“No, they don’t know anything about it.” I waved out my hand. “My friend the scientist. He works for NASA, but in their deep hidden department.”
“Like the dark web?”
“Something like that. How do you know about the dark web?”
Martin shrugged. “I have no idea. This thing is called the Juniper project.”
“No, it's Jupiter project,” I corrected. “In reference to the weapons working at full strength and maybe causing storms like they have on Jupiter. You know, massive anticyclonic and cyclonic storms.”
“You would think if it causes both it would cancel itself out.”
“I know, right,” I said excitedly. “That was my first …” Again, I sighed. “You don’t believe me.”
Martin frantically scratched his chin. “I hate to say I don’t believe you, but do you hear yourself? How crazy this sounds?’
“I know. I thought … Oh!” I pointed. “Look. Hurry, look, it could be one.”
In the brightly speckled sky, a streak of light slowly moved upward.
“You mean the shooting star?”
“When have you known a shooting star to fly up?”
That gave him pause. I saw it on his face. I was going to question him on it when the screen door opened again.
Carlie stepped out on the porch.
“Hey, sweetie.” I grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. “Everything alright?”
“Yeah. I figured it was a good night to come out and say goodnight to mom.”
“Oh, yeah, it is. A very good night.”
Carlie walked to the railing and looked at the sky. “There. Right there. Look how bright it is, and twinkly. It’s like her waving.” Carlie lifted her hand. “Night mom.” She turned to face us. “Do you wonder if she thinks about us as much as we imagine about her?”
“Oh, yeah, every day,” I answered. “She probably wishes every moment of every day she was right here with you. But she was called for a bigger purpose.”
“I know. One day I’ll see her.”
“Yes, you will.”
Carlie kissed me on the cheek, then kissed Martin. “Night Aunt Jana, night Pap.”
I smiled as she left.
There were a few seconds of silence and then Martin said. “She thinks her mother is dead?”
“No.”
“She pointed to a star.”
“She pointed to Mars.”
“Why is my granddaughter pointing to Mars and saying goodnight?”
“Because she thinks her mother is there.”
“What?” Martin asked in shock.
“Yeah, I didn’t want them to think their mother left them, so I told them she was part of a mission and went on the spaceship Omni to cultivate the land on Mars for the colonists.”
“And they believe you?”
“A huh.”
“What in the world is wrong with you?” He stood. “They think their mom is growing plants on Mars?”
“Well, it’s better than thinking they were abandoned.”
With a huffing sounding sigh, he shook his head. “And you wonder why I don’t believe your Jupiter story. I’m getting another beer. Do you want one?”
“Um …” I shook my bottle. “Yes, thanks.”
He walked into the house, letting the screen door slam.
It caused me to jump a little. I finished my beer, setting the empty bottle next to my chair.
While I wanted Martin to embrace and believe me, it didn’t matter if he did. He would see for himself in a short time.
Waiting for him to return, I sat back in my chair and watched the sky.
THREE – ARRIVAL
Watching Reese ride the horse in the turn out made me both proud and sad. He was such a natural at it. He and the animal were as one. I was saddened because I knew who taught him … Lane. He rode exactly like my husband.
Something about the ranch always had me up earlier than normal. Maybe it was the fresh air or the fact Rosie was there bright and early baking whatever bread was on the menu for the day.
Rosie was always gone for the day by noon, leaving a prepared and ready to cook dinner in the fridge.
I grabbed a cup of coffee and muffin and headed out when I heard Reese was out there riding.
I stood by the fence watching him, sipping my coffee. He just rode so effortlessly. I could tell he just wanted to leave the fenced in area and go. Both him and the horse.
I wished Carlie would learn how to ride. She took after me, she had no interest or really any natural ability for it.
Horses just seemed to want to say to me, ‘nah, I don’t think so.’
“You know,” Martin walked up and stood next to me. “He could compete when he’s older. Although, according to you there won’t be a world left to compete in.”
“Riding a horse will be a useful skill when there is no gasoline for vehicles.”
“True. You can look at the boy and see how much Lane has influenced his riding.”
“Lane’s been working with him since he was five.”
“Lane’s good.”
“You know when I met him, he just wanted so badly to be a cowboy.”
Martin nodded. “I know, I remember when he first came around.”
“Probably the only man from Vermont who had aspirations to give up his Ivy League education and join the rodeo.”
“He followed his heart,” said Martin. “And you never discouraged him.”
“It’s what he wanted,” I said. “And you know, he would have been a horrible lawyer. He just didn’t have the argument in him other than with me.”
Martin laughed. “Still, though, I know at first, the rodeo wasn’t groundbreaking money.”
“Not at first, no. But his dad helped out a lot.”
“Can I ask how you found out he was cheating?” Martin asked.
“I heard him on the phone saying it was time for a change and how he knew the second he saw this Missy, Betty, whatever person, they were like connected souls. He didn’t want me to know. I tried to check his texts, but he had deleted everything.”
“Wow. So … I went last night and looked up this Jupiter Project. I couldn’t find anything anywhere.”
“You won’t. It’s top secret,” I told him.
“I get that. What if it’s not a weapon? What if it’s actually for good things? Like, the anticyclonic
