15: Epilogue

 

Epilogue

They had landed on the right continent, and the trains were fast and comfortable. Gail had shown Sasah to her cabin, and told her to get some sleep.

“You’ve never had to deal with timezones before, but travelling at this speed, we can actually outrun the sun. Trust me, get an early night.”

Sasah nodded, and sent a quick glance at the door, making sure they were alone. “They’ll be happy, right? To see me? What you said, about how you have to live with yourself forever, so you have to forgive?”

I don’t recall putting it that way. Gail thought to herself, but she didn’t say it. “They invited you, didn’t they? You told them you were back, and they immediately wanted you to come see them?”

“They did.” Sasah nodded, worried. “It can’t just be to point and laugh, and tell me how wrong I was?”

“These people are your beloved family members. Your children, who learned how to live at your knee.” Gail grinned. “Of course they’re going to point, and laugh, and tell you how wrong you were. But then they’ll hug you, and break down weeping because their mother is back from the dead; and can live forever in paradise with them.”

Sasah took that in. “Well, I guess that’s a fair trade.”

~/*\~

The last hour of the journey was quiet. The three of them had come off the train, and Jamel had found them a car. He drove, while the two women sat in the backseat. For the first time, Gail had nothing to offer. “Don’t tell me you’re nervous?”

“A little.” Gail admitted.

“Rahab is really that much of a hero to you, hm?”

“She is… the sort of person I found inspiration in, but I never expected to meet her, face to face.” Gail admitted. “Least of all this way.”

“Well, I’m more nervous than you.” Sasah said, actually a little defensive.

“It’s not a competition.” Jamel called from the driver’s seat.

The two women fell silent, looking out the windows, as they drove away from the town, and out into the countryside. Everything looked green and healthy. More than Sasah had ever seen it before. And for the first time since the Walls of Jericho fell; she prayed. Jehovah God, this is my third chance from you. Probably my last. And that frightens me. Is that the point? I have seen Your power. I’m alive because of Your power. Gail says that raising me back to life is an act of Love. If You hated me, then You could have just left me in my grave. It’s been thousands of years. Nobody would have missed me. Maybe not even Rahab, after some of the things I said. To my way of thinking, this doesn’t make sense.

“I think this is it.” Jamel called from the front of the car.

“This is it.” Sasah breathed.

~/*\~

On some open farmland, not far from a river; in a place cleaner and more lush than the one they lived in before; there was a house. In their journey, Sasah had seen many styles of construction, using materials and techniques that she’d never even imagined. But this stone house was both familiar to her; and impossibly lovely. The sort of home that only the most prosperous people would have in her homeland.

And standing at the front entrance was Rahab. She looked healthier and happier than Sasah had ever seen her.

Okay, this is it. Sasah prepared herself as she got out of the car. You know what they’re going to say. All you have to tell them is-

A fast moving blur came at her from the entrance to the house, moving fast enough that she only caught a glimpse, before something slammed into her, arms flashing around her in an embrace before she could fall over. “Mother! You’re back! You’re back! YOU’RE HERE!”

Sasah was nearly bowled over completely, but the arms around her kept her upright. “Iyara?”

A kiss smacked against her cheek, then another, then another. “You’re back!”

There were more people rushing, nearly tackling them over. Bodhir. Vihaan. Sasah was suddenly buried under a pile of her children; all of them fighting to hug her the tightest.

And Sasah found she was blubbering too. They were so happy to see her again, even after everything. The enthusiasm was its own message. None of them cared how she left; only that she was back now. The pile of people overbalanced and they fell to the grass, everyone laughing as they went down.

“Alright, let her breathe!” Rahab’s voice carried over the din; with a ring of authority that Sasah recognized. It was the maternal tone. Rahab was the leader of this family now, at least when they were all together.

This is her home, isn’t it? She’s hosting the reunion here, in her home. Sasah thought absently as Rahab helped her upright. The others were all grown up, with maturity enough that it was clear they’d had full lives without her. And yet, they were dancing around her with energy of their youth, barely able to constrain themselves.

Rahab pushed her way past everyone, and met her mother at last. The two of them regarded each other, tears in their eyes, before Rahab threw her arms around her, pulling her closely.

“I’m sorry, Rahab.” Sasah said in her ear. “I’m sure you must be ang-”

“Don’t worry about it.” Rahab told her. “I’m so glad you’re here. I’m just… I’m so grateful to see you again.” She didn’t let go for a long time. “I have so much to tell you about. So much to show you.”

“Oh?” Sasah said faintly, all her plans for what to say fading uselessly in her mind.

“For starters, would you like to meet your grandchildren?” Iyara asked brightly.

Sasah felt her heart skip a beat. “I… (ahem) I would like that very much.”

“I can’t tell you the number of times I wished I could talk to you once my own children were born.” Rahab agreed. “Iyara can say the same.”

Her children were sweeping her into the house when Sasah remembered herself. “Ohwait! There’s someone I want you to meet. My ‘welcoming party’ to this world came with me.” As she forcibly turned around enough to face the car, she waved at the two others. “Rahab, this is Jamel and his wife Gail. She’s a great admirer of yours, apparently.”

“Oh?” Rahab was still smiling broadly, but something in her voice suggested she’d met such admirers before. “Wonderful to meet you both.”

“A-And you.” Gail stammered out, trying to hide how ‘starstruck’ she was. “But please, don’t let us interrupt. Reunions are for family.”

“Ordinarily, yes.” Iyara put in. “But we’ve been around long enough to know that if you were the one assigned to meet our mother, it’s because you’re what she needed, now that she’s here. And that makes you family.”

Blushing bright pink, Gail hurried forward and joined them as the party moved indoors; her husband followed at a more sedate pace; shaking hands with Vihaan as he came along.

Iyara was the last one into the house, and she took a moment to watch as her children came forward to embrace the grandmother they’d never met.

Jehovah God, there are blessings to come that none of us know how to ask for. Your generosity gave Mother another chance, just like me. Thank you for that generosity, and thank you for that patience. Even after the Fall, we sometimes take a while to get it right. One day, I hope to see the world the way You do.

You saw all the evil ever done in the history of the world, and still chose to focus on all the wonderful things we could be. One day, I hope to prove you right. Thanks for all the chances You have offered us.

Amen.