Author's Note: I am very sorry for the late update. It has been a month, I know. I wanted to update this story sooner but I was busy with other things and I wanted to add another chapter before this but I could not think of a perfect chapter to preside this one so I hope you like this chapter. This is the final chapter for this story although I hope to make a sequel to this.
Chapter 28: A Miracle
It was twelfth day of spring. It was a warm day. Everyone in town would have been happy to see the sun that day after several days of constant rain. A figure stood on the seashore that day, the figure of a young woman with blonde hair. Amy watched the waves lap against the sand. Gem, now almost a four year old toddler, was sitting on the rock where she and Gray sat almost eight years ago when she had first seen Gray without his cap.
Gem was playing with several colorful seashells which she had found. Amy felt her eyes warm as tears began to swell. It had been a season since the accident. She felt guilty knowing that she was the one who made Gray interested in mining. "If it had not been for me..." Tears slowly ran down her cheeks. She remembered the last time she had been with him…
It was a beautiful winter day, it was Winter the 12th. Gray had decided to go mining that day. "Sweetheart, I will not take long. Afterwards, we can spend time together as a family, I promise." He had said.
"I suppose there is no harm…" Amy said as they watched their twin children play. Adam and Gem always wanted to go to the winter mine.
"Mama, can we go?" Adam asked as he looked at her with his father's enthusiastic blue eyes. His yellow-orange hair was slightly messy.
"Yes, Mama, can we, can we?" Gem imitated her older twin brother.
"Oh, alright but you two should stay with me. Okay?" Amy said as she combed Adam's hair.
"Okay." The twins said as they nodded, they were only three years old.
They left their home beside the blacksmith's shop with Gray carrying his hoe and his mining basket. They all walked towards Mother's Hill then went to the lake which was already frozen. They crossed the lake carefully knowing that it was, at times, unsafe. They entered the mine, the children had marveled at the sight of it. Amy and the children stayed near the ladder leading to the first two floors as Gray mined. Suddenly, the earth began to shake.
The two children, frightened, ran to their mother's side, leaving the gems they held behind. 'An earthquake.' Amy thought. "We have to get out of here." Gray said as he stood beside Amy. "There, there little ones. Calm down." Amy soothingly said as she told the children to climb up one at a time. Gem was the first to climb up and she was followed closely by Adam. "Sweetheart, you have to go first." Gray said calmly. Amy nodded and climbed up after Adam. Amy, Gem, Adam and Gray walked quickly towards the next ladder as the earth shook aggressively and climbed up until they reached the top floor.
Adam ran towards the entrance but he tripped on a small rock. Amy stopped and was about to turn around when…"Sweetheart, go and get Gem out of here. I will get Adam." Gray said as he half-ran behind her. Amy nodded as she ran towards the exit, holding Gem's hand firmly as Gray turned around and ran towards his son, avoiding the falling rubble as best as he could. Amy and Gem had gotten out safely. "Adam…Gray Sweetheart…" Amy was about to run inside again but she was too late. The roof collapsed, covering the entrance of the cave or what was left of it. She gasped as she covered her mouth with her hands. Tears began to swell from her eyes. She had run to town with Gem, asking the men to help and to hurry.
All of the townspeople had gone to the winter mine. The women had stayed by the shore as the men, excluding Jeff and Mayor Thomas, excavated the rubble. Gem was with Elli as Amy wept uncontrollably. The men found Adam first, he was lifelessly pale. Matt carefully carried him to Amy, who could not believe he was dead as she held him in her arms. "Adam…" She gently brushed a loose strand of his hair from his face.
Adam…" Gem looked at her older twin brother. Adam neither spoke nor moved.
Amy was devastated by her loss. Karen and the other young women tried to console her but there was nothing they could say or do to make her feel better. She remembered vividly that it had been just moments ago that she had combed Adam's yellow orange hair and he had been smiling. Gem cried as she held her brother's hand in her two little hands.
The men dug deeper. They were surprised to find that a pile of rubble was moving. A hand appeared from it. Gray cautiously dug himself out, thankful to be alive. His forehead was wounded, there were bruises on some parts of his body but there were not any broken bones as he could tell. But when Amy and Gem looked at him, he knew what had happened. He had not saved Adam. He felt devastated and wished he would have died in his son's place. He stayed beside Amy as she held Adam close, the way she had done when he was just newly born. Gem was still crying. No one could blame her…
"Mama…" Amy was surprised to hear Adam's voice and thought that she was hearing things as she looked at Adam. "Mama…" He said softly, his blue eyes half-open as his lips curled into a smile, showing dimples. Amy's sobs turned into convulsive happy tears. "Adam…Oh, Adam!"
"Mama…Papa…"
"Adam." Gray beamed as he looked at his son.
"Adam!" Gem lunged for her brother.
"Gem…Mama, why are you crying?"
Amy could as she held him lovingly. "I am just so happy, Sweetie." She kissed him on the cheek.
The townspeople were relieved as they watched the touching sight. Saibara was the most relieved among them. He had almost believed that his grandson and his great-grandson were dead. He thanked the Goddess that they were still alive.
Amy could not help weeping with tears of joy as she remembered everything: Adam's birth, his first words, the first time he walked by himself…everything. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked behind her. Gray looked at her calmly but his eyes told her that he too remembered. He held her in his arms as she wept, unable to control herself.
It was truly a miracle that both he and their son were alive and well, both of them had recovered fully although Adam had a scar on his left shoulder. Amy had not known what she would have done if they had...not survived. "Mama?" "Mama, Papa!" The two looked behind them; Gem was running towards them, Adam was running closely behind her. They were both smiling.
