Photographs in Time

by Terry Segan

  “I agree.” Secretly I hoped this would be our last journey through time. Its appeal had waned, and I was finally ready to be done with the whole thing. I only hoped the process was finished with us.

  The next morning, we enjoyed coffee on the porch as usual. Breathing in the fresh ocean air, I counted myself lucky to live in such a beautiful place full of life and happy activity. At 9:55 I retrieved my Family Slide from the safe and set the device for New York City in 1953—one year after Cecily had arrived on her final journey to begin life with Doug. Our arrival time would be noon. We decided 24 hours would be sufficient.

  Standing in the studio, Jimmy and I faced each other holding hands. The box of slides hung awkwardly off his back in a large ruck sack. The smaller backpack hanging from my shoulders contained a few overnight things.

  “Ready for one last blast through time?” I asked, squeezing his hands

  “So long as it’s with you,” he winked. “Time to complete our roles.”

  As the thirty seconds counted down, we gazed into each other’s eyes. Having travelled a couple times together, I harbored no fears about our safety.

  We arrived in a deserted alleyway between two high rise buildings. I wore a simple beige skirt and white blouse, while Jimmy had on tan khaki pants and a blue, short sleeved shirt. We decided to limit intimate contact while in public. Interracial couples were not widely accepted yet, but at least being in a large city, we could probably skate by without too much animosity.

  Our arrival was next to Doug’s apartment building. He resided in the penthouse, so we expected there to be some security. A bored looking guard sat at a desk, and barely looked up as we approached.

  “Can I help you?” he asked, though his slouching demeanor transmitted that he really didn’t want to.

  “Yes,” I spoke up. “We’re here to see Doug Pendry. May we go up?”

  “I’ll have to ring him. Your names?”

  “Sami Manchester and Jimmy Chang.”

  As I mentioned Jimmy’s name, he took a good look. With vacant eyes and a bit of reddening in the face, he turned. I knew what he was thinking. What was a white woman doing with a Chinese man? While these were simpler times, they were also filled with small-mindedness.

  Picking up the handset from a rotary telephone attached to the wall, he dialed a number. After only seconds, he spoke into the phone. “Yes, Mr. Pendry? You have visitors. A woman named Sami Manchester, and a Chinese man.”

  I grasped Jimmy’s arm, attempting to quell my anger. Jimmy put his hand over mine, and gently rubbed. I knew he was telling me to calm down.

  Out of the corner of his mouth he whispered, “This simpleton isn’t worth it.”

  Taking a deep breath, I shook off my contempt as the guard hung up the phone and gestured toward the elevator. “You may go up, Miss Manchester.”

  He didn’t even acknowledge Jimmy at all. Once again, his hand brushed against mine as I gripped his arm and allowed him to lead me to the elevator. Neither one of us bothered to thank the guard.

  Once in the elevator I said, “I really wasn’t prepared for people’s reaction.”

  “No worries, honey. The good thing is we won’t be staying long.”

  I smiled and nodded. The elevator crawled upward to the twelfth floor, dinging as it passed each level. Finally arriving at the top, the doors slid apart. Before they’d completely opened, Cecily flung herself at me in an encompassing hug.

  “Oh, Sami, it’s so good to see you! Is Grandmother with you?”

  Returning the hug, I said, “No, she’s not.”

  Pulling back with fear in her eyes, she asked, “Is she all right?”

  It never occurred to me she might leap to that conclusion. “Everything is fine. It’s only one week after you left. Well, for us, anyway,” I smiled.

  Breathing a sigh of relief, she turned to Jimmy. “Don’t think you get to escape my greeting.” With that she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him into a warm hug. Jimmy returned the embrace. Pulling back Cecily asked indicating the back pack, “What’s that you’re toting?”

  “Well, I guess you could call it a wedding gift for you and your…husband?” Jimmy asked.

  Cecily stepped back and looked at him with narrowed eyes. Obviously, her curiosity was peaked.

  Chapter 58

  “Well,” Cecily said, “you’ve got my attention. And yes, Doug and I tied the knot six months ago.”

  The elevator doors started to close, and Jimmy’s hand shot out to stop them. We all laughed. “Perhaps,” Jimmy said, we could come in?”

  “Of course, sorry, didn’t mean to way lay you in the elevator. Doug is in the studio, admiring my latest painting. I told him I wanted to be the one to greet you. He indulged me—as he always does,” she said with a sly grin.

  It gave my heart joy to see the happiness and love in this woman’s eyes. Dede would be beside herself, if she could see the radiance her granddaughter exuded.

  Entering their home, it hardly did justice calling it an apartment. The massive entryway had a vaulted ceiling spanning what should be two floors of the building. Artfully decorated with beautiful paintings of various cityscapes, I was sure Cecily had created them. Our footsteps echoed off the marble-tiled floor.

  Doug came from a hallway off to the left. Despite having seen his portrait for years, it didn’t prepare me for his finely chiseled features and good looks. Walking directly up to me, without a word, I was engulfed in a hug. After a moment, he pulled back. “Forgive me for my forwardness, but it truly is a pleasure to meet you, Sami. I can’t thank you enough for sending this absolute treasure my way,” he said looking lovingly at his bride.

  Turning to Jimmy, he extended both his hands and warmly wrapped them around Jimmy’s hand. “You, I’ve already met, but let me extend my thanks a second time to you, sir.”

  “It was our pleasure,” Jimmy said. “Seeing the two of you beaming with joy, fills our hearts.”

  “They’ve brought us a wedding present too!” Cecily gushed.

  Removing the bulky bag from his shoulders, Jimmy asked, “Is there someplace we can sit and talk?”

  Cecily and Doug looked at each other, then back at us. “Of course,” Doug said, “this way.”

  We walked into their living room. If I thought the entryway impressive, this room was even more incredible. It ran the length of half the building with huge picture windows looking out on Central Park. The furniture was clustered in a few intimate sitting areas. Doug gestured to a gold colored, overstuffed couch, while the two of them sat on the opposite sofa made of green and gold fibers.

  “It isn’t exactly a wedding present, but we hope it’s a gift you will accept,” I said.

  “I’m sure whatever you’ve brought us is wonderful and…”

  “Cecily, honey,” Doug said putting his hand on her knee, “perhaps we should let them talk. While we’re both excited to see them, there seems to be a serious tone to their visit.”

  Wow, I thought, he truly is intuitive. We’d barely had moments together, yet Doug picked up on the seriousness of our visit. More and more I believed we’d made the right decision.

  “All right dear,” Cecily said placing her hand over his.

  They both turned to us with eyes wide. I could tell they were anxious to hear more.

  “You see,” I continued, “you two are very special. Not just in the way you were brought together, but to us as well. In this business, we’re required to fulfill a quota of thirty couples. Your union completed our thirtieth match.”

  We all remained quiet a moment. Cecily broke the silence. “So, you two can essentially retire. Is that what you’re saying?”

  “Yes, I guess you could put it that way,” Jimmy said.

  “So, forgive me if I sound rude, but then why are you here?” Doug asked. “Not that we aren’t happy to see you, but I can’t imagine you’re visiting all of your successful matches.”

  “Yes,” Cecily added, “it’s great to see the two
of you. You’re always welcome here.”

  “Ok, we’ll cut to the chase,” Jimmy said. “We’ve brought more than just a gift. We would like to present you with an opportunity. The same one we had that lasted thirty years.”

  I grasped his hand, he squeezed back. “You see,” I said, “in this bag,” I gestured toward the backpack Jimmy placed on the coffee table, “is a set of thirty slides. The slides of a Collector, who was murdered before he could complete his task.”

  Cecily grabbed onto Doug’s arm. Both must have had an inkling of what we were getting at with this conversation.

  “You want us to complete his matches,” Cecily stated with excitement in her voice.

  “Yes, we want you to complete his matches,” I agreed, with relief. In that moment, I knew Paolo’s dream of his son’s job being completed would be fulfilled.

  “How exactly do we do that?” Doug asked. “Would that mean I go back and interview all thirty Suitors?”

  “Normally,” Jimmy answered, “you would. But the interviews were completed before the man died. So, the slides used to do that are spent. You need to depend on the biographies he filled out on each Suitor, as well as your instincts, to complete each match. Is that something you two would be interested in?”

  Cecily, bubbled with excitement. I could tell she wanted to take this on. Doug was a bit harder to read. If they chose to do this, he would be the voice of reason.

  “This is quite a gift you’re presenting us with,” said Doug. Turning to his wife he continued, “and I suspect it isn’t a task we should take on lightly. We’ll need time to discuss it. How long are you here for?”

  “I can see why you’re a successful businessman. You grasp the concept quickly and give it careful consideration,” Jimmy said. “We’re here for 24 hours. Why don’t you give us each a bit of time to talk to you about your individual roles? That way you’ll be armed with all the particulars and can decide if this life is right for the two of you. You also need to be aware of a few rules.”

  “Seems fair,” Doug said with a nod of his head. “Tell me, why isn’t his Photographer completing the matches? If the interviews were completed, she should have everything she needs.”

  “He never met his Photographer,” I said. Jimmy and I agreed to not delve into the drama caused by Carney. It was best to leave it as the meeting never took place. “Besides, even though the Suitor interviews are done, it doesn’t end the Collector’s involvement. While the Photographer will be finding and qualifying the Betrotheds, she’ll still need support and input from her Collector. It’s always been a team effort, best handled by a compatible couple.”

  “Makes sense. I can’t imagine it’s a solo job. Well, Cecily, why don’t you and Sami retreat to your studio. Jimmy and I can sit in here and talk.”

  “Ok, love,” she said with a light kiss to his cheek. “Come on, Sami, I can show off my work too. I’ve got a show opening at a gallery on 5th Avenue next month. They like to highlight local artists, and hopefully launch their careers.”

  “Sounds wonderful,” I said.

  “Care for a brandy?” I heard Doug ask Jimmy as we left the room.

  “Yes, thank you,” Jimmy answered.

  Cecily led me back through the entryway and down the hall Doug had greeted us from when we arrived. Her studio was more like a huge workshop. Twice the size of my photo studio, large picture windows lined the outside walls. I could see why it was the perfect place for her to craft her paintings.

  The inner walls were filled with intricate cityscapes, that were obviously from all around the five Boroughs of New York. She also had some wonderful scenery paintings full of grapevines and farmscapes. Obviously, she had ventured out with her easel and oil paints to some of the surrounding areas.

  Cecily noticed me admiring these last ones. “Those were inspired by our tour of the Long Island wineries.”

  “They’re beautiful, as are all of your scenes. Now what are those over there? It looks like your subject is a child.”

  “I’m trying to branch out and vary my work. Those started as a gift for our neighbors on the third floor. That’s their little boy, Todd. His mother heard I was a painter and asked if she could commission me to do a three-piece series of her son.”

  “What a wonderful idea. Will you use those in your show as well?”

  “I’m on the fence. The ones hanging in here are mine to keep. I’ve already delivered the ones our neighbor wanted. Painting a live subject was so exciting that I created several and let her choose the three she liked best. I felt it was the least I could do, after she almost lost him.”

  Chapter 59

  “Lost him? Was he sick?”

  “No, the most amazing thing happened…the way we met, that is. Doug was coming home from work—his usual walk from the subway. It was two months ago today. He heard a child crying and looked up. The little boy hung from their balcony on the third floor. He must have climbed over the rail.”

  “Oh, my goodness, what happened?”

  “He fell. Doug caught him and saved his life.”

  “Wow, what a hero.”

  “Yes, he is,” she said beaming. “We’ve been friends with the family ever since. The mother is very sweet.”

  We fell into a comfortable silence. Finally, she spoke up about what was foremost on her mind. “So, Grandma made it back to New Mexico okay?”

  “Honestly,” I said turning toward her, “I haven’t spoken to her since she left. I’m sure everything is fine, otherwise Milton would have contacted me.”

  Cecily nodded in agreement. “What happened with Lionel when I wasn’t there anymore?”

  “Dede was amazing. She went on and on convincing him he was crazy and that you’d already left for Europe. The man was so confused, he finally left in a huff.”

  “He just believed her?”

  “What choice did he have? You were gone, and I was alone in my studio. Now, enough of that nonsense.” I thought it best to leave out his final visit to my house. No need to worry her further. “Time to talk about the process, as we like to call it. It’s no guess that you’re interested. You do need to know all the details before making a final decision, however.”

  “Doug is more sensible than I am,” she admitted. “I like to dive into things. Not always the best plan. He’s got his hands full with me,” she laughed.

  “He seems quite all right with that.”

  “I guess you could say we complement each other. As I’m sure you’ve picked up, I’m ready to take this on, but Doug wants details. He’s absolutely right. We do need all the specifics before making a final decision. I would like to know,” she said hesitantly, “what happened to the Collector. How was he murdered?”

  I pinched my lips together, wondering just how much I should share with her. Jimmy and I agreed it wasn’t information they would need, but I also didn’t anticipate her asking.

  “That distresses you, doesn’t it? Was he a close friend?”

  “No, we’d never met. He was the son of a man we’ve gotten acquainted with accidentally. Paolo, the man we met, had been a Collector in his own time. Passing the torch on to his son, the young man wasn’t able to complete the task. He’d witnessed the murder of a shop keeper, and the assailants chased and stabbed him as well.” I felt guilty leaving out all the details, but again, that information wouldn’t have any bearing on their decision to become part of the process.

  “How awful!”

  “Yes. His father asked Jimmy and I to complete the matches, but we’re ready to bow out of this life. We did agree to help place the slides with another couple willing to carry on his son’s work. It was actually Jimmy that suggested the two of you.”

  “There’s symmetry in that, isn’t there?

  “Yes, I believe so. I always felt your grandmother would have made a great Photographer. Seeing so much of her in you, I thought this would be a good fit.”

  Smiling, Cecily clutched the necklace her grandmother had given her, then walke
d over to a small couch in the corner and gestured to the seat next to her. “Then you’d best fill me in on what I need to know about the…process.”

  We sat and talked for almost two hours. I filled her in on the details of how the Betrotheds will naturally cross her path. There wouldn’t be much searching, as she would have thought. The magic of the slides would take over. I warned her about the use of the emergency slides, and the danger of repeating a location in time. It was also important to stress the fact that they were not to be used for personal gain, nor would their task be complete until all 30 couples were matched.

  Before we knew it, the late afternoon sun shone through the windows, as the men knocked on the door of the studio.

  “You girls about done?” Doug asked as he opened the door.

  I looked at Cecily and she smiled. “Yes,” I called, “I believe we are. How about the two of you?”

  “Discussed enough to be dangerous,” Jimmy said with a laugh.

  “Then, it’s time we took our leave and left these two to discuss the prospects,” I suggested.

  “Oh, won’t you stay for dinner?” Cecily asked.

  “Thank you,” Jimmy said, “but I think we’ll head off on our own. We’ll be back in the morning.”

  “It won’t be a bother,” Doug said. “We’re already expecting our neighbors, the Merchants, from the third floor for dinner. Two more won’t be an issue.”

  “Thanks, I said, but we...wait, who are you expecting?” I asked.

  “The family of the little boy I told you about—Todd Merchant and his parents,” Cecily said, getting concerned as she looked at me. “Sami, are you all right?”

  The color drained from my face as I reached down to steady myself on the arm of the couch. The room began to spin. Realizing I needed to sit down, my body collapsed onto the cushions. I leaned forward and held my head in my hands.

  Jimmy rushed over and sat beside me. His arm reached around and pulled me close. “Sami, are you okay?”

  “Does she need some water?” Cecily asked.