Nora had been watching the TV with her parents over the past few days as the events unraveled and the intentions of the new governmental body became known. News conference after news conference followed by commentary and panels. It was exciting, confusing, but Nora felt optimistic that anything would be better than what they’ve known. She folded Lily’s laundry on the carpet while she sat next to the pile. Lily matched her socks next to her.
“These two go like this.” Lily stated, “look mom. Like this?”
Nora looked down at the perfectly stacked pile of socks, “yes, you are doing a great job. Thank you for being my helper today.”
The aroma of lasagna filled the house and she could hear her mother in the kitchen as she cooked. Her dad was still on his way home from work. Nora still felt so unorganized even though they finished clearing out the house last week. She was completely moved in with her parents but was still sorting through boxes just to find the one with clean underwear. Her mind was still filled with worry over Darius and as the new government was forming before her eyes, she wished at every second that he would come back to her. She wondered if he were still alive or if he got caught by the GPU before the takeover.
“Dinner will be ready in 30 minutes.” Janice called out from the kitchen.
“Thanks mom.” Nora replied.
The news switched over to another segment, this time featuring the backdrop of Foray Prison. Nora heard of it but didn’t know where it was. Darius suspected that Eric was taken there when he was arrested and tried for treason.
“Today is another that goes down in history.” The news announcer said as he stood in front of the tall light-blue complex with high walled fencing. The New America congress has voted to release prisoners tried for treason, uprising association, and other political crimes against the Falconal party. With this release announcement, we are hopeful to bring back some of our best reporters that stood up against the Faction and dared report the truth. Some 10,000 prisoners are said to be housed here in sleeper cells. Once condemned as domestic enemies by the Faction, are now being released as heroes of freedom. Back to you, George.”
Nora watched in awe. “Mom, they’re going to release political prisoners.” she called out towards the kitchen.
“Oh that’s good news. Those poor people never should have been put in prison for speaking their minds.” Janice exclaimed as she popped out of the kitchen and stood in the doorway to glance at the TV. She wiped her hands on a towel.
The doorbell rang, interrupting the moment. “I’ll get it.” She said as she walked to the door and opened it.
“Oh my.” She exclaimed, speechless to say anything else as she stepped outside to hug the man who stood there.
“What is it mom?” Nora asked, getting to her feet.
Her mother didn’t have to answer. As she came back in with eyes glistening from tears that threatened to fall, Darius entered after her. He looked the same but different. It wasn’t his clothing or his lack of a haircut, it was something else. But his smile was the same and her heart melted when he looked at her. Nora ran into his arms and Lily followed suit, practically skipping her way over.
“Daddy.” She said as she threw her little arms around both of them. He bent down to pick her up.
“Did you miss me?”
“Yes. Don’t ever leave, ever again.”
He smiled, “Alright, I promise I’ll never leave again.”
“I’ll go set another plate for dinner.” Janice said, making her way back to the kitchen.
Neither seemed to notice Janice excuse herself. Darius drew Nora close to him, wrapping one arm around her waist. With his free hand, he cupped her cheek. “I missed you so much. There wasn’t a moment that passed that I didn’t think of you.”
He kissed her lips softly. Remembering the feel of her supple mouth against his and the warmth of her breath, it was the reunion he longed for. He dared to slip his tongue into her mouth, deepening the kiss. She welcomed the sensation of his silky tongue invasion. She yielded to the reclaiming of her mouth with his. Both seemed to have forgotten everything in that moment: Lily who went back to playing with the stack of socks and her mother who was fiddling in the kitchen.
“Well, Darius is that you?” Nora’s father had just come home and was closing the front door. The magic of the embrace was broken but his short gaze into Nora’s eyes told her that they’d pick up where they left off later. He turned to greet his father-in-law. “Welcome home.”
After dinner, Nora and Darius sat on the porch together. The sun had set hours ago and the sky was bright with stars and the beautiful glow of a waning moon. “We’ll have to find another place to live. The house is gone, Darius.”
He put his arm around her, “that’s okay. I’m not worried about it.”
“And your job? Do you still have one after being gone for weeks?”
“Most assuredly not and even if I did, I wouldn’t want it back.”
“What are we going to do for food and clothing? We can’t stay with my parents forever.”
He smiled down at her, their eyes meeting, “it’s all taken care of. God will provide.”
“God will what?” She asked, confused, “who is God?” For a moment she questioned the sanity of her husband. First he went missing for weeks, a wanted man, and now he was talking of gods as if they’ve always been a part of their reality.
“Something changed in me since I’ve been gone, Nora. I don’t know what it is but it feels like someone suddenly turned on a light bulb or opened a door of truth for me and I walked through it. It’s like I feel like there’s meaning in the world now. Things make sense and I have a purpose for my existence.”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying. Did you find something?”
“Yes, Nora. I did. This new government doesn’t only mean that we’ll have real freedom for the first time in over a century. It also gives us the freedom of religion. The freedom of speech. The freedom to actually be free and pursue what makes us happy, not what some group of people say we should be happy with.”
“Yeah, I know. It sounds amazing. It’s like anything is possible and everything is, all at the same time.”
“Nora, you know that I love you and I always will. I’ve been asked to do something and it’s something that I really want to do but I can’t do it without you by my side. I need you to be there, not far away from me like we just were.”
“Whatever it is, I won’t leave your side. What is that you’ve been asked to do?”
“Start a church. There’s a group of people who’ve been tasked with starting churches and I’ve been asked by a pastor named Kelvin to help him start one here. God wants us to be free and to come to faith because we choose to be closer to Him. I’ve chosen to serve and that’s what I’m going to do.”
She kissed his lips, lovingly and then said, “Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere and I’ll always be there for you.”