Come Home to Me (25 page)

“Can I help . . . Miss Rachel Parker, what a surprise.” Reverend Johnson emerged from around the building. Rachel spun away from the cabin door to face him. She expelled a breath of relief. He looked the same as she remembered him in Kannesville. How had he traveled here to Oregon, and arrived ahead of Mr. Miller’s company, looking as fresh as he had in Iowa? For a man of his advanced age, it seemed an impossible journey.

The journey we just finished from Iowa to here takes less than a day in my time.

The reverend offered her his hand, and a wide smile. Rachel stared into his unusual light blue eyes. 

“I’m no longer Rachel Parker, Reverend,” she said slowly. “I’m Mrs. Jake Owens now.” She studied the man’s face for a reaction. His smile vanished.

“He shouldn’t have married you,” the old man said, and ran a hand over his face. “He misunderstood me back in Iowa.” He spoke as if she wasn’t even here.

“Reverend Johnson.” Rachel’s voice faltered. She cleared her throat. “Do you know where my husband is?”

The reverend’s clear eyes suddenly turned cloudy. He narrowed his gaze on her. “What has Jake told you?”

“He said that he was from a time in the future. That he was sent here by you to lead our wagon train. He told me he was once held for murder, and that you would clear his name if he led our train to Oregon.”

“Jake’s name has been cleared. His life is back on the right path. He learned a lot about himself while he was here.”

“It’s true then?” Rachel’s eyes widened. Her heart hammered loudly in her ears. “He’s from another time?”

“Yes, child.” He clasped her hand in between his warm palms. “Jake protected you, watched over you, just like he was instructed to do. I never considered he would fall in love with you.”

Tears rolled down Rachel’s cheeks. “Please, Reverend. He spoke often of taking me with him, to his home in a place called Montana.”

The reverend squeezed her hand. “But he didn’t tell you that this place was in the future, did he?” He released her hand and turned his back. Slowly, he walked up the path leading away from the cabin. Rachel rushed to his side.

“You have to bring him back, Reverend.  Can you do that?”

He stopped, and faced her. Slowly, he shook his head. Rachel felt as though the ground was about to swallow her up. A small part of her wished that it would.

She wiped the tears from her face. Lifting her chin, she pleaded, “Then send me to him.”

An audible sigh escaped the reverend’s mouth. His chest heaved heavily. “It’s not something I can simply do. There has to be a compelling reason for me to send someone to a different time.”

Rachel stared at the old man. Fresh tears filled her eyes. Inhaling deeply, she said, “Reverend, I have a compelling reason.”

Chapter 26

Jake stepped through the entrance of his family’s ranch home, and followed his nose to the kitchen. His mother stood at the island stove, stirring the contents of a stainless steel pot. His mouth watered. She was making her famous barbeque sauce that would be served tonight with the welcome cookout for the newly arrived city slickers. After five months of rice and beans, dry biscuits and bacon, his mother’s cooking smelled even better than he remembered. He clenched his jaw. He’d eat beans and bacon for the rest of his life if he had to, if he could just have Rachel with him.

“Jake, you’re home.” His mother smiled hesitantly at him. Her eyes scanned his appearance.  “Looks like you’ve been working.”

“Yeah,” he said, hooking his thumbs through the belt loops of his denims. He studied his mother. He hadn’t seen her in nearly a year, but to her, he hadn’t left at all. The reverend must have made sure his appearance was the same as when he left with Sandra. Absently, he ran his hand through his hair. It was definitely short. 

“Lunch’ll be ready in a half hour.”

“Looking forward to it.” He forced a smile, then left the kitchen and headed back to the entry to reach the flight of stairs to the second level. He might as well drown his misery under a hot shower. Tom headed him off at the bottom of the stairwell.

“Where’ve you been, Jake?” His brother’s eyes narrowed on him.

“Out riding.” Jake stepped around his brother to reach the stairs.

“Something’s different about you today, and I can’t put my finger on it,” Tom said from behind him. “Nice little act with that blonde. I’m sure I’ll find you rolling in the hay with her in a day or two.”

Jake wheeled around and advanced on Tom. “Let’s get something straight, big brother. I have no interest in her,” he snarled. “I wasn’t hung over when you found me sleeping in the barn, and Rachel is not a plaything.” He stared at his brother with narrowed eyes. “She’s my wife.” Without waiting for a response, he took the stairs two at a time, and slammed the door behind him to the bathroom. With his palms on the granite countertop, Jake leaned forward, his head hung low. His jaw muscles worked furiously to the point of making his teeth hurt. Repeatedly, he slammed his fists on the counter, cursing under his breath.

Mechanically, Jake removed his clothes and stepped into the shower. The water did little to wash away the pain ravaging his body from the inside out. Rummaging for clean clothes from his room across the hall, he headed back down the stairs to face his family. He inhaled a deep breath, and walked into the dining room where his parents and Tom were already seated to eat lunch together. His brother stared at him from across the table when Jake took his seat.

After several minutes of small talk, Jake cleared his throat and washed the last bite of roast beef sandwich down his throat with a glass of water.

“What would you think about adding a new feature to the dude ranch?” he asked slowly, glancing from his father to his mother. His parents looked at him, their eyes filled with surprise. Tom’s eyes narrowed.

“Like what?” his father asked.

“We could invest in a few Conestoga wagons, and offer an Oregon Trail themed campout or something. Maybe teach the guests a little about life on the trail.”

“We’d need to hire an interpreter,” his mother suggested.

“No. I’ll do it.”

“Your book knowledge about the Oregon Trail won’t be enough, Jake,” Tom chimed in.

“I know more about the trail than any modern interpreter, trust me.” Jake shot a challenging look at Tom.

“It’s an interesting idea, son. Why don’t you look into it some more, and tell me what you find out.”

Jake nodded at his father, then left the table and carried his plate to the kitchen.

“Let’s talk,” Tom said from behind him. He motioned with his head for Jake to follow him. They left the house, and stood on the wide veranda, overlooking the barns and corrals.

Tom leaned over him. He turned his head both ways as if checking to make sure that no one was nearby. Then he whispered loudly. “You’re married? When did that happen? And where is she?”

Jake sat on the porch swing, and rested his elbows on his knees. Finally, he looked up into his brother’s waiting eyes.

“I’m gonna tell you something, Tom, and I just want you to listen without interrupting. After I’m done, I won’t talk about it again. You can believe me, or not, but I need to get this off my chest.”

Jake waited for Tom to nod in agreement, then inhaled a deep breath. He started at the beginning, with meeting Sandra, leaving the ranch with her, and his troubles in the city. In great detail, he talked about the reverend and his experiences in 1848, and finally about meeting Rachel and how she had changed his life. When he finished, he glared at his brother, who’d apparently been stunned into silence. Without another word, Jake stood from the swing, and headed toward the barns.  He didn’t care one way or the other what his brother believed.

****

Rachel slowly opened her eyes. Blinking several times, she fought to focus her vision in the dim light. The pungent scent of hay filled her senses, along with other smells she couldn’t identify. Slowly, she raised herself to a sitting position, and rubbed at her eyes. Billy groaned softly next to her, and began to stir. Tommy and David appeared to be sound asleep. With a jolt of adrenaline that ignited her heart to speed up, she wondered if it had happened! Had they traveled through time in their sleep, just like the reverend said they would?

She sat up fully, and drew her legs underneath her, smoothing her dress to cover her ankles. Her stomach churned wildly, and for a moment she thought she might be sick. She had barely managed to keep the liquid down that the reverend had told her to drink the night before. Was it the following morning now? Her mind wandered back to her conversation with the reverend, trying to recall every detail.

“Please, Reverend. You have to bring my husband back.”

Reverend Johnson listened wide-eyed and silently to Rachel’s pleas to reunite her with Jake.  Pacing before her, he mumbled how unprecedented her situation was, and finally conceded that he had no choice but to grant her request.

“I have offered second chances to many people who needed to find their way again after wandering lost through life. Never has this happened.” His icy blue eyes had looked on her with sympathy. “This has taught me a great lesson. There are more powerful forces at work than even I can fathom. I’ve discounted the power of human emotions. I have to believe that you and Jake’s destinies are joined. It’s the only explanation. My records have never been wrong before, but there’s always a first time.” He chuckled, shaking his head.

“So, you can bring Jake back?” Rachel’s eyes widened with hope.

The reverend’s face turned serious. He placed a heavy hand on her shoulder. “I can’t bring him back. The ability to travel through the centuries won’t work once the cycle is complete. After Jake fulfilled his requirements here, it triggered his return to his time. It can only be done once.”

Rachel’s eyebrows drew together. “Then, will you send me to him?” Her heart sped up anew, and a wave of nausea hit her. She swallowed back her apprehension. Jake had wanted to take her home with him all along. He would have stayed with her, but she’d always known that Oregon was not where he wanted to be.

This will be no different than leaving Ohio to travel to an unknown land.
She’d survived a five-month rigorous journey over unforgiving terrain. She would survive a trip into the future.

  Reverend Johnson heaved a sigh. His mouth drew together in a firm line. Rachel sensed he was about to say something that he’d rather not say. “I’ll send you to him, Rachel. I’ll even break the rules further. Your nephews need you. They’ll have to go, too.”

Rachel flung her arms around the reverend’s neck. He stood stiffly for a moment, then patted her lightly on the back.

“Thank you, Reverend,” she whispered.

Reverend Johnson held her at arms’ length. “Are you absolutely sure this is what you want?” His eyes bored into her with such intensity, she shivered involuntarily.

“I’ve never been more sure about anything, Reverend.” She held his gaze.

“I can’t return you to this time, Rachel. Because you were not originally chosen for a second chance, I can only send you one way.”

“I want to be with my husband. It doesn’t matter to me where, or when, that is.”

Johnson rubbed his chin. “If Jake reverts back to his old habits, you will be stuck in the future, and things are a lot different, more complicated, there than they are here.”

“Reverend,” Rachel said slowly. “I’ve accused Jake of lying to me on two separate occasions. I was wrong both times. I trust him completely.”

Johnson smiled indulgently. His chest heaved again. “Gather your children, Rachel. Meet me back here at the church at sunset. Then I’ll prepare you for what lies ahead.”

****

Billy moaned loudly in the hay next to her, and Rachel focused her attention on the present. “My head hurts,” Billy cried. He pushed himself to a sitting position.

“It’ll pass,” Rachel assured him, and rubbed at his back.

The building they were in was definitely a barn, but unlike any barn she had ever seen. The walls were not made of wood, but appeared to be crafted from metal. The ceiling was so high, Rachel couldn’t imagine how the roof could have possibly been erected. 

Most everything you know, and are familiar with, will be different in the future.
The reverend’s warning echoed in her mind. With a determined lift of her chin, she stood to her feet, and shook the straw from her dress. Smoothing her hair from her face, she hoped she looked presentable. Her braid was coiled at the back of her head, and felt neat and tidy to the touch. She felt for her satchel that she’d stuffed inside her dress. She couldn’t lose that. The reverend had given her documents that he said were important for her to have in the future, and that Jake would know what to do with them.

Apprehension and joy flooded her at the same time. She nudged Tommy awake, and lifted David into her arms. The sleepy toddler’s head fell against her shoulder, his thumb in his mouth.

“Time to find Jake,” she said brightly to Billy, trying to sound excited. She hoped it hid her fear and nervousness from the boy.  “While you were sleeping all night, we traveled to Montana.”

Rachel knew she couldn’t explain to the boys about time travel. She laughed. She couldn’t explain it to herself. She simply told them that they would meet Jake at his home in Montana, and that they would travel through the night to arrive by morning. She hoped that the new and wondrous things they would encounter in the future could be explained as easily to the boys as the hot springs they had seen along the trail to Oregon.

“Is this where he lives?” Billy asked, looking around the odd barn.

“I believe so, yes. Let’s go find him.”  With a determined nod of her head that belied the growing churning sensations in her belly, Rachel headed for what appeared to be a normal-sized door to the barn. She couldn’t explain how all the hay could have been brought through this one small opening.  In a way, she felt reborn. She would learn about this new world and all of its wonders right alongside her nephews.

Tommy staggered sleepily next to her, rubbing his eyes. “Stay close to me,” Rachel warned both boys, and pushed the odd steel handle on the door, which sprung open easily. Squinting into the bright light, she stepped outside. She tightened her hold on David, as if the boy’s body would prevent her heart from slamming through her chest. She scarcely dared to breathe.

After her eyes adjusted to the sun’s bright rays, she lifted her head to look around.