A Stitch in Time (Timeless Love Book 1)

by Susette Williams

  The scent of cherry drew her attention. It smelled pleasant. The guy in the seat behind them must have lit his pipe again. You didn’t see people do that now-a-days… or in her time period. Amtrak didn’t allow smoking on trains. She wondered how people in this century would feel if they had a chance to glimpse into the future. Men and women in shorts, showing more bare legs, would probably make the people on this train gasp. Lizzie chuckled to herself.

  “Are we almost there?” Olivia yawned and stretched. “I’m hungry.”

  “Almost, sweetie.” Lizzie brushed a few stray strands of hair from the little girl’s face and smiled. As if echoing in response, the train whistle blared, and the train began to slow. She clutched her tickets in her hand and picked up her parasol that had fallen to the floor during their ride. “When we get up to exit the train, I need both of you girls to take hold of my hand so that we don’t get separated.”

  Mary Margaret nodded. Olivia stood, anxious to get up and move after being confined for nearly four hours. Once the train came to a complete stop, Lizzie stood to make sure the girls obeyed and didn’t rush past her.

  “Go ahead, ladies.” The middle-aged man with the pipe in the seat behind them motioned for them to exit before him. People were more formal and polite than she was accustomed to.

  “Thank you.” Lizzie took a hand of each girl, wishing she could hold on tighter. She transferred the closed parasol to her other hand, with the tickets and coin purse, and clutched Olivia’s hand firmer. The youngest girl tended to be the more restless of the two.

  Once they exited the train, Lizzie ushered the girls to a bench on the platform. “Let’s sit down and wait for Jeremiah.”

  “I don’t want to sit.” Olivia stomped her foot and stood firm.

  Lizzie tried to pull on her arm, but she refused to budge.

  “No.”

  “No?” Lizzie laughed. Okay, being obstinate also fit her youngest sister’s character traits. Perhaps having a baby sister left room to be desired. “How about this, I’ll sit on the bench and you and Mary Margaret can skip in a circle in front of me until Jeremiah comes?”

  That prospect apparently worked because Olivia’s eyes sparkled as a smile crept upon her face, and she began skipping. This time, she practically pulled Lizzie in her haste to reach the bench. Mary Margaret quickly joined in. Lizzie giggled like a school girl and started skipping, too. After all, it was only a dream. She didn’t have to worry about anyone seeing her that she knew from her past. Why not have fun?

  “All right, girls. We’re here. I’ll sit down while the two of you skip back and forth.” Thankfully, they willingly released her hands. Lizzie sat her things on the bench and pulled her skirt up slightly in order to tuck a leg beneath her when she sat down.

  The crowd of people who’d exited the train, along with the new passengers who’d boarded the train, thinned. Lizzie wondered if Jeremiah had forgotten about his promise, or them. Then she saw him hanging on the railing as he climbed down the stairs, pausing to say something to a coworker. The other guy looked toward them and waved. Her cheeks warmed. She wondered what Jeremiah told his friend. Obviously that he had someone waiting for him.

  Lizzie pretended to be preoccupied with watching the girls as Jeremiah approached. He had unbuttoned his jacket and had his hands tucked in his pockets.

  “The girls look like they are having fun,” Jeremiah said as he took a seat next to Lizzie on the bench.

  She nodded. “It was hard for them being cooped up on the train for four hours. They needed to let off a little nervous energy.”

  “It seems like their older sister needed to let off energy, too.” Jeremiah sat back and put his arm behind Lizzie and smiled. “I noticed you skipped as well.”

  Her cheeks warmed. “You weren’t supposed to see that.” She giggled.

  Jeremiah reached up and twirled one of Lizzie’s curls. “I think it was cute. Your sisters absolutely adore you.”

  Lizzie didn’t want to correct him, after all, this was only a dream. “Perhaps we should be going now. I’m sure both of the girls are hungry.”

  Jeremiah stood and took her hand, helping her up. He continued to hold her hand. “Come on, girls,” he said. “Let’s all hold hands together.”

  How could she refute his request, when the girls gleefully joined in and grabbed each of their hands? “What should I do with my umbrella?”

  Jeremiah paused, then looked at the parasol on the bench. He retrieved the umbrella for Lizzie, opened it, and handed it to her.

  “Thank you.”

  He gently took her arm at the elbow and clasped Olivia’s hand again. “Now we’re ready to go.” He winked at Lizzie.

  With Jeremiah around, she wouldn’t need to wear blush. Her cheeks always felt warm, and not from the sun. Why didn’t modern day men possess such charm?

  Chapter Six

  O nce they reached the fairgrounds, Lizzie could not believe the huge expanse of exhibits, and wondered if they would be able to see everything. The area looked quite different from what it was in modern times.

  Jeremiah continued to hold both her and Olivia’s hands as he led them past several interesting exhibits still under construction that Lizzie would have liked to visit. “You will love my aunt’s cooking,” Jeremiah said. “She and my Uncle Frank have a quaint restaurant at the fair.”

  Lizzie smiled, hoping they would reach the restaurant soon.

  “Are we there yet?” Olivia asked. “I’m hungry.”

  Almost as if in response, Lizzie’s stomach growled.

  Jeremiah laughed. “We will be there shortly.” He nodded up the road. “See the restaurant with the canopy?”

  Mary Margaret nodded and said, “yes.”

  “That is where we are headed.” Jeremiah increased his pace, forcing the girls to hurry their steps.

  “I’m tired of walking,” Olivia announced, and Lizzie almost laughed. On the train, Olivia couldn’t wait to get up and move around, and now she wanted to sit down.

  Without letting go of Lizzie’s hand, Jeremiah paused long enough to scoop Olivia up in his arm. She giggled and flung her arms around his neck. “You’ll be sitting and eating in no time, my lady.”

  “Good. I’m hungry.” Olivia glanced past Jeremiah to look at Lizzie. “She’s hungry, too. Did you hear her tummy growl?”

  Lizzie blushed. “I think you’re a bit too outspoken.”

  Jeremiah’s laugh was hearty. “I think you’ve gone and embarrassed your sister.”

  “She’s not—” Lizzie caught herself. She’d have the girls in tears if she mentioned not being their sister. Even if this was a dream, she didn’t want to see either of them cry.

  “Then by all means, continue being honest,” Jeremiah said. “Apparently, your sister isn’t embarrassed. The early afternoon sun is merely turning her cheeks rosy.”

  “You’re even more impossible than she is.” Lizzie pulled her hand from his.

  “I’m sorry.” His expression sobered. “I was only having fun.”

  “Apparently at my expense,” Lizzie mumbled.

  “Jeremiah!” a well-rounded, middle-aged woman called out before they reached the tables and chairs on the sidewalk outside the restaurant. “How good to see you.”

  Jeremiah hugged the woman. “Aunt JoAnn, this is Olivia.”

  “I’m very pleased to meet you, young miss.” Aunt JoAnn gently tapped the end of Olivia’s nose with her index finger, and Olivia giggled. “And who might these other two lovely ladies be?”

  “My name is Lizzie, and this is… my younger sister, Mary Margaret.” Lizzie extended her hand, but JoAnn just glanced at it a moment.

  “Isn’t that something men folk do?” She looked at Lizzie, stepped closer and hugged her. “It’s nice to meet you, dear.”

  “She hugs everybody,” Jeremiah said. “We thought we’d stop for lunch and do some sightseeing.”

  “Wonderful.” JoAnn pulled out a chair at one of the tables. “It’s nice outside
today. Why don’t you all have a seat out here?”

  Jeremiah sat Olivia in the seat next to the one his aunt had pulled out.

  Mary Margaret took the seat offered. “Thank you.”

  “I just pulled a batch of fried chicken out of the fryer,” JoAnn said. “I will bring you all some of it, along with the fixings.”

  Lizzie smiled because she didn’t know what to do. Once Jeremiah’s aunt was out of earshot, she turned to him. “I take it we don’t get to look at a menu to order?”

  He chuckled. “My aunt is old-fashioned.”

  Lizzie frowned. As opposed to what? She wondered. After all, they were living in ancient times.

  “She likes to keep people fed.” Jeremiah scooted his chair closer to the table and leaned closer to Lizzie. “Technically, they’re not opened until the fair opens. So, she and my uncle cook to feed the many workers.”

  “Ah.” Lizzie nodded. It explained why the fairgrounds weren’t crowded. She hadn’t noticed any other people wandering around like they were, taking in the sights. They had seen a boy playing ball with a dog, but one of the construction workers had called out to him by name. She assumed he’d brought his son to work with him. Her stomach grumbled again. She didn’t fancy chicken on a bone. “Any chance they’d have chicken fingers?”

  “Eww,” the girls complained.

  Jeremiah laughed so hard his chest shook.

  “What?” She stared at Jeremiah, noting how cute his dimples were when he cut loose with laughter.

  He wiped the moisture from his eyes. “You do realize chickens don’t have fingers, don’t you?”

  Lizzie nodded. “Yeah.” She thought for a moment. “Oh, you mean when I asked about chicken fingers?”

  Jeremiah nodded. “Yes, they have claws.”

  “You’re right.” She couldn’t help but giggle. “Where I come from, chicken fingers are boneless, skinless, breaded and fried pieces of chicken breast. Very delicious.”

  “And where might you come from?” Jeremiah’s expression sobered. “I overheard your sisters complaining earlier about you playing pranks on them. This wouldn’t be one of those pranks you’re trying to play on me is it?”

  A lump formed in her throat. She nodded.

  “It is All Fool’s Day, after all.” Jeremiah leaned toward her again, reaching to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “Something tells me you like to have fun.”

  Even though the way Jeremiah said it didn’t sound suggestive, like most guys she knew would insinuate, she still blushed.

  Thankfully, his aunt showed up, with presumably a helper, carrying four plates of food. “Here you go.”

  They set the beautiful plates, that were designed with an image of Thomas Jefferson, surrounded by five images of palaces at the fair and another of a garden, in front of them. The two girls received smaller portions and a glass of lemonade, while hot tea was placed in front of Jeremiah and Lizzie. “Do you think I could trouble you for some ice?” Lizzie asked.

  “Sure, dear.” JoAnn instructed the male server to retrieve her request. “If you all need anything else, just let me know.” JoAnn winked at Jeremiah and went back inside.

  Lizzie had the sneaking suspicion Aunt JoAnn was doing the math, and she’d added it up all wrong. She and Jeremiah were not an item. Not that he wasn’t cute, in a boyish sort of way. But he was nearly five years younger than she was, at least her real age. Apparently, all one needed to do to become younger was get their beauty rest. It’d already taken seven years off of her.

  She picked at her chicken in silence. It really was delicious, even though it had bones. A couple moments later, their server brought her a bowl with an ice cube. Did he think she was a dog and wanted to drink out of a bowl?

  “Excuse me,” she said, before he walked away. “Could you bring me a glass of ice?”

  “I would be happy to.” He nodded and left.

  “I’m not even going to ask.” Jeremiah smiled and took another bite of his chicken.

  Lizzie stirred a couple of teaspoons of sugar into her tea, noting the man quizzically watching her from the table next to theirs. When their server returned with her glass of ice, she poured the cup of tea into it and took a sip. “Ah, now that’s refreshing. Nothing like a nice cold glass of iced tea.”

  The man at the other table smirked. “Waiter, may I have one of those?”

  “Yes, Mr. Blechynden,” the waiter replied. “Would you like me to put it together like the lady did as well?”

  “No, I’d like to do it myself. Thank you.” He motioned the waiter away and addressed Lizzie, “What did you say that drink was called?”

  “Iced tea.” Lizzie giggled. “Haven’t you ever had it before?”

  The man shook his head.

  Lizzie took another sip and paused. Weren’t there some timeline continuum rules or something? Good thing this was only a dream, or she may be altering the future.

  Chapter Seven

  “I can’t wait for the fair to open,” Lizzie said. “It will be even more exciting than it has been today.” Three hours of wandering around the fairgrounds made the girls and her tired. They were heading back to the entrance, so they could catch the train back home.

  “Look at the puppies.” Olivia pointed to three dogs tied up near a group of Filipino men.

  None of the men wore shirts, not something Lizzie expected in this era. She noticed their muscular build, which they had obviously acquired without a gym membership.

  “Perhaps we should walk another way,” Jeremiah suggested, and began to lead them away from the men. His pursed lips and narrowed eyes made Lizzie wonder why he disapproved of the men.

  “Oh please, Sissy, can’t we go pet the dogs?” Mary Margaret asked.

  Olivia didn’t wait for a response. She pulled free of Jeremiah’s hold and ran to pet one of the stray mutts. All three dogs began to lick her and jump on her.

  The men laughed. Lizzie could not tell what they were saying in their language. She assumed they enjoyed seeing the dogs’ reaction to Olivia. Mary Margaret and Lizzie both squatted down to pet a dog as well, leaving Olivia the smallest of the three dogs to pet.

  “Don’t you want to pet one, Jeremiah?” Lizzie smiled up at him.

  Jeremiah stood with his hands tucked in his pockets. His gaze remained on the men watching them. “No, thank you,” he said. “I think we should be leaving now or we will miss the train.”

  Lizzie nodded and stood. “Come on girls, Jeremiah’s right. We need to get a move on if we want to catch the train on time.”

  The girls both reluctantly hugged a dog and pet all three one last time before they turned to leave, looking over their shoulders at the dogs while they walked away.

  “I wish Daddy would let us have a dog,” Olivia said. “Maybe for my birthday.”

  This wasn’t a conversation Lizzie wanted to have. If their parents didn’t want them to have a dog, who was she to encourage it?

  Lizzie allowed the girls to walk slightly ahead of them so that she could talk to Jeremiah. “Is there a reason you didn’t like those Filipino men?”

  “If you ask me, they should be wearing clothing.”

  “They had clothing on.” Lizzie giggled. “Does it bother you to see other men shirtless?”

  “I would think it would bother you.” Jeremiah’s tone was curt.

  Her smile slowly faded. She constantly had to remind herself that this place was ancient. Jeremiah would be shocked if he rode the subway or visited any large city and saw how people dressed or listened to the way they talked. “Seeing someone shirtless doesn’t bother me. I felt like there was more to it, like something else was bothering you.”

  Jeremiah shrugged.

  “Why wouldn’t you pet the dogs?” Lizzie asked.

  “Because I know the fate the Filipino tribe of Igorot have planned for the dogs.” His lips pursed again. “It is their custom to eat dogs.”

  Lizzie gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. “You’ve got to be kiddin
g?”

  Jeremiah nodded. “No. It is part of their diet and it has been allowed since they are visiting our country and sharing their culture as part of the World’s Fair attraction.”

  “Surely we could get people to protest?” Even though this was part of a dream, Lizzie felt sick to her stomach. “It’s barbaric, if you ask me.”

  “I agree.” Jeremiah placed a comforting arm around her as they walked.

  It was nice having Jeremiah with them on the trip today. Lizzie was thankful he was there to help them get back to the train station and board the proper train. She smiled at the thought of getting to spend another four hours with him on the ride back home.

  Shortly after they were all seated, the girls both leaned against the window and began to doze. They’d had a fun and exhausting day. When Jeremiah got to them, Lizzie held out her tickets, but did not readily release them when he grabbed them. “Are you sure you couldn’t sit with us for a little while?”

  Jeremiah smiled. “You know that I would like nothing more.”

  “Jeremiah, is that you?” A beautiful blonde with her hair done up fancy walked up to Jeremiah, laid a delicate hand against his chest and kissed him on the cheek. “It’s good to see you again. My mother is hoping you will come by for supper again soon.”

  The hurt and pain Geoff caused Lizzie came flooding back. Jeremiah wasn’t her boyfriend, and she would do well to remember that.

  The woman turned to Lizzie. “Hello. My name is Rose Marie Russell.” She glanced at Jeremiah, batted her eyelashes, and squeezed her arms around his bicep. “Jeremiah says I’m his favorite flower.”

  “Perhaps you should return to your seat?” Jeremiah gently removed the woman’s hands. “If you ladies will excuse me, I should get back to work.” He tipped his cap and walked away.

  He’s not your boyfriend, Lizzie reminded herself. And he’s never going to be! Player!

  “May I join you?” Rose asked, motioning to the seat next to Mary Margaret.