Chapter 7
They two couples went out to the stables. Cody and Sabrina were there brushing down their horses after riding. "Hello again, Ardeth, Layla," Sab greeted him. "This is my boyfriend, Cody Forrester." Sab introduced them as Cody walked over by her.
"Wow! Sab wasn't kidding when she said you looked like Frank," Cody said, getting nudged by Sab. "Oh sorry, it's just so weird you looking."
"Cody, you're rambling," Sab told him.
"Oh, nice to meet you both. I better get back to my brushing," Cody said, walking away.
"He excites easily," Sab giggled.
"What horse do you wish to ride Ardeth?" Frank asked.
"The one I had this morning was very gentle. I will ride Zeus again," Ardeth said.
"Frank, may I make a suggestion?" Elaina asked.
"What might that be, Lady?"
"Have Layla get on Zeus first." Elaina made the signal for Frank to have Zeus lay down.
"I think that is a good suggestion," Frank smiled as he brought Zeus out. Elaina went in to get the saddle. She came back and threw the saddle up on the horse and Frank tightened it on Zeus.
"Layla, I think you should get on first and then Ardeth," Elaina said.
"I usually get on first to steady the horse so he does not move," Ardeth explained.
"Zeus won't move until commanded," Elaina said as Frank motioned for the horse to go down.
"Now you can get on and he won't move until you are ready," Frank said.
"I am afraid when he moves I will fall off," Layla said backing away from the horse.
"I will get on with you," Ardeth said holding her.
"I'll show you it is very safe." Elaina got in the saddle as Frank gave Zeus the signal to get back up. Elaina leaned forward in the saddle as the horse raised up his front legs. When he rose up on his back legs, she leaned back in the saddle. "See you just move the opposite of the horse. He does all the work." Zeus went back down and she got off for Layla to try.
"I am still not sure," Layla said, looking at Ardeth.
"Come with me Layla. I promise you, you won't fall or be hurt in any way," Frank told her, taking her by the hand. Frank helped her on the horse. "Are you ready?"
"No I am not ready but I am willing to try. Allah, minfadlak saidnee," Layla said looking up.
Frank motioned for Elaina to move Zeus. Zeus rose up slower this time, sensing the fear of the rider. Frank held onto her as the horse rose up. Once on all fours Zeus nickered. Layla giggled with delight at not having fallen off.
"I do believe you enjoyed that ride," Elaina laughed with Layla.
"That was scary at first but fun too," Layla smiled. "Come Ardeth I am ready to ride."
"Would you like to go alone?" Ardeth asked looking up to her.
"La. I would like you to be with me," Layla said smiling. "As Elaina said it is romantic to ride together," Layla said quietly.
Frank saddled Black Velvet while Elaina waited. "Frank, I think I'll ride with you. Sahara should stay with the colt. The team has the other horses in use."
"The thought that it is romantic had nothing to do with your decision?" Frank asked.
"A wee bit." Elaina kissed him on the cheek. "I love you," she whispered to him.
They went riding together for an hour when they returned Derek was waiting for them at the fence. "Hey Derek, have any luck?" Frank asked.
"Come see for yourself," Derek said as they got off the horses.
"Don't keep us in suspense. Did you open it or not?" Elaina asked.
"Yes. Sarah and I opened it together. When we did we walked out of the room and locked the door as you instructed," Derek said as they walked back to the house.
"Your curiosity didn't make you look inside?" Frank asked.
"No. I did as you said," Derek answered as Frank unlocked the door to the office.
Ardeth walked over to the opened box and looked inside it. "There is sand in it. There is also a note." Ardeth took the note out and read it to them. "To the one true Donovan that opened this, may all the paths you take in your journeys return you to your home safely."
"It took two Donovan's to open it. I guess Sarah and I will always return home safely," Derek considered.
"I think that is true." Layla smiled. "What do we do now? How do we get back to our time?"
"Good question," Elaina said wondering.
"If the sand is the answer. Touching it may cause you to go back," Derek said.
"You weren't in here when he read the writing on the box. How do you know what it said?"
"I asked Alex. She came in to ask you something. When she saw the box and the writing on in she told me what it said."
"I knew she could speak it, I didn't know she could read it," Elaina said. "I'm wondering if we should be close by when you try. If that bright light hits again and we are too close we could end up back in 1934 too."
"Maybe we should say our good byes. We are eternally grateful for you helping us," Layla said.
"I think you should change back into your clothes before trying anything. Derek, could you go get them? I put them in their room earlier," Elaina asked.
"Sure, Mom." Derek left the room.
"I'm going to miss you both," Elaina said, hugging Layla. "I hope the sand takes you back safely."
"Shukran Frank, for welcoming us into your home even though the circumstances were a touch mysterious," Ardeth said, shaking his hand.
"You're family. We would never turn away a member of our family," Frank said.
"He can say that now, before he wanted to leave you out in the rain," Elaina joked.
"Forgive her, she uses humor when she has to deal with good byes," Frank told him, giving Ardeth a slight hug.
"We wish we could say we will be back, but I have a feeling that will be impossible," Layla said. "We will miss you both too."
"I just hope it works or we are going to be blubbering idiots for nothing," Elaina said through tears.
"Here are the clothes," Derek said, handing over the garments.
"Lets go Elaina, Derek. We'll say goodbye to Sarah for you if this works," Frank said, as they got ready to walk out.
"It was nice meeting you," Derek said as he went out.
"I wonder if it will work? More important, what if it doesn't?" Elaina asked as she and Frank walked into the game room to watch the others dancing again. "Everyone looks so happy but I can't help but feel sad that they may be leaving."
"They need to get back. We all know that. Somehow, some way we will see them again. I just have a feeling about it," Frank said, holding her as they watched Derek and Becky dancing. "Want to join them?"
"I think I would," Elaina said. Frank turned her around to face him. "I love you."
"I love you, too," Frank said as they started to dance.
"Allah," .. "God," "Minfadlak saidnee." .. "Please help me." "La." . "No." "Shukran" .. "Thank you"
They two couples went out to the stables. Cody and Sabrina were there brushing down their horses after riding. "Hello again, Ardeth, Layla," Sab greeted him. "This is my boyfriend, Cody Forrester." Sab introduced them as Cody walked over by her.
"Wow! Sab wasn't kidding when she said you looked like Frank," Cody said, getting nudged by Sab. "Oh sorry, it's just so weird you looking."
"Cody, you're rambling," Sab told him.
"Oh, nice to meet you both. I better get back to my brushing," Cody said, walking away.
"He excites easily," Sab giggled.
"What horse do you wish to ride Ardeth?" Frank asked.
"The one I had this morning was very gentle. I will ride Zeus again," Ardeth said.
"Frank, may I make a suggestion?" Elaina asked.
"What might that be, Lady?"
"Have Layla get on Zeus first." Elaina made the signal for Frank to have Zeus lay down.
"I think that is a good suggestion," Frank smiled as he brought Zeus out. Elaina went in to get the saddle. She came back and threw the saddle up on the horse and Frank tightened it on Zeus.
"Layla, I think you should get on first and then Ardeth," Elaina said.
"I usually get on first to steady the horse so he does not move," Ardeth explained.
"Zeus won't move until commanded," Elaina said as Frank motioned for the horse to go down.
"Now you can get on and he won't move until you are ready," Frank said.
"I am afraid when he moves I will fall off," Layla said backing away from the horse.
"I will get on with you," Ardeth said holding her.
"I'll show you it is very safe." Elaina got in the saddle as Frank gave Zeus the signal to get back up. Elaina leaned forward in the saddle as the horse raised up his front legs. When he rose up on his back legs, she leaned back in the saddle. "See you just move the opposite of the horse. He does all the work." Zeus went back down and she got off for Layla to try.
"I am still not sure," Layla said, looking at Ardeth.
"Come with me Layla. I promise you, you won't fall or be hurt in any way," Frank told her, taking her by the hand. Frank helped her on the horse. "Are you ready?"
"No I am not ready but I am willing to try. Allah, minfadlak saidnee," Layla said looking up.
Frank motioned for Elaina to move Zeus. Zeus rose up slower this time, sensing the fear of the rider. Frank held onto her as the horse rose up. Once on all fours Zeus nickered. Layla giggled with delight at not having fallen off.
"I do believe you enjoyed that ride," Elaina laughed with Layla.
"That was scary at first but fun too," Layla smiled. "Come Ardeth I am ready to ride."
"Would you like to go alone?" Ardeth asked looking up to her.
"La. I would like you to be with me," Layla said smiling. "As Elaina said it is romantic to ride together," Layla said quietly.
Frank saddled Black Velvet while Elaina waited. "Frank, I think I'll ride with you. Sahara should stay with the colt. The team has the other horses in use."
"The thought that it is romantic had nothing to do with your decision?" Frank asked.
"A wee bit." Elaina kissed him on the cheek. "I love you," she whispered to him.
They went riding together for an hour when they returned Derek was waiting for them at the fence. "Hey Derek, have any luck?" Frank asked.
"Come see for yourself," Derek said as they got off the horses.
"Don't keep us in suspense. Did you open it or not?" Elaina asked.
"Yes. Sarah and I opened it together. When we did we walked out of the room and locked the door as you instructed," Derek said as they walked back to the house.
"Your curiosity didn't make you look inside?" Frank asked.
"No. I did as you said," Derek answered as Frank unlocked the door to the office.
Ardeth walked over to the opened box and looked inside it. "There is sand in it. There is also a note." Ardeth took the note out and read it to them. "To the one true Donovan that opened this, may all the paths you take in your journeys return you to your home safely."
"It took two Donovan's to open it. I guess Sarah and I will always return home safely," Derek considered.
"I think that is true." Layla smiled. "What do we do now? How do we get back to our time?"
"Good question," Elaina said wondering.
"If the sand is the answer. Touching it may cause you to go back," Derek said.
"You weren't in here when he read the writing on the box. How do you know what it said?"
"I asked Alex. She came in to ask you something. When she saw the box and the writing on in she told me what it said."
"I knew she could speak it, I didn't know she could read it," Elaina said. "I'm wondering if we should be close by when you try. If that bright light hits again and we are too close we could end up back in 1934 too."
"Maybe we should say our good byes. We are eternally grateful for you helping us," Layla said.
"I think you should change back into your clothes before trying anything. Derek, could you go get them? I put them in their room earlier," Elaina asked.
"Sure, Mom." Derek left the room.
"I'm going to miss you both," Elaina said, hugging Layla. "I hope the sand takes you back safely."
"Shukran Frank, for welcoming us into your home even though the circumstances were a touch mysterious," Ardeth said, shaking his hand.
"You're family. We would never turn away a member of our family," Frank said.
"He can say that now, before he wanted to leave you out in the rain," Elaina joked.
"Forgive her, she uses humor when she has to deal with good byes," Frank told him, giving Ardeth a slight hug.
"We wish we could say we will be back, but I have a feeling that will be impossible," Layla said. "We will miss you both too."
"I just hope it works or we are going to be blubbering idiots for nothing," Elaina said through tears.
"Here are the clothes," Derek said, handing over the garments.
"Lets go Elaina, Derek. We'll say goodbye to Sarah for you if this works," Frank said, as they got ready to walk out.
"It was nice meeting you," Derek said as he went out.
"I wonder if it will work? More important, what if it doesn't?" Elaina asked as she and Frank walked into the game room to watch the others dancing again. "Everyone looks so happy but I can't help but feel sad that they may be leaving."
"They need to get back. We all know that. Somehow, some way we will see them again. I just have a feeling about it," Frank said, holding her as they watched Derek and Becky dancing. "Want to join them?"
"I think I would," Elaina said. Frank turned her around to face him. "I love you."
"I love you, too," Frank said as they started to dance.
"Allah," .. "God," "Minfadlak saidnee." .. "Please help me." "La." . "No." "Shukran" .. "Thank you"