“If he didn’t have his backpack on, he would have been a goner.” I heard Scotty say. I opened my eyes and everyone was gathered around Pete and I. Pete was bandaged up sleeping as his back leg twitched a little.

  “He’s going to be fine. Let’s get you cleaned up.” Jillian said helping me up. Ginger insisted on being petted and cried as I loved her up telling her that her brother is going to be fine and he was so brave. Sammy placed a hand drawn ‘Get well soon’ card next to Pete depicting the encounter in crayon on a two-page fold out.

  “You drew this?” I asked Sammy. His tearful eyes gave way to a smile. Children’s art always fascinated me the way they view the world using perspective. This was clearly evident by Pete’s grossly oversized head and the small size of his opponent.

  “I am so sorry for shooting your dog.” Paul said with sincerity.

  “That shot probably saved his life. Don’t ever forget that.” I said as I hugged Paul and thanked him.

  “We have a surprise to show you.” Rebecca said as she opened the refrigerator door.

  “This is what we are having tonight.” She said. Two huge trays full of butcher quality meats and one smaller package with Pete’s name on it.

  “What’s that?” I asked pointing to the smaller package named ‘Pete’.

  “Liver.” Reese said in a quiet tone.

  “True glory can only be achieved by eating the liver of your enemy.” Reese said in a quiet serious tone. I looked at Reese in a different light. “I’m glad were friends Reese.” I said.

  I took a quick shower and checked on Pete. He was sleeping in his bed outside in the grass as Ginger lay next to him in the warm night air and Sammy petting and talking to both of them gently. As soon as the meat hit the sizzling grill, Pete woke up.

  “Nothing wrong with his hearing.” Jillian said.

  Pete stretched and inspected his bandaged side and tried to get up. Sammy placed the water bowl next to him and he drank until it was gone. Reese approached with the liver on a familiar silver platter. Pete, still a little groggy looked at the liver then at Reese. His one eye was slightly offset as he sniffed the brilliantly colored liver and Reese tore a section away with his bare hands.

  Pete sniffed, then ate the section and Ginger had to investigate. With the ceremony complete, Pete got up lifted his leg, whizzed on the bushes followed by a shaking squatting poop with everyone watching him.

  “All systems are a go!” Scotty said as someone turned on the Beach Boys and we lit Tiki torches for light.

  We all had a wonderful feast, going over and over our adventure as Reese continually adjusted his position in his chair. I gestured to Scotty with a head nod in Reese’s direction smiling.

  “You okay Reese? You seem a little, uncomfortable.” Scotty said aloud.

  Everyone stopped their conversation and turned in Reese’s direction and grinned. Scotty unleashed a battery of boner jokes and metaphors that took a minute for Reese to connect. The ‘Walking Hat Rack” comment sent everyone laughing out loud as Reese turned red in the face.

  Rebecca seemed to share in his embarrassment as he eventually started laughing painfully holding his jaw after Helen described the citrus juice and its side effects. Susan playfully covered Elaine’s ears and turned toward Sammy to see if he was paying attention.

  Sammy, Ginger and Pete snacked on Jillian’s chips as he was reading a book to them lying in the grass. He turned and said; “It’s okay Uncle Reese, I sometimes get that in the morning.” Everyone’s stunned silence was broken by Scotty. “Welcome to the club Sammy! Here’s to Morning Wood!” Scotty said holding up his glass. We all laughed out loud and drank a toast to ‘Morning Wood’ as Rebecca looked at me with a gaze similar to the Mountain lion earlier.

  “Anybody want some coffee?” I asked as I walked to the side of the yard to relieve myself.

  “Not if that’s how you’re going to make it.” Scotty said.

  “We are running low on water, our system can accommodate up to four people for two days, we just need to conserve…” I stopped my sentence short staring off into the distance. Paul stood to see what I was looking at.

  “What the hell is that?” Paul said quietly standing next to me. Soon enough, everyone was looking in the direction of Catalina Island and the mysterious yellow glow.

  “Can’t tell if it’s on, or near the island.” Reese said.

  “We see that from time to time, I have pictures and some video clips with dates and times.” Jillian said heading into the house to get her laptop.

  “Dad. What is that?” Sammy asked standing on a chair next to Paul.

  “I have no idea, Sammy.” Paul said as he put his arm around Sammy.

  Helen and Scotty started extinguishing the Tiki torches and we all stood in the darkness and watched the yellow glow. It was difficult to determine the size, distance and height of the yellow sphere as it slightly pulsed once and vanished.

  “Here is what I have.” Jillian said from the patio table, her face strangely illuminated by the computer screen. We all reviewed the pictures and video clips from Canada and here in California and all commented on the similarities and differences between all of them.

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  “Maybe they’re just checking up on us.” Sammy said during a break in the spirited discussions.

  “What makes you say that, Sammy?” Susan asked.

  “They don’t seem mean to me, it’s kind of, I don’t know, pretty.” Sammy said embarrassed at using the term ‘pretty’.

  “Sentient?” Scotty asked looking around at everyone and stopping at me and raising his eyebrow a little.

  “Does it seem coincidental that it blinked out after we…” Rebecca said as Paul interrupted. “Capped the last Tiki torch?” Reese was the closest and lit four of them, Rebecca grabbed her camera and recorded the activity. After ten minutes of quiet and staring off in the distance in all directions, the yellow glow did not re-appear.

  “Well, if they want to talk, they know where to find us.” Scotty said handing a glass of wine to Helen and whispering in her ear making her giggle a little.

  “You know. You’re right!” Paul said relieving Susan of Elaine and kissing her tiny head and hugging her gently.

  “Sammy. Time for bed. Say goodnight to everyone. Wash up and brush your teeth.” Susan said in a parental tone.

  “Awww! MOM! I wanna see the light again! I wanna sleep outside tonight with Ginger and Pete. They’ll protect me. PLEASE!” Sammy’s desperate plea was met with a firm “Absolutely not!” from Paul.

  “Okay. Goodnight everyone.” Sammy said as he headed into the house with Susan.

  “Goodnight Sammy.” Everyone said.

  “If the light comes back, would it be okay if we wake you up?” Paul asked.

  “You promise?” Sammy asked as he turned in the doorway looking at Paul.

  “I promise.” Paul said holding up his right hand.

  Jillian came up to me with that familiar grin, grabbed my ass and rubbed her breasts against me.

  “Are you, coming, to bed, soon?” She whispered to me.

  “Give me fifteen minutes, okay?” I said.

  “I’ll be done in five.” Jillian said a little louder than necessary as Rebecca pretended not to watch Jillian and I as she and Reese were in some sort of debate going into the house.

  “Go be with your family. Scotty and I will stay up tonight, just for security purposes.” I said to Paul stroking Elaine’s head.

  “Quite right. I’ll make some coffee.” Scotty said as he went into the kitchen.

  “Thank you. This has been an interesting day.” Paul said as he snuggled Elaine and retired into the house.

  “Scotty?” Helen said appearing in the doorway.

  “I’ll be right back.” Scotty said to me. But he did not return as I sat with Ginger on the patio sipping coffee and content.

  After about a half hour, Jillian quietly opened and closed the patio door and approached me in nothing but a bath robe. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed some movement inside the house. In the kitchen by the feeble light over the stove. I could just make out a silhouette. Rebecca.

  Jillian was in the home stretch and I somehow felt compelled to pick her up and bend her over the patio table in full view of Rebecca. Being in the throes of ecstasy, Jillian did not take notice of Rebecca as she groaned and cursed quietly. This was one of four or maybe five times we both had perfect timing. I collapsed on top of her breathing heavy as she quietly cooed like a dove.

  I withdrew from her and we both embraced in the deck chair using the bath robe as a blanket. I was exhausted, and Jillian was ready to dig another swimming pool. The last thing I remember is listening to her graphic details as only another woman would actually understand.

  I woke up to Ginger licking my hand and Pete was snoozing at the end of the cozy deck chair as William pulled up another chair and sat down next to me. Pete woke up, stretched and carefully walked over to William to share his affection with Ginger.

  Ginger and Pete miss Rosie, Becky, Jeff and the pups. Maybe a visit soon, yes? William said to me.

  I like your new friends; they seem honest and sincere. William said inspecting Pete’s ear and scratching Gingers rump. The only one that concerns me is Reese. Why is that? I asked.

  I am not sure. Intuition perhaps. He is difficult to read sometimes. William said giving a dog cookie to Ginger and Pete from his pocket. William shifted his gaze toward me and was waiting for me to ask a question.

  What can you tell me about the yellow light? I asked.

  I can tell you everything you could ever want to know about it. William said in a satisfied tone.

  What does it want? I asked.

  Nothing. William responded.

  Is it dangerous? Does it pose a danger to us or the Catalina folks? William was already shaking his head ‘no’ before I could finish my thought. Actually, quite the opposite. William said nodding his head, satisfied with his response.

  What is it? I asked.

  It is the manifestation of harmony, positive energy and balance that you, Jillian, all your friends, even the dogs; ALL generate. Life has been purged; the shear existence of any remaining life can now be… re-focused. For lack of a better term. But make no mistake, as with ALL things, there is the ‘balance’. The energy you, all of you, create has an action and a reaction. William said sincerely with conviction and warning. What do you think everyone did last night? William asked with a shrewd look. I hesitated my response.

  OH PLEASE! You bent Jillian over in front of Rebecca. You knew she was watching! Why did you do that? William asked.

  Because I’m a pervert? I said.

  NO! William said laughing then changing his answer to; Well, yes. Not the point.

  You were subconsciously establishing property rights. You sent a clear message to Rebecca. This is MY woman. The one I love. You forget I know everything about you. Jillian want’s children so bad. But she is afraid to bring up the subject because of the risk you might say no. We can discuss that later. Love Greg. Love. William said touching my left arm and standing up. John Lennon said it best: “All you need is love. Love is all you need.”

  After a long pause, Ginger and Pete came up to me and started licking my hands.

  You cannot get a better endorsement than that. William said.

  How come we don’t see it every time we, ya know…I asked.

  Not every time it’s for love, and it just is not when, ‘ya know’.” William said in a sarcastic and condescending tone that sounded like something I would say.

  It appears sometimes as a sparkle or glare for a split second or a reflection, it depends on the energy flow of the Earth itself, and you, believe it or not. Some places are just more prone than others.

  Now, keep in mind the balance. The opposite effect also has a manifestation, but it often conceals itself, it hides or takes on different shapes, sometimes as a shadow or just a glimpse from the corner of your eye. It preys on the weak and is repelled by the strong. Déjà vu is a marker. A failed attempt to persuade you. Do you know how many Déjà vu events you have had? William asked me.

  I thought about it for a while. Ten maybe fifteen? I responded.

  Twenty-two. William said proudly. Another long pause in our conversation.

  Are you familiar with ‘Jamais vu’? William asked me. I hesitated.

  It occurs when something happens that appears as though it should be familiar, but is not.

  The ‘yellow glow’ is in fact: peace, love and harmony. Consider it Earth’s energy… smiling. It is just that simple. Please reconsider your thoughts on children. You do have other families with children. William said in a tone that made my eyes well up in tears.

  Yes. You will love them just as much. William said answering the question I proposed to myself.

  What is most important? William said with increasing punctuation. Denying Jillian of her finest hour as a Woman, or you, and your misplaced selfish stubbornness and unwarranted fear?

  William stopped for a moment. Staring, like someone hit a pause button. His eyes slowly closed and he took a very deep breath but did not exhale. His eyes slowly opened as tears streamed down. He started to speak words but nothing could be heard as he dissolved.

  “What was that all about?” I asked Ginger and Pete.