The early morning turned on a surprise, with llhaesa revealing she once again wished to trek downward, this time to spend a day in an Arrkarharan park.
“’Essa,” Jahrae asked, caught off guard by llhaesa’s expressed wish. “We barely got back here twelve hours ago, and now you wish to scoot back down and spend the day?”
Wife and wife stood in the small kitchen of their suite, Jahrae leaning against the cabinets just in front of a sink, while llhaesa stood on the cusp of the entrance to the living room, looking back toward Jahrae, discussing whether they should go.
“The heat broke in the New England area and Boston is predicted to be around 24°C today, with a variable wind from the west; that is perfect weather for spending time in a park playing music.”
“You are such a goof. I should have known you would have the itch to do a concert. Do you mind if I join you?”
“You are going to play as well?”
“No, but I can watch you play and offer encouragement.”
“Watch me and Addie, if she agrees; I would like to have her perform with me.”
Jahrae looked at llhaesa, her mind pondering an idea she had not thought of as possibility. “Do you think Addie will wish to play?”
“We have played some together informally, and it works out great. It is up to her, but I intend to ask.”
“You may have to wait a while, she is happily sleeping.”
“I will go check to verify this, J’har,” llhaesa replied, mischief in her eyes.
Llhaesa left the kitchen and headed into the smaller bedroom, where Addison and Sérada blissfully slept.
Bending over and placing her face near Addison’s ear, llhaesa whispered slowly, “Jahlaera…Jahlaera…” Llhaesa watched as Addie’s face turned to a sleep-formed smile, prompting an unexpected burst of laughter from Jahrae, who followed llhaesa to the room and stood in the doorway, seeing what shenanigans llhaesa employed to roust Addie out of bed.
“Jahlaera…” llhaesa whispered yet again. Addison caught llhaesa by surprise, her left arm rising up to pull llhaesa downward into an embrace, causing llhaesa to flop onto the bed.
The mild jolt shook Addie awake, her eyes flicking open, her mind immediately confused on why llhaesa was on the bed and in her embrace.
“Um, this is your mum you ensnared, my apparently dreamily amorous daughter,” llhaesa teased.
“Wait…I was dreaming I called to Jahlaera,” Addie tried to sort through the last vestiges of dream prior to waking. Seeing llhaesa’s impish smirk, Addie found her answer. “You were calling her name to me. I will get you for that, mother!
Why are you waking me so early?”
“Early? It is eight o’clock, and I wish to spend at least some of the day in Boston, playing. I was wondering if you might wish to play with me.”
“Play and sing…in front of people?”
“Are you not about to begin an education and career in performing arts? Stage fright is something you had best lose quickly, or find an alternative life path, my dear.”
“Can Jahlaera come along?”
“Well, if she wishes to watch for hours, along with mum J’har. I have no objection to her joining us.”
“Can I come too?” Serry asked after listening to the plan and deciding to reveal she too was awake.
“You may, Serry. In fact, I was counting on you being there.”
“Mum, what instrument will you play, given I usually play keyboards,” Addie asked, trying to get an idea of how things would work.
“Since it is you and I only, I’ll bring an acoustic and an electric guitar, a violin, and two keyboards, my dear daughter. We can play keyboards together occasionally, as we have done around the house.
By the way, I already have the equipment we need on board Chekresu. Since Arrhazonan equipment is not as bulky and heavy, it was easy to do.
Now if you plan to join me, I suggest you get ready and track down Jahla if you wish to ask her to come along.”
Llhaesa rose from the edge of Addie’s bed, while Addie promptly shoved back the covers and scampered off for the shower, grabbing her robe off a hook as she walked out of the room.
Serry followed Addie out of bed, moving at a deliberate pace, although the kitchen was her destination, where Jahrae had a bowl of her favourite cereal along with half a grapefruit waiting on the table.
An hour after llhaesa shooed Addison out of bed, the family group boarded Chekresu, with llhaesa, Jahrae, Addie, Serry, Hrilleae, Djellrin, Saehressa, and Casey choosing to go, along with Jahlaera.
Before llhaesa had a chance to request air evacuation of the hangar, Ronnie and Elsrensia, who earlier thought they had commitments onboard ship, called Chekresu to say they were joining the excursion, showing a few minutes later with Anita, who pushed Ahrella along in a stroller.
The journey downward with llhaesa piloting, who as usual preferred power descents, took all of fifteen minutes. Boston gave the group advance permission to set Chekresu down and play on Boston Common, welcoming the musician to the city, appreciative of her choice to play without charge.
Llhaesa set down at the edge of the trees just to the west of Frog Pond. People followed various paths that conjoined in the centre of the open area; some of those present walked the Common on a leisurely stroll, while others traversed with business purpose in mind, yet no matter their reason for being there, most stopped to gaze at the bus-sized but sleek craft that appeared from the sky.
Emerging, the family waved to those observing, the action mimicked by Ahrella, who decided waving was fun and did so to everyone.
“Addie, can you help me unload the equipment?” llhaesa asked, anxious to get going. “Power will be from Chekresu, so we’ll set up with the craft to our backs.”
“Sure mum, lead the way!”
Set up took a half hour, with the musicians playing at ground level, upon the grass surface. Small but powerful amplifiers stood to either side, while llhaesa placed another set atop Chekresu.
“I guess everything is ready, Addie; the question now is, are we?”
“I am ready whenever you are, but go easy on me!”
“Would you like to start, Addison?”
“M-me, start us off?”
“Yes, you are capable. Pick a song, let me know, and I’ll back you on vocals.”
Addie looked at llhaesa, not quite believing she agreed to this. Before ever playing a note, a large and growing crowd gathered, with word spreading of the identity of the musicians about to play in the park.
The remainder of the family was in a cluster along the front of those watching, and Jahrae caught an occasional comment on how much Addie looked like llhaesa. Difficult before, once one knew which was which it was easy to tell, as llhaesa had shoulder length, random and loose curls hair from using just a hair pick, while Addie had her hair styled in dreadlocks a few days before.
Along with her new do, Addie tied in a handmade Arrhazonan kvrehdhian braid, a thin but colourful accessory that hung to a similar length as her hair. Interweaving the united Arrhazonan colours of orange, yellow, green, and black, in addition to the braided cloth, it included numerous tiny gemstones, again of the Arrhazonan colours. The intricately cut gemstones reflected light off in random directions.
The braid accessory was a gift from llhaesa, who, knowing what she wished to buy ventured to a specific shop, spending over an hour finding just the right one for Addie, bringing it back from Arrhazon. Addie loved it, loved the braid in her hair, and had no inclination to remove it at this point.
Addie dressed casually, wearing olive green shorts, along with a sleeveless top with gradient colouring, changing from the topmost yellow to bottommost orange.
Taking one final glance at llhaesa, Addie signalled and started in, the keyboard set to recreate the classic 1960s Hammond B3 organ sound. The initial notes were long and slowly changing, an intro into one of her favourite songs written by her mum, sort of an anthem, with her own twist added.
Llhaesa played electric on this song. Taking Addie’s rhythmic notes as a base from which to work, she set out into musical exploration, at times weaving around the base melody, joining with it, and then breaking away on tangents, tangents that paired well with Addie’s commitment to set and keep the basic beat.
Five minutes in, Addie tackled vocals, with no hint of the tentativeness she felt earlier. Llhaesa smiled, knowing her daughter’s voice improved dramatically with practice. Addie had the same tonal quality of llhaesa, but lacked the years of practise, experience, honing, and experimentation of her mother that gave llhaesa her peerless range and technique. Addie’s voice was unrefined but powerful and talented, and that worked well with what they would play today.
Skilfully working within the parameters of their grassy stage area, by the time the song moved toward its finish, llhaesa played near Addie. Addie stood through the final notes, reprising the earlier intro in reverse. Llhaesa leaned up against her daughter just enough to touch, their heads affectionately leaning on one another as the song closed out.
The attentive audience, which now filled this section of the Common, applauded enthusiastically. In response, both llhaesa and Addie held hands, bowing.
“Thank you…thank you!” Addie acknowledged the applause as it began to fade. “Mum…llhaesa…decided she wished to come down to the Common today and play.
When I say ‘come down’, I mean that quite literally. We have been on board a newly arrived Arrhazonan ship, it is here for dual purpose, to drop off the newest delegation from there, and to take some of us to Arrhazon, where I will attend school, work on study in my chosen profession, as well as learn some about that part of my heritage.
The ship…is magnificent. It carries a name that makes me a bit teary eyed when I think on it, AISV llhaesa ahrella t’yaeli. It is a great tribute to my mother, a great honour, and one well deserved.
Her dedication to freedom and to equality helped change one world, and now she works to change another. Well folks, it takes more than one person to change a world, and of course, two of my other parents played a huge role in events on Arrhazon, Jahrae and Elsrensia.
The history is nice, it is important, but…we have work to do here, changes we need to make, and it takes more than just them, it takes all of us.
Two years ago, things like peace and green living and equality where distant concepts in my head. I was fourteen, and my life was about to be ripped into metaphorical shreds of confetti by the machinations of the universe.
You know the story.
Now, two years later, after two years of additional life experience and study of not one world but two, of seeing the history of one world and the making of history on this one, I have better perspective, and I have a better idea of how to proceed. I have a good idea of what is possible, what is in each of us to do, if only we work together and try.
My mum usually rants during concerts at some point, she identifies with the audience and she plays around and jokes, sharing thoughts on weighty topics as I do right now.
I sort of pre-empted her,” Addison turned toward llhaesa briefly as she continued, “Sorry mum,” she voiced apologetically, but llhaesa smiled, nodded, and waved for her to continue.
“I just felt it in me now, after one song. I guess that is my youthful impatience at work.
It is more than that, actually. I wish others to hear my voice and outlook, I wish to stand up and work with my parents and with all of you who wish to achieve change. I challenge my generation to stand up and embrace the concepts peace, of gender equality, of gay rights, of freedom, of working to bring education to every child, to feed everyone, to make sure there is enough water for every person on this world, and to make sure everyone has health care to rely upon when in need.
Why should these things be so difficult to achieve? We are the ones who frame our society. We are the ones who build each element.
We are also the ones who build the impediments, who claim impossibility, who turn our heads and give up.
No.” Addie spoke eloquently and masterfully, her voice powerful at times, reflective in others, always with an underlying base tone of respect for those who listened.
Watching, llhaesa felt a surge of parental pride. Over the past year, she saw first hand how her daughter grew in every direction, and now the world saw what she knew. Shaking off the quick wandering of her mind, llhaesa refocused on Addison as she continued.
“I will not do this, I do not wish to be a hindrance nor do harm and I urge all of you to think it through; think through your power, the power within and of one, teamed with the power of my one, and the next, and the next, and the next.
I owe much to each of my parents; I am a walking assemblage of diversity. Yet it goes beyond biology, and reaches into what is within me, through all of my thoughts, to my very soul.
We can accomplish great things…if we try.
If anyone doubts that, if anyone says ‘this thing or that thing cannot be done’ remind them of my parents, remind them of their accomplishments, and tell them that what truly cannot be done is let stand things as they are today. We must change, and we will, because we all will work together.
Will you work with me?”
Addison modestly turned her attention away from the wildly cheering and now overflowing crowd, realising now that it somehow exponentially grew during the first song and her chat. She looked toward llhaesa, and llhaesa knew Addie wished for her to lead her into a song.
Llhaesa already held the violin, expecting to assist Addie as she came out of her impromptu speech. Llhaesa mouthed the song to play, and she was off, playing an up-tempo piece that had classical overtones yet written for a rock framework.
Instead of simply keeping rhythm, Addie improvised along with llhaesa, each taking turns giving continuity to the song, each taking turns to explore, and at times, each improvised together, yet worked segments of rhythm into their improvisation.
The mother and daughter combination played until noon. Earlier, in a reprise of what she did on Arrhazon, llhaesa asked Jahrae to contact twelve local restaurants, asking them to cater for up to a thousand people, but at least for 500, billing it to her.
As they went into their break, llhaesa advised the crowd that a dozen kiosks on the periphery of the Common were now serving lunch, her treat.
The appreciative audience crowded each of the kiosks, and members of the family patiently waited their turn in whatever line interested them.
“Nice call, ‘essa,” Saehressa remarked, standing behind her daughter in one food line. “People are appreciative, and they loved seeing you and Addie together. I heard many comments, and they were all enthusiastic in their support, in their praise. Some even commented to me on how much you and Addie look like me.
Addie…wow, she plays superbly; it is quite eerie seeing the two of you together from a bit of distance. If I did not know how to differentiate the two of you, it would be with great difficulty I figured it out.”
“You mean like differentiating me from you?” llhaesa teased. “Did you enjoy her chat with the audience?” llhaesa wondered.
Saehressa smiled. She surely is your daughter; in so many ways, it is impossible to cite them all. She was brilliant.”
Several hours later, all were back aboard ship, the family gathering in the chosen centre of their familial universe while on ship, Jahrae and llhaesa’s suite.
Those with partners were obvious. For some reason, the parings were close on this night, llhaesa nestled with Jahrae on the sofa, Ronnie on the floor leaning up against the seated Elsrensia’s legs as she sat on a wing-backed chair, Hrilleae sitting snugly with Djellrin on the other side of the sofa, with Hrilleae placing a hand on his.
Joining the partners club were new members Addie and Jahlaera, with Addison leaning up against the outer wall, just below the wide expanse of clearsteel window displaying a picturesque Arrkarhara in the distance.
Addie had her long legs stretched along either side of Jahla, who leaned up against her, with Addie’s arms casually encircling her friend. No one blinked an eye, all in the room were aware of the sudden deep connection that sprouted between them.
Ship’s communication rang off, a brief message from Commander H’ahlser that Addison was now a media darling on Arrkarhara, advising the family to tune in and check out various network news services.
Jahrae grabbed the remote, flipping on the viewscreen on the wall opposite the kitchen, and began surfing Arrkarharan channels.
Reaching the first major news site, a feature story ran showing the mother and daughter combo playing on the Common, the brief segment of music ultimately segueing into Addison’s chat.
They ran the chat segment uncut, followed by in studio analysis thereafter. “Bill, that was Addison’s coming out event,” Cathy Fonda declared.
“Scuttlebutt is Addison is mesmerising playing herself in the upcoming Family Skies movie on the history of her family. There are already blog commentaries speculating she is the front-runner for best supporting actress next year. Yet the movie is two months from release.”
“I would imagine the producers of the movie are doing cartwheels right now, given the footage that is repeating on news networks and stations across the country, Cathy. They are the beneficiaries of free publicity that sells itself on her ability, wow.
I have heard llhaesa speak more than once, and for a not quite seventeen year old to do an off the cuff conversation as she did, it was as if I watched llhaesa. I feel that way each time the segment runs, and I have watched it…eight times now.
Addison has that je ne sais quoi her mum has, combining peerless ability and intelligence, with presence of mind, empathy, and ability to inspire, all with just flat out melt your socks off gorgeousness.
You will be seeing a lot of Addison in the future.”
“How do you really feel, Bill? Cathy remarked to long time co-anchor Bill Stern, the two in their tenth year of their news broadcast. “Actually, if possible, I believe you understate what might happen going forward.
All right, since I made that statement, I will go on record and predict that Addison will one day go down as the leader of this generation…on two worlds.”
“Are you suggesting she has a political future in addition to performing arts?”
“I think that is possible, yes.”
“But…of two worlds, Cathy?”
Cathy looked at Bill curiously, wondering why he seemed not to get her meaning. “Yes, I do mean of two worlds.”
“How would that work?”
“Well, what is it her parents work towards, Bill? They are working to unite this world so that we can join other worlds out there, building a future together. Her parents will be involved on that level… and I am saying so will she, one day.”
Jahrae changed the channel, briefly watching three others, and each time there were praising comments about the event in Boston and about mother and daughter; it was lead story news across video media. While the wording changed, the conclusions were all close to the first.
Clicking the viewscreen off, attention redirected to Addison, who sat quietly, content to hold Jahlaera close.
“Oh oh, Addie,” Jahla teased as she turned as best she could to look back at Addie, “I do believe you are now the centre of attention not just on Arrkarhara, but in this room.”
“Addie, I know you really do not wish the rest of us to sit here embarrassing you, and yes, there is no need to do this,” llhaesa decided she needed to take control before things went too far.
“We know you; we know all these little things about you media might never know. I know how to make you laugh even when you try hard not to; I know what upsets you, what makes you cry, what infuriates, and how much you like to sleep, like mum J’har,” llhaesa quipped, winking at Addie.
“Hey! Just you wait, ‘essa,” Jahrae objected, “just you wait.”
“Um, J’har, before I was so rudely interrupted, I was telling our daughter that we have no need to do as they do on television. She knows how we all feel; she knows the love that emanates from each of us in this room.”
Seeing a playful smirk on Jahlaera’s face, llhaesa pounced on it playfully. “Um, be careful with where you take that love, Jahla, you have four capable and protective mothers paying attention,” her words making Jahla turn a reddish hue.
“Mother!” Addie good-naturedly retorted to the comment. “If and when the love goes where you hint it should not, I will make a point of sending lots of intangible signals for you to pick up on.”
“You wouldn’t dare on both counts, young lady!” llhaesa retorted, continuing the playful jousting with her daughter. “And besides, you are forgetting something.”
“What is it I forget?”
Llhaesa turned to Jahrae, who instantly knew what she meant. “She means, my dear Addison, I command this ship, and since Jahlaera is an employee on this ship, if need be, I can speak with her boss and have her work for the next thousand hours in a row.”
Jahla’s face went pale at the suggestion, prompting everyone in the room to burst into laughter.
“Jahla, Jahrae would only use such tactics with me,” llhaesa quipped. “With you…psssst…she’s a pushover.
We like to tease and have fun, and I will save the motherly caution for another time.
We are proud of our daughter, and we love having you with her as well.”
“I am glad you mentioned that ma’am, because Addie and I wished to talk with you.”
Llhaesa’s face reformed into surprise. “With me?”
“Yes, you were in bed last night, while Addie and I were out here watching a film. She picked up some interesting um…vibes from you, isn’t that right, Addie?”
Llhaesa and Jahrae looked at each other, first with alarm, and then with humour, falling into laughter.
After a minute, Jahrae stood and turned toward llhaesa, her hands formed into fists, which she rested against either side of her hips, elbows out. “’Essa, you told me she could not pick up on such things!” Jahrae exclaimed, winking at llhaesa as she said this.
“I saw that wink, Jahrae,” Saehressa called out. “Jahla, Addison, listen to your grandmother. You two are fine; please act responsibly and be cautious, please. Oh…and learn to mask that connection at times; I do not wish to listen to my daughter rant again!”
