Out of Time Read online

  “I have to fix this if I ever get back.” Sasha stated.

  “You can try.” Simon added.

  “I just need to find a door to another time. I really need to find that house again.” Sasha said to him. While they conversed, Mandy was busy changing her baby’s diaper.

  “You’ve been trying to find a door for years.” Simon said.

  “Well I phased in here.” Sasha replied, determined.

  “I don’t know if it’ll work again, but I know you eventually find your right time. That’s how this all started.” Simon said cryptically.

  “What about other people? I know I don’t have my mom and dad now. What about Mandy’s parents? I’m sure they knew something.”

  “They escaped.” Mandy said from across the room, ditching a spoiled diaper in the room’s solitary trash can. “They wanted to protect me and felt like they were somewhat your foster parents. In fact, they actually adopted you.”

  “They did?” Sasha asked with surprise written all over your face.

  “You’ve been friends with Mandy for years.” Simon said with a chuckle. “You’ve been around them for years. They felt it was the best thing they could do for you.”

  “So Mandy and I are...?”

  “Sisters now. You know, I’m right here.” Mandy said, picking up her baby-powder-fresh baby.

  “So your baby is my nephew?” Sasha asked.

  “Putting two-and-two together?” Mandy wondered with a warm smile.

  “Can I hold him?” Sasha asked. He was family after all. “It’s a him, right?” In the darkness she couldn’t tell whether the baby was dressed in blue or pink and she forgot her earlier conversation when Simon mentioned Mandy’s baby.

  “Yes. Here.” Mandy told her, offering the baby over. Sasha carried him awkwardly, not sure how to turn him or hold him, but it didn’t matter because he gurgled away happily.

  “Aw.” Sasha said. “He’s cute!”

  “Yes, I know he is.” Mandy said.

  “Who is the father? Do I know him?” Sasha wondered. She didn’t think Mandy the type of person to have a child out of wedlock. She was ultra-conservative.

  “No, but he’s upstairs. I’ll go get him.” Mandy answered, leaving the room to head up the stairs to the first floor of the tavern. Within minutes she was running back, scream-whispering, “Get out! Now! They’re coming!”

  “Where do I go?” Sasha asked in a panic.

  “Back through the tunnels. That’s the only place they won’t expect us because they don’t know about them. We need to go back to the warehouse. I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep up with you. I might need to hold them up. If I don’t make it, don’t wait for me. Don’t stop. Keep running.” Simon said, and then he grasped Sasha firmly and gave her a kiss that literally took her breath away. Her mind wanted to tell him she was ready to go, but she wanted to kiss him back even more. Maybe it was the hormones. At any rate, she was starting to consider him as someone more than just a friend. “I love you.” Simon said, urging her out of the basement.

  As she ran with all the energy and speed she could muster, given her state of pregnancy, Sasha had to stop to catch her breath. “I don’t know if I can go any further. I’m so tired.” she said, placing her hands on her knees as best she could over the bulge of her abdomen.

  “You’ve got to. You’ve got to make it back.” Simon said to her.

  “It’s so hard.”

  “Come on, we only have a little ways to go.” Simon told her, grabbing her hand. Sasha suddenly felt wetness between her legs and her stomach rolled.

  “Wait.” she said to him, slouching against the floor.

  “We can’t wait.” Simon told her.

  “My water just broke!” she screamed.

  “Are you sure?” he asked, stooping down to look at her face.

  “I don’t know what else it could be. Lots of sweat? I don’t think so!”

  “There they are!” Sasha heard from behind them. She knew that voice. She’d heard it earlier. It was one of the radicals.

  “Damn it Sasha, come on. The baby will have to wait.” Simon stated, grasping Sasha’s hand and lifting her up.

  “I’ll try.” Sasha said, her voice shaky.

  “Stop! I’m warning you!” the voice of the radical came in clearer. Simon ignored them, knowing full well they wouldn’t hurt Sasha. They needed her knowledge.

  “Get me then!” Sasha called back. They finally reached the end of the tunnel and she was climbing up the stairs. They must have taken a different route before going up to the grate even though she didn’t notice a “y” in the path on the way there, because after they climbed up she noticed they were in an enclosed room. She opened the door which she assumed went into the warehouse directly and walked in.

  PART III

  CHAPTER 16

  “Okay this is weird. I feel a whole lot different.” Sasha said, placing a hand on her belly. She retracted in shock. “No belly? Where’s my baby?”

  “Right here, babe.” she heard Simon say. What had happened? Where was she? Did she hit her head?

  The light switched on and Sasha blinked in shock. “Whoa.”

  “Like?” Simon asked with a flirtatious smile. He was shirtless and only was wearing boxers and was heading towards her. Sasha could only ever recall him shirtless when he was playing soccer or when they went to the waterpark. This...this was so completely different. She saw a well-sculpted body which made her heart flip and race. Her eyes traced a “v” right down to his —

  “Um. Are we married?” Sasha asked, looking down at her hand. No ring. “Hand says no. Okay, this is really weird. What’s going on?”

  “What do you mean, ‘are we married’? We’re dating.” he said to her, then whispered in a sexy low voice, “Do you want to get married?”

  “Dating?”

  “You don’t remember us?” Simon asked

  “Heh.” Sasha said nervously, raising a corner of her lips.

  “What happened to you? Did you hit your head on the headboard or something?” Simon asked as Sasha pulled herself up from the bed.

  “No, Simon. I just traveled through time. Literally at the moment I was about to give birth to your child.” Sasha said. Simon took two steps back.

  “Are you smoking something?” he asked her. She never seemed like the kind of person to do drugs.

  “Remember the attic?” she wondered, hoping he would remember his experiences in high school and at least know what attic she was referring to.

  “Yea, and I remember what you told the police and stuff. Come on, seriously, what are you playing at?” Simon asked her.

  “Nothing, Simon. I just went through a portal into this time and replaced the Sasha that was here. I guess she’ll be back when I leave. I know I’ll eventually find my way back, but I don’t know when.”

  “So, the whole ‘us’ is out?” Simon asked, his voice sullen.

  “I was just getting used to the thought of having a baby. Not how I made the baby. I mean, this is really sudden for me — we were just friends in high school.” Sasha said, pulling up the sheets over her body, which she noticed was pretty sparse of clothing. She was only in some very revealing lingerie.

  “Yea, but college changed everything.” Simon said.

  “How old are we?”

  “Twenty-three.” he responded, edging further away from her. Almost as if he was scared of her. “We finished college last year. College brought us together. You don’t remember any of that?”

  “No, and I’m sorry. At least for our relationship.” Sasha said, her voice comforting.

  “Well I suppose I should put my shirt back on, and a pair of pants.” Simon walked over to a dresser in the room, opening drawers and rummaging through them. While he got dressed, Sasha addressed him,

  “We haven’t ever... ‘done it’ before.” Sasha wondered. “Have we?”

  “No.” Simon said, his voice wasn’t cold. It was more sad than anything else. “Today was goin
g to be it.” He threw a shirt over his head. A white and plain tee.

  “Can you wait?” Sasha asked him. “Make me wait? I’d rather wait.”

  “Until...” Simon wondered, pulling up a pair of jeans and enclosing it. Sasha breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Until we get married. Call me old-fashioned, but I’d really like that.” Sasha told him. She felt like she was pulling a Mandy, but she hoped it would work.

  “Could have fooled me ten minutes ago.” he said to her. Sasha remembered the words of future-Mandy. She might not be able to change her past, but she might be able to change her future. Then again, if she made it back to her right time he wouldn’t remember any of this conversation.

  “Yea, well, I’m in love and I guess I will do stupid things.”

  “Stupid? Like me?” Simon asked, hurt.

  “That’s not what I meant.” she consoled him. “Can we start over?”

  “From?” he asked.

  “The whole ‘love’ thing. I want to get to know you better. There is only so much I get out of high school and Mandy actually sees you more than I do. Uh. Did.” Sasha said, correcting herself. She had to remember she wasn’t in school any more.

  “I guess so.” Simon said, shrugging. “I mean, it’s either you or nothing. There’s no way I’m going after Kendra. I mean, she’s nice and all, but she’s super needy. It’s like she stalks me.”

  “She might act that way, but trust me — she’s a good friend and a loyal one. Treasure the moments you have with her.” Sasha said softly. Kendra didn’t deserve to die the way she did. Perhaps she could prevent the turn of events, if only even for a little. She didn’t know how long she had in here. Her other two visits to the past and future ended shortly.

  “You know something?” he asked her, noticing the subtle change in her face, as though she was recalling past memories.

  “It could change. Whenever I find my sixteen self I have to change things.”

  “How are you going to find your way back?” he asked her. Sasha was shocked. He believed her. He didn’t think she was making up a story. Progress.

  “Did I ever tell you?”

  “Not really. I was curious about it, but I never asked. Once the FBI got involved, I tabled it.” he said to her, still standing in the corner of the room where the dresser was.

  “When did they?” Sasha wondered.

  “Just last year. Don’t worry though — they classified all their documents when they found out you had been traveling through time. They just asked you what you knew and when you didn’t say much, they left it. Personally I wouldn’t have even gone to the police. They got too nosey.” Simon said to her.

  “Did they ever get into the attic?” Sasha wondered. Perhaps they could sneak into the school and she could try and use it.

  “Nope. Would you believe the door disappeared?” Simon wondered and Sasha’s hopes fell. “Right after you got back it was just gone. It was really weird. The school made up some story about getting rid of the closet there. Overnight? Yea right.”

  “So they made up a cover story for it and left it alone?” Sasha asked. Simon nodded. “Be careful. It’s going to get bad really fast when it goes public.”

  “It’s going public?” Simon asked, incredulous.

  “They end up releasing the documents.” Sasha said.

  “That sucks.” Simon said, not sure of what to say next. “Well, should I leave then?”

  “No, you can stay. Can you...I mean...” Sasha started, not sure of how she was going to word the rest.

  “Can I what?” Simon inquired.

  “Just stay here with me. Sleep here?” Sasha wondered.

  “In bed with you?”

  “Please.” Sasha pleaded. “I don’t want to be alone. not after what I’ve been through. You don’t mind do you? It’s not like we’re strangers. I just want to feel your presence so I know I’m not alone.”

  “I guess.” Simon relented, walking towards her and laying on the bed. Sasha turned to him.

  “Thanks. I do like you. I really do. It’s just a little weird when someone you’ve had a crush on is dating you, marries you, and then you have their baby, and you’ve never ever really told them how you feel.” Sasha said to him. He looked at her, his eyes dancing.

  “I felt the same way for so long.”

  “If I ever get back I’m going to tell you. Straight to your face.” Sasha said, with a giggle.

  “That’d be nice.” Simon breathed out sleepily.

  “Then I’ll kiss you.” Sasha smiled.

  “Uh huh.”

  “Then I’ll start dating you in high school.” Sasha said, thinking of how their life would be with such a head start on their relationship. She turned on her side and folded her hands on her pillow.

  “Okay.”

  “Then by this time, our first time, we’ll be married.” Sasha said. Simon regained some of his consciousness.

  “Jumping the gun a bit?”

  “Nope.” Sasha said to him. “You need me and I need you. We’ll be fine.”

  He yawned and muttered out, “Nice.”

  “I know.” Sasha said, replying with a yawn herself. Soon she drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

  CHAPTER 17

  “Happy birthday!” Simon called out as he opened the door to their new apartment. He walked over to Sasha and gave her a peck on the lips as he turned back to help Mandy in.

  “Thanks, love.” Sasha said.

  “Happy birthday Sasha.” Mandy said, edging in from the doorway. “Congratulations are in order I hear?”

  “I told her on the way in.” Simon explained, lifting a bag and placing it inside. he grunted with the weight of it.

  “Thanks Mandy.” Sasha replied, holding out her beautiful diamond ring so her friend could see. “How was your flight? I can’t believe you came all this way for me.”

  “I can’t believe I was able to get time off from med school.” Mandy answered with a huff, flipping her hair. “There was an issue with the HVAC system so they had to close on Friday and it made it all possible. My goodness, how long has it been since we’ve seen each other?”

  Sasha recounted to when she first appeared in this timeline. She hadn’t seen Mandy since then, only talked to her on the phone to catch up. “Uh...I really don’t know.”

  “Oh never mind that.” Mandy said, brushing her off. “I’ve got to tell you about this amazing guy I met over there. He’s amazing!” Sasha gawked.

  Did she just say amazing, twice? Sasha wondered.

  “More than me?” Simon asked. Mandy didn’t want to offend, so she answered,

  “Comparable to you, Simon.”

  “Perfect.” Simon said, flashing a smile.

  “So Mandy,” Sasha started, changing the subject. “How are the parents?”

  “They haven’t been in touch with you?” Mandy was dumbfounded.

  “Well of course they have. I just wondered if they had talked to you directly.” Sasha mentioned. She wasn’t able to get over the whole calling them Mom and Dad just yet, though. “Maybe you’ve talked to them more recently?”

  “Yea, Mom said something about a cruise we are all invited to go on. Apparently she and Dad won some tickets.” Mandy said casually. Sasha invited her to sit down and rest a bit.

  “Who is ‘all’?” Sasha wondered as Mandy took a seat on some bar stools near the counter in the kitchen. They had a cute little two-bedroom. One bedroom served as a his and hers office, and the other was quite untested. While they were together, Sasha conceded to allowing Simon to move in with her, but not to stay in the same room.

  “I think they meant Simon too. I mean, you have been really inseparable. Or so Mom tells me.” Mandy said, with a wink.

  “You know how love is.” Simon said, wrapping an arm around Sasha’s waist and bringing her close.

  “Sometimes you know it’s there and sometimes it comes out of nowhere.” Sasha said, turning to look at Simon.

  “Sometimes you don�
��t even know how surprising it can be.” Simon said.

  “Come on guys. You’ve been together for three years now. Mom said she hasn’t ever seen you apart for the last year. So I’m not exaggerating. Something has changed.” Mandy said and Sasha knew she didn’t mean the engagement. She couldn’t tell her friend about the time travel. She didn’t want to risk it.

  “Yes, but it’s okay.” Sasha dismissed Mandy. “It’s nothing you need to worry yourself with.”

  “Sure?” Mandy wondered. “You know how I like sweet romance stories.”

  Simon glanced down at his watch which was on his free hand. “Yea...really you don’t need to hear about our ‘romance’. Let’s go and eat. The reservations are for a half hour from now and I don’t want them to give our table away. Meridian’s is pretty strict on their tardiness policies for guests.”

  “Oh come on.” Mandy giggled light-heartedly. “It couldn’t take that long to get there.”

  “I like to be early.” Simon stated.

  “He does.” Sasha responded.

  “Okay, then let’s go.” Mandy conceded. She looked at Sasha and then Simon. “Who’s driving?”

  “I will. It was my idea anyway. The meals are on me.” he said with a grin.

  “That’s so sweet of you.” Sasha said.

  “I try.” he chuckled and led her forward, then waited for Mandy to get up, gather her purse and run out the door. Not before Sasha caught him up in an unexpected kiss.

  “Oh my word, come on. I’ve starving. They stopped even serving peanuts on the plane. You’ve got to pay extra for them.” Mandy whined.

  “We’re coming.” Simon said, grasping Sasha’s hand as they exited the apartment. They headed down to the private parking area underneath the apartment complex and got into the car, Sasha in the front with Simon and Mandy in the back.

  The atmosphere at Meridian’s was lovely. There was soft lighting paired with soft music, and barely audible voices chattering in the background mixed with glasses and utensils clinking while other patrons ate.