Robert says to Joanna, “Sweetheart, I’m not a hundred percent certain this is the right thing to do.”
Struggling with her own thoughts and feelings, she looks down and says, “Robert, I can’t say that I know for sure whether it is or isn’t. And I see your point, it’s your team, your project you put together,” looking up to him she continues, “but I trust God, and I believe that somehow this will all work out.” She takes a deep breath, “So if you go, I’m sure the meeting will go well, and you’ll be home tomorrow afternoon. If you stay tonight, you’ll go in the morning, the meeting will still go well, and you’ll be home tomorrow evening.”
Robert is touched by her confidence, and her faith, and he gives her a big hug, then lifts her chin and places a very gentle kiss on her lips. She is just such a wonderful wife for him. He holds her firm, and looking deep into her eyes says, “I love you.” The sincerity and intensity of it takes Joanna breath away, and she begins to blink away approaching tears. He continues, “Thank you! Okay? Thank you.” And he means it, and she knows he means it. And just before tears overtake her, he says, “I’ll talk to you before I go to sleep. Okay?” Catching her breath she lightens the moment saying, “Okay, try to make it before midnight.” They both smile, and with that, he puts on his coat and walks out into the snowy night.
When he gets to his car, he puts his briefcase and garment bag in the trunk, and gets in and starts it so it can begin warming up. Moving over to the passenger seat to wait for Agent Levy, he looks out the side window and sees Joanna looking out at him. Something about her standing there, with the snow falling, seems especially melancholic, like he’s never going to see her again, and his feelings of guilt come creeping back again. He thinks, “Maybe I should just get up and go back into the house.”
Joanna feels a similar intense feeling of emotion that she cannot explain. She knows that it is within her power to stop him, and begins to feel that she should. But there’s just no reason to, other than this sense that something isn’t right, but it was about to get worse. Just as the two men pull away from the curb, Joanna closes the curtain and turns around to see Joseph staring at her, transfixed!
Something about seeing her and his dad kiss, the way they kissed, and where they were standing, what she said about calling before midnight, all falls into place and jogs Joseph’s memory. It all seems to have happened before.
“What is it Joey?” she asks, alarmed.
He opens his mouth to speak, but in a trance-like state, nothing comes out. He turns slowly around to look at the TV.
Turning back he says, “The president is going to announce that the first lady is pregnant.”
“What?” says Joanna.
Within earshot, Hinton rises from his seat, and Joseph says again, “I think I’m remembering that the president announces that he and the first lady are about to have their first child! A boy!”
Hinton inquires, “What, now? On national TV?”
Joseph, “I– I’m not sure, but I think so.”
Annoyed, Hinton says, “So the prophecy says—your prophecy—says he’s gonna die, but your bout of déjà vu is telling you that he’s only going to announce his wife is pregnant? What? Does he die after that?” Hinton’s slight agitation gains the attention of the others.
Joseph, feeling very much on the spot, says, “I seem to remember everything better now, when I saw my mom and dad kiss. I’m sorry I don’t remember him getting ill or anything like that, from the prophecy. You know, I don’t remember any of the prophecy, anyways.” He then walks through everything as he saw it, “But tonight, Mom kisses Dad; he says he’ll talk to her before midnight; he leaves. You and I talk like I’m doing right now; and then, he—the president—announces something. We’re all watching; there’s a phone call– No, a call on the walkie-talkie; then everybody runs off to do something.” Joseph walks towards the door, then turns and says, “Jimbo argues with Miss Coles, then she yells something; then somebody grabs me and, then–” He stops and looks at his mom.
“What else Joey?” anxiously asks Joanna, with everyone hanging on his next words!
But before he says anything, and just as Lauren walks in to finally say goodbye, there comes a sudden announcement on the TV:
“We interrupt this program for a special live announcement coming from the White House.”
They all turn in unison towards the TV to give it their complete, albeit confused and disturbed, attention!
“Oh, my God, it’s the president!” says Mary.
With nerves on edge, they all quietly move towards the TV. The tension is palatable, and they glance at one another hardly knowing what to think as they gather around the set. Partially they hope and wait for a pregnancy announcement, partially they fear for something considerably less pleasant. The president comes on. He looks no different; nothing in his appearance gives any indication of what will happen. He gives the standard greeting, and proceeds to talk and talk, important things to be sure, but he doesn’t say anything about a new child. The speech instead appears to be about a new situation that has arisen in the Middle East. But if there is no pregnancy, only one other prophesized outcome remains.
Lauren sneaks in the question, “What happened?”
James, “Joey remembered some things and–”
Hinton, “They’re happening right now.” He motions towards the TV and says, “Including; if the president announces a family pregnancy.”
“Pregnancy?” asks, Lauren, “Who? On National TV?”
Hinton nods then says, “Or, he could just keel over!”
Lauren, “Oh, God!”
And so, they continue watching, without so much as a blink or a momentary glance away from the screen. The suspense of it just gets heavier and heavier and is nearly unbearable. Every pause and new sentence, seeming to start with words that could lead to the announcement they’re expecting; every body motion and gesture, seeming to indicate a sudden pain or discomfort.
Finally Mrs. Phelps says, “This is patently morbid. I can’t watch anymore.”
But forgoing politeness, almost no one even acknowledges that she spoke. Only Mary looks her in the eyes to see if she’d like to get up to leave. She does not; as much as she might want to, she cannot tear herself away, and so they all keep watching. All of a sudden the president takes a peculiar pause; his brow frowns a bit, and his hand rises up a little from the desk! It seems like he can’t get his breath. But he then breathes and starts another sentence, and everyone in the room breathes with him!
Now Joanna says, “She’s right, this is—this is a little sick!”
Agent Reese adds, “I’ve sworn my life to protect this man; now I’m obsessed with seeing him die on national TV.” The wave of guilt sweeps around the entire room, lowering most of their heads with embarrassment.
But Hinton says, defiantly, “Oh, for crying out loud! Does knowing something bad is about to happen—might happen—make it wrong to witness it? Huh? So, I’m guessing none of you have ever seen the footage of Oswald being shot!” He glares about the room, looking for someone to challenge him. “T’huh! I thought so. I’m gonna see this thing through! You can go and hide and come ask me what happened if you want, but I’m here, and shy of a swarm of locusts, I’m gonna stay here.”
At about 10 minutes in, there’s still no sign that the president is going to announce a new addition, and even less that he’s about to take ill. And, though no one says anything, they do begin to doubt Joseph’s capabilities. But not Lauren, and certainly, not Joanna.
Lauren, due to her staunch belief in Joseph’s gifts, or maybe it’s her care for the Markets as a whole, but she still believes Joseph’s right. She broadcasts that confidence by saying, “Well, I’d love to wait around for what ever is going to happen, but I have orders. I’m sure you all will inform me.”
Joanna, of course, will never doubt Joseph and shows her own unwavering support, “Whatever it is, it doesn’t appear to be going exactly as Joey saw it, so perhaps we
’ll have to depend on our friends in the government to keep us in the loop.”
Lauren smiles and nods at her, then tells the agents goodbye, starting with Levy, then Reese and finally Hinton.
Still keeping an eye on the TV, he reaches out to shake her hand, but Lauren surprises him with a hug saying, “Agent Hinton, working with you has been one of the most important points in my career, I hope we’ll stay in touch.”
Her statement catches him off guard, and as the news bulleting winds to a close, he turns towards her showing the disappointment that everyone else seems to be feeling. But Lauren shakes her head and gives him a look that says, don’t make too much of it, and with a slight nod he agrees. Giving her his full attention, he then reacts to what she said.
“Your career? You’ve got a lot more career to go Barbie, and it’ll be a good one. And we’ll be in touch to wind up this Rod Serling movie of a case, right? Besides, you still owe me those two sawbucks, so I won’t let you too far out of my reach!”
“Owe you. Owe you for what?”
Hinton turns his head towards Joseph and says, “Joey, what was the name of the little green bug in Pinocchio?”
But Joseph, who is still somewhat in a daze from what just didn’t happen, misses the question and replies, “What?”
“Pinocchio’s little helper, what was his name?”
Joseph and Joanna both say, “Jiminy Cricket?”
At which Hinton simply turns back, smiles at Lauren, and says “See ya ’round.”
Lauren smiles a big smile and says, “Goodbye, sir.”
• • •
Time, which seemed to creep while the president was on TV, suddenly seems to be flying with everyone about to leave, leaving, or having left. Agent Pratt, who has been hanging in town as a favor to Lauren, is now heading for New York City. Levy and Robert, who’d been eager to get to the city, are also on their way and should actually be no more than a minute or two behind Pratt on the same stretch of highway. Lauren has also stuck around as long as she could, and is now heading out the door to meet her boss at a nearby airfield. Mary and Mrs. Phelps are already with coats on and heading for the front door; and Agent Reese, who is now in charge of the operation, begins making preparation for the rest of the team to shut down and leave within the hour. Reese considers Pratt as an extension of his team, and, though he is already heading out of town, Reese contacts him on the radio to update him on Levy and Robert’s early departure and asks him to escort them into the City. Pratt agrees and pulls to the side to allow them to catch up.
Mrs. Phelps and Mary meet Lauren and Joanna at the door where they are just saying their goodbyes. Joanna breaks off the conversation to acknowledge her neighbor, “Are you headed home then, Mrs. P?”
She replies, “Joanna, your home has too much excitement for me! I’ve got to go home and take it easy for a while.” They are amused by her comment as she turns to Lauren and says, “And God bless you, young lady, it was nice meeting you, and I hope your career goes well—as I’m sure it will; nobody’s that pretty, and smart for no reason.”
“Thank you,” says Lauren modestly, and she and Joanna look on as Mary and Mrs. Phelps carefully make their way across the snow-covered street.
“She’s quite a remarkable woman,” says Joanna, to which Lauren nods her head in agreement.
Feeling the finality of walking out the door, she gets serious and says to Joanna, “Mrs. Market, Joanna, I can’t explain this, but I feel such a strong connection to your family! I swear I want to pack you all up and move you to my apartment building!”
“I know how you feel,” says Joanna, “I can’t explain it either but to say, God knows who we need in our lives, and if we’re sensitive to his leadings, then he can make our lives very fulfilling. That’s how I would describe my time with you dear spiritual daughter, very fulfilling.”
“Spiritual daughter. I like the sound of that. And I agree, fulfilling is the perfect word for it.” She thinks a moment, then adds, “And I will really try to be, like you said, sensitive to God’s leadings,” motioning towards James she continues, “someone tried to explain that to me on the way up here, but I couldn’t–”
“I understand.” Interjects Joanna. She looks over at her son and says, “Poor thing, he obviously cares for you very much. Look, he doesn’t even dare step outside for fear of arguing with you as Joey said, yet he has scarcely left the front room where he can see your every move.”
Lauren’s heart is touched, and she says, “Well, then I better go over to him. Bye Joanna.”
“Bye dear.” They hug goodbye.
As before, James senses that the two ladies are talking about him and looks in their direction just as Lauren heads in his. She’s walking very deliberately towards him, looking him right in his eyes the whole time. James, who is very tense, looks right back at her, not willing to break his gaze. When she’s within a couple of feet he musters up the strength to say something, but it jams in his throat. Lauren smiles a kind of nervous smile, full aware that he must be feeling even more wound up inside than she does. Finally he lets stumble out, “I know you’ve– You’re running late and there’s no time to– I could … it’s just. I–”
Lauren rescues his flailing attempt at goodbye, “I know. I know. Don’t worry.” Lowering her voice to a whisper adds, “We’ve got a date anyways, right? We’ll say it all, then.”
James relaxes and with a large sigh gives her big goodbye hug whispering, “That’s gonna seem like forever.”
They separate, and with no time for anything more, she looks at James one last time, and then makes a dash for the door.
But before she can cross the threshold, Joseph calls out, “Take care of yourself, Lauren!”
She stops in her tracks, and while still looking towards the door says, “Joey, don’t I get a hug?”
The young teen runs over and delivers a great hug, during which Lauren says to him, “I still believe you,” and then dashes out the door. Joseph waits ’til she gets to her car before he begins to close the door, but Hinton doesn’t care for Joseph in an open doorway, and moves to get him.
Lauren, now at least 10 minutes late for meeting her boss’s flight, is just sitting in the car when there’s a radio call from Pratt saying, “Agent Levy, this is Agent Pratt, what’s your twenty?” About 30 seconds later he says, “Agent Reese, this is Agent Pratt, I’ve still got no sign of Mr. Market and Agent Levy. Are they on radio?”
Hinton answers his radio quickly, hoping that Lauren’s wasn’t on, and that she might leave in peace. Opening the door the door slightly as he answers the transmission, he sees Lauren stand back up, getting out of her car. She looks right at him through crack in the door. Hinton says to Pratt on the radio, “Levy does have a radio, but maybe you missed him and he’s out of range now.”
From outside Lauren joins the conversation over the walkie, “This is Agent Coles, let’s call his cell phone number. Agent Reese?” Reese is already dialing it as she speaks. Lauren comes back through the front door, and to everyone’s utter surprise and shock, they all hear Levy’s phone ring from within the house!
“Hello?” Answers an oblivious and confused Agent Levy, as he comes walking in from the kitchen!
“What are you calling me for?”
The agents, stunned and concerned, fall on him at once with a barrage of questions, “Where’d you come from?” “What happened?” “Where’s Mr. Market?”
Levy, quite agitated and confused says, “Hey! Hey! What’s with you guys? I went to get a smoke! I lit the cigarette off the kitchen stove, and walked out back to smoke it. All right? I started to walk around outside the house, but I remembered I left my bag in here. What’s the big deal? If Market’s outside waiting, he’s only been alone a minute; we’ll go now, all right! Gosh! Don’t get your collective panties in a bunch!”
Another barrage of questions; “What do you mean if he’s outside?” “You mean you never left?”
“Agent Levy,” says Lauren thro
ugh the clamor. “Agent Levy,” and as the others quite down, “how long were you out back, sir?”
“Like I said, one cigarette; three, four minutes.”
Lauren, “What time do you have, sir?”
He looks at his watch, “It’s—whoa! What happened to the time?” Rubbing his forehead in confusion he says, “That doesn’t make sense. I’d only been out there about four or five minutes, six tops! What’s going on?”
But they are at a loss to explain. They all saw Levy get in the car with Robert and leave! Hinton actually rushes over and looks out the front window to verify that the car is gone. And there is a brief moment, a second at most, where everything just seems to stop. Hinton looks back at Joseph, who from his favorite chair, just looks at him as well. It’s fruitless to try and understand, but Pratt’s radio call had to have been the one that Joseph foretold, and everything else seems to be going just as he had seen it!
Reese jumps into action, “Agent Hinton, check to see if he’s been drugged or anything. Uh, Lauren, contact Pratt and tell him we’ve lost Mr. Market and to contact the locals to setup a perimeter.”
Lauren winces at the statement we’ve lost Mr. Market and tries to use her eyes to tell Reese to be more sensitive with his phrasing.
Reese, “What? Oh. I’m sorry Mrs. Market, I don’t mean to be harsh. I just gotta get this done the best I know how.”
Joanna, in a state of shock says, “Uh. I– It’s okay. Um, what do we do? Should we call him?”
Reese says, “Great idea! Call his cell. What’s his number?”
The Journal: A Prophecy, A President & Death Page 42