Chapter Ten-Two Famlies Unite

A year later, the Robas were seven in number. The baby of the family was born shortly after they moved into their first trailer in Domino City. Espa had been reluctant to welcome the baby,informally named Little Espa,into the family. His mother and father weren't exactly financially stable. He worried that the state or county would take all five of them away from their parents. However,every time he tried to express this to his mom, she'd wave him off. "Children," she'd say,"money is not for you to worry about. Your father and I will manage." If only his mother had known what he had. Espa had tried to tell them both of his visions. Espa saw everyhing from his earlier visions unfolding. Maybe not exactly how he'd seen it,but pretty close.

The first sign that their worse nightmares were about to become reality was the time,right after they moved into their first house, when his father came home from work in real pain. He waved it off, as he always did,but this time, it was fatal. Just a few days shy of Espa's thirteenth birthday,Julius Roba died of a heart attack. It was a sad time for the Robas, but even sadder for Marcia, who was now expected to raise all five boys alone. Espa eventually started missing school,so that his mother could go to work, and he could take care of Little Espa and Andrew. Jonathan and Christien, who were still young,tried to help him, but Espa wouldn't have it. Yet,he knew their help would be needed soon enough........

Espa knocked on the Ishtars' door, his heart pounding. He was worried about his brother, and his brother's girlfriend. He wondered how Christien got the money for the train to begin with! When Rishid answered the door with similar look of worry, he smiled sympathetically. "I'm worried too, but now I have the solution for you. I know where they're going."

"Do you? Please, Espa. Come in." Rishid held the door open for the Robas, and they walked in. "Can I offer you a drink?"

"No, no thank you." Espa shook his head, setting Ej down on the floor. " My brother and Victoria are headed to Sykesville. "

"Sykesville?!" Marik's eyes widened. "What in the name of heaven are they hoping to find there?!"

"Answers, I suppose....." Espa replied quietly. "My parents originated in Sykesville." He hung his head, with a sigh. "I should've just told Christien the truth.."

"I'm sure your intentions were good, Espa." Marik soothed. "But we cannot just let them go alone. We must go after them, in case something bad happens."

"I don't think anything will...." Jonathan spoke up quietly. He'd come to know the Ishtars well because of Christien's ties to Victoria, but he still never talked to them much. "But I wouldn't mind seeing the old carnival again, and Andrew and Ej have never seen it."

"I'd have perferred they never did, but oh well....." Espa sighed again, as Andrew picked up a magazine. "Don't tear that,Andy...."

"I won't." Andrew replied softly, as he flipped through it. "ooh...Brover, wook. Pyrmids!" It was a magazine of Egyptology that Ishizu had gotten Victoria into.

"I see....." He smiled. "He adores Victoria to the point that he likes almost everything she likes." He said this to her siblings, who smiled.

"From what we understand, Victoria loves your brothers just as much. " Ishizu said. "We should probably leave soon, to try and get the afternoon train."

"You're right." Espa replied. "I hate to ask this, but do you have a banana,or anything for my younger brothers to snack on on the way?"

"Of course. Would you like them chopped?" Ishizu asked, glad to be able to help someone who was helping them.

"Into small peices. Ej and Andy have to go in their car seats." Espa told her. He had borrowed Joey's old van. Actually, Joey was going to be giving it to him for free at the end of the month, for his birthday.

Ishizu nodded. "Of course. It will just take me a moment to prepare their snacks, then we can go."

Espa nodded his thanks. "Jon, help me get them settled in their seats okay?" He picked Ej up. "Come on, E....we're going to go find your crazy brother." He and his brothers walked back out again, leaving Marik and Rishid to stare after them.

"I hope those two are okay...." Marik said softly. He disliked that Victoria had runaway with Christien. They were too young to be left alone together for a long time. There was no telling what sort of trouble they could get into.

"I'm sure they're both fine,My brother." Rishid soothed. "And soon,we'll know for sure." He headed for the door, as Ishizu returned to the living room with two ziplock bags of fruit for the little Robas. "They're waiting for us outside." He told her, as he opened the door.

"Alright. Marik, if you would just make sure Victoria's cat has enough food..." Her brother nodded, and went to replenish the animal's food, before the three went out to the van. The three Ishtars situated themselves around the two carseats, before Espa pulled out, heading for the train station.