Chapter 15

Dear George:

I hope that you are well, now that you have settled with Georgina in Egg City, and that things are going better with Howard, Roxanne,, Frances, and Derek.

Here we are doing well. I still miss Barnabas... I think that we all do. At least I can write his name without weeping. It still hurts, but it is a good hurt.

We are all healing. Life is going back to normal. Actually more normal that usual for Collinsport.. Except for the fact that we are a vampire-friendly town, there is little to tell us apart from other Maine towns.

Megan and Angelique left town. Megan always wanted to live in a big city, and now she has her wish. She has become more involved with ronin politics, but at least Verhoff is a lot easier to handle these days. Angelique took Nicholas with her, as she is keeping him on a short leash. He grumbles, and complains, but knows that this is the best deal he can get.

Adam is still married to Carolyn, and they seem reasonably happy, at least for people with difficult childhoods as they are. He still does not like me, but we are civil to each other, and that is enough.

Chris and Oriana went back to Florida. They present such a picture of normalcy that it would be hard to imagine either of them being a werewolf. They work, they raise their children, and the endure mosquitoes and hurricanes...

Sabrina has dropped out of sight completely. She is going places in Washington, and has no attachment to Collinsport. So be it.

Urien studies hard, and he and us have interesting discussions. He treasures not just our company, but our knowledge and the advice that we can give (though sometimes my experience is about things you should not do,) Kenneth is trying to push Urien into going to Medical School, but he is set in Marine Biology.

Elsa has grown close to Edmund, after their experiences. They are now young adults with more knowledge that children should have. I suspect that they might marry when they are older.. Edmund still has his powers, and is training in proper use of them. I do not know the details, but I know that Amy and the labyrinth are involved... If Elsa has her own training, I do not know, but I suspect she is also being trained...

Maggie has set the date for her wedding to Quentin. It is surprising how those two have changed. I guess that Barnabas' death freed her from being stuck in her past. Of course, I know that she is quite ruthless and I do not care to cross her, but she does not feel so threatened these days. At least Sabrina is out of the picture, and Sabrina with her own ruthlessness catered to her worst instincts. She and Quentin are crafting an affordable housing initiative, which Maggie hopes to pull through Congress.

Louella is quite advanced in her pregnancy, and Willie is quite happy about his second child, saying that Barnabas predicted it would be a boy. Tammy is expecting, and whatever misgivings she might have about an interracial child are gone. Buffy has become quite proficient in computers, and now that the school has gone coop and she is free of that responsibility, she has helped set up a system where those she trains can do computer work at home and be paid for it. This is more in the scope of what she can do. Frank chafes at the political restrictions on government employees, because, he says, he would like to run for office, as he thinks that he could do a better job than a lot of the clowns in government..

Vicky spoke of having another child. She is quite busy with her school there, and Phillip has begun taking commissions to renew old house. They are becoming prominent people, and Phillip is not very sure that he likes that. He still plays the sax, but only on an amateur basis. Vicky seems to have taken to her new prominence like a fish to water. She does come to Collinsport to visit, but never stays long. She is civil to Carolyn, but there is a barrier between the two. Maybe they will work it out in the future.

Carolyn has developed more self-assurance and maturity. She is determined to avoid her mother's mistakes, and she has made a good start. She no longer plays lady of the manor to the cannery workers, and they appreciate it.

Zeb and Jessica are doing well. Zeb has mellowed up to the point of wishing you well. I got along well enough with Jessica who is quite busy with the baby.

As you know, Geoffrey won the election. He now runs the sheriff's office, and his style is more like Patterson's than yours

Redwolf continues squabbling with Xavier... Or rather, bargaining. Davenport's business has grown quite a bit, and he has taken steps so that it is community property with Sandy, so he can keep his children's greedy paws from it. Apart from that, Xavier and Sandy are quite happy.

Peter is recovering, slowly. Iris is encouraged by it, and noted that she had finally heard him laugh with true joy. I told her that Peter would always have a psychic gift, and that it should be handled with care. She wants to do right by him, so I do not doubt that she will take proper care of his gift.

Roger is still the same, More frail-looking, but still the same. He still wants to prove Nixon's innocence and still looks for flying saucers. As long as he does not get into more serious trouble, Carolyn lets him have fun.

As for me, I am still the same. Work at Wyncliffe (had to hire a new therapist to replace Barnabas), living with Kenneth, and tending to Gretchen.

And remembering old time, the good and the bad. The dashed hopes, and the ones that have come true... Because we live on hope..

Please write me and tell me how your are doing.

Julia

Dear Julia:

Thank you for keeping me in touch with the people I left back there. I like to think that I will go back one day. In any case Georgina will.

I am glad that everyone seems to be doing well. I see Megan and Angelique on a regular basis. I know about Megan's involvement in ronin politics, and I know that it strains their relationship. Angelique wants to be involved in Georgina's life, and that I am willing to do... Specially if she inherits her mother's powers. She should be able to handle them wisely and avoid the heartbreak that surrounded her mother... I see Nicholas too, as she keeps her on a short leash, as you said. Knowing the kind of mischief he can get into, I think that it is wise.

Funny your telling me that Geoffrey's style is more like Patterson's than mine. Patterson is now coming around to my views. The experience of people who never directly question his authority, but seek to evade by all means gave him perspective on the subject.

I noticed that you did not mention David in your letter. I take that he has not come back for Eliot yet. Maybe he needs to grow up a bit more. Barnabas said that David would come around and raise Eliot, and I do not like to think that he was wrong... though knowing what I know of David, I keep wondering if Eliot would not be better off being raised by Carolyn.

I am glad that Urien is doing so well. I must confess that I was hurt when Barnabas chose you and not me for a guardian, but I have come to realize that he was right about that. I could never be a father in his eyes; at best a friend, and he does need parents still. I can be a father to Georgina, and that should be enough. I have decided to be the best father possible to her.

Here, in Egg City, thing are more sensible these days. Derek and Frances, with their common sense now present a common front against the more messianic dreams of Howard and Roxanne. And I have been throwing my weight around (being the one contact with Megan and Angelique helps a lot). I try not to intervene too much, so as not to irritate them needlessly., I nay speak out rarely, but when I do, it carries weight. Between me, Patterson, Derek and Frances, we keep it in the straight and narrow. We have made concessions to Howard and Roxanne, and they have come to accept that the people here will eventually be absorbed into the general population, and that our job is not to create a permanent settlement, an ideal kibbutz, but a halfway house for admission to the U.S. The youth group was not disbanded, but restructured to get rid of the more military aspects, and to emphasize civic culture.

As you see, we still have our hands full.

As for myself, I have not found anyone to take Barnabas' place. Or rather I have not been looking. It is not wise to seek such company in the egg, as they are too straitlaced. As for outside, a serious commitment demands honesty, and how am I going to tell them that my lover was a vampire, and that when I go away it is to take care of a place that exists inside a Faberge egg? You see my problem. So, for a while I have to be content with one-night-stands.

I have my work. I have Georgina. I have my friends. I have my memories. It should be enough.

And I have hope, because as you said, we live on hope.

Affectionately,

George