Spring had arrived in all it's beauty. The snow had melted and although the days had been rainy, on this particular day, it was sunny and beautiful.
Saturday was Blessing's favorite day of the week. And what made this Saturday even better were the facts that the weather permitted her to play outdoors and it was also one day closer that her cousin Lacey would finally come home.
Blessing threw the little stone to see where it would land on the hopscotch board. Unlike chess, which she was still practicing with her Uncle John, Blessing was great at hopscotch.
Saturday was Blessing's favorite day of the week. And what made this Saturday even better were the facts that the weather permitted her to play outdoors and it was also one day closer that her cousin Lacey would finally come home.
Blessing threw the little stone to see where it would land on the hopscotch board. Unlike chess, which she was still practicing with her Uncle John, Blessing was great at hopscotch.
As she skipped along the squares, she reveled in the love she had for Spring. It was a time of new beginnings for many things... the flowers and trees bloomed, the little squirrels were playing about and the birds were back on the feeders in the yard.
And today was the first day she was allowed to wear shorts and sandals . Whenever she put her shorts on too early, her mother would say, "Blessing, it's too cold out for that outfit. Don't rush the season."
And today was the first day she was allowed to wear shorts and sandals . Whenever she put her shorts on too early, her mother would say, "Blessing, it's too cold out for that outfit. Don't rush the season."
She wasn't certain what "don't rush the season" meant, but she understood plainly that it meant she couldn't wear shorts and sandals.
She easily skipped across the squares on the hopscotch board in the other direction and played again.
She easily skipped across the squares on the hopscotch board in the other direction and played again.
John had been searching for Gilbert everywhere without luck. He had knocked his nephew's door earlier, but there had been no answer. Finally, when Gilbert had not made it to breakfast, John's concern had increased to the point where he had just entered the teen's room uninvited.
Gilbert quickly stood up from his desk as his uncle entered.
"Didn't you hear me knock earlier? What have you been doing? You missed breakfast."
Gilbert glanced at the floor as if having trouble answering.
"Is this about your book?" John asked gently. "Are you having trouble with it?"
Gilbert nodded. "Yeah. I mean, no." He shrugged his shoulders. "I finished it. I think."
"Oh," John answered. "And you're afraid to have anyone read it?"
The teenager simply nodded.
"Well, you promised I could, remember?" John gently prodded.
"Yeah, I know. Are you sure you want to? What if it's stupid?"
John smiled reassuringly at his nephew. "I'm sure it won't be stupid. Come on, let me read it."
"It's science fiction," Gilbert explained as he reluctantly handed the manuscript to his uncle.
"I'll read it and let you know what I think. Don't worry so much, okay?"
Gilbert tried to smile, but it was difficult. "Okay."
Gilbert quickly stood up from his desk as his uncle entered.
"Didn't you hear me knock earlier? What have you been doing? You missed breakfast."
Gilbert glanced at the floor as if having trouble answering.
"Is this about your book?" John asked gently. "Are you having trouble with it?"
Gilbert nodded. "Yeah. I mean, no." He shrugged his shoulders. "I finished it. I think."
"Oh," John answered. "And you're afraid to have anyone read it?"
The teenager simply nodded.
"Well, you promised I could, remember?" John gently prodded.
"Yeah, I know. Are you sure you want to? What if it's stupid?"
John smiled reassuringly at his nephew. "I'm sure it won't be stupid. Come on, let me read it."
"It's science fiction," Gilbert explained as he reluctantly handed the manuscript to his uncle.
"I'll read it and let you know what I think. Don't worry so much, okay?"
Gilbert tried to smile, but it was difficult. "Okay."
Jasper stared at his cellphone for what seemed like ages. He hated what he had to do, but he felt in his heart that it was necessary. He had already put the number in his phone, all he had to do was hit the call button.
But he hesitated. Maybe Olivia would be too angry if she found out. He'd be in hot water and they had only just mended their relationship after the whole "engagement" fiasco. He certainly didn't want to do anything to cause her to be infuriated with him.
But he hesitated. Maybe Olivia would be too angry if she found out. He'd be in hot water and they had only just mended their relationship after the whole "engagement" fiasco. He certainly didn't want to do anything to cause her to be infuriated with him.
No. He wasn't going to talk himself out of this. He had to do it. It was for her and all he wanted was to keep her safe. So, if she found out, so be it. He would explain and she would just have to understand.
He hit the call button before he could change his mind...
He hit the call button before he could change his mind...
Olivia cooked when she was upset. John gardened. He tended to have a green thumb as it seemed like whatever he planted grew. He had often found himself gardening when he needed to think.
Perhaps today was one of those days. It was misting out and cloudy. He'd gone out to weed, but all he could do was stare off into the distance over the hill to the river below.
As he watched the water moving along, he sadly thought about how he and Elisa had planned to take a boating trip this summer when the weather was warm. Just the two of them. He'd had to cancel the reservations just this morning when he'd realized he'd forgotten to do so.
There would be no trip. Ever. Not with Elisa, anyway.
As he watched the water moving along, he sadly thought about how he and Elisa had planned to take a boating trip this summer when the weather was warm. Just the two of them. He'd had to cancel the reservations just this morning when he'd realized he'd forgotten to do so.
There would be no trip. Ever. Not with Elisa, anyway.
It began to rain in earnest now. He turned toward his garden, ignoring the weather and crouched down, feeling the earth with his hands. It felt good between his fingers, soft and damp. He liked the smell of the earth and the rain.
Olivia watched from a window above as her brother tended to his garden in the rain. She knew he was out there in this weather because of Elisa and it made her blood boil to think of how hard Elisa's behavior had hit her brother.
There had to be something she could do about it.
There had to be something she could do about it.
Later in the evening, as Olivia had promised herself, she intended on helping John work things out with Elisa. She would plead and beg if she had to. Elisa would just have to understand how wonderful John was and what she was giving up.
They met in town at the Bistro. But Olivia could tell by the way Elisa was approaching her, that Elisa was not looking forward to this meeting.
"Olivia, I don't know what you think you can accomplish. I only came to meet you because John won't stop leaving me messages. It has to stop."
Olivia remained calm, but inside she felt incensed. "John really cares about you and is having a really hard time with this. He wants you in his life."
They met in town at the Bistro. But Olivia could tell by the way Elisa was approaching her, that Elisa was not looking forward to this meeting.
"Olivia, I don't know what you think you can accomplish. I only came to meet you because John won't stop leaving me messages. It has to stop."
Olivia remained calm, but inside she felt incensed. "John really cares about you and is having a really hard time with this. He wants you in his life."
Elisa glanced over Olivia's shoulder uncomfortably. Olivia noticed and looked behind her to see a man watching them. He was someone Olivia didn't know and not the regular paparazzi-type person she was accustomed to running into.
"It's like this, Olivia," Elisa said. "I don't love John. He was great for a while but we don't want the same things - and who is that guy?"
Olivia tried to ignore the man behind them and continued with the conversation, "I don't know who he is. Who cares, anyway? Listen, I called you here because I wanted to know what I can do to help the situation."
"There isn't anything you can do. Didn't you hear me? I don't love him and I have other aspirations than just riding his coattails all my life!"
"It's like this, Olivia," Elisa said. "I don't love John. He was great for a while but we don't want the same things - and who is that guy?"
Olivia tried to ignore the man behind them and continued with the conversation, "I don't know who he is. Who cares, anyway? Listen, I called you here because I wanted to know what I can do to help the situation."
"There isn't anything you can do. Didn't you hear me? I don't love him and I have other aspirations than just riding his coattails all my life!"
"How can you not love him?" she exclaimed. "He treasured you and treated you like a queen!"
"I'm leaving. I didn't come here to put up with this."
"I'm leaving. I didn't come here to put up with this."
"You can leave if you want to, but know this... You have about as much talent as a ham sandwich! You only got as far as you did because of my brother. He's better off without you and pretty soon, he'll realize that."
After Elisa left, Olivia sat and had a drink. As soon as she had said those terrible words, she knew she had done the wrong thing. She was overprotective of John, she knew that. But he would be furious to find out that she had confronted the woman he loved in this manner. She gulped her drink down, wishing it would take away her regret.
After Elisa left, Olivia sat and had a drink. As soon as she had said those terrible words, she knew she had done the wrong thing. She was overprotective of John, she knew that. But he would be furious to find out that she had confronted the woman he loved in this manner. She gulped her drink down, wishing it would take away her regret.
John stood in the kitchen doorway, watching as Gilbert inhaled a hamburger. After Gilbert had finished and had cleaned up his mess from cooking, John stopped him.
Gilbert put his hands up. "You're blocking the doorway."
"Well, kid, I read your manuscript."
Gilbert put his hands up. "You're blocking the doorway."
"Well, kid, I read your manuscript."
"Oh," was all he could answer as he stared at his feet.
"Cheer up and stop putting your head down like that. Do you really think something you would write would be that bad? You're in classes for the gifted and you write like a madman."
"Cheer up and stop putting your head down like that. Do you really think something you would write would be that bad? You're in classes for the gifted and you write like a madman."
The corners of Gilbert's mouth curled into a slight smile. "Really? Did you like it?"
John threw his hands into the air with mock exaggeration. "Did I like it? Did I like it?" he teased. Then he grinned. "I loved it! I especially love the part where your character Gracie - funny how she's named 'Gracie' - was abducted by aliens and brought back a drooling mess."
Gilbert laughed. "I have to say that's my favorite part, too."
"Yes!" John enthused. "Now, don't get me wrong. It needs a little work. But I'm going to make good on my promise and hand deliver it to my publisher friend to see what he thinks if that's okay with you."
"Okay with me?" Gilbert exclaimed. "If you think it's good enough, then I say yes!"
John threw his hands into the air with mock exaggeration. "Did I like it? Did I like it?" he teased. Then he grinned. "I loved it! I especially love the part where your character Gracie - funny how she's named 'Gracie' - was abducted by aliens and brought back a drooling mess."
Gilbert laughed. "I have to say that's my favorite part, too."
"Yes!" John enthused. "Now, don't get me wrong. It needs a little work. But I'm going to make good on my promise and hand deliver it to my publisher friend to see what he thinks if that's okay with you."
"Okay with me?" Gilbert exclaimed. "If you think it's good enough, then I say yes!"
When Olivia got home, she was more upset than ever. She knew she'd done the wrong thing and couldn't begin to imagine what had possessed her to even meet with Elisa. All she had wanted was to fix things, but now, she was certain she had made things much, much worse for John.
She found Jasper in the kitchen. But she didn't want to talk about what she'd done. She couldn't talk about that yet. It was too painful.
Instead, she mentioned that she needed to speak to him again about Winter.
She found Jasper in the kitchen. But she didn't want to talk about what she'd done. She couldn't talk about that yet. It was too painful.
Instead, she mentioned that she needed to speak to him again about Winter.
"You know how worried I am about her," Olivia told him. "She isn't like other children."
"We've talked about all of this before," he answered. "Being different isn't always bad."
"But what if something were to happen to her? I can't protect her. I don't know what to expect. I'm so consumed with worry for her, I can't stand it any longer."
"We've talked about all of this before," he answered. "Being different isn't always bad."
"But what if something were to happen to her? I can't protect her. I don't know what to expect. I'm so consumed with worry for her, I can't stand it any longer."
"Liv, there isn't anything to be worried about. Don't you see that she will grow up just like other children?"
"But what kind of life will she have?"
He seemed hurt by her question. "I don't know. I mean, is our life so bad even though I have the same 'problem' as Winter?"
"But what kind of life will she have?"
He seemed hurt by her question. "I don't know. I mean, is our life so bad even though I have the same 'problem' as Winter?"
"That isn't what I meant at all. Our life is wonderful. I'm so happy with you. But what will Winter's life be like? Why are you so against us curing her if we can?"
"And why do you see this as an affliction that needs to be 'cured?'" he asked quietly.
"And why do you see this as an affliction that needs to be 'cured?'" he asked quietly.
"I don't mean any of this that way. I can't believe you don't share my concern about this."
"You knew this could happen if we had children, Livvy."
"Yes, but we'd had two children and neither of them were born like Winter."
"You knew this could happen if we had children, Livvy."
"Yes, but we'd had two children and neither of them were born like Winter."
"You know what I think? I think you're the one with the problem here, not our daughter," he said. "She's going to be just fine."
Olivia bit her lower lip in order to buy time before speaking. This had not been a good night for her to speak to people and she didn't want another terrible occurrence like the one she'd already had with Elisa.
"Maybe you're right," she conceded. "But I am still going to read everything I can about this. You should know that I've still been reading and researching Ambrosia. I think that may be the answer for her, but I'm not sure yet. I want it to be completely safe before we try it."
"If we try it," he stressed.
Her eyes softened. "Of course, it will be up to both of us. But you have to let me do this. I need to know if there is something I can do."
"Maybe you're right," she conceded. "But I am still going to read everything I can about this. You should know that I've still been reading and researching Ambrosia. I think that may be the answer for her, but I'm not sure yet. I want it to be completely safe before we try it."
"If we try it," he stressed.
Her eyes softened. "Of course, it will be up to both of us. But you have to let me do this. I need to know if there is something I can do."
He nodded and put his hand on her shoulder lovingly. "Research it and learn all you want. When you have more answers, we'll speak to someone at the science lab about it. Is that okay?"
She nodded with tears of relief in her eyes. "Yes, that sounds like a good plan."
She nodded with tears of relief in her eyes. "Yes, that sounds like a good plan."
They looked affectionately into each others' eyes.
"I will never lose my passion for you and our beautiful family, Olivia Baldwin."
"Nor I you," she answered.
"I will never lose my passion for you and our beautiful family, Olivia Baldwin."
"Nor I you," she answered.
Their kiss was long and full of passion. Olivia knew that even though he was a ghost, she had found her soul mate. Maybe someday, she thought, he'd want to take Ambrosia, too.
She smiled as she rested her head on his shoulder. Yes, then they would be the perfect family.