but they used to call it a ‘delicate condition’ for a reason.”
She ignored Lou, her mind reeling with questions. “At one time, he said he’d come back to me. Just as soon as he did what he needed to do, he’d turn around and come back.”
When Lou said nothing, Journey rushed over to sit next to her. “Tell me that would be a possibility.”
Lou shrugged. “I told you. I can’t be sure of anything.”
“I know.” She played with the gold band on her finger. “That’s why I’ve got to go when he goes. If something happens to him, I want it to happen to me too.”
“Journey, the baby…”
“The baby is precious to me.” She touched the place where it lay beneath her heart. “Very precious.” She lifted her eyes to Lou. “But not as precious as Reno.”
When Lou didn’t look shocked, Journey leaned forward. “Is that a sin, Lou? A betrayal of my motherly instincts?”
“No. I don’t think so. You’re one of the lucky women who have found the love of her life. You don’t want to lose him. I can’t blame you for that.”
Lou’s empathy calmed Journey down a bit. “I still need to make him talk to me. Earlier, I was going to pin him down. I ended up chickening out. Instead of asking him if he wanted me to go back in time, I asked him if he still wanted to get married?”
“And what did he say?”
She stuck her tongue out at Lou. “Well, the wedding is still on. He was adamant that he wanted to marry me more than anything.”
Lou shook her finger at Journey. “You need to stop doubting your man. You’ve got one in a million there. Even if he wasn’t a miracle from the past, he’d be any girl’s dreamboat.”
Journey smiled. “You’re right about that. I need to count my blessings as Aunt Myra would say?”
“When’s your aunt coming home?”
Journey looked out the window. “Today, supposedly. Uncle Myles is still hanging in there. I know she wants to come home, but she wants to be with him too. You can’t really complain because it takes a long time for a person to die.”
“No,” Lou agreed. “That would be a bit crass.”
“When he’s lucid, they’re enjoying their time together. Still, I expect her any moment. She would’ve called if she’d been delayed.”
Journey no more than finished her sentence when Myra drove up.
From a distance, Reno saw her and came forward to help with the luggage.
“Oh, there’s my boy. How are you Reno?”
“I’m good, Aunt Myra. How’s your brother?”
“He appreciated you taking the time to answer those questions for him. I bet he read your email a dozen times.”
“I enjoyed the process. It made me think. Sharing my memories of Saul and the children was cathartic for me. Saul didn’t record everything in that journal of his, and now those memories won’t be lost in time.”
“Oh, he put those answers in a safe place – right by the Bixby letter.”
“Hi, Aunt Myra!”
Seeing Journey, she hurried on ahead, leaving Reno to bring up the rear. As he followed the older woman up the stairs, he spotted Lou. He gave her a nod of greeting, then when the opportunity arose, he asked to speak with her.
“Of course.”
Since Myra and her great-niece were visiting, Reno and Lou went for a walk. “Thanks for this. I just wanted a few moments to speak to you in private.”
“Oh? I don’t normally keep secrets from my friend – especially those told to me by her fiancé. She’d kill me.”
Reno laughed at Lou’s candidness. “I can imagine. We don’t want to incur the wrath of Journey, but this is important. And for her own good.”
“You’re still worried about her going through the portal.”
“Of course, I am. I love her. Like you and Kota have both reiterated, we cannot be sure of anything. I may be flung somewhere out in space. Journey was my anchor to this time. Will Cole or Clay be enough of an anchor to pull me back to when I left? I don’t know. What if we get separated? What if something happens to the baby? There’s a chance this pregnancy could be dangerous for her. With medical advancements, she has a good chance here. The past doesn’t offer those types of assurances.”
Lou sighed, folding her arms over her chest as she strode beside him. “You’ve given this a lot of thought.”
“Too much probably. I keep changing my mind. If only there was a way to know for sure