Ashley came over and, reaching from behind, kissed Chris on the cheek, and lovingly said. "Good morning, Grandmom."

"Good morning, sweetheart.� Chris answered with a smile. Her heart filled with love for her sweet granddaughter. This child she so adored and held to her heart. �Did you have enough sleep?"

A stunningly beautiful young woman who had been beautiful since the moment of her birth, not only to behold with the eye, but her sweetness and heart shone like a glittering star. Chris often thought her name should have been Star because her spirit seemed to glitter and sparkle. Chris never quite understood why she loved this child so much. Ashley had entered Chris�s life when she was almost 5. She was the child of Lynn�s first marriage, she and little Matt both. They had become part of Chris�s family when TJ had married Lynn. From the start Ashley had stolen Chris�s heart. She had been so tiny. She had the bone structure that should have been reserved for a goddess. Creamy white alabaster skin, deep golden, almost burnished auburn hair, huge, expressive azure eyes the color of the sea, and like Chris she loved the art of dance. Her exquisitely graceful body took to ballet as if it had been secretly trained in all the eons of time to express itself to the earth�s music. It had saddened Chris to know that Ashley�s grace and expression of movement would never bloom on the famous stages of the world, to interpret the music of the earth. Having her near had been a welcome blessing for Chris.

Yes, plenty thank you. Ashley�s voice elevated with energy, �Isn't it exciting, Grandmom? I can't wait until I'm old enough to go."

Trying not to dampen her excitement, Chris, feeling the tug on her heart offered, "Oh, honey, I hope you never have to go. I hope this all ends tomorrow and we can go back to the real world, the way it was before the revolutionaries. You're too sweet to spend your life this way.� Her voice dropping to a near whisper she add, �But you're right; it is exciting and a little scary, too." With a little laugh she added. "Not to mention a good break in the usual routine."

�Grandmom?� Ashley continued giggling and poking Chris in the ribs, �if it doesn�t will you come with me when it is my turn?�

Wiggling away from Ashley�s tickling finger Chris replied, �Depends sweetheart, are you going to push my wheel chair?�

�Grandmom!� Ashley nearly stomped but caught herself saying, �Does that mean I will never be old enough to go?� Giggling she continuing her relentless tickling attack knowing Chris would relent soon.

�If you don�t stop tickling me,� Chris giggled out, �I will put you on that bus right now myself.� Instantly realizing that was the wrong thing to say at that moment.

�Oh good Grandmom,� she said as both hands went to work on Chris�s sides, �Now? Right now?�

Laughing Chris turned and hugged Ashley to her, �Yes, you little demon, right now!�

Pulling away and tugging on Chris�s hand she said, �Okay, lets go! I�ll get the wheel chair.�

Swatting at Ashley with the bunch of parsley Chris replied, �All right then, off with you and if you find that wheel chair we will go for a ride.�

Skipping lightly to the door, her loving energy left as if a trial of sweet fragrance. She pushed against the door to the dining room stopped, turned and grinned brightly, adding in a little sing song voice, �Going to the old barn now to trash about for that wheel chair, so get ready Grandmom.� She sailed gracefully through the door.

Laughter filled the room. Everyone having enjoyed the loving banter the two of them shared. Chris turned to Lynn, laughing she tossed the bunch of parsley at her, teasingly she said, �And you brought her into this world.�

Though laughing Lynn caught the flying green bouquet and turned it in her hand, using it as a fan she replied, �Yep, the eternal optimist was some gift from the Gods all right.�

Jokingly, complaining of exhaustion but without dimming the joyful tone in her voice Lynn Ann said, "Those children are energized, sure wears one out!� Laughing, she added, �but it's fun to see their excitement.� With a sigh to accentuate the complaint she continued, �I'm exhausted already and the day's barely begun. Thank God for Ashley and the older children! Seventeen are a handful to bathe, dress and organize.� Stopping to take a breath and reorganize her thoughts she added, �Have the other groups come up yet?" Complaining tongue in cheek didn�t dim the joyful expression in Lynn Ann�s voice.

Two women named Lynn in one small village were a distraction. During the first few months everyone began to distinguish between them as Lynn Ann and Lynn. Lynn Ann was an identifying name; it identified her as Ann's daughter. That had been a help since mother and daughter did not look a thing alike. Lynn Ann, at least 5�9� in her stocking feet towered over her mother. She had strawberry blond hair and her most outstanding feature, beautifully soft, gentle green eyes. It was hard to tell they were related, let alone Mother and daughter.

When they came to the village, Lynn Ann and Randy had been married for fifteen years and had one child, Katie, who was five. Their second child, Joshua, was the first baby conceived and born in the village. Lynn Ann knew she had no choice, but to put a smile on her face and participate. Between Randy, Ann, and Marie, she had accepted her fate in 1990, long before the violence had become unbearable and a move to the wilderness necessary.

In some ways you would never have known she was Ann's daughter or Marie's niece, but then in other ways the relationship between them was very clear. The differences made them individuals and the similarities brought them comfort. Lynn Ann, quick with a smile and a delightfully blithe, carefree spirit, always found time to stop and chat with others, leaving them with a smile and sense of being loved. Ann all business, shy, and though very kind found it difficult to indulge in idle chat. In contrast, Lynn Ann had smooth rounded edges, Ann�s edges were a bit sharp. Both shared a love of nature, music, art, and were detail oriented all most to a fault. Neither liked to make mistakes though Lynn Ann found it easier to accept her failing and move on, Ann would obsesses until she had found the tiniest detail that had contributed to the mistake.

Lynn, on the contrary, had come to the village kicking and screaming all the way. She stayed, and to everyone�s surprise, learned to make the best of things.

Married to Chris and Richard�s oldest son, she had been a wanna-be yuppy in the other world. Although their educational and income levels were inadequate to actually attain the status, she worked very hard at looking good to the outside world. Lynn also tall, but a bit overweight was quite pretty. She had the same deeply rich auburn hair and beautiful large eyes she passed to each of her children.

Lynn was pretentious with an odd mixture of an over inflated ego, and yet there was a soft sweetness about her too. She had a strong need to control everything around her. She had little interest in the village until her family was the target of an attack by a roving gang and Little Matt lost his eye. He was still recovering when they made their way to the valley.

The transition had been hard on Lynn. For the first couple of years she was a floater, moving from one task to another and, finally, at Lynn Ann's prompting, settling with the children in the school and childcare. Here, her natural love and understanding of children and her need to control became an asset. In the last year or so, to Chris�s great joy, she had made some personal changes in her attitude, and had blossomed into a beautiful mature woman.

The girls, Clair, Missy, Beth and Marcie, came in the back door of the kitchen, full of energy, waving with their hands and tongues. It seemed they were all shouting their greetings at once, "Hi, we're here. It's us. Smells good," and, still chattering, they hovered over the sink, under a delighted frown and tsking by Charlie. They washed off the packing grime, and as they dried their hands, swarmed over the food, oohing and ahhing, picking and tasting.

Hands were slapped and admonishments of, "Can't you wait? It will be on the table soon. When are you going to grow up?" Turning to each other as if they were a back up singing group, their voices in unison, and not without a little sarcasm the girls sang, "You won't be hungry when it gets to the table!" Laughing, hugging and teasing, it almost felt as if the world were normal again for a moment.

"Eleyse," Ann said, "I believe it's your turn to be the bearer of the light. You may choose whom you would like to help you. Do you remember the words?"

"Really? It's really my turn?" Eleyse lit up like a Christmas tree, eyes sparkling, and if there had been any room in the kitchen she would have danced but jumped up and down in the space around her nearly tripping over Lynns� feet. "Yes! Yes, of course I remember the words. I think I do anyway; we've all been practicing. I want to choose Thea and Cameron and Lucas." Dancing in place, Eleyse looked at her mother, who gave her a wink and a thumbs up.

Eleyse, as opposite to Ashley as any two sisters could be. She was the image of Chris. A tall, lean, blue eyed, curly headed blonde but like Ashley in that she was full of love, and joy though nearly 10 years separated them in age.

"It's entirely up to you. Round up whoever you want and meet me in the library in five minutes." Ann shooed her out with a smile and a hug.

With a sweet lilt in her voice, Lynn offered, "You made her day, Ann. We won't hear the end of this until the next feast. Thank you for your sensitivity to her biggest wish. I appreciate it." Chris smiled inside and offered a tiny prayer of gratitude for this wonderful change in Lynn.

Ann picked up the candles and, as she left the room, made a bowing gesture. Backing through the door, she said in her best Dracula voice, "I vill see you ven the darkness turns to light."

Chris looked at Marie and rolled her eyes. "Everyone's a comedian this morning."

Laughter filled the room. Charlie and Juan had had enough and shooed everyone out, parsley still dripping from their fingers.