Chapter 39

It is done. With a final stroke of the pen, the ownership of the family business passed from its founders, Ron and Rob, to their children. Sierra, Cormac, Chrys Ann, Violet, Kenneth James, Aurora, Fionn, Arthur, Sigrid, and Elric, are now the owners of the chain of computer repair/coffee shop/Internet Café business chain. With five locations in Alaska--Fairbanks, Anchorage, Juneau, Kenai, and Sitka, with another soon to be opened in Kodiak. There are also two locations in Washington State in the cities of Seattle and Tacoma, with plans for another shop in Bremerton near the naval shipyards. Business was good, and with capable family members to take over, Ron and Rob felt that it was time for them to step down. As of 01 January 2042, on the thirtieth anniversary of Ron and Lupina's wedding, control of the business passed to the next generation. To celebrate both his retirement and their thirtieth anniversary, Ron took Lupina, Rosie and the kids to visit the ancestral Daugherty homeland of County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland. They traveled the country to see various ancient sites, including the famous Castle Blarney, and the seat of the ancient high kings in Tara.

"This is where your namesake ruled from nearly two thousand years ago," Ron told his son, Cormac. "In you runs the blood of the Sons of Míl--stay true to your self, your clann, and to the Path, and honor the Old Ways as I've done me best to teach ye, an' the wisdom of our ancestors will avail ye when ye need it most."

When they returned home a week later, Iluq and Annie welcomed Cormac home excitedly. Sierra's husband/mate, Dakota, the wolf G.E.L.F. her brother had introduced her to in college, was there, though Chrysie's husband/mate, HM2(SS) Steve Donnelson, wasn't able to be there to greet her due to his submarine, the U.S.S. Viperfish, SSN-1027, home ported out of Bangor, Washington, wasn't due back from deployment for another three months. Of course Rob and Helga were there to meet their friends at the airport and drive them home.

"Welcome home, old friend," Rob said as he and Ron shook hands.

"Thanks, there's no place like home...after all of the other places are closed," Ron said jokingly.

"And you know this from experience, I take it?" Helga said with a slight grin as she gave her friend a welcoming hug.

"Oh, aye, lass, Rob and I both know that well enough from our younger days," Ron said with a mischievous grin.

"I'd rather not remember some of those times," Rob said shaking his head. "So how was the trip?"

"Oh, we had a lot of fun!" Rosie said excitedly, and she proceeded to talk non-stop about the entire trip, with Chrysie and Vi jumping right in and the three not letting anyone else get a word in edge-wise.

"Ye had to ask," Ron sent with a grin to Rob.

"You'd think I would have learned by now not to," Rob sent back rolling his eyes.

In the ten year period leading up to Ron and Rob handing the business over to their children, the social calendar of both families were quite busy. By the time Sierra and Cormac graduated with their Master of Science degree in Computer Engineering, the twins and their fellow graduate students successfully created the very first, stable quantum processor, which ran the most advanced operating system yet devised that is based fully in artificial intelligence. In 2032, Rob and Helga's first two children, Arthur and Sigrid, graduated from high school in the spring, and Amaguq's son Ikiaq started school that fall. The following year, Rob and Helga's youngest son, Elric, graduated from high school. In 2037, Sierra and Dakota, the wolf G.E.L.F. her twin brother had introduced her to in college, married on 11 June. In 2038, Cormac followed his father by taking more than one mate. With Iluq's blessing, Cormac married Annie Snyder on 23 June of that year, and two months later, his twin sister Sierra, gave birth to three children--Angus and Andrea, both wolf G.E.L.F.s, and Cerri, a human girl. The year 2039 brought sadness to the home of Rob and Helga with the death of Magnus on 16 February. Magnus had lived a good life during his thirty years, and like his mother before him, he died peacefully in his sleep with his family and friends by his side. Despite its sad start, the year 2039 also brought more joy--Annie gave birth to her first son, Sean, a wolf G.E.L.F., Chrys Ann married her human husband HM2(SS) Steve Donnelson at the Bangor Sub Base in Washington, and Ron celebrated his eightieth birthday in October. In 2040, Chrys Ann gave birth to two G.E.L.F. kits, Jonathan and Iris, on 02 August. What Time gave, it also took, and on 17 September, with Edgar by her side, Darcy Nemeth--the "mother of many not her own"--left this life. When her remains were returned to her native Colorado, there were many who came for her funeral. Thousands of G.E.L.F.s and many humans came to pay their final respects. Ron, Lupina, and Rosie were among those who spoke, but it was Edgar Corvus, the first true G.E.L.F. that said it best.

"Family and friends, G.E.L.F. and human, we come to honor our dear Doctor Darcy Elizabeth Nemeth, whose spirit now flies free of her earthly bonds. We G.E.L.F.s are her living legacy, born of her passion to understand the building blocks that make up all living things. She may have created our bodies, but it was through her and her work, that the universe gave us life. Darcy was a brilliant scientist to be sure, though her heart was in the right place. She was instrumental in making sure that our existence would not be twisted and perverted by others, and in her own way, she helped us to choose the correct path, the right path, which will one day allow us to stand together in equality, in balance, and in harmony. Darcy sacrificed much in her own personal life to achieve her life's work, though in her later years, she rediscovered the simple joy of living and--most importantly--she knew love."

Edgar turned to face Darcy's body and placed his right wing hand on her chest.

"Though your candle no longer shines in this world, and your form is still, we will fly together again," he said softly with his eyes seeing into other places.

The year that Ron and Rob retired for the second time in their lives, brought more joy and sorrow with the birth of Chrys Ann's human daughter Elizabeth on 18 November, and the death of Amaguq on 19 December at the age of thirty-three years. In the year 2043 Annie gave birth to her first daughter, a G.E.L.F., who was named Marion, and it also saw Amaguq's son Ikiaq graduating from high school. In 2044 Annie gave birth to her second daughter, Isabel, a wolf G.E.L.F., and in 2048 she gave birth to her second son, a wolf G.E.L.F. named Llew.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" Ron asked with concern when Kapik seemed a bit unsteady on her feet.

"Tired, can't play now, sorry."

"That's okay, sweetie, we can play tug another time, if you don't feel like it. Do ye want to lie down for a while?" he asked, stroking his mate's fur lovingly.

"Yes. You stay with me?" Kapik asked.

"Sure, I'll lie down with you--we can take a little nap together, okay?"

"Okay."

Ron steadied Kapik as they walked into the bedroom and he helped her into her bed. Once she was comfortable, Ron joined her, and they lay spooned together.

"Ron?"

"Yeah?"

"Momma came to me in my dream, said I would be with them soon."

The matter-of-fact way that Kapik sent that to him, caused Ron to become sad.

"Kapik, sweetie, do...do you have to leave?"

"Soon. No want to...will miss you much."

Ron worked his fingers into Kapik's fur and hugged her closely.

"I will miss you a lot, too, sweetie...more than...I can find words for."

They lay there quietly for a few minutes, and then Kapik said, "I love you."

"I love you, too, Kapik, I really do. I just wish that I could have heard you sooner, you know, back before Lupina came, then you could have told me how you felt about me, and maybe we could have had more time to be together."

"I know, was hard, but had many good times since. Was happy when you could hear us. You good mate, we happy together, like way you make feel good."

"Kapik, ye have been a good mate to me, too, and I have been happy being with you. We have two fine cubs, you and I, and I guess we've had a good run together. I'm glad that you've liked being with me and that we could give ourselves to each other."

"Ron?"

"Yes, luv?"

"We both old, but...you make feel good again?"

"Are you sure you're up to it, luv?"

Kapik rolled over onto her back and said, "Like in old den, first night."

Ron saw in his mind the image of Kapik as she had appeared to him the night he stayed with her in her family's den, holding her hand our to him.

"I still yours..."

Kapik died later that year at the age of forty, followed by her sister Iluq on 21 January 2051. In 2052, at forty one years of age, the last of Atka and Sesi's children, Mumik, passed on 02 February. The four left behind many children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, ensuring that the line of Atka and Sesi would endure for centuries to come.

In 2053, with much celebrating, Rob had his one hundredth birthday.

"Well now, I s'pose this officially qualifies ye as an ol' geezer," Ron said with a laugh.

"When you get there yourself, I'm going to remind you that you're one, too," Rob chuckled.

"Oh, I'll probably ha' to remind you to remind_me_, no doubt," Ron shot back with a smirk.

"You and that blasted memory of yours!" Rob said shaking his head.

"Hey, I can hardly remember what day it is anymore, and if it wasn't for the big guy remembering all sorts of stuff, I'd forget my tail!" Rosie quipped.

Everyone had a laugh at the way Rosie said that.

"A sweet tail i' 'tis at that, luv," Ron said taking the end of Rosie's tail and rubbing it against his face.

"Ron!"

"Well, i' 'tis!" he said emphatically with a sly grin. "Oh, an' speakin' of rememberin' things...Iris, dear, would ye mind fetchin' tha' package for me please?"

"Sure thing, Grandpa!"

Iris hopped up and went to the gifts that had been brought to the party.

"The other one, dear."

"This one?"

"Aye, that be the one."

Iris picked up the package that Ron wanted, and brought it over to him.

"Thanks, Iris, that's a good lass."

"You're welcome, Grandpa."

Ron smiled at his granddaughter--even at only thirteen years of age, she was going to be quite a looker when she grew up, and from photos that Darcy had shown him once years ago, Iris looked remarkably like her grandmother did about the same age.

"Ah, for a hundred year old geezer, I ha' quite a time findin' somethin' just as old, but...with luck, and a keen eye, I found just the thing," Ron announced.

"Do I really want to know what this is going to be?" Rob quipped.

"Ah, sure ye do now. Go ahead, open it."

Rob fiddled with the wrapping a bit and then pulled out of the box a bottle.

Looking at Ron over his glasses, Rob arched an eyebrow.

"Is this what I think it is?"

"Aye, a one hundred year old bottle of the finest Irish whisky ever made," Ron beamed.

"Where...did...you...get...this?" Rob asked slowly.

"Sure now, I dinna just spend all me time a sight-seein' when we went to Erin eleven years ago, and so i' 'tis. I had that shipped back, an' ha' been holdin' it since just for this day," Ron explained.

Rob looked at the bottle, and then at his long-time friend.

"I don't know what to say."

"Well now, how about poppin' the cork and say "sláinte[1]!"

Rob started grinning, and said, "Hon, would you mind getting some glasses out, please?"

"I suppose I could," Helga said, and she got up and kissed him on the top of his head before getting the appropriate sized glasses from the china cabinet.

When she came back with them, Arthur was helping his dad get the bottle opened. With a soft *pop*, the cork came out, and Arthur poured the liquor into the glasses for his father, whose hand was no longer quite as steady as it once was.

When the glasses were passed around, Rosie took a sniff of hers and said, "Hoo, this will curl your nose hairs!"

Ron stood up and raised his glass, saying, "A roof for the rain, walls for the wind, a warm hearth, and the love of family and friends about ye. Sláinte!"

Rob held up his own glass and with a nod, he and Ron both knocked back their glasses, swallowing the contents in one gulp.

"*Cough!* Jeeze louise!" Rosie exclaimed when she could breathe again after taking a swig from her own glass. "I thought that stuff you guys make was strong! Hoo!"

"Ah, nothin' like that ol' nuclear glow, eh luv?" Ron smirked while Rosie was still making a face after drinking hers.

"Geez, dad, that's kinda...potent!" Sierra said, after taking only a small sip.

"Aye, baby doll, tha' i' 'tis, but it's smooooth."

Sierra looked askance at her father and said, "Ri-i-ight dad, you say so. I think I'll stick to your mead...less likely to spontaneously combust."

Ron grinned and quipped, "Light-weight."

The party lasted for a few hours with most of the locals dropping by to at least drop off a birthday card and say their well wishes. Rob hadn't thought that he would have lived to be a hundred years old, but it seemed like a strong possibility for the rest of the former original Sea Wolf members as they were all nearing the same age and still going. Ron had his one hundredth birthday six years later, and the other four members of Sea Wolf Alpha Pack--Jack Heyworth, Jeff Sparks, Dave Idelzhye, and Mike Johansson--all celebrated their own one hundredth birthdays in 2060.

In 2063, Ron and Lupina celebrated another milestone in their relationship--their fiftieth wedding anniversary, as did Rob and Helga. The decision was made to have a small private celebration on the actual day of each, and a large public celebration on 01 May, as that was halfway between the two dates. The Gelfheim Mead Hall was taken over for the event, since it was the largest building in the immediate area. The media was there, too, so that they could cover the special occasion. The first G.E.L.F. / human marriage: fifty years and still going, and the public wanted to know how they managed. For the first time, Ron, Rob, and their families agreed to be interviewed by the media about their relationships with the stipulation that the questions be kept tasteful, and brief. Surprisingly, the segment was well done in a respectful manner.

By the end of the first quarter of 2065, Rob's health began to slowly decline, prompting several to wonder how much longer he had.

One day during the summer, while he and Ron were sitting outside in the sun, Rob said quietly, "You know, the other night I had a strange dream."

"Oh? What about?" Ron asked.

"You'll probably think this is strange...well, maybe not, but...I dreamed of Lola. She came to me, looking just as how I remembered her. She talked to me, and it sounded a little strange, but I understood her."

Rob sat there in his chair for a moment with a far off look in his eyes.

"What did she say?" Ron prompted.

"Well, she told me that she wished we could have...been mates, and...that we would see each other again, when it was time."

Rob looked at Ron and they sat there in silence for a time.

"Before Kapik died...I told her that I wished that I could have known sooner how she had felt about me. She told me that she was happy that I eventually could hear her and the others, and that she thought I was a good mate, and that she liked how I made her feel good. I guess you can figure out what that meant for yourself. It seemed pretty strange at first, but...you know, it actually wasn't a lot different than being with Lu or Rosie," Ron said.

"Ever since Magnus gave me all of Lola's memories, thoughts, and so forth, I've wondered, what if I had been able to know how she felt back when she was alive? Would I have done anything different? I guess I'll never know the answer to that question. Too bad she didn't live long enough to find out," Rob said with a sigh.

"Yeah, well, at least maybe she got you to thinking about other possibilities, either consciously or subconsciously. Ye ended up with a cat anyway, so I s'pose it worked out after all. I think Helga turned out to be the best thing for ye, me friend. I for one am glad that you listened and let her in."

"Well, if it wasn't for Lu, I suppose Helga and I might not have met, so I'm thankful that she pushed us towards one another. Tell her that for me, will you?"

"Aye, I will."

After a few moments, Rob asked, "What do you think it means that I've dreamed of Lola?"

"Honest opinion?"

"Always."

"I think she gave ye a head's up, and that she's waitin' for ye," Ron said quietly.

Rob sat there and didn't say anything for nearly a minute.

"I don't want a big fuss."

"Understood."

Sigrid came out to the deck and said, "Lunch is ready, Dad, let's get you inside so you can eat something. Can you make it, Uncle Ron, or do you need some help getting up?"

"Ach, for you, lass, I'd convince these ol' bones to dance a jig," Ron replied with a grin and picked up his old Irish blackthorn walking stick.

Leaning down to whisper in conspiratorial tones, "Shh, don't let my boyfriend hear you say that."

Ron looked around and then looked back at Sigrid. Putting his forefinger alongside his nose, he said quietly, "It'll be our little secret."

Sigrid patted him on the shoulder with a smile and said, "You're just as crazy as the rest of the guys around here."

"He's the worst of the lot!" Rob chuckled.

"I think that's why Lu and Rosie still love me after all these years," Ron smirked.

In October, Ron--with the help of Cormac--finished bottling the last batch of mead that he and Rob had started making six months earlier. It would be the very last one that they did make together, and it proved to be one of the finest batches they ever made.

On a snowy 04 November evening, Rob--with his family and friends around him, and the spirits of Lola and Magnus to accompany him--began his own Journey into the Light.

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[1]Sláinte - Irish gaelic word for "cheers"