Astral stood at the doorway with her arm wrapped around her great-great-granddaughter’s shoulder, watching her visitors climb into their vehicles.
“You heard?” Astral questioned.
“Yes, Nan.” Julia told her.
“You have the address?”
“Yes, Nan.”
“Commit it to memory,” she ordered Julia.
“But Nan ...”
“My dear Julia,” she tipped Julia’s chin up, wiping away the tears that gathered in the corners. “No tears, my darling child. I do love you, and your sisters very much, but you have to follow through with the promise you made me, when the time comes. Promise me.”
“I promise, Nan,” Julia told her.
“Good, good, now where are your sisters?” Astral asked. Julia wrapped her arms around Astral’s waist, holding onto the only family besides her younger sisters that she had left in the world.
“I love you, Nan.”
“I love you too, honey. Now come on, let’s go find your sisters.”