Title and Chapter One
One Single Day: A sequel to “Dive into the Bygone”
By
Bryan McCarthy
Chapter One
“You never told me your full name was Patrick Malone III!”
“Well, you never told me your real name was Julia Cartwright and that you gave me your nickname and your mom’s maiden name.”
Patrick Malone and Julie Chaplin. They did love each other a lot but even then there were things they didn’t know about one another. Having brought Julie to meet his parents, Patrick was horrified when his mother called him by his full name for not visiting for three weeks. It always sounded preppy to him.
“So who were the previous Patrick’s?” asked Julie, sitting on the porch with Patrick. They were two redheads in love.
“Well, the previous was a member of our family back in 1814 during the War of the Sixth Coalition and the second is his great-nephew, my paternal grandfather.” Answered Patrick. “I never did ask but why go by ‘Julie Chapman?’”
“Collins claims to have associates in every country so I didn’t want to take me chances.” replied Julie. Jeffrey Collins was the debtor of Julie’s father who said if her father couldn’t pay him back in the allotted time, then he would take Julie as his wife. It was borderline forced marriage. “So your uncle Enrico is going an expedition to that place in Egypt, are you going to go with him?”
Patrick rubbed the back of his neck. “Akhetaten? I don’t know. To know more about Akhenaten would be a treasure for Egyptology but I’m worried about Collins taking you back to Britain against your will in my absence.”
“Patrick, I talked with your uncle and he told me that Collins is funding the expedition and will be joining it!” Stated Julie.
“What?” Patrick looked down to the cobblestones leading up to the front porch of his parents’ house. “Why would he being doing that?”
“I’m more worried about him arranging your death or something.” Continued Julie. “Thus I’m coming with you if you do go on it.” Patrick’s jaw dropped. Come with him on the expedition? Was she crazy? “Don’t give me that look, Patch. I talked with your uncle Enrico and it is fine with me coming as long as I help out. He is as worried about you as I am.”
“But what if it is dangerous?”
“Patrick, it’s a ruined city. We aren’t going back to the highland.”
Patrick gave a small smile. “I guess it might be alright if I go… If we go.” He gave Julie a kiss and they stayed like that for a minute or so until their lips parted from one another. “You know, nightmares of the daeodon aside, I’d like to go back to the highland someday with a camera.”
Julie gave a small giggle. “And a bazooka to take care of any daeodon?”
“Hopefully not.” Patrick squeezed his girlfriend’s hand smiling at her. “ Besides, Zulu said that north of the highland is a cursed fane. Some pictures of that would be nice too.”
“A nice little thing for our own photo album.” Agreed Julie.
