Page 46 of Destiny Reclaimed
Jack reached up, swiped the tear from her cheek, and let his palm linger against her skin. He’d read stories about twins’ ability to read each other’s minds, but he’d always thought it was hokey. Heck, not that long ago he would have thought the concept of time travel was farfetched, too.
He refocused on his wife. She was a smart, logical woman. She wouldn’t make up something like this to selfishly draw attention to herself like he’d believed those in the magazine articles had. Still, considering his own story, that of being a time travel Preserver, he leaned toward believing her and wanting to know more.
“Why didn’t you say something back then, the second it happened?”
She shrugged. “I’d hoped I was wrong, and as each hour passed, each day without receiving notice of his passing, I tried to convince myself it wasn’t true.”
“What about your dreams?”
“Huh?”
“What did Gary tell you in your dreams?”
She turned her head and looked away from him.
He slid his hand from her cheek to her chin and guided her head back to face him. “Please, sweetheart, tell me. I want to know.”
Reluctance filled her gaze. “Okay, but you’re never going to believe me. He said he wasn’t ready to die. It wasn’t his t-time.” She nearly choked on that word but recovered and continued. “There was so much more he wanted to do yet, and his life on this earth was too short. He also said he couldn’t bear the pain I was in. Said he could feel it.”
Again, she averted her gaze but only for a moment before it sheepishly slid back to him.
“There’s more?” he asked.
Her nod came slow. “It gets even stranger, yet it feels so real, like it’s really him in front of me, talking to me, and he’s telling the truth. He said his heart breaks for Mom and Dad, and they shouldn’t have to endure the loss of two sons. It’s not fair.” She paused and pulled in a quick breath. “He told me you have the ability to fix this.”
Jack’s heart slammed in his ribcage. What did Gary know? Fearing what she’d say next and that he’d have to lie to the very person on this earth he should be totally honest with he tried to look away but couldn’t. It was as if her gaze had locked onto his and she wouldn’t release him.
Gwennie leaned closer to him, searching his gaze for the truth. The one thing he couldn’t give her.
At that moment, Jack decided he’d ask no more questions of her, and try to end the conversation so he wouldn’t have to lie to her. She was reluctant to speak all along. Maybe she’d stop if he ceased the questioning.
The slightest of curiosity flickered in her eyes, slowly erasing the dark shadow of a doubt that had been emitting from her caramel gaze.
Her lips parted to speak, and he held his hand up to her. “It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about this anymore. I can see how exhausting it is for you. We can finish this later.” Still, he couldn’t pull his gaze from her.
“It’s true, isn’t it? Youcanfix this. Gary said you came from a line of time travel Preservers.”
Preserver!A lump the size of a golf ball lodged into his esophagus. There was no way she should know that specific term.
He choked down the obstruction blocking his windpipe. “Where did you hear that word?”
Her brows knit and her lips pursed before she loosened them to speak. “I already told you. Gary said it to me in a dream.”
His wife leaned slightly toward him. Her gaze intensified, clamping onto his with a vice-like grip as she scrutinized the emotions emitting from his gaze.
She sprang off the chair, nearly knocking him over. He regained his balance and stood along with her, hardly giving him time to fully steady himself before she threw herself into his arms. For the first time in weeks, she appeared happy...and it about killed him to know he’d crush her again in a second.
“I can’t believe it’s true. You can go back in time and save him. We just need to get the details, and you can travel back and prevent his death. He can come home!”
Jack’s heart seized. His Preserver power was to preserve history for the greater good, not change history to benefit a handful of people, even if it were for those he loved most.
Good heavens, he hadn’t a clue how he would get out of this mess without lying or hurting his wife. Worse, her enthusiasm was a welcome sight following weeks of depression—the last thing he wanted to do was put her right back into a tailspin of depression.
Jack pulled back from her, but kept her close with his hands wrapped around the upper part of her arms, fearing when he told her the news her knees would weaken.
Her hopeful gaze about killed him.
“I can’t do this. I can’t bring Gary back.”
