A Loop in Time

by Clark Graham

  “You got that one wrong. Well, I was an Air Force pilot once, but I crashed a plane so I am no longer. I fly crop dusters in Idaho now.”

  “What’s your name? I guess I should tell you mine first. I am Emily, like the badge says. My last name is Anderson.”

  A chill went up John’s spine. He knew the name. The face was younger than the one he had seen before, by about forty five years, but it was her. “Hi, um,” he stammered, “I am Ja…I mean John Buck.”

  “Is that a real name? I mean, not to hurt your feelings or nothin’, but it just doesn’t sound like a real name and you almost said another name.”

  John had to smile real hard. She talked the same as she would in the future. Aunt Emily, he would call her as a kid. She wasn’t his real aunt, so he thought at the time, but Uncle John’s wife. He loved his Uncle John. Uncle John wasn’t his real uncle either, so his grandma explained one day. He was just a very close family friend. He didn’t know it as a kid, but he would become Uncle John.

  ‘How could I have forgotten Aunt Emily?’ he thought to himself. He had told Susan that he was going to stay single because he didn’t remember Emily.

  “No, it’s not my real name. It’s my legal name now. I told you about the crash. I had amnesia and didn’t know my real name. Now I do, but it’s too late, all my paperwork, driver’s license and also my pilot’s license has John Buck on it.”

  “So what is your real name, then?”

  “Jason Ralston.”

  She thought about it for a minute and said, “I like John Buck better.”

  John laughed out loud. When he regained his composure he asked, “Do you always sit down with customers and insult their real names?”

  She smiled, “no, this is a first. There is something different about you. I can’t put my finger on it. You aren’t like anyone I have ever met. I was just trying to figure out what is going on. You have a story don’t you? A very long story that you ain’t told very many people? I want to hear that story.”

  “I do have a story, a very long story. You are even in that story although I didn’t know when I came in this restaurant that you were here. You won’t believe my story; I wouldn’t believe it either had I not lived through it. I just can’t tell you my story.”

  “I have tomorrow off. You and me are going for a long walk in the park. You are going to tell me that story you can’t tell me.” Someone else came into the restaurant so she got up, but before she walked off she bent down and gave him a kiss right on the lips. “That is payment for your story.”

  John laughed, “It’s going to take a few more of those to pay for my story.”

  She wrote down her address on the back of his bill. “Pick me up there at two pm.”

  When John finished his dinner he put the payment on the table along with a large tip. He put the bill in his pocket. He shouted at her from across the room. “See you tomorrow.”

  She smiled at him on his way out.

  Chapter Twenty Two

  It was two o’clock exactly when he pulled up to her apartment. It was in a complex. The buildings were just one story high, but there were three buildings that went way back. The apartments had flat roofs and plaster on the walls. John found the right letter and knocked on the door.

  She opened the door, still in her pajamas. To his surprise she grabbed his face with both of her hands and gave him a big kiss. “Is that enough payment or do you need more?”

  “Maybe a couple of more,” John said.

  She kissed him twice more. “Okay, come in while I change clothes and then we are going to take that walk in the park.”

  He sat at the kitchen table while she went into the bedroom to change. When she came out, she was wearing a nice blue pantsuit. “Okay, let’s go. There is a park around the corner. Let’s take that walk.”

  “Sure,” John said. He was going over and over in his mind how he was going to tell her. He knew that he would marry her later on, but didn’t want to scare her away for now. “Which would you believe more, me being an alien or me being from another time?”

  “Are those my only options? I paid for the truth, how about we start with that.”

  John cleared his throat. “The truth is I did crash an airplane. I crashed forty five years before I took off. Somehow I have come back in time, I don’t know how. We were testing a new engine that used energy waves to increase its speed. It worked in all of our tests on the ground, but when we fitted it in a plane, it went into hyper speed in the atmosphere. It was too much for the plane as it was not made to go that fast. It started falling apart so I ejected. I hit the air at such a speed that I went unconscious. When I came to I was in a hospital with amnesia.”

  “Oh, I heard about a crash. That must have been yours. There were a couple of soldiers talking. Nobody sees a waitress, so I was able to listen in while I was pouring them more coffee. They were talking about a plane made out of strange material. One of them said it was Russian and the other said he hoped not because the plane was way advanced.”

  “That was my plane. It’s made out of composites to keep its radar profile down. It must have been invisible to today’s radar.”

  “Wow, so how’s the future turn out, and what does it have to do with me?”

  “You believe me?” John was astounded.

  “Like I said, I read people really well.” She gave him a quick smile. She wasn’t sure she believed him but if she said she didn’t, he would stop talking and she was enjoying the story.

  “Well, as it turns out, you are my aunt in the future. Of course I am not born yet in real life. I came to Arizona to see my father. He was born yesterday.”

  “Your father just got born yesterday? Wow, that’s amazing. So how do I get to be your aunt? Who do I marry? Because I don’t have any brothers or sisters.”

  “Well, that’s the interesting part. I am my own uncle. At least I am called Uncle John. I am actually my own grandfather, but I won’t know that until I come back in time.”

  She stopped walking and looked him in the eye. “How are you your own grandfather?”

  He wondered why he was telling her all this since he had just met her and didn’t know if he could trust her. She was just so easy to talk to. Besides, he rationalized, she was a heck of a fun aunt.

  “I got my memory back on my wedding night. I married my grandmother. We have since had the wedding annulled, but it was too late. She got pregnant. She is already married again and everyone thinks he is the father, but he can’t have kids because of an old war injury.”

  She giggled, “You had sex with your grandmother. Awkward. Nobody wants to see their grandmother naked.”

  John gave her a crooked smile, “I don’t know, she looks pretty good naked at this age.”

  Emily just shook her head. “You’re bad.”

  They continued walking but John could see that she was deep in thought. When they got to a park bench she sat down so he sat down beside her.

  “So, I am supposed to marry you?”

  “Um well, that is what happened in the past so I assume it will happen again in the future. I shouldn’t have told you that part. Now you’re going to get all weird on me.”

  “If I am going to marry you, then we need to work on that kissing of yours, because, frankly, you stink.”

  Aunt Emily was never one to mince words. She always said what she was thinking. She put her arms around him and they practiced for the next hour and a half.

  When they were done she said, “There, that’s better. A few more practices like that and you will be as good as gold.”

  John looked at his watch, “sorry, I have to go. I am meeting a friend for drinks. I will walk you home.”

  She looked a little sad. “How about if I come with you? I want to meet your friends; after all, we are getting married.”

  “Sure,” John replied. He saw no reason not to.

  The couple walked to the car and then drove over to the bar to meet with Lieutenant Granger. He was surprised to
see John with a woman. “Hello, who are you?”

  “I’m Emily. John and I are supposed to get married.”

  John’s face got bright red when she said it.

  “Oh, so you are engaged? When did you meet? John hasn’t told me anything about you.”

  Emily laughed, “We met at three o’clock this morning. John hasn’t asked me to marry him, just told me that we were married in the past and will be in the future, if that makes any sense?”

  Granger smiled. “Shockingly, it does. So she’s the one. How did you find her?” he asked John.

  “Wait a minute,” Emily interrupted. “That makes sense to you?”

  Granger smiled again. “Yes, shocking as it may seem, it does. John still had amnesia when we figured out that he actually came from the future. We were relieved, because we thought he was a Russian spy and if that were true he had technology in that airplane of his that was decades ahead of what we had.”

  “Really?” Emily sat back in her chair. “I thought he was just giving me a line to go out with him. I thought that he was so creative that I had to give him a try. Wow, so have you told anyone?”

  “No, and you shouldn’t either. We figured it would be the end of our careers if we started telling our leadership that a man from the future had crashed. Beside, John is a great guy, and we didn’t want Washington dissecting him.”

  Emily laughed at the last part, but then stopped when Granger didn’t crack a smile. She looked suddenly worried. “Do you really think they would have?”

  “You never know with those government types. We didn’t want to take the chance.”

  “Let’s talk about something else,” John interjected. “How about some drinks first?” He motioned a waitress over.

  “I’ll have a beer,” Emily said before the others could talk. “And I want a sandwich, too. I’m starving. I never got breakfast.”

  Granger already had a drink so John ordered for Emily and himself. The three of them talked about nothing and everything, far into the night. Soon last call was upon them and they left the bar. John didn’t feel he could drive so he called a cab.

  “What about your car?” asked Emily.

  “I will pick it up in the morning, right when I go to see my son and visit with his mother.”

  Emily’s eyes perked up. “Can I come?”

  “Don’t you have to work tomorrow?”

  “Yes, but not until later.” She had a pleading look on her face.

  “Okay, after I get my car, I will swing by and pick you up.”

  “Great.”

  Chapter Twenty Three

  It was hard for Emily to get out of bed that early having been working the night shift for so long so she opened the door in her pajamas yet again. “Hi, John, come in and I will get changed.”

  “Good to see you too,” he said.

  She went back to her bedroom and closed the door. A few minutes later she emerged in a blue dress. She then kissed him and said, “Good morning, it’s great to see you.”

  “That’s better. Are you ready?”

  “Yes. Did you get your car back yet?”

  “I got it an hour ago. I thought that you might need another hour’s sleep.”

  She smiled, “That was thoughtful. So who are we meeting today? Besides your son, I mean.”

  “My grandmother, Susan, and her husband, Tim.”

  She laughed. “That has to be a weird family tree where some of the branches grow upward and then start down again.”

  John had to laugh at that too. “It’s so convoluted that I can’t even imagine it.”

  “Today, however, I am not going to let you starve me. We need to get a bite to eat first before I meet the family.”

  “Okay, do you know of somewhere quick? We need to get there soon.”

  “Right here, actually. I will whip up some eggs and bacon for you. I do a special kind of toast that I am sure you’re going to love.”

  John smiled, “I do love your cinnamon and honey crusted toast. It’s the best.”

  She just stared at him for a few minutes and then said, “This is going to take some getting used to. I’m never going to surprise you, am I?”

  “I didn’t live with my Uncle John, but I do know a lot about you. Not everything.”

  She pretended wiping sweat from her forehead, “good, I do have some secrets that are safe then.”

  “I didn’t say that.” They both laughed at that.

  After she went into the kitchen to cook, he sat out in the living room. He had tried to help Susan cook when he first arrived and she took it as a personal insult. He didn’t want to do that again. When she was done, she called him in. They both sat at the small table.

  “So what do I become in the future besides your wife?”

  John fidgeted nervously. “I really don’t want to talk too much about the future. It makes me nervous and it might cause you to act differently.”

  “Okay, okay, so tell me what else you know about me.”

  “Let’s see. You were raised in Oklahoma, which is strange, because you didn’t have an accent from there. That was mainly because both of your parents are from the east coast. You like dogs, but you don’t have one because you are highly allergic to them. Your meat loaf is to die for and so is the way you make hamburgers. Should I go on?”

  She looked very surprised he knew so much. “Yes, go on.”

  “You always wanted to go to Paris, but…” John stopped abruptly. “I’m sorry, I am saying too much. It has been a wonderful breakfast.”

  She looked at him, “but what? Please tell me.”

  John got a sad look on his face. “But you never got there, at least before I came back in time.”

  “Hmmm, maybe we can change that this time around?”

  “I don’t think changing things is a good idea. You were still alive and kicking when I disappeared, so maybe you did get there. I don’t know.”

  “I hope so,” she smiled a weak smile. She was not holding out much hope. “I don’t think I want to hear about my future anymore. That one makes me sad.”

  John put his hand on hers. “I think you’re right. Not everything we face is going to be fun. I know that for sure.”

  After breakfast the two of them drove over to Tim and Susan’s home. It was a rambler in the middle of the nice area of town. It had white stucco outside that had an archway you crossed under to get to the front door. When John rang the doorbell, Tim answered. “Good morning, come on in. I see you brought a friend with you. Hi, I’m Tim.”

  “I’m Emily, and it’s good to meet you. I hope you don’t mind, John and I are supposed to get engaged and married someday. Well, as soon as he asks, that is.”

  John turned red. Susan came around the corner with the newborn in her arms. “Hello, come in. I’m Susan.”

  John introduced Emily to Susan before she could introduce herself again.

  They went into the living room where they all sat down. The room had wooden floors covered with ornate rugs. The furniture was all leather. As they sat down Susan asked Emily. “How do you come to know John?”

  John turned red again, he knew that this wasn’t going to end well and he was questioning his sanity for bringing her along.

  “We met at the diner I worked at. He seemed different, so I sat down and talked to him. Boy, is he ever different. He came up with this story of how we met in his past and we were going to marry in his future. I thought it was interesting, so I played along. Only we met a guy yesterday that believed it.”

  Susan looked at John and John said simply, “Granger.”

  “Oh,” Susan said and then turned back to Emily.

  Emily looked at the group. Nobody seemed upset at her revelations so she went on. “He tells me that this is his child and that the child will also be his father. That seemed so interesting to me.”

  “You talked to her a lot, John. I thought you were not supposed to tell this part of the story? What happened to keeping it between the three of us?
” Susan asked. She seemed a little upset.

  “It just all came spilling out. It will never happen again. Besides, I knew this woman from before. She is the younger version of Aunt Emily who was married to my Uncle John.”

  “Oh, so it’s all in the family,” Susan replied. “This is your future wife then?”

  “I haven’t said yes yet.” Emily replied.

  “I haven’t asked yet,” John corrected.

  “Coffee anyone?” It was Tim’s feeble attempt to change the subject. Surprisingly it worked.

  Tim went to get the coffee, while Susan let John and Emily admire the baby.

  After Tim came back and they were all enjoying their coffee, Susan asked. “So when do you go back to Idaho, John?”

  “I will start driving early tomorrow morning.”

  Emily looked shocked, “you’re leaving?”

  “Yes, I don’t live here. I live in Idaho. I only came down to see Susan and the baby.”

  “Oh, sorry, I was just under the impression that you were going to be here awhile.” Emily could not help but show that she was upset by the revelation.

  “I’ll be back. I have a lot of people to see here; my son, Susan and Tim, and yes; you too, frankly.”

  “When will you be back?” she asked.

  “A couple of months. I want to get back one more time before crop duster season gets started.”

  “And after that?”

  “It’s going to be seven to eight months. Depending on how long the season lasts.”

  “Oh, I see,” Emily replied. She got real quiet after that and just sipped on her coffee.

  The rest of the group had a nice chat and then John excused himself and Emily and he went to drive her home.

  Out in the driveway she said, “I don’t want to go home yet. Take me to dinner. I thought that I had more time with you.”

  “Sure,” John replied.

  When they got to the restaurant and ordered, Emily opened up. “I have been in a whirlwind relationship for the last two days. I thought that everything was happening way too fast, but I still wanted to see where all of this was headed. Now the brakes just got slammed on to this relationship and I’m not okay with that either.”