Secrets of Time

by Zoe Matthews

  For a long time, Barbara didn’t tell anyone what had happened. After all, who would have believed her anyway? Her father was a successful CEO and president of his own advertising business and Greg also came from a very prestigious family. But a few months later, she realized she was pregnant.

  She had been able to hide the pregnancy until she was almost six months along. By that time she had turned 18 and had graduated from high school.

  Ever since she was young, her parents had wanted her to attend Harvard to get an advanced degree in advertising so she could work alongside her father in his company. But that hadn’t been her dream. She had wanted to be a nurse, which her parents considered a mediocre job. Regardless, plans to attend Harvard changed the instant her parents found out about the pregnancy.

  She received no support from either of them. Her father accused her of being loose and sneaking around, especially when Barbara refused to tell them who the father was. Her mother spent all her time crying, acting almost as if Barbara had died. They postponed her college plans and told her she could stay with them until the baby was born, but then she would need to give the baby up for adoption. After the whole affair was over, they would continue with the plans to attend Harvard. When Barbara refused to give up her baby, her parents refused to support her.

  So, a month after she graduated from high school Barbara packed a few belongings and took a bus to Denver, Colorado. She didn’t choose Denver for any specific reason except that she wanted to live near the mountains. And she never saw her parents again. Megan was born two months later.

  The first few years in Denver were very difficult, but eventually, Barbara was able to get a job working in an herb shop and she quickly moved her way up. The woman who owned the shop was impressed with Barbara’s eagerness to learn all she could and offered to pay for her to get certified in homeopathic medicine. It took her two years, but she was finally able to earn her certificate, and then her boss promptly made her manager.

  Barbara managed that shop until Megan was in her mid-teens when her boss became very ill and needed to sell the shop. She would have sold it to Barbara, but Barbara decided she wanted to own her shop in a different part of Denver. She wanted to go in a different direction than what that shop she worked in offered, and she needed a new location and a bigger building to do so.

  Megan was very supportive of the changes and the move, especially considering she was a teenager and would need to change schools. Because it had always been just the two of them, they were very close, and Megan had the same interests in herbs as Barbara did. After graduating from high school, Megan also completed the schooling needed to be certified in homeopathic therapy.

  Barbara felt blessed to be able to find a shop with rent she could afford, although she always knew they would need to move someday, something she never told Megan. She had bigger plans than what the building they were in offered. And now Mr. Manning was raising the rent which was going to force them to leave. She couldn’t afford to pay what he was asking.

  Barbara turned off the lights in the front of the shop and then went to her small office to do paperwork. As she settled behind her desk, there was a loud banging on the back door, and she knew immediately who it was. Mr. George Manning. He was the only one who pounded in that way. She held her breath and waited to see if he’d just give up and leave, but after a few moments the pounding began again, and she knew he wasn’t going to leave until she opened the door. It was obvious he knew she was there.

  She opened the door only wide enough to see him, letting him know she didn’t want him to come in, but he ignored her hint and pushed his way in. Barbara sighed and rolled her eyes. She loved the area where this building was located in Denver. It was in an older part and the building was at least 50 years old, but it had been remodeled and updated inside, although the exterior looked the same as when it was built. The other businesses around were similar to hers which added to the charm of the area. There was a gift shop, a yarn store, and a small used bookstore, among others. There was only one drawback and that was Mr. Manning.

  “Won’t you come in?” Barbara said to him dryly.

  He grunted. “I wanted to talk to you about the letter I left yesterday with your daughter. She did give it to you, didn’t she?”

  “Of course she did.”

  “Well, I was expecting you to call me immediately and let me know whether you are going to renew the lease or not. I have a waiting list, you know, and this is prime real estate.”

  “According to my contract, I don’t need to let you know what my decision will be for 30 days,” Barbara reminded him, referring to the part that stated if Mr. Manning felt the need to raise the rent, she had 30 days to let him know of her decision.

  Mr. Manning looked startled for a moment as if surprised that Barbara had actually read the original contract and understood it. He cleared his throat and sat down on a chair without an invitation. “Well, I came to offer you a way out of paying the extra rent.”

  Barbara narrowed her eyes in suspicion. She instinctively knew that whatever he had in mind, she wasn’t going to like it.

  “I know that money is tight for you,” Mr. Manning continued, waving his hand in the air. “I mean it is very obvious that you haven’t the means to be able to set up the shop in a way to bring in more customers.”

  Barbara bit her lip to keep herself from responding. They had actually been doing very well the last few years, but she didn’t want him to know that.

  “I am willing to keep the rent at the same amount it has been for the last five years, if…”

  Mr. Manning paused for a few moments, causing Barbara to ask. “If what?”

  “If you agree to marry me,” he said triumphantly and looked at her with a grin as if expecting her to immediately agree.

  Barbara was shocked speechless. Marry him? Where did he get such an idea as that? Mr. Manning would be the last person she would marry.

  “I’ve been watching you ever since you moved into this building. You don’t date. Men don’t come visit. You must chase them away or something. It’s obvious that you don’t know how to get a husband. I need a wife, someone who will go to business luncheons with me and host evening parties when I give them in my home. I have decided you will do an adequate job.”

  Barbara stared at him, not knowing what to say. Mr. Manning stood in her small office and asked her to marry him, all the while insulting her and expecting her to jump at the chance to be his wife. Was he crazy?

  “Mr. Manning…”

  “Call me George,” he demanded, interrupting her.

  “Mr. Manning,” Barbara repeated firmly. “Thank you for your offer, but I will have to respectfully decline.”

  Mr. Manning stared at her as if not knowing what to say, and Barbara could tell that he hadn’t expected her to turn him down. His face started to turn red. “Why not? I’m offering you a chance to keep the rent as it is now, and to manage my large home. You will want for nothing.”

  “I don’t want to get married, to anyone. I will definitely not agree to a marriage just to keep my rent down. As to the shop, I will give you my answer now. I will allow the contract to end and will move out by the end of the month.”

  There was no way she was going to stay in this building now, even if she could afford to pay the outrageous amount he was asking. She could see now that he had planned it this way, to try to force her to marry him.

  “You are going to be sorry you didn’t accept my offer,” Mr. Manning shouted at her as he shook a fist in the air. “I know what you can afford, and there is nothing around here in that range. You will have to leave Denver to be able to afford a place.”

  Barbara instantly decided that this conversation was at an end. She walked to the back door of the building and opened it. “I think you need to leave, Mr. Manning. You have asked your question and I have given you my answer. From now on, anything that needs to be talked about, that has to do with this building only, will be done through my attorn
ey.”

  She did her best to keep her voice from shaking as she said those words. She had always considered him harmless and had put up with his moods and demands because he owned the building she rented, but now she wondered if she should have insisted that any correspondence should be done through legal channels right from the very beginning. She remembered Megan had suggested that once a few years ago when Mr. Manning had spent quite a bit of time in the shop criticizing it and giving his opinion on what they should change, expecting Barbara to immediately do his bidding, but at the time she hadn’t had the money to pay for an attorney’s services.

  Thankfully, Mr. Manning left the shop, although he glared at her long and hard as he did so. Barbara forced herself to look confident and firm. She breathed a sigh of relief as he turned and stomped away, got into his car and drove off.

  She quickly shut and locked the door. Marry Mr. Manning? What in the world was he thinking? Did he really believe that she would be willing to marry him? She sat down behind her desk, but knew she wouldn’t be able to concentrate on paperwork. Quickly, she went through the steps to close the shop for the night and then drove home. All the while, she knew it was time to make some changes in her life. It was time to move on, and she only hoped the changes would be for the best.

  Once she arrived at her small apartment, she made herself a chicken salad for dinner, and then sat on her couch to eat it. While she ate, she thought of her dream shop. She wanted to open a shop that featured herbs, but that also would sell gifts local artists made, a small bookshop, and a coffee shop. She had even given it a name: Healing Herbs and Gifts. She wanted something that people could come to stay for awhile. The shop would have a small café where customers could order coffee and eat pastries, browse in the bookshop looking for information about healing, and then purchase what herbs they had available. An arts and crafts section would be available which would feature local artists. And of course, a large area would focus on herbs and essential oils. She wanted the atmosphere to be warm and inviting. She had never told Megan of this dream because that was what it was, just a dream. A miracle would have to take place for it to come true.

  Barbara had been able to save some money over the last few years, but she knew she didn’t have enough to get her dream shop started. Before renting the building she was in now, she had tried to get a business loan and was denied. Maybe it was time to try again. One of the reasons it was denied was because she hadn’t written out a business plan. Since then, she had spent quite a few of her evenings writing her ideas out. They looked sound on paper, and deep down she knew a shop like this could work, but would a bank agree?

  Setting her empty salad plate aside, she picked up her notebook that all her ideas were in. She opened up the first page and carefully looked over each idea. As she did, she grew more and more excited. This was what she wanted to do. It was time to tell Megan about Healing Herbs and Gifts.

  Barbara picked up her phone and speed-dialed Megan’s number, hoping her daughter wasn’t doing anything too important. She assumed Megan had gone hiking that day because she had mentioned a few days ago that she wanted to go on one more hike in the mountains before it became too cold, but it was now dark, and so Megan should be home. Barbara frowned when her call immediately went to voicemail. She was disappointed, but left a quick message asking Megan to call her when she got home, if it wasn’t too late. Otherwise, she would talk to her in the morning.

  Chapter 9

  October, 1902

  On the way back to the ranch, Megan had mixed feelings about staying in the past for even a few days. She wanted to spend more time with Keegan. She found it interesting that he talked and acted exactly like he did in her dreams, the only difference being he was dressed in early 20th-century clothing. She thought back to what she remembered about her dreams and was absolutely positive he was dressed like men did in her time. She knew she would have picked up on that difference.

  Her dreams. They were what made her not date anyone too seriously, which deep down she knew was ridiculous. Abby was the only one who knew about them, and Megan knew her friend thought the dreams were just that, dreams. A rational person didn’t stop dating men just because of a bunch of dreams. But Megan couldn’t make herself forget them.

  She didn’t have the dreams often, maybe once every month or so, but they were vivid enough that they lingered in her mind for days after. She could remember each one distinctly. They started on the night she turned 15 years old. At first, they were very short. He would be part of her dreams, but almost like he was just watching her. She had been attracted to him from the first, with his dark hair, strong jaw, and blue eyes. As she continued to have the dreams, he started to interact with her. When he appeared, whatever conversation they were having or whatever they were doing picked right up from the last dream. Sometimes she would wake up feeling true love for this man, like he was her soulmate.

  Did he have the dreams too? Megan wondered. She had been so shocked when she first arrived in his time, she hadn’t noticed if he acted like he recognized her. And while they went on the horseback ride, he didn’t treat her like he knew her in his dreams.

  She found it fascinating that she had been able to travel back in time, however it worked. She was excited to experience the past, but she needed to get back home. She didn’t want her mother to worry about her. Her mother had enough to worry about with the rise in rent of their building, the problems Mr. Manning was causing, and the future of The Greenhouse Shoppe.

  “So, what do you do on the ranch when you come to visit?” Megan asked Keegan, mainly to get her mind off the dreams.

  “I usually just help out where I’m needed. I’m not here very often. I work with an older man, Dr. Thomas. He wants me to take over his practice because he is ready to retire.”

  “Where did you go to college?” Megan asked curiously. From what she could remember, it wasn’t mandatory to receive a Medical Degree to become a doctor until around the first World War. During the late 1800s and early 1900s, people were impressed that a doctor had practical experience more than a paper saying he was well educated. Although she also knew that during Keegan’s time period, it was becoming more common that people would go to college to become a doctor for the training it provided.

  “Harvey Medical College in Chicago. Their focus was homeopathy.”

  Megan looked at him with a grin. “That’s what I do in my time. I’m also certified in homeopathy.”

  Keegan’s eyes lit up in interest. “Really? So, you are a doctor too?”

  She shook her head. “I’m only certified which means I can just give advice to the customers that come into our shop. In my time, people have to go to college for years in order to become a doctor and it costs quite a bit of money.”

  “Tell me more about your shop.”

  “My mother and I own a shop called The Greenhouse Shoppe. We sell herbs, essential oils, and teas. People come in with their various health issues. Both my mom and I took an online course and became certified in homeopathy.”

  She found it interesting that their interests were in the same area. She listened intently while Keegan explained to her that he worked for Dr. Thomas in Denver while he was a teenager and went to Harvey Medical College because he had heard about the certificates doctors could get that would help show people they had knowledge and training. He wanted to know what “online courses” meant and seemed impressed that Megan had access to a computer that could help her learn whatever she wanted, although she could tell he didn’t have any idea what it really meant.

  By this time, they had arrived back at the ranch, and Megan allowed Keegan to help her down again. She then watched as he brushed and fed both horses. While he took care of the horses, Keegan told Megan how he used herbs in his practice. He had developed his own salve that helped with infection in cuts and also helped the area heal quickly. Keegan had also figured out that a certain herb that grew locally could help with headaches and back pain.

  “In
fact, I grow quite a bit of herbs near the area where you ‘appeared’ from your time. I took some time off from helping Dr. Thomas, so I could come up here and collect herbs to use in Denver.”

  “Really?” Megan’s ears perked up with his words. “That is very interesting because I was collecting herbs right before I disappeared from my time, in the same area.”

  They both looked at each other for a moment, each trying to figure out exactly what was going on. There was an obvious connection between the two areas.

  “Let’s go take a look at the area we found you at,” Keegan suggested. He held out his hand, inviting her to put her hand in his.

  Megan stared at his hand for a moment. Then she thought, What the heck. She took his hand and instantly a tingle ran up her arm and through her body. She glanced at him to see if he felt the same thing, but he had turned away.

  When they arrived in what Megan was starting to call the Time Travel Area, she saw the herb garden nearby that Keegan had been harvesting from earlier.

  “Kimberly was a nurse in your time,” Keegan explained to her. “She also knows a little about herbs. She’s been helping me with the garden when I can’t be here.”

  Megan turned her head at Keegan’s words. “Really? Kimberly was a nurse? What about Nicky?”

  “She was a school teacher.”

  Megan started to walk around the area. She could immediately see where she landed because the grass looked like it was dying, as if it had been slightly burned. Her mind going a million miles an hour, she looked very carefully at the entire area. She looked at the herb garden nearby. Most of the herbs were the same as the types she had wanted to gather in her time, although they were more contained. If the herbs she harvested in her time were from the same plants from Keegan’s garden, they had definitely spread out.