Ascension Vision- The Levels of Ascension Box Set

by Amy Proebstel

  “Sure, that’d be great!” Angie dug in her purse and triumphantly pulled out one of her cards which she handed over to Amanda. Before her fingers released the card, she changed her mind and pulled the card back to her lap. She dug in her purse and pulled out a pen and flipped the card over. “Let me put my cell phone number on the back for you.”

  Amanda waited for her to finish writing and then accepted the paper. This was just the thing she needed to begin her plan. Surely, the dream about Angie had to mean she was meant to end up with Neal in the end. She had to believe it was the reason Angie happened to be traveling on the road today. It also went a long way to explaining all of the delays she had experienced before getting to the cemetery. If everything had gone smoothly, then she would have been at least an hour or two earlier, and she would have missed this ‘chance’ encounter.

  “It looks like my dad has your vehicle all hooked up. He’ll want you to ride with him to give him directions.”

  “You’ll follow us in your car, right?”

  “Are you sure it won’t be an imposition?” It hurt her to even suggest it; she was almost desperate to see Riccan Stel’s house. She had heard stories about the mansion, but she had no idea where it was located. This might be her only opportunity to see it in person.

  “Not at all. Please say you’ll come over.” Amanda reached over and touched Angie’s hand to emphasize her point.

  “Fine. I’ll do it. Oh, my dad is trying to get your attention. I’ll see you at your house then.”

  Amanda opened the passenger door and walked over to where Mr. McFarland stood at the side of his tow truck. He opened the door for her, and she hoisted herself up into the tall vehicle. It was sort of exciting to see the road from this height. She turned around and looked through the back window to see her truck raised in the front and attached to the tow truck. Her eyes moved past the 4-Runner, and she waved to Angie and smiled when Angie waved back enthusiastically.

  Mr. McFarland shut the passenger door and went around the front of the truck to get into the driver’s seat. “I’ll just need you to give me directions. Give me enough lead time to let me know when to turn. Okay?”

  “Sure, just keep going straight. We’ll be taking the next exit and then turning right.”

  “Great. Are you warm enough?” He reached forward to adjust the temperature and then removed his hand when Amanda nodded confirmation. He started the engine and put on his blinker while he waited for an opening in the traffic to pull onto the highway.

  The ride was quiet as Mr. McFarland was not one for small talk. When they pulled up to the gate, Amanda let herself out of the vehicle and manually entered the code on the security panel. The two sections of the gate slowly opened as Amanda returned to the passenger seat. The curving driveway was too long to simply walk up, so it was easier to hoist herself into the truck.

  Amanda looked behind them again to make certain Angie’s car made it onto the property before the gate shut. She turned back around and wondered if Riccan had seen the line of vehicles converging upon the house. Suddenly she was nervous about offering the impromptu meet and greet without first clearing it with Riccan. She did not think he would mind, but she had never seen him in any public appearances either.

  “Just pull up in front of the right-hand side garage,” Amanda directed as they neared the circular section of the driveway. It was the half of the garage where they stored their telepods so it would not matter if the truck blocked the entrance. Of course, she did not share this information with Mr. McFarland.

  He expertly backed the 4-Runner up in an out of the way position. The back-up beeper echoed across the wide open space. With the motor turned off, he opened his door and hopped down to the ground in a manner which told Amanda he had done it a million times before.

  Amanda exited the vehicle more carefully and started to walk over to where Angie had parked ahead of them. She could see the excited expression of her newfound friend. She could hardly blame her for staring as the house was rather impressive with its four columns supporting the porch and the symmetrical appearance of the six garage doors, three on each side of the massive living space.

  As if her thoughts had manifested, Riccan opened the front door and stepped outside. He surveyed the scene in front of him and instantly realized something had happened to the truck. His next instinct was to make sure Amanda was okay. He rushed forward, concern apparent in his expression until he could see his wife smiling. Relief almost overwhelmed him as he stopped in front of Amanda and gave her a quick hug. “What happened? Are you okay?”

  “Yes, my tire blew out. Did you know there isn’t a spare tire on the truck?” Amanda asked in a slightly annoyed tone.

  Riccan pursed his lips and looked down suddenly. “Yes, I took it off to try to find out if it was causing the squeaking sound. I hadn’t gotten around to putting it back on yet. I’m really sorry. How come you didn’t call me?”

  “Oh, I forgot the stupid phone here at home. Of all days!”

  “Hmph!” Riccan agreed. “I understand the tow truck, but who’s in the BMW?”

  “Oh, she’s an old high school classmate of mine who came to my rescue. Her father’s the owner of the tow truck company.” She leaned closer so only Riccan could hear and whispered, “They are fans of yours from your racing days. I sort of promised they could meet you. I hope you don’t mind.”

  Riccan chuckled and replied, “I should be mad, but I owe these two a lot more than an appearance for getting you home safely.” He had walked off to the side so he could see the blown tire. His eyebrows rose as he assessed the extensive damage of where the rubber tire used to be. “Boy, you don’t do things half-way, do you, Amanda? We’re going to have to get a new wheel along with the tire. I’m glad you weren’t hurt. Where did it happen?”

  “On the highway just as I pulled out from the cemetery. It could have been a lot worse. Luckily I had finished my turn and was going straight when it blew. I pulled over immediately. I’m really sorry about the damage, Riccan.”

  “Are you kidding? This is nothing compared to your safety. There’s nothing to apologize for. I’ll be right back,” Riccan said as he patted her arm and left her side to go talk with Mr. McFarland as he finished unhooking the truck from his rig. He called out, “Thanks for getting my wife home safely.”

  “No problem. I wouldn’t have had to tow the rig except she didn’t have a spare tire. You should probably make sure she has one before she drives again.”

  Riccan felt abashed at having to admit his guilt in the matter, but he definitely did not want this man to think Amanda had been at fault. “Well, she didn’t know I’d taken it off. I forgot to tell her, so really, this is all my doing.”

  Billy looked up at Riccan, respecting him even more for being honest. He tossed the final rigging equipment into the bin on the back of his truck and then rubbed his palms down the front of his jacket. He held out his hand to Riccan and said, “My name’s Billy McFarland. It’s a real honor to meet you, Mr. Stel. I’ve been watching you on T.V. for a long time, and you are a real class act.”

  Riccan responded by grasping his hand firmly and smiling. “Thanks, Mr. McFarland. Please call me Riccan.”

  “Only if you’ll call me Billy. This here, is my daughter, Angie. If you ever need an insurance agent, she’s your girl.” His pride was evident in the tone of his voice and the look on his face as he talked about his only child.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “ARE YOU BUSY? Do you have time to come inside and have a cup of coffee?” Riccan asked.

  “Oh, I don’t want to impose. I’m sure you have other plans for a Sunday afternoon.”

  “Please, I’d love to get to know you and your daughter. I heard she went to school with my wife and I think they’d like to catch up. I’d appreciate another man around to keep me company.” He smiled endearingly and was rewarded by Billy’s reply.

  “Okay, but I can’t stay long. My wife’s gonna have dinner ready shortly.” He clap
ped Riccan on the shoulder and fell into step beside him.

  The two men converged on where the women were talking. Riccan said, “I’ve invited Billy, here, to come inside and have coffee with us. Shall we go inside and I can get you paid as well.”

  “No, no, you don’t have to pay Mr. …I mean, Riccan!” Billy announced hastily.

  “Nonsense, you don’t work for free, Billy. Besides, how would it look if you didn’t charge me? People might think it was favoritism. We can’t have that, now, can we?” He grinned mischievously as he stepped up to the front door and led the way inside.

  “I guess not,” Billy replied weakly. His voice died away once he stepped inside and he took in the grandeur of the massive foyer with the curving staircase on the left-hand side. He looked around and barely caught himself before whistling in appreciation.

  Angie stepped into the foyer beside Amanda, and she openly gaped in appreciation. “This sure is a big house for just the two of you!”

  “We have our two daughters here as well. They’re visiting their grandparents right now, or we’d introduce them to you.”

  “Two daughters? I thought you have only been…you know…for a year now. How did you manage to have two?”

  “Twins.”

  “Identical twins,” Riccan said over his shoulder with pride.

  “Wow! How cool! It must be fun having the patter of little feet around,” Angie added wistfully. She looked around avidly taking in every detail. One thing she did notice was the complete lack of any personal photos anywhere. She thought it slightly odd for a newly married couple to not at least have their wedding photo proudly displayed. “Where are the wedding photos?” she blurted without thinking about how bad it sounded.

  Amanda looked pointedly ahead to Riccan as if accusing him of something before she answered. “We eloped in Reno and didn’t get any pictures.”

  “What? No pictures? It’s too bad.” Her disappointment was very apparent.

  The smell of coffee wafted over to where they remained in the foyer. Amanda smiled inwardly knowing Riccan had used his crystal power to create the coffee. She knew for certain he would not have brewed any for just himself. Sometimes it was fun having special abilities hidden from the public as was the case with surprise guests and always being prepared for anything.

  “Let’s go sit down in the living room,” Amanda suggested as she moved across the foyer and past the dining room. The elegant furniture was impressive, and she knew Angie would be investigating everything as they progressed through the house. She turned to Angie and asked, “Do you want tea or coffee? We have both.”

  “Oh, coffee is fine. I take it black.”

  Amanda nodded as she pulled a cup out of the cupboard and poured from a coffee pot she had never seen before. She was about to make herself a cup of tea by hand when Riccan surprised her with a cup already prepared. He winked as she took it from her and she knew he had created this out of Billy’s sight. She grinned as she accepted the cup and then turned around to take both back to the coffee table in the living room.

  Angie was standing at the wall of windows at the back of the house looking out on the yard. She was amazed at the size of the pool; it had to be Olympic-sized. The grounds were immaculately groomed without a leaf out of place. She wondered how many people it took to keep it all so pristine.

  “Come sit down so we can chat,” Amanda offered from where she sat on the couch. She had cradled her cup of tea between her two hands and inhaled the minty scent of the steam. It reminded her of the steena tea she usually drank when she was in Tuala.

  Angie seemed reluctant to leave the view from the windows, but she turned and joined Amanda on the couch. She reached forward and picked up her own cup and took a sip with appreciation of the perfectly roasted flavor. She thought it might be the best coffee she had ever tasted and wondered what brand they used. Thinking it might be rude to ask, she kept the thought to herself.

  Thinking she should move to a more polite line of questions, she asked, “Didn’t you say something about Neal being back home? Where has he been and when did he get back?”

  Amanda glanced swiftly at Riccan to see if he wanted to answer, she was disgusted by his refusal which left her trying to explain the unexplainable truth. “He just came home on December first, actually.”

  “Really? Where has he been this whole time? It’s been what, eight years?”

  “Well, this isn’t public knowledge, but he was being held against his will in Mexico. Riccan used some of his contacts to find him, and we managed to negotiate a deal to get him home safely. He’s had a pretty rough time adjusting to being back. In fact, he came over here yesterday to talk things over. There aren’t many people he can talk to who know about what happened to him.” Amanda could see Riccan trying not to laugh at her explanation. She pointedly turned her head slightly, so he was not in her direct line of view.

  “Oh my goodness! I had no idea! This really has been a fascinating day! So was Neal shocked to hear you had gotten married? I mean, you two were always an item in school.” She leaned forward to add the last part privately, knowing it could be an awkward question with her new husband just a few feet away.

  “He’d moved on as well. He had a girlfriend in Mexico.”

  “Oh, so he’s involved with someone else?”

  “Not anymore. She decided she did not want to move away from her home. Obviously, Neal didn’t want to stay in a foreign land. No, Neal isn’t in any relationship right now.”

  “That’s too bad,” Angie said without much conviction. She had always had a crush on him, but he was only interested in being with Amanda. Maybe now…she thought to herself, hardly allowing herself to believe she might have a chance with him.

  Amanda could see Angie’s thoughts were heading right where she had hoped they would go. She needed to make sure Neal had someone who could take care of him and comfort him. His mother could only help him so far, but Angie could help him heal physically as well as emotionally. It felt a little strange arranging her ex-fiancé’s love life, but she knew instinctively it was the right thing to do. Otherwise, she would not have dreamed about it happening already.

  There was a lull in the conversation, and Riccan suddenly asked, “Since you love the NHRA, would you like to see my Wallys? I have them in my office if you’re interested.”

  Billy brightened up immediately and said, “I’d love to! I heard they’re pretty heavy. I’ve never seen one in person, only on T.V.”

  The two men crossed the living room and went down the hall out of Amanda’s sight as they turned into the first doorway. Amanda grinned at Billy’s enthusiasm and knew Riccan would have a good time showing off his trophies. “That worked out well, now, didn’t it?” Amanda asked Angie with a chuckle.

  “Just like two little kids!” she joked back.

  They both giggled and then leaned on the couch to relax.

  After a few minutes of contemplation, Angie finally asked what was on her mind. “Do you think you could ask Neal if he wanted me to come visit? I think it would be strange to just show up on his parents’ doorstep.”

  “Sure, I’d love to. As I said before, I think he needs some friends to lean on right now. I think I should warn you; he doesn’t look the same. I mean, he’s still really fit and muscular, but he has aged quite a bit from the ordeal. His heart and mind are still young though. I just didn’t want you to be shocked when you saw him for the first time.”

  Angie nodded like she understood what was being said. Inside her mind, she was thinking it could not be as bad as Amanda was making it out to be. After all, he had only been home for a few weeks. Surely, given enough time in a safe environment and good food, he would relax and begin to look better. She took another sip of her coffee and contemplated Neal’s prospects for the future since he was home again.

  Amanda did not want to push the subject any further and remained quiet as she covertly watched Angie mull through her ideas. This plan had worked out perfectly. Her thou
ghts were interrupted by the sound of the men coming back from the office. She had thought they would have been much longer ogling over the wall of awards.

  “We should let these two get back to their evening, Angie,” Billy announced as he entered the living room once again. “Thanks for the coffee. I think it might have been the best I’ve ever tasted; just don’t tell my wife I said so!”

  “Hey, I heard that, Dad.”

  “Don’t go telling on me then!”

  Everyone laughed together. Amanda set her cup on the coffee table and stood up at the same time as Angie.

  “We’ll have to make plans to visit again,” Amanda offered.

  “I’d love it! I’m really glad to find out you’re alive. Maybe I can meet your daughters next time.”

  “I’m sure it’ll happen,” Amanda replied, even as she wondered how their conversation would go since her daughters were only ten years younger than herself. There was no good way to say she had been transported back in time and had her babies in another dimension of Earth. It was not really something you brought up over casual conversation.

  When their guests had driven away, and Riccan and Amanda were finally alone, Riccan folded his arms around his wife and pulled her into a tight embrace. “I’m sorry about the spare tire.”

  “I’m sorry about the flat.”

  “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  “Why don’t we sit down and you can tell me about your visit to see your sister’s grave.” He grabbed her hand and began pulling her toward the living room. The one thing he wanted to do was sit down and hold his wife in his arms while she talked. It was one of his favorite things in life.

  Amanda snorted as she followed him. He was going to get a kick out of all of her troubles in the day. They snuggled together, and Amanda regaled him with all of the details of the day. She ended with, “Is it bad I didn’t feel anything at all at Virginia’s gravesite?”

  “No. From what you’ve said about the condition of the grounds surrounding it, I don’t think even your mom feels a connection with her there. What you feel for her in your heart and mind are what really matters, not any physical location. I wouldn’t worry about it if I were you.”