The Time Stone, Third Edition (Extended Version)

That night Juan Carlos prepared a romantic meal out on the veranda behind his mother’s house and set up stretched out Christmas lights and candles around the small table set for two, a single rose lay in the middle. Mercedes comes out of the house.

“Hey handsome, you wanted to see me?” She asks approaching and pecking him on the cheek.

“Yes, come here” he beckons and she approached.

Mercedes realizes the setup of a romantic dinner by candlelight. “I never thought I would have a boyfriend. I looked for so long, but...” she stops herself, “what’s all this for?” She asks.

“For us” he smiles as he handed her the rose and held out the seat for her.

“Oh my, Juan Carlos, this is too much, but it’s very sweet” she sits down.

He sits across from her and started to pour some wine into their glasses. “I thought it would be a good idea to go up to the hilltop after dinner to look at the stars. You have been working so hard lately and I wanted to express my gratitude.” Juan Carlos says.

“Oh it is nothing; I owe you guys for taking me in. I was pretty much homeless here.” Mercedes commented.

“I know times are tough. It will get better… you have as long as you need in our humble abode.” Juan Carlos replies.

“Thanks, that’s sweet.” She takes a sip of the wine. “I got something to tell you. I am American. I was born in California and somehow got wrongfully deported and I don’t have any way to get back.”

Is that how the American legal system works? Juan Carlos inquired.

“Not really. I don’t understand what happened exactly.” Mercedes replies.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Juan Carlos asks.

“I just was annoyed and embarrassed.” Mercedes replies.

“I understand.” He grimaced. “I want you to know that no matter what happens I am on your side. Do you understand that?” His voice coursing with sincerity and virtue made her feel at ease in even in this most stressful of situations.

“Of course” she nodded solemnly.

“Good, then let’s eat” Juan Carlos smiles.

After dinner, Mercedes and Juan Carlos laid up on their backs out in the yard looking at the stars colorfully painting the night sky in the horizon overlooking the hills.

“They are beautiful” says Juan Carlos turning his head to Mercedes.

“I think so.” she continues to look up.

“Do you know that one?” Juan Carlos asks.

“I think that is the Orion constellation.” Mercedes replies.

“Looks like ‘El Sordado Armado’” says Juan Carlos jokingly.

“Hmm” she smiles.

“What do you think? I got this job offer and I am not sure what to do.” Juan Carlos adds randomly.

“What is it?” Mercedes inquired.

“It’s complicated.” Juan Carlos adds.

“You can tell me.” Mercedes says.

“I wish I could.” Juan Carlos feels bad about his new life as a potential member of el Culto. He begins to feel for Mercedes a love so powerful, unlike any he has felt before.

“You should weigh the pros and cons and determine whether it is right for you or not. It’s just me, but I would take it if it offers a boatload of money” Mercedes smiles.

“Thanks.” He says wanting to tell her he is crazy about her from the first day he saw her, and speak to me the truth about the Culto. He wondered then if it would affect how he really felt and how she felt, even though they’ve only known one another for a short while. The very thought of living without her is too much to bear. He thought: this is where you felt the other person and almost needed them to remain alive. “I realize that there are some things that must be dealt with alone.” He continues.

“I can respect that” she replies. “I know I have had a soul searching moment once or twice before.”

“Do you believe in the power of the stars having an influence on true love” he whispered.

“What?” She turns with a laugh to look at him, immersed in his big brown eyes for the moment.

“I think there is something special about the way the heavens interact in our daily lives, and how they can bring two people close together and maybe, just maybe, if you are lucky enough, you can find that one person you were meant to be connected to.” He uttered.

“Is that real or just rhetorical nonsense?” She asks.

“It is real. I felt it when I first laid eyes on you. I have started to fall in love with you.” He says.

“I agree.” She replies “but….I didn’t think this would happen, but it did. Wow!” She finished her sentence and he kissed her on the lips for a brief moment that she felt lasted an eternity, but then she felt herself grounded back to Earth after the brief flight of fantasy with him. “I have to start thinking of ways to get back home, Juan Carlos.”

“Can’t you call this home?”

“I don’t belong here. I belong back in California. I have a life there, a job, an apartment, a cat.” She laughed. “But seriously, I was wrongfully deported and I want to clear that. I want to find out who did this to me. Who are these people and what do they want from me? It’s important to me.”

“God works in mysterious ways… maybe he sent you here for a reason.”

“Maybe,” she thought for a moment.

“Maybe, it is bigger than anything you have ever dreamed about. I would miss you a lot if you left, but I respect your desires to return home” Juan Carlos smiles remembering the old adage that to truly love someone sometimes is to set them free.

“Sometimes I feel my heart is in constant motion, jumping from life to life, experiencing things that I was never meant to experience in time.” Mercedes felt herself speak freely. “I can be myself with you and be open. I like that a lot.”

“I like you a lot. I know God has a plan for all of us and put each of us here for a reason. Maybe next time your heart decides to jump in, you should remember that. You could look at your old ways with a new purpose.” Juan Carlos adds.

“That’s deep philosophy for a poor farm boy.” Mercedes speaks deeply.

“I try” Juan Carlos smiles.

“You could come back with me.” She says.

“I can’t. I don’t belong anywhere else, but here. It’s a simple life plus I can’t leave my mother here alone.” Juan Carlos adds.

“Well maybe we can work something out” Mercedes smiles.

“Maybe,” he grabbed her by the hand and they looked up at the constellation Orion together.

“Look, he does looks like ‘El Sordado Armado’” says Mercedes pointing up at the view. They both laughed.