Epilogue: Five Years Later
Nick Armstrong kicked open his apartment door. He tossed his backpack onto the couch and went into the kitchen for a drink of water. He wasn’t supposed to know about it, but the rest of the crew in the Circle was planning his twenty-fourth birthday party. He’d finished high-school and gone to a two-year technical college to become a mechanic. He owned his own repair garage and worked there every day with the Henderson brothers. Life was good – he was living on his own. Laurel and Doug were engaged and living in the room above the store section of Laurel’s plant nursery. Melanie and Chris were already
married and living in the apartment over the repair shop. Adam and Cassie were married and Cassie was having their first kid. Diana and AJ were living in AJ’s beach house – they were happily married and Diana worked with Laurel at the nursery at the same time as going to school. Melanie was going to school to become a geologist – she could access crystals easily that way. Deborah was living on her own in the old house on the beach where most of the parties were held and worked with Nick in the garage – she was the bike specialist. She was dating Trey but he still had yet to work up the guts to ask her
to marry him. Sean and Suzan were engaged and Sean worked at the job agency with AJ while Suzan ran a beauty parlor.
Nick washed out his glass, dried it and put it back into the cupboard. Then he got out of his dirty overalls, took a quick shower and got into some clean clothes. He couldn’t help but notice the blue crystal that was strung on the leather along with his metal charm. He shook his head and ran a comb through his
dark hair. He glanced at his watch. It was only seven thirty. He had half an hour until he had to be at Deborah’s place. He picked up the bass that stood in the corner and tuned it, sitting down on the couch. He played a few chords, thinking to himself. He might as well head out now. There was always traffic on a Friday night.
Nick left his apartment, locking it after him. He headed out to the parking lot, watching the shadows warily. You could never tell who was there. He slid into the driver’s seat of his Mustang and revved the engine. He pulled out of the parking lot and onto the road, right into traffic. He tapped the steering wheel, then reached out and turned on the radio. He twisted the dial until he found a decent station. He frowned at the slow song but the light turned green so he didn’t bother to change it. Something about the song was familiar. Nick frowned, unable to remember where he had heard it.
He took the familiar road to Deborah’s house and pulled into the driveway. He sat in the car and waited; there were no lights on. A light came on, and the front door opened.
“Cousin! Come in!” Deborah shouted, poking her head out the front door. Nick got out of his car and went up the front steps and went into the house.
Deborah was there alone.
“The others will be here soon enough,” Deborah told him. She grinned. “Some guy wanted to know it you want to sell your Mustang.”
Nick grinned.“What did you say?”
“I told him that he’d better not ask,” Deborah said, and both of them laughed.
The front door opened, and someone called out.
“Anyone home?”
“Hey Mel, come on in,” Deborah called.
Melanie and Chris stepped into the house, with a box in their hands.
“Where’s the birthday boy?” Chris teased. Nick rolled his eyes.
“Put the presents on the kitchen table,” Deborah said, and Chris vanished through the kitchen door.
Nick could hear another voice in the kitchen. It sounded like Trey. He shot a sly glance at Deborah. She blushed and turned away.
“Where’s Nick?” came Cassie’s voice. She came into the den and gave Nick a hug. Then she handed him a box. Nick and Adam shook hands while Deborah shuttled the gift into the kitchen.
“How’s the baby coming along?” Nick asked.
“Adrian’s doing great,” Cassie said, and Adam gave her a
kiss. They had decided to name their son after Adam’s father. Not exactly a
good idea to name him after Cassie’s father…
Doug and Laurel entered, Doug bearing a beautiful bouquet. Deborah set it on the table. Diana and AJ arrived, and there were hugs all around. Trey emerged from the kitchen and Nick noticed that he was standing with his arm around Deborah’s waist. Suzan and Sean arrived. Suzan hurried into the kitchen before Nick could see the cake and Sean stuck around to say hi to everyone.
“So, should we get started?” Cassie asked. Nick put down his glass of water and began to blush as they all sang happy birthday.
“Let’s play some games,” Suzan suggested wickedly. They all felt giggly and childish as they sat on the floor to play spin the bottle.
“After this we’re going swimming,” Deborah added.
“I’ll believe that when I see it,” Trey muttered, and Deborah socked him lightly in the shoulder. They played spin the bottle for a while, but AJ and Trey wanted to see them go swimming.
“Traditionally, the girls go first,” Adam said as they stood on the beach, huddled close to keep out the biting wind. Each of the girls took a swallow from the thermos and suddenly they were stripping off their clothes. AJ and Trey goggled at the bikini-clad girls. Then they sniffed the thermos warily. AJ had more courage and drank. Suddenly he was peeling off all those unnecessary layers of clothing. Trey drank reluctantly. The others laughed at the strange look that crossed his face as he began to react to the mixture, and suddenly he was stripping down, too. Soon all of them were in the water, splashing around like old days. Chris wasn’t going to be stupid a third time and suggest they go
sky-clad. They paddled around, and Nick and Trey were body surfing. They had
races and breath-holding contests. The girls watched as the guys wrestled. The
Henderson brothers came to a stalemate. AJ and had a hard time downing Trey, but in the end he won. Adam was just as strong as Nick was, but Nick was too fast. Life in the office had made Adam ‘soft’, Nick teased. They got out of the water right before the potion wore off and they went up to the house to watch Nick open his presents.
Trey had gotten him his very own surfboard so that they could go to the competitions together over the summer. Nick picked up the box that Chris and Melanie had brought. He shook it gently and listened.
“What is it?” Deborah asked.
Nick frowned. “I hear something.” He tore off the wrapping and drew out a string of singing crystals. Each of them shimmered with a single crystal note just on the threshold of hearing – they could be used for some very powerful love charms. Deborah and Melanie exchanged sly grins.
Nick caught the look that passed between them. “Thanks, Mel, Chris. Now I can go clubbing and pick up the ladies with some help,” he joked, and the others laughed.
Then he went to the box Doug and Laurel had hauled in. He went to lift it and stopped.“It’s heavy.” He tore off the wrapping paper and stared.
“Cool!” He gave them a grin. “Now I can jam in your garage with a hundred watts behind my bass.” It was an amplifier.
Doug and Chris exchanged high fives, and Laurel rolled her eyes.
Nick lifted the box that Sean and Suzan had toted. It rattled. Nick listened with an expert ear.
“I hear – a screwdriver, some wrenches…” He grinned and unwrapped it. He smirked at Deborah.“If you touch this tool box Trey may be a bachelor for the rest of his life.”
Trey blushed an interesting shade of crimson and Deborah just stuck out her tongue.
“This is for you,” Adam said, lifting the box carefully and placing
it on the kitchen table. Nick listened, but didn’t attempt to shake the box. His face lit up and he looked overjoyed. He threw his arms around Adam in a huge hug.
“Thank you so much!”
“Gee, we’ll have to pad his birthday boxes so he can’t just tell what they are by hearing,” Deborah muttered. Nick opened the box and lifted out the black puppy with a red bow around his neck.
“Raj II made friends with the cute little guy,” Cassie explained as Nick got a tongue bath from his new dog.
“What’s his name?” he gasped between laughs. All the girls crowded around to see the cute puppy.
“He doesn’t have one yet,” Adam answered. Nick looked at the little puppy with its pink tongue lolling out of its mouth, its brown eyes rolling expressively. It looked mostly Labrador. It was so cute.
“I’ll call it…Chase,” Nick said as the little puppy began running in circles on the glass table top, slipping and sliding as it pursued its tail.
The girls giggled.
Diana and AJ handed Nick their present for him. He didn’t shake it, just opened it. In it lay a little picture frame. In the ornately carved frame was a miniature of him and a girl with long dark hair. Nick gazed up at them in mute thanks. Then Trey, who had been fiddling with something in his pocket, led Deborah into a corner. He cleared his throat and got down on his knees in front of her. No one noticed what was going on until Deborah yelled, “Yes!” and threw
her arms around him. Everyone turned to see Trey sliding a ring onto Deborah’s finger. The girls screamed and gave Deborah hugs while the guys shook hands with
Trey.
Nick was happy for his cousin, he really was, but right before Trey got to him, an envelope lying on the table half beneath the bouquet caught his eye. He shifted Chase in his arms and picked up the envelope. He opened it. Something flat and oval lay in it. Nick frowned and slid it out, turning it over. Black letters shone up at him boldly from the shiny red background.
‘Sarcastic & Cynical’
Nick dropped the sticker in disbelief. Chase poked his head out of the safety of Nick’s arms and sniffed the sticker. He leapt out of Nick’s arms and shot out the porch door.
“Hey!” Nick cried, jumping up and running after him. None of the others noticed until the cold wind blew into the room. The door was open and Nick was gone.
Nick ran across the porch after the runaway mutt. He vaulted over the railing and landed in the sand. He ventured out of the light.
“Chase! Here, boy,” he
called, whistling. He looked around, but it was too dark. He could hear the
waves crashing against the sand further down the beach, but he didn’t hear
anything that even vaguely suggested a dog. Nick headed further down the beach, calling his dog’s name.
“Looking for this little guy?” came a voice out of the darkness.
Nick frowned – he’d heard the voice before…He tried to see who had spoken, but all he could see was the darker outline of a person against the darkness. Chase bounded up to him, tail wagging. Nick leaned down and picked him up, scolding him.
“Bad puppy,” he said, wagging a finger at Chase. The tiny bit of anger dissolved when Chase gazed up at him with his big puppy eyes and whined.
“Thanks for finding him,” Nick said gratefully, peering into the darkness.
“You’re welcome,” she said. Her voice was so familiar!…
She stepped into the dimness where he could see her. Nick almost dropped Chase – Chase jumped free and ran back for the house.
“Raven,” Nick gasped.
She stepped closer to him. “Hi, Nick,” she said shyly.
Nick moved towards her. They both stood there awkwardly.
“Hi,” Nick managed to get out.
Raven reached out and placed one hand on his chest.
“You’re wearing the charm,” she whispered softly.
“I didn’t want to get hurt,” Nick replied, equally soft.
“Now you know why I wore it.” Raven looked up at him.
“I didn’t leave you – it was the other way around.” It wasn’t said bitterly, he was just stating a fact.
Raven hung her head. “I know, and I’m sorry.” She reached up and her fingertips grazed his throat.
“No!” Nick whispered, terrified. Raven untied the leather and caught the necklace as it fell. The silver cord appeared, blazing, lighting up the night.
Nick lowered his head to hers, and their lips met softly. Raven was trembling against him, and Nick realized she was crying. He kissed her cheek, tasting the saltiness of her tears. Nick wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly, kissing her again.
The others were gathered on the porch, watching. Chase was in Cassie’s arms, wagging his tail, his eyes laughing as if he knew what he had done.
“I thought you were bound,” Nick whispered, pulling away slightly.
“I am. To you,” Raven whispered.
“Let’s do something,” Nick whispered.
Raven looked up at him. “What?”
Nick reached into his pocket and drew out a knife. He flicked the blade open and opened a small cut on his palm. Raven did the same. They held hands and watched as their mingled blood, black in the darkness, dripped to the sand.
“Earth and fire, wind and sea, I am forever bound to thee,” Nick whispered. Raven whispered it in reply, and then he reached out and drew her close for a kiss.
They pulled away, embarrassed, as applause, whistles and hoots erupted from the porch.
“We’d better get these cuts cleaned up before Laurel blows a fuse,” Nick said, and led her into the light. Gone was the teenage tomboy in a greasy shirt and baggy shorts. Nick had always though Raven was beautiful, but the girl at his side was no longer a girl but a beautiful woman.
“You’re back,” Cassie gasped. Raven hugged them all awkwardly.
“What happened to my tomboy?” AJ asked.
The others laughed, and Raven blushed. The Circle was whole, she and Nick were one.
They were the last generation of ‘the Club’ coven from New Salem Island. They were the first generation to be in harmony with Outsiders – a few anyway. They weren’t the first or the last generation. They were The Generation, the one that had made a difference.
Dove Cameron put down her pen and smiled. She had good second sight…
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