This Week: We’re on our way now.
48 States: Chapters 40 & 41. The End.
FORTY
AFTER A MARATHON CABINET MEETING, Elizabeth climbed the stairs to the White House guest quarters, coming upon Richard and Finn just as dinner was being served.
“You’re timing is impeccable,” Richard said, rising from his chair. “Sit down and tell us about your day.”
Elizabeth sighed. “Long,” she said. “It will take some time to recover from Red’s mess. Luckily, the public knows nothing of how close we came to open warfare between our own people.”
On her call list that morning had been a long overdue discussion with the Russian ambassador, who was “shocked and dismayed” to learn that “unknown rogue agents” had been operating inside the United States. He was only too happy to remove the few survivors and what remained of their hardware, thereby avoiding an international incident.
“What’s going to happen to Red’s compound?” Richard asked.
“Destroyed. We placed stories in the papers claiming a major industrial accident,” she said. “All of the soldiers under Red’s command have scattered to the wind on the news that he’s dead.”
There was more to tell, but Elizabeth doubted she had the energy to relay everything. Scientists, finally able to review Finn’s research, were advising the government to amend the policies regarding the Energy Territories. Elizabeth had already requested that new Executive Orders be drawn up, which would require monitoring all lakes and streams and give the government the authority to shut down operations as necessary. She was well aware that limited government was a central tenet of the American compact, but the Territories had proven to be an exercise in the absence of government, or worse, the abdication of government. At the time, allowing Universal Industries wide latitude had seemed appropriate, but in hindsight, it was too much independence. She took comfort in the fact that she could fix her mistakes; it was something few Presidents were able to do.
It wasn’t the only alteration to the Territories she’d made. With her aides, Elizabeth had also reconfigured Wyoming, restoring half of the state to its normal order. Visitors would once again be allowed inside Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park. And the government would pay for any previous residents to return if they chose to. Since Universal hadn’t been drilling on the western side of the state, production numbers would remain level. If the country required more Territories, a list of states with reserves and smaller populations had been identified. In the coming days, residents of those states would be notified that the request to evacuate was possible. Future decisions would be made publicly, with more input. It was infinitely messier, Elizabeth realized, but the benefits were immeasurable. She was also planning to authorize additional cash payments for the refugees to help them finally move out of the cities and relocate, as she’d promised in her speech.
“The movers think they can have our stuff back at the house in Wyoming in about three weeks,” Richard said, pulling Elizabeth out of her thoughts. “I’ll go back and oversee the unpacking. Maybe you can join me?”
“I’ll be there,” she said. “And your position at Yale? Are they reinstating you?”
“Baby steps,” Richard said. “One class in the fall and a few of my old department head duties to get started.”
Despite her fatigue, a wave of contentment washed over Elizabeth. Things were returning to normal. Except for her son, who had remained silent since she’d come in, his head down as he picked at his meal. She looked over at Richard. He shrugged his shoulders, as if to say he’s been that way for days. Being the mother of a recluse, she’d had little experience over the years with serious girlfriends, but she nevertheless knew the signs of heartbreak looking at her unshaven, sulking son. Finn hadn’t seen River since the explosion. She’d arranged for River’s immediate private transport back to Idaho for debriefing. At the time, Elizabeth had tried to ask River about Finn, but got no response.
“Finn,” Elizabeth said. “Now that the Territories are back in responsible hands, what are your plans?”
“I’m thinking of going up to the River of No Return Wilderness in Idaho for a few weeks,” he said, picking at a few stray pasta noodles. “After that, I’m not sure. I may ask for a transfer out of Montana.”
“You do realize you just said River of No Return,” Richard said. “At least choose a place that doesn’t have her name in it. Or better yet, why don’t you call her and find out what’s happening? You’re both grown adults. This not speaking to one another is ridiculous.”
Elizabeth almost choked on her food. “Yes, Richard, you’re so right,” she said. “That kind of silence is foolish for two people who love one another.”
“I’m a glasshouse, I know,” Richard said. “But even I am capable of learning from my mistakes. Finn, why haven’t you tried to reach her?”
Their only son squirmed in his seat a bit before answering. “We met because of the accident,” he said. “It was a fluke. If I hadn’t washed up near that road, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
“Are you trying to say she doesn’t care about you?” Elizabeth asked. “That she hung around and was shot at, and trekked her way through Wyoming, because she felt some sort of misplaced duty to save you?”
“You’re making me sound like an idiot,” Finn said. “You know it’s more complicated than that.”
“Is it?” Richard asked.
“Yes,” Finn said. “I’ve spent the last few days with the Secret Service and the FBI, debriefing. Every time I recount a story, River is the one protecting us. She ambushed the guards and helped me escape. She pulled Mom out of a burning train car. Where was I? Standing around like an idiot, scared to death of losing the people I love. How could she love someone like me? I can’t protect her.”
“How very stone age of you,” Elizabeth said. “River doesn’t need protection. She needs someone to love her. All of her: the strong parts, the damaged parts, and even a few sides you’ve probably not seen.”
“It’s not that simple,” Finn said.
“Oh, but it is,” Richard said. “I have to tell you something. I hope I’m not causing more trouble between you two, but I saw River once, probably around the same time she found you.”
“What?” Finn asked. “Impossible.”
“It’s true. We were both getting gas at the same time in South Dakota. She was in the lane next to mine. I had this feeling of being watched. When I walked into the store, I turned around and peered through the glass to see her scrutinizing my stuff through the rear window. When I returned, she pretended like nothing had happened, but looked me straight in the eye as I put gas in the Rover. It made me nervous to be seen so clearly after being so invisible to even myself. I recognized her immediately when you two walked into the kitchen. I’m not superstitious, but honestly, I think it was fate. The two of us out there on the highway and then somehow, we both found our way to you. She brought us back to Elizabeth.”
“I agree,” Elizabeth said. “It’s more than coincidence.”
“That doesn’t mean you aren’t right to be a little afraid,” Richard said. “Love is a powerful thing. The pull another human can have on you is profound. But don’t let it stop you.”
“Why?” Finn asked.
“Because you two are well-matched. You were raised to withstand the worst that Mother Nature can create. You’ve been alone in the wilderness and learned to endure its silence and respect its power. She’s withstood the worst that real life can offer and managed to survive. You’re both strong people in different ways, and that’s a good thing. If this relationship is meant to last, and I hope it is, you’ll come to find that over the years, each one of you will be forced to carry the burden of life for the other. That is the nature of things. There will be moments when you are powerless to act, and you have to have confidence in yourself and not see it as a weakness. Trust me. I know a little something about this.”
“Your father is right,” Elizabeth said. “It’s not what you lack that matters; it’s what you bring to the relationship. You seem awfully fixated on the past. River was a soldier and worked in the Territories. She did what she had to do, but that time is over. I’ve spoken with River’s mother quite a bit since the explosion. What River needs more than anything is a partner —a man who can be a father to her child, a person who can help her find the courage to return to school and start living again. Someone with a great sense of adventure. Does that sound like anyone you know?”
FORTY ONE
RIVER WALKED into the kitchen just as her mother was pulling a loaf of banana bread from the oven. Tired and hungry, the aroma made her mouth water. It had been a long day, her interviews with the FBI and an entire alphabet of other law enforcement and regulatory agencies a grueling business. She wasn’t under investigation, but the last weeks of her life, from the moment she’d seen Finn on the road, to the train explosion, were under a microscope, the authorities trying to understand just what the hell had happened.
“That smells good,” River said, rubbing the back of her neck. Her body was stiff from the hard metal chairs at the Hailey Police Station, where they were conducting the conversations. She’d insisted on doing the meetings back in Idaho so she could be with Ava, and no one had objected.
“How did it go?” her mother asked.
“OK,” River replied. “They want to talk about everything, every little detail of what happened. Honestly, it all sounds made up, like a script for a movie, but I know it’s not.”
“I think it’s good to talk about it, get it all out,” her mother said. “You’re a brave woman, River, and you’ve had to endure a lot.”
“I feel a but in there somewhere,” River said.
Her mother smiled. “But the worst is over,” she said. “It’s time to begin making plans. I understand from Elizabeth that Yale is willing to admit you in the fall.”
“Elizabeth…you say her name like she’s an old friend,” River said. “Mom, she’s the President of the United States.”
“Maybe so, but she’s Elizabeth to me,” Ingrid said. “It doesn’t change the fact that it’s time to get on with your life.”
“And what are you going to do in Connecticut?” River asked.
“I don’t know that I’m going,” Ingrid said. “You’ve got a full scholarship with childcare. I may stay here for a while and relax. I’m worn out. Raising a child is for the young.”
River opened her mouth to protest, but before she could reply, her mother spoke again. “Oh, I almost forgot, there’s someone here to see you,” she said, doing her best to sound nonchalant as she sliced the bread.
“Someone?” River asked, her pulse kicking up a notch. “Who is it?”
“It’s Finn,” her mother said. “He arrived about ten minutes before you and said he would wait outside. Ava is keeping him company.”
Finn? They’d been separated since the explosion. As soon as she’d exited the train, she’d been whisked off to the hospital for examination and placed under observation for exposure to biological or chemical weapons. It had been nearly a month since the explosion, and during that time, River hadn’t heard a peep from Finn. Not that she’d tried to call him. She’d already determined they were doomed the night before the bombing, after the terrible argument they’d had. She’d railed against him, and he just stood there, silent as the grave, not even reacting. That was all she needed to know. He didn’t love her. She’d told her mother about Finn and his family, insisting that despite their romance, their decision to separate was mutual. She hadn’t mentioned him since, but for some reason, her mother didn’t sound a bit surprised that he was in their backyard.
“River,” her mother said sternly. “You need to stop hiding in the past. Marc is dead, and his ghost is long since gone. Why aren’t you going out there to talk to him?”
“What’s the point?” River asked. “He’s the son of a president and I’m...”
“You’re what?” Ingrid asked. “The daughter of a librarian and a FedEx driver? Are you ashamed of your family?”
“No,” River said. “But I didn’t attend college.”
“True,” her mother said. “You joined the Army and served your country. You speak three languages. Do you believe that Finn thinks any less of you?”
“No, it’s just that…,” River said, unable to finish her sentence.
“Ahh, now I see what the deal is. This isn’t about what he thinks,” Ingrid said. “This is about what you think of yourself. Let it go, honey. You can’t change the past. There is a bright future waiting for you. All you have to do is walk through that door.”
River crossed the room to embrace her mother. “I’m scared,” she whispered in her ear. “What if I can’t do this? What if I don’t know how to be happy? After all these years, what if I’m broken?”
“Nonsense,” Ingrid said. “You’re not broken, just scuffed up a bit and lord knows you could use a decent haircut after the barbers in the Territory.”
River sniffled and laughed, a smile breaking out across her face.
“For people like us, being happy is not easy,” her mother continued. “Who can blame us after your father and Marc? There’s no denying that things were hard for a long while. But you will get used to the feeling, and more importantly, you deserve it. After everything you’ve done for me, for Ava, you deserve to be loved. It’s what your father would have wanted. It’s what I want for you. That man outside loves you, honey. He wants to make a life with you.”
Being happy often seemed like a quaint artifact, a relic of a different time. After her father’s death, River learned to prepare for the worst, and all that came to pass confirmed her fears: combat, a loveless marriage, death, and then the desolation of the Territory. Along the way, she became an impervious being. Until Finn. Somehow, he broke through that night on the highway, and since their parting, the void he’d left behind had become a deafening echo inside her heart. What waited beyond her kitchen door felt like the greatest challenge in her life, and yet it also struck her as absurd that she had entered countless villages ahead of her platoon in a war, but couldn’t face the man she loved.
“OK,” she said, giving her mother’s hand a squeeze. “I’ll go.”
River walked to the door, turned the knob, and stepped into their backyard, the sun’s afternoon rays warming her face. She continued towards the end of their property, towards a creek that hugged the edge of their land, shallow and slow-moving, where Ava had no doubt led them. It was her daughter’s favorite place to play. Walking through the spring grasses and wildflowers, she heard his familiar voice. Finn was standing with her daughter, a fly-fishing rod in one hand, his bright red hair tucked under a baseball cap. He glanced up at River, a smile on his face and a light in his eyes that made her knees wobble.
“Finn,” she said. “What are you doing here?”
“There’s been a terrible accident,” he said.
“An accident?” she repeated, remembering his words from that fateful night.
“Yes, and somehow I was separated from the woman I love,” he said. “But, after a short bout of stupidity, I found my way back to her.”
“I see,” River said, unable to hide her smile. “And this woman, does she love you?”
“I’m not sure,” he said. “She keeps her cards pretty close to her chest.”
River heard her mother’s voice urging her on. “I do love you, Finn,” River said. “But I have to get on with my life, go back to school, and finish what I started all those years ago. Yale has given me a full scholarship, no doubt thanks to your parents.”
“Would you care for some company?” Finn asked.
“You would do that?” she asked. “Leave your job and move across the country?”
Finn nodded, closing the gap between them. Taking her hands in his, he brought them to his mouth and pressed his lips gently against the rough skin of her knuckles. “My life is where you are,” he said. “Whatever happens next, we’re going to do it together.”
“It’s not just me,” River said, pointing at her daughter. “Are you prepared to take that on, too?”
Finn smiled and turned to face Ava, who stood nearby looking both confused and captivated by the presence of the tall stranger holding her mother’s hand. He glanced at the small child almost swallowed up by the grasses, the sun’s rays bouncing off her raven-colored hair. Her father was dead. River’s father was dead. Someone needed to step into the chasm and love them. Finn knew with certainty that he was that person. After years of self-imposed solitude, he was ready to make messy emotional connections again.
“You bet. The whole package,” he said. “In fact, I was just about to teach Ava how to fly fish.”
“You were?” River asked. “Is that true?”
“Yes,” Ava said. “I don’t know how to fish.”
“Not yet. But don’t worry, it’s easy,” Finn said, grabbing the girl’s hand. “The first step is to try to picture yourself fishing. All you have to do is close your eyes and use your imagination. Picture those fishes coming right up to your line.”
River watched them saunter off, Finn’s voice still audible as he spoke to her daughter.
“Ava?” he asked. “Can you see them? See the fish?”
“Yes,” she exclaimed. “I see them!”
“That’s my girl,” he said. “We’re on our way now.”
THE END.
Thank you for reading 48 States. I hope you enjoyed the story. Please follow me on social media and check out The Council Trilogy, my latest urban fantasy series.