The Journal: A Prophecy, A President & Death

by Parker, W. Leland

  On the receiving end, Harold Danning is, at long last, able to break free from his threat drill exercise and able to focus on this detail. He is very pleased with the progress and congratulates the team! He concurs with their findings and determinations, and places orders to have the researchers return at seven o’clock in the morning to go over the new journal data. He dispatches a mobile document recovery team to also arrive in the morning.

  Then Lauren briefly calls her mom who is beside herself with glee at the glowing report that Lauren shares with her about James and his family, and her job!

  Mrs. Coles, “Laurie! They sound like wonderful people, and I’m so thrilled that your boss is so pleased with your work! Oh, Laurie, this is sooo good! I’m so proud of you. How God smiles on you my dear!”

  “Oh, Mom, thank you. You’re too much. I’ll fill you in on the details tomorrow. Love you, bye.”

  Lauren stands there a minute, thinking about how everything is going, how much she likes James. Then a certain concern returns. How is he going to handle learning that her interest in him has been due to a case; that she has lied to him and his family? She thinks perhaps she can tell him a little something so their friendship can survive the change in understanding. She returns from the restroom to find James standing at the foot of the stairs.

  He says, “Lauren, I did not know it was already almost midnight! I would love to talk your ear off all night, but that would be totally unfair considering you said you were heading out first thing in the morning.”

  She looks at him blankly and says, “I did say that, didn’t I? Huh. Well, then I guess that’s goodnight.” She then reaches out her hand and takes his, looks him in the eyes and says, “James, thanks for everything, and thank your mom for me.”

  James heart skips a beat, and he says, “For nothing.”

  She continues, “No really, you’ve been just wonderful to get to know. I have little doubt that we’ll remain friends;” then she leans in towards him, almost as if to give him a kiss and says, “even after I’ve finished studying you.”

  James, whose face shows the shock of what he thought was about to happen, realizing her reference, says, “Ohhhhhh, that’s, um … Right, right, I forgot; I’m still your subject. Did you get everything you needed, detective?”

  She releases his hand and turns to walk down the hall a couple of steps. The big smile on her face shows that she knows what she’s doing to him, and she turns back and says playfully, “Ask me that again the next time we talk, and I’ll let you know.”

  This is simply too much for James! What may be the woman of his dreams seems to have just flirted with him! His heart had not even the chance to regain regular rhythm, when Lauren, who is now standing a few steps further down the hall, adds, “Um, James, who’s going to show me to my bed?”

  James swallows hard, then says, “I guess I’ll have to.”

  As he begins that way, Joanna emerges from downstairs and calls out, “Lauren. I’ve got you all set now.”

  Neither of them saw her go downstairs, and Lauren cuts her eyes at James in a very teasing way. He stands there, frozen, as she proceeds through the door to the basement. And with everyone out of sight, he pumps his fist and says, “Yeah!” He then proceeds upstairs to bunk up with Joseph, who he hopes is awake so he can talk. Somebody’s got to see this smile that he simply cannot erase off of his face!

  When he opens the door, Joseph is fast asleep. He accidentally switches on the overhead light, but to no avail. Not a stir from Joseph. He turns it back off and begins slipping out of his clothes for bed when he hears from under the blankets, “I can’t believe how close you were to kissing that gorgeous woman!”

  James, in a mix of shock and glee, says in a loud whisper, “What? You were spying on us?”

  Joseph sits up in bed and says plainly, “Oh, my God, dude, I’ve never wanted to be you more in my life!”

  James throws his pants at him and continues to whisper, “I gotta tell ya, I’m living in a dream world! I’m like, pinch me, ’cause this can’t be happening!”

  When James goes to put his shirt on the edge of the closet door Joseph obliges and reaches over and gives his brother a welt-inducing pinch on the rear!

  “Ouch! You nut case!” exclaims James who tries to smack his brother’s hand, but misses.

  James grabs his shirt from off the door and pops it at Joseph who has retreated to the safety of the blankets. He tosses the shirt aside and lunges onto the bed, but Joseph rolls over and balls up into a tight tuck under the blankets. So James has no choice but to simply push him and all of the blankets off onto the floor in a muffled thud, which makes them both laugh.

  Making himself comfortable on the floor, Joseph says, “Please tell me how in the world– What happened?”

  “Give me a blanket and I’ll spill it!” Joseph tosses a blanket up. “How about a pillow?” Joseph tosses a pillow up. “Okay, here’s what happened. You know after I talked to you yesterday, Dad called and told me about the fire, then, I talked to Mom, right? Well, I was putting up some posters asking for a ride home when I saw heaven running up the street!”

  Joseph pops his head up and says, “Aw, man!”

  “Yeah! So I see her right, and I try to get a better look—cause you know, she was like the burning bush! I couldn’t really focus on her. She was like a vision! So, I’m putting up this poster and here she comes.” He stands on the bed to demonstrate, and Joseph, still wrapped in blankets on the floor hangs on every word. “And I’m like this, and she’s coming this way, and she looks back at something—cause I was faking like I was looking at something—and then I tried to step out of her way, but then she, still looking back, changed paths, and then, WHAM!”

  “What!”

  “She ran right into me and literally knocked me off my feet!”

  “Oh, my God!”

  “Yeah!”

  “Oh my–”

  “I know!”

  “Wow!”

  “Can you believe it? Then she almost fell on top of me!”

  “Get OUT!”

  “No, seriously! She actually held me up! I mean this girl is strong! She had me like this!” He demonstrates using the pillow in place of himself.”

  “NO FREAKING WAY! Oh, my God!”

  Suddenly James stops smiling, “Hey Joe, what’s with all the oh-my-Gods, you know Minister Market teaches against that.”

  “Yeah, I know, I kind of picked that up in school, I don’t mean it that way; it’s more of an expression of joy, like My God that’s amazing!”

  “So, you are talking to Him?”

  “I guess. I’m not sure, I mean, I relate to him that way, but I don’t know if I’m calling on him, you know, in vain. It’s mostly just relating.”

  “Well, you better have your mind made up before Dad hears one of those, ’cause he’s sure to call you on it!”

  Joseph nods with understanding, “No, you’re right, thanks bro. Anyway, go on, what happened next?”

  They go on relating as the brothers who have been together all their lives until this first semester of college for James. James tells him every detail, and Joseph is an eager audience. It’s 2:30 in the morning when Joseph finally asks:

  “Jimbo, our bet is now seven years old, and God loves the number seven; soooo … has it happened? Have you kissed her? Is she your Rachel?”

  They refer to the Bible scripture in Genesis 29, verse 11, that tells of the story of Jacob. He had been strictly charged by his parents and of God that he was to marry a woman of the same race and religion. This was no easy task, as this son of Isaac, who was the chosen son of Abraham, had few options or opportunities to meet anyone who qualified. So he went in search of such a woman, and when in a town, miles and miles from home, he saw a beautiful girl that stirred his heart, he had only the smallest hope that she would be the girl. When he learned that she was in fact of the same faith and creed, he kissed her and began to weep because he knew that God had directed his journey to find her,
the love of his life!

  James and Joseph heard this account when they were just young boys, and they always believed that if they kept themselves pure, and trusted God, a first kiss could be like that. They wondered, could someone be the woman for them, like Rachel was for Jacob? So they made a bet, a pact really, that whoever kissed a woman first, a woman whom they thought they loved, he would tell the other if it was anything like Rachel, and the other would owe them a special gift in return.

  So in answer to Joseph’s inquiry James replies, “Well, she definitely qualifies, I mean, I could fall for her. She’s not only beautiful, but she’s smart, funny, athletic, and she’s … She’s pretty much what I’ve been searching for.”

  Joseph looks at his brother, and though he couldn’t know for sure, he definitely sees a change in him. Impressed, he’s done asking questions and pulls the blankets back onto the bed, and gets himself ready for sleep.

  James is lying on his back, staring at the ceiling with his hands folded behind his head. Joseph lies back, also looking at the ceiling—or perhaps a little higher—and says, “Wow.”

  James follows, “Yeah.”

  Neither would get much sleep that night, as Joseph would have the dream again, the one where he’s gathering wood, and his father is standing on the TV laughing while the family watches with concern. And James, as a result of the dream, finds himself sleeping with a very squirmy brother.

  Revelations

  As is his habit, Robert Market is up before everyone else, and gets up to go make coffee for seven: himself, James, Joanna and Joseph—all who normally arrive and partake in that order—and their guests, Lauren, Mr. Hinton and Mr. Sandoval, whom he expects at any moment.

  At 6:30 a.m., a bleary-eyed James comes downstairs just in time for the first batch of brew. “Morning, Dad. That smells good.”

  “Thanks. I’m a little surprised to see you this morning. I heard you and Joe talkin’ ’til … had to be, at least, one in the morning.”

  Not one hundred percent awake, James says, “What, when? Oh.” Then as his memory kicks in he can’t help but smile, “Oh, yeah, you didn’t hear what we were talkin’ bout, did you?”

  “Good heaven’s look at that face, I’d have to be dame-bramaged not to be able to guess!”

  James laughs with embarrassment. “Man, Dad, tell me you can’t tell.”

  “Son, I should take a picture of your face, right now.”

  James, even more embarrassed, “Cut it out.”

  “No, it’s good. She seems like a fine young lady.”

  James is pouring his coffee, with his back turned to his dad. He simply cannot stop smiling. Looking out the window he says, “You know what? I’ve got this sense that today is going to be extraordinary.”

  Nearly startling them, Joseph’s voice comes out of nowhere, “Yeah, extraordinarily bad!”

  They quickly turn around and see him standing there all of a sudden. He is even groggier than James. Joseph is no early riser, but that is not the reason for his uncharacteristically gloomy prediction.

  Robert, “What are you doing up so early? It’s no wonder you think the sky is falling.”

  Joseph rubs his face and eyes forcefully and says, “No it’s not that. I had that dream again.”

  “What dream?” they both ask.

  “The one I tried to tell you about yesterday, about something bad happening.”

  “I’m sorry son, but with all that’s gone on I just don’t remember.”

  James turns around to get some more sugar and immediately notices something odd out the window. Sandoval the electrician is standing in the back yard and talking on a walkie-talkie.

  Joseph continues, “So, while everyone else was all concerned you were standing on the TV, smiling and joking around!”

  “What?”

  James interrupts, “Dad, what do you suppose he’s doing?”

  Robert, looking out, “Wait a second Joe. What Jimmy?”

  “The electrician, what’s he doing?”

  “I don’t know son, why don’t you ask him?”

  “I’m not dressed, plus I want to–”

  “Oh, I get it, you want to greet the young lady when she gets up.”

  “Yeah, well, you know.” Just then the front door quietly opens, and in comes Lauren! James hears the sound, walks over to peek through the kitchen door, and sees her. “Lauren? Well, good morning;” and walks out of the kitchen into the hall to greet her.

  Lauren is fully dressed, and has a fresh cup of store-bought coffee in her hands.

  James is at this point more than a little curious. “How long have you been up?”

  “Good morning. I’ve been up for a while, James. May I speak with you alone? I need to tell you something real quick.”

  “Sure, bring it.”

  But before she can say a word, Robert and Joseph come out to join the conversation. Seeing them Lauren politely says, “Good morning everyone.”

  “Good morning Miss Coles,” they reply.

  Robert then says, “Would you like some coffee?”

  She searches for a polite reply, but James comes to her rescue, “Dad, she already has–” and points at the diner coffee in her hand.

  Robert, “Oh, okay. Boy you are an early riser!”

  James looks past Lauren, through the windows on the side of the front door and sees Mr. Hinton out in front of the house. He also appears to be on a walkie-talkie. Now this should be nothing to be concerned about, it’s very likely that he is merely talking to the electrician. But something is strange. James stands back a step and reevaluates Lauren’s attire. She is dressed in a business suit, which did not seem the most appropriate for driving up to a wedding rehearsal. Looking back out at Mr. Hinton, he figures out what seemed odd about him; he too is wearing a dark overcoat and a suit. He remembers something. He walks into the dining room, looks out the back window, and taking a second look at George Sandoval, the electrician, he sees that he, too, has on a rather business-like overcoat, instead of his work coat from earlier.

  Noticing James’ confused expression and behavior, Joseph looks at his dad and asks, “What’s wrong with him?”

  Walking back into the hallway, with a very puzzled look, James looks at Lauren, “What were you about to tell me, Lauren?”

  Robert, “Help me get your mom’s coffee together in the kitchen, Joe;” and they step through the kitchen door.

  Lauren, “Remember last night, what I asked you to ask me the next time I talked to you?”

  James is partially distracted as he sees through the front windows a black sedan pull up in front of their house. “No, what?”

  Lauren tries to get his attention back, “James! Think. What was it I asked you to ask me?”

  “Um, uh, you said– Yeah, you said that– Well, I had asked you, did you get everything you needed for your research project.” His eyes grow huge and asks, “Is that what’s going on? This is a lot more than a school project!”

  “You asked me that, and I said what?”

  James looks at her, “Then you said, I should ask you that the next time I saw you?”

  She looks deep into his eyes, “Well? Ask me, just the way you did last night.”

  Glancing past her at the goings-on, outside, as another car pulls up, he remembers what he said and says, “Um, Lauren, did you get everything you needed detective?” He makes a huge gasp! “DETECTIVE!”

  She kind of nods her head.

  Lowering his voice, “You’re a detective?” He then looks at her sideways and says, “No, you’re not. You’re a criminology major. You’re going to be a detective.”

  Right then, Robert pokes his head out of the door and says, “Uh, James, you need to come see this!”

  Without turning his gaze from Lauren’s pleading eyes, James steps backwards and begins to push the kitchen door open with his shoulder. He looks into the kitchen and says, “I-I’m coming.” Then, still quite confused, he looks back at Lauren. He shakes his head to clear it, an
d then says, “Um, give me a second.” He steps into the kitchen and finds that Sandoval is out back, now talking to two men in dark overcoats.

  Robert looks at James and says, “What do you make of that?”

  James is simply too shocked to say anything. He motions to say something and instead turns to look towards the kitchen door. On the other side stands Lauren, his gorgeous schoolmate, who happened to run into him, and happened to give him a ride home, and happens to be a detective! “Dad, is there something going on in the family that I don’t know about?”

  Joseph asks, “What do you think they’re doing? Are they with the government or something?”

  Robert, “Well, I can tell you this, I’m about to find out.”

  Suddenly a sunny voice sings out from the top of the stairs, “Gooood morning everyooooone!” It’s Joanna, who is joyfully descending the stairs and giving hugs to everyone she sees. “Lauren, what are you doing standing here all alone?” The door swings open and there stand the ladies. “Good morning everyone.”

  Robert says to Joanna, “Good morning Glory, here’s your morning jolt!”

  She walks over to receive it and says, “Thank you sweetheart;” and she gives him a little kiss. Noticing Joseph and James looking out the window, and the odd position she found Lauren, she asks, “So, what going on?”

  Robert, “I was just about to find out.” Lauren then walks into the kitchen and provides, “Mr. and Mrs. Market, James, Joey, if I could have you all come over here for a moment, I think I may be able to shed some light on all this.” The serious tone of her voice leads them to comply.

  Just then, Joanna notices Lauren’s state of dress and says, “Oh, Lauren, my goodness you’re already dressed to leave; and so nice.”

  Lauren, “Thank you, ma’am.”

  Robert, “Did you talk with them this morning, Lauren?” and sits at the table with Joanna; Joseph plops on a bar stool at the counter that divides the kitchen from the dining room, and James just leans against the sink counter with his arms crossed. He shakes his head in complete bewilderment, like he just found out that everyone but him spoke Japanese!