From over the top of the bluff, Sarah saw the tip of a roof. As they got closer, the green glow of the roof itself came into view. The anticipation was killing her. She wiggled in her seat. Orion couldn’t help but laugh. His view on life had changed so much in the time they had been together. Could she instill in him the courage he needed to fight this illness? He slowed the carriage down to a trot.
“What are you doing?” She squealed.
“You are having so much fun watching the palace grow before your eyes that I want to make it last longer.” He smiled.
“Tease.” She pouted, folding her arms across her chest.
“Oh I see, it is okay for you to tease me but I can’t tease you?”
She wiggled her eyebrows at him. “Who said I was complaining?”
He erupted in laughter, laughter that came from the bottom of his lungs and filled the air. Birds flew out of the trees. The driver ripped open the inside curtain out of sure panic to see what was happening.
“I wish I would have met you fifteen years ago.”
She thought for a moment. “Fifteen years ago I would have been 23.”
“You are 38?”
“Yelp.”
“I have struggled with that.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you have accomplished a lot. Because of that, I would have imagined you older. Though the way you look didn’t fit the age I figured in my mind.”
“What about you? How old are you?”
“Thirty-eight.” He blushed.
“How old is Juliah?” She looked confused.
“She will be 21.”
“Wow! Why the big wait between children?”
“Boredom I can only assume.” He pointed up the road. There before them was the most magnificent structure Sarah had ever laid eyes upon. The cream colored stones stretched for miles.
“How big is it?” She stood up.
“105 acres.”
She glanced over at Orion. “You are kidding?”
“That’s just the palace. The fenced in area covers 200 acres.”
“Oh my.” She sat back down. They continued on their way. “You and your family live here with your parents?”
“Yes.”
“Was that ever a sore spot with your wife?”
“Everything was/is a sore spot with my wife. If I mentioned moving into one of the family retreats, it wasn’t good enough. If I talked about building something of our own, it wasn’t good enough. If I mentioned moving to her homeland to live, it was an invasion of her past and privacy; till finally, I just stopped talking about it. But the biggest factor was Paul, each time we went someplace, all Paul could do was talk about when we were going home. He was always so delighted to get back. If one so chose, we could go months without seeing a member of the family.”
“So you and your wife have had civil conversation?”
“When the occasion calls for it.” He pulled the carriage up to the front steps of the palace. A bundle of energy was jumping up and down on the bottom step. When the carriage finally stopped, the bundle of energy stopped. His jaw dropped when the driver and porter climbed out of the back of the carriage. Orion helped her down.
“Sarah, this is my son, Paul.”
“How do you do Paul?”
“I am confused.” Stated the young man.
“How so?” Orion asked.
“Dad, I didn’t know you could do that?” Orion never said a word. “Will you teach me?”
The porter had finished unloading their bags. Two porters came from inside the palace, taking the bags to their respective rooms.
Orion pointed to the driver’s seat. Paul jumped up and down, “yes.”
“I will meet you at the stables.” Orion spoke to the driver.
He bowed, handing Orion a pair of gloves out of his pocket. “For the young master.”
A maid came out of the house. “Polly will show you to your quarters.”
“So you do know their names,” Sarah smiled.
Orion winked, “when the occasion calls for it.” He climbed back into the drivers seat to teach Paul how to drive the carriage.
Poetry & More 