Chapter 66

Two years later

Joshua and Rachel strolled barefoot along a curve of pristine white sand, hand-in-hand. A summer sun smiled down on them, and a cool, salty breeze ruffled the comfortable white shirts and shorts that both of them wore. They were alone on the shore, the vast Atlantic Ocean on his right, stretching to a hazy horizon.

“Dad-dee.”

Joshua looked into the eyes of their son, Justin. He was a beautiful, healthy boy with soft skin the color of nutmeg, Rachel’s eyes and nose, Joshua’s lips and cheekbones, and a full head of dark, curly hair.

“Hey, little man,” Joshua said, and bounced him on his hip.

Walking beside them, Rachel looked at their child, then at Joshua, and smiled—an expression of pure joy, utterly free of worry and fear. Sunlight filigreed her curly, auburn hair, giving it the appearance of spun gold.

Joshua brought Rachel’s hand to his lips and kissed her fingers.

“Let’s go to the house,” she said. She smiled, seductively. “Justin looks like he needs a nap.”

The house was a short distance ahead, on the left. Justin tugged at Joshua’s ear, drawing his attention. His son pointed excitedly at something in the distance: a ferry that bobbed on the waves like a child’s bath toy.

A powerful sense of deja-vu gripped Joshua. Had this happened before? Or had he dreamed of it?

He couldn’t remember, and the feeling soon passed. His son was still gesturing at the ferry, babbling.

“That’s the ferry, little man,” Joshua said. “You’ve been on the ferry before, remember?”

Justin only giggled, and tugged Joshua’s ear again.

Rachel had walked ahead, and was waiting at the open patio door.

“All of a sudden, I had a feeling about something, Josh,” she said. “A very strong, good feeling.”

“Uh-oh, one of those.” Chuckling, Joshua kissed Justin on the forehead. “Tell me more, sweetheart.”

“We’re going to have another baby.”

“Really?”

“Yep. First, we’ve gotta go upstairs and handle some grown-folks’ business, and then . . .” She was smiling.

He kissed her. “Now those are the kind of predictions I like.”

The family went inside the house together.