Samie Sands - Through Space and Time

“She’s special, isn’t she?” he whispered back through thick emotion. “I can see it already. There is something shining from her. She really is going to be the True Ruler. The one to make everything better. Without the memories of the old world, she will know what to do.”

Raegan stared at her daughter, starting to see what Miguel was talking about. There was something glowing from her daughter, a way to do things better, in a kinder, more empathetic way. She was already proud and all of that was years away.

“I don’t know how she’s going to change a thing,” she said through tears. “But Tallulah is going to make the universe incredible, isn’t she? Even having her here in my arms like this makes me feel more confident in my own abilities to get things done. Mostly because I know I only need to get the basics in place. She will do the rest.”

Miguel stood beside Raegan and they leaned against one another, supporting each other through the beginning of this brand new journey together. Who knew that the end of the world was going to eventually lead to the beginning of a brand new, much better one? Who knew that their seemingly random meeting off in some other universe would bring them to this place? Who knew that they would be the start of a brand new, wonderful world?

Perhaps the ancient texts were right after all, and everything that was written within them was going to happen. Although Raegan never wanted to know further than what she had already seen, a decision that Miguel had eventually agreed with as well.

Knowing could change everything, and not always for the better.

“Everyone is coming,” Raegan suddenly declared, able to sense the onslaught of visitors that they were about to face. “My father, the angel, all sorts of people.”

“Are you ready for it?” Miguel shot back instantly. “I can get rid of them if you want…”

He always put Raegan’s needs first, proving his love for her with his actions every single day. He knew that no one would like it if he turned them away, but he’d take it for Raegan. Anything to make her happy. She was sure that he’d be exactly the same with their daughter too.

“No, it’s okay.” Raegan smiled at Miguel while taking his hand in hers. “Everyone wants to get to know our family, don’t they? So, let’s show them how amazing we are…”

My eighty-fifth birthday… I never thought I’d see the day.

When the world ended while I was eight, that should’ve been the end. Instead, the ultimate war which led to the destruction of Earth instead became the unexpected catalyst for peace. And not just on our planet, but the entire universe. The time has come where we are all one.

Of course, it hasn’t been smooth sailing. A rollercoaster would be a better way to describe it. ups and downs galore. Not every species has been happy for humans to rule, even it is ‘written’. Understandably so, but with Tallulah taking the lead as soon as she was old enough to do so with her ultimate wisdom, she has made a wonderful job of things.

I didn’t know how it would work when she invited other species to come and live with us on our planet, after looking at the history books and seeing the trouble caused with immigration between lands, never mind worlds, I didn’t think it was possible.

But I found myself well and truly proved wrong.

Now, the co-existence couldn’t be better. It’s working just as well as my eldest daughter told me it would, and as she has everyone to help out, put in the best places for them, keeping them all happy and productive, it really couldn’t be more incredible.

There’s a reason she was written as the True Ruler, and now everyone can understand it, including me. I scratched the surface, sorted out the basics, she made life better for us all.

“Great-grandma!” Little Nas calls out to me while bolting across the room with her face furrowed in sheer determination. “We have cake!”

“Cake, for me?” I take him in my arms, allowing the warmth of his body to heat me up. “That’s amazing. You know how much I love cake.”

Jude and Dawn follow with their children in tow as well, and Miguel isn’t far behind. He has a baby in each arm, our twin great-grandchildren, which completes our little family for now. I’m sure it will grow again in time. I do wish my father could still be around to see all of this, but since we effectively lived most of our lives on borrowed time, I can’t be sad now that he’s gone. I just have to remain pleased that he lived for as long as he did, that we got to share so much.

“You look beautiful.” Miguel leans down to kiss me. “As gorgeous as you did when I first met you. Maybe even better…”

I roll my eyes and chuckle, knowing that he’s lying. I can feel the effects of aging on my body, never mind see it when I spot my reflection in the mirror, but my husband remains as sweet as he has always been. The true ying to my yang, the love of my life. He has made every day wonderful, and he’s also the reason I don’t mind this all ending when it’s my time. After all, we’ve done our bit. If there’s an afterlife, then that’s where we’ll meet again to enjoy eternity in one another’s arms.

“Well then, Mom,” Tallulah declares as she brings out the much-anticipated cake to hand to me. “It’s time for us all to sing Happy Birthday to the most incredible woman in the universe. We all love you very much and want to take the chance to thank you for everything.”

As I glance out of the window of my home and down to the new world below, blinking away the very happy tears my family have created, I’m grateful. Happy for all of it, even the bad times. Now I can look back and easily appreciate everything that happened, knowing what they’ve led to. Knowing that I really do have it all.

Everything is perfect now, everything is complete.