Travis' eyes darkened. "If I go back, I am going to have to wait until you grow up."
"Yes, please." Sky nodded," don't you dare forget me. And don't fool around with anybody else."
Travis laughed. "In other words be a monk, when all my parts would be working?"
"Uhm... yes." Sky chuckled. "Be a monk until I grow up. At the very least do not fall in love with anyone."
"That's doable, I never fell in love with anyone until you." Travis steepled his fingers. "So when should I approach you?"
"When I am done with Mount Faith." Sky clipped her fingers, "no, when I am done with the masters. I'll be twenty-three then. It's a good age to get married. Don't you think?
"Sure." Travis nodded solemnly.
"You will have to romance me all over again." Sky grinned, "I feel sorry for you. You will have to convince me that we knew each other in another timeline, and what if I fall in love with someone else by then."
Travis frowned. "Not going to happen."
"I might." Sky giggled, "and you are going to have to convince me that we knew each other and that I should give up my current love for you."
Travis chuckled. "That sounds like a task. We wouldn't have anything in common anymore if I go back. You'd be a student, I would be...I don't know, if I go back I definitely won't be in a wheelchair, at least not from that jet ski crash and I wouldn't be a lecturer at Mount Faith. That's for sure. I'd probably be here running the company."
Sky grimaced. "Way out of my league. I'd probably see you on television and go, what a handsome dude."
"Tell me something, if I go back to this pathway and think about the time that I need to go back to, how do I explain being in Manchester and how would I get back home to Kingston?"
"That's easy," Sky said. "That place would be an empty lot. My father and uncle didn't build there until the '80s, but Gwendolyn Fisher Campbell would still be alive. You would have to go up to her place and have her call your parents. Wait a minute, did they have phones in Jamaica in 75?"
"Yes they did." Travis raised an eyebrow at her and shook his head. "My father had one at the house."
"Try and remember the phone number." Sky warned. "Then have an adult call them and then they can come pick you up. Of course you would have to explain to them why you were in Mandeville."
Travis laughed. "I love this game. I know things will never happen this way but it is so good to fantasize."
"One day, something will happen that will make you do it." Sky took a sip of her drink. "Something will happen that will make you think you absolutely have to change things and then you'll be grateful that you had a plan."
Chapter Sixteen
June 1996
The Jefferson's mansion was alight with pepper lights. There was a steel band music playing by the poolside. The front door was opened wide and you could see all the way to the poolside and the view of twinkling city lights beyond. It felt like a magical night for Sky. This was her first time coming to a party like this. She was dressed in designer wear that Travis had insisted on, and made up so smartly that when June was done with her she hadn't recognized herself in the mirror.
And all of this was for Miguel Jefferson who was seventy today, Sunday June 2, 1996.
"I didn't want to come." Milly complained beside Sky. She was dressed in a long sleeved black dress, which hid the track scars on her arms. June had done her makeup too. It did Milly a world of good, hiding her pock marks and blemishes.
Her sparse hair was under a long brown wig. She looked like a different person as well. June was a genius.
Sky had told her that many times this evening.
"You look good though." Sky complimented Milly.
"I look okay, you look good," Milly said cracking a rare smile. "My brother gasped when you walked out into the living room tonight."
"Come on," Travis rolled up to them, "what are you two talking about?"
"How good Sky looks," Milly said taking a step toward the door and then grimacing, "I can't wear these heels, not even for my father." She took them off and headed toward the door with them in hand.
"You do look good, better than good," Travis said looking up at her. "Come here."
Sky leaned down to him and he kissed her. "Now, when the men here approach you tonight what are you going to tell them?"
"That I am taken by the most handsome disabled guy in the room." Sky laughed.
"And?" Travis caressed her face.
"And I love him like no other and I would not countenance leaving him for anyone in the whole wide world."
Travis released her. "Good, you know I love you, don't you?"
"Yes." Sky grinned at him. "I love you always forever, near and far… I will be with you, everywhere I will be with you, everything I will do for you...
"Now you have that song playing in my head." Travis grumbled, and with reason, she had the song blasting every morning before work.
"Come on, it's a nice romantic song." Sky laughed. "It is my song of the year."
When she and Travis entered the hallway with it's sparkling chandelier and easily recognizable faces, his mother floated toward them in an off white sari in gold trimmings.
"Honey you made it." She greeted Travis and then Sky profusely.
"I hope you guys enjoy the party." She was on to the next guest.
"It didn't take them long before they were joined by a few persons who Travis identified as family and they had a little chit chat.
Sky was enjoying the atmosphere of the party, the steel band was belting out smooth melodies that made her sway to the music. Sky spotted Betsy who introduced her to her husband. He was a doctor who wore horn-rimmed glasses. The toasts and well wishes followed then Miguel Jefferson took center stage.
He was dressed in a tux. He did not look as if he was near seventy.
"Three score and ten," he said solemnly into the mike. "This is a milestone is it not, a very significant number Biblically, that was the time apportioned to man. And yet here I am, still feeling relatively healthy, except for a little headache now and again I haven't been sick in years."
"You run a pharmaceutical company," somebody mocked at the front.
Miguel laughed. "And there is that. My products work!" His guests chuckled. "Anyway, since this is a milestone birthday, I am about to do something I have never done before. "
The place was still when he said that.
"I would like my wife, my ex-wife, my children and grandchildren to come up here."
Sky looked at Travis. He was sitting close to her. She squeezed his hand before he made his way over to the platform area.
Sky had never seen Marla before. She was a white lady with heavily tanned skin and blue eyes, tall and willowy. Her daughter, Carly, resembled her quite a bit. Elizabeth looked like a combination of both her parents' genes. And Milly, well, she looked older than her mother.
"They are all here," Miguel said when his family gathered on the stage looking like a mini united nations.
"All except one," Sky whispered to herself. She looked in the crowd to see if Duke was lurking nearby and she saw him standing at the back with his arms folded, no expression on his face.
That must hurt. Sky thought looking back to the front.
Miguel was looking at his family. "I have never said this before but I am sorry. I could have been a better husband, a better father, a better friend. Some people might think that it is too late now but I want to be a better person.
"I want to be the kind of person who... "
He continued talking but Sky was distracted. There was a sinister looking guy dressed all in black who was pushing his way from the back of the crowd and heading to the front. He had a gun.
The minute that thought registered. She froze and then she was pushing to the front too. Without thought, her heart drumming in her ears.
Gun! She thought she screamed it but she didn't.
She saw when his hands went up. He was aiming for Travis.
"Gun!"
She finally found the voice to scream. "Gun!"
She was running toward the stage as pandemonium erupted around them.
Then there was one shot fired, then another. She could feel the explosion from the blast; the sound was heavy in her ears.
The gunman was shooting at the family in the front who were at the mercy of his shots. She lunged right before Travis and then her legs went weightless.
****
Travis looked in horror as Milly who was just standing to the right of him fell in a loud explosion and then his nephew to his right.
The gunman wasn't masked; it was Rocky from the three R's. This was an older version of Rocky with wild eyes.
His aim had been off, he was almost sure that Rocky was there to kill him.
In a weird kind of way, it all made sense. Duke had said he would eliminate Travis. Surely Duke didn't think he could get away with this?
The links were too obvious.
He was staring death in the face and all he could think of was that Duke would kill his entire family.
Don't do it, Rocky, Travis thought sickly, "Stop now."
And then miraculously in a split second, he couldn't see Rocky's blood shot eyes or his trembling black tipped fingers because Sky had jumped in the way.
And twice, the gun went off.
He heard when the shot connected with her body and saw when she sunk to the ground in a heap. The security reached Rocky's side and tackled him to the ground at the same time.
"Sky!" Travis wheeled as fast he could to her side. Blood was already pooling around her head.
"Sky!" Travis' voice was a hoarse croak. She wasn't moving. He locked the chair and fell to the ground crawling toward her body; he cradled her head not caring that her blood was all over him.
"Sky!" she was limp and lifeless.
Chapter Seventeen
It didn't take the police long to reach the residence. Nobody could pry Travis away from Sky. He sat there with her cradled in his arms for what seemed like an eternity.
He heard talking and sobbing, he didn't know if some of the sobbing wasn't his. His ears were blocked from the explosions.
"Travis," a large hand finally rested on his shoulders and he recognized Kenton's voice. Kenton Perkins the reporter, Amelia's brother. It was amazing how he could process those details.
"Travis, the police want to process the crime scene."
Kenton had tears in his eyes and Travis wondered why he was crying.
"Can you do something for me?" Travis whispered hoarsely.
"Anything." Kenton nodded.
"Take me to Mandeville."
"What?" Kenton looked confused.
"To Sky's house. I need to go there."
"The police will call her family, honey." It was his mother's voice to his right.
Travis inhaled shakily. "If you take me to Mandeville right now, I'll make it worth your while Kenton. I promise."
Kenton stood up and stretched to his greatest height. "Okay."
"No, he can't leave." His mother protested. "He needs to wash all that blood off himself."
"I need to go now." Travis was firm. "Can my chair hold in your van?"
"Sure." Kenton nodded.
They helped him in his chair.
He looked around. There was debris everywhere. Milly's shoes were near the wheels of his chair. She was lying right where she fell. Paramedics were nursing his nephew, Brenton; at least he was alive, covered in blood but still breathing.
There were flashing lights from sirens outside. His mother looked bewildered as if she wasn't quite sure that she was awake or dreaming. His father looked every bit of his seventy years. He was talking to a detective.
And then there was Sky.
Lifeless. Dead. His Sky. She had taken two bullets for him. He had to see if all this talk of time traveling was worth it because he could never live with himself after this. He couldn't return to his apartment after this. Life could not just go on after this.
Kenton helped him in the van. He looked grim.
"You do know that this is very strange don't you?" Kenton asked him when they were driving down hill.
"I know." Travis nodded. "I would drive myself but I don't think my hands are steady enough to handle a vehicle."
"So why are we going to Sky's house in Mandeville?" Kenton asked.
"Because I am going to make sure that none of this happens." Travis inhaled ruggedly.
"You are not thinking straight," Kenton said calmly. "How can you make sure that this never happens?"
"By resetting it." Travis held up his blood stained hands. "I only have two lines in my palms, I am a resetter. I am going back."
"This is madness." Kenton whispered below his breath. "Just so you know I am only doing this because, I know you told your mother to invite me to the party. I appreciate that."
"Thank you. " Travis closed his eyes and clenched his teeth. He never wanted to see those images in his head again.
"Have you always wanted to be a journalist?" Travis asked when they were on their way, the roads were clear at this time of the night and he needed to stop the night's events from replaying in his head.
"Yes." Kenton nodded, "I would love to work in television. Always been my dream to be a news producer and maybe do other news shows."
Travis inhaled. "Okay, when I go back I'll make it happen for you."
Kenton glanced at him and then shook his head. "You know you are a little bit crazy."
"Just a little is all it takes," Travis said cryptically.
****
It was two o'clock in the morning when they reached Sky's house. The backlights were on in both houses. There was no movement at either place. Travis remembered Sky telling him that her aunt and uncle had gone to the States for the summer.
Travis directed Kenton to drive as close to the stone as possible. He could clearly see the blue stone all he needed to do was get to it. The blood had long dried on his tuxedo shirt. He didn't care.
"What if someone is home and gets out and shoots us?" Kenton helped him into his chair.
"Then that would be tragic," Travis said, his voice sounded croaky.
"What are you going to do now?" Kenton whispered fearfully.
"I am going back to June 1, 1975." Travis inhaled. "My parents went to the airport to pick up my grandfather that day. I could probably get home before they do."
Kenton was frowning at him. "Maybe I should call for help?"
Travis wheeled toward the stone. "Give me a few minutes, before you do." He placed his palm on the blue rock; there was already an imprint of a palm on it. He closed his eyes. The rock became warmer and gave him a zing in his open palm. And then he felt a falling down the tunnel kind of feeling.
It didn't work!
He opened his eyes and was about to confess to Kenton that yes, he needed medical attention that the shock from the shooting had him believing a myth but there was no Kenton. There were no houses.
There was bright sunlight where there was only night before his head was in line with the lowest part of the rock. He took a tentative step toward the open lot and realized that he could walk. He could walk!
He started running around. It worked!
Chapter Eighteen
Open lot. Blue skies. He took stock of his environment. There were open lots as far as his eyes could see. There were no structures around. The house on the hill was the lone structure in the vicinity. He looked down at himself he was in church wear.
So it was Sunday. Was it 1975?
He couldn't quite believe this was happening; just a few moments ago he witnessed Sky's death.
Now, he was what, ten? Was this June 1?
He walked up the hill to the house. When he had come here before, in 1996, there were yesterday, today and tomorrow flowers planted along the winding driveway in full bloom. Now they were just seedlings.
His footsteps slowed the closer he got to the house. Would anyone in there believe him?
The do
or was closed.
He went right up to it and knocked. In 1975 there was no grillwork around the edifice.
Coming, he heard a lady's voice say. Hold on a minute.
He stepped back from the door and waited, looking over at the green landscape.
And then the door was opened and a lady answered the door. She had a pleasant round face and dimples in her cheeks.
She smiled at him. "May I help you?"
"Yes er..." Travis paused in his speech, his voice sounded so child like.
The lady waited on him.
"Are you Miss er Mrs. Gwen Fisher Campbell?"
"Oh yes," she smiled. "You are in the right place if you are looking for me. Everyone calls me Miss Gwen, dear."
"I ah. I don't know how to tell you this," Travis cleared his throat, it was taking him a while to get used to this squeaky little boy voice of his. "But I am a resetter, I am coming from the year 1996."
Miss Gwen leaned on the door in astonishment. "A resetter? Good heavens."
"Come on have a seat." She gestured to the chair on the verandah.
Travis was about to protest he had been sitting in a wheelchair for ten years it was nice to be on his feet but he sat down as she had indicated.
"I don't know where to start." Miss Gwen was looking him over thoroughly, "'96 you would have been what?"
"Thirty-one," Travis said his voice squeaky.
"Oh but..." Miss Gwen still looked shocked. "You are a baby now!"
"I had to come back to now and stop bad things from happening. I think I have to start by resetting my family." He swallowed when he thought of Sky lying lifeless on the floor. "I have to make sure some things never happen."
"Ah," Miss Gwen was nodding, "I see."
I also read your diary. Travis inhaled shakily, the one where you and your husband Vernon went to Oswald King's house after Frederick died from typhoid fever.
Miss Gwen gasped. "I just wrote that yesterday! How did you get it? Are we related?"
Travis smiled. "I know. I saw the date. Monica gave your diary to Skyler's cousin Addison who is also a resetter. They will be living down at the land with the blue stone."
Never Say Never (Resetter Series Book 2) Page 12