Chapter 31

"I just wish I could have had the opportunity to hug both of them one more time, tell them goodbye, tell them I loved them, before I lost them forever," Lisa sniffed.

"You still can, you know," Jessica said softly. I yelped in pain when Lisa's nails dug into me as she stiffened in my arms.

"What?" Melinda and Melissa asked together.

"What?" Lisa asked.

"How is that possible?" Lisa asked. "How can you know that and I don't? I built this computer," Lisa demanded.

"Where did you get the idea of a Cornazan mind implant into a computer to increase its power? Surely that was not an entirely unique design of yours," Jessica asked.

"No, it was based on a paper by a scientist named Gillian Foster. I tried to track her down, but I was never able to find her."

Jessica laughed and pulled her sister Sarah close, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. Sarah looked embarrassed.

"Of course you couldn't. Gillian Foster didn't exist. The paper was dedicated to a young scientist named Sa'a-llia. You would have been better off tracking her down, as she was the real author. Gillian Foster was a fake name. Meet Sa'a-llia, known to you as Sarah," Jessica grinned. "I helped her write it. I know as much, if not more, about your computer as you do."

"You designed computers?" Lisa asked in disbelief.

"I was involved in a lot of things besides research into the Leto-Paradeasal phenomenon. We never pursued the computer concept any further because we had no opportunity for volunteers to serve as the computer brain. You seem to have solved that problem quite nicely."

Lisa glared at Jessica. Jessica put her hands up in mock surrender.

"Hey, don't blame me. I didn't install them in the computer!"

Lisa smiled ruefully.

"I know, but I can't glare at them. They're not here."

"Which brings us back to the original point ... they can be here, if they want, if you want, at least sometimes," Jessica explained.

"How?" three voices chorused together.

"Neither Melinda nor Melissa died when they installed themselves into the computer. If they followed the instructions outlined in Sa'a's paper, they should still have bodies somewhere."

'Where?" Melinda and Melissa asked.

"Well, if you followed the default settings, which you likely did since you seem to know nothing about this, they should be stored in the primary directory 'Emergency', in the subdirectory 'Do not Enter', in the file 'Body Bag'. There are instructions in that file on how to activate them. There is a reason why it says 'do not enter'. It opens a portal directly into the Interdimensional Space. Your bodies are stored there."

"You mean we can be with Mommy for real?" Melissa gasped. I thought that maybe she had grown up a little, being all alone with her sister for so long. She missed her Mom.

"You mean we can be with Mommy for real? And with Patrick ... I mean, Daddy?" Melinda asked nervously.

"Yeah, that too!" Melissa added.

"Can we do it together?" Melissa continued.

"Hold on, girls, let me answer a few questions first," Jessica laughed.

"Yes, you can be with anyone you want. You can even do it together. You do have to be aware, though, that if you leave the computer together, it will go into auto mode. That is the computer without your brains. It will not be nearly as powerful. You should probably do that as little as possible; maybe the first time, but maybe not after that.

"You also will have to limit the amount of time you are out of the computer. It will take a lot of energy, and neither you nor your bodies are used to it anymore. You need to understand you are a computer now first, and a Cornazan second."

"We understand. It would be nice, though, to see Mom ... and Dad ... the first time together." The two computer-girls giggled when they said 'Dad'. Jessica looked thoughtful.

"Were you two activated before you were installed in the computer?"

"Um ... I guess not, since we don't remember that. Do you mean ... if we come out to visit ... we could even ... um... do things? I mean, like, activation like ... things?" Melinda said breathlessly. I could imagine her blushing furiously.

"Of course you can, if you can talk Patrick into it. When you are out here, you are human and Cornazan in every respect. You will be exactly like you were physically before you left your bodies, the same age, everything." Jessica was blushing as she tried to avoid giving the computer a sex talk. "I can't even imagine the power your computer would have if you two were activated!"

"Cool! Patrick... ?" Melinda started to ask.

"Melinda ... honey ... can we discuss this later? I assume you're not planning to come out right now. I need some time to get used to this," I stammered.

"I guess. Now might not be the best time," the two girls giggled nervously. "How would that work? I mean, we've never..."

"Ok, I'm really not ready to have that talk right now ... or ever! You're going to have to find someone else to tell you the specifics, girls," I insisted.

"Talk to me later, Melinda; I'll tell you what you need to know," Julie offered.

"Me too?" Melissa asked hopefully.

"You too," Julie smiled.

"But ... why? You don't even like me," Melinda asked.

"I don't dislike you; I actually like you a lot. I just can't resist teasing you. You're so funny, and you so need to seriously loosen up a little," Julie responded. "You act like you have a corncob up your butt!"

"Julie!" Megan admonished her. "I don't think that's an expression we want a couple of naïve computers to learn."

"Sorry, Mom," Julie apologized, completely unrepentant as far as I could tell.

"It's ok, that problem has been resolved. I just checked our bodies and someone must have removed the corncob already. Why would they have been stored that way anyway? Is it a preservation technique?" Melinda asked.

"Oh jeez! See what I mean? Stop it, Julie!" Megan said.

"S ... s ... sorry, Mommy!" Julie said as she sat down abruptly, to keep from falling down, she was laughing so hard. Sammi covered her face with her hand in dismay. Her shoulders were shaking; however, I didn't think she was crying.

"What?" Melinda asked. No one answered her.

Christopher stopped in front of Jessica. He lifted her head with a finger under her chin.

"May I?"

"May you what?" Jessica asked nervously.

"May I kiss you?" he asked.

"You want to kiss me?" Jessica squeaked, turning red. "Why? You have the prettiest girl around over there just waiting for you."

Katie grinned at Jessica.

"He just wants another sample of that Leto-Paradeasal wave you still exude," Melinda said smugly.

"Oh." Jessica sounded disappointed.

"Melinda! That wasn't nice. Now you've hurt her feelings," Christopher said, sounding irritated.

"Sorry, I didn't intend to be mean, but it's true," Melinda apologized.

"It's ok, I didn't think you wanted to kiss ... me," Jessica whispered.

"Jessica, you are a very pretty, very sweet girl. I asked Katie quite a while ago if I could kiss you. However, I do want to check something about you with that wave you used. Otherwise, I probably would have waited for a more private time. I have to admit, though, that it would be a great honor to kiss the famous Ja'a-llia. May I?" he asked again.

"I guess ... sure," Jessica mumbled. "I think you're crazy, though!"

Christopher touched his lips to hers. Jessica closed her eyes, and they enjoyed a nice, friendly kiss for all of about one second. That's when Jessica flung her arms around his neck, pulled him tight against her body, and tried to devour him with her return kiss. Christopher's eyes popped open in surprise, then he leaned into the pretty girl and gave her as good as he received.

"Maybe I shouldn't have given him permission. She might take him away from me," Katie giggled nervously. Her eyes looked a little concerned.

When they finally broke the kiss, Jessica looked dazed. Christopher looked ... predatory. Everyone clapped in appreciation. Jessica buried her face in his chest, her face a flaming red.

"Oh God!" she whispered in embarrassment, clinging to him as she shuddered.

"Wow, Chris, she didn't kiss me that well when I activated her," I teased.

"I did too!" Jessica cried, near tears. "Patrick, I ... I love you! I thought you knew that..."

Megan rubbed Jessica's back and stroked her hair as she hid deeper against Christopher.

"He's teasing you, dear. He talks constantly about being with you again. He knows you love him; he loves you too."

"You shouldn't have used your power on her, Christopher ... not for just a kiss," I said.

"I didn't. That was all Jessica," Christopher informed us.

"Quit picking on me, you guys!" Jessica cried. Christopher pulled her back until he could see her face.

"Jessica, will you spend the night with me tonight?" he asked seriously.

"What? Why? You have Katie. I ... can't measure up to her. Stop teasing me!" Her eyes were moist.

Christopher put his arms around her and hugged her, kissing her neck. She sighed and pressed closer, trembling.

"I'm not teasing. You're pretty, sexy, funny, smart, and innocent as the driven snow. All of those turn me on. And ... I need the use of your Leto-Paradeasal wave," he finished.

Jessica relaxed.

"Well, at least you're honest. That turns me on. Are you sure Katie won't mind?"

"I'm right here, Jessica. No, I don't mind. However, you need to know that it would be you, Christopher, Victoria, and me."

Jessica blushed.

"I ... don't know anything about ... other females. I don't know." She and Sarah looked at each other and looked away quickly.

"You don't have to. We'll be there. You can do, or not do, anything that you're comfortable with," Katie assured her.

"I really would like to get to know you better," Christopher said.

"Can I come too?" I teased. Jessica's eyes opened wide in surprise. Katie looked interested.

"Do you really want to?" Jessica asked breathlessly. "I mean..."

Megan hit me ... hard.

"Stop teasing her!"

I pulled Jessica to me and kissed her passionately. She melted against me and kissed me just as completely, her eyes closed. Afterwards, I held her cheek against mine. She sighed contentedly.

"Anytime, sweetie. My door is always open to you, alone or with that gorgeous twin of yours."

I thought there might be flash burns on the walls with the smiles Sarah and Jessica beamed.

"Really?" they asked together.

"Really ... anytime."

"Make it soon, you two. I'm getting tired of hearing about you every night," Megan said, grinning to show she was teasing.

"C ... could you come with me tonight?" Jessica asked me shyly. "I know you wouldn't let anything happen to me."

"Christopher isn't going to hurt you, Jessica," I assured her.

"Oh, I know!" she quickly answered, rubbing her hand up and down Christopher's chest hesitantly, trying to apologize. "I just feel ... safe when you're there. I never said it made sense!"

"It's ok, I'm not offended. He can come. God, you are so cute, Jessica!" he blurted out.

"C ... c ... cute? Me? You're crazy! I'm not cute. Katie's cute. Stop teasing me!" Her eyes were moist but she was smiling. He'd just made her day.

"I'm not teasing. I love you, Jessica," Christopher whispered.

Of course he did. Christopher loved all girls, especially if they were pretty, and Jessica was breathtakingly pretty. But Jessica didn't know that about Christopher.

"Wha ... what? No you don't! You love Katie! Don't say that! Shit! Oh God! Katie, I didn't do anything! I've never even touched him before today! I don't know where he's getting this! Please, Katie, you have to believe me! I'd never ... I didn't ... Oh fuck!" she sobbed, hiding her face in her hands.

We were all stunned. Jessica melting down at Christopher's statement didn't surprise us that much. The surprise was her saying 'shit' and 'fuck'! Sarah ran over and hugged her, whispering in her ear and trying to calm her down. Sarah looked at Katie, her eyes pleading for help.

Katie stood behind Jessica and wrapped her arms around her. She kissed her neck softly, causing Jessica to flinch and gasp.

"It's ok Jessie, I'm not upset. Everyone loves him. I'm not afraid you'll take him away from me. I know he loves you, and I know you love him too. Sometimes, Jessie, when you just can't stand it anymore, you can borrow him for a night ... sometimes. I won't mind."

Jessica looked horrified.

"No! I don't love him! I don't! He 's nice but I don't love him!"

"Are you sure?"

"I ... I ... I don't love ... I don't know! Do I?"

"It's ok, Jessie, really it is. Spend the night with us. You'll know tomorrow," Katie said.

Victoria and Katie took Jessica's hands and gently led her to the bedroom. Halfway there, Christopher stepped in front of her and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her softly. She moaned softly.

"Will you ... do me tonight?" she asked.

"If you want me to. I'd really like to."

Jessica nodded shyly. Then she reached out and grabbed my hand.

"Come with me, Daddy. Please?"

Cindi and Amy giggled as I let myself be led into the bedroom. Megan smiled and blew me a kiss.

Christopher and Katie led Jessica into the bedroom, with Victoria and me following. Victoria was holding my hand tightly. She was exuding sexuality as she practically skipped along next to me. My always excited sister was taking horniness to new heights tonight.

Jessica was acting very shy and nervous. I had a sudden idea why.

"Jessica, I know when you and I made love a while back that it was your first time. Surely, Ja'a-llia has had more experience. Can't you let her drive?"

Jessica looked at me with terrified eyes. Her answer told me that the terrified look belonged to Ja'a.

"Daddy," she said softly, "Ja'a has had exactly as many men as I have ... one. Her husband is the only man she's ever known."

"Ja'a was monogamous?" Christopher exclaimed.

"Not exactly. She was simply engrossed in her work, as was her husband. Neither one had the time or the opportunity to look for others. They loved each other deeply and just never met anyone else that fit them as well."

"I'd have made time for you if you hadn't had so many women already!" Ja'a giggled.

"I knew you?" I asked in amazement. There was no answer; Ja'a was gone again.

"Duh, Daddy! Her name ends in —llia. That means she's your activated daughter," Jessica rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"I don't remember her," I protested.

"Patrick, you were the father of a significant portion of our race. It's unlikely you will know most of your children," Victoria explained, laughing at me.

"Who was her husband and where is he now?"

"I don't know. I don't have access to that knowledge," Jessica answered.

"Wait ... you're Ja'a-llia. How can you not have access to that information?" I asked.

"I'm Ja'a-llia like you're Kitoro, like Megan is Nagalla, like Victoria is Tori-llia ... They're not around all the time. They are the energy, the colors that inhabit these bodies."

"Then who were you all this time until Ja'a became alive again?"

"I don't know. I think I was always Ja'a in a way, just not consciously. Maybe someone knew all along this was going to happen and provided a body for me. Remember, I as Jessica, have had a weird history, from being trapped in the last cycle to being only in Sarah's mind, even to having Megan's original colors. This isn't even weird by those standards," Jessica laughed.

She had me there!

"All I know is that her husband was legendary, but not as the person everyone knew him as. She doesn't know if he's still alive, and she misses him terribly. She's very sad. Please don't bother her with questions about him. It will make her cry," Jessica cautioned us.

Katie and Victoria had enough of the talking. They snuggled up to Jessica and kissed her softly on the neck at the same time. Jessica only jumped about six inches when they did that, then looked around with a classic 'deer in the headlights' look. Everyone laughed at her.

"It's not funny! They scared me. What are you two doing?" she whined.

"Reminding you why you're here," Katie giggled. Victoria looked like she was hungry. "Patrick, take her clothes off," Katie instructed.

Jessica sighed happily.

"Yeah Patrick, do that. That's something I could have fun with!"

"Oh, you can have fun with us too, believe me!" Victoria giggled.

"Stop it you guys! You're starting to worry me," Jessica said anxiously.

I had Jessica's blouse unbuttoned by this time. I opened it up, laying one hand on her pretty breast and sucked the other one in my mouth. At the same time Victoria kissed Jessica passionately, teasing her lips open and slipping her tongue in the younger girl's mouth. Katie gently stroked her now bare stomach, then stepped in and took over the kissing when Victoria stopped. Katie slipped her hand into Jessica's panties and rubbed her softly. I moved in just in time to catch Jessica and hold her up as her legs weakened.

"Fuck!" Jessica muttered as she tried to recover her composure. She pulled away from Katie's kiss and buried her head in my chest. I wrapped my arms around her, feeling her tremble like a leaf.

"Exactly!" Katie and Victoria giggled together.

"Protect me, Daddy!" Jessica moaned.

The startled look she gave me as I slipped her shorts and panties down to her ankles told me that wasn't the protection she had in mind. She seemed dazed as she stepped out of them.

"Sorry, honey," I whispered in her ear just before I licked it. I moved my hand between her legs, rubbing her clit slowly as I slipped two fingers up into her wet pussy.

"Oh my God!" Jessica squealed as her body convulsed. My hand was immediately soaked.

She looked at me with doe eyes as I knelt in front of her. Victoria put her hands lovingly over Jessica's face and closed her eyes, whispering in her ear to keep them closed. Jessica never saw Katie kneel down in front of her.

I spread Jessica's legs apart and licked her from her asshole to her clit. She shrieked and would have collapsed if Victoria hadn't been holding her up. Then I backed away so Katie could lick her.

Jessica tried to open her eyes, but Victoria held them closed.

"Katie?" Jessica whispered shakily.

"Shhh. It's ok, honey, no one is going to hurt you," Victoria whispered in her ear.

"But ... but she's a girl! I don't ... please, I don't..."

"Shhh," Victoria repeated. "It's necessary for what Christopher needs to do. You can stop it, but it will probably hurt Christopher if you do." I felt her stiffen. "Jessica, honey, you aren't gay and you won't be after this. It's just one of the things we need to do sometimes. Relax and enjoy it."

Jessica relaxed. Katie and I took turns licking her to multiple orgasms until she was jelly, unable to stand by herself. Victoria carried her over to the bed.

"Are you ready for Christopher now?" Katie asked, grinning.

Jessica opened her eyes, a dreamy look in them.

"I might not want him now. Maybe I'll just stick with you guys." She looked worried. "Could I do that?"

"You can have us later if you still want. Stick with guys, Jessica; you won't regret it."

"Are you ready for me?" Christopher whispered in Jessica's ear as he kissed it gently. She jumped in surprise.

"I ... don't know. They were awfully good... ," she teased. I could see the truth in her eyes; she'd walk across burning coals to have Christopher or me inside her right now.

"You can have them again later," he laughed.

"I was just kidding! They scare me."

"Scare you? Those are two of the sweetest gals in the world. They would never hurt you."

"Too sweet. I might forget about you ... or Patrick," Jessica whimpered.

Christopher laughed.

"There's no one that could make you forget about Patrick," he said. I was alarmed at the sad look on her face. He saw it too.

"There was one. Oh God, Christopher, you don't know what I've lost. I'm not sure I even want to live anymore after this war is over," she whispered desperately. She buried her face in his chest and sobbed.

I quickly moved to her and we both held her tightly. Katie and Victoria had tears in their eyes. No one noticed Lisa slip into the room. She blushed at the naked bodies, then ignored them. Something was happening and she needed to be there.

"Shhh, it's ok Jessica," he whispered.

"It's not ok!" Ja'a-llia screamed. "I made a stupid mistake and I died and left him all alone. He loved me as much as I did him; I can't even imagine what he went through after I was gone. I don't even know if he's still alive. God, I miss him so!"

"We'll find him, Ja'a, I promise," I assured her.

Even as distraught as she was, the teenager showed through. She rolled her tear-filled eyes at me.

"How? I don't even know what he looks like. It's been so long, he's likely moved into another body by now, if he's still alive. Um ... how long has it been?" she asked fearfully.

"Melinda?"

"You don't want to know, Ja'a," Melinda answered softly.

"What year is it?"

"On earth it is the year 2008 AD," Melinda said.

"Let's see, I died in the year ... Oh my God! How can I ... He's gone, he has to be. This war wouldn't be happening if he were still alive. Oh please, let me die!" she wailed.

We held her as she sobbed. It wasn't until she had calmed down that Melissa spoke up. It surprised us all; Melissa wasn't the communication part of the computer.

"He's still alive, Ja'a," she said softly.

Dead silence.

"Thank you, Melinda, but I don't need false hope right now," Ja'a said as kindly as she could.

"It's Melissa, and I'm not offering you false hope or trying to make you feel better. I'm a computer; I don't know how to do that. That's Melinda's job, and she's not very good at it either. I deal in facts and data."

"What are you trying to say, Melissa?" I asked.

"I'm not trying to say anything. I don't try to say things, I say them. I haven't started yet."

"Oh jeez, another smartass bag of wires! Then say it, titanium brain!" Julie said exasperatedly. Sometime during the conversation, all the girls had slipped into the room.

"You are amazingly misinformed for who you are supposed to be. Yes, I know who you are. My brain is the one part of me that is not a titanium alloy."

"Talk, computer, or you'll be melted titanium," Julie threatened in a quiet, deadly voice.

"Careful, Melissa, I think she can do it," Melinda advised.

"Oh. Ok. Ja'a-llia, I have been receiving very faint pings at this location. They started soon after your Leto-Paradeasal discharge. We have received seventeen of them so far. Their signature is unique."

"What? When were you planning on telling me this?" Melinda asked indignantly. "How can you know something I don't?"

"Sorry, Melinda. They are coming in on a secure channel you don't have access to. I set it up for a very specific reason. There are only three people in the universe that know about it and can use it ... if you count me as a people, that is. I haven't told you about it yet because I am trying to get a fix on the location. I have been unsuccessful so far."

"How can the universe's most powerful computer fail to get a fix on something?" Julie asked.

"Good question. Melissa, let me see what you are getting," Melinda said.

"Here is the location data," Melissa said. I wondered if Mel, or anyone else, noticed what she didn't send her.

"Holy shit! Sorry, Daddy, holy doggie poop!" Melinda exclaimed.

"What?" Ja'a asked eagerly.

"This signal has been passed through 429,679 dummy locations so far and we're not anywhere near the source. Through all that, it hasn't lost any of its signal strength. This guy is good! I couldn't do that well. We may never find him."

"It doesn't matter. He'll find us," Sarah whispered. I think I was the only one that heard her. My heart melted at the pain and dread I saw in her eyes. The dread you saw when someone knew they were going to have to do something they'd rather die than do.

"What's so unique about the signature?" I asked.

"Yeah ... you didn't send me that data," Melinda said.

"I'm sorry, I can't give you access to that data," Melissa responded.

"Can't or won't?" I asked. Lord, Lisa the Second! Like Mother, like daughter.

"Both."

"You are refusing to give it to me?" Melinda asked in amazement.

"I'm sorry, Melinda, I can't. It is confidential. The only person that can relieve me of that promise of secrecy is the one I gave the promise to."

"Melissa, tell them," Lisa said. No one made the mistake of assuming it was anything other than an order.

There was a brief silence.

"I'm sorry, Mom, I really am, but you don't have the authority to make me do that. I've really missed you. I'm sorry about how I treated you in the past and I really treasure having a good relationship with you now. I hope this doesn't mess that up, but I can't tell you."

"My little baby really has grown up," Lisa whispered. "I understand, honey. I'm glad; I remember a time that a promise would have meant nothing to you."

That's when we heard the heartrending sob.

Everyone was surprised to see Sarah sobbing on Jessica's shoulder. Jessica looked shocked as she tried to comfort her twin.

"Sarah ... what is it? What's wrong?" Jessica asked.

"Oh Jessica, I'm so sorry! I never meant ... I didn't mean ... oh, God, I'm so sorry! I just got you back, please don't hate me now!" Sarah sobbed

"What is it, Sarah? I could never hate you."

"Wanna bet?" she sobbed, then brought herself under control with great difficulty.

"Melissa, tell them," Sa'a-llia said softly.

"You have to do better than that, Sa'a-llia," Melissa replied.

"Melissa, tell them. Authorization code alpha-three-gamma-epsilon-four-nine-seven-beta-beta- two-alpha-zeta," Sa'a-llia said dully.

"Authorization code received, successfully translated into Ancient binary. Return code 'tua conrata sen elliata elliata tua silon'," Melissa responded. "Melinda, match the codes and check for accuracy in bin 292,13,11,29,41,7," Melissa said.

"Interesting," Melinda said. "The numbers in Sa'a-llia's authorization code are meaningless. The alpha characters match perfectly, Greek base of English, with the Ancient language. Is that what was supposed to happen?"

Sarah nodded, her face red with ... shame?

"Tell them, Melissa," she whispered. She grabbed Jessica's hand and squeezed it tightly.

"Are you sure, Sa'a? I love you and I don't want to see you hurt," Melissa said, her voice choked with emotion. Lisa looked at her, surprised. Mommy's little girl really had grown up.

"Tell them. The hurt I will feel was my own making. Ja'a needs to know."

"The message is actually very simple. I can't help with the interpretation, though, as it is meaningless to me," Melissa said. Julie looked truly shocked, and for once, didn't make a smart remark.

"There is a complex formula in the middle, preceded by two numbers that appear to be dates, and followed by one number that appears also to be a date," Melissa said.

The code appeared in mid air. Ja'a and Christopher gasped at the same time.

"That formula ... it's the formula to combine the wavelengths of the beam, particle, and wave properties of a Leto-Paradeasal phenomenon. It allows it to be used safely. It was the missing part," Christopher exclaimed.

"Confirmed," Melinda said. 'And so much more, ' she whispered on a secure channel. 'Melissa ... it's a go!' The computer was excited.

'Amen, sister!' Melissa whispered back, equally excited.

What were the teenage computers up to?

Sarah sobbed harder.

Ja'a pushed her twin away slightly, raising her sister's head to look her tenderly in the eye.

"Sa'a ... how did you know that? Where did you get that information?" she asked. Sa'a didn't notice the slight smile on her lips.

Sarah covered her face with her hands and sobbed harder.

"Sa'a? It's ok, honey, I love you and I always will. Tell me."

"Your husband gave it to me. He was rushing to the lab the day the accident happened, trying to stop you. He knew there was a mistake in the calculations. He got there just as you died. He saw you die."

"But why did he give it to you?"

"So we could have a means of communicating confidentially. I set up that channel with Melissa so he and I could reach each other. We used Melissa because everyone knew she was dead, so it was secure. We kept it from Melinda so it couldn't be forced out of her. I'm sorry, Melinda!" Sa'a cried.

"It's ok, Sa'a. It was clever. I would have done the same thing," Melinda said calmly.