Secrets of Time

by Zoe Matthews

  “That should give us plenty of time to find a couple beds for them then,” Megan said with a smile. She grabbed Keegan’s hand and starting leading him to the exit.

  He let her pull him along, still lost in deep thought. She finally couldn’t stand it any longer and asked him what was bothering him.

  “I always thought that I knew the best way to care for my patients. I’m realizing there are so many benefits to modern medicine that I have never even given thought to. I guess I’m just trying to get used to the idea that there is still so much I don’t know.”

  Megan nodded her head. “Yes, there are a lot of benefits, but many people rely on it too much. I feel it’s important for people like us help educate people on healing themselves naturally. A lot of people just take a pill to mask a problem, when they could solve the problem by eating right and taking care of themselves.” She didn’t want him to think that the two years of schooling he had completed meant nothing now that he was in the future.

  Instead of answering, he just nodded and continued along quietly.

  She sighed, hoping he wasn’t thinking he should go back to his own time so he could practice medicine his own way.

  ****

  Megan stopped at a furniture store on the way home, looking for a few cots or futons to set the family up in once Richie was released from the hospital. She wished she had the funds to buy them actual mattresses, but she was running low on money as it was, and they were only going to be here for about a week. She found a couple of air mattresses for a good price and felt better about Richie’s comfort level on that rather than a hard cot. She wanted to use as much as she could of her own money to help turn Keegan’s house into a comfortable shop.

  Keegan, who had finally stopped brooding while they were driving, assured her that Patrick and Kimberly would find the mattresses plenty comfortable. It would be an improvement from the straw mattresses they had at the ranch in their own time.

  Once they arrived home, they pushed aside the furniture in the front parlor and set up a sleeping room for Richie and his parents. Keegan suggested they put them in one of the guest rooms upstairs, but Megan thought it would be best if Richie didn’t need to worry about the stairs right after his surgery, and she figured Kimberly and Patrick would want to be close by him, at least for a few days.

  They had everything set up by dinner time and decided to go pick up a variety of soups to bring to the family at the hospital. Richie was awake when they arrived, and now that he was no longer in pain, he was looking around excitedly at everything in the hospital. No doubt, everything looked foreign and exciting.

  “How do they make these pillows so soft?” he was exclaiming. “It’s like they stuffed them with clouds.”

  Megan brought him a balloon that said, “Get Well Soon” on it. His eyes grew wide as he saw it. “What is that!?”

  Megan laughed. “It’s called a balloon.”

  “Wow!” Everyone smiled in amusement and relief as he bounced the balloon around.

  “Don’t move around too much, Richie,” Kimberly warned, although she was smiling too. “You can’t feel it because of the medicine they gave you, but that cut on your stomach is deep and you don’t want to make it worse.”

  “Yes, Ma,” Richie responded obediently, but still held the balloon close to him, moving his hands around the outside of it to make it squeak.

  “That smells good. What is that?” Patrick spoke up, smelling the soup they had brought with them, and looking around for a pot.

  Keegan held up the bag of sealed bowls. “Dinner,” was all he said.

  Megan enjoyed watching Patrick’s fascination as Keegan pulled different soups and rolls out of the bag. The amazement in his eyes mirrored that of his son’s just a moment before with the balloon.

  Everyone ate the soup, declaring it was delicious, except for Richie. The doctor said it was normal for him to have a low appetite for a few days. Once everyone was done eating, Richie laid back on his pillow and started to fall asleep.

  “We should probably go and let Richie rest,” Megan suggested. “Kimberly and Patrick, we have a room set up for you at home whenever you need it.

  “Thank you,” Kimberly responded. “I think tonight we will stay here in the hospital with Richie.”

  “Of course. I wouldn’t want to leave his side either,” Megan smiled at her, then Richie, who was now snoring softly. “We will come by to check on everyone tomorrow,” she promised.

  Chapter 22

  The next three days went by in a whirl. Megan had another talk with her mother and was able to convince her to move the shop to Keegan’s house even if she was still planning to marry Mr. Manning. She expected it to be harder to convince her mother, but it was surprisingly easy. She only hoped as the days passed, and her mother could see the potential to moving the shop, she would change her mind about marrying the old grouch. After giving her mother a tour of the house, Barbara had become excited herself and decided Megan should use her days setting up Keegan’s house so it would be ready for them to move in by the end of October. Megan felt guilty because that meant her mother was handling all of the customers and inventory at their current shop alone, but there was still a lot of tension between her and her mother about the engagement, so Megan thought it probably was for the best anyway.

  Richie stayed in the hospital for two days before they allowed him to come home, so that had given them some time to re-paint the downstairs. She kept the color the same, but the fresh coat of paint still gave the room a lighter feel.

  She and Keegan went through the house, deciding together on what pieces of furniture would help their shop, and what would most likely get in the way. The few pieces Megan didn’t want they listed for sale on a community web page to help make some extra money for their shop.

  She contacted an electrician who was able to squeeze in an appointment to bring electrical wiring to the kitchen. She didn’t mind using authentic lighting for the rest of the house, which had a lot of windows to begin with, but she and her mother agreed that it would be best to have an upgraded kitchen for their cafe.

  Once Richie was released from the hospital, the house became very busy; they now had Keegan, Kimberly, Patrick, and Richie living there. Megan might as well have been living there. She came over early in the day and stayed until late to make sure the house would be ready for their move-in date they had set next week. Megan had asked Abby to stay while Richie was there just to help keep an eye on the boy and make sure he was recovering well. Abby was thrilled to accept. It seemed a moot point after the first day he was home, as he made it perfectly clear that he wasn’t in pain, and was “tired of sitting around resting.” Abby seemed to enjoy interacting with Keegan and his family. She was fascinated that they were all from the past. She was even more fascinated that Kimberly was from their time but chose to live in the past.

  Kimberly and Patrick agreed they would stay for two more days to make sure Richie was on the mend, then they would go home. Megan could see that Kimberly already missed her home and was worried about how her two daughters were fairing. Patrick was just as restless as his son; he volunteered to make the repairs needed to the outside of the house. He even spent a few hours sanding and painting the gazebo in the backyard. By the time he was done, the house looked in perfect condition; it might as well have been a picture of the home Keegan lived in during his time.

  Megan flitted around the home, filled with excitement and nerves. Everything was going so well and the house looked amazing. She felt things were going almost too well and was anticipating that something could go wrong anytime.

  She spent time in the library going through all the books that were already there. She had to choose which books to keep and which to store in one of the bedrooms for later. They were planning on converting the library into the bookshop. It was a difficult job, one she had been putting off all week, but they needed to make room for the shipment of books coming in to help educate customers about the benefits of living
well and using homeopathic remedies themselves, among other interests. Customers could choose to sit in one of the comfortable chairs available in the room and read the books or purchase them.

  Every book from Victoria’s library she came across seemed timeless, like they belonged with the home. She knew, however, that most people wouldn’t be interested in reading the majority of the books. She wanted to keep the classics and any that were about the history of Denver, as she felt people would gravitate towards those while they relaxed and sipped their tea.

  Keegan knocked on the frame of the doorway to get her attention. “How’s it going?” he asked with a fond smile. He knew she had been dreading this project.

  “Should I keep Crime and Punishment or Great Expectations?” she asked hopelessly.

  “Both,” he responded after a moment’s deliberation.

  “Oh, you’re no help,” she joked, shelving both of the books back where she had found them.

  “That is why I didn’t offer to do this job for you,” he smiled back.

  “Let’s take a break,” Megan suggested.

  Keegan laughed. “You only started an hour ago.”

  Megan ignored his comment. “I have been wanting to take you to a couple of antique shops so you can help me pick some decorations that are true to the house’s age.”

  Keegan looked unsure. “I never decorated my home in my time. I left it the way Victoria had decorated it.”

  “Do you think Kimberly would be willing to come with us?” Megan asked hesitantly.

  “I’m sure she would have good input.”

  “I bet she would love that, as long as someone could stay here with Richie.”

  “Let’s go ask her. I bet Abby would stay with him for a couple of hours since Patrick is busy outside.”

  Kimberly’s face lit up when they suggested she come along to help. “Yes, that sounds like a lot of fun! I used to go to antique shops all the time when I lived here.”

  “Perfect! Abby, would you be willing to stay with Richie for awhile?” She turned to her friend who was showing Richie how to play a board game she had brought with her.

  “What? Oh, yeah no problem,” Abby agreed before turning back to the game. Richie was pretty good at strategy, so they were both having a great time playing together.

  The three of them all piled in the car and drove to Megan’s favorite antique shop. Keegan insisted Kimberly sit up front with Megan, so he sat in the back. Megan glanced at Keegan in the rearview mirror as Kimberly chattered excitedly about what they should look for once they got to the antique store. The past few weeks she had spent with him had been better than any she could remember. I could get used to this, she thought contentedly.

  ****

  Barbara took a deep breath for courage and knocked on the door to George Manning's office. She almost turned around and scurried down the hall before he had a chance to open the door.

  The more she thought about marrying George, the more she was sure it would be a horrible decision for herself, and she could see it changing her relationship with Megan as well. Her daughter was extremely against this marriage. After Megan had shown her Keegan’s house, she knew she couldn’t go through with the wedding, but she hoped she could end things in a way that would make George back off without following through on his threats.

  He opened the door and smiled greedily when he saw her. “Well, my future bride. What a pleasant surprise.”

  “Hello. Can I have a moment to speak with you please?” she asked, nervous and unsure how to start this conversation.

  “Of course. We are to be married soon, so I may as well get used to talking to you, right?”

  She gritted her teeth and nodded her head. Just being in the same room with him put her on edge, which was another sign that she knew she was making the right decision.

  “I have decided to move my shop to a different location,” she blurted out before she could change her mind.

  He stopped smiling, his expression turning dangerous. “Why would you do that? I give you such a great deal at this location. Besides, we could drive to work together. Think of the convenience!”

  “Well, I have also been thinking about our engagement. I am convinced I am not the right woman for you,” she said, trying a different tactic.

  “Wouldn’t that be my decision?” he asked darkly.

  “I am taking into account that you have not gotten to know me very well. You come visit my shop but have never seen me out of that environment. I don’t think I lead a life that you would enjoy. I think it would be best if Megan and I moved on.”

  “Why don’t we give Megan a call to see how well she really knows your past, shall we?” George said, reaching for his phone.

  Panic shot through Barbara. He was going to tell Megan about her past. This is not how she wanted her daughter to find out.

  “I already told her,” Barbara lied, trying to look calm. “I should thank you for giving me the motivation to do so; she deserves to know and it was better coming from me.”

  As she talked, she instinctively knew she needed to make the lie into truth and tell Megan about the circumstances around her birth, but maybe she should wait until they were settled in the Victorian home.

  Mr. Manning’s face turned red and he stood up angrily. He ran his hand across the top of his table and sent a number of items flying across the room. Barbara didn’t know what to do. His instant anger scared her. With a shaky hand, she tried to reach into her purse for her phone. She could at least call 911 if he didn’t calm down. He stood with his back to her, hand braced on the wall. Loud breaths caused his back to heave. Then, as if he flipped a switch, he seemed to instantly calm down.

  “Well, it seems I cannot win you over then.” He turned to her, his face kinder than she had ever seen it. “I wish you would reconsider our marriage, but if you are certain you need to move, I can no longer stop you.”

  Barbara couldn’t believe what she was hearing. It couldn’t possibly be so easy to get away from him, could it? Or was he playing some kind of game with her? She decided to play nice with him and try to figure out his reaction later.

  “Thank you for understanding. This will be our last month in your building, and we will spend the next few weeks moving everything out. We’ll be out by the end of the month.” She stood up, eager to be out of his office as soon as possible.

  “That is fine. I have a waiting list of possible tenants, so I would appreciate that you move out quickly so I can rent it to someone else.” His face continued to seem pleasant, but a hint of anger started seeping through his voice.

  “Of course,” she said, walking towards the door.

  “I will have the termination papers drawn up and ready in the next few days,” he said following her toward the door.

  “Please send them to my lawyer,” she stated, letting him know she wasn’t going to spend any time alone with him again.

  He only nodded and let her out of his office. She released a long breath once he had shut the door. Could this really be over? She knew she couldn’t trust this man, but she hoped with everything inside her that maybe he had just given up on her.

  ****

  Megan was cleaning up the kitchen after dinner. They had a very successful trip to the antique shop, and she felt confident that they now had all they needed to set up their shop. Everyone else was in the front room, discussing what time they should leave the next day in order to go back to their own time.

  Megan didn’t want to think about it. She knew Richie was recovering well and it had been almost a week since his surgery. Patrick and Kimberly were eager to go home and insisted that Keegan return with them. A pang went through her; she didn’t want him to leave, but he never said he wanted to stay either. Just then, there was a knock on the front door. They weren’t expecting anyone, so she wondered who it could be. She finished wiping off the counter and walked towards the door while she heard Keegan answer it.

  “Hello Mrs. Conway, come on in,” she heard
Keegan saying.

  Megan’s stress level went up even more. She hadn’t talked to her mother much since their fight. They had discussed what they absolutely needed to for the new shop, but nothing beyond that. She missed her mother terribly, but couldn’t let her mother marry such a horrible man. She still wanted to talk her mother out of it but didn’t know how she could do that without fighting with her again. She approached her mother hesitantly.

  “Megan,” her mother said, embracing her tightly.

  Megan held on tight, tears pricking her eyes. She had always been close with her mother, so this fight had been difficult for her. She had missed talking to her mother like she used to. “Hi, Mom.”

  “I have some news. Can we talk?” her mother said, pulling back and looking Megan in her eyes.

  Megan braced herself for more bad news, although her mother seemed happy about what she was about to tell her. “Sure, let's go into the kitchen,” she suggested.

  Once they were settled with their ever-present cups of tea, her mother started talking. “I went to talk to George today.”

  Megan felt her spine stiffen, but she didn’t say anything.

  “I broke off the engagement,” her mother said simply.

  Megan looked up in shock. “You did?” Confusion mixed with relief flooded through her at the same time.

  “Yes. I thought about what you said and figured even if I don’t ever get married, it would be better than living with that man for the rest of my life. Besides, we have this new shop now, so there isn’t anything to keep me there.”

  There was tension in her last sentence, and Megan wondered why. She thought making a clean start would be a relief to her.

  “I’m so happy for you, Mom!” Megan said honestly.

  Barbara laughed. “Usually when someone breaks off an engagement, people are a little more sympathetic.”

  Megan laughed, but then turned serious. “Are you sad you broke it off?”

  “Not at all. I didn’t love him, and I’m sure he didn’t love me.”