2410 Christmas- Ari had been dead a year now. Rowena and her daughter had done their grieving and were starting to move on,becoming closer. Christina would be 14 in April, and Rowena, 48 this Jan. 3, 2341; just days away. Rowena had leaned on Brian and her parents so heavily when it first happened. Slowly she and Christina began to climb out of the sorrow. The police caught the person responsible, which made moving on easier. Row sold the house they had bought here and they moved back to France. The Winery,had to be run. They had decided to spend this Christmas alone together. Christina was rapidly turning into a lovely young woman, though Row felt, beyond her years.

2412 April 8 Christina was 15 and considered herself an adult. Her birthday party would be wonderful, she hoped. Her family had always been health conscious. The only vice she had was the wine they had with meals , if you could call that a vice. She was done with schooling. Her parents had been excellent teachers. Her degrees and awards were numerous and as a linguist she was superb. She had the experience to go with her degrees but lacked a true passion for any one thing. She did however keep looking for that passion. She wanted to know things and stayed current. She did love poetry -not all of it-, and music . The listening and the playing of it. Her music teachers urged her to pick one instrument and put her heart into it. She couldn't . The feel, complexities of each fascinated her . Her teacher was dismayed. Like her mother she wanted to find that one occupation that would allow her to use all her knowledge. She hadn't found it YET.
She followed the development of others -a few. If she knew them her interest increased. She knew Aiden Cash. Had gone to school with him for a time. He , was interesting to her. His books had focus , a narrow focus , but focus all the same. His obsession was armaments, defensive systems and the like.
He stayed current, vigilant. Always searching for any obscure bit of information that might make the difference between success or failure. She guessed he didn't have many friends, couldn't , wouldn't / it would endanger them. Aiden Cash was a dangerous and powerful man,she considered him to be a man, to know. She loved his heart and humor. That was what she found in his poetry. He didn't write it any more. She missed it, good thing she had bought half a dozed of them. They were out of print now.
Her mind switched gears and her mom . She was worried about her . She had become absent minded , sluggish. Christina felt her mom should have a man in her life. Row saw the look on her daughter's face and knew what she was thinking and said to her- Sweetheart if I find someone I love, I will get married again, laughter crept into my voice if Brian were to ask me. Christina playfully tossed a cork she had been holding, at my head. I took Christina in my arms don't worry about me sweetie, I said I am fine. Good, she said, than we can talk about my birthday party!