Dimensions of Genesis (14 page)

“We’d better hurry.” Gabe said as he kissed
her back. “Quinn looks like she might faint.”

Giggling, Lily hooked her arm around his and
led him into the house. She didn’t appear the least bit nervous,
even though she was about to introduce Gabe as her new beau.

“Mummy! Daddy! Can you come here for a
minute?” An exuberant Lily called out from the living room. Quinn
was peeking from behind the kitchen wall, trying to ascertain if
what she'd seen was really true.

“What’s all the yelling about?” Maggie asked
irately as she came down the stairs. “and Daddy’s napping, so
shush!”

“Can we wake him up? I have something to tell
you.” Lily pouted slightly, her eyebrows pulled together.

“No, child, he was up early working.” Her
mother stated firmly. Finally she noticed Gabe was in the room.
“Gabriel! Well, how wonderful, I just love when you visit. Come,
come, sit down. Would you like some juice, dear?”

“No thank you, Mrs. Donovan.” Gabe smiled at
her politely.

Seating themselves in the living room, Lily
and Gabe on the big sofa and Maggie on the rocking chair.

“So, what’s this big news?” Maggie asked,
smiling at Gabe.

Clearing his throat, Gabe realized he didn’t
know where to begin.

“Well, Mrs. Donovan…” he began maturely, but
before he could continue, Lily burst at the seams.

“Gabe quit the church and we're in love and
we’re going to Greece!” She grinned from ear to ear as her eyes
shone like polished emeralds.

Maggie put her hand on her heart and looked
like she might keel over at any moment.

Trying to subdue the moment, Gabe
interjected. “Um…yes. Well, I decided to leave the church, um,
priesthood because…well…” he stumbled, looking for the right
words. “Well, because I love your daughter.” As he said the words,
he looked at Lily, who was beaming. He could hear Quinn whispering
around the corner, most likely to Sheridan.

A few moments went by and Maggie still hadn’t
moved. She just sat in the rocking chair with a stunned look upon
her face, mouth open and hand on her heart. If she didn’t speak
soon, Gabe was going to walk over and check her pulse.

“Mom?” Lily called to her bewildered
mother.

Finally, her mother blinked and said, “Oh my,
that is…news, isn’t it.”

“What do you think? Isn’t that wonderful?’
Lily bounced lightly on the couch as she held Gabe’s hand.

“Maybe I should wake your father.” She got
up, holding onto the side of the chair for support.

Mr. Donovan's reaction was anti-climatic to
say the least. His only response was, “About time.”

After the initial shock had worn off, Maggie
happily welcomed Gabe into the family by opening a bottle of
champagne. Quinn sat sullenly in the living room, it wasn't a
secret she harboured a crush on Gabe.

Gabe and Lily stood together in the small
kitchen, hand in hand, thrilled to begin their new life
together.

Greece

The large plane vibrated as the jets fired
up. Lily pulled her seat belt tighter as the plane lurched toward
the runway. Excitement quelled her anxiety about flying. She wasn't
a fan of air travel, especially after her big fall with the tree
house incident, but this was a pretty special reason to overcome
her fears.

Holding Gabe’s hand tight, she felt the plane
ascend into the atmosphere. Watching the ground shrink away, she
daydreamed about Greece and what ancient beauties it might
hold.

The flight was very long, Lily lost track of
how many hours they'd been trapped on the plane. She was happy when
the pilot announced that were landing in Brussels for their
overnight layover. Her stomach flipped a few times during the
descent causing her to reach for the vomit baggie, just in
case.

Gabe, who'd slept most of the flight, awoke
just in time to help Lily out of the plane. “You okay sweetie?”
Gabe asked as they manoeuvred their way to the exit.

“Yah,” Lily replied, holding her head with
one hand and clutching the vomit bag with the other, “just
dizzy.”

Seating Lily on a bench, Gabe quickly
retrieved their luggage.

A walk in the fresh Belgium air and some food
in her belly did wonders for her spirit. Still needing to sleep,
they took a cab to their hotel.

Once in their room, Lily crawled onto the
bed, fully dressed, and fell asleep within moments. Fading into the
world of dreams, she heard nothing, not even the door click as Gabe
left the room.

Lily’s heart beat wildly as she recognized
the scenario. 

The large judicial bench appeared before her
as serpentine shadows slithered at her feet.

“Ssslut...whore...seductressss.” They
whispered as they entangled themselves around her legs.

Apprehensive, she looked up at the six shadow
judges. Dark humanoid figures, shrouded with cloaks and negative
energy.

The mirrored bench loomed in front of her,
forcing her to face her terrified reflection. Then, just as before,
two images formed on either side of her image, the smaller one
still indistinguishable. Gabe’s familiar figure materialized on the
left, his handsome face devoid of expression.

“One must die…Choose!” The six voices
thundered.

Covering her face with her hands, she wept,
not wanting to choose.

“Choose!!”

“No!!! I will not choose for anyone to die!”
She shrieked.

“Then we will choose for you!” They boomed in
unison.

“No!!” Lily screamed as they pointed at Gabe,
his image disintegrating before her eyes.

~

Sweat ran down Lily’s forehead as she sat
straight up in the hotel bed. Hyperventilating, she took several
deep breaths to calm herself. Never before had she experienced a
reoccurring nightmare. This didn’t feel like a dream, though, the
sensation was so real.

If only I knew what it meant.

Shaking, she got up from the bed to get a
drink of water. Splashing cold water on her face, she looked at
herself in the mirror. Dark circles had settled under her tired
green eyes.

“Ugh, how romantic.” She said aloud to her
reflection.

That's when she realized Gabe wasn’t in the
room. Climbing back into bed, she turned on the television. Her
stomach still felt queasy from the long trip on the plane.

Flipping through the channels, she sighed as
she wondered where he had gone.

~

Gabe wandered through the lobby carrying
several packages and a large bouquet of white lilies. Grinning as
he pictured Lily’s face when he gave her the flowers, he strode
onto the elevator and pushed the button for their floor.

Entering the room, he was happy to see Lily
awake, though she didn’t look refreshed.

“Hey baby, you feeling okay?”

Smiling weakly, Lily replied, “Yah, just had
a bad dream.”

“Awww, come here.” He said as he picked her
up, put her in his lap and rocked her. Stroking her hair, he
noticed it was damp from sweat. Feeling her head, it seemed warmer
than normal.

“I think you have a little bit of a fever.”
His brow furrowed.

“I just feel a little yucky, I don’t think
flying agrees with me.” She said, leaning her head on his
chest.

“Oh, my poor girl. Can I get you anything?”
He asked as he laid her down and covered her with a blanket.

“Maybe some water, please.”

Eagerly, Gabe rushed to the bathroom to
retrieve her water.

“Did you want me to run and get you some
aspirin or anything?” He inquired as he returned with her
water.

“No, I’ll be okay, just come cuddle me for a
while.” She said, arms outstretched, damp hair plastered to her
forehead.

Grinning, he quickly got into bed with her
and held her while they watched a film on the hotel television.
Since neither of them spoke Dutch, they laughed as they made up
fake lines for the foreign actors.

After the movie, they decided to get some
much needed sleep. Holding Lily tight against his chest, he hummed
a lullaby as he stroked her hair. Smiling as she was swept away
into sleep’s twilight tides, Lily drifted into a peaceful, and
dreamless, slumber.

~

Apprehensive as she passed through security,
Lily wasn’t excited about the next stint of their journey. Pushing
her anxiety aside, she entered the body of the plane, determined
not to let her worries deter her from having fun.

“How are you doing, sweetie?” Gabe asked,
concerned as they did up their seat belts.

“I'm okay.” she lied.

“I bought you something last night when I was
out.”

Eyes brightening, she held her hands out
excitedly.

Rummaging through his carry-on bag, he
produced some anti-nauseate medication, gum and a couple of
crossword puzzle books.

“Goody!” Lily exclaimed, hugging him.

The trip to Athens sailed by as they laughed
and told jokes, getting the occasional annoyed glance from nearby
passengers. Giggling, they hushed each other from time to time.

When the captain announced their descent into
Athens, Lily squealed and flung her arms in the air, nearly
knocking her neighbour's drink out of his hand. She ignored his
glares as she leaned over him to look out the window.

The Mediterranean sun was emerging over the
crest of the sapphire ocean. A coral glow bathed the rocky terrain
of the coast while a hint of mist lingered above the city.

Lily’s eyes filled with tears as she stared
at the ancient city. A lump formed in her throat as she thought of
the rich history that enveloped this land. Gods and Goddesses were
born here, immortality dwelt within the marble statues dedicated to
them.

Departing the plane, Lily was surprised by
the humid air. She could almost feel her hair shrink four
inches.

Hailing a cab, Gabe showed Lily many
highlights along the route to their hotel. Though the streets were
narrow and crowded, everyone was exceptionally friendly. Many would
wave at the cab as it drove past.

Reaching the hotel and retrieving their bags
from the trunk, Lily found herself speechless as she examined the
tall white pillars guarding the front of the building. A marble
staircase, streaked with grey veins, led into a large entryway.
Cathedral ceilings loomed above them, gold accents strewn into
every corner. Several large statues with golden wreaths upon their
heads, greeted them as they approached the front desk.

As Gabe checked them in, Lily drank in her
environment. Nothing even compared to this back home, the passion
in the artwork and the dedication to every detail. She'd found
Heaven on Earth, only it was more beautiful than she'd
imagined.

~

Guiding his speechless love onto the
elevator, Gabe felt his heart swell with pride. Greece was his
birthplace, his home and Lily, his heart. To have the two things he
loved most in world, together, was beyond happiness for him.

“What do you think?” Gabe inquired as they
entered their lavish hotel suite. Lily’s eyes widened and she
gasped when she saw the room.

An enormous fireplace stood statuesque along
one wall, its ivory mantel adorned with carvings of mermaids and
waves. Sheer white fabric draped itself seductively over the top of
the four poster bed.

An arched doorway led to a luxurious bathroom
complete with raised tub. Marble angels stared down from each
corner of the washroom, keeping a loving eye on their guests.

Lily’s eyes overflowed with tears as she
jumped into Gabe’s arms.

“Oh thank you,” she said, “it’s so
beautiful.”

“Anything for you.” Gabe said as he tilted
her chin up and kissed her softly.

After cleaning up, Gabe took Lily to a local
restaurant he’d frequented when he was young. He made her try a
variety of authentic Greek food she’d never had before. She loved
the Gyros, a type of meat donair, but turned her nose up at the
Kalamari.

Wandering the streets of Athens, Gabe showed
her museums full of ancient artifacts.

In the centre of the city was a busy
marketplace, Lily felt awkward as many friendly Grecian vendors
tried to sell her their items. Since she didn’t speak a word
of Greek, Gabe politely declined for her.

Hailing a cab, Gabe instructed the driver, in
Greek, to their destination. When she asked where they were going,
Gabe only put his finger to his lips and whispered, “Trust me.”

The cab drove a ways before turning off the
road. Lily was excited to see what secret location Gabe had in
store for her. As they pulled up to the site, Lily thought it
looked like a bunch of broken rock and fallen buildings. They had
to walk a while before Lily could see the remnants of a large,
fractured building eroded by the sands of time.

“This is the sacred temple built for the
goddess Athena.” He explained as they walked around the
building.

“It’s beautiful!” Lily said, in awe, as the
setting sun washed the walls of the ruins with a copper hue.

“The mythological tale of how Goddess Athena
became the patron of our city was always my favourite bedtime
story.” Gabe began, “It is said that Athena and Poseidon had a
contest, and the winner would be the guardian of the city. Using
his brute strength, Poseidon thrust his mighty trident into a rock,
breaking it apart, forcing a spring of water to emerge from the
broken ground.”

Lily listened intently to Gabe’s story,
admiring his handsome face as he spoke.

“Athena, however,” He continued, “touched the
ground gently with her spear, summoning an olive tree to grow. She
was chosen as the victor and hailed as protector of the city.”

As Gabe led her to the other side of the
ancient building, he explained the importance of the olive tree to
his culture, how it represented wisdom and everlasting peace.