The Last Superhero (55 page)
I wanted to keep others in
the dark about it, but when I decided to break the news to Simon, I
quickly realized they had an idea of what was going on.
They had noticed the signs I
wanted to ignore. Those little changes in Steven's complexion. Those
moments when using his powers in even the smallest way rendered him
too tired to even stand.
We never talk about it,
though. It's like a silent pact between us. We have too many reasons
to be happy, like the life growing inside me and how it could change
the course of history.
My pregnancy takes longer
than normal by six months and by then I'm so ready to be done with
it. Like, get this thing out of me NAO.
And, of course, no need for
a hospital since all doctors are in the moment I call telling my
fountain broke.
And after over half a day of
grueling pains our little Aaron Salvatore Waldorf is born and he's...
“
Perfect.” I've
never seen Steven smile so wide as when he carries the tiny blob in
his arms and sets him in mine. “He's perfect.”
“
We'll leave you for a
bit.” Dr. Morgan practically has to push Dr. Hudson, Dad, Mari
Paz, and Daphne out of the room, leaving us three to snuggle together
in silence since there are no words to describe what we're feeling.
There are no words to
explain how my heart is about to implode when I see Steven's finger
trapped in Aaron's impossibly small hand, exactly like Salvatore
showed us in that last nightmare.
Exactly like I dreamt it
night after night.
“
How does it feel?”
I ask.
“
How does what feel?”
he asks back, his attention on the finger the little hand won't
release, no matter how hard he tries.
“
Not being the last
one anymore?”
The answer comes as a kiss,
as a face pressed against my sweaty one, “Like magic.”
And all I can do is chuckle
at his silly answer and smile at his face because his eyes are
shining so bright, because he looks so full of life.
Call it magic, if it works
for you.
Magic are the hours we spend
together.
Magic are the sleepless
nights and the early mornings.
Magic are those gatherings
in the garden with everybody hovering around the one I've nicknamed
The Music Box due to his laughter that sounds so much like music.
Timey-wimey and so
incredibly fast. Time, that is.
And it's like some of us can
sense it. Mostly him.
And it's not fair because
it's too short, too soon.
And that's why Dr. Morgan
starts calling every day.
And Dad and Mari Paz have
asked if they can spend their vacations with us one more time.
And all the while I'm seeing
the man I love with all my heart hold our child and tell him all the
things he needs to know for when he grows up and his powers start to
show, trusting it'll be me who will remember all that stuff.
So we make videos and try to
have fun with it.
So we capture moments in
photos and journals and fill the nursery walls with them.
So we spend the next five
years doing everything we can to freeze what can't be frozen.
Then one day, at the end of
those five years, I wake up to hands that are incredibly cold, to a
set of hazel eyes that will now be forever shut.
And a world with just one
last living superhero, once more.
###
About the author:
Astrid H. Cruz a/k/a
Artistikem, lives in Puerto Rico with her husband, Dalí the
cockatiel, MacDuff the grumpy Scottish Terrier, Carola Candela the
happy-go-lucky doberman, and Jin-Jing the black ninja cat. Whenever
she doesn’t have her nose buried in a book, she enjoys writing
until the wee hours of the morning, cooking, good music, coffee with
friends, independent films, red wine, and riding with her hubby on
their motorcycle under the sunny island sky.
Connect online:
email:
[email protected]
Blog:
http://artistikemwrites.wordpress.com
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/author/artistikem
Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/artistikem
Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/artistikem
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/ArtistikemWrites
Check out her transmedia
storytelling project:
http://www.astudyoncharacterdevelopment.com
Other titles by this author:
Four
Short Stories by Artistikem
The
Caregiver (Book 1 of The Caregiver Series)
Torn
(Book 2 of The Caregiver Series)
The
Beast (Book 3 of The Caregiver Series)
At
the Corner of Mars and Neptune