Chapter 12

Lonnie was not only the local magistrate; he was the local cab company. When the news of Trent and Garth reached Ocracoke, Rose gave Lonnie a call and he agreed to drive Isidora to Alexandria. Isidora was alternating between tears, anger and depression and Rose would have ridden along to comfort her except that she just no longer had the strength. Before the cab pulled away Rose took Isidora into her arms and made her best attempt to give her courage for the days ahead.

"Sweetheart listen carefully to me. Life is full of joy and pain. No matter how painful today seems, think about the joy you and Trent have had together and the joy your child-to-be will bring you. You must take care of yourself and be strong."

The words rang hollow in Isidora's ears. As the cab rolled away, she reached into her purse and fingered the bottle of painkillers she'd taken from Rose's medicine chest.

If Trent and I can't be together in our life, we will be together in death. She thought to herself.

The front page of the Washington Post read: "Shootout at Dulles Leaves One Dead, Two Critical". The story went on the say that LeRoy Allen Marks a prominent and influential international businessman had been shot dead by a Federal Marshall attempting to serve an arrest warrant. In his last ditch effort to evade arrest; Marks had gunned down the marshal and a private security agent who was aiding in the arrest. Both the marshal and the security agent had been medevaced by helicopter to the Fairfax Hospital and were in critical condition.

Trent drifted in and out of consciousness, but his thoughts were always of Isidora. Would she come? Could she find him? Would he be alive when she came? The steady drone of vital signs monitors faded as he closed his eyes and drifted off into oblivion.

Epilogue

It was morning as the nurse looked down at Isidora's still, pale figure on the hospital bed and wondered. How could she have done this to herself? What love was worth this?

Then the man sleeping in the chair next to the bed stirred. The nurse thought to herself. He's certainly attractive enough, but what kind of man would take advantage of a woman so young and fragile. How could she let him make her a mother at such a tender age?

Then the tiny bundle lying in the crook of Isidora's left arm squirmed and made little squeaking noises. Isidora's eyes fluttered open and she turned to her newborn son.

"Trent, I think little Garth is still hungry."

"Sweetheart, if he's anything like his uncle, he'll eat every hour on the hour." Trent replied as he moved to sit on the bed next to his wife and son. The look of pure maternal joy on Isidora's face as she placed little Garth to her breast caused tears of happiness to come to Trent's eyes.

Seeing the tears, Isidora joked. "Don't' be sad, the next one will be a girl for you."

Little Garth was totally unaffected by his parent's conversation. He was content to be warm and fed and he made happy little grunting noises as he suckled greedily.

The funeral was on a clear blustery day in late spring. The whole Lyons clan attended as the matriarch of the family was laid to rest beside her husband. Rose had lost her battle with cancer, but had won at life. As the last words were said, Little Garth who had been a model of self-control let out a terrible howl.

Isidora turned to Nika and whispered. "Can you hold him for a minute while I check to see if I have another dry diaper?"

Nika took her new husband's namesake in her arms and cooed. The baby immediately calmed and gave her a big smile. She turned to her husband with a question.

"Lover can we make one like this?"