Time into Time

2024, Atlanta, GA

"And you, grandma?"

Her granddaughters are visiting. Something they haven't done in a while. The girls are in college now. Time has flown, as it always does.

They are talking about their earliest memories and arguing, like sisters will, about the accuracy of their memories. "How can you say you remember that? You were only three." Bella protests Valerie's assertion. Rather than respond to her older sister, Valerie turns to Fay.

"And you, grandma. What is your earliest memory?"

Fay thinks for a minute. "My first steps." Yes, that was true. But which one to pick, she remembers all of them.

"I was sitting on my mother's lap. I squirmed and wiggled till I slipped to the floor. The low table in the middle of the room was right there in front of me. I was just tall enough to have my chubby fingers wrapped around the edge of the table in front of my eyes. Once I pulled myself up, I slid my left hand sideways, my left foot followed. As soon as I had my balance, my right hand and foot joined the rest of me. That was so much fun! I bounced on the balls of my feet, my diapered bottom sticking out behind me. I chortled and squealed. Hah! I haven't chortled and squealed in a long time.

Then I did it again and again till I reached my grandmother. I think I was maybe one and a half years old."

The girls laugh, Valerie sticks her tongue out at Bella. "See? People can remember that far back."

Fay lets them bicker, she takes a sip of her wine and closes her eyes.

Time drifts...

1873, Boston MA

...She stepped into the parlor. "Ah, there you are. You look ravishing, Faith." She smiled fondly at her husband, Bartholomew Montgomery. He was so handsome in his dark suit that matched his chocolate eyes. They had met a little over a year ago when Charles, Faith's brother had brought his college mate home for the holidays.

They had been married a week ago.

Bart, a newly minted veterinarian had accepted a position with Doc Presser in a rural portion of Oklahoma. Yes, Faith was a bit apprehensive about leaving Boston, her family and friends. But tonight Bart was holding his hand out. "Shall we, dear? One last evening at the symphony. Mozart, if i remember ...

1768, Vienna, Austria

..."Have you ever been to a performance by das Wunderkind Mozart?" Herr Gunther asked. "Ja, I mean no. I have not been, of courser. But I have heard a little of his music in my lessons." Of course seventeen-year-old Frederika would not have been to a performance. Tonight was her first time out in society. She knew that if Herr Gunther had anything to say about it, it would be close to her last. She shuddered at the thought. "Cold?" He asked, though she doubted that he was overly concerned. She smiled and shook her head as the twelve-year-old boy took his place on the stage...

2021, Atlanta, GA

...With hands pressed against the glass that separated them, they stared at each other. Fay sighed. They had only had forty-eight years together. They had been so close, had shared so much, the twins, the grandchildren, their work. And there was still so much to talk about. She knew she'd see Evan again, have all the fun and heartache again...

1451, Chartres, France

... Ay, ma pauvre petite Fleur." maman had crooned. Little Fleur had been cuddled, held and heard her mother's whispers for two hours before she died....

In the dark void she screams her frustration. This is not fair! You can't just toss me from century to century and back again! I can't just die and be reborn! You can't make me care for my children only to tear them away from me!

Oh sweet, naive sister of mine. You are learning that life is not fair. Nothing is given, nothing is guaranteed. In the end everything is taken. You are learning how to succeed despite these limitations.

1676, Venice

...Bravo! Angelo seemed transported by the perfomance. "Bravo, bravissimo!" He sprung to his feet, applauding loudly. Francesca rose, though a bit slower. She forced a smile as fear gripped her heart and pain ripped through her abdomen. Was tonight the night?

Angelo was tense, smiling too broadly. Of course, the fact that Teresa, one of his mistresses was entertaining someone in a box across from them, might have contributed to his mood.

He'd send her home, shortly and go out himself. Looking for a fight or a way to make Teresa jealous. There are plenty places he can find entettainment.

Francesca is merely the wife. Someone from good breeding, to be kept at home, producing and tending to the children.

She'd send Maria to fetch the midwife, hoping that it would not be too late, this time...

1884, Cleveland Co, OK

...Frantically Faith clung to the bell cord. The one on the back porch, outside the kitchen. The cramps! The pain! The blood! Please let someone hear her. She couldn't do this again. She could feel her strength fading as she sank to the floor, the cord slipping from her fingers.

Footsteps.

Theo Gunderson, the eleven-year-old boy from the farm next door. "Wha...! Mrs. Monty!" Eyes wide in horror, he stopped well out of her reach.

"Theo go hitch the horse and buggy. Take me to Mrs. Farthing, the midwife. Then go find Doc Monty." She panted through the pain. "Theo, now!"

She knew, had known that she would lose this one. She was just not ready to die, like Francesca had. After all these centuries she had finally found someone she loved. Someone who loved her. Please!...

2024, Atlanta, GA

..."Grandma? Are you alright? Valerie is looking closely at Fay, who smiles and nods.

"Sorry, I'm an old woman." She grins. "Just a little wine will get to me, these days." She winks. "Which is no reason to stop, is it?" She hold up her glass for a refill.

"You sounded as if you were in pain."

Fay nods. "It's okay, child. It's old history."...

Long before time began, two sisters argue, like sisters will.

"You say it as if it's easy." Fyr scoffs.

"Surely, it can't be any more difficult than our lives. Look at all the responsibilities we have." Freya counters.

Well, I've been informed that living with death merely one breath away, makes one more cautious and value one's time. And, my dear friend, here you wield all the power, down there you'd have none." Heimdall informs her.

"You exaggerate, I'm sure." Freya dismisses his argument.

"Are we? I dare you, sister." Fyr challenges. "Go live among the mortal. We'll watch."

She is still living all the lives her sister had picked for her. It isn't a matter of remembering her lives. No, she lives all her lives randomly, in bits and pieces.

1261, Prussia

Little Fried lived to be ten before a plague took her.

1972, Atlanta, GA

..."Hey moron! The coursety of an apology will be appreciated." Fay shouted down the hall at the boy who had rushed by her, knocking her books and binder from her arms. To his credit Evan had turned around and helped her gather the scattered pages and books. "How about I buy you a cup of coffee to make up for my rudenes." Fay had looked at him. Seen his laughing blue eyes, his unruly blond hair. "Under one condition." She had flirted. "Oh?" he smiled. "That you tell me your name."

They were married two years later, before Evan entered dental school, just like his great grandfather...

1593, Inverurie, Scotland

...Francy stifles a sob. Her youngest, fourteen-year-old Millie was still in her bed. The seizures had stopped, as had her heart. All her daughters dead before they could have a life, before they could get away from this harsh place.

But there was no time, never time for mourning. Big John would not be kind if dinner was not on the table when he'd come in...

1918, Cleveland Co, OK

..."Let me hold you." She was shivering, Bart was burning up. Their fever was consuming them. Bart had worked till he collapsed in someone's barn. She had helped at the church soup kitchen till she had collapsed as well. They were too weak to think about food or water. "Let me hold you."...

1364, Sneek, Friesland

..."Nee Vader! You don't mean that, Father please!" Thirteen-year-old Foske begged her father to reconsider. She had resigned herself to marrying Jan, Peer's son, from the dairy farm up the river. She had felt relief and then shame when she heard that Jan had died after their bull had kicked him in the head. She had hoped to have a little more time at home. "But father, young Peer already has a wife." Foske pleaded.

"Well, whoever gives him the most sons will be his first wife." Father considered the discussion closed.

Foske had looked to her mother for support, but mother was the second wife. Not the one who had given him sons to help work the land, just more mouths to feed. Mother was little more than a maid...

1886, Cleveland Co, OK

... A bell! Who's bell? Faith ran out of the kitchen. Smoke is billowing over the Gunderson's place. She grabbed buckets, ran across the yard, crossed through some field. Neighbors were already there, passing buckets. "Where are Gert and Ingar?" She asked. No one answered. "Theo?" "School." Someone mumbled.

Bart and Faith had brought Theo home that evening. He was thirteen and considered himself too old for cuddles. But he had not pushed Faith away when she comforted him. For weeks he had followed Bart around from job to job, had followed Faith through the house. But he had been alright, in the end. He had gone east to go to dental school...

1973, Atlanta, GA.

... Gramps, this is Fay Masterson, the girl I told you about." Evan turned to Fay. "This is doctor Theo Montgomery, my great grandfather. He'll be one hundred in a few months."

Fay smiled at the much older version of the boy Faith and Bart had adopted. "How are Doctor Montgomery?" He tugged on her hand, bringing her a little closer.

"No, my dear. Doc Montgomery, or Doc Monty as we called him, was the man who saved my life. He and his wife took me in. No, I'm just Doc Theo." Fay swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded...

2024, Atlanta, GA

... Grandma, do you want so more wine?" Bella is holding the bottle. Fay smiles, surely that's not the same bottle. "No, thank you, dear. I think I'll go lie down for a minute. I'll see you girld later."...

2052 Timaru, New Zeeland

... Little Freya slides off her mother's lap. Her tiny bare toes touch the floor. With her mother's hand on her back, Freya reaches for the edge of the low table in front of her. She bounces on the balls of her feet and blows a bubble. Her left hand slides sideways, her left foot follows. She squeals in excitement. Her right hand and foot slide close as if they have done this for centuries.