The Dream Jumper's Promise

by Kim Hornsby

  He’d never meant to leave her. Not now, not then. Without summoning it, closure engulfed her. Hank didn’t want to leave her. He’d loved her. What would Jamey say when she told him that she’d heard Hank?

  All these months with his spirit in the house, inside their bedroom, Hank had finally been able to communicate—to say he loved her. She stared at the TV, realizing that it hadn’t been switched on in months.

  After checking her computer, she found that according to paranormal experts, communication was possible through the TV. She could hardly wait to tell Jamey. Outside, the channel looked calm enough for her to hope that Jamey was making good time on the boat. He’d call when he got back into cell range. Off the coast of Molokai, hours before, she’d said, “Just make sure they treat his body with respect.” She’d cringed to say ‘his body,’ and Jamey had hugged her.

  “I’ll stay with him until the helicopter takes off.”

  But, Hank’s spirit had been in the house when Tina arrived home. Noble’s too. Both had waited to say goodbye.

  ***

  The taxi turned onto Tina’s street, and a flash appeared in Jamey’s mind--a vision of Tina standing in front of Noble, the two facing each other silently. Then the scene was gone. Jamey tried to concentrate but couldn’t get anything except for a steely look on Tina’s face. The yellow cab navigated the long driveway to the house. Noble’s truck was parked in its usual spot. The house was dark. It was well after eight. He handed a bill to the driver and raced up the front stairs, fully prepared to confront Noble.

  Obi barked once from the deck and he looked ahead.

  Tina stood at the railing, looking guilty. “Don’t be mad I came home instead of staying on Molokai.”

  Was she kidding? He dashed up the last few stairs to her. “Are you okay, baby?” He pulled her into his chest and encircled her with his arms.

  “I have so much to tell you,” she said. “I was sitting here thinking about how to tell you how much I love you.”

  He kissed the top of her head. “You just did.” He let out a long sigh and drew back to search her face. “You know I love you too, right? My goofy obsession with you has probably been obvious since the day we met.”

  She raised up on her tiptoes and kissed him, long and deep. Jamey didn’t want this to end, but when she pulled back, he had to ask. “Hank?”

  “He’s gone.” She took his hand and pressed it to her cheek. “Noble too.” She locked eyes with him. “But, I heard Hank speak in the TV. Is that possible?”

  Wow. “The experts say so. It’s called Electronic Voice Phenomena.” Jamey nodded. “What did he say?”

  “That he loved me. And I told him I forgave him.” She gestured to the bedroom.

  “The sedative in your drink?”

  “My mother’s way to make me compliant. My father didn’t know any of it.”

  This was the first time he felt nothing from the spirit who’d lingered in the bedroom. No sense from Noble, either. “I don’t feel them.”

  “Noble disappeared in front of me when I forgave him.”

  Jamey shook his head slowly. “That must’ve been what he needed.” He took her face in his hands and kissed her. “You are an amazing person, Tina. All you’ve been through, and you can still find it in your heart to forgive.”

  “I’m not sure about my mother.”

  “Wait ‘til the smoke clears.” Guilt stabbed at him. He’d been the one to alert her parents to Hank’s motive for marrying Tina. Would he ever tell Tina that he’d sent her parents the letter about Hank’s integrity, reveal how he’d broken his promise to never interfere with precognitive dreams? And admit that he might’ve jinxed her marriage? Not tonight, he wouldn’t.

  For the past twenty-four hours he’d wondered if Hank’s death could’ve been avoided if Elizabeth Greene had never gotten involved. Maybe Hank would’ve stayed with Tina, lived happily ever after. But then, what about the skeleton in the dream he had ten years earlier? Was Hank destined to die young? Had everything been predestined, even his letter to her parents? He’d think about that another day. Right now, Tina had a look on her face that made his heart stop.

  “Tell me you’re not going to leave me next week,” she said, “or next month. Please don’t go back to Afghanistan, Jamey. I can’t do this without you.”

  “I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me.” He wanted this to be the truth. Did that count? “If I start jumping on my own, I’m still done with Afghanistan, done with the army.” He looked deep into her big brown eyes. Even if he didn’t desperately want a future with Tina, which he did, jumping with soldiers was probably a death sentence for him. “I plan to stick around Maui, see if I can get a job with a dive shop or something.” He grinned at her and said what he’d wanted to say ten years earlier. “I love you, Tina. With everything I have. I love you so much, it hurts. Do you think you can ever love me that much?”

  “Just watch me.” They kissed and walked into the bedroom. Tina turned off the TV. When she turned to face him she looked different. Peaceful. Almost radiant.

  His gaze raked her from head to toe. “You look so pretty. It’s a shame to take off that dress, but I’m thinking it’s got to go.” He deftly undid the shoulder strap bows and the dress fell to the floor.

  “And you’re overdressed for this occasion, Mr. Dunn.” Tina pulled off his T-shirt and with her thumb hooked in his shorts, pulled him down to the soft bed.

  ***

  In the dream, Jamey saw another version of himself walking on Fleming Beach, the sun dropping towards the horizon to leave a lavender pink sky it its wake. He sank to the sand and watched. The other Jamey held Tina’s hand as Obi ran circles around them, flirting with the surf, running back to the dry sand. A small child rode on his shoulders, a hand buried in Jamey’s hair. When a turtle’s head popped through the water’s surface, Obi ran into the ocean to investigate.

  “Obi Wan Kenobi,” Tina shouted. “Get back here, you old turtle hunter.” Tina’s hair was longer, halfway down her back.

  The toddler tapped on Jamey’s head in glee. “Obi, Obi.”

  Tina turned and walked backwards, smiling at the little boy.

  “You love Obi, don’t you, Kai?” “Mama!” The boy reached for her and she lifted him off Jamey’s shoulders to set him on the sand.

  The child was the spitting image of Jamey. He even had the slightly lopsided smile. The two watched their boy carefully navigate the uneven terrain, his arms flung out from his sides for balance. He squatted to pick up a stick, and then continued. “Da Da.” It was a present for his father.

  “Thank you, Kai,” Jamey said, the collection of sticks in his hand growing.

  Tina took Jamey’s hand and she twirled under his arm, into his hug. “My father would’ve loved Kai. I wish he’d lived to meet him.”

  “Me too.”

  “Lucky for Mother, I finally understand how fiercely a mother will fight for her child’s wellbeing. Without that, forgiving her would’ve been difficult. I can’t imagine what she went through when Kristoffer died.” Obi dug for something in the wet sand at the edge of the surf. “What if Kai is a jumper? What’ll we do, Jamey?”

  “He’ll use it for the greater good, like us.” Jamey stopped and looked into her eyes. “No war.”

  “Maybe he’ll help you look for missing kids.” They watched Kai follow Obi along the sandy shore. “Do you miss it?” she asked.

  “Jumping? Not when you bring me along.” Jamey ran to catch the boy, playfully sweeping him into his arms, and then set the child on his shoulders.

  When Tina caught up, she linked her arm in his. “I love helping you find kids, even if it means putting them to rest.”

  “You use your gift well.”

  “You do too. And as the guts of our dive business now. You know I love your guts, James.” He laughed, and as they moved in to kiss, Kai grabbed a fistful of both parents’ hair and yanked hard.

  Jamey woke in the darkness of Tina’s bedroom, timb
ered ceiling above him, the fan spinning. Tina lay beside him, and he was thankful that part hadn’t been a dream.

  He listened to her even breathing and thought about the fuzzy edges and muted colors in the dream. He’d had a sense that he and Tina had come through difficult times. Their lead up to this walk on the beach hadn’t all been hearts and roses. The feeling that their lives would be threatened in the days ahead, hung over the dream like a storm cloud caught in the mountains. But, it looked like they came through it. He hoped he could count on this premonition being accurate.

  The future could be changed, and no one knew that better than him right now.

  The End

  Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed my first published novel. If you have a minute, would you be so generous and leave a review, no matter how brief? Just a few words and stars are muchly appreciated by this author, trying to get her foot in the door.

  Kim

  This story continues…

  The Dream Jumper’s Secret, Book 2 on Amazon.

  http://amzn.com/B00JTMDO7G

  The Dream Jumper’s Pursuit, Book 3 on Amazon

  http://amzn.com/B00VKPXB14

  Visit Kim’s web site for more books and news: www.kimhornsbyauthor.net

  Acknowledgements

  This novel was born from years of leaning on friends, using people, and ignoring others. Hi Honey!

  A big shout out goes to my critique partners, and my girlfriends who listened to me plot and unplot (ad nauseum) and kept the enthusiasm up for years.

  A special thank you goes to Lynn Scully who lives in Tina’s house on Maui and let me write on her deck, Kate Folkers, who was the first to read the book and offered brilliant advice, Cherry Adair and Carol Cassella who gave their time and expertise, the Maui Police Force and a park service worker on Molokai who answered my many questions. To two authors—Alicia Dean, who knows what she did, and Pat White who pointed my pen in the right direction years ago.

  To my early readers, Eliza Tector, Lauriann Garland, Tricia Hamann, Kendal Prendergast, Lynn Scully, Susan Hornsby, Suzi Smith, Kristi James, Susan Smart and Ila Hornsby. Thank you for your support. It’s only encouraged me, you know. Sheesh, I hope I didn’t forget anyone. I’m sure I did.

  To everyone at Top Ten Press who helped launch this project and believed in this story. And to Cajun Flair Publishing’s Lori Leger, who helps whenever I send smoke signals.

  Mahalo Maui, for being my rock and giving me these memories.

  To anyone who paid money to read this novel I appreciate your support (or curiosity). You have no idea...

  Lastly, to my family, Roland, Jack and Ila who live in a messy, disorganized house on a daily basis and never tell me to stop writing. I love that you let me chase this dream.

  RECIPE

  Teriyaki Chicken with Mango/Pineapple Chutney

  Chicken

  1 (3 pound) whole chicken, cut in half

  3/4 cup granulated sugar

  3/4 cup soy sauce

  1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

  2 cloves garlic, minced

  Directions

  Rinse chicken halves, and pat dry with paper towels. Place chicken cut side down in a 9x13 inch baking dish.

  In a medium mixing bowl, combine sugar, soy sauce, grated ginger and garlic. Mix well, and pour mixture over chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

  Bake chicken uncovered in the preheated oven for 1 hour, basting frequently. Test for doneness, making sure there is no pink left in the meat. Let cool slightly, then cut into smaller pieces to serve.

  Mango/Pineapple Chutney

  2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  1 large sweet onion, minced

  4 inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and minced

  1 large yellow bell pepper, diced

  3 large ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted, and diced

  1 small pineapple, peeled and diced

  1/2 cup brown sugar

  ½ cup apple cider vinegar

  ½ tsp curry (optional)

  Directions

  Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the minced onion. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally until the onions have softened, about 20 minutes. Remove the lid, increase the heat to medium, and stir in the ginger and yellow bell pepper. Cook and stir until the ginger is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the mangoes, pineapple, brown sugar, and vinegar. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool the chutney completely when done and store in airtight containers in the refrigerator.

  Reading Group Guide

  1. The Dream Jumper’s Promise was classified by the author as Commercial Women’s Fiction. In romance, the love story is paramount, in women’s fiction the protagonist’s journey is the focus of the story. This book has elements of romance, paranormal and suspense. Discuss how you would classify the book if you were asked to put it into only one category and how much of each element is part of this novel.

  2. The story takes place at the worst point in Tina’s life. Did you sympathize with her struggle and appreciate how difficult it was for her to move on when Hank’s body was unrecovered and forces lived within her house to keep him alive?

  3. Tina and Hank had their ups and downs as a married couple.

  Discuss how her life might have played out if Hank hadn’t left to surf that morning.

  4. Did you find Noble a sympathetic character in this story? Did your feelings unfold and change for him as more information came to light? Were you correct in how you perceived him originally?

  Why do you think Tina could see him and not Hank?

  5. Was Jamey destined to be with Tina or did his actions alter the future to get what he wanted? How ethical do you feel Jamey is and did this change how you feel about Tina loving him?

  6. Did Tina’s mother ultimately cause Hank’s accident? Did you sympathize with her, as a mother who lost one child and desperately needed to keep the other safe?

  7. Do you think the military employs psychics like some police forces do to aid in investigations? If so, what do you think a psychic would be able to offer the military in the field?

  8. The author is fond of metaphors. When Tina says “everything is a god-damned metaphor for my life” the turtle is surfacing for a breath. List some other metaphors used in the book to depict with Tina’s situation.

  9. Did you think that Hank might be alive? If so, at what point did you give up on this theory? What was your early idea of what actually happened the day he supposedly went surfing?

  10. Did Jamey plan to see Tina the day he walked in to the dive shop and she fainted? If so, was he there selfishly or was his motivation to help her? If he’d regained his ability to jump dreams in the end, do you think he would’ve returned to Afghanistan?