CHAPTER 187: DEFROSTING THE FAMILY TREE

Tim dropped off Mason at Charlie’s place and decided to stop by his father’s on the way home. As he walked up toward the house, he noticed his father sitting on the swing. Tim sat down beside him.

"Well son, how has your day gone so far? Seems like you might’ve met a new friend today," his father observed.

"Yes, I did need a new friend today, and the more I talked to him the more comfortable I became around him." Tim settled back into the swing. "It’s amazing how different it is living on an orbiter versus the planet. I guess I had it made here and didn’t realize it until I talked to Mason. I know he’s young and he has just transitioned, so yes, he has a lot of growing to do. But I did get his dad’s permission to date him, and his brother Madison approves of me by the way."

"Well I’m glad, son, that you’re getting on with your life. I know that you and Ed have the twin’s situation all worked out, but Jared—he’s eventually going to have a breakdown and when he does it’s going to be bad," his father said with concern.

Tim ran his hands through his hair. "Father, I have gone over everything in my head. He is seeing a behavioral specialist thanks to Lex, and there’s nothing else I can do. He doesn’t want to see me or for me to be around him. I got caught up in the job and I should have just done my service and let him be, but I involved myself. Dad warned me about this when I told him I wanted to get into the program, but as usual I thought I knew more than the almighty Ben. I was proven wrong and it hurt."

"Mason and I spoke about everything. I told him every single detail about Ed and everything that happened to me and the Z-1." Tim’s voice softened. "And father, he’s okay with it. He said we’re continuously learning and growing throughout our life. He told me he didn’t have all the answers either, but we need to take it slow. He also let me know that if we work out, he wanted to have a child every couple of years—not nine months between each one. I agree with him; the children need to be spaced out so that they can get our full attention."

"Son, if this is what you want then I stand behind you 100% of the way with my full support, and I know your dad and brother will too." His father stood up and stretched. "Now let’s go inside and see if we can rustle up something to eat for an afternoon snack, because I’m starving."

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Mason looked at his dad thoughtfully. "You, Madison and I need to take a slight little walk. It’s about time you learn the truth, dad, but you have to keep an open mind about what you’re going to see. The boys will stay here with Charlie until you deem they’re ready to know the truth—all of the truth."

Mason had Earl puzzled as the three of them walked out of the house and went toward the clinic. The three walked through the front door and were greeted by Lex. Earl was fitted with a blindfold so he could not find his way back in case he reacted badly.

They walked into the laboratory area where the remaining six pods were contained.

"Earl, what you’re about to see here is not for everyone. We’re doing our best with what we have to work with. If it were not for your two sons, none of this would be possible," Lex explained as he removed Earl’s blindfold. "Not everybody has been awakened from the pods yet due to some computer glitches and malfunctions of the pods themselves. We had a manifest for 60 pods, but there were 61 total. The 61st pod had very little information on its registry and the display was shorted. All we found was the initial S. O. It wasn’t until we found a letter that had fallen on the floor that we knew the identity of the occupant of the last pod."

Mason took the letter from the envelope and opened it so that his dad could read it. Madison had to hold his dad up as he read the entire letter.

Earl, being supported by both of his sons, walked toward the last pod. Lex wiped the condensation off of the viewing glass and revealed to Earl its occupant. Earl literally lost it. There, frozen in time in the stasis pod, was the love of his life and the father to his six children—Shannon Mason O’Malley. He had so many questions and needed so many answers. This was going to take a while.

Earl asked for a chair to sit down so that he could visit with Shannon for a while. The boys and Lex left Earl there with the pod as he laid his head upon the cylinder and cried. After a couple of hours, Earl gathered himself enough, kissed the viewing glass, and rejoined his sons and Lex in the hall.

All Earl could do was hug his oldest sons and tell them how much he loved them both. He turned to Lex with hope in his eyes. "I know you’re doing all you can—I see all the wires everywhere—but do you know how long it’s going to be before he’s revived, or can he be revived at all?"

Lex smiled reassuringly. "His pod is the worst of the batch. It’s going to take a lot of hours and a lot of effort on the technician’s part to get it correct. But eventually we will have your family back together. You’re welcome to come here every few days to do a status check and visit, as long as you don’t get in the way. As far as telling the younger boys, I don’t know if I would right now—not until we know something more definite."

Earl agreed that the boys would be kept in the dark until it was determined things would be okay. As far as him coming by to check in on Shannon, only the end of time could stop him from being with the love of his life.

The three left the complex. Earl had a new outlook on life—he was ready to live and savor every possible moment.

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Over the next couple of weeks, Mason and Tim spent every second they could with each other. Mason would be up in the morning with two cups of coffee ready to go out the front door when Tim would stop by to pick him up. You didn’t see one without the other, and the new gift from Ed and Zack was to arrive any day.

Ed and Zack had surprised the couple with a new home to replace the dated one that Tim had claimed as his for years. It was going to be relocated at the Museum complex because it was one of the last original cabins that started the Z1. It was very basic—Tim liked it, but things needed to change.