CHAPTER 19
The drive back was just as long, obviously, but it was extended by our Tesco run, and there was a new cat toy I just had to buy, but yes, the Sutton stocks of bacon and sausages were given a major boost. Most of it would end up in the chest freezer, of course, but as long as Mam gave us a little notice we would be properly prepared this time.

It is an odd thing, catering for your own parents. You feel the bar is set at a very high level and no matter how well you prepare, in your heart of hearts you just know that failure is inevitable. My parents would never say so, and objectively I realise they wouldn’t actually think it, but paranoia is a given when your mother sits at your own dining table.

Chapter 20

Laura helped me touch up my makeup. I think my face still looked a fright, my eyes all puffy and red. We still had a lovely dinner, although the conversation was geared towards what happens next. Tomorrow Gem had the morning off as it was Saturday, but she needed to be in for the afternoon. The plan was to pack as much as we could that morning so that we could move in when Gem went to work.

Chapter 19 Sophia's POV

Chapter 18 Laura's POV

At the salon I sent Soph off to be waxed. I had noticed hair on her arms and legs, which didn't suit the image we were portraying. She looked at me with big puppy dog eyes, but I just sent her off with a smile. As she had agreed, Soph didn't verbally argue with me. Her expressions gave away her feelings easily, she was definitely a wear your heart on your sleeve girl.

Lupita watches Black Wolf as he teaches Haloke to ride a horse. It has been a total of five months since Haloke came into their life. She has managed to figure out most of what has happened to herself. Haloke, on the other hand, was still a mystery. They had gone into Rapid City to see if Haloke was listed as a missing child, but there was no record.

Chapter 16

I had another bad night. I don't really remember what I am dreaming, just wake up terrified. I usually wake to the sound of my own scream. I am shaking and crying and I don't even recall what has made me so scared. In the end, I can't get back to sleep, so even though it is the middle of the night I tried to get up.

Flight Lieutenant Second Class Jason Cole is the fifth generation in a long line of military family members and the third of the current generation. Unlike his older brother and sister Jason cannot be fitted with a bio-A.I. This one fact will led him on the greatest adventure of his young life.

Chapter 15 Sophia's POV

I woke up with Gem spooning me comfortingly. I had another wake in the middle of the night screaming episodes. Gem had done a wonderful job of calming me down, but she needed her sleep and it wasn't fair for me to keep interrupting it. I was thinking of offering to sleep on the sofa, but the flat was so small, I would only be a couple of metres away and I'm sure you would need to be in another country to not hear my screams.

Chapter 14

Singing? As Dillan I had never liked my voice, so sang as little as possible. The only singing I had done as Sophia was to a few songs in the car with Gem. “Err...only in the car.” I replied.

“What was the last song you sang?” She asked me.

I blushed since it was one of her songs and for some reason that made me feel embarrassed. “Gratitude.”

She laughed. “Come with me.” She jumped off the couch again and headed off at a fast pace. I don't think she knows how to do anything with less than full energy.

Chapter 12

After breakfast we dropped off the hire car and entered the airport. After checking in our luggage there really was nothing to do for hours, waiting for our flight. It did give me a chance to interrogate Gem. She was pretty open about herself, but couldn't tell me much about what was going to happen after we arrived, because she didn't know.

Chapter 11 Sophia's POV

I woke up still wrapped in Gem's arms. She was snoring mildly, so I knew she was still fast asleep. I felt a little embarrassed about my middle of the night freak out. My male pride had taken another blow. Considering the circumstances, that was not necessarily a bad thing and there was something nice in not having to be the strong one.

Chapter 10 part 2 Gem's POV

No Fricken Way! I thought for probably the hundredth time. I started reading the last entry but that made no sense, so I went back a few days and that confused me more. I ended up flicking back to find something that I could comprehend. That turned out to be a week before the holiday. There, Richard was Richard and behaved exactly how Amy had told me. Then there was the bus journey and everything changed.

Flight Lieutenant Second Class Jason Cole is the fifth generation in a long line of military family members and the third of the current generation. Unlike his older brother and sister Jason cannot be fitted with a bio-A.I. This one fact will led him on the greatest adventure of his young life.

Chapter 9

Gem had hired a car so we drove to the police station using the GPS. I stuck close to her side which seemed to help me with my anxiety. They led us to a room and brought out my family suitcases and boxes filled with all our stuff. Gem suggested that I fill the suitcases with all my clothes and everything of my parents apart from their clothes, which would be donated or discarded. She needed to fill out some paperwork so I was left to my own devices. Since there was no one else in the room I was fine with that.

Some of the set-up hadn't been finished by the late evening of Wednesday after we arrived at the site, so some folks stayed on site on Thursday morning to finish it, the rest of us would find some way to relax while we wandered around Greenville to see what we could discover.

We were up by about 7 AM, even without using an alarm. I guess we're used to being on the go early, even when we aren't doing anything.