The three of them peered through the trees into the large yard surrounding the house and barn that had been dubbed the farm. The two-story white clapboard house was like a silent sentry, watching over the gently rolling hills-cape of the yard. Dark green shutters framed each window like attentive eyes. A wraparound porch circled the structure, its wooden swing gently rocking in the breeze. The barn, painted a traditional red with white trim and a white roof, stood about fifty yards from the house, its double doors partially open. The wind was always blowing them open.

  “I don’t see anyone,” Eric said as he carefully scanned the area. “No movement. No cars except for Dads.”

  A silver BMW was indeed the only vehicle present. Though it wasn’t sitting on the long drive that snaked up through a copse of trees and then down to the main road. It wasn’t even in the large parking area in front of a two-car garage Dad had added to the property a few years ago. Instead, the front wheels of the sleek vehicle were lodged smack in the middle of the flower bed in front of the house and right next to the steps of the front porch.

  “Did Michael forget how to drive? He practically parked on the front porch!” Emmaline exclaimed as she eyed the haphazard parking job.

  Eric stepped boldly into the yard, clearly satisfied that there were no government agents lurking about. Emmaline and Anna followed closely. The three of them didn’t stop until they were standing on the short walkway leading to the porch. Michael had at least missed the sidewalk, though he’d run right over the curvy terracotta stonework Mom used to outline the flower beds around the house. Em could see come of them were cracked and a few were all broken up.

  Crap on a cracker!

  “Mom is going to have a cow! He’s smashed all her petunias.”

  “I’m more concerned about the flat tire,” Eric said as he squatted down before the driver-side tire.

  Sure enough, the front left tire was completely deflated, the rim pressing into the soft soil of the flower bed. Bits of petunia stems and colorful petals were crushed beneath it, creating a sad collage of green and purple against the black rubber.

  “I don’t think that happened when he drove through the flower bed. I bet the tire picked up something on that overgrown drive.” Eric replied.

  “I’m surprised Dad didn’t say anything,” Anna said, kicking at the flat tire.

  “It probably wasn’t this bad when he came out here,” Eric stood up, fished Dad’s key ring out of his pocket, and pushed the key fob. The trunk of the car popped open. Eric rummaged through the trunk, pushing aside the emergency kit and a small cooler.

  “Does he have a spare?” Emmaline asked, peering over his shoulder.

  “Yeah, it’s under the floor panel.” Eric lifted the carpeted panel, revealing a donut spare tire underneath.

  “Why do you suppose he parked like that?” Emmaline asked as she watched her brother unbolt the spare from the car and then pull it out.

  “He was probably in a hurry and wanted to get Dad to a secure place before the ship showed up,” Eric said as he took his jacket off and sent it aside, then reached in for the spare.

  “Dad said that the car doors were wide open when he got here and the front door of the house was open. And the keys were still in the ignition,” Anna looked toward the house as she spoke.

  “Then how did he get in the house?” Emmaline asked as she stepped out of the way while Eric rolled the spare around to the front of the car.

  “There’s a spare key under the planter,” Eric said as he let the wheel fall next to the car and onto the front sidewalk.

  “He could have just used the car keys,” Emmaline replied in a huff. What the heck had her brother been thinking?

  “It’s easy to forget things when you’re panicking,” Eric said, returning to the trunk to grab the jack and tire iron. “And Michael was clearly in a rush.”

  Emmaline studied the house again. It was eerily quiet. The porch swing moved slightly in the breeze, creating a gentle creaking sound that sent a shiver down her spine. She remembered the last time she had sat there with Michael, watching the sunset on their last day at the farm only a week before school had started. He’d been telling her all about the drone project he’d been given to work on. It was his first solo project since he’d started working at New Horizons as a full-time employee. He’d been so excited.

  “Can someone get that edging stone out of the way? It’s right where I need to place the jack,” Eric said as he started loosening the lug nuts.

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  Emmaline looked down at the crumbled pieces of terracotta Eric was referring to. She gave a quick glance at Anna to see that she was standing there staring at the front door like maybe she was hoping Michael would step out any moment, giving no indication she had heard Eric. So Emmaline shrugged and stepped forward. She squatted down and started to pull the pieces out from under the car. Once she was done, Em backed away so Eric could fit the jack under the car.

  The next few minutes were quiet as Eric lifted the car up and went to work switching out the tires. Emmaline stood by to hold the lug nuts as she watched her brother work, while she tried her hardest not to think about her other brother and his last minutes on this planet that had happened here on the farm.

  After the spare was on and the lug nuts nice and tight, Eric stood up and wiped his brow. “You okay, Anna?”

  She hadn’t move from her spot as she stood there on the walkway staring at the house. It was then Emmaline saw the tears glistening on her cheeks. Em wanted to hug her, but something to told her not to, so she stood there and exchanged a helpless look with Eric. Neither of them not knowing what to do or say.

  Eric bent down to lower the car back down when Anna finally spoke up.

  “I’m pregnant.”

  The jack slipped from Eric’s hand, causing the car to drop with a jarring thud. The sudden noise punctuated the silence that followed Anna’s announcement.

  “You’re what?” Emmaline blurted out , her voice a mix of shock and disbelief.

  Eric stood frozen with a lost look on his face, which would have been funny if the situation weren’t such a shock.

  “I only found out on Monday,” Anna continued, her voice rough with emotion as she spoke. “I was feeling sick, and I thought it was from the copious amounts of wine Michael and I had over the weekend. Then I realized I was late, so while I was on shift at the hospital, I took a pregnancy test. It was positive. I took another one the next morning just to be sure I didn’t get a false positive. That one was positive too. And no, I didn’t tell Michael; I didn’t want to tell him over the phone. I was going to wait until we got another weekend together again.”

  Crap on a cracker!

  Emmaline blinked at Anna. Em’s mind raced through a thousand thoughts at once. Anna was carrying Michael’s baby! Her brother—who was now light years away and might never come back––was going to be a father. And he didn’t even know about it. Emmaline’s heart felt like it had dropped through her stomach. Suddenly, missing her brother felt small compared to what Anna must be feeling.

  “How far along?” Eric asked gently as he finally recovered from his shock. He carefully set the tire iron down and took a step toward Anna.

  “About five weeks, I think.” She wiped the tears from her cheeks. “I just wish I had told him. Maybe he wouldn’t have left.”

  Eric’s expression softened, and he moved to Anna’s side. “Or maybe it would have made him even more determined to leave to protect you and the baby. This Emperor went through a lot of trouble to get Michael back, who’s saying what he would have done if knew Michael had a child.”

  Anna’s eyes swelled with a fresh set of tears. “I hate this. I hate all of it. I just want him back. I want him here so we can get back to our lives and I don’t have to do this alone.”

  “You’re not alone, Anna,” Eric said. “You have us. You don’t have to do this on your own.”

  “That’s right,” Emmaline said, stepping up to Anna’s other side. “We’ll be there. Whatever you need. Just say the word. I will be the best aunt ever!”

  Anna managed a weak smile through her tears, the first Emmaline had seen since they’d arrived at the farm. “Thanks, Em. That means a lot.”

  Eric placed a gentle hand on Anna’s shoulder. “Do you want to go inside? We can take a moment before heading back.”

  “Dad said he found Michael’s phone on the couch in the living room. I just… I just want to go see… well, I don’t know… I just…” Anna trailed off, as if embarrassed she said anything at all.

  “It’s alright. Go on in. Em and I will wait out here. Take all the time you need.” Eric handed Anna the keys, pulling out the one for the front door.

  “Thanks,” she said as she took them and walked up the stairs.

  Emmaline watched her go. After she disappeared inside, she turned to her brother. “Mom is going to freak when she finds out, but I’m not sure if it will be a good freak or a bad freak.”

  Eric nodded, his eyes still fixed on the door where Anna had disappeared. “I think Mom will be supportive once she processes it. She’s always liked Anna.”

  “But a baby?” Emmaline whispered, the reality of it still washing over her. “That changes everything. Like holy freaking cow!”

  “I know,” Eric sighed, leaning against the car. “It’s a lot to take in. After already receiving a mountain load to process with this Ethian stuff.”

  Emmaline kicked a small rock on the driveway, watching it skitter across the gravel. “Yeah, tell me about it. I still can’t believe Mom and Dad kept all that from us for so long. I’m not sure I’m going to be able to forgive them anytime soon.”

  “Yep,” was all Eric said.

  Yet another uncomfortable silence filled the air, and Emmaline couldn’t stand it, so she asked a question that had been on her mind all day. “Did Mom give you that phrase to help you get your memories back?”

  “Yeah, she gave it to me last night, but I was too tired to try it out.”

  “You’ll let me know when you do and what you remember?” Emmaline was curious about the memories Dad had hidden away, and Eric’s impressions on Michael before he had become Michael.

  “Of course.”

  The front door opened, and Anna came out. She locked the door and came down the stairs. She looked just as lost as when she went inside. Anna handed Eric the keys.

  “Thanks. Just for the record, I didn’t see anything out of place or anything, except the coffee table was pushed to the far wall. I suppose the emergency staff did that when they came to get your dad.”

  Eric nodded as he put the jack and tire iron back in the trunk, retrieved his jacket and closed the lid. “Well, I guess we are done here.”

  “What about the flat?” Emmaline said.

  It was still lying on the sidewalk where Eric had deposited it. “I’ll come back out later and take care of that and redo the stone edging on Mom’s flower garden. For now, let’s just get out of here.” He was eyeing Anna when he said this.

  He looked concerned, but didn’t say anything else as he opened the driver’s door and slipped in behind the wheel. Within minutes, Eric had slowly backed out of the flower bed, made his way down the winding driveway, and headed back toward the city.

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