“Please,” Kate whispered.
She stood at the edge of the garden, Leigh standing beside her, her
skin close and still desirable. Despite the climax, Kate still
ached. She suspected that Leigh did, too.
He slowly shook his head, a model of abject sadness.
She believed him. He wanted to stay, even desperately, but it was
dangerous. To the girls. To him, but more so for the girls.
She shivered. Leigh’s hand stole to her and grasped her lightly.
Kate entwined her fingers into Leigh’s and held her.
“It’s not fair,” Kate said, nearly pouting but unable to help it.
“Life isn’t sometimes.”
“We’ve only just found …”
He nodded. Something occurred to her, and she looked up, hope
gleaming on her face.
“You could … the school … find Leigh … and me …”
He slowly shook his head.
“Don’t you see? That’s exactly why I have to take you back, even if
I don’t want to, even if I want nothing more than to let you and
Leigh keep finding each other.”
“But …”
“You want it here — but here isn’t real. It’s a fantasy.”
“I feel …”
“I know. I know. But take yourself back. If a strange guy came up to
you in the school yard while you were sitting under a tree, and
said, don’t sweat Darren, take a closer look at the quiet girl in
your math class, what would you do?”
“I’d take her to dinner and a movie, maybe up to my room afterwards.
I could. My parents wouldn’t care. She’s a girl.”
He smiled, and stepped closer to her. Leigh’s hand tightened upon
hers.
“Remember where you were when I found you,” he said.
“I was. I was sitting under a tree in the front of the school.”
“Because …”
“Because Darren chose Karen, not me.”
He let it sink in.
“I don’t want to lose her.”
Leigh whispered beside her. “I don’t either.”
He shook his head, and smiled.
“If it was meant to be, then you’ll find each other. It’s the way it
works.”
Kate wasn’t so sure of that. She bowed her head, and couldn’t help
the tears.
“You could try,” she whispered.
“I can’t, Kate. Even if I wanted to. It wouldn’t be a fantasy here
if I did. It’s wrong.”
(What the hell do you know about right and wrong?)
(He’s sending me back, isn’t he?)
Kate shivered, and raised her eyes to his.
“I don’t want to go back.”
He nodded.
“I know.”
<—===***===—>
She wept openly, her arms hugging Leigh. She felt wetness from
Leigh’s tears upon her shoulder as she held her, shaking.
It had been a long three days, torments, and frustration, nudity,
and adventure. It was over.
“I’ll try to remember,” she whispered.
“And me as well,” Leigh said slowly.
The girls separated, and joined hands.
She faced the Timeman, her chin lifted.
“We would have, you know,” she said carefully. But inside, she now
cringed at the idea. It was the simple truth, though.
He nodded. “It wouldn’t have been right.”
(No. It wouldn’t.)
<—===***===—>
She turned, and let her lips touch Leigh’s. It was a soft kiss. A
chaste kiss. A shared kiss.
“Good-bye,” she whispered.
Leigh smiled.
“Good-bye.”
Tears fell unheeded down her face, and she reached up to brush at
Leigh’s cheeks, her fingers lifting from her soft skin with salty
moisture.
They both turned and waved towards the Timeman who stood, eyes
averted a few short paces from them. She was surprised to see tears
falling down his face, as openly as hers.
<—===***===—>
Tingles raced through her arms, and then down her body. She
concentrated, trying to burn the memories into her mind, hoping that
some faint imprint might remain in the last few seconds. She felt a
faint squeeze through her fingers. She wasn’t alone.
The tingles raced down, like gentle pins and needles. And then she
was falling, holding hands. Darkness engulfed her.