The Book of Adam, page 27
Adam nodded. “I’ll feel better when Daddy opens his eyes.” He climbed into the passenger seat. “How is your guy?”
“He didn’t make it,” Joshua replied then took the chopper up.
By the time Joshua and Adam returned to the hospital, Roc had arrived. They all made arrangements to stay at Samuel’s house until their father came home.
The week that followed, they were inundated with visitors. Everyone from the President, the Governor, Senators, the Brooks’, the Davenports, Al Day and his family, Brian Thompson, even Sofia Thornton, Cynthia’s mother and the woman Sally took Joe from, came to see if they could do anything to help the family. Everyone was expressing their dismay and sending prayers for Joe. Hospital administration had to move Joe to a private area of the hospital to better control the number of high profile visitors. The most impressive was the visit from the royal family - King Ahmed Ashro, Queen Nasheema, King Aswan Ashro, Princess ZsaZsa, and of course Prince LaVere.
Everyone tensed when King Raheem and Queen Akande arrived. Looking regal as ever, Akande walked into the hospital room and sat with Sally for hours. No one knew what they talked about except Joe and he was still unconscious so he wasn’t telling. Later that day, Queen Akande arrived at Samuel’s house to collect Teddi.
Roc had gathered all of Teddi’s things and packed them neatly into her suitcase. Her back was bothering her something fierce, but it was the sadness of seeing Teddi leave that caused a tear to drop.
Joshua held his daughter in one arm and his wife in the other as the King and Queen entered the family room. Samuel, Cynthia, Adam and Amber stayed in the kitchen as moral support for Joshua. They had no idea how the meeting would go.
Akande smiled bright at the sight of her daughter.
“Mother.” Teddi wiggled from her father’s arms and ran to her mother.
“Teddi.” Akande picked her up in one scoop. “I missed you so much.”
“Me too, Mother.”
Raheem was pleased to see the child as well. “Are you ready to go home, Teddi?” He smiled at her.
“Oh yes, Father.”
Roc rubbed Joshua’s back as the child spoke to Raheem. “Uncle Joshua and Auntie Roc made snowballs and a snowman. You want to see?”
“I think I would like that.” Raheem took Teddi’s hand and followed her to the bay window in the kitchen.
Akande walked over to Joshua and Roc. “Thank you for taking care of Teddi.”
“She can come to stay with us anytime,” Roc replied, attempting to coax Joshua to say something by pinching his back.
“I will see to it that she visits her Uncle Joshua and Auntie Roc each year.”
That seemed to ease the tension in Joshua a bit. “She calls him father?”
“Yes,” Akande replied and held his glare. “As it should be, Joshua.” She turned and smiled at Roc. “It will be soon now, I see.”
“Next week.” Roc rubbed her stomach.
“Oh, no,” Akande laughed. “You have a few hours at the most.” She then called out to Teddi. “We must go now, Teddi. Uncle Joshua and Auntie Roc will be busy real soon.”
Akande kissed Roc on the cheek. Then hugged Joshua. “We will talk soon.”
He nodded then carried the bag out to the car. When he returned the room was quiet as everyone waited, trying to gauge his mood. “I did not kill him.”
“Whew,” Samuel exhaled. “No bomb in the car?”
Adam laughed. “No, Samuel, we don’t do bombs anymore. We put a J.M.A.L.T.S. in his pocket.”
Joshua and Samuel turned and glared at Adam.
“Joking, people, come on.”
The family decided to spend Christmas Eve at the hospital. As people wrapped up their plans they gathered in the corridor outside Joe’s room. They prayed, played games, talked and did just about everything they would have done if they were at home.
Joshua was sitting with his father as Sally read a scripture from the Bible. Roc was sitting in a chair when she motioned Amber to come over.
Amber sat next to her and whispered, “How far apart?”
It took a moment for Roc to respond for the contractions were hitting fast and hard. “Whew, whew, whew,” she inconspicuously blew out. “About two now.”
Amber laughed, causing several of her soon to be sisters-in-law to turn her way.
Diamond was the first to realize what was happening. She walked over. “I’ll get a wheelchair.”
“I don’t know if we have time.” Amber held Roc’s hand as she squeezed, not showing any other signs of outward distress. “This is going to be a natural birth. I think someone should get Joshua.”
Adam, who was talking with Jade, looked over. “What’s wrong?”
“Roc is in labor,” Amber said. Before anyone could say another word Phire ran into the room.
Adam helped Roc from the chair as the family began gathering around.
"Roc." She was pointing.
Sally looked at Joshua, then back to Phire. "What are you doing?"
Phire ran over and grabbed Joshua's hand, pulling him from the chair just as Roc appeared in the doorway.
"This is coming out of me tonight."
Joshua jumped up. "The baby?"
"No, the damn Easter bunny. Yes, the baby."
"Mom, I got to go." He kissed her cheek. "Dad, the baby is coming." He stopped to see his father’s eyes on him. "Dad."
Sally looked over and gasped. "Joe," she cried. And asked someone to get the nurse. "Joe." She touched his face as a teardrop fell to his cheek. "Joe." She smiled, then gently kissed his lips.
"Daddy." Phire stood behind her mother.
The nurse came in checking his vitals. "Mr. Lassiter." She held a light to his eyes. "Welcome back. Can you blink for me?"
Joe blinked his eyes and Sally cried more. "That's good, Joe."
"Do you know who this pretty lady is?"
Joe smiled. He licked his lips. "My sweet Sally," he whispered.
"How did you luck up and get such a pretty one," Dr. Patel asked as he rushed into the room.
Joe looked up at Joshua. "Josh."
"Joshua, your father wants you." Sally moved aside.
Joshua put his ear down to his father’s lips and listened. He nodded his head. "You got it."
"What?" Phire asked as Joshua left the room.
"I'm going to have a baby."
Dr. Patel nodded to the nurse. "Will you get them down to obstetrics? We are going to have two miracles on this day. What do you say about that, Joe?"
"Sounds good," a mere whisper of a voice came out.
Sally broke down and cried as Joshua ran from the room.
Adam helped Roc into the wheelchair as a nurse walked behind them. “I’ll take this one,” Amber said to the nurse. “Prep the birthing room.”
Adam, Timothy, Mathew, Luke and Samuel all patted Joshua on his back. Diamond, Pearl, Opal, Jade and Phire kissed Roc as they strolled way.
“Jade, Opal, Timothy and I will take Joshua,” Adam declared. “The rest of you stay with Dad. Text us with updates.”
“You do the same,” Pearl replied.
Joshua paced outside the room until Adam finally pulled him aside.
“Sly sent me a message to meet him near Quantico. Any idea what that is about?”
“What did the message say?” Adam showed Joshua the text. “I know the area. Check it out.”
Adam nodded. “Looks like we are going to have a Lassiter Christmas after all.” He looked at Joshua. “It would take you to have a baby at Christmas.”
“What better way is there to honor our savior?” Joshua grinned.
“Joshua,” Amber called from the door. “You can come in now.” She smiled at Adam. “It’s a boy.”
They all laughed and cheered at the news.
Epilogue
The next few days were spent assessing Joe’s condition. The best news was there was no paralysis. His speech and short-term memory were clearly impacted. But all of those things could be helped with the right rehabilitation. They assembled the best medical team they could and ran every test known to man, including some Amber and Adam created, to determine the extent of damage to Joe’s brain. Amber and Adam researched every aspect of information they could pull from his charts until they were able to devise a recovery plan for his father. The words his father told him came back.
‘You have the mind to do wonders for this world.’
All Adam wanted was to do wonders for his dad. For the first week of his rehab, Adam spent every day reading basic books with Joe. He would encourage his father to read more himself every night when he left the hospital. Amber worked with Dr. Patel on the physical aspects of the rehab. It was a six-day marathon, but when Joe was moved from the hospital to home, where the boys had cleared out the dining room and set up a rehabilitation area, they both felt good about the progress Joe was making.
It was New Year’s Eve before they made it back to Amber’s condo in Georgetown. The tree and all the things they had left in a rush to get to Richmond had been cleared out by her mother. The gifts were all neatly placed on the dining room table. There was one addressed to Adam that was on top of them all.
“Who is it from?” Amber asked as she walked into the bedroom.
“I’m not sure.” Adam opened the small box to find a card inside with a skeleton key underneath. He read the card. “It’s an address.”
“To where?” Amber called from the bedroom.
“I don’t know.” Adam was still examining the box when Amber walked over.
She looked at it and shrugged. “You want to check it out?”
“We just got home and I’m exhausted. You have to report to the hospital in the morning. We should try to rest.”
“It’s still early. Where is the adventurous Adam Lassiter I fell in love with?” She looked at the address. “It isn’t that far away.”
“It’s actually pretty close to Joshua’s place.”
“I double-dare you.” Amber smiled remembering the Lassiters sitting in Joe’s room on Christmas Day watching the holiday favorite.
He pulled her close. “I got your double-dare, right here.” He kissed her.
Amber laughed. “Let’s go.”
They put the address in the GPS and twenty minutes later they pulled onto a secluded road.
“This looks interesting.” Adam smiled.
“It’s beautiful with the snow falling from the trees. It’s majestic.”
Adam looked around as he drove up the curving road where large trees lined the road making the area secluded. As the trees cleared, a wrought iron fence came into view. The double gates were open so they pulled in, then drove about a half a mile when a massive Mediterranean style house with tan stones, a double red door and a beautiful fountain came into view. They parked in the curved driveway in front of the house.
“Wow,” Amber exclaimed as she stepped out of the car. “Tell me the key you have is the key to this house.”
“You like it?” Adam scanned the area.
“My goodness, yes. Don’t you?”
Adam came to stand next to her. “I have to admit, it has a bit of charm to it.”
“I wonder who lives here?”
“Somebody does. The snow is plowed, the walkway is clear and there is mail.” Adam walked to the door. There was an envelope with his name on it.
Amber glanced over his shoulder as he read, “A house isn’t a home until the right family crosses the threshold. Phillip and Jill.
Amber gasped. “Do you think…”
Adam pulled the key from his pocket then held it up for her. “Only one way to find out.”
Amber smiled. “Okay.” She put the key in the lock. “It fits.” Her eyes grew wide as she turned the key. The door swung open. "Wow, this house doesn't look this big on the outside."
Adam looked around at the tall ceilings, to the open foyer and straight to the back of the house that had windows for walls.
“Look.” He pointed to Amber who had walked into what looked to be the formal dining room on the left. To the right was a formal living room with windows showcasing the driveway they’d just used.
She walked back to him. “I’m looking, I’m looking.”
He took her hand and walked from the foyer to the great room with a huge fireplace in the center of the room. To the left was a gourmet size kitchen, on the right a huge family room. On the other side of the fireplace was a sunroom that seemed to extend through the entire first floor.
“Look at the grounds on this place.” Adam was beaming.
“Is that a lake?” Amber walked over to the windows in the sunroom.
Adam looked where Amber was pointing. “I think it’s the Rappahannock River.”
“Wow, wow and wow again.” Amber walked to the right following the sunroom. At the end, she entered French doors, which lead to a bedroom. “Adam Lassiter, you better come see this.”
Adam quickly made his way to where she stood. The bedroom covered the entire right side of the house. There was another double-sided fireplace in the center of the room. One side had a sofa, chaise lounge and a chair, all placed in front of a window with a view of the gardens. The other side had a huge bed in the center of the room facing the window with a view of the river. To the left was a door. Amber opened it to find a walk-in closet the size of her bedroom at home. She walked through to a marble encased bathroom with a walk through shower, a private toilet room, a huge claw foot tub and more. She walked to the other side to see there was a closet the same size as the other.
Amber walked out to see Adam standing at the bed. “Adam, what is it?”
“A card from Queen Akande.” Adam read out loud.
“When I heard you were in need of a home in the area, I remembered this property I visited once. I fell in love with the views of the river. I asked Joshua to see if it would work for you. The house I am certain Dr. Nicolas will love. The lab in the basement will rock your world, as Joshua would say. If you want it, please accept this as my token of thanks for saving my country.”
“Can we do that?”
“Accept the house?” Adam asked looking around. He shrugged. “I don’t know. But she said there is a laboratory in the basement.” He grabbed her hand and began walking in and out of rooms until he found the door that led to the basement.
Amber ran with him, laughing with excitement in her voice.
On the opposite side of the house there were four bedrooms, each with a bath attached, a game room and a theater room. Adam kept opening doors until he came to one behind the kitchen. He opened the door to a stairway leading down.
“Finally.” He grinned and was about to walk through when Amber pulled back.
“Is that an elevator?”
Adam stepped back and looked.
“Man, I’m loving this.” He pushed the button and the doors swished open. They stepped in grinning like children as the elevator descended.
The doors opened to a white hallway with doors and office space that expanded for what seemed like miles. They stepped off the elevator and just gawked at the space.
“I’m going that way,” Amber squealed.
Adam walked into the first door. The room was bright and open. Monitors lined the walls. He turned and walked from room to room to room.
Inside one room there was counter space, shelves, sinks, cabinets - just about everything an exploring mind would need. “I could work forever in here.”
"I see another MacGyver in the making,” Amber said as she walked from another room. “Is the government funding your liability insurance?" Amber continued exploring the basement.
Adam stopped talking to register the question she asked. "I don't know." He frowned as he met her in the center of the space. “Do you believe this?”
“I’m still trying to figure all of this out.” Amber continued looking around. “What is the mortgage on this place?”
He looked around and noticed the computer monitor was on. “I’m not sure there is one,” he said. “Whatever it is, we are never leaving this house.”
“There’s another room over there.” Amber ran in one direction as Adam went in another.
Adam walked over to the monitor and pushed the spacebar on the computer sitting on the counter. The smiling face of Sly appeared on the screen. The first thing Adam noticed was he was not wearing a hat or a suit.
Hey, younger brother to Joshua. As you know by now, I’ve retired from the Agency. We have a tradition in this life. When one agent leaves a team, he gets to name his replacement. The skills you have are impressive. But it's your heart that drives you. Since meeting the Doc you've come full circle. Unlike the old heads in this business, you have the key within your grasp. Hold on to her with all that you have. You have the opportunity to be in this life with a partner. We did not have that in the past. More important than anything else I’ve taught you so far; realize you are no longer the younger brother trying to live up to anyone. You are a man with the ability to hold the world's attention. For that reason, I deem you Hypnotic.
Sly.
PS: I left you a present in the Doc’s office space.
Adam smiled. He hoped Sly would find happiness in his new life. He looked around. "We need a map for this house."
Amber walked into the room where he was standing. She had stripped out of her clothes and was dressed in a white lab coat with a fedora on her head.
"Hey.” She posed at the door. “I found this in a room over there that would make a perfect office for me.”
Adam turned to see her standing in yet another doorway. “How did you get in here?”
“I came through there.”
Adam looked in the direction she pointed. Inside that room was a desk with a book placed on the side of it. “The manual.”
Adam picked up the book. A row of bookshelves parted. Adam turned, then walked over.
“It’s a safe,” Amber gasped.
“A place to keep the notes on my inventions.” Adam suddenly exploded. “I am loving this place!”
Amber turned. “This would be a great office for you and it’s connected to the one I like as mine.”
