“This is my neighbor Dr. Peterson. He’s doing his residency at one of the local hospitals. He took a look at you when you fainted right before we left to meet my parent’s for the first time. I called him after you passed out. You’ve been out for over an hour now. I was worried.”
Dr. Peterson spoke, “It’s a pleasure to meet you again, Jordan. Since we’re neighbors, just call me Davis.” He grabbed a pen light and asked me to look at the far wall as he shined it in each eye. “How are you feeling?”
I had to think about the question for a moment, before answering. “I feel a bit dizzy and very tired.”
“Gregory filled me in on your accident and all the events going on in your life right now. I think you are maybe a little overwrought and need to take a break from things and rest for a little while.” He insisted.
I was about to object when he added, “I mean it. I’m going to write up a script that you can give to your workplace. I think you need to take a week off. You might be pushing your system too soon by returning to work so soon after your accident and now it’s catching up with you. If you don’t watch it, you could end up back in the hospital.”
He wrote some formal statement on a script pad and handed it to Gregory, before collecting his things. “I’ll call Gregory in a few days to see how you’re doing. If you need me in the meantime, Gregory has my number.”
“Thank you, Davis. It was a pleasure meeting you, again, though I wish it had been under better circumstances.” I tried smiling as I lay back on the bed.
“I’m just going to see Davis out and I’ll be right back.” Gregory smiled as he walked out.
When he returned, he crawled up in bed next to me, putting his arms around me and pulling me close into his side. “I’ve been thinking about what both your mom and Davis said. I think we have enough information to make a trip to Philadelphia, soon; but first, you need some rest. I’m going to talk to my family and see if I can get some time off; or at least work from home. And I’m going to talk with Caroline and give her the note Davis wrote. Our lives have been so hectic lately; we need to take some time to ourselves.”
I was about to argue when he added, “Remember what one of Ray’s notes said? He told you to rest and take care of yourself because you would need your strength to handle what we would be dealing with.”
He was right. I couldn’t complain. Everyone had told me to take it easy, not to push myself, and that I needed to regain my full strength. Yet, here I was, still tiring too easily, weak with exhaustion and unable to handle even the slightest task. “Fine,” I conceded. “What do you have in mind?”
Gregory was true to his word. He spoke with Caroline and his father and managed to get us some time off. Although, he did have to promise his dad he would complete a project that he was working on for his grandfather, even if remotely.
He wouldn’t tell me where we were going and insisted on packing my bag for me. We took my new mini-SUV and went out to mom’s house to gather some additional clothing and spend a little time with my aunt and uncle. No matter how much they pressed, Gregory wouldn’t even hint as to where we were going-- only that it was somewhere that I could rest and we could just relax and not be bothered with work or wedding details.
After a few hours, he indicated it was time to go. To my surprise, we ended up at a beautiful condominium complex over in Daytona Beach Shores. The outside was painted in Tuscan hues and the lobby was decked out in Italian designs. Beyond the lobby, was a re-creation of a small town piazza—complete with a fountain, wrought iron bistro tables and quaint Italian music playing in the garden area.
I was surprised when the elevator stopped on the top floor and exited to find only a couple of doors available to open. He pulled out his room key and explained. “This complex was designed with two penthouses. My parents have one, and my grandfather has the other. This way, each family can have some privacy but, at the same time, gather all the family together into one place for beach excursions.”
Wow. I didn’t expect them to own the entire top floor. The view inside was just as stunning as the exterior. The theme of Tuscany was continued on into the interior. Similar to the Worthington home, the Penthouse was nicely decorated, but felt comfortable and lived in. I guess that’s what I liked most about Gregory’s family; no matter how much money they had, they didn’t flaunt it. They were just grateful to be among friends, family and enjoy life.
Gregory sat our bags down and pulled me outside onto the balcony, to admire the view. I was skeptical that a trip, only thirty miles from my mom’s house, would allow me to relax, but watching to the waves crash against the shore and breathing in the salt air, made my body unwind and brought immediate serenity.
His arms circled around my waist as I stared out onto the Atlantic. I leaned back into his chest, feeling relaxed for the first time in weeks, maybe even months. My hands covered his and held him close, as his nose and lips moved up and down my neck. “I take it that you like my idea?” He asked.
“Uh-huh.” I was at a loss for words.
“Are you ready for some lunch? We can get some eats at a local favorite of mine and then stop by the store for some supplies and pick up dinner for tonight. How does that sound?” His lips headed toward my ear, before he started nibbling on it. “Then we can come back here, just the two of us, and enjoy an evening swim and a walk on the beach.”
I was about to decline lunch, since my nerves were still a bit unsettled, when my stomach roared to life giving away my hunger. Before I could answer, he laughed. “I’ll take that as a yes to lunch.” He turned me toward him, before claiming my lips with his. “Come on, then, let’s get some food.”
I was amazed at how well Gregory knew the area. I had lived close to Daytona for four years and never really knew my way around, except for finding the mall. He talked about this amazing restaurant that was right on the Halifax River and had been there for ages, Auntie’s Fish House.
The food was amazing, offering local seafood favorites and preparing it in any way imaginable. I wasn’t familiar with the restaurant, so I asked both Gregory and the waitress, for their recommendations. There seemed to be a variety of popular choices, but two that stuck out were fried scallops and broiled rock shrimp. I couldn’t make up my mind, so we ordered both and split them. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised that they were his favorites, too.
The shrimp and scallops were amazing, as was the atmosphere. It was relaxing watching the boats sail in and out the waterway, as we ate, side by side, in a peaceful and tranquil environment.
On our way home, we stopped off at a local grocery store to pick up a few necessities and some basic food items. I finally asked, “So, how long are we staying?”
He looked around with a sense of dread before leaning in to whisper, in the lowest voice possible, “I’ll tell you in the car.”
We placed the groceries in the back of the car, before climbing in and heading out. “I’ve actually bought a little more food than we needed. My parents will be over this weekend, so I offered to set up the fridge for them.”
He grabbed hold of my hand and placed it on his knee. “Grandpa will be here in a day or two. He’ll stay in his condo, but wanted to spend some time with us, before heading to Philly.”
My eyes quickly jumped up to his. “We’re flying to Philadelphia with him?”
“Grandpa has some contract negotiations to tend to. But, while he’s working on business, we will be tracking down the final pieces to our puzzle.” Gregory reached into the glove compartment, which was noticeably ajar with a small white tube sticking out. He opened it and pulled out a feather and a note from Ray. It surprised us both.
My ride back to the condo was full of tension, wondering how I was going to enjoy myself when the trip to Philadelphia was around the corner. It was no surprise that Gregory had plenty of things to keep my mind occupied.
As soon as we were back at the condo, he had arranged for us to both receive full-body massages in connecting rooms
. Afterwards, we put our bathing suits on and enjoyed a dip in the pool and hot tub. Naturally, he left my one piece at home and packed my bikini, instead. I couldn’t be too mad, though, because the one piece, while covering more, still hurt my ribs a bit.
That night, he had a pizza delivered, while I made a salad and he brewed some iced tea. We sat out on the balcony, watching the moon come up over the water, which was gorgeous. I turned to Gregory and noticed he had a far off look in his eyes. I glanced out to where he was looking and soon found myself remembering things from the past. I was back in the dream that began when I passed out in Gregory’s apartment.
“Watch your ears, dear ones. This evil traitor has been living amongst you, peacefully, gathering secrets for the enemy. She denies her crimes and claims to be someone else. Who knows? She may even be a witch, since she is speaking with a forked tongue.” I looked out at the moonlight hitting the water, over which I was perched, precariously, tied into a seat meant for dunking those into admission of crimes they did not commit. My reflection was of Rebecca, even though I could see her standing and talking about us like we were criminals.
She walked toward me, looking down into the water. That’s when I realized she had my reflection and Aaron had Nicholas’s. I looked over Aaron’s head to see Nicholas’s eyes glowing red, in a subdued tone. Was he under some kind of spell? Did Nicholas reflect Aaron’s image?
Underneath Rebecca’s coverings, the noticeable low glow of an amulet was shining. With a flash, I was transported back to the train of death from our Victorian lives. That is where I saw that same radiating light.. Was this the source of the witch’s ability to control things around her? I knew it would shine whenever she took on a new form, but did it give her power, too?
I felt something grasp firmly onto my shoulders and shake me. “Jordan, snap out of it.”
I shook my head a few times and was brought back to the present. “What’s wrong?”
“I think we both remembered something.” He admitted, woefully.
My face must have been one of puzzlement. When we were together and I had a dream, it was always just me remembering things of the past or us recalling the same scene, together. Gregory’s dreams had never taken off on their own path, before. “What did you remember?”
“I think I’ve met Ray, before. I can’t seem to recall exactly when, where, or why; but I was younger when we first met.” He shook his head a moment. “I guess it will come to me when I’m meant to remember.”
His hand came up and rubbed at his face. “You remembered more about us, didn’t you?”
I watched as Gregory nodded and kneeled before me. “The vision you awoke from the other night? I think I just saw it.” His breathing accelerated, as he began. “We were tied to chairs and looking down into a moonlight waterway. However, our reflections were not our own, and there were two others who reflected our looks. Does this make any sense?”
I grabbed his hands in mine. “You are seeing what I am; only you haven’t been dunked in the river, yet. That’s why I woke up having difficulty breathing the other day. I wasn’t prepared for the dunking and felt my lungs fill with water.”
I let one of my hands come up and gently stroke his face. Gregory smiled hesitantly, before leaning into the caress. “I think it is the work of the witch. The person who looks like your sister in-law has a glow, just below her dress. If you didn’t know to look for it, you would never notice it. During the course of the train events back in Virginia the amulet glowed when the witch transformed; but this time, it is constant. Apparently she has the crowd of colonists angered, believing us to be spies and they have taken on our identities to escape.”
I paused for a moment, trying to figure out how best to explain things. “I haven’t seen the full extent of the scene and don’t want to focus on it right now, but somehow I think the images are our demise.”
Gregory leaned in to give me a peck on the lips, but I pushed my hands into his hair and drew him closer, to deepen it. I needed reassurance that we were there for one another through this whole ordeal. After several minutes had passed, he arose from his kneeling position, lifted me up into his arms, “This is to be continued in the bedroom, where we can snuggle. I need to hold you close.”
The food had been put away and only dishes and drink cups remained on the terrace. “Shouldn’t we clean the table first?” I asked.
“It can wait, you can’t! I need to hold you close to me; need to feel the warmth of your skin against mine.”
We quickly changed for bed, climbed in and snuggled close. Neither of us said anything and our minds were drifting back to the dreams. My guess was that Gregory was as scared as I was on learning more about them. We decided that maybe the combination of holding each other closely and the TV would help us keep the memories at bay, so we turned on a popular sit-com to lighten the mood.
I leaned on my good side, up against his chest and wrapped my arms around him to show him I was not going anywhere. I must have been more tired than I thought because I awoke, several hours later, still in the same position, with the TV still on and some offensive noise coming from a paid programming gimmick.
He was still fast asleep with a light snore escaping him. I shifted out of bed gently, needing to turn off the TV and relieve myself in the bathroom.
I was halfway through washing my hands when I heard screaming. “Hang on, Hannah! I will not allow them to cause you any harm. Spare my love. I will admit to the crimes; just please, spare my Hannah!” The last words were said in anguish.
I ran into the room and turned on a soft light in the corner, by a reading chair, before climbing into bed. “Gregory!” I stated as I shook his shoulders to try and wake him from his nightmare.
He bolted upright in bed, eyes fully dilated, and staring straight at me. His arms quickly went around my waist, crushing me up against his body. He rolled on top of me, pressing me firmly into the mattress and smothering me with kisses all over my lips, face and neck.
“Hannah, my love. I am so thankful that you are all right. I dreamt of our deaths and now that I know you live, I want to waste no further time in making you mine. Be with me, my darling.”
His eyes were open; but I knew he was still in a catatonic state, similar to my own after waking from my dreams of us as Angeline and Daniel, in the river, after the train accident, when we were living in Victorian times.
I knew we both craved one another, but we both agreed to wait until our wedding night to ensure the specialness of our union and uphold one of the few lines I could remember from our prophecy, “United as one the pure couple be.”
Gregory’s hands were feeling down my sides and grabbing my hips. I needed to get control of the situation and get him to snap out of his fixated state. I put all the power I could muster into a command. “Stop!”
To my surprise he froze. I moved from the bed and shook his shoulders gently to try and dispel his dreams. “It is time to wake up, NOW. Gregory!”
He started to blink and his mouth yawned as he sat kneeling on his knees in bed and shook his head. “What the heck happened? Last thing I remember is holding you in my arms, while we fell asleep.” He looked in deep thought for a minute, then realization hit. “Oh my gosh; that dream. Did I just try to…?”
I nodded, blushing. “Are you okay? I kept trying to wake you up, but you were as fanatical as I must have been when I came out of my dream about Angeline and Daniel in the river. I just wanted you so badly then, to be reassured that you were still alive.”
“That must be it. I saw us start to die. Then, when I woke up, you were here in my arms; but I kept seeing you as Hannah.” He swallowed hard. “I’m sorry I let my mind get away from me, Jordan.”
“Don’t worry about it, we’ve both gotten through this twice, now.” I stopped for a moment, thinking of the prophecy and had to laugh. “I wonder if this is the dark spirits way of trying to ruin our chance at the prophecy—trying to prevent us from being pure.”
We both s
hrugged our shoulders and decided to get up for a while and raid the refrigerator for some popsicles and hot cocoa. They were our favorite mood foods, to soothe our souls.
Somehow we managed to fall asleep, leaning up against one another on the sofa in the great room, watching something on Nick at Nite. This time, I was the one guiding our dreams toward our time at the beach, our wedding and any other happy occasion I could think of.
I could hear the gentle rumbling of a snore and the steady beat of a heart close to my ear, as my head bobbed up and down with the gentle rise and fall of Gregory’s chest. I cracked my eyes to see a slight amount of sunlight slipping in through the cracks of the venetian blinds.
I carefully un-wrapped my arms from around his waist and rose slowly from the sofa, so not to jostle him awake. I had always loved to watch the stunning sunsets over the ocean on the western beaches of Florida, having vacationed often on Estero Island, near Ft. Myers. I was curious to see if the sunrises were just as amazing over the Atlantic as the sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico.
Gregory shifted on the sofa but remained asleep, as I tiptoed to our bedroom and slowly opened the blinds, so I could walk out onto the balcony without disturbing him. The sound of the waves instantly calmed my nerves. I stared out over the changing color of the water, as the sun gradually lifted over the horizon, changing the darkened blue hues of the sky to radiant pinks, oranges, yellows and reds.
The sight of the sunrise was inspirational, bringing forth a new day bathed in new light, saying goodbye to yesterday and offering a fresh canvas to plan new adventures, both present and future. It reminded me of the past lives we knew about. We had many a yesterday, or yesteryear, in our case, where our paths strayed from our intended purpose and ended by unknown means. However, our today is allowing us to learn and grow from our past mistakes and hopefully live the present and future we are destined to create. I don’t know how long we have, but we can enjoy the adventure while we’re on it and can try to block past mistakes from reoccurring.
Loving You (Remembrance Series, Book 2) Page 12