Javascript "Promise"s being broken

I hope this doesn't turn into a treatise.

On a click of a link I'm using jQuery to get the counter value next to it to use in an SQL lookup.
That's done in function loadTables(event).
I do some other simple stuff like create a unique # to append to the resulting populated HTML file that I save temporarily.
The AJAX code works fine, returning a valid URL.

Still within that function I call a function clicked_rightmarginTableLink(tablename, rowno, thislink, uniq_file_id) that does the AJAX for me and returns the path to the page I want to .load.

A-synchronicity was causing the null page to load before the AJAX returned, so I bravely/boldly/blundered into "promise"s.

I got my promise code layout c/o the 42 line sample here:
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Promise

When you see the code, the if/then enclosing the promise and AJAX is to keep other blank forms of same kind loading; for the purpose of seeing something happen when I show my boss later today.

You'll see a commented out jQuery .load that works, so substituting the not-waited-for resolved promise IS certainly my problem.
The two alerts, (containing "new_url=" and "Past .load") both happen before the AJAX is done, even thought I though they would now wait.

What tweak am I missing here?

// =================================================================================================
// As per set up in function RightMargin(), this responds to table links clicked in the right margin

function loadTables(event)  
{
  event.preventDefault() ;
  var thislink=$(this).attr('href') ;              // The URL of the link clicked
  var destination='#' + $(this).data('target');    // The TARGET of the link clicked
  
  var id_of_rowno='#' + $(this).data('link');      // Add'l info in the <input> element
  var rowno = $(id_of_rowno).val() ;               // Reads the value the the counter
  
  var tablename= $(this).data('link');  // Use this value, ~ RtMgn_tablename
  tablename = tablename.substring(6) ;  // to extract the table whose data must be loaded
  
  // getRandomIntInclusive(min, max)                        // Thinking (now) that I'll populate the form
  var uniq_file_id = getRandomIntInclusive(1, 9999999999) ; // and have to save it uniquely before loading it
  
  // This function will do the AJAX and return the page to load the the form populated 
  // after the SQL activity
  // However when I run this, I'm getting the alert messages below as the very first thing,
  // before it even call this function!!!
  // ENTER PROMISES
  
  var new_url = "" ;
  
  if (tablename=="Modem")
    {
    // =================================================================
    var maybe = new Promise(
      
      // The resolver function is called with the ability to resolve or
      // reject the promise
      
      function(resolve, reject) 
      { 
        new_url = clicked_rightmarginTableLink(tablename, rowno, thislink, uniq_file_id) ; 
        resolve(new_url) ;
      }    // EO function for resolve or reject
    ) ;  // EO Promise defined
    
    maybe.then(
        // Log and use the fulfillment value
        function(new_url) {
          alert("new_url="+new_url) ; 

          // Load the file
          // $(destination).load("http://10.139.164.191/Cell_Modems/public_html/temp/modem_table_3671212420.html", function( response, status, xhr ) 
          $(destination).load(new_url, function( response, status, xhr )  
          {
            if ( status == "error" ) 
            {
              var msg = "Sorry but there was an error: ";
              alert( msg + xhr.status + " " + xhr.statusText );
            }  // EO IF
          }) ;  // EO Callback for load AND load method itself
          alert("Past .load") ;
        })
    .catch(
        // Log the rejection reason
        function(reason) {
            console.log('Handle rejected promise ('+reason+') here.');
        });

    
  }  // EO IF "Modem"
  else
  {
    // Load the file  (will be changed from this in the near future, once I get ajax deferred/promised/bleah!)
    $(destination).load(thislink, function( response, status, xhr )  
    {
      if ( status == "error" ) 
      {
        var msg = "Sorry but there was an error: ";
        alert( msg + xhr.status + " " + xhr.statusText );
      }
    }) ; 
  }  // EO else not "Modem"
}  // EO function loadTables(event)

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Thank you!