BXBX NOVEL Chapter 217 - Closure
Graven went inside the hut and disappeared from the place.
He appeared at Terros place a few seconds later.
Terros was sitting on the balcony of his bamboo house, enjoying the gentle breeze of the wind as darkness surrounded the place.
Graven climbed the stairs and joined Terros. "Beautiful night," he commented.
"Yeah," Terros replied and looked heavenward. The full moon is bright and the stars are all out tonight. "How's everyone there?" he asked.
"They're all fine, thanks to your help," Graven answered. "Where is Veronica?" he inquired.
Terros sighed. "She's not here yet... I wonder where that woman has gone to?" he spoke worriedly.
Graven looked at the dark horizon above. "Let's hope she's okay," he said.
"I hope so," Terros murmured. He already made up his mind to look for his missing housemate in the next days to come. "Son, can I bother you to come here? To water the plants, and feed the chickens every day while I'm away?" he requested.
"Sure, Grandpa! Don't worry about them. I'll come here daily to water the plants and feed the chickens," Graven assured him.
"Thank you, son!" Terros said.
"When are you going to start your journey in finding Veronica?" Graven asked.
"Three days later. After I make sure that the survivors have enough herbal medicine that could last them a week of treatment. I will start mixing and stocking herbal medicine good for one week, starting tomorrow," Terros replied.
"Thank you in advance for the medicine and your thoughtfulness, old man," Graven said.
"Don't mention it," Terros said.
Graven rose to his feet. "I gotta go, see you tomorrow. Sleep well!"
"You too! See yeah..." Terros replied and watched Graven disappeared from his sight.
He stood up and left the balcony going back to the house to retire for the night.
Meanwhile...
Graven landed inside the master's bedroom in his manor.
Laura was already lying on the bed getting ready to sleep for the night. "Husband, thank God, you're already back!" she said.
"I'll sleep here tonight," he said and went to the closet to get some clothes. He stripped his clothes and change into his pajama. Then he lies on the bed beside his wife. He planted a kiss on her forehead. "How's your family?" he asked because when he left earlier, the family were crying distraughtly in the bed together.
Laura released a deep sigh. "They're fine. After our tears subsided, we decided to move on and start all over again," she answered.
"That's good. After every tragedy, we can only move on because we can't go back in time. What happened in the past is already part of yesterday. Let's sleep soundly tonight 'coz tomorrow we will wake up to a new day. Let's continue to be the strength of each other, and survived the dark times together as one family, that's what we should do," he uttered the words filled with wisdom.
Laura smiled misty-eyed, then buried her head in her husband's chest trying to borrow his strength. This is one of the days when her whole family experienced their darkest moments and they were grateful that they have someone like Graven to depend on and ironed things out for them.
"Thank you so much for everything that you did to my family, we appreciated it very much," she said sincerely.
"Don't mention it, we're family," he replied.
A few minutes of silence passed between them.
Graven cleared his throat. "I'm going to suggest something to your father," he said. He already brainstorms about it earlier while he was still in his headquarter.
"May I know what is it?" she asked.
"Since the farm was already gone, and the workers can no longer go back to the farm, I would like to absorb them and give them a job in the coal mines that I'm currently managing. There's enough work there for everyone. But I will only offer the job to those who are interested to work there. As for those who want to leave and explore the world outside, let's set them free to find their destiny. What do you think of my suggestion?" he said.
Laura's eyes sparkled with happiness. "Wow! Thank you so much for thinking in advance about the welfare of our workers on the farm, I appreciated it. My father is at a loss on what to do with them, he was worried about them. Thank God, you have a ready solution to his problem! You're simply the best husband that I could ever have!" she raved in gladness.
Graven pinched her nose playfully.
"Okay, I'll talk to your father tomorrow and present my solution to him, hopefully, this will make him worry less," he stated.
Laura showered him with her sweetest smile filled with gratitude. "I love you much, husband!" she uttered the words lovingly.
"I love you more!" he replied and kissed her lips. "Alright, let's go to sleep!" He wrapped his arms around his wife.
By 9:00 in the evening, the couple had already succumbed to a deep slumber.
~~~0~~~
The following day.
After breakfast, the family gathered in the living room to discuss further the fate of the displaced workers on the farm.
Laura looked at her parents. "Father, my husband had a suggestion for you!" she said excitedly.
Simon looked at his son-in-law. "What is it, son?" he asked.
"Father, my wife and I had discussed this solution last night. I'm going to absorb all the forty-five surviving workers and offer them work in the coal mine that my family owned," Graven said.
Simon's problematic face brightened up. "Thank you so much for your kind offer, son. I'll gladly accept it. I'm happy that my servants can continue earning a living and start a brand new life in your family's business, from now on they're already your workers," he said.
"Alright, that's already settled. Do you like to go with me to my headquarter and visit the injured?" Graven offered him.
"Can I? Please? I would love to! I would also like to offer flowers to the tomb of the five people that already passed away. This will give me closure," Simon said earnestly.
"Husband, please take me with you! I want to see them and talk to them. And I also want to say goodbye to the dead ones. Please?" Rosa pleaded.
Laura looked at her husband. "Hubby, is it safe for my parents to go with you?" she asked worriedly.
"Yeah, why not? They won't stay there for long. I will return them here right away after they bid goodbye to the people there," Graven replied.
"Okay, I'll entrust my parent's safety in your hands. Please take care of them," Laura told her husband.
"Yes, I will," Graven assured her. He looked at his in-laws. "We'll depart in thirty minutes," he told them.
The couple nodded their heads.
Rosa looked at Sofia. "Come with me to the garden, let's pick some flowers for the deceased workers," she said.
"Mother, can I go with you?" Sofia asked.
"No need. Just stay here with your sister," Rosa said.
"Okay," Sofia said and pouted.
The woman exited the door and went to the garden in the backyard while Simon went back upstairs to his room.
Laura and Graven remained seated on the couch.
"Wife, do you want to go to the garden for your morning exercise? I'll accompany you there," he offered.
"Okay, let's go!" Laura said.
The couple exited the door and walked on the path going to the back of the garden. They found Rosa and Sofia picking up white daisy in the garden, they were helped by the female servant.
Laura sat on the swing, Graven push the swing gently.
"How's Grandpa Terros?" Laura asked.
"He went home last night to his place to sleep. He's probably back in the headquarter right now to check on the wounded then back to his place again to prepare the herbal medicine," he answered.
"Grandpa Terros is very capable. I never meet someone of his caliber," she murmured.
"Indeed," Graven spoke. "I'm very lucky to meet him in this lifetime," he said.
"Where did you meet, Grandpa?" she asked curiously.
"We meet in a public market, he was selling herbs, spices, and herbal plants. He told me that he was a physician practitioner. We got pretty close quickly and ultimately he becomes our official physician," Graven replied.
"Ah, okay. Did Grandpa had families? Wife or children?" she continues asking.
"He has no family. But he had a housemate, a lady friend who is living with him. Her name is Veronica, her eyes were stolen by a bird and she becomes blind. Then a deity found and save her. They become friends. Out of pity, the deity created a third eye on her forehead so that she can see again. She always wore a veil over her face to hide her eyes. That's Veronica's story," Graven concluded his narration.
"I felt deeply sorry for Veronica," Laura said.
"Yeah, she has a pitiable story indeed. The problem is Veronica was missing again and Terros was getting worried about his friend. After three days, he will embark on a journey to find his lady friend. He was worried that she met another mishap on the road..." Graven stopped talking fearing that he might reveal to Laura the reason why Veronica was missing due to the Oakenblossom Tree and the black liquid inside his body.
"Where did Veronica go?" Laura asked curiously.
"I dunno," he said. "Ah... wife why don't we stroll around the garden for your morning exercise?" he offered, changing the topic quickly.
"Ok." Laura left the swing and together with her husband, they strolled around the garden.
Minutes went by.
Half an hour later.
They all went back to the house.
Time to leave!
Graven and Laura's parents vanished from the manor and teleported to the headquarter.
When they arrived there, Graven brought the couple to the tent and a tearful reunion ensued.
The couple informed the workers that the farm was burned down by the vampires, and his son-in-law will absorb them to continue working in the coal mine, and they will be receiving the same benefits.
The survivors' misery and depression lessen after they discovered that their kind employer survived the attack and they'll have a new job soon after their recovery.
Done visiting the tents, Graven brought the couple into the forest where the workers' dead bodies were buried. The couple offered flowers, candles, and prayers for the departed soul.
After the couple finished their visits, Graven safely brought his in-laws back to his manor.