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Stone of Destiny

By Mary L Ball

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PROLOGUE
An unexpected sound woke Elizabeth. The faint click-clatter traveled up the steps toward the bedroom, where she cuddled beside her husband. Straining her senses, she tried to figure out what caused the noise. Elizabeth was about to close her eyes again when a second commotion jerked them open. As she turned over on her back, she remembered the yellow-striped tabby downstairs. Tiger had grown full of fun in the last few months, always finding something to frolic with or climb on.
When another fleeting rattle reached her ears, Elizabeth thought of the plastic cup she had drunk water from hours before, left out on the counter. The seven-month-old kitten was playfully batting the cup around. Letting out a sigh, she tossed back the covers, knowing if she didn’t quiet the little fellow, she wouldn’t get any sleep tonight.
Paul Harrison woke as she yawned and stretched. Reaching out, he took hold of her hand. “Stay put. I’ll go downstairs and check on things. Baby animals can be ornery. I’ll lock Tiger in the pantry.”
He gave her a quick kiss, rolled sideways, and threw his legs over the bed as he sat. Slipping his feet into house slippers, he seemed to fight exhaustion with an arm stretch and walked toward the hallway. Another bang and clatter rent the air. Paul trotted into the dark passage.
Elizabeth adjusted her pillow and propped in a sitting position against the headboard. She reached over and pushed the switch to the lamp on the wooden side table. Their wedding photo alighted. Smiling to herself, she ran her hand across the quilt on her bed, admiring the blue and red ring pattern. Red was her favorite color, Paul’s blue. Paul’s younger sister Kay had spent months sewing the coverlet as a gift. The teenager had put in a lot hard work to make it perfect.
Smoothing down the bed linen, Elizabeth smiled at her wedding band and the heirloom ring she wore on her right hand. The sapphire shined a deep, dark blue and sparkled, despite the intense color. The gem seemed to emanate a bright glow from within.
She moved her hand closer and dim light captured the pigment in the crystal. The stone twinkled like a hundred miniature stars. Elizabeth sighed, soaking in the beauty of the jewelry as she removed it from her finger.
What a happy life she’d married into.
Rubbing the smooth surface of the stone, she recalled her wedding day as well as the day she first met her husband.
Paul was so handsome…he’d been walking past her sister’s street at the very same time she happened to be checking the mail. He tipped his hat toward her in greeting, and she nodded a hello.
They later laughed about the incident when Paul told her the only reason he’d been strolling through the neighborhood was because his car ran out of gas, leaving him stranded to find the nearest station.
On summer vacation, Elizabeth was planning to return home—two states away. Then Paul asked her to come to the church bazaar. Without hesitating, she delayed her trip to accompany him.
God truly works in mysterious ways.
Leaning against the headboard, Elizabeth once more eyed the ring her mother-in-law had given her. The two of them spent the afternoon shopping together while she listened to anecdotes of unique guidance. Elizabeth clutched the gold hoop, studying the stone. My mother-in-law had visions that led her to find Paul when he was a little boy and lost in a hidden cave. She was wearing this ring. Never before had she experienced any premonitions. Elizabeth continued to speculate about the women in past generations who had worn the charm. So many wonderful stories of prayers answered…
With her hand scrunched tight against her chest, she spent the next few seconds thanking the Lord for her blessings and her husband.
She had to be the luckiest woman alive.
Elizabeth’s mind raced ahead as she envisioned the household she hoped to have one day. Love and happiness flowed from her heart and bubbled up like water boiling on a stove.
She meditated on God’s words about faith. To her way of thinking, a lot of the good things that happened in life were because she believed in the Lord’s promises. As she closed her eyes in prayer, adoration and gratitude seeped from a hopeful bride’s heart. Saying “Amen,” she then recited her favorite Bible verse in First Corinthians, which speaks of love, being patient and kind.
A thunderous crash boomed through her prayers. A shot rang out in the air.
A gun shot! She grabbed her throat as her eyes flashed open. Before she could dart from under the quilt, unsure where to flee, she heard the scuffle of footsteps outside the bedroom door. Elizabeth shrieked in horror as a man flung open the door and lunged toward the bed. A black mask covered his face and stone-cold eyes gleamed with hatred through the peepholes of the head covering.
Her body quaked with fear. The grip she had on the ring fell away, and the band slipped out of her hand, falling on the floor as Elizabeth screamed in terror.
A blast sounded. Blackness closed in around her, leaving only the stilled silence of death.

CHAPTER ONE
Fifty years later...
Parked off the side of the road, Taylor sunk into the soft leather seat of her red sports car, massaging a headache as she hissed out instructions to her assistant. For goodness sake, I don’t often ask Dave to stay late. Would the man die of starvation if he didn’t make it home by six for supper with his family? Taking a hard breath, she ended the conversation she’d pulled over to complete. Teeth clenched, she hit the steering wheel in frustration.
With a heavy sigh, Taylor turned and gazed out the side window. The vibrant sight of a purple wisteria in full bloom lifted her spirits. Across the road, pink and white azaleas were coming into bud. Spring was indeed once again poking out its head—her favorite time of the year. As she pulled into traffic, she tilted her head against the afternoon sun, letting the warmth bathe her face.
Taylor Harrison was the youngest-ever chief executive officer over operations at Mugful’s Corporation. Four years ago, she’d started in the marketing department, promoting the assorted hot beverages. When old man Zimmerman, the owner of the company, retired, his nephew Jack took over the operations. Soon after, she was promoted to a supervisory position. Her career had accelerated from there. For the past year, her newest duties had her working long hours. To Taylor, the rewards were worth the sacrifices. Late nights paved her way. The North Carolina division within the hot drink company was now out of the red. Stores slated to close were revived. Taylor was proud. Her territory was on top.
If Dave aspired to ever be more than a coffee-fetcher, he’d do well to mimic her example. There was a price to pay for success.
Maneuvering through the city traffic in Raleigh, Taylor drove past a government complex. A quick right turn set her on a road toward a well-maintained residential section of town. The condominium she called home was only a few blocks from the corporate branch of Mugful’s. One of the reasons she was attracted to the area.
Parking in the cobblestone drive, she checked her reflection in the rear-view mirror. Taylor ran her fingers through her upswept shoulder-length hair to smooth down the ringlets. Straightening her thick chestnut tresses was something she had given up on. The last thing Taylor had time for was being obsessed with well-behaved hair. Keeping a short style made getting ready for work an even harder chore, and she hated using gel. Thus, Taylor’s morning routine mainly consisted of her piling her natural curls in a bun or using a hair barrette.
While she gathered her briefcase from the front seat, the sound of a beach tune blared from inside her handbag. Shutting her car door, she dug through her purse, feeling past her checkbook and lipstick for her cell phone. Taylor glanced at the front and smiled at the name lit up on the screen. “Hi, Granny Kay.”
A gentle voice sounded from the other end and wrapped around Taylor like a blanket. Kay Harrison was the only person who could melt her heart in an instant. She had spent most of her younger years with her father’s mother. Dad’s job required him to travel a lot, and her mother chose to accompany him on most of his trips. Because her parents were away more often than not, she had built a close bond with her grandmother. The love she felt for the older woman was unconditional. She would do anything to please Granny Kay.
Taylor pictured her grandmother sitting in her chair, dressed in her usual attire of khakis and a button-up blouse. Endowed with the same kinky locks as Taylor, she wore her ringlets cut short.
After they exchanged pleasantries, there was an awkward pause. Taylor noted the silence, one of her grandmother’s mannerisms. The hesitation signified she wanted to ask a favor. For as long as Taylor could remember, her grandmother wavered when she was going to request something from someone.
“Taylor, I’m going to sell my house,” the older woman finally proclaimed in a no-nonsense tone.
“You are? Why?”

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