So Little Time

by Doreen Roberts

  “Mostly skill and paying attention,” she said cheerfully, pulling around a delivery van double-parked in the street.

  “I would say it’s more likely divine providence.” Granger closed his eyes as she pulled into the parking lot of the grocery store, narrowly missing a car backing out of the aisle.

  “Believe me,” Corie said, as she shut off the engine, “by the time we get home you’ll be as comfortable with this as you are on your horse.”

  “I seriously doubt it.” He looked so rattled she couldn’t resist leaning over to give him a quick kiss.

  “Hunch down on the seat,” she said, “just in case anyone should be snooping around. I won’t be more than a few minutes.”

  He nodded, looking quite relieved to be stationary for the time being.

  Corie hurried into the store, uneasy at the thought of leaving Granger out there in full view of anyone passing by. Hopefully it was still too early for most people to be about. And it was unlikely that anyone from the lab would choose that particular moment to visit the grocery store. Even so, she couldn’t dismiss the possibility of some chance coincidence.

  Seeing the lengthy line at the checkout counter, her uneasiness intensified. She could only hope that Granger stayed out of sight until she got back.

  The shoe department was at the far end of the store, and she hurried over there, anxious now to get her errand over with and get back to the car.

  It would have been fun to bring Granger into the store, she thought, as she sorted through the rack of men’s sneakers. He would have been fascinated by the variety of unfamiliar objects on display.

  She found a pair of inexpensive shoes in the same size as those he’d ‘borrowed.’ After all, she thought, he wouldn’t be needing them for long. She tried to ignore her little quiver of apprehension when she thought about the trip.

  For this day, at least, she wanted to forget about the uncertain future. This day would belong to her and Granger, and nothing was going to spoil it for them. Not if she could help it. It would be all they had of this time together.

  Carrying the shoes, she picked out a pair of sunglasses for him, then hurried over to the sports department for the baseball hat.

  She found one with a Phillies emblem on the front, and as an afterthought, she chose a light Windcheater jacket from the rack. The maroon shirt he was wearing with his jeans might not be warm enough in the stiff breeze from the ocean.

  Standing in line at the checkout counter, Corie tried to decide what would be best for her to wear when she joined Granger on his journey back through time. Nothing she had would exactly fit in with the clothes the women wore then.

  Concentrating on the problem, she moved slowly forward. Perhaps she could persuade one of the photo booths to sell her an outfit. They had plenty of old-fashioned clothes for their customers to pose in while they took a picture of them.

  Still deep in thought, Corie approached the checker. She laid her purchases on the counter, and rummaged in her purse for her credit card. She almost dropped the purse when she heard a voice behind her speak her name.

  Twisting her head, she felt a jolt of dismay when she saw Helen Grant, Dr. Richards’s secretary, grinning at her. Hastily handing over her card to the checker, Corie edged sideways to screen the counter. Helen knew Corie didn’t have a man in her life. She didn’t want to have to explain the baseball cap and sneakers.

  Casually chatting with the older woman, Corie felt distinctly uncomfortable when she saw the secretary’s inquisitive eyes peering past her shoulder. Raising her voice, she did her best to keep the other woman’s attention on her.

  “I hear you’re leaving,” Corie announced, fixing a bland smile on her face. “Are you retiring?”

  Helen’s eyes snapped back to Corie’s face. “Leaving? Who told you that?”

  At least the outrageous lie had grabbed her attention, Corie thought, praying that the checker would get a move on and ring up her purchases.

  “I don’t remember who told me.” Corie pretended to think. “I think I heard about it in the lunchroom.”

  “Well, whoever told you that is lying.” Helen’s eyes narrowed. “Unless they know something I don’t know. Who was it, do you remember?”

  Corie shook her head. “Sorry. But I wouldn’t worry. It’s probably only a rumor.”

  “That’s the trouble with that place. Too many rumors flying around.” Helen lowered her voice. “Why, only the other day I heard that someone stole Professor Butler’s clothes and made off with them. Can you imagine? If I was going to steal someone’s clothes, I sure as hell wouldn’t have chosen Professor Butler. Now if it had been Dr. Richards—”

  “That’ll be 48.30,” the checker stated loudly.

  Corie wanted very much to know where Helen had heard that particular rumor. By the time she’d finished with the checker, however, Helen had said goodbye and left. Maybe it was just as well, Corie thought as she hurried out of the store. She didn’t want to arouse suspicion by asking too many questions.

  The car was where Corie had left it, and the top of Granger’s dark head could just be seen above the level of the window.

  With a rush of relief, Corie sped across the parking lot and opened the car door.

  Granger sat up immediately, his eyes wary on her face. “Is it all clear?”

  She nodded, “All clear. But I’ll feel better when you’re wearing these.” She dumped the sack in his lap then went around to her side of the car. After settling herself on the seat, she watched Granger take each article out of the sack and examine it.

  He turned the cap over in his hands, looking at it from all angles. “So this is what the well-dressed man of today is wearing,” he muttered. He gave her a questioning look. “Phillies?”

  She nodded. “Baseball team. They play for Philadelphia.”

  “Philadelphia has its own baseball team?”

  Corie nodded. “I think you’d better prepare yourself for a shock when we get there,” she said slowly. “Philadelphia has gone through some changes since you last saw it.”

  He looked solemn for a moment. “I imagine it has.” He pulled the baseball hat onto his head. “How does it look?”

  “Not bad.” Reaching up with both hands she gave it a tug and bent the peak a little. “There, that’s better. You look like a Phillies fan now.”

  “I know about baseball, but I’ve never heard of the Phillies.”

  She shook her head at him in mock despair. “No pizza. No Phillies. You have been sadly deprived, Granger Deene.”

  “I most certainly have.” He gave her a suggestive leer. “I’m just beginning to find out how much.”

  “Put the sunglasses on,” she said primly. “You’re distracting me.”

  He fitted the glasses on his nose. “I’m not surprised so many people wear these things. They certainly take the glare out of the sunlight. I like them.” He turned his face for her inspection.

  “Very nice,” she said, grinning at him. “Now you really look the part. Try the shoes.”

  He did so, assuring her they were a lot more comfortable than the shoes he’d confiscated from the scientist. He seemed really pleased with the jacket, which was a light gray to match his eyes.

  “I always keep one in the car myself,” she told him. “Just in case.”

  “I really like this,” he said, fingering the fabric. “What kind of material is this?”

  “A blend of cotton and an invention you won’t have heard of. It’s a synthetic fabric called polyester,” she said, as she started the engine. “And the jacket is shower proof.”

  “Shower proof?”

  She glanced over at him before pulling away out of the parking space. “It means the fabric will repel water. At least drops of water. You’ll probably get wet in a real downpour.”

  Seeing his look of amazement, she added, “You’ll see. I just bought it to give you some extra warmth. It could be cool on the boardwalk.”

  She didn’t know what made her look
up into her rearview mirror. Maybe some sixth sense had warned her. For as she paused at the curb before pulling out onto the street, she saw Helen Grant standing just a few feet away, her eyes fixed with great interest on Granger’s face.

  Chapter 10

  Corie tried to put the vision of Helen Grant out of her mind as she drove into Wildwood a short time later. Helen was a gossip, but Corie doubted if the secretary would talk to her boss about his assistant’s private life. At least, she hoped Helen had more sense.

  Cars jammed the streets as they drew closer to the boardwalk. Teenagers darted across in front of Corie, causing her to keep one foot hovering over the brake. Granger seemed to have relaxed after his initial uneasiness, and sat watching the chaos of people and vehicles with a look of disbelief on his face.

  “We should find a parking spot soon,” Corie said, scanning the side streets that led to the beach. “We can park anywhere along the boardwalk, and the tramcar will take us where we want to go.”

  “Tramcar?”

  She flashed him a quick smile. “You’ll see. Ah, there’s a spot.”

  Quickly she pulled into the space before the red sports car behind her could beat her to it. “Okay,” she said cheerfully, “we’re here. Now let’s go and have some fun.”

  Granger looked as if he wasn’t too sure he wanted to have fun, but obediently, he took off his sunglasses and clambered out of the car.

  The clamor of music and raised voices almost drowned out his words when he spoke. “They make a worse noise than a battlefield.”

  She pulled a face. “You’ll get used to it. Are you warm enough?”

  He nodded, his gaze on the throng milling back and forth at the top of the steps.

  Deciding to leave the jackets behind, Corie led the way up the steps to the crowded boardwalk. When they reached the top, she paused, watching Granger’s face as he took in the scene.

  Ahead of them, the beach stretched down to the sea in a golden expanse of sand. On their left a pier reached out to the ocean, and on the very end of it a huge Ferris wheel slowly revolved, its garish painted sides gleaming in the sunlight.

  Granger seemed transfixed, unable to tear his gaze away from the strange spectacle. Corie touched his arm and pointed across the beach to their right. Almost at the edge of the waves, another pier supported several large iron frames, from the top of which figures could be seen flinging themselves into midair, only to be jerked up again just when it seemed they would crash to earth.

  “Bungee jumpers,” Corie explained, as Granger’s face blanched. “It’s quite safe.”

  He looked down at her with a dazed expression that made her feel sorry for him. “It depends on what you consider safe,” he said. “Frankly, I would rather face a line of enemy rifles than venture anywhere near those iron monsters.”

  “I’ve got to get that expression on your face.” Corie opened her purse and took out her camera. “Stand over there and don’t smile.”

  Granger gave the camera a suspicious look. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m taking your picture,” she explained. “At least, I will, if you stand still for a moment.”

  “That’s a camera?”

  She nodded, lifting it up for him to see.

  He shook his head. “And you’re going to tell me that the picture comes out of it already developed?”

  “How’d you guess?” Seeing his expression, she laughed. “Not this one, no. But there are cameras like that. I just don’t like the quality of the pictures. And it’s expensive to make copies.”

  He stood with his back to the sea, staring at the camera as she snapped his picture, as if expecting something to jump out of it. He seemed almost disappointed when she lowered her hands.

  “You want to try it?” she asked, handing him the camera.

  He took it from her eagerly, and she explained how to focus and where to press the button.

  The pier seemed to provide a good backdrop, and she positioned herself to be sure it would appear in the picture. Granger took a long time focusing, but finally announced he was ready.

  Corie put everything into the smile she gave him. They wouldn’t have too many pictures of each other, and she wanted to keep the memories of this special time always fresh in her mind.

  “I have been fascinated by the idea of photography ever since I heard about it,” Granger remarked, as he handed the camera back to her. “It’s a fairly new concept in my time.”

  “I’ll get these developed at a one-hour shop, so you won’t have to wait to see the results of your handiwork.” Tucking her hand in his elbow, she added, “Now, come on. Put your sunglasses back on and let’s go. In the words of a famous singer, ‘You ain’t seen nothing yet.’”

  She led him along the boardwalk, enjoying the experience in a way she never had before. Seeing it through his eyes was like seeing it for the first time, and his reaction to everything was a joy to watch.

  Wearing the baseball cap, his eyes hidden behind his sunglasses, he looked far less formidable. He seemed to be enjoying himself, strolling along with her hand tucked in his arm, making her laugh with his vivid comments that brought the volatile scenes to life.

  She took him along the pier, watching his horrified expression as the cars hurtled around the steep bends and sheer drops of the roller coaster.

  After watching the cars twist upside down, leaving the riders dangling for the space of a second or two, he turned to Corie. “And they call this fun?”

  “They most certainly do.” She winced as the ear-splitting shrieks drowned out her voice. Tugging his arm, she dragged him away from the roller coaster to a quieter part of the pier.

  Catching sight of a sign posted above a huge swimming pool, she paused. “This is more our speed,” she said, pointing at the sign.

  Granger peered at it. “Rapid Waters,” he read out. “What’s that?”

  “It’s very relaxing. You’ll enjoy it.” She grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the ticket booth.

  Granger shot an apprehensive glance behind him at the roller coaster. “Wait a minute. I’m not going to be flung into the sea, am I?”

  Corie laughed. “I don’t like being thrown around either. I promise you, this is very calm and peaceful.”

  “And safe,” Granger said dryly.

  “And safe.”

  “I wonder why that doesn’t reassure me.”

  Ignoring his comment, she pulled him down the stairs and past the swimming pool to where two young men in wet suits stood chest deep in swirling water.

  They were helping people into inflated dinghies, handing them paddles, then pushing them out into the water where the current took the craft beneath a low bridge and out of sight.

  “There,” Corie said, pausing at the end of the line of chattering teens. “That’s all it is. The current takes the boat along a canal that twists and turns around the pier and ends up back here. You even have paddles to guide it if you want.”

  “If I remember,” Granger said, taking off his sunglasses to look at her, “rapids are where the river tumbles down the rocks at great speed, smashing anything that gets caught up in it.”

  “That’s just the name they give this ride,” Corie assured him. “I promise you, no rapids.”

  “No rapids.” He gave her a long look, then smiled. “I trust you.”

  He squeezed her fingers, still caught in his grasp, and she wondered why the simple gesture could make her feel so warm and weak inside. Soon, she promised herself, she would tell him about her decision to return with him. When the time was right.

  Granger appeared to enjoy the boat ride, and allowed Corie to take another picture of him struggling with the paddle. Though he complained afterward about getting his seat wet.

  Corie laughed as he pulled the damp fabric away from his skin. “Too bad we don’t have time to go to a water park,” she told him. “That’s where you really get wet.”

  She took him to see the log flume, and was relieved when he declined
to go on the ride, saying he was quite wet enough. She was intrigued when he paused at a shooting gallery, where several people were trying to win an enormous stuffed bear.

  Watching them aim water pistols into the mouths of plastic clowns, he seemed fascinated by the model planes that were driven up the board, until one reached the top accompanied by a red light and a loud clanging of a bell.

  “Here,” Corie said, laying a bill on the counter, “you try it. You should be an expert with a gun.”

  “I’ve never seen a gun that looks like that,” Granger said, but after a moment’s hesitation, he swung a leg over the stool and sat down.

  Sandwiched between a large woman who seemed intent on nudging him out of the way and a gangly teenager whose jaws worked earnestly on a wad of chewing gum, Granger concentrated on his aim and waited for the starter’s signal. Several minutes later Corie held three miniature versions of the large bear.

  “Enough,” she said, when Granger looked as if he would sit there all day. “Give someone else a chance.”

  He looked disappointed, but climbed out of his seat. “I wanted the big bear,” he said, as they walked away.

  “I don’t think we’d get it in the car,” she said, tucking the bears under her arm. “Besides, I like small bears.”

  He seemed disturbed by something, and thinking he might have resented her dragging him away from something he was enjoying, Corie said tentatively, “We could go back if you really want the bear.”

  He smiled down at her, with a quick shake of his head. “I wanted it for you. I feel very uncomfortable though, watching you spend your money when I don’t have any to pay you back.”

  She stopped, standing in front of him so she could look up into his face. “Granger, I don’t want to hear another word. You have saved me a fortune by working on my house, and you have more than earned this day out. I’m the one who owes you a salary for all that work.”

  He lifted his hand and drew his finger down her cheek. “I’m not going to need money if I can get back. I can’t spend your money back there.”