by Zoe Matthews
Megan couldn’t think of what to say for a full minute. “That would be incredible. We would really be able to expand, which would bring up our revenue. I’m not sure it would be legal to start a shop here, though.”
“What do you mean? Why would it be a problem?” Keegan asked.
“Well, there are certain laws that tell you where you can or cannot open a certain shop. We would just need to do some research on the laws for this area.” Megan thought for a moment. “I have a friend who might be able to find out for us.” She pulled out her phone and Keegan watched her curiously. She spoke for a few moments to someone named Abby, explaining her situation, and then hung up.
“Abby is a good friend of mine. She has a friend who works in real estate. She would know how to find out what we need to know. She said it would take a few days, but she would be able to figure it out. She will give me a call when she has news,” Megan said with a smile.
Ideas of what they could do if they moved the shop to his house swirled in her head. She would love to keep the character of the home; maybe get it registered as a historical building in the city. They could find antiques true to the age of the house. They might even have room to set up a library dedicated with books related to homeotherapy.
She ran up to Keegan and threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for the offer. I really hope it works out. I think this would be perfect!”
Keegan smiled and gave her a kiss on the lips. “I’m glad I could think of some way to help.”
Megan smiled back, perfectly content in the moment. She grabbed his hand. “You know what I realized?”
“What’s that?” Keegan asked curiously.
“You haven’t been able to experience hardly any of the future. I think we should take the night off so you can see some of the shops and restaurants.”
“That sounds like a great idea,” Keegan replied, but he had a reluctant look on his face.
“What’s wrong?” Megan asked, cocking her head.
“Well, I don’t like riding in your car very much,” he admitted.
Megan laughed. “Don’t you think I drive well?”
“I-I’m sure you drive just fine,” he sputtered, trying to not offend her.
She laughed again. “I’m just teasing. I know of a strip mall just outside of this neighborhood. We can walk there.”
“Strip mall?”
“Yes, a small row of a variety of shores. I’m not sure what shores they have there, but I’m sure there will be something you would enjoy experiencing,” she explained.
“Sounds perfect,” he smiled, and led the way down the stairs and out the door.
They chatted while they walked about different things they could do if they moved Barbara’s shop into Keegan’s house. Suddenly Keegan stopped mid-sentence. He was staring with wide eyes across the street. The look on his face frightened her, so she whipped her head around to see what he was staring at.
She relaxed when she realized it was only a teenage girl walking the opposite direction they were. She had bright red hair spiked all over her head in a pixie cut, and dark eye shadow and lipstick on. She had multiple piercings in her lip, eyebrow, and ears.
She chuckled and said softly. “I’d be willing to bet you haven't seen anyone like that before, have you?”
He was doing his best not to stare but kept looking at the girl out of the corner of his eye. “Why would she put so much jewelry in her face? Doesn’t that hurt her?”
“I’m sure it hurt when she did it, but it probably doesn’t bother her anymore.” Megan was trying not to laugh.
The girl seemed to realize Keegan’s interest and turned to glare meanly at him. He looked away quickly and started to walk fast.
Now Megan was really struggling not to laugh. She picked up her pace so she could keep up with him and soon they turned a corner.
“Who was she?” Keegan asked, looking over his shoulder as if afraid the girl might be following them.
“Probably just a disgruntled teenager. People like to dress like that sometimes to make a statement, but they are usually harmless,” Megan responded in between giggles.
Keegan looked at her. “Why was that funny? Didn’t you see the way she looked at me? What kind of statement was she hoping to make; that she could kill me if she wanted to?”
Megan couldn’t help it. She burst out laughing, tears streaming down her face. The look on Keegan’s face only made her laugh harder.
He scowled at her, and slowly she was able to calm herself down.
“I’m sorry,” she said, wiping the tears from her cheeks. “It’s just that I’m so used to seeing people dressed in strange ways. I couldn’t help but laugh at seeing your first reaction. I don’t blame you for being scared of her; sometimes people dress that way to scare others. But she is so young, I doubt there is much bite behind her bark.”
“There is so much to get used to in this time,” Keegan responded, still a little disgruntled at being laughed at.
“Yes, there is. But there is just as much good as there is bad.” As if on cue, they arrived at the strip mall. “Oh, awesome!” she exclaimed as she saw one of her favorite restaurants. She looked down the line of shops and saw a Whole Foods store as well.
****
It was Keegan’s turn to watch her in amusement. He didn’t know what she was excited about but enjoyed watching the smile light up her face.
“Let’s start with the Whole Foods store. I think you will appreciate what they have there,” Megan suggested and led the way to the store.
They walked through the store, and Keegan was amazed at the amount of food they had there. The general store in his time, where he picked up the staples for his house, had a mere fraction of what this store offered. It was good food, too. He could tell the fruit was very fresh, and the sandwiches and salads made to sell looked delicious.
“What is peanut butter?” he asked, making a face as he picked up a jar off a nearby shelf. It looked like a thick paste with a layer of oil on top of it.
“It’s peanuts and oil blended into a smooth paste. We put it on sandwiches or make cookies with it. You’ve got to try it!”
She grabbed a jar, as well as some freshly baked bread, which made his mouth water, and fresh fruit. The store had a spectacular selection of fruits and vegetables; Keegan could hardly believe it.
They paid for their food, then walked down several shops to what Megan said was the best place to eat soup. His stomach growled at the thought of Bridget’s meaty, hearty soups. He hoped there would be something similar at the restaurant. He missed the good old food of his time.
They walked in and he saw a large menu hanging on the wall. It was full of pictures of different soups, sandwiches and salads you could order. He was immediately overwhelmed with his choices.
Megan seemed to sense this. “I have tried their beef stew and it’s pretty good,” she suggested.
“Yes, that sounds perfect,” he responded gratefully.
She ordered clam chowder for herself, beef stew for him, and a basket of whole-wheat rolls for both of them. They sat down at a nearby table and ate. The stew was spectacular, even if it did have more broth than he was used to. The combinations of flavors helped fill the emptiness he felt at being so far from home and his family. He tried a spoonful of her chowder as well and agreed that it was delicious. He didn’t like the drink which Megan called “soda,” however, and preferred water with ice in it.
They walked home hand in hand, happily chatting about how it would be good for their business to be so close to a Whole Foods shop. Their customers were usually regulars at Whole Foods shops, and it would help bring business in more regularly.
Keegan was glad Megan was excited about his idea and hoped that Abby’s friend would be able to provide good news regarding the laws that dictated where people could set up businesses. Things were so complicated in the future.
Chapter 20
“It’s weird to think that I would be
doing something similar to this at the same location, just a hundred years apart if I were still in my time,” Keegan commented as they sat side by side on the porch swing.
“Did you sit here a lot in your time?” Megan asked. Their thighs were touching, and it made her heart pick up a beat. She was falling for him faster than she would have imagined possible.
“I did. It’s a great place to unwind, and it was nice because I could chat with all my neighbors who walked past.” Keegan looked out at the street, which was now closer to his house than it was in the past. The houses were all a little closer together as well. Some of the homes looked similar to the ones that surrounded his house in his time, but he could tell that most of them were newer. Neither of them saw many people walking past, however. Just cars driving to or from their homes.
“There is something to be said for how things were done in the past,” Megan commented. “It was so much easier to enjoy the time in your day because we weren’t rushing around everywhere. I would like my mom’s new shop to feel like that; people could come here just to let time stop for a while.”
“That’s a great idea,” Keegan agreed. “You could have nice sitting chairs in your library and in the kitchen so people could sit and drink tea or coffee. They could read, chat, or just relax.”
“It sounds so nice.” Megan laid her head on his shoulder.
“I was also thinking you and your mother should move in upstairs,” Keegan said.
She lifted her head off his shoulder. “Really?” was all she said. She was feeling so great until his suggestion reminded her that he was leaving soon. He wouldn’t have suggested that if he was staying here.
“Why not? The rooms would be empty, and you would be able to save money on rent,” Keegan said persuasively. “The bottom floor has enough room for your store. You won’t need the rooms on the second floor.”
“Well I wasn’t thinking we would be even using your house for the shop without paying some sort of rent,” Megan said, almost offended. Her mother had always taught her to take care of herself. She shouldn’t become reliant on others because you never knew when that person would want to stop helping you out and leave you scrambling to make things work again.
“How were you planning on paying me? How were you planning on getting money to me in my time?” The corner of Keegan’s mouth quirked.
He had a point. If he was living in the past, how would she get payments to him? Megan decided to avoid the question.
“Well, we can’t just use your house and take advantage of you. My mother would never agree to it.”
“We will work something out then,” Keegan said simply.
“Hmm,” Megan said non-committedly.
She definitely needed to run this by her mother. She figured her mother would be grateful to have any place to move to, but it helped a lot that this was a good location for a shop. They could advertise in the Whole Foods store, and send all their current customers news of their new location. They shouldn’t lose too many of their current customers. They would even gain quite a few more. However, she was certain her mother wouldn’t agree to move her shop to Keegan’s house without a way to pay Keegan some sort of rent.
****
Justin and Bridget, mid-October, 1902
Bridget shifted in her seat as the carriage bounced. It was a nice carriage. Justin’s art gallery had become very successful in the last few years and had attracted a lot of art buyers from neighboring cities. She took his hand as they rode and looked over her shoulder at her three sleeping children. David was six and Matthew was four. She loved her children with all her heart. It had been difficult for her to have children; she had had to take a certain combination of herbs daily in order to increase fertility, with Kimberly’s help. The fight to have her children had bonded her to them intensely and she knew she would be lost without them.
She was ready to have another child and part of the reason they were going to spend time at the ranch was so they could get some of the herbs Kimberly had prepared for fertility.
“Bridget?” Justin asked.
“Yes?” Bridget responded, startled out of her reverie.
He chuckled at her. “Lost in thought?”
Bridget smiled back. “I can’t help it. We’ve made some adorable children.”
“That we did,” Justin agreed with a smile.
“It’s too bad Garrett couldn’t join us.” Bridget’s smile faded.
“More like wouldn’t,” Justin retorted gruffly.
Garrett, who was now 21 years old, had hit a bit of a rough patch. He spent most of his time gambling and drinking. He would work long enough to replace his funds, then gamble and drink some more.
Bridget looked at Justin sadly. “I think he needs to find a job that challenges him.”
“He has needed something to challenge him for years. You know school here has always been too easy for him. He was relearning all of the subjects he already knew for years after we moved.”
“I know. He has struggled for a long time. Colleen used to help him stay happy even when he was bored, though. Now, it seems he doesn’t even want to listen or even be around her.” Colleen had been living with them for about a year. She had moved into town to help out at the art gallery.
“It’s a shame, too. She is the only one that has ever been able to talk sense into him.”
“Maybe we need to look at a college back east. I think they might have classes he might be interested in,” Bridget suggested.
“Maybe. We do need to be careful. If he got into classes like that, he would end up helping push the current technological boundaries. He could end up changing the future.”
This was the same discussion they’d had for years. Garrett had been in advanced classes when he had lived in the future. Once they had gotten stuck in the past, and he started going to school in their time, he had become bored. He had already learned everything they were teaching and often could do math problems his teachers couldn’t. His teachers had suggested sending him to a certain boarding school back east for intelligent children; the students at the school always went on to accomplish great things.
At first, they didn’t have the money to send him. Eventually, they realized how much things could change if they did send Garrett to one of those schools. He would inevitably end up helping people create new inventions; inventions Garrett already knew everything about. It was just too risky. They had all agreed to avoid changing the past as much as possible.
After a few minutes of silence, Bridget tried to comfort Justin. “He will snap out of it.”
“I hope so. I’m going to talk to Colleen again to see if she will talk some sense into him,” Justin replied. He pulled the horses to a stop in front of the ranch.
“Let’s try to relax while we are here. It always does us good to see our family,” Bridget suggested.
“I know.” He forced a smile on his face as he climbed out of the carriage, and helped Bridget out as well. The two sleeping children didn’t wake up when the carriage stopped moving. Very quickly, Bridget and Justin were surrounded by family, giving and receiving hugs from everyone. It wasn’t the same happy welcome it usually was, however. There were tight worry lines in Kimberly’s eyes, and Nicky’s smile seemed forced. Even Colleen, who had ridden to the ranch on horseback the day before, seemed reserved, which was unusual for her.
“Is everything okay?” Bridget asked as she hugged Patrick in greeting.
He just looked at her grimly. “Let’s get you all settled inside, and get the kids playing with the new litter of puppies in the barn. We can talk in a minute.”
Bridget’s heart dropped. What had happened? She looked around and immediately noticed Keegan wasn’t with them. Had he returned to town? She thought he would have been at the ranch.
The boys woke up with the ruckus, had heard Patrick mention puppies, and whooped in excitement.
“Can we go see them Pa?” Matthew asked Justin eagerly.
“Yes, just be careful
not to play too rough. You know their momma will be protective,” Justin responded.
They nodded obediently, then took off toward the barn with their cousins where the new puppies were always kept.
Bridget’s heart was in her throat as they all walked into the main house. What could have happened? They had seen Keegan just last week. He had had Megan with him who was also gone.
Everyone found different couches or chairs to sit in and waited for Patrick to speak. He cleared his throat, then looked at Bridget and Justin grimly.
“You are both aware of the time portal that has somehow appeared on the ranch?”
Justin and Bridget both nodded.
Patrick continued. “Well, the day after Keegan and Megan got back from talking with you, I took them out to the spot Megan had appeared from her time. She tried to activate the portal. Nothing happened. After trying it multiple times, we decided we would need to try something else. Later, Megan must have figured something else to try, but she didn’t tell anyone. The next day, Keegan had agreed to take Richie and Jonathon on a horseback ride. The three of them were just outside the large barn saddling the horses.” He shook his head. “We really aren’t sure what happened, but Richie told us that Keegan suddenly took off running towards the circle of rocks and he disappeared right before their eyes. We think Megan was already gone. No one has seen either one of them since.”
“You’re kidding,” Bridget was breathless and shocked. Keegan was missing.
“So…they must have figured out how the portal works then, right?” Justin asked.
“That’s the conclusion we came to.”
“How long has he been gone?” Bridget was scared to know the answer.
When Patrick didn’t answer, Kimberly stepped in. “This is the fourth day they’ve been gone. We know Keegan was developing feelings for Megan, but we never suspected he wanted to go to the future with her. We aren’t sure if he went for a visit like you did, Bridget, and he will be back soon, or if he somehow got stuck in a different time…” Kimberly trailed off, a sad look on her face.