Forever my love
Your faithful husband
Reno
By the time Journey finished reading the note she was shaking uncontrollably. Her mind and heart raced between conflicting emotions. Elation and terror. Elation and terror. She was so happy to hear from him, to learn the good news of his successes. She was also more terrified than she’d ever been in her life. Reno was planning on coming through the portal without Ela’s guidance. His proposal struck fear into her very soul. Folding the letter carefully, she found an envelope in her desk and placed the precious piece of paper inside. Next, she texted Lou, asking her to come home as soon as she was able. When her friend arrived, Journey planned on them talking to Kota. She knew both of her friends would make a fuss, but Journey intended on making them listen. What she needed was straight talk and solid advice. There would be no room for doubt and fear. Journey needed to know who had the best chance of success, Reno coming to the future – or her traveling to the past.
* * *
Sitting at the kitchen table with Kota and Lou, Journey waited until they’d both finished reading Reno’s letter. “Well, what do you think?”
Lou laid the fragile paper down gently. “I think it’s beautiful. He did everything he set out to do and he loved you so much.”
“Loves me, not loved me. Lou, Reno is not past tense.”
“I know. I’m sorry.” She turned to Kota. “What do you think?”
Kota pressed the flat of his hand on the letter, as if he could absorb its energy. “This is an impossible situation, you know that, don’t you?” His question was directed at Journey.
With a sinking heart, she acknowledged what he was saying. “There is no good choice, is there?”
“No, there’s not.” Kota began to explain what both women knew to be true. “Reno is at risk. I’m not sure what will happen if he tries to come through without the charms that we placed in the medicine bag.”
“He still has me. Like before, I’m here. You said I was his lodestone.”
Kota stared at the letter. “You are, but I don’t know if that will be enough. It may be. There’s just no way of being sure. I can’t give you an answer with any degree of certainty. He might come through just fine and he might go…” He chose not to finish his sentence.
“All right.” Journey steeled her spine and took a deep breath. “What about me? I should have the same chance to go through safely as Reno did the first two times. After all, I have you to help me, Kota. You can make me a medicine bag. And I have a lodestone on the other side. Reno.”
Lou made a moaning sound. “With you being pregnant, it’s just so dangerous.”
Journey shut her eyes in pain. “Don’t you think I know that? But what are my choices? Protect my child and possibly lose my husband? Or try to protect my husband and possibly lose my child? Which scenario has the highest chance of coming true?”
Kota lifted his head to meet Journey’s gaze. “I have come to love you like a granddaughter, Journey. The advice I am about to give you could end up hurting you. Do you know how much I hate that fact?”
“I know.” Journey stood to put her arms around the old man. “And I love you for feeling that way. Please, just be honest with me. If something goes wrong, just know that I forgave you long before it happened.”
He reached up to pat her hand lying on his shoulder. “If a choice must be made, you would have a better chance of going through the stone safely than Reno would.”
Journey kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you. That’s what I thought, but I needed your confirmation.”
“Hold up, there’s a problem.”
Both Kota and Journey turned their attention to Lou.
“Don’t you see? There’s no way you can get word to Reno to tell him your plans. What’s to stop him from going through the stone? What will happen? You’d just pass one another like ships in the night. You could end up there and he could end up God knows where.”
Journey sank to her chair, despair overtaking her. “She’s right.”
Kota breathed heavily. “Reno will not give up. He’ll go through the stone regardless of what you’re planning, Journey.”
For the space of about ninety seconds there was silence around the table. Finally, Journey faced her best friend. “Lou, you’re the smartest person I know. If anyone can come up with a solution to this problem, I know you can. Do this for me? Please?”
Lou looked stricken. She turned to Kota. “Is there a solution?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know. Maybe.”
“I know you can do it, Lou. Please say you’ll try.”
Journey’s plea seemed to galvanize her friend. Lou began to nod her head, light coming into her eyes. “We’ll do our best. Give us a little time to think. If there’s an answer to this riddle, Kota and I will find one.”
“I know you will.” Journey gave her friends a tremulous smile. “I’m so lucky to have the two of you. You’ll never know what you mean to me.”
Kota stood to his feet, his bones creaking. “Since she’s included me in this impossible quest, I’d advise you to save your gratitude until we figure out what this miracle might be.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Desperately needing something to do, Journey gave a thorough cleaning to Myra’s house. When her aunt returned from her hair appointment, she would be very pleased. As Journey mopped and dusted, she tried not to worry about whether her friends would come up with an
