Once Found: The Pocket Watch Chronicles

by Ceci Giltenan

  “That’s good to hear.”

  “She doesn’t seem to have recovered any more memories, but clearly can form new ones. Yesterday, she learned to read numerals so she could use the phone.”

  “And the microwave,” she added with a smile.

  “Well done, lass.”

  “And I learned how to make coffee. I quite like coffee.”

  “I’ve always preferred tea, myself.”

  “Tea?”

  “Gabe, lad, ye must give her a balanced education. I’ll make a proper pot of tea for us and we’ll have a cup as we chat.”

  “Shall I leave you then?” asked Gabe.

  “Not immediately. There are some general things to discuss first, then Elizabeth and I will chat alone.”

  Elsie found the tea delicious, but she still thought she preferred coffee. Dr. Rose also put out a plate of things he called biscuits, but Gabe called them cookies.

  She didn’t care what they were called, but she liked them. “Did you make these?”

  Dr. Rose chuckled. “Nay, lass, I bought them. They are called Nutter Butters and are a particular weakness of mine.”

  “I’ve never tasted anything like them. They’re delicious.”

  Gabe laughed. “You always were a big fan of peanut butter. I’ll have to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for you.”

  “Aye, like I said, a balanced education.”

  As it turned out, the general things Dr. Rose wanted to discuss concerned Elizabeth’s employer, and Elsie didn’t completely understand it all.

  “Elizabeth, as we discussed, I contacted the University Hospital on your behalf to tell them about the accident and explain your condition. The head of human resources will be calling in a few minutes. You will need to give her permission to speak in front of me and Gabriel. She is going to explain your disability insurance.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “You are a doctor, employed by the hospital in which you work. In addition to being paid a salary for the work you do, there are other benefits. You have health insurance that pays for medical care, such as that which you received in the hospital here. You also have something called disability insurance. It pays you part of your salary if something happens that prevents you from working.”

  Elsie had only been in this century for a few days, but it hadn’t taken long to realize that modern life revolved around money. Everything had a price, and people worked in exchange for money. Without money, they didn’t have a roof over their head or food in their bellies.

  She also knew that Elizabeth had quite a lot of money. It was what her father had gotten so angry about. She looked from Dr. Rose to Gabe. “I said I don’t want to use any of her—I mean, my money while I have no memory. I don’t want my father to accuse anyone of trying to take my money.”

  Dr. Rose shook his head. “I know ye were upset by your father’s attitude and ye can leave the bulk of your wealth untouched, but ye really do need to have access to some money. We’re going to arrange for you to receive your unemployment insurance.”

  “But—”

  “Nay, lass, you need this.”

  Elsie frowned, but said no more.

  The call with the human resources person didn’t take long. Elsie didn’t understand much of what was said, but she gathered that she would receive a certain amount of money twice a month as long as she had no memories. She just wasn’t sure she understood how that would happen.

  When the call was over, she asked, “How will I get the money?”

  “It will go directly into your bank account, just like your salary does.”

  Dr. Rose smiled indulgently at Gabe. “Lad, I think it’s safe to say Elizabeth only seems to understand very concrete things.” He proceeded to explain what a bank account was and how it worked.

  “But if the benefit money is just going in with all of the rest, won’t my father get mad if I use it?”

  “You have several different kinds of bank accounts, and one of them is called a checking account,” explained Gabe. “I suspect you don’t keep large amounts of money there anyway, but if it makes you feel better, I can help you make sure you only use the funds from the disability insurance. I’ll even teach you how to do it yourself.”

  Elsie would rather just stay completely away from Elizabeth’s money, but if she did that, it would mean Gabe would have to completely support her. That didn’t seem fair, either. She nodded. “Okay.”

  Dr. Rose nodded, obviously satisfied with the plan. “Now that all that is sorted, Gabe, I’ll ask ye to step into the waiting room and give me a few minutes alone with Elizabeth.”

  “Certainly.” Gabe stood and brushed her temple with a kiss before leaving. That little gesture created a warm glow within her.

  As the door shut behind Gabe, Dr. Rose cocked his head to one side. “Ye quite like that young man.”

  “Elizabeth does, and it feels pretty wonderful.”

  “Perhaps.”

  “I’m certain of it. When she comes back… if she is able to help Lady MacKenzie, she will deserve the happiness.”

  “And ye, Elsie?”

  She blushed and smiled. “I think happiness awaits me.”

  He smiled warmly. “Good because ye deserve it, too. This has not been easy. I can promise ye, most travelers find going backward tolerable, but coming forward is frightening and disorienting.”

  “It has been that. I don’t want to be alone. I… I asked Gabe to sleep with me. Even so, when I wake up in the night, it takes me a few moments to get my bearings.”

  “I imagine.” Dr. Rose considered her for a moment. “You are aware that Gabe can’t stay with you all of the time. He has to work.”

  “I know. I keep hoping Gertrude will find me and tell me to say the word before too long. Gabe works seven days in a row starting on Saturday.”

  “And what if Gertrude hasn’t returned by then?”

  “I’ll…” What would she do? “I guess I’ll figure out how to be alone. At least it will be during the day. Surely by the time he works at night, everything will have been put to rights.”

  “Perhaps it will be. And perhaps by then you will be more comfortable here.”

  Elsie nodded, but she wasn’t sure she would ever be very comfortable.

  “Elsie, there is something else I want to discuss with ye. Elizabeth’s mother has already contacted me. She knows I cannot break patient confidentiality, but she wanted me to give you a message. She is making arrangements to work from her company’s Manhattan office. She will be here by Monday at the latest. She would like to see you.”

  “I don’t…I’m sorry Dr. Rose, but I don’t want to see them. Elizabeth will be back soon and then everything will be resolved.”

  Dr. Rose steepled his fingers under his chin. “This whole pocket watch thing is not always easy to understand. You believe that Gertrude does what she does for very specific reasons, don’t you?”

  “Yes, I think so. Elizabeth is where she needs to be to help Lady MacKenzie.”

  “She is. Still, that could have happened without you coming here. The exchange could have taken place as it usually does—with you losing your life.”

  “But the accident changed things.”

  “So Gertrude said. But maybe the accident wasn’t really so much of an accident. Maybe everything happened exactly the way it was supposed to. Maybe Gertrude had a plan for ye that is bigger than just bringing Elizabeth and Gabe together.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I think it is fairly obvious that Elizabeth and her parents don’t have a very close relationship. And didn’t ye say ye’d rather hoped to feel a part of a family?”

  “I did, but…”

  “Elsie, perhaps that’s part of your role here. Maybe ye’re intended to bring Elsie and her parents together again.”

  “How can I do that? I don’t know them, and they don’t seem happy with me right now.”

  “I think ye may be able to do it precisely because you
don’t know them.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Well, based on the way her parents, or her father at least, acted, they expected Elizabeth to simply fall in line. I suspect she avoids them because of this. She would never have challenged them, but you did.”

  “That doesn’t seem to be the best way to improve their relationship. It seems to have sent them away angry.”

  “I think they were more stunned than angry.”

  “I’m pretty sure her father was angry.”

  Dr. Rose chuckled. “He was frustrated.” At Elsie’s look of doubt he added, “And perhaps a little angry too, but I suspect it was more at the whole situation than anything else. His irritation will cool, and when it does, he may begin to see Elizabeth as an adult with a will of her own. That might be a very good thing. If ye approach it with a loving heart, ye may be able to help them grow to respect her independence. This little episode may also wake them up to the fact that they had lost their daughter.”

  “She isn’t lost to them. She is coming back.”

  “Elsie, I’ve spoken to Elizabeth’s parents on several occasions now. From everything I’ve learned, they lost Elizabeth a long time ago. Ye’ve allowed them to find her in a way that she never could have. For all intents and purposes, ye’re an innocent. Elizabeth’s past, both good and bad, has ceased to exist. I don’t think they realized how distant their daughter had become. Now they have to deal with the reality that in order to have her in their lives, they have to rebuild a relationship from the ground up.”

  “But maybe they’ll just wait until she’s back and she remembers them.”

  “That clearly isn’t the case because her mother wants to see ye. And they have no assurances that the old Elizabeth will come back.”

  Elsie looked away for a moment. “I’ve already told you how afraid I am, but there is more to it than encountering things that are foreign to me.”

  “What’s bothering ye?”

  “The fact is that I am living one big lie. I have not lost my memories. They are all absolutely intact. I’m pretending to be Elizabeth with amnesia while trying to make sure that my own memories don’t inadvertently reveal that I am not Elizabeth. For whatever reason, I feel safe with Gabe. Maybe it’s because his memories of Elizabeth aren’t terribly recent and maybe it’s just because I trust him. Regardless of the reason, I am at ease with him. But Elizabeth’s parents make me uncomfortable. If I slip in front of them, they might use it against me. They might be convinced that I’ve lost my mind.”

  “I suppose I understand that. But I think it would be a mistake to shut her parents out. What if I’m with you, at least the first time?”

  “I guess that would work.”

  “Then perhaps on Monday, when Gabe is working, I’ll clear my schedule and we can meet her for lunch. I’ll come to Gabe’s apartment to fetch you.”

  “Gabe is worried about Elizabeth’s parents too. I suppose it is for the best.”

  “I think so. I’ll make the arrangements and call Gabe with the details.”

  In the rest of their time together, Dr. Rose asked her questions about her home. Elsie found it very calming. He also explained how canonical hours translated into the numbered hours Gabe had explained to her.

  Afterward, Gabe took her to a clothing store. She had only ever worn clothes that someone had made for her or she had made herself, and except for the fabric color, all of her garments were alike. The sheer variety of clothing available was mind boggling, but Elsie couldn’t deny that she enjoyed shopping. Trying things on was fun, and she had never seen looking glasses—mirrors—as large as those in the changing rooms.

  Gabe helped her pick two more pairs of jeans and tops to go with them, and one of the girls working in the shop helped her pick some more undergarments. As they were going to check out, a rack of beautiful skirts caught her eye. They were a lot longer than the one in Elizabeth’s bag, while still being shorter than what she was accustomed to wearing. She fingered the soft, lightweight fabric reverently.

  “Would you like to try one on?” asked Gabe.

  “They are very pretty.”

  “Then try one on.”

  “But we already have enough.”

  “Elizabeth, try it on.”

  She grinned. She really did want to see what one would look like. She picked one with a dark purple floral print, and along with a white, lace-trimmed blouse the shop girl said was “perfect for the boho chic look,” she went back to the dressing room. When she had the garments on, she stood and stared at herself in the mirror for a moment before stepping out of the dressing room to show Gabe. She felt beautiful.

  “You look lovely, Elizabeth, and by the expression on your face, I’d say you like the outfit.”

  “Oh, I do. I don’t think I have ever worn anything this pretty.”

  He cocked his head to one side, appearing slightly amused. “Then you must have it,” he said simply.

  “We can put something else back.”

  “No, we can’t. I want you to have these things.”

  “Ballet flats would be just the thing to finish off the outfit,” said the girl who had been helping her.

  “What are ballet flats?”

  “You know, flat black shoes like dancers wear.”

  “Oh, I don’t need shoes.”

  The girl laughed. “I’ve literally never heard a woman say that.”

  Gabe laughed. “At the risk of starting a bad habit, I think she is right. There is a discount shoe store near the book store. I suspect we can get a pair there.”

  By the time they were finished shopping, Elizabeth did indeed have a pair of comfortable, flat, black shoes and workbooks from which she could learn to read and do sums.

  Before going back to Gabe’s home, they stopped at a restaurant and Gabe ordered a pizza for them. It was perhaps the most delicious thing she had ever tasted. But then again, everything she tasted seemed like the most delicious thing she had ever tasted.

  ~ * ~

  Elizabeth fell asleep almost instantly that evening. Gabe lay beside her, watching her as she slept. Today had been an extraordinary day. She seemed to have so much fun shopping even though she never really had in the past. The truth was that she’d always been too busy to simply spend the day shopping. But today, she had appeared lighthearted and happy.

  My sweet girl, it seems losing your memory is what it took to slow you down. To make you stop and smell the flowers. You need more of that in your life.

  That gave him an idea. He couldn’t do it this week, but next Saturday morning, he would take her to the flower district.

  Chapter 11

  Over the next two days, Elsie poured herself into learning everything she could to better function in the modern world. The machines were amazing. She conquered the washer and dryer first.

  On Thursday morning, Gabe said, “I’m going to do laundry. Would you mind getting the dirty towels for me?”

  Dirty towels? “None of them are dirty Gabe.”

  He smiled at her. “I know they aren’t actually soiled, but I mean the towels and wash cloths we’ve used.”

  “Oh. Okay, I’ll get them.”

  When she came out of the bathroom with them, he stood in front of the washer and dryer he’d said he was lucky to have. So a washer must be for washing clothes and linens.

  “How does it work?”

  “It’s pretty easy. You put the stuff you want to wash in this bottom part. You don’t want to pack it in or nothing will get clean.” He showed her how much to put in. “Then you measure out the detergent.” The detergent was a thick, bright green liquid he poured into the machine before shutting the door. “Then you select your water temperature. Hot water is for whites, warm water is for colors, but if the colors are very bright or the fabric might shrink you use cold. Then you turn this knob to here and push it in.”

  When he did that, the machine started to fill with water. For a few minutes she watched through the glass door in am
azement. “What happens?”

  Gabe chuckled. “The laundry tumbles in the soapy water first. Then the machine pumps the dirty water out before filling with rinse water and tumbling some more. Then that water is pumped out and the drum spins very fast to get out as much water as possible. You’ll hear when it starts.”

  When the washer finished, Gabe moved the damp clothes to the dryer and showed her how to turn it on. Then he started another load in the washer.

  The dryer turned out to be even more remarkable. When the timer buzzed, Gabe opened the door to remove the towels. She picked up one of the towels and couldn’t help but bury her face in it. It was delightfully warm and fragrant.

  “This is wonderful.” She looked up to see Gabe watching her with a grin.

  “Yeah, laundry fresh from the dryer is one of life’s simple pleasures.”

  “I think I like doing laundry.”

  Gabe laughed. “I’m sure that is the first time those words have ever crossed your lips.”

  “I didn’t like it before?”

  “No. You hated doing laundry. A lot of your clothes had to be dry-cleaned, so you went to a cleaner who also offered a fluff and fold service.”

  “Fluff and fold?”

  “Yeah. Essentially, you paid to have everything laundered except your undies.”

  “Undies?”

  “You know, underwear—bras and panties.”

  “I can’t imagine why I did that.” She blushed. “I mean I can see why I might not want someone else washing my undies, but it’s so easy to do laundry. I can’t imagine paying someone to do it for me.”

  Gabe smiled. “You were always busy, always in a hurry. You didn’t like spending time doing mundane things.”

  Elsie shrugged. “Until I remember that I don’t like it, I think I’ll enjoy it.”

  Gabe laughed. “Be my guest.”

  In addition to the washer and dryer, Gabe also showed her how to use the stove although she didn’t really know how to cook the modern food he had. She wanted to learn, but he said it would be easier to do that after she could read, so she focused on reading.

  Then, there was the television. As soon as she recovered from the shock of pictures that moved and talked, she became enthralled. And then bored. Gabe enjoyed sporting events and watched the winter Olympics a lot. She didn’t find it quite as thrilling. There were no tests of strength or sword fights. Although sliding down the side of a mountain at breath-taking speeds did have its appeal.