Karen D. Badger - Yesterday Once More

by Karen D. Badger

  “Hey, you. You’re up early.” Andi pushed the screen door open and joined Jordan on the porch.

  “Good morning,” Jordan replied. “If I recall, I crashed pretty early last night. I don’t know what got into me.”

  “Do you feel better this morning?”

  “I feel pretty good. My lower back aches a bit, but it might be the way I slept.” Jordan lifted her coffee cup. “There’s fresh coffee if you’re interested.”

  “You’re a life saver,” Andi exclaimed. “Can I refill yours?”

  “Nope, I’m right behind you.”

  Jordan and Andi found Kale cooking eggs and bacon. He smiled when he saw them. “My two favorite women. How do you want your eggs?”

  Soon, they were sitting at the kitchen table, enjoying their breakfast.

  “Are you ready to give it another try this morning, Jordan?” Kale asked.

  “You bet, but before we do anything, I want to look at the time estimates again and make an adjustment. I’ve got to land further back in time. The last thing I want to do is miss another opportunity. Yesterday nearly tore my heart out.”

  Jordan sat in front of the computer in the lab and made the final changes to the algorithm. Kale looked over her shoulder as she typed. “What are you using for significant digits this time?”

  “I’m adding 0.15 seconds to the power surge time. If you remember, 0.11 seconds resulted in a five-month error, so 0.15 seconds should give me at least six or seven months. That should be enough time to influence the series of events that led to her death.” Jordan grinned. “Who knows, maybe she’ll fall madly in love with me, and she’ll spend that particular morning having wild monkey sex with me instead of falling off a cliff.”

  “Sounds like a plan. Let me know when the algorithm is downloaded,” Kale said as he walked to the control console.

  “Just one more line of code—there. It should finish downloading in just a few minutes.”

  The door to the lab swung open to admit Andi. “Here’s the Faraday belt, Jordan,” she said. “It was in your bedroom.”

  Jordan wrapped the belt around her waist. “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome,” Andi replied. “Are you all set to go?”

  “In a minute. The new code is downloading right now.”

  “Correction,” Kale said. “The algorithm has finished downloading. We’re good to go.”

  * * *

  Jordan landed on the dirt floor of the barn with a thud. “Damn. That’s a real downside to this time travel business.” She sat back on her knees, removed the Faraday belt, and brushed the dirt from her shirt.

  “Good Morning, John.”

  “Morning, Maggie.”

  Jordan climbed to her feet and quickly made her way to the edge of the horse stall, which gave her a clear view of the other end of the barn without revealing her presence. “Maggie,” she whispered as she saw the redhead talking to the farmhand.

  “John, I need you to unload the pallets of feed from the wagon and move them into the loft,” Maggie instructed.

  “Sure thing. Is the wagon in the barnyard?” he asked.

  “Yes. I could bring it in for you, if you’d like.”

  “No, ma’am. I’ll take care of it,” John replied as he went to retrieve the wagon, leaving Maggie alone in the barn.

  Maggie shoved her hands deep into the front pockets of her jeans and walked directly toward Jordan. “Hey, Shawny. How’s my guy this morning?”

  Jordan’s heart was in her throat as she retreated around the corner of the horse stall and pressed herself against the wall. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back in an effort to calm her nerves. Calm down, Lewis. Breathe!

  As Jordan peeked around the corner of the stall, her attention was drawn to a loud cracking noise from above. “No!” she screamed. Jordan launched herself at Maggie, catching her around the waist and tackling her, knocking them both down to the dirt floor. A fraction of a second later, a large metal winch hit the ground in the exact place Maggie had been standing.

  Jordan covered Maggie with her own body until the dust settled.

  “Get off me,” Maggie demanded. She pushed Jordan away and scrambled to her feet. “What the hell happened?”

  Jordan stood up and brushed herself off. She looked around awkwardly, not knowing how to react to Maggie’s anger.

  “John!” Maggie yelled. “John, I need you in here, right now!”

  Maggie circled the heavy winch. She and Jordan both looked up at the rafters.

  “Son of a bitch. I could have been killed,” Maggie said.

  John ran into the barn. He was followed closely by a petite woman with short blonde hair.

  Jordan frowned. Jan.

  “Maggie, what happened?” John asked.

  Maggie pointed at the winch. “That’s what happened. John, I need you to inspect the rafter this thing was hanging from. Something caused it to snap, and I want to know what.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” John said.

  Jan shot a questioning look at Jordan. “How did it happen?” she asked, placing a hand on Maggie’s back.

  Maggie rubbed her forehead. “I don’t know. I was walking toward Shawny’s stall when all of the sudden this woman”— Maggie gestured at Jordan—“appeared out of nowhere and tackled me to the floor. The next thing I knew, the winch was sitting in a crater on the floor, exactly where I’d just been standing.”

  Jan wrapped her arms around Maggie and hugged her. “Thank God you weren’t hurt,” she said. “I’ll investigate this. I promise we’ll get to the bottom of it.”

  Maggie smiled. “Thank you, Jan.” She turned abruptly and looked at Jordan, extending her hand. “And you are?”

  Jordan stepped forward and grasped Maggie’s hand. “Jordan. Jordan Lewis,” she replied. It felt as if a liquid fire was running into her body from Maggie’s hand. Her eyes locked with Maggie’s, and she found it difficult to look away.

  Maggie smiled, clearly aware of the effect she was having on Jordan. “Well, Jordan, I guess I’m indebted to you. I can’t thank you enough. If you hadn’t come along when you did, that winch would have killed me.”

  Jordan realized she was still holding Maggie’s hand. Awkwardly, she released it. She looked around nervously. What the hell is the matter with you, Lewis? You’re acting like a lovesick teenager. Buck up. You’ll never win her over if she thinks you’re an insecure idiot.

  Jordan inhaled deeply. “You’re welcome,” she replied. “When I heard the rafter crack, I pretty much acted on instinct.”

  “Thank God for instinct,” Maggie declared. “The question is, who are you and what were you doing in my barn?”

  Jordan paled. She hadn’t planned for her first meeting with Maggie to be so sudden and uncontrolled. “Ah... ah... I was actually looking for work,” she began, “and no one answered the door at the house, so I came to the barn.”

  Maggie smiled again. “Work, huh? Well, why don’t you join me for a glass of lemonade while we talk it over?”

  Jordan smiled back at her. “I’d like that.”

  Maggie filled two glasses and handed one to Jordan, who was seated at the kitchen table. Maggie leaned against the cupboard and was clearly assessing Jordan as she drank.

  As Jordan accepted the drink, she allowed her own gaze to linger on Maggie. I could drown in her eyes. The green complements that wild red hair perfectly. I wonder what it would be like to run my fingers through those curls. Jordan felt an unfamiliar flutter in her abdomen and a pulsing between her legs. She shifted in her seat, but the feelings persisted. What the hell?

  “So, Jordan, where are you from?” Maggie asked.

  Jordan had to think fast. For some reason, “from eighty-seven years in the future” didn’t seem like an appropriate response. “I’m actually from the area,” she replied. Lame, Lewis, real lame. Jordan hadn’t put any thought into how she would explain her roots if asked. It’s not like I can tell her I grew up right here on this farm.

  Magg
ie sipped her drink. “I see. What kind of work are you looking for?”

  Jordan sat back in her chair and crossed her legs. “My parents raised horses, so I have experience in their care and training.” At least that’s not a lie. “And I’m pretty good with my hands,” she added.

  “Hmm,” Maggie murmured. “Is it safe to say you’ll need to bunk here, as well? I mean, assuming I hire you, of course.”

  Just then, the kitchen door swung open and admitted Jan.

  “Did you find anything?” Maggie asked.

  Jan shrugged. “Not really. I climbed into the rafters and examined the beams. Odd as it sounds, that particular beam snapped for no apparent reason. It was probably defective.”

  Maggie frowned. “That seems strange. The winch has been hanging from that beam for the past two years, and there’s been no sign of failure. What did John have to say about it?”

  Jan shifted her weight from foot to foot. “John didn’t look at it. I told him I would take care of it.”

  “I’ll call the contractor who erected the barn and have him repair it for me,” Maggie said, still frowning.

  “I can repair it,” Jordan interjected.

  Maggie raised her eyebrows. “You can?”

  Jordan stood. “Like I said, I’m good with my hands.”

  Maggie grinned. “Okay.” She turned to Jan. “Jan, this is Jordan Lewis, our new ranch hand.”

  Jordan extended her hand to Jan, who pointedly chose not to shake it. “I’ve got to get back to the barn. John needs a hand off-loading the feed.” Jan abruptly turned and left.

  “Humph!” Maggie exclaimed as she looked at Jordan. “That’s not like her. She’s normally so friendly. My apologies.”

  Jordan smiled. “No problem. I’m sure she’s still just shaken up by your near-accident.”

  “Maybe,” Maggie replied absently.

  “If you’ll point me in the direction of your tools and wood supply, I’ll get to work on that rafter,” Jordan offered.

  Maggie smiled. “You don’t waste any time, do you?”

  “No, ma’am,” Jordan replied.

  Jordan set up a ladder on the floor of the loft and leaned it against a rafter adjacent to the break. Once the ladder was in place, she carried up a few pieces of two-by-six lumber and placed them across two rafters in order to create a scaffold for herself.

  Jordan was nailing the last plank in place when Maggie appeared in the barn below.

  “Hey there,” she called up to Jordan. “How’s it going?”

  Jordan looked down and caught her breath. Why is it I suddenly forget to breathe when she’s around? “I’ve just built the work platform. I’m about to inspect the beam now.”

  “Do you mind if I join you?” Maggie asked.

  “Not at all. Come on up.” Jordan climbed down the ladder and waited for Maggie to join her in the loft. “You go ahead of me. I’ll hold the ladder,” Jordan offered.

  “Okay,” Maggie said.

  Jordan had to control her breathing as she watched Maggie’s bottom shift side to side with each step she took. Lewis, you’ve got it bad! Once Maggie was standing securely on the scaffolding, Jordan climbed the ladder and joined her. The platform was relatively narrow, so Jordan had to embrace Maggie as she shimmied past her in order to get close enough to inspect the break. As Jordan slipped by, she could have sworn Maggie intentionally brushed up against her breasts. Focus, Jordan… focus! Falling off the platform would not be a good thing.

  “Okay,” Jordan said. “Let’s see what the problem is here. Hmm... this is odd.”

  “What is it?” Maggie moved in for a closer look.

  “After what Jan said, I expected to see a ragged break. If this was caused by a defect in the beam, the break would most likely be splintered, jagged, and at an angle.” Jordan pointed to the end of the rafter still in place. “Look here. This beam has been cut with a saw. Look at how straight and clean this edge is.”

  “That is odd,” Maggie said. “I wonder who did that... and why?”

  Jordan’s eyes narrowed. “What I’d like to know is why Jan said there was no apparent reason for the break.”

  Maggie frowned. “You don’t suspect Jan, do you?”

  Jordan shrugged. “I don’t even know Jan, so I’m in no position to judge her. I just think it’s odd that she inspected the break and found nothing strange about it.”

  “To tell you the truth, Jan is really good with the animals, but she doesn’t know which end of a hammer to use to drive a nail. I doubt she would have realized the significance of this clean cut. I’ll call the original contractor and ask him about it. Would you mind talking to him?”

  “No,” Jordan replied. “Sounds like a good idea. In the meantime, I’ll repair this.”

  Maggie smiled. “Okay. I’d appreciate it.”

  “Consider it done.” Jordan smiled sweetly.

  Maggie’s gaze lingered on Jordan for several seconds. Finally, she chuckled. “Forgive me for staring, Jordan, but I’ve never met such a competent woman, especially not one as attractive as you.”

  Jordan blushed and did the only thing she could think of to diffuse the tension—she made light of the situation. “Well, thank ye, ma’am,” she said in a mock southern drawl. She tucked her thumbs into her belt. “Yer not such a bad looker yerself.”

  Maggie laughed. “And you have a sense of humor as well. A very nice combination. Good luck with the repair. I’ve got to get ready for a meeting with the Shelburne Selectmen in about an hour. If you need anything, ask John.”

  Jordan nodded at Maggie. “All right, then. I’ll just take a few measurements here. Do you need help with the ladder?”

  “No, I’ll be fine. I should be back in a couple of hours. I’ll show you around the farm and get you settled into the bunkhouse when I get back. Is that okay?”

  “That’s fine. Have a good meeting.”

  Maggie smiled once more. “Thank you. I’ll be back soon.”

  Jordan watched as Maggie climbed down the ladder into the loft and then exited the barn. It was only then that she released the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

  Chapter 28

  When Maggie returned to the barn later that day, she saw Jordan standing in the hook of the winch as John raised her to the rafters and lowered her again. “Okay, this time we’ll hook onto a pallet of feed and see how that goes.”

  Maggie leaned quietly against the doorway of the barn. Jordan hooked the winch to the straps supporting the feed pallet before climbing on top of the bags.

  “Okay, take it up.”

  Jordan held on to the rope just above the winch as John slowly raised her and the pallet to the level of the hayloft. “Looks good from here,” she announced. “Take it down.”

  John slowly lowered the pallet to the floor of the barn. When it was stable, Jordan jumped off and turned to John. “Good as new,” she said. “You should be able to unload the feed safely now.”

  “Thank you, Jordan. Maggie will be happy to know the rafter is fixed.”

  “Yes, I’m very happy,” Maggie said from her position by the door.

  “Maggie—you’re back,” Jordan exclaimed. “How long have you been standing there?”

  Maggie walked up and linked her arm with Jordan’s. “Long enough to watch your acrobatics. Do you always test out your own work like that?”

  Maggie led Jordan out of the barn and across the yard.

  “I do have a habit of using myself as a test subject. I figure if I put myself at risk, I’ll do a better job.”

  “I like that level of personal commitment,” Maggie said. “I think you and I are going to get along just fine.”

  “Here’s the bunkhouse,” Maggie said as they mounted the steps to the cabin. Maggie pushed the door open and stepped aside so Jordan could enter first.

  “Wow, this is really nice,” Jordan said. She looked around the well-furnished bunkhouse. It was built in an L-shape off one side of the farmhouse and extended behind t
he main house. This bunkhouse must have been torn down before my parents bought the farm. “Does anyone else live here?”

  “No, you’re the only one right now, so you get your pick of beds.”

  “I take it John and Jan don’t live on the farm.”

  Maggie smiled. “John, no. He lives about a mile down the road. Jan? She does live here— just not in the bunkhouse.”

  Jordan turned red with embarrassment. “Oh... I... ah... well, that’s really none of my business.”

  “No, I don’t mind. In fact you should probably know that my lifestyle is a bit unconventional. You see, Jan is my... well, let’s just say she’s my significant other. Is that going to be a problem for you?”

  The only problem I have is that it’s not me that you’re significant with.

  Jordan said, “No. Why should it? What you do in the privacy of your own home is your business. I do have one question for you though.”

  “And that is?”

  “Considering Jan’s status in your household, am I to take instructions from her as well as you?”

  Maggie grinned. “Absolutely not. Like I said, Jan is good with the animals, but not very proficient in other things. No, if there’s something to be done around here, I’ll be the one to direct it.”

  “That’s a relief,” Jordan replied.

  Maggie cocked her head to the side. “How so?”

  “Because judging by her reaction in the barn earlier today, I don’t think she likes me very much.”

  Maggie chuckled. “Don’t let her bother you. She tends to be a bit territorial, but she’s all bark and no bite.”

  I’m not so sure about that.

  “Take your pick of the bedrooms and make yourself comfortable. Look around, settle in, and let me know if you need anything, okay?”

  Jordan shoved her fingertips into her back pockets. “I don’t think I’ll be needing anything right now... oh wait. Maybe some paper and a pen? I like to keep a journal, and I don’t have anything with me right now to record today’s entries.”

  “Not a problem. I’ll go fetch it for you right now. I assume your diary is in your luggage?”