Chapter 9
When Ralph woke, Pam was already up. She had a batch of bread rising and was making breakfast of boiled eggs, oatmeal, and sliced apples. Little Ralph was in the basket on the table, sleeping. Ralph got up, hugged Pam, and kissed her.
He asked, "How are you feeling?"
Pam said, "I feel fine. Barry has healed everything that was torn during the birth. Barry says that little Ralph is in perfect health and has no superpowers yet."
With a big smile, Ralph leaned over the basket holding little Ralph and looked at his perfect son. He said to Pam, "He is so beautiful, just like his mother."
Pam smiled back and said, "Just like his father."
Ralph sat down and had breakfast. While he was eating, the baby woke up and started whining. Pam picked him up and told Barry to open a slit in the shirt so Pam could breastfeed the baby. Merlin came in from collecting eggs, and Pam covered her breast and the baby's head with a cloth.
Ralph said, "I must go into town to blacksmith today. I'll be back later this afternoon unless you don't want me to go in."
Pam said, "No, I'm fine. You go to work." She gave him a chunk of cheese, a big slice of bread, and an apple in a cloth for his lunch. Ralph walked into town and worked in the blacksmith shop for a few hours. As customers came in, he told them about his new son being born last night. Everyone congratulated him.
As Ralph was closing the shop, he got a weak telepathic call from Eric, 'Ralph, Ralph, are you there?'
Ralph answered telepathically, 'Yes, I am here, and so are Pam and my new son.'
Eric answered, 'Congratulations. Be ready to return in three days. Go to the same location you entered.'
Ralph replied, 'We will be ready,' the link was dropped.
Ralph was so excited that he went behind the barn, removed his clothes, turned invisible, and flew back to the cottage.
He rushed into the cottage, yelling, "Pam, Pam! I got a telepathic call from Eric. They will be ready to bring us all back in three days."
Pam was so happy. She hugged and kissed Ralph. Merlin walked in at that moment and saw the excitement on their faces.
He asked, "What is going on?"
Ralph answered with a big smile, "I got the call. They will be bringing us back in three days."
Merlin said sadly, "Oh … I will be sorry to see you go. I have started thinking of you both as my family. I will miss you."
Pam saw the look on Merlin's face and knew why he was so dejected. She said, "Merlin, I will give you a going-away present. Come over here and sit down."
She sat on a chair opposite him and held both of his hands. She looked up at Ralph, and he nodded in acceptance, knowing what she would do. She said to Merlin, "Merlin, I am going to give you a super suit." He looked astonished and asked, "But you need your suit. I can't take your suit."
She smiled and said, "No, you are not getting my suit; I will clone a suit for you as Ralph did for me in the story I told you."
Merlin remembered, and a big smile crossed his face. "You would do that for me?"
"Of course, I would. You helped Ralph and me so much while we were here; we want to leave you the suit so you can continue to do great, heroic things in this world. The suit will be able to teach you about its use and many other skills. You will become legendary," Pam explained.
Merlin's eyes widened in excitement. Pam removed her clothes, exposing the super suit, and took Merlin's hands. She told Barry to start the suit cloning process and the DNA enhancement—a red pulsating glow formed around Pam and Merlin. Merlin shivered during the process. Within one minute, Merlin had his red super suit. Merlin sat back and rubbed his hand over the suit, feeling the tingle of the initial connection to it.
The suit asked Merlin in his mind, 'What name would you like to call me?'
Merlin said in his mind, 'Pam.'
The suit asked, 'Would you like me to have Pam's voice?'
Merlin said, 'Yes.'