Terra ~ One Last Wish

by Amelia Grace

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  News spread of Katie’s miraculous return from the dead like wildfire. People from Katie’s past came to see her and wish her well. There was quite a commotion for quite some time. People stopped her in the street to greet her, and shook her hand. She even had a visit from the old train driver and conductor that she had known so well when she was young.

  Life in the little Province where Katie had grown up had changed remarkably in five years. Life was so busy now. People were always rushing here and there. Many of the boys she had known had jobs and had matured. The girls were busy concentrating on their looks so that they looked good for the boys. But Katie didn’t fit in with the girls here anymore. She had learnt in Une Autre Terre that beauty on the inside is far more important than beauty on the outside. It is what you do for others, not what you look like that counts.

  Every night before Katie went to bed she picked up the “egg” James had given her, and held it close to her heart. She knew she would love James forever. No other boy would make her feel the way he made her feel. He was so different to all of the boys here. He had an intelligence and a connection that could not be attained by the boys of the Earth.

  Katie thought long and hard about what she should do with her life. She wanted to be able to use her knowledge from the parallel world to help people here, but she was not sure which would be the best way to go about imparting her knowledge.

  Then one day, as her mama was driving her to town, Katie saw a young woman with a line of children behind her. When she spoke, the children looked up at her and listened attentively. That’s the moment she knew she would teach.

  Katie worked hard and finally achieved her goal of becoming a teacher. She taught with passion, caring, understanding and gentleness. She would observe the behaviour of the children, and thus instinctively knew what they needed. The children responded by achieving exceptional grades, and by showing compassion for others, which is what she wanted to teach them the most.

  Katie was satisfied with her life. Everything was falling into place, including her mama’s good health and vitality and Charlie’s happiness.

  But one day, as she looked out the window of the train, she saw an enormous “for sale” sign in the forest, right next to the portal boulder.

  ‘NO!’ Katie yelled. She sprinted from the train even though it had begun its departure. She leaped off the moving train and ran to the “FOR SALE” sign and banged on it.

  In a rushed, panicked state, she got out some paper and wrote down all of the details from the sign. Then she madly dashed off to the centre of town to find the Real Estate Office.

  The door was closed. It had shut for the day.

  Katie was about to turn and walk away when she saw someone inside. She banged loudly on the door. She had to buy that lot of land before anyone else did.

  But the person inside ignored her.

  In a desperate state, Katie continued to bang on the door, even more loudly.

  Tired of the noise, the salesman finally opened the door.

  ‘The land … near the railway station … I have to buy lot number 23,’ Katie said. She rushed her words, out of breath.

  ‘Lot 23? I’m pretty sure that one has already been sold Miss…’

  ‘Jones, Katie Jones. Oh…’ Katie’s expression changed to deep disappointment.

  The salesman did not miss her change of mood. ‘Of course, if you come in, I can look it up and check it for sure?’ he suggested.

  Katie followed him into the office. He proffered his hand to greet her properly. ‘Katie Jones, I’m Thomas Smith.’

  Katie took his hand and shook it. ‘You’re new here aren’t you, Thomas? I haven’t seen you around before,’ Katie commented.

  ‘Ah … yes,’ Thomas said, looking at Katie, liking what he saw.

  ‘Let’s see. Lot 23 … No, it hasn’t been sold. There was a lovely young couple looking at it and I thought they had bought it. But, according to the paperwork here, Lot 23 is still available,’ Thomas informed. His lips curled up.

  ‘I’ll take it, Thomas, whatever the price is. Please mark it as sold. I’ll get the money to you tomorrow,’ Katie said with eagerness.

  Thomas looked at Katie, surprised that she would be able to afford the land. He wanted to question her about it but thought the better of it. He prepared the contract, which Katie signed. Then they both stood and shook hands, sealing the sale.

  ‘Thank-you so much, Thomas, you have just made me a very happy woman,’ Katie stated, with a little jump of excitement.

  ‘It’s been my pleasure, Katie Jones. You have made me a very happy man,’ Thomas replied, bowing his head slightly to her. Thomas watched and admired Katie as she left the office, wondering if she had any suitors.

  Katie ran back to her land and happily danced around on it. The portal was in safe hands now and would not be destroyed.

  Thomas had closed up the office and was on his way home in his car when he spotted Katie dancing on the land. He smiled and stopped his car. ‘Katie, how will you get home? I noticed on the contract that you live some distance from here. The trains have stopped until tomorrow.’

  ‘Oh, Thomas, I was so thrilled at buying Lot 23 I didn’t even think about the time. Maybe my mama could drive here and pick me up?’

  ‘I could give you a lift, if you like. My place is not too far away from yours.’

  ‘Could you? That would be lovely. Thank-you, Thomas,’ Katie accepted, unable to stop smiling about her purchase.

  Katie’s mama was flabbergasted when she told her about her land purchase and asked to borrow some money. But, her mama knew that Katie was always a girl who knew what she wanted. She was never a girl without a plan. And, the money would be no problem. Katie would have to pay her back though, interest free.

  As time went by Thomas often stopped at Katie’s new house to watch it being built. He hoped that she would be there, too. And often she was, when she wasn’t teaching.

  Katie had been fanatic about where to build the house. The builders did not know of the portal, but Katie knew exactly where it was. She designed the house so that the portal would not be covered, and the boulder remained. Thomas did not understand the positioning of the house on the lot, he would have had the boulder removed. But it was not his house, so he never said anything.

  The day Katie moved into her new house was with mixed emotions. Sadness because she was moving away from her mama and Charlie, but happiness because she would always be near the portal, guarding it, protecting Une Autre Terre, and as close to James as she could ever be.

  As she prepared for bed that night, she held “the egg” as she always did. She looked into the opal colours, and a vivid memory was triggered from the parallel world. It was of the Magnificent Tree...

  Suddenly, Katie realised the “egg” was a seed from the Magnificent Tree. Why didn’t she see it before? She held it close to her face and cried.

  Her heart ached for James. But they could never be together again. It was impossible.

  Early the next day Katie skipped out of bed keen to plant the “egg”. She had planned exactly where it would go the night before. There was a perfect spot in the backyard. And it was there that the Magnificent Tree would lay its roots and grow.

  Thomas had been watching Katie for some time now, and thought that she was happy and settled in her life. He had been waiting for the perfect time to ask her out and was greatly relieved when she accepted. He had his eyes set on her for his wife.

  Full of hope, Thomas was intent on sweeping Katie off her feet. But, even though he tried, Katie seemed resistant to his romantic advances. But, Thomas was an exceptionally patient man, and was true and kind to Katie, hoping to win her affections. He loved her, he was absolutely certain of that. And he was willing to wait for her love. He knew many people who had started off as good friends, and then grew to love each other, deeply. He was sure Katie would come around and grow to love him. He would never give up.

&nb
sp; The year Katie turned twenty-three she stood at the front of her two storey house, feeling mostly pleased with how the house looked. The gardens of roses and camellias she had planted were beautiful, and the Magnificent Tree in the backyard was of an impressive size, although it had no leaves or fruit. Whenever she looked at it she was reminded of James; her James she had fallen deeply in love with in Une Autre Terre; her James that held the key to her heart.

  However, she sensed something was missing from her house. And for all of the thought she put into it, she couldn’t imagine what was possibly missing. Just at that moment, Katie’s mama turned up in her car, with a trailer.

  ‘Hi, Ma!’ Katie was always pleased to see her mama.

  ‘Hello, my beautiful girl. I was just going through the farm shed, cleaning out some unnecessary bits and pieces. I came across your gate. I was wondering whether you wanted it, or can I take it to the rubbish dump? I need to know now. I’ve got it in the trailer.’

  Katie turned and looked into the trailer. Then threw her arms around her mother. Katie’s Gate was exactly what was missing from the front of her house.

  The moment Charlie erected Katie’s Gate in the front yard Katie knew her house was fully complete. She could see herself living there alone until she gracefully grew old.

  She had toyed with the idea of marrying Thomas, should he ask for her hand, but she could never truly love him the way she loved James. Thomas was a good man and he deserved a woman who would love and adore him deeply.

  Summer.

  Autumn.

  Winter had come early. The weather had turned cold and bleak, and the snow fall was already higher than expected for that time of year. However, it was wonderfully pleasant spending time in front of the cosy fireplace during the cold nights.

  One evening, when Thomas and Katie were returning home from a progressive dinner, there was a strange aura in the night air. The wind became unusually strong and it became obvious that a snow blizzard was approaching.

  Thomas walked Katie to the front door in haste, and made sure she was safe inside before he returned to his car. He had to make it home quickly before he became snowed in.

  Thomas turned the ignition key. The engine made a slow whirring noise, but did not start. He tried it again—but, the car did not start. He had no choice but to stay at Katie’s house and try the car again in the morning.

  Quickly, he ran back to Katie’s house and knocked on the door.

  Katie got a surprise to see Thomas standing there, expecting he would have left for home.

  ‘My car won’t start, Katie. The blizzard is too close. It’s too cold to stay out here to fix the problem. Do you mind if I stay here tonight? I’ll sleep on the couch.’

  ‘Of course you can. Come in.’

  They went to the sitting room and sat close to the fireplace. It was a warm and safe haven compared to the snowstorm outside. Nobody would survive for long in a snow storm like that.

  Thomas and Katie sat for hours, chatting, laughing and drinking hot chocolate together. Thomas kept looking into Katie’s eyes, and then looking away. He loved her so deeply, and hoped she felt the same way about him. He was trying to pluck up the courage to ask Katie to marry him. He wanted her to be his. He wanted her in his life, forever. He wanted her to have his babies. He wanted to grow old with her. And, he wanted to kiss her—their lips had never touched.

  As Thomas slowly moved closer to Katie, he felt that it would be the right time and place to ask for her hand in marriage. It was romantic in front of the glowing fireplace, and it would be the perfect place to ask her to marry him, and the perfect place for him to kiss her for the very first time...

  ‘Katie, you know that I have been spending a lot of time with you, and that I love being with you. I was wondering if … you would like to be … aaaah—ah, Katie, will you mar—’

  There was a loud, urgent banging on the front door. It startled Katie and she got up at once to answer it. She did not even let Thomas finish what he was saying.

  Thomas looked down and smiled nervously to himself. Now he would have to wait for the right time again, and start all over again. Next time, he thought, he would not mumble and stumble over the words like he just did.

  Katie opened the door ready to help whoever was there. The person was shuffling from foot to foot, profoundly shivering in the cold.

  He, Katie ascertained, was not dressed for weather as bad as this. His head was down and he was looking at the floor and blowing onto his hands to try to warm them up.

  ‘Come in. You must come in out of the cold. You must be freezing!’ Katie exclaimed. She reached out and dragged him in, not knowing who he was.

  As soon as Katie touched him he lifted his head and his cerulean eyes met hers. She knew immediately it was James. She threw her arms around him and pulled him close. James wrapped his arms around Katie tightly, not wanting to let go.

  He had found her. He had taken a risk, and he had found her.

  Katie pushed James away just enough to look into his face. She thought she would never see him again. She was prepared to grow old and alone in this house.

  James stepped closer to Katie again and lowered his head so that his mouth was close to hers. Ever so gently he pressed his lips to hers and kissed her. Katie kissed him back, not understanding the wonderful feeling that was overtaking her body.

  At that moment, Thomas came to the front door to see who was there. He expected to see a person talking to Katie, not a person with his arms wrapped around her and kissing her with passion, like he wanted to do.

  When James saw Thomas from the corner of his eye, he pulled himself away from Katie. ‘I’m sorry, Katie. I didn’t know you had company. I’m sorry, sir,’ apologised James, looking at the well dressed Thomas.

  ‘For what?’ Thomas said with anger, ‘hugging—or kissing the woman who I love, who I want to marry?’

  Katie looked at Thomas. This man had been a good friend to her. But she could not reciprocate the feelings he felt for her. She was certain he understood that clearly. She didn’t realise the depth of his love for her. She felt reprehensible. But she could not change her intense feelings she felt for James. He was the one and only for her.

  ‘Well, this is an uncomfortable situation for all of us, isn’t it,’ Thomas said with rage in his voice. ‘Here is you, Katie, with not one, but two men who love you, stuck in the house together, unable to leave because of a blizzard!’

  ‘I’m sorry, Thomas. I thought I would never see James again,’ Katie tried to explain.

  ‘Hmph.’ Thomas turned his back on them and returned to the warmth of the fire.

  Katie and James turned to face each other again and looked into each other’s eyes. They spoke nothing, but felt everything.

  ‘James, you must get out of those cold, wet clothes. I’ll get some blankets for you to wrap around yourself. Then come down to the fire to warm up.’

  James looked over at Thomas, knowing he would not be welcome here.

  ‘This is my house, James. You belong here.’

  He kissed her softly on the lips again, so quietly that Thomas could not hear, and followed Katie upstairs to get out of his cold wet clothes. Katie left four blankets outside the door for him to wrap around himself, so he could join them down by the warm fire.

  Thomas sat away from Katie. He had been crushed by her love for another man.

  James sat away from Katie, because he did not want to make Thomas any angrier than he was.

  But, for the entire time, James sat with his cerulean eyes on Katie. He did not want to let her out of his sight. He had just found her again and he would never be parted from her, ever. Every fibre of his body wanted to reach out and touch her. But he couldn’t while Thomas was here, and it took every energy cell in his body to stop himself from reaching out and making contact with her.

  In contrast, Thomas sat, the whole time watching the fire. He did not want to make eye contact with anyone. He was a broken man.

 
; Thomas slept in front of the fireplace that night, while Katie went to her bedroom, and James to another. Upon waking in the morning, Katie found that Thomas had already gone, and had left a note on the table.

  My Dear Katie,

  I have loved you for a long time. I have waited for you for a long time. But now I realise that you must be with the one who you truly love.

  I wish you every happiness.

  Thomas x x x

  James had woken also, and watched as Katie read the note. He was reading her emotions, although she did not realise it. He walked closer to her. ‘Are you okay?’

  Katie looked into James’s cerulean eyes and replied, ‘I am now you are here.’

  She led James to the fireplace. It was still burning—Thomas had made sure of that. Katie stopped and turned to face James. She couldn’t believe he was here in her world. She couldn’t believe he had even been able to find her.

  Their bodies came closer together, pulled by an unstoppable force. In Une Autre Terre their love was forbidden, but not in her world. Nothing could keep them apart now.

  James looked deeply into Katie’s eyes and touched her arm. She was even more beautiful now that she was twenty-three. Her skin was soft and warm, and James wanted her closer to him.

  Katie was waiting for James to kiss her again. She wanted that more than anything. And then, slowly, he brought his face closer to hers, their lips barely touching.

  James pulled Katie against him and pressed his lips to her with intent and kissed her deeply. Katie responded, releasing the full depth of her desire on him.

  James’s blanket fell to the floor, his naked body now firmly against Katie’s. He gently removed Katie’s pyjamas, revealing her beautiful, unblemished body.

  That morning in front of the warm fire, Katie and James became one—their love had been sealed. And unbeknown to them, their powerful love for one another had created a new life.

  Katie and James were never apart that day. They were overwhelmed by their deep love, and their physical attraction could not be broken.

  After a few weeks, people started to become worried about Katie. They had not seen her and wondered if she was well. She started receiving phone calls from concerned friends.

  It was time for James to be introduced to her world. He would be overwhelmed by everything at first. But he would cope. The community would be reserved about him at first, because of his unusual eye colour, but then she knew they would become very fond of him.

  ‘Katie, Thomas said that he loved you and wanted to marry you. What did he mean by marry? I am not familiar with that term.’

  ‘It means that you want to spend the rest of your lives together. You go to a church, and the minister of the church pronounces you husband and wife, after you make some promises to each another. Your marriage vows cannot be broken. You are together until death do you part,’ Katie explained.

  James looked down and nodded his head as he considered her words. He looked back up into her eyes. ‘Will you marry me? I want to be with you for the rest of my life. I can’t ever be away from you, again.’

  Tears came to Katie’s eyes. ‘Yes, James, I will marry you. There’s nothing more than I want to do. I love you,’ she whispered.

  James’s lips found Katie’s and he kissed her with the depth of his being.

  ‘James … let’s get married soon, because … I’m having your baby!’ Katie whispered.

  James put his hands onto Katie’s shoulders and moved her away from him a little to look into her eyes. There, he could see she was with child, and nothing pleased him more.

  He pulled Katie back into his arms and held her, feeling his love for her and his baby pour out and around them, strong and life everlasting.

  I thought of Ben and disconnected from Gran’s memories. She was in a happy place and so was I. I reclined back on the sofa and smiled.

  Ben looked over at me and grinned. He came and sat next to me and placed his hand on my arm. He looked into my eyes before he looked away with a look of concern on his face. I wished I knew what he was thinking.

  He leaned forward and touched his lips to my forehead. ‘My mother called while you were connected and asked us over for dinner—six o’clock. I said yes. Are you okay with that?’

  ‘Definitely.’ I was keen to get there to ask some questions about Ben.

  ‘If we leave right now, we should get there by six,’ he said.

  In a blur I got organised to leave for Ben’s parents’ house. As we were about to walk out the front door, I reached for Ben and pulled him back to me and threw my arms around him. I was anxious about dinner with his parents and what our conversations would reveal ... in all honesty, I was scared.

  I stepped back from him and looked up into his cerulean eyes. He returned my gaze, connecting our hearts of passion and inhaled sharply. My lavender rose heart stood tall for its sun and infused my life-force with strong spicy clove and citrus blossom. His lips parted and he looked away from me. I reached up and touched the side of his face, yearning to kiss him deeply, but did not. He returned his eyes to mine and frowned, then ran his hands through his hair.

  ‘Will one day ever arrive?’ I whispered, ‘I love you.’

  ‘Not soon enough … I love you.’ His voice was raw. He reached for my hand and led me to the car.

  Our journey to dinner was silent.