Unexpected return, p.3
Unexpected Return, page 3
“That is very strange. I’m sorry I won’t be able to let him know how grateful I am that he took on that responsibility because I know heart surgeries aren’t cheap.”
“No, they aren’t. Sorry I can’t be of more help.”
“That’s okay. I regret I won’t be able to meet him. That was one of the goals I wanted to accomplish while here. I guess I can check that one off my list. Thank you, Dr. Robinson, for everything. I’ll see you next week.”
“Enjoy your week.” Then Dr. Robinson got in his car and left.
CHAPTER 5
SETTLING IN
“This is so much better than I could have imagined! Beat you upstairs!” Justine looked at her brother and then took off for the stairway. “I’m going to claim my room.”
“Oh no you don’t!” Luke took off towards the stairway, too. He went to grab her, but she was too fast. She ran up the stairs and glanced into every bedroom. There were six of them, more than they needed. She found one that had a little sitting area and was located on the backside of the house. It had floor to ceiling windows and French doors that opened up to what looked to be a balcony.
Before she could investigate, she yelled, “This one is mine!” She had noticed another bedroom that looked to be the master suite, so she knew her parents wouldn’t want this particular one.
Luke finally caught up with her and looked into the room. “This one is too feminine for me. You can have it! I found one down the hall that will fit me just fine. And, it’s not right next door to you so I can have some peace and quiet for a change.”
“Peace and quiet? Who’s the one that’s always up to the “wee” hours of the morning listening to loud music or talking on the phone? It certainly isn’t me! I’m glad you have chosen a room down the hall. That will be perfect!”
“Well, I’m glad you approve, little sis!”
“Okay, you two,” their mom yelled as she neared the top of the stairs. “That’s enough arguing for one night.” Mrs. Ross walked to the door and looked in, “I’m glad you’ve chosen your rooms because I think we could all use a good night’s sleep. We have a big day tomorrow, a lot to do.”
“Awe, Mom. A lot to do?” Justine whined.
“Yes, a lot to do. And everyone is going to help. No one is getting out of it.”
“I was hoping to be able to do a little sightseeing tomorrow.” Justine shared.
“Nope. Not tomorrow. We certainly don’t need to hurry. We aren’t here on vacation. As I have said before but I guess bears repeating, you have two whole years to do your ‘exploring’. You can unpack your own suitcase for now and go to bed, please.”
“Will do, Mom! Good night, sis. I’ll try not to keep you awake tonight.”
“That is so kind of you, Luke.”
“Dad and I will be in a room on the other side of the hall if you need us.”
“We’re not little anymore, Mom. I think we’ll be fine,” Justine assured her mother.
Mrs. Ross and Luke left to go to their own rooms. Justine followed them to the door, closed it, and then stood with her back to the door. She surveyed her surroundings and a huge smile crept over her face. This room will suit her just fine. What initially caught her eye was the beautiful four poster bed covered by a flowered quilt on the opposite wall. As she stood there looking around the room, her eyes stopped on the French doors opposite her. She crossed the room, unlocked the doors and opened them. There in front of her was a small balcony with a wrought iron table and two chairs. It was hard to see the view since it was dark but she was sure there was a garden down there because the smell of roses drifted through the air. She would look again in the morning. She closed the doors, locked them, and got ready for bed. She didn’t feel like unpacking her suitcase and left it on the floor until morning. As she scanned the room, she noticed she had her own bathroom which was a pleasant surprise. Right now, all she wanted to do was climb in bed. So, she plopped down on it, pulled the covers up around her neck and immediately fell fast asleep.
The morning sun streaming through her windows woke her up. It took her a minute to remember where she was. When she did, a huge smile crossed her face. Then she remembered the dream she had about James during the night. They were at the hospital where her dad was going to work. Maybe that was where she might find him, she thought to herself. But in other dreams, she had been with him in a castle. So how could he be both places? She didn’t know, but now that she was in England, she was going to find out.
She jumped out of bed and was ready to start the day. But first, she decided to take a shower and wash off the grime from the trip. She removed the necklace, laid it carefully on the dresser, and then jumped in the shower. After she was dressed, she decided it would be best to leave the necklace on the dresser where it would be safe. The family would be doing a lot of unpacking and she didn’t want it to get caught on something and break. Then she bounded down the stairs excited to start her first day in England. Before she even hit the last stair, she could smell breakfast and headed toward the kitchen.
“Good grief! Someone made a lot of noise coming down the stairs this morning.”
“Good morning, Mom! I got a good night’s sleep and am ready to start my day in a new country, in a new city, in a new house.”
“Well, someone’s attitude sure is different this morning.”
“Yep, you can have a whole new outlook on life after a good night’s sleep.”
“Did you happen to dream about James last night?”
“Who? Who told you…? Dad! He was supposed to keep our conversation to himself; he promised!”
“I had to at least tell your mother,” Dad declared as he entered the kitchen. “She is part of the family and I think she needs to know about your dreams. But I haven’t told anyone else.”
“Told anyone else what exactly?” Luke asked as he strolled into the kitchen.
“Nothing!” Justine affirmed. “Just nothing.”
“Okay, already. I’ll find out eventually,” Luke informed her. “So just calm down for now.”
“Ok, you two. We seem to be starting the day where we left off last night! Could we just sit down and have a nice breakfast in this beautiful house, please?” Mrs. Ross pointed toward the table that she had already set. Then she grabbed the platter of food and placed it on the table. “Let’s just relax for now, enjoy our breakfast and then we can start unpacking.”
The family sat down to breakfast and the conversations centered around the trip, Dr. Robinson, and the house. Justine and Luke were excited about the move and it showed. They couldn’t stop talking about the places they were going to see. They would be there for the next two years and were very happy about it.
There was a knock on the door.
“Who would be visiting us? No one knows us here,” Mom said.
She soon returned to the table with a smile on her face.
“Dr. Robinson wasn’t kidding when he said the house staff would arrive this morning. That was them at the door. I informed them that they weren’t needed today as we would be unpacking and they could start tomorrow. I think they were happy to have the day off.”
“Before we get started unpacking our boxes, I need to unpack my suitcase. I was so tired I didn’t get to it last night.” Justine jumped up from the table and as she did her chair fell over. “Sorry, about that!” And she picked up the chair and proceeded to leave the kitchen.
“Okay, Justine, but you be back down here in a half hour,” her mom specified.
“Yes, Mom.” Then Justine left the kitchen and headed back upstairs to supposedly unpack her suitcase. But what she really wanted to do was see what was outside her doors. As soon as she entered her room, she went to unlock the doors and noticed that they were already unlocked.
“That’s strange. I know I locked those last night. Maybe Mom or Dad unlocked them this morning.”
She opened the doors and there spread out in front of her was a beautiful English garden, flowers and pathways everywhere. It looked to be very large and she could see a gazebo in the distance. This garden reminded her of the one she often saw in her dreams. She was eager to explore the garden but she knew her mom had other plans for her day. She would have to discover its hidden treasures another time. She went back inside and walked over to the dresser to see how much space she had for her clothes. She found the drawers to be empty and had no problem unloading her suitcase. When she was done, there was still plenty of room for the clothes downstairs still in the boxes. Then she noticed her necklace wasn’t on the dresser where she had left it. She panicked! She got down on her hands and knees and looked on the floor under the dresser. But it wasn’t there! She started to look around the room and noticed something shiny on the table near the bed. She jumped up and there it was. How did it get there? She was positive she had left it on the dresser like she always did. She shivered and felt a presence in her room.
“Hello. Is someone there? Show yourself cause you’re freaking me out.”
When no one answered, she thought it might be her imagination. However, the feelings she had on their vacation in London a year ago regarding the figure in a black robe came flooding back and she started to shake.
‘This can’t be happening again,’ she thought to herself. ‘Besides, I could see a figure then.’ “What’s different?” she yelled.
Then it dawned on her. She needed to be wearing the necklace! The necklace was the connection to everything, the person in the black robe and James! The necklace has been in her possession ever since she found it on the seat of the limo a year ago. No one knew where it had come from. It was so pretty she decided to keep it and wear it the whole time they were in England. Eventually, she realized the necklace and the figure in black were connected. Maybe that same figure was with her now? She grabbed the necklace off the table and put it on. As soon as she did, a figure dressed in black began to materialize in front of her and she screamed!
“Justine, are you okay up there?” Her father yelled up the stairs. The figure in front of her put her finger to her lips signaling that Justine should not alert anyone to her presence.
“Sorry, Dad. I’m okay. I thought I saw a mouse.”
“Good answer, Justine.”
“How do you know my name? Who are you? Did I see you in London a year ago? Were you at Stonehenge? If you don’t answer soon, I’ll scream again!”
“My name is Gretchen. And I will answer all of your questions. Please tell your parents you will be a little longer and I will explain.”
“I’ll be right back, don’t go anywhere.”
“Oh, I will not.”
Justine left the room and went to the top of the stairs and yelled down to her parents. “Mom and Dad, I’m almost done and will be down soon.”
“You’re just taking your time up there so you don’t have to help,” Luke yelled back.
“Okay, Justine. But please hurry. We could use your help down here,” her mom replied.
“Will do!” Then she turned on her heels and ran back to her room.
Gretchen was still there but had taken the hood off of her head. Now Justine could see the person talking to her clearly. She was older, had dark hair and dark eyes. It was almost as if you see right through her, but Justine knew she was real.
“I remember you. I kept seeing you all over London when we were on vacation. You scared me! And then you started talking to me, which was even worse! I seem to remember something happened at Stonehenge. One minute I was standing there talking to you and the next minute I remember being back at Stonehenge two weeks later trying to piece together the events that had happened during those two weeks.
“I am sorry, Justine, for having scared you and cannot explain everything to you at this time. I was seeking something for our town and was alerted to your presence as I felt the necklace call to me. So here I am and very glad to have found you. Why have you returned?”
“My father is going to teach at the hospital where he performed a surgery a year ago. You may have heard of it, John Radcliffe Hospital. Anyway, the hospital director, CEO, Dr. Robinson, requested that he return and teach as well as perform surgeries for the next two years. So, we’re back.”
“I am glad to see you and hope you will enjoy your time in England. I do need to leave but will return soon.”
“You’re leaving? But you haven’t answered any of my questions. I have so many. My family is still very confused by what happened a year ago and need some answers. And I was hoping you might be able to explain the dreams I’ve been having. There is a young man who appears in them and the only thing I can tell you is his name is James.”
Gretchen looked startled and a small smile appeared on her face. “I will return and we can talk again. Please remember to wear the necklace for that is how I can communicate with you, but only you. No one else will be able to see or hear me when I am around.”
“You can’t leave.”
“I will see you soon.” And Gretchen vanished.
Justine stood there in disbelief. Gretchen had just disappeared before her eyes! Was she seeing things? Did that really happen? She walked out on the balcony and stared off into the distance. England sure is an interesting place! Then reality popped back in when she heard her mom yelling from downstairs.
“Coming, Mom.” Justine was more determined than ever to discover who Gretchen was and what happened at Stonehenge but for now she needed to join the family to help unpack.
CHAPTER 6
SHE HAS RETURNED
“She has returned, your highness.”
“Who?” Prince James asked.
“Justine, your Highness. I have seen her. She is residing in a home in Oxford for the next two years.”
“Justine? My Justine?”
“Aye, I was on a mission to find something for Dr. Lange and felt the presence of the necklace. That is when I found her. The necklace is still in her possession.”
“I never thought this would come to pass! That she would return to England! And still have the necklace! I must see her. She has been in my thoughts constantly for the past year and I was hoping against hope that she would return. When can I see her?”
“Your highness, I have only just found her. She was not wearing the necklace when I arrived but she could still feel my presence. She must have remembered London because she grabbed the necklace and placed it around her neck. That’s when she saw me. She screamed at first when I came into view. She just stood there staring as if she was trying to get her thoughts together and then so many questions came out of her mouth that I didn’t have time to speak. What I do know is that she does recall seeing me in London and again at Stonehenge but has no memory of going through the portal. Your highness will be pleased to know that she sees you in her dreams.”
“Me? She dreams of me? This is more than I could have hoped! The idea that all memory is lost after one has traveled back through the portal must be wrong. The necklace must allow a person to retain some parts of the visit. But this has never been tested before since Justine is the only one who has left our kingdom with it in her possession. I think it important I share this with my father when I ask his permission to travel through the portal to visit Justine. You must accompany me of course. We must prepare to travel as soon as possible.”
“Please, wait, your highness. You need to think on this and know what you are to say before you approach your father. Please remember that it is forbidden to allow anyone to leave the kingdom with the necklace. So, remembering this, it is important you consider how you are going to inform the King and Queen of this information and of your intended departure. But you must be prepared for you may not be granted permission to leave. We have not learned all there is to know about the portal, but, as you stated, it will be necessary for me to accompany you or it seems you will meet the same fate as Dr. Ross and his family and not have any recollection of Wiltshire nor who you are seeking.”
“You are right, Gretchen, as always. I will first think of what I will say and then find my father so preparations may be made as soon as possible.” Then he murmured to himself, “She remembers me.”
“May I come with you, your highness? It may be necessary for me to explain the circumstances surrounding my discovery.”
“Aye, Gretchen, you should. If you are present, my father may be more inclined to grant my request. And, I will make sure he understands that you would be accompanying me on my journey.”
A very elated prince left to locate his father. As he walked, he was practicing what to say to convince his father that he needed to leave. Gretchen followed him and often commented with approval or disapproval on the argument James was preparing to use on his father. Prince James found his father in the throne room talking to Arius, the sorcerer for the kingdom and always at the King’s beck and call.
“Father, I am sorry to interrupt, but I have some exciting news to share with you.”
“Ah, Prince James. And I see Gretchen has accompanied you. Excuse me one moment. Arius, we will continue our conversation after James departs this chamber. Please remain until I have concluded my conversation with my son.”
“Yes, your Majesty.” Arius bowed and moved to the side of the room.
“What is so important that you needed to interrupt…”
“Father, Gretchen has located her! She has returned to England!”
“Who has returned my son?”
“Justine.”
“The young lady who was here last year? Her father being Dr. Ross who saved my life?”
“The very same, Father. Gretchen has seen her and she is still in possession of the necklace.”
“Gretchen, is this true?”
“Yes, your majesty.”
“How did we allow her to leave with the necklace?” the King bellowed. “No one is to take anything from this kingdom through the portal! How did this happen? Gretchen, how did you not sense it when you escorted the Rosses through the portal?”
