turned to Rhean and cleaned each of his tear stricken cheeks.
Neva then stood up and reached for Inaya who still had grabby hands out for her.
"Mumma—Mumma—" Inaya wriggled her legs in a haste, body leaned forward wanting her mother.
"My baby," Neva cradled her. She brushed away strands of soaked hair sticking to her forehead, careful around the bluish bruise.
Inaya wrapped her arms around Neva's neck, petite face nestling in the crook of her neck.
"It's okay baby." Neva patted her back. "Mumma's here." She murmured, gently swaying Inaya.
"She has been crying from the moment she awoke, asking for you. When she finally ate and napped, the noise just now startled her awake." May said, caressing Inaya's head.
Neva cast her eyes down. She felt guilty for all the miseries these innocent children had to bear because of their grievieously ill–fated mother.
"What has happened Neva?" May looked at her concernedly.
"Where were you exactly?"
Neva heaved exhaustedly. "I was at Miraeth, with the twins' father."
Her aunt's face paled. "That's impossible."
Neva furrowed her brows.
She didn't fail to notice a flickering fear in her eyes before she masked it in a second with nothingness.
"Do you know something about Miraeth, Aunt?"
"No." May replied abruptly.
May swallowed.
Gaze avoiding Neva's doubtful ones.
She swiped a tongue over her bottom lip. "I've never heard of it."
"You were with papa, Mumma?" Isaiah gripped the bottom fabric of her dress.
Neva glanced down at him.
And she found those doe and dewy, glittered eyes looking at her in hope.
Rhean and Isaiah both stood each on her sides. Zoro had now gone elsewhere.
"Yes. He's downstairs.
But you have to wait a until I allow. Then you can meet him."
Isaiah's eyes lit up. A big smile blooming in his face.
"What is that wicked man doing here?" May looked horrified.
"You can't badmouth my papa!" The boy yelled.
"You don't talk this manner to an elder Isaiah." Neva scolded.
Isaiah's intense glare remained keen on May.
"But she disrespected my papa!"
Neva grazed his head.
"Have you packed your bags? You know we need to leave right?"
Isaiah nodded.
Rosy lips in pout. "Grandpa is packing for us."
"Is it? Then Rhean and you can both go help grandpa right?" She delicately alluded Rhean with her gaze.
"Go take Isaiah with you."
Rhean nodded obediently and grabbed Isaiah's wrist.
But Isaiah was still reluctant.
"Go. I'll be just here." She gently nudged him on the back.
And Neva's sons walked out the living room hand in hand.
A sweet treat for the mother's eyes and the heart.
"Aunt, Ishmael is still their father. It hurts them if anyone talks poorly about him." Neva said.
She had an arm curved under a quiet, unmoving Inaya's buttocks, a flattened palm on her back.
She was sleeping now. Breathing soft and in a steady rhythm.
If she had been awake, May would have surely been rebuked by her too for criticising her beloved father.
"They ought to know your separation with him someday. When do you plan to file for a divorce?"
"My marriage with him is invalid since I'm still legally married to Rhett.
Ishmael doesn't have any rights on me as long as my first, genuine marriage remains legally intact." Neva sternly stated.
"That's true. Indeed." May nodded in agreement.
"Oh, my poor child." May lovingly fondled Neva's hair.
"Fate has been unreasonably cruel to you."
Neva offered her a shallow smile.
She held her hand. "Thank you for everything aunt.
And I'm sorry for the things you had to be through because of me."
May shook her head. "You are my own blood. You owe me nothing." She kissed Neva's hand.
Neva smiled. But then her gaze grew serious. "You know about Miraeth right?"
May stiffened.
"What—what are you talking about?"
Neva knitted her brows.
She was definitely keeping something from her. But what was her reason?
"I'm headed to Miraeth tonight. Ishmael will be with us too, because only he knows the way."
Her aunt stared at her in disbelief.
Fold lines deepening in her forehead. "You must be out of your mind!"
"Don't hide anything from me anymore. Please... I've been called to a responsibility for the people there—Aunt!" Neva's eyes widened.
A reflexive hand grasping May's elbow, ensuring she didn't fall as she lost balance and almost fell to the ground.
May put up her palm, straightening herself up on weakened legs. "I'm fine,"
She rubbed her chest and swallowed.
Neva put an arm around May and led her to sit on the sofa.
She then sat beside and adjusted her daughter's posture, laying the child on her lap—and altering the red knitted frock over pale chubby drooping legs.
Neva patted Inaya's back to sleep as the little girl stirred, spontaneously nestling her face on her mother's bosom.
"Neva, my dear." May heaved out a weary sigh.
She looked overwhelmed. A huge stone weighing over her with all Neva's unknown crammed inside her heart.
"It's fine if you can't reveal anything. The man who took me to Miraeth said my memories will return consequently through dreams and visions."
"That's the curse!"
Neva was stunned at her outburst. "What? How is my past a curse?"
May shook her head and sighed.
"How should Isaiah's father know the way to Miraeth?"
"It's from him that I know about the Island's existence."
May frowned. "What do you mean?"
"He told me we were both from Miraeth and orphaned.
And that a good man raised us together."
"And what?" Her voice was flaked, barely above a whisper.
Neva sighed deeply.
"Leave it be. I can believe now that I had seen Miraeth with my own eyes. I'll eventually realise the whole truth myself."
"You are not going anywhere!" May sharply said.
"Aunt." Neva pulled a face.
"I will tell you everything I know. I swear it." Her eyes glistened with tears.
"Please, reconsider my child."
She caressed Neva's cheek. "For your loving children. For the husband who loves you unconditionally."
Neva turned away and in a grim tone said: "It is decided."
"Choose goodness over greatness. My dear. Anytime. Everytime.
Don't go there, I beg you." Her voice broke.
Neva faced her with incredulity.
"Is it wrong to fear the Invincible? Or be anxious over the unthinkable?
Is it not goodness to try and prevent with everything I have the demise of our future?"
"Death comes to all. The rapture is near.
The world is to end soon." May refused the budge.
Tears of gnawing fear, confusion, a light of hope and agression all weaved together blurred Neva's eyes. "I've been warned to choose not an easy way from this."
"I don't want to face death with regrets of what I could've done." She gritted her teeth.
"Of what I could've chosen."
The remaining flicker of expectations in May's eyes dimmed.
"So you've made up your mind."
"I did."
"Neva, I need to talk to you."
Neva turned and saw Rhett standing on the entrance.
She nodded. "Sure,"
A single tear drop trickled down her eye.
Wherefore she lowered her head and flicked it away with a finger.
May stood up and placed a hand on Neva's shoulder.
Neva glanced up at her.
May smiled weakly. "My good child."
She bent forward and kissed Neva's forehead.
"Have courage." She whispered, warm breath fanning over Neva's skin.
Then she straightened and headed for the door, stopping right before Rhett.
Rhett froze, taken aback as May embraced him.
"No words can describe how thankful I am to you, son." She pulled away and held his hand with both of her own.
"Nothing I do can measure up to what you have done for us.
For my Neva. Even now, this old woman can only burden you with another request; please, never leave my daughter's side."
"She's not a burden." Firmly he said.
"She's my wife."
Rhett glanced at Neva. "She makes me more than I can ever be."
His deep eyes threaded with her dazed ones.
"You both shall always have mine and Niall's blessing.
And of course your marriage is wonderfully blessed from the Lord greater above." May smiled. "Cherish that."
"I will." He replied.
May loosened his hand and made a movement as if to walk away.
"I have a request too." Rhett interrupted.
She stood still. "Yes?"
"Can I entrust Rhean with you until we return?
But I'm afraid we aren't aware of how long will we be travelling."
May raised her brows.
"Sure. But are you certain you wouldn't want him along?" She glanced at Neva.
Neva dipped her chin at May in reassuration.
"Yes. We are sure." Rhett replied.
"Then I'd be delighted to care for him." May smiled. She then set out.
Rhett approached Neva and sat beside the space May previously withheld.
"We're really leaving Rhean?"
"Yes."
"He'd be really upset."
"It's for his own good."
"Mama. Dada..." A small voice broke in.
Rhean slowly dawdled in.
Looking crushed.
He had heard everything.
And Neva learned that from his glassy eyes.
Guilt started to erode in her guts.
"Come here Rhean," Rhett said.
"Am I not going with you?" His chin trembled.
Rhett grabbed the boy by his arms and brought him in front of him.
"We are going somewhere else."
"W–why?" His voice cracked.
"Something important came up. We'll be right back after we finish. You won't even like it there."
"No! I want to go with you both."
Rhett glanced at Neva, expectant for an aid.
She looked away instead.
Her veins numbed, she carefully adapted her hold around Inaya.
An arm supporting her neck, and the other keeping her head still on her chest. The little girl had rosy lips in a pout, tiny hands opened and fingers afar and unattached.
"You explain it to him." Neva said to Rhett.
He sighed, and looked at the boy who had big drop of tears rolling down round almond eyes.
"Me and your mother are going in a faraway, strange land. You will be safe here with grandma and grandpa." Rhett attempted to dry his tears, only for his bread cheeks to get watery from the pouring tears.
Neva puckered her lips at Rhean's withering form.
"W–Why a–are you leaving me again?" He sniffed.
Rhean's hands were over his closed eyes. Tiny body trembling, his breathing uneven and labored.
"Rhean, we'll come back as soon as possible."
Rhett removed the tiny hands from his face but Rhean had his removed eyes glued on the floor, adamant to not look up at him.
Neva couldn't see her son breaking down anymore, so she carefully pulled him into her embrace.
Rhean immediately buried his face in her bosom and cried.
Neva could only stroke his hair in comfort.
"Is she going too?"
She knew he meant Inaya. But didn't dare answer him.
She fastened eyes with a rather silent Rhett. He was in pain too.
She kissed the crown of Rhean's head, and rested her chin there.
They were both afraid to hurt him more.
"I–Is Isaiah going too?" He sobbed. Shattering voice with each ensuing queries.
Rhean knew the answer by their silence. And he only cried harder and clung onto Neva more.
"You don't love me! You don't want me!" He exclaimed through baleful tears.
"No baby," Neva uttered meekly.
Her heart stabbing. How heavy was this burden on this little soul.
He finally now had both of his parents; and they were leaving him again.
He was always left behind.
Always alone and abandoned.
Neva slowly pulled away and peppered kisses all over Rhean's face.
His breathing was so labored, and his body flicnced with each stiffling hiccup.
"Me and your dada love you the most." She brushed away messy strands of hair from his forehead.
The bruise on his jaw and ripped lips evident from the fight he had with Isaiah a night before.
And everything that had happened between the span of then and now was unsounded; never heard of.
"We promise, we won't be gone for long."
Rhean shook his head violently.
"Come now. It's time to go." Rhett gently peeled him away from his mother.
He cupped Rhean's cheeks and had him face him.
"We'll leave just this one last time. Okay?" He wiped his tears with both his thumb but the boy shook his head and stepped back.
"I want to go with you!" He yelled.
Rhett didn't listen, and swooped up the boy who immediately started thrashing.
He forcefully carried him and started towards Niall and May who worriedly stood waiting for Rhean on the door, with three wheeled suitcases packed along beside.
"Did the Uber arrive?"
"Just now. Yes." Niall replied.
"I'll take him to the car." Rhett said.
Rhean whined and shed rueful tears, pushing him away by his chest, wriggling to get off from his father's strained hold.
"I want to be with mama!" He cried looking at Neva.
"I want to be with mama! Please!"
Neva lowered her eyes.
His voice withering as they dissapeared from her sight.
His lament resounding from down the stairs.
"I'm sorry." Neva mumbled.
Tears falling again...
"Mumma," Inaya's clear eyes looked up at her.
"You're awake?" She hurriedly wiped her cheeks.
She timidly nodded. "Mumma, why are you crying?"
"Because I won't be seeing Rhean for a while."
"Neva, we need to leave." Sky said from the doorway.
Neva nodded and stood up with Inaya still in her hold.
"Have you seen Isaiah?"
"He's in the living room downstairs, with his father."
Her eyes widened.
That ignorant child!
"Papa is here?" Inaya chirped in.
"You'll see him, soon."
They walked down the hallway to the staircase.
Their footsteps, the last of echoes in the walls of the courtyard house.