I’ll Be Your Shoulder When You Need Someone to Lean On
Be Your Shelter When You Need Someone To See You Through
I’ll be There To Carry You
I’ll Be the Rock that Will Be Strong For You
The One That Will Hold On To You
When You Feel That Rain Falling Down
Micah and the other guard couldn’t help but be overcome by the scene unfolding before them. Remembering his own mother’s cries he quickly left the room. He knew what he had to do and although he was sure Solomon would be angry, he was going to do it.
"I am very sorry for your loss." Solomon said softly to the Harts and then turned to the Drays. Elizabeth and David were still standing in the middle of the room silently.
"She’s really gone?" Elizabeth asked.
"Yes, I am sorry." Solomon said.
"This is ludicrous! Do you see what those incompetents did? They’ve killed my little girl!" Elizabeth yelled at the Harts. Jennifer just proceeded to cry even harder as Jonathan shot daggers at Elizabeth for her outburst. Turning red with anger he was about to yell at the Drays but Solomon silenced him.
"This is no one’s fault. No one could have expected this to happen."
"Now, look, we can’t afford to hire a servant girl!" Elizabeth clamped her mouth tightly after realizing what she had just blurted out. "I mean, I , umm."
"I see we finally get to the truth." Solomon said angrily.
"You misunderstand my wife, your Highness, she didn’t.."
"I don’t want to hear anymore. You may leave now. My guard will escort you." Solomon’s guard stepped forward to escort the Drays to the door, who stomped out rather angrily.
After they had left Solomon knelt down beside the Harts. Freeway growled at him when he went to touch Jennifer’s shoulder.
"It’s okay, Junior." Jonathan said through his own tears.
When There’s No One Else Around I’ll Be
I’ll Be the Sun
When Your Heart’s Filled With Rain
I’ll Be the One To Chase the Rain Away
"It is more than okay, Mr. Hartley." Solomon said as Micah returned to the drawing room.
Solomon stood and walked to the side as Micah entered. "There’s someone here who would like to see you." Micah said. He moved to stand beside Solomon as Jessica entered the room and saw Jonathan and Jennifer sitting on the floor.
"Mama! Papa!" She exclaimed as she ran to join them.
Jonathan and Jennifer were shocked to see Jessica coming towards them. "Jessie?" Jennifer whispered softly as she reached out her arms.
Jessica fell to the ground and embraced her parents as all three succumbed to happy tears. After the shock of all that happened began to subside confusion reigned.
"But, I thought you said…" Jennifer started to speak.
"It was a test. To see who Jessikah’s true parents were."
"A test? You put my wife through all this misery to test a theory?" Jonathan stood up angrily.
"It was very cruel, I know, but I could think of no other way. Would you have preferred I cut her in half and given each family one half."
Jonathan and Jennifer looked at each other and then at Jessica who was still held in Jennifer’s arms. "Can I take my family home now?" Jonathan pleaded.
"Yes, of course. There will be no need for you to attend tomorrow’s court hearing. I will have the appropriate documents drawn up and signed. You will have no more problems from the Drays."
"Thank you." Jonathan said dryly as he helped Jennifer and Jessica to stand. "Come on, Darling let’s go home." Jessica bent down and lifted Freeway. Jennifer, Jonathan walked with their arms linked around Jessica.
"This isn’t a dream. This is a nightmare." Jennifer said quietly.
"Let’s go get some sleep." Jonathan said.
The next morning Jennifer woke up dismayed to find that she and Jonathan were lying on a straw mat in the hut. She had hoped that since Jessica was safe this nightmare would end and they would be returned to their own reality.
"Darling?" Jonathan said groggily as he opened his eyes. "We’re still here." He observed.
"Yes, I see that. What do we do now?"
"Maybe we should try to find a way to get home."
"Home? That sounds so far away. I wonder how Serena is handling our not being at the hearing."
"Maybe she isn’t."
"What do you mean?" Jennifer leaned on Jonathan’s chest so that she could look directly into his eyes.
"Well, what if when we do get out of here we arrive back at the courthouse at the same time we left?"
"You watch too much Star Trek." Jennifer laughed.
Jennifer and Jonathan were walking through town with Jessica and Freeway. They were trying to find someone who might be able to help them. They were beginning to lose hope when they saw a man walking past them wearing a sorcerer’s hat and a jacket painted blue with stars.
"Excuse me?" Jonathan spoke to the man. "Are you a magician?"
"I’ve been called that before."
"Do you know anything about time travel?"
"Shh, don’t speak so loud." The magician shooed the Harts and Jessica into a nearby alley. "Why do you want to know about time travel?"
"We are from another time. We’re stuck here and we don’t know how to get home." Jennifer said.
"Aah, yes that is why the spirits have been so noisy lately. There is a reason you are here. You are meant to learn something. Once you have learned this you will be released to your own time."
"What are we supposed to learn? What is happening to our lives while we’re gone?"
"I do not know, only you can know that which is in your heart. As for your other lives, they are proceeding as if you were there."
"How do you know all that?" Jessica asked skeptically.
"I know these things. It is a gift." The magician said mysteriously as he walked down the alley and disappeared.
"Do you suppose he could be right?" Jennifer asked.
"It is all we have to go on for right now."
"What do you think we need to learn?" Jessica asked.
"I don’t know. Maybe we should go back to Solomon’s."
"Solomon’s? Why?" Jennifer asked
"He might be able to help us."
"How?"
"I don’t know, but it certainly couldn’t hurt to ask."
The Harts arrived at the castle quickly and rang the bell. Micah answered the door and invited them in. He showed them to the King’s throne room where Solomon was seeing various officials.
"Aah, I see you have returned." Solomon said
"You seem to be expecting our return." Jonathan said warily.
"I was. The Lord speaks to me in various ways. He has shown me that I must help you find something in your hearts which you cannot see."
"I am so lost." Jessica sighed.
"Do not worry, child." Solomon said. "The truth is within you. Would you like a hint?"
"A hint? Sure, why not." Jennifer said
"Last night is the key to tomorrow. Those who truly love can never lose that love."
"Umm, what?" Jennifer asked.
"You must have faith." Solomon said as he laughed and walked out of the throne room.
When you Feel Your Faith Is Running Low
I’ll Be There to Believe In You
"Last night is the key to tomorrow." Jonathan repeated the riddle. "Last night we thought we had lost Jessica." Jennifer shuddered as she remembered the emotions she felt last night.
"Those who truly love can never lose that love." Jessica said. "Maybe it has something to do with all that’s going on with Elizabeth? I mean last night had to do with getting me back and Elizabeth is trying to get me in the other time."
"Maybe, but what are we supposed to learn from it?"
When You Feel That Rain Falling Down
When There’s Nobody Else Around
I’ll Be, I’ll Be
"I don’t know, but no matter what happens at least we have each other. Even if Elizabeth does win custody of you, at least you’ll be alive and we’ll still be able to see you." Jennifer said, tears forming in her eyes.
"We’re a family, no matter where we are, we will always be a family." Jonathan said as he brought Jessica and Jennifer into a hug.
As they hugged they didn’t notice the room changing around them. They broke their embrace when they heard Freeway barking wildly. Looking around them they noticed that they were back in the courthouse from the 20th century.
"Guess we learned our lesson?" Jessica supposed.
"Looks like." Jennifer answered as they heard voices coming towards them. They were all standing in the middle of the hallway and looking a little out of place in their medieval clothing.
"Jonathan, Jennifer!" Serena Darlyn called as she got closer to them. "Hurry up, the judge is about to give his decision!" She paused and then looked at them oddly and said, "What are you wearing?"
"Well,…" Jonathan started
"Never mind, come on we have to get in the courtroom." They followed Serena into the courtroom and sat down at the table they had left what seemed like ages ago.
Jessica looked wearily at Elizabeth Drayton who sat at the table next to theirs. Then her eyes wandered and she gasped when she saw the name of the judge on the stand. "Oh, my, look!" She said pointing towards the name plate and reading it aloud. "Judge Solomon King."
"No way," Jennifer exclaimed as Jonathan shrugged his shoulders.
The judge entered the room and sat at the stand while Jonathan laughed at Jennifer’s reaction to him. He looked exactly like King Solomon only he was dressed in Judge’s Robes.
"All rise." Someone said with such authority that everyone did as they were told.
"I have made my decision." Judge King spoke. The Harts waited with baited breath. "Jessica Nicole Drayton shall remain in the custody of Jonathan and Jennifer Hart, their adoption stands."
The Harts and Jessica let out great sighs of relief and smiled as they hugged Serena and thanked her for all her help. They were sure that she was the only reason they had won, for they hadn’t even been there. At least, they didn’t remember being there.
Jennifer was sitting on the couch reading a book when Jessica sat down next to her.
"I was thinking." Jessica said.
"Oh? About what?" Jennifer asked as Jonathan and Freeway came into the room and joined them on the couch.
"Junior, off the couch." Jennifer said as she shooed Freeway onto the floor.
"Could we have all been dreaming about the same thing?"
"I don’t think that’s possible." Jennifer said.
"It doesn’t matter, this fairy tale as a happy ending." Jonathan said.
"Think that’s what happened? We got stuck in some warped fairy tale?" Jennifer laughed.
"Maybe, got any wicked step-mothers hiding under there?" Jonathan teased as he peeked underneath one of the couch cushions.
"Nope, just a couple of crazy adoptive parents." Jessica laughed as Jennifer and Jonathan both threw lap pillows at her.
I'll be your shoulder when you need Someone To Lean On
Be your shelter. When you need someone to see you through. I'll be there to carry you.
I'll be there. I'll be the rock that will be strong for you.
The one that will hold on to you. When you feel that rain falling down.
When there's nobody else around. I'll Be. I'll be the sun.
When your heart's filled with rain. I'll be the one. To chase the rain away.
I’ll Be.
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