Hosein Kouros-Mehr - Extinction 6

The car exits at Tiburon Ave and flies downward along holographic white lines demarcating the traffic lines. He makes his way to a high-rise apartment complex in San Rafael and lands on a rooftop helipad.

“Great driving, Isaac. We’re right on time.” He looks at himself in a mirror. “I wish I wasn’t so nervous.”

“Austin, you will be fine. Just be confident and look into her eyes.”

He exits the vehicle wearing blue slacks and a blazer, his face clean-shaven and his silver hair combed meticulously to the side. Taking an elevator to the twenty-first floor, he walks along a hallway to Apartment 2143 and gently knocks.

Just be yourself.

A lock unlatches and the door softly opens. Olivia stands in the doorway wearing a yellow summer dress and a wide-brim hat. Her shoulder-length gray hair highlights her diamond earrings, which Austin had given to her decades ago.

He looks her into her eyes. “Olivia…”

She reaches out to him and they embrace. He cries as he cradles her and smells her familiar fragrance. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“Me too…” She dabs her eyes with a tissue. “Thank you for your voicemail. It meant a lot to hear how you feel. I wish you had called sooner.”

“You did?”

She sheds a tear. “To be honest, I did blame you for what happened to Matthew, but the truth is that it wasn’t our fault. The Floods took away our son.”

He cries. “It was the worst day of my life, and I’m sorry for the way I treated you. I promise I’ll never act like that again.”

“I know you won’t, Austin.”

He holds her hand. “Are you ready?”

“Yes. Where are we going?”

He guides her down the hall to the elevator. “You’ll see. It’s a surprise.” They ride up to the rooftop and walk to his car. He opens the door for her.

Olivia smiles. “I haven’t ridden one of these in years.”

Austin climbs into the driver’s seat. “Me neither! It was sitting in a lot gathering dust. I couldn’t afford to charge my car. But now that electricity prices are falling, everyone is back on the road.”

“The world has changed so much this last week.”

“You have no idea. I have a lot to tell you.”

They lift off and fly north, merging onto the Skybound 101N Freeway towards Napa Valley. Olivia beholds the bustling city. “It feels like people are happy again.”

“There’s hope in the world, Olivia. Just listen to the news! Isaac, what’s happening today?”

“From the Telegraph, here are the top stories. The government is lifting decades-old rations on motor vehicle use and public transportation. Consumer goods like clothing, appliances, and aluminum products will be back on public markets later in the week.”

Olivia clasps her hands. “You mean I can finally buy a microwave?”

Austin chuckles. “I haven’t had a refrigerator in five years.”

“The future is so exciting!”

“In other news, Dr. Bethany Andrews has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for her work advancing nuclear fusion power. The President of the United States called Dr. Andrews the ‘genius of our times’ and credited her for spearheading peace negotiations and reviving the economy. She will receive the award in Stockholm later this year.”

Austin beams. “That’s my boss they’re talking about.”

“I remember her,” Olivia says. “She came to our wedding, didn’t she?”

“Yes.”

“How is she doing?”

“Let’s find out. Isaac, call Beth.”

A dial tone rings and the call goes to voicemail. A message arrives. “Can’t talk now but need to discuss something urgent with you. Will call soon.”

The car flies over Sonoma and merges onto Route 12, traveling towards Napa Valley. Vineyards stretch across hilltops spared by the rising ocean. They exit the sky highway and descend to sea level.

Olivia points. “Look, there are cows grazing!”

“Incredible.” Austin gasps at green pastures filled with thousands of rows of grape vines. “I haven’t been here in decades.”

“Thank you, Austin. I feel alive again.”

“Close your eyes, Olivia. I want to surprise you.”

Dust kicks up as they land on a two-lane concrete highway, driving east past the city of Sonoma. A sign greets them. “Welcome to this world famous wine-growing region. Napa Valley.”

“Are your eyes closed?” Austin asks.

“Yes.”

They turn left on Dealy Lane and drive past a series of small, family-owned wineries, crossing a bridge over the Sonoma River and arriving at a metal gate. A logo appears. “Welcome to Artesa Winery.”

Austin turns his head. “Are you peeking?”

“No.”

“Good. We’re almost there.”

They head along a windy road up a hill, passing a cluster of sheep grazing in the grass and reaching a parking lot high above the Sonoma Valley.

“Can I look now?”

“Nope.”

He escorts her from the car and takes her to a marble fountain with modern art sculptures, then kneels beside a rose garden. “Surprise!”

She takes in the breathtaking view of the countryside. Dotted with chateaus and wineries, the hills and rolling pastures stretch for miles. She grabs his arm. “You brought me here on our first date!”

“Yes, that was forty years ago.”

“That long? It seems like yesterday.”

He touches her. “What memories we made…”

“I wish I could go back in time.”

A bus arrives and offloads tourists on a wine tour. Austin takes her hand. “Let’s get inside before they do.” He guides her to the winery, a contemporary structure built into the hillside. Fountains line the walkway into the entrance where a hostess greets them. “Hello, welcome to Artesa.”

Austin gestures. “I’ve reserved a private wine tasting under ‘Sanders.’”

“Right this way.”

She leads them through the foyer past a series of Renaissance art paintings. They enter a wine cellar packed with oak barrels; a deep wood aroma fills the room. She looks back at them. “Our winery was designed after the Villa San Michele in Capri.”

“Italy?” Austin asks as he takes a deep whiff of the oak.

“That’s right. Our founder was an Italian artist. We are famous for our Cabernet Sauvignon.”

“I can smell that.”

She guides them outside along a stone path lined with flowers and marble columns. The valley comes into view and a cool breeze drifts by.

Olivia closes her eyes. “Is this what Italy’s like?”

“Some parts of it,” Austin says. “Tuscany is stunning.”

“Let’s travel there some day.”

The hostess seats them at a private outdoor table overlooking Napa County. “Your server will be with you shortly.”

Austin spots a landmark on the horizon. “Look, there’s San Francisco in the distance.”

Olivia squints. “Where?”

“You see that tower? That’s Twin Peaks.”

“We had a date there once, didn’t we?”

“Yes, you remember…”

“How could I forget? It was the happiest time of my life.”

As a waiter delivers a bottle of wine, Austin receives a call in his smartglasses. “It’s one of my programmers.” He accepts the call in speaker mode. “Hello Anil, how are you?”

Anil, Prisha, and a newborn baby appear on the screen. “Hi Dr. Sanders, say hello to little Lumi!”

Austin leans forward. “She’s so beautiful. Congratulations!” He hands his glasses to Olivia. “That’s my goddaughter, Lumi!”

Olivia peers through the specs. “What a precious angel.”

Anil, bandages over his wrists, cradles his baby. “She’s my ray of light.”

Olivia hands the smartglasses back to Austin, who smiles when he sees the baby. “She’s so cute. How’s your hospital stay?”