Loving You (Remembrance Series, Book 2)

by Cynthia P. O'Neill

  I was deep in thought when I heard Ray’s voice off to the side. “You’re right in your thinking, Jordan. This journey is for you to prevent the same mistakes from repeating themselves; but, more importantly, you need to find out who the enemy is and who is out to get you. I know you think you have some of the answers figured out; but just remember, appearances are sometimes deceiving and evil can take on many forms. Trust your heart and the love you have for each other, let it guide you both.”

  “Should we be thinking about our past life and trying to uncover more information? I feel so guilty being here at the beach.”

  He shook his head and smiled. “Take the next couple of days and enjoy yourselves. You need the rest because you’re pushing yourself too hard. I’ll make sure you have some familiar guidance when you reach Philadelphia. We are determined to see this prophecy to fruition. Know that I’m only a whisper away.” And with that, he vanished as the sun fully breached the horizon.

  The next couple of days were spent relaxing, but moved too quickly. Gregory took me to an early breakfast one morning at a restaurant located at the end of the pier, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. We watched the sun come up, together. Afterward, we walked along the beach hand in hand, before returning to the condo to swim.

  When I was tired and napped, he sat close; keeping watch over me while he worked on the project for his father and grandfather. To our surprise, the dark spirits left us alone for the remainder of our respite and we were able to enjoy one another’s company and the relaxation that only the sea can bring.

  By the third day, I felt rejuvenated. The trip brought back wonderful memories of time I’d spent at the beach with my parents. My father and I would either wake early or go out around sunset and walk the beach, letting the waves crash over our feet in the sand. Several times Gregory would draw our initials with a heart around them in the sand with the words “Forever, Loving You.” I would sometimes add, “Always.”

  We were expecting Grandpa Frederick to stop by that evening to discuss Gregory’s project and finalize our plans to head to Philadelphia the following day. Just when everything seemed right in the world, a sense of overwhelming dread came over me at the same moment as the condo phone rang.

  Gregory and I each looked at each other with confusion as he picked up the land line.

  “Hello?” The female person on the other end started talking in a rather loud voice. Gregory’s facial features swiftly changed from happiness to dread.

  “Why do you need to talk to her? You haven’t been anything but blunt and offensive with your letters and comments.” He went silent again, listening.

  “Fine, you should apologize. But, if I hear one cross word come from your mouth, I’ll not only talk with my brother, but I’ll tell my entire family of your attitude.” He nodded, and then said, “Let me get her on the line.”

  I looked up at him, quizzically. “It’s Gwen. She’s insisting on talking with you and apologizing for her recent letter.”

  My stomach clenched and felt nauseous at the idea of talking to someone who was filled with so much contempt for others.

  “This is Jordan.”

  A bubbly, high pitched voice came across the line. “Jordan, sweetie, it is so nice to finally speak to you one-on-one.” I instantly got a bad vibe as to where this was headed– she sounded so fake.

  “I’ve been meaning to call you for a couple of weeks now, but this stupid morning sickness has made me feel so ill, I can barely move or talk. I’m sorry if I was a bit cross with you in the letter I sent. I didn’t mean it to come out that way, but I blame it on the stupid pregnancy hormones.”

  “Okay.” Gee, I didn’t know what to say.

  She went on. “I hope you have taken my advice and decided to move the wedding back. Phillip and I would love to be in attendance. Unfortunately, the date you currently have would be right around the time I am supposed to deliver and I really don’t want to take all the attention away from you during that time.”

  I just took in a deep breath and rolled my eyes, as Gregory start to pace. “We only want a small ceremony, Gwen. We would love it if you both could be there, but we really don’t want to push the date back any further than it already is. I think Lorraine has already booked a venue for that time and would hate for her to lose her money. Can’t we both share the spotlight?”

  She laughed a bit. “Honey, you should know one thing about me, right now. I used to have to share everything with my family, as a kid. But once I got into this family, I decided to own the spotlight and make it my own. I’ll sweet talk my mother in-law into getting her to postpone or move the wedding to another time, where it suits all our needs.” Funny how she put an emphasis on the word “our”. I couldn’t help but wonder who all she was referring to.

  I decided to challenge her. “Try if you like; but I don’t think you will get anywhere with either Lorraine or Gregory, for that matter.”

  “I need to get going, soon. I don’t have much time left for this phone call before….” She trailed off and took in a few deep breaths. I heard her hand cradle the receiver and spout out a few words before returning to the line. “Now where was I? Oh, yes. We received your Engagement Party invitation. As you know, we will be unable to attend because I can’t fly at this time, with this being a difficult pregnancy and all.”

  “I’m sorry to hear you’re having a difficult pregnancy. I wish you nothing but the best. We are all anxious to meet the new addition to the family.” I tried to be as cordial as I could.

  “I’m concerned because if you are going to be moving the date of the wedding, you don’t need to have the party so quickly. You really need to get things in motion to cancel it, as soon as possible!” Her voice kicked up a notch.

  Gregory came over to the sofa and sat beside me to listen into the call. I motioned to put it on speaker, but he shook his head and just held the receiver between us so he could hear her, knowing I could easily listen in with my recently acquired super sensitive hearing.

  “One more thing. The engagement photos are nice; but where in the hell did you get that ring? It belongs to me!!! Grandpa was supposed to give it to Philip so I would have it. He’s the eldest son, he gets it. The ring is MINE! If I were you, I would take that ring off your gold digging finger and put it in the mail to me ASAP!”

  The fury and anger coming out of her mouth caused me to hold my ears. Her voice was so loud and malicious that I felt she was in my head. I reached for the phone to counter her, but the phone felt burning hot to the touch to me. Something was definitely weird, but I didn’t know exactly what.

  Gregory fielded the call. “Gwen, that ring is my grandfather’s to do with as he pleases. It was never promised to anyone specifically and if you want it, you will have to go through him and my family to get it. I gave Jordan a ring of her own, but Grandpa decided she needed a good luck charm and offered Grandma’s ring to us. We did not ask for it, demand it or carry on about it like you are. It was given to us, freely. You are not the center of attention in this family; you are merely an attachment, by way of marriage. Back off from attacking my fiancé. We do not need your permission to marry and you will not tell us when and if we can.” He slammed the phone down on its cradle, nearly cracking the handset.

  I watched as he grabbed his cell phone and instantly dialed his mother. He retold everything that had happened. Apparently, promises were made to call his brother and get a handle on things. “Thanks, Mom. Remember to not let anyone know the true reason for the Engagement Party. Okay, good. I’ll let her know. We’ll see you in a few days. Bye.”

  He came over to the sofa and pulled me into his lap, holding me close and giving me a gentle kiss on the lips. “Mom sends her love. She’s sorry for Gwen’s attitude. She’s going to call Grandpa and dad to enlighten them. Our wedding will take place as planned, with no interference from Gwen or any other family member.”

  “Should I give the ring back to Grandpa?” I asked.

  He shook his head. “
Mom stated that the ring was never intended for anyone. Grandpa had always saved it with the idea of one day passing it down to a family member; but with no specifications as to who would receive it. He chose you for a reason and you will be the one to wear it.”

  It was amazing how one phone call could change the whole mood of the day. It was our last day at the beach and my stomach was unsettled and I really didn’t feel like even going out. I decided while Gregory was putting the final touches on his presentation, I would peruse the information we had obtained on our past selves to see if I could find anything we missed; unfortunately, there was nothing.

  He had already been in contact with one of his dad’s cousins, who was a history buff and involved in Revolutionary War reenactments representing the Daughters of the American Revolution, an exclusive nationwide club of women who can prove their ancestor lineage back to a participant in the War. She collected and stored all the historic memorabilia for the family. We would be meeting with her tomorrow. We had also scheduled an appointment with one of my mom’s distant aunts, the following day.

  We didn’t have much to go on, since record keeping was not the best during Revolutionary times. We could only hope that maybe some of our relatives had passed down information or items from one generation and was available for us to touch. There was also the possibility that some of the scenery in the historic town of Philadelphia would jog our memories.

  Grandpa Frederick arrived in time for dinner. We sat around the table discussing the past few days’ events. He was pleased to see me feeling better. “We’ve all been worried about you, Jordan. I know you’ve got a lot of spirit and fight in you, but you need to take it easy, dear.”

  He gave me a wink, before adding, “Lorraine can sometimes be a little overwhelming when it comes to something she cares about. She loves that she will have a daughter-in-law so close by. She already thinks of you as her own daughter, you know. If you need her to let up on the wedding details, just let her know you need your rest and she’ll give it to you.”

  Gregory interjected. “Speaking of wedding details, we need to talk.” He shared about the phone call he, or rather I, received from Gwen earlier in the day. It was obvious that the information did not sit well with Grandpa. He continued to clench his fists and was downright explosive by the time Gregory finished the story.

  “That girl had better watch herself. Phillip has already expressed how miserable he is. There’s not an easy solution there, now that she’s expecting; but we are all equals, pulling our own weight in this family, and she needs to learn that. Just because she married my eldest grandson and was the first to join the family, doesn’t give her right to anything of mine.”

  Grandpa paused for a moment, a smile spreading across his face. He chuckled a moment before looking at both of us. “Your grandmother and I didn’t have a lot of money starting out. What we did have, we invested into the business and had to live like paupers for the longest time, until we started to turn a profit. We only had enough money to buy one another simple wedding bands.”

  He shook his head, recalling a memory. “I kept apologizing to her about not having a proper engagement ring. She told me that love was from the heart, not from a piece of jewelry or a trinket, and that even without an engagement ring or wedding ring, she would love me with all of hers.

  “I made a promise to myself to work hard and when the money was right, to give her a ring suitable for the magnificent woman she was. That day took nearly fifteen years to come, but I searched high and low for a ring that stood out amongst the others, much like her. She was a rare gem, indeed.”

  I had to ask, “Where did you find the ring?”

  Grandpa reached over and patted my hand. “I was on a business trip in Philadelphia, trying to finalize the purchasing rights to a piece of equipment our company was interested in. I had almost settled on a ring with a local shop in Orlando, but it just didn’t feel like the one. I was feeling a little depressed, missing my bride, when I had passed by a shop and a sparkle caught my eye. I stopped at the window and tried to find where the gleam came from.

  “A young gentleman, with long blonde hair and bigger than any man I had ever seen, opened the door and introduced himself as the shopkeeper. He invited me in and we talked for a spell. When I told him I had stopped to look at the sparkle that flashed from the street, he realized what I was looking for and opened a special case, which held this ring.

  “The moment I saw it, I was enamored with its beauty. It instantly reminded me of your grandmother, Veronica, and all the wonderful things she had gone without to help us make a life with one another and build a business. The shopkeeper didn’t want to part with the ring initially, citing it was only for someone who was pure of heart.”

  He laughed. “We ended up talking for about two hours before he said he had to close up shop. I was about to leave when he offered me the ring at a price that was way under its value. I asked him why and his response was, “You seem to have a very rare and fortunate marriage, built on love, trust and the giving of oneself. This ring will bring you many years of luck and well wishes. When the time comes that the wearer of this ring no longer has use for it, I only ask that you give it to someone just as rare a find.”

  Gregory and I looked at each other with curiosity. “How did you know to give it to Jordan?” Gregory asked.

  His reply took us by surprise. “Ray told me I would just know, because her pure heart would shine through, much like your grandmother’s did.” He reached over and grabbed my hand in his, squeezing lightly. “You remind me so much of her. I can already see the love you have for my grandson. I hope this ring helps to bring you much joy and luck in the coming years. Plus, a few grandkids here and there wouldn’t hurt, either.” He laughed, jovially.

  My mind was completely shattered at the moment. Could the Ray he spoke of be the same Ray we knew? Could all this have been set in motion years before its time? When I looked over at Gregory, I could tell the same questions were running through his mind, too.

  I got up from the table and gave Grandpa a big hug and kiss on the cheek. “Know that you didn’t need to give me this ring. I would understand if you want it to go to your eldest grandson or even to Jonathan.”

  He gave me a gentle squeeze back. “The ring goes to you, Jordan, end of story. Robin is a sweet, dear girl. Her and Jonathan are very happy and enjoying a wonderful life together. I have some other things of grandma’s that I will probably pass on to Robin—just like I’ll probably pass a few more things your direction, over time.”

  I gave him another kiss on the cheek. “Thank you, Grandpa. Please know that I will cherish this ring always and would love to know more about your wife, so that I can one day pass the love you have for her, down to my own kids.”

  He looked over at Gregory, giving him a wink. “This one’s definitely a keeper, Gregory. I hope you make good on my request for grandkids.”

  “I agree, she’s definitely a one in a million find. We haven’t discussed kids, yet, but I’m open to a couple in the future.” Gregory looked over at me giving me a wink.

  He then shifted the conversation to his presentation. While he and Grandpa Fredrick looked over the PowerPoint presentation, I decided to give Mom a call to see how she was doing.

  I had missed talking with her but I knew that she was busy with Uncle Tom and Aunt Melinda and she knew that I loved the beach and would be absorbed in relaxing while I was here. She was glad to hear that I was feeling refreshed, but concerned about my soon to be sister in-law, after I shared Gwen’s hateful phone call. To my surprise, she shared a story about my Aunt, my father’s sister, who hardly ever spoke to us. She had been off on a cruise when Dad passed and we hadn’t heard from her since, other than a card saying, “Sorry for your loss and mine.”

  Mom went on to elaborate. “Your dad’s sister, Amelia, was dead set against us marrying. She insisted I was too young to handle the marriage because of our age differences. She didn’t care that I was more mature
for my age, having cared for my mother who had been sickly most of her life. She kept stirring up a hornet’s nest, wherever she could. She even tried to turn people away from attending our wedding. But, we managed to get through, just fine. She’s been distant ever since, but all the rest of the family has been a true blessing. Maybe Gwen will come around, in time; if not, don’t worry about it, just be careful, though.”

  To change the subject, she asked, “Don’t you fly up to Philly tomorrow to see some of Gregory’s relatives and your Great Aunt Sylvia?”

  I told her our itinerary and that we would be returning home, to her place, on Saturday and would stay a few days there and commute to work. She was ecstatic. I had to hold the phone away from my ear in order to keep my eardrums from pounding.

  A couple of hours later, the guys finished up with the final tweaks on the slides. Gregory offered to let Grandpa stay with us, so he wouldn’t be alone, but he insisted he had some more work to look over before turning in and didn’t want to disturb us.

  We took in a late night swim and soak in the hot tub, downstairs, before calling it a night.

  I had changed into a t-shirt and sleep shorts and was looking out over the balcony, listening to the tranquility of the waves crashing against the shoreline and watching the moonlight glitter against the water, when Gregory’s arms slipped around my waist, from behind, and drew me close to his firm chest. He leaned his head on my shoulder, as he whispered in my ear, “You look amazing in this moonlight.” His lips started to nibble a path from my shoulder to my ear. “I’m sorry my grandfather brought up the topic of kids, tonight. We do need to discuss that at some point. But, for now, I would love to hear your thoughts on a potential honeymoon.”

  One hand reached around to slip into his hair holding his head close to my neck, as he continued placing flaming kisses and nips up toward my earlobe and then forward to my chin. “I’m all for having kids one day; but no need to hurry, unless you want to. At this point, I would just like to see us live to make the Wedding Day.”