“This doesn’t matter, Mr. Ryder, my contract supersedes this because it existed prior to this marriage.”
“No, that’s where you are again mistaken, Johnson. Again let me reiterate your contract is verbal, is it not? I mean the one with me was, so I’m assuming the one with Melody was as well, is that true?”
“Yes it was verbal.”
“So it’s not a written and signed contract?”
“No I just said, it’s verbal.”
“Well then it’s not legally binding at all, Sir. You would think a man such as yourself would know that in this country at this time a verbal contract is in fact not a contract at all.”
“What do you mean by that, at this time.”
“Let’s not beat around the bush, Johnson. I think you made a contract verbally with Melody 147 years in the past and expect to enforce it here in the present. But legally you can’t enforce it.”
“What in the world makes you think my agreement with Miss Hughes was made 147 years ago? Did she tell you that?”
“No Melody, has told me nothing about her past or about you beyond that she had a contract with you.
“You see Johnson, you are not the only person in this house with, shall we say, special gifts and Callings from God. I have a lot more proof for you that you have no right to remove my wife from this ranch, but I think now is an important time to get your boss to join us. Won’t you ask your boss to join us?”
“My boss?”
“Well not your final boss we both know that is God and He’s already here but he tends to let mankind work these discrepancies out amongst ourselves most of the time. I mean Sophia Deveroux. She’s your supervisor, is she not?”
“How do you know about Sophia?”
“I told you I have special gifts and Callings too. I’ll explain everything and we can clear this up if you’ll just ask her to join us.”
“She won’t, you know.”
“Oh I think she will. Tell her if she doesn’t I’ll send everything I know about her to the U.S. Marshal service. I’m pretty sure with my cousin’s connections there, that there’d be an investigation into how she is operating on a commission give over 100 years ago.”
Johnson stepped into a corner and turned his back and lifted something to his face and spoke into it. After a few minutes he turned back around. “She’s on her way, why don’t we all have a drink while we wait for her.”
“I don’t think so. No one here is thirsty.” Tallis smiled. Shortly thereafter, there were footsteps on the porch and a knock on the door. Tallis opened it. “Miss Sophia Deveroux, thank you for coming so quickly. I should have expected nothing else for a time traveler.”
“I’m sorry, who are you and what did you call me?’
Tallis laughed. “Let’s not play innocent, Miss Deveroux. I’m Tallis Colton Ryder, do you know who I am?”
“Yes, you’re the young man Reverend Johnson was supposed to help by bringing a historical expert who should be on her way by now.”
“Well see, that’s where we have a problem and I’ve explained it to your employee but he seems unwilling or unable to comprehend that his contract is void.”
The woman laughed. “I’m sorry you are the one mistaken, our contracts are eternally executable.”
“No, they’re not.”
“Yes, they are.”
“No, let me explain. Your man here made a contract, a verbal contract that isn’t legal or actionable in this day and age by the way, with one Melody Hughes. However, Miss Hughes doesn’t exist anymore so your contract is no good.”
“What do you mean, Miss Hughes doesn’t exist anymore. She’s sitting right there.” Once again the finger was pointed at Melody.”
“You’re mistaken, Miss Deveroux. That’s my wife, Melody Ryder. I have a covenant signed by an ordained man of God that that woman is my wife, married to me in the presence of God in a church dedicated to God and our Lord Jesus Christ. I’ve shown those to your employee and explained that when that man pronounced us man and wife by God’s authority, Miss Hughes ceased to exist. Furthermore, I have your own Boss’s written statement that your contract is worthless.”
Miss Deveroux looked at Tallis like he was crazy. “You expect me to believe you have my boss’s written statement that our contract is no good.”
“Yes. As a matter of fact I know that everyone in this room has a copy of it. I would even hazard that you and Johnson there have it, too.”
“I’m afraid you are very mistaken, Mr. Ryder.”
“Melody love, would you hand me that statement from their Boss?”
She smiled and reached into the box “Certainly, my dear.” She handed him his Bible. Tallis took it and turned to the time travelers. “This is a statement written by your Boss, is it not?”
“You know it is, don’t be ridiculous.”
“Then let me show you the statement I mean. Matthew 19:6, right here, it’s funny but it’s the Lord’s own words spoken while He walked among us too. ‘So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.’ Just in case you try to say we haven’t finished the covenant made with your Boss.”
Tallis reached into the box and pulled out a set of sheets. “As much as this disgusts me to do. Here are the sheets from our marriage bed where we became one. So your little contract isn’t eternal, it’s not even valid and it certainly isn’t enforceable.”
Sophia’s face turned red. “Who do you think you are telling me what is and isn’t enforceable?”
Tallis sighed. “I thought you said you knew who I was.”
“I do, you’re no one, just a man we tried to help. You have no authority over us.”
“See once, again you are misinformed. I know who you are. I have a whole box here of historical records and notarized, signed affidavits that paint a pretty extensive picture of both of you, moving people through time for at least 200 years. But you still have no clue who we are. We’re the Ryder family. We have a supernatural gift and Calling that is just as old as yours. You said I’m Tallis Ryder the man you tried to help. But reality is I’m also Tallis Ryder who grew up on the Dueling N’s Ranch in Redemption New Mexico. I believe you met my ancestors, Nugget Nate Ryder, and Nathan The Preacher Ryder a few times, didn’t you Reverend? And you, Miss Deveroux, you were investigated by my other ancestor Cindy Cody for Mr. Pinkerton, weren’t you? In fact ma’am, I’m the descendant of the family God uses to bring about miracles that save lives and makes wrongs right. That’s who I am and why I can say there is no one for you here.”
Just then Melody started to cough and everyone turned to look at her. Someone handed her a glass and without thinking she swallowed, only to look up into the triumphant eyes of Sophia Deveroux. She looked at Tallis and cried out “Tallis, I’m sorry.”
Tallis walked over and put his hand on her face, wiping her tears. “You have nothing to be sorry about. Is that how they sent you through time before with a drink?”
“Yes.”
“Tell me what happened when you drank last time.”
“Well the water was so cool and refreshing and tasted so pure.”
He knelt and looked into her eye. “And was this drink that cool and refreshing and pure tasting?”
She thought for a minute and shook her head. “No, it was just water.”
“What happened next, last time after you realized the water was so pure tasting?”
“After just a few minutes I began to get tired.”
He kissed her lips. “Are you feeling tired now, love?”
She looked at him and smiled. “No!”
“I didn’t expect so.”
Tallis stood and faced Miss Deveroux. “I believe you just made a very big choice, ma’am. One I think you’re going to regret very soon.”
No sooner had he finished speaking than there was a clap of thunder followed by footsteps and a knock on the door. “Busy night, tonight. Reverend, would you be so good as to answer that for m
e since you’re closer?”
The Reverend opened the door and gasped, stepping back “YOU! What are you doing here?”
A man clothed all in white stepped through the door. He filled the doorway as he entered and his skin fairly glowed from within. “HE wants to see the two of you. NOW!”
Both of the time travelers jumped and started to the door. “Excuse me sir, might I have just one moment?”
The large man nodded. “After the wrong done to you tonight I believe HE would allow it.”
Tallis walked up to Sophia and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Melody and I will ask for mercy and grace for you, Miss Deveroux. We’ll pray he grants you forgiveness. I will tell you even though you tried to wrong us, we forgive you. You should have known, His words are always Yes and Amen. That means finished. You shouldn’t have tried to make HIM a liar.”
Tallis stepped back and took his wife in his arms. As his whole family watched, the three strangers walked outside the door, there was a flash of light and a clap like thunder and they were gone. Tallis turned and swept Melody into his arms and kissed her like there was no tomorrow. “Happy New year, my love. We did it, we won!
The family cheered and wished each other Happy New Years and silently Tallis and Melody slipped away. While the family deserved to celebrate, Tallis was sure they’d understand his and Melody’s need to be alone, after all they were newlyweds with their whole lives ahead for them. As he pulled her into his arms he couldn’t help but wonder what a year would bring them. What would happen between now and Melody’s next Christmas?
AND THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER.
But what about the rest of the family? And Cynthia? What about their Happily Ever Afters? Sign up for George’s Newsletter to be kept up to date on all his projects including next year’s Ryder Family Romances.
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About the Author
George McVey always wanted to be a superhero; sadly, no radioactive storms or animals have been a part of his life. One day while spinning a tall tale for his family, some suggested once again that with all his experiences in ministry, and his imagination, he should be writing books. This time it was like lightning struck him and he decided, why not.
Since then, George has been hard at work using his creative imagination and writing several books. He's still adding to his bibliography to this day. You can find them all on his Amazon.com page. George lives in the wonderful state of Almost Heaven, West Virginia. In a lovely basement apartment with his wife of 31 years, Sheri, and a service dog named Daisy Mae.
If you ever come to visit him, you will probably find him sitting in his lazy boy recliner or at his desk in the corner office working on some writing project. If not a teaching book, then a novel. If he isn't working on a novel either, then he will be working on a short story or blog post. If he isn't doing either of those then he is either asleep or eating, his other two favorite past times.
You can reach him by email at [email protected]. You can also find out more about his books, get a free book, or join his beta readers team to help make the books he sells better at his website http://georgemcvey.weebly.com. You can also connect with George on Facebook at his author page https://www.facebook.com/George-H-Mcvey-557196424346233.
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