by Jones, D. F.
Ruben and Charlie sat opposite Prince Aelius, and he proceeded to tell them of the recent events. “The day of Monica’s attack, I launched multiple campaigns, here at Lunar City, Veetreous, and Cancri. My armies overtook the enemies, and we were victorious. King Anthobethia of Cancri was executed immediately, but General Agriaous is currently being interrogated at the palace to ensure no other threats exist.”
Placing his forearm on the desk, Prince Aelius tented his fingertips and pointed to Ruben. “I would like you to consider becoming the new Commander of Lunar City.”
Ruben coughed several times and tried to regain his composure. “Begging your pardon, Prince Aelius, but the past two Commanders were killed. Besides, I love time tracking, and if Charlie agreed, I would like her to be my partner.”
Prince Aelius grinned and rubbed his hand over his mouth to suppress his laughter. “Very well, Ruben.” He turned to Charlie and asked, “Do you want to work with Ruben?”
“Ah, yes, sir, and at the moment, I’m without a ship. The Needle-Horn is refitted with Andy’s Spinning Time specs. The time machine works. In the natural reality of time, will Andy make the discovery again?”
Prince Aelius looked at Ruben and then Charlie. “Yes, Charlie. You and Andy must visit Leonardo and Ruben will visit the colonial Williamsburg. It’s part of destiny. Now—how would the two of you like a vacation? Anywhere in the galaxy, all-expenses paid, compliments of the palace for going above and beyond the call of duty.”
Ruben reached for Charlie’s hand and squeezed. “I can’t speak for Charlie, but I would love to go on vacation with her. See, I’ve fallen in love with Charlie, Prince Aelius, and if she gives me a chance, I’d like to spend the rest of my life with her.”
Tears sprang into Charlie’s eyes, and she rapidly blinked them away.
Prince Aelius stood and grinned. “Charlie, I believe you’ve been offered a proposal. What say you?”
Charlie jumped out of the chair, and Ruben stood and caught her in his arms. She looked over her shoulder at Prince Aelius. “Begging your pardon, Prince Aelius, but I’ve been saving Ruben’s ass for years. It’s about time he finally noticed that I’m completely crazy about him.”
Prince Aelius clapped his hands, and Chen entered the office. “Yes, sire?”
“Chen, if you’ll be so kind, we’re in need of a bottle of champagne and glasses. We have much to celebrate.”
Chen nodded and bowed. “Right away, Your Majesty.”
Chapter 20
1960 The Chalet
Dancing with Phillip under the twinkling string of lights in the back garden, Julia said, “Phillip, I love the Chalet. What a wonderful birthday surprise.”
He pressed his face to hers and inhaled. “You’re mine, and I’d give you the moon if I could. It took a lot of effort to keep the Chalet under wraps, but with the help of my dad, your parents, and Sloane, we did it. Looking around at our families and watching our children play is a dream come true.”
Julia glanced at little Phil catching fireflies with Sloane’s kids. Her parents and Ivey, Phillip’s dad, sat in the chairs around a small fire pit, chatting and talking away. Brooks and Sloane walked down the garden trail holding hands, Sloane was pregnant with her third child. She had two little girls, Dawn and Diane. Life was pretty precious.
Phillip whispered, “I have one more surprise.”
Dipping her chin in, Julia said, “Another surprise?”
He grabbed her hand and said, “Follow me.” They ran past Brooks and Sloane into the Chalet through the main room and down the hallway into the master bedroom. Another rather large birthday present sat in the middle of the bed. “Open it. I had Sloane wrap it for me.”
Julia sat on the edge of the bed and began tearing into the birthday paper. Her eyes widened with surprise, and happy tears rolled down her cheeks when she saw the painting. “Aw, Phillip, it’s me at the Old Dyer Farm the night you ask me to marry you.”
“Do you like it?”
“It’s beautiful. Just the way I remember it. I know exactly where to hang it.”
He chuckled and reached inside the closet for his tool box. “I happen to have a nail and hammer.”
Julia lit up with excitement. “There on that wall, so every time I walk into the room, I see it.”
Phillip bowed and rolled his hand a couple of times. “Your wish is my command.” He measured, then hammered the nail and hung the eighteen-by-thirty-six oil painting.
In the middle of the room, Phillip stood behind Julia, wrapping his arms around her waist. She swiveled around and circled her arms around his waist. “I have a surprise for you too.”
“You do?”
“Uh huh. I’m pregnant.”
He shut his eyes tight and then hollered, “Yahoo!” He leaned in and kissed her. “You’ve made me the happiest man in the world. How far along?”
“It’s early. I’m still in the first trimester, and I don’t want to share with anyone for another couple of weeks. It’ll be our little secret. I love you, Phillip.”
Julia’s blessings in life overwhelmed her with emotion. She closed her eyes and offered a prayer of thanksgiving. Wiping away her tears, she said, “I want to grow old with you.”
“Your wish is my command.”
* * *
Present Day, Boatwright Plantation
Julia watched the event planners from the new wing of the plantation. Two large tents, thirty round tables, and chairs, with white linen tablecloths, fine china, crystal, and silverware decorated with blue and white centerpieces, scattered about two of the five acres of lawn. Strings of white lights ran from the main house and connected to the tents over the parquet dance floor. The band warmed up their instruments and tested the speaker system.
The plantation gardens filled with mature hollyhocks, pink and red hibiscus, and a variety of peonies in pink, red and white reminded Julia of another party, her twenty-first birthday. The old willow oak tree still stood at the end of the gardens. Julia smiled, reminiscing about the night she’d first kissed Phillip. She heard Phillip shuffle into the new master suite.
He went to her, circling his arm around her waist. “You’re still the most beautiful girl in the world.”
Julia swiveled in his arms, holding onto her walking cane. “How did you know what I was thinking about?”
Phillip chuckled. “Great minds think alike. I’ve been thinking about that day too. Our first kiss and I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you.” He bent down and kissed Julia. “We still got it.”
Julia laughed. “How does the dress look? Do you think it’s too long? I wanted to wear my comfortable shoes.”
Smiling, Phillip took her cane and stretched out her arms. “You’re pretty as a picture.”
Junior stuck his head in the room and said, “You two ready? Andy and his friends will be here soon. I thought I’d go ahead and place you and Dad at the head table next to Kris. Andy and Denise will sit on the other side of you.”
Grabbing her walking cane, she said, “Junior, I’m ready, just one more thing, bring me Grandmother Boatwright’s pearls.”
Junior walked into the bedroom and picked up the pearls from the dressing table. He placed them around Julia’s neck and placed a kiss on her shoulders. “Mom, you know I hate it when you call me Junior. My associates will be here today. Please call me Phillip.”
Julia patted Junior’s cheek. “Sonny, be glad I can still call you anything. At least, I’m six feet above ground and not below it.”
“Mother, don’t talk like that. Jensi and Kris are meeting with the party planner and made arrangements for a wheelchair ramp close to our table. If you or Dad gets tired, Belinda is here all day to help us.” Junior and his lovely wife, Jensi, had moved into the house with Julia and Phillip and hired a caregiver to help with the daily chores.
“Jensi is too kind, but I plan on dancing with your father. See, I have on my dancing shoes?” Julia held onto Phillip and stuck her foot out, revealing a pai
r of sandals. They didn’t match the formal attire, but the shoes gave her added stability. She looked up at Phillip and said, “Come on, Daddy. Our son is waiting. I can’t wait to see Andy and Denise. We’re very proud of him, and we know you are too. Dr. Andrew Clayborn. How prestigious, and tenure to boot.”
Phillip placed Julia’s hand in the crook of his arm. “After you, my love.”
Walking down the long corridor into the main part of the house, Julia pictured yesteryear with Bunny and Big Joe, Sam and Ethel, plus her spunky baby sister, Sloane. Oh, the times they had together. All of them had gone on to their heavenly home except Sloane. She had called earlier in the day, declining the invitation due to a health issue, but her kids, Terry, Diane, and Dawn, were coming to celebrate Andy’s doctorate. Julia and Sloane had remained best friends throughout their lives. It was still hard to believe they had gotten so old.
After the Burkett Falls incident, the details of which remained hazy to this day, Julia and Phillip eloped to New York to Bunny’s dismay. Julia had landed a spot as a writer for a television comedy only to find out two months after her marriage she was pregnant.
Phillip had encouraged Julia to keep the job. But as soon as the show learned of her pregnancy, they discreetly did away with her position. So, she and Phillip moved back to Burkett Falls. Phillip pursued his career and became a well-known theoretical physicist and later authored several books on time travel.
Julia and Phillip’s grandson, Andy, had followed in his grandfather’s footsteps, and today they celebrated his becoming a theoretical physicist at BFU. Junior had taken over the family insurance business, and Kris was an interior designer.
And Julia became an author too. She wrote about fantastical places and worlds unknown. Spaceships, time travel, and an alien dog named Klock.
Guests filled the backyard with laughter and dancing while Julia and Phillip sat at the head table, their heads pressed together, whispering and laughing like two teenagers. Andy and Denise arrived late and approached the table with another couple.
Andy said, “Papa and Memaw, this is Ruben and Charlie Callaway. Ruben and Charlie just joined the department, and we’re working on groundbreaking research regarding time travel. They’ve read your books.”
Ruben stepped over to Julia and kissed the back of her hand just as the music played, At Last. Ruben gave Julia a big grin and said, “May I have this dance, Julia?”
Julia tilted her head. There was something very familiar about Ruben and Charlie. She looked at Phillip. “Do you mind, honey?”
With a raised brow, Phillip straightened his spine and replied, “Only if I may dance with Charlie?”
Ruben and Charlie laughed, and they went onto the dance floor joined by Andy and Denise.
Ruben held Julia firmly in his arms and said, “I’ve got you, Julia.”
Julia whispered, “Have we met? You look so familiar. There’s something about your eyes that reminds me of…” At that point, Phillip tapped on Ruben’s shoulder and said, “May I cut in?”
Recognition lit Julia’s face as Charlie left Phillip’s arms and embraced Ruben. She leaned over and whispered into Charlie’s ear, “I told you Ruben loved you. He just had to figure it out himself.”
Charlie threw her head back and laughed. “I’ve missed you, Julia Boatwright.”
Phillip swirled Julia around the dance floor. “What was that all about?”
“Oh, nothing. Charlie reminds me of someone I used to know.”
Julia looked up into Phillip’s eyes, and she was twenty-one again, in the arms of the man she loved.
Phillip leaned in and tilted her chin with his index finger. “Julia Boatwright Clayborn, I love you beyond the moon and stars.
About the Author
After graduating Middle Tennessee State University, D.F. Jones landed a job as a broadcast consultant at the ABC Affiliate in Nashville, which led her to open an advertising agency. Over the years, she’s created many campaigns for clients and still enjoys developing marketing materials.
However, in December of 2010, D. F. Jones became a caregiver for her parents. There’s nothing quite like facing mortality to shake up one’s life. She began by writing her first novel in fall of 2014.
Writing is a source of creative expression, but it also releases stress for D. F. Jones. Writing takes her to a place where anything is possible, and fiction takes D.F. Jones to a place made of dreams.
D.F. Jones is happily married to the love of her life and best friend, KJ. They have two gorgeous grown sons she loves and adores more than life itself. She loves to laugh, and her husband keeps her in stitches!
D.F. Jones is a fan of the Tennessee Titans, MTSU Blue Raiders, and she enjoys working in her flower gardens.
May love light the way!
For more information
@Author_DFJones
DFJones.author
www.DFJonesAuthor.com
Buy the Books
Signed Paperbacks are available to purchase online through www.DFJonesAuthor.com or order books online through most major booksellers.
Buy links below:
Spinning Time, a time travel romance:
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Ditch Lane Diaries: One-Volume Collection
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Ruby’s Choice (Ditch Lane Diaries 1)
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Anna’s Way (Ditch Lane Diaries 2)
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Sandy’s Story (Ditch Lane Diaries 3)
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Antique Mirror, a Halloween Short Story
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The Witches of Hant Hollow, a prequel to Antique Mirror, on the horizon.
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