Forever Layla: A Time Travel Romance

by Melissa Turner Lee

  “If you tell me, I can help you figure it out. I am kind of smart.”

  She smiled at me. “I’ve heard that. Aren’t you that genius who invented time travel?”

  “That’s what I’ve heard.”

  I moved back and sat on the coffee table in front of her. “So, what are your plans for tomorrow? I can come by after school.”

  She smiled. “That’s right. You still have another month.”

  “Yeah” I shrugged at the reminder of my status as a high school kid.

  “I was thinking I’d go job hunting. Are there any insurance agencies within walking distance? I looked through your mom’s trunks, and there are a few suits and things I think I can make work.”

  “Yeah, right down the street is Watson’s. They are a family here in Chesnee—they run it. They’re the only good office in town.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah, there’s also Farm National Auto, a chain insurance company. Dad used to have insurance with them when the old guy, Drake Duke Sr., ran it. He died and his son took over. Dad said he was always a joke. His name was on the sign along with his dad’s as a courtesy from his father. He was never actually in the office until his dad died. He’s always passed out at his desk. My folks quit messing with him and moved over to Watson’s. I wouldn’t bother with old Drunk Duke.

  She sighed and took a deep breath. “I’ll keep all that in mind.”

  I stepped toward her and gave her a kiss on the forehead. “I’ll let myself out and lock the door. Sleep well.”

  “I’ll try.”

  I walked out the door, locked it, and got in my truck. The whole thing with Layla was surreal. The week before spring break, my only thought had been about finishing with a good GPA to get the scholarships I’d applied for. Now I was thinking about how I was supposed to prove to Layla that I was ready to move from being a kid to a man.

  Surreal. Utterly surreal.

  Layla

  I FOUND THE FARM NATIONAL Auto office pretty easily. There are only two main streets where businesses were located in Chesnee. I pushed the glass door open. The black heels I’d found in the trunk were a little snug, especially after walking a couple blocks there, but I refused to so much as wince as I stepped into the office.

  “Hello, is anyone here?” I called out.

  No one answered, so I stepped around the front reception desk. “Hello?”

  I walked to the opened door of the one and only office and looked inside. A too thin man with lines on his face and sparse strawberry blond hair lay drooling on the desk calendar underneath him. Beside him was an empty bottle of Jack Daniels and an empty glass.

  “Hello, Mr. Duke?”

  He answered with a loud snore and a snort.

  The door behind me chimed as someone stepped in.

  I spun around and pulled the door closed. “Can I help you?”

  A man in a t-shirt, jeans, and a ball cap stepped in. “Hey, I wanted a quote on some insurance for my car.”

  I smiled at him. “Sure, come have a seat.” I motioned for him to take a seat at the front desk.

  I turned on the computer, knowing I didn’t have the pass code. A black screen with bright green writing came up. I punched a few attempts at guessing the code, but wasn’t accepted.

  “Ugh” I grimaced at the man. “My computer is still down.” I grabbed a paper and pen off the desk. “Let me get your information—your name and phone number, and I will call you back with a quote as soon as they get the computers up. The main office swears they will be back up by this afternoon.”

  I tried to remember all the questions the program at my old office required for a quote. I took all his information before standing, taking his hand to shake, and smiling at him. “I will call you this afternoon, tomorrow at the latest.”

  He nodded and turned to leave.

  Once he was gone, I began rummaging through the desk and binders on the table beside me, looking for the number to the main office or IT. I found the number and dialed it. A man answered.

  “Hi, this is Layla at Drake Duke’s office. I’m the new office assistant. He had to step out, and I cannot for the life of me remember the pass code he gave me. I just started so I’m not in the system yet.”

  “Drake is supposed to call this in himself.”

  “Well, he’s not available, and I can’t sell or service anyone for the company until I’m in.”

  “Another new office manager? That’s like five this month. Tell me the truth, did he step out or pass out?” The man snickered.

  “We’ll just say he’s indisposed.”

  “I’m tired of making these codes for him to just run off all the office girls.”

  “Well, I plan to stick.”

  “Good luck with that. Here’s the code I assigned to the last one. If you’re still there tomorrow, I might make up a new one.”

  He gave me the code, and I thanked him before logging in. The screen was black with neon green writing. I read the prompts at the bottom and moved the mouse around but there wasn’t a cursor on the screen. I leaned closer to read and the commands along the bottom were for the f1-12 keys.

  “What is this?”

  I played around with it, trying to become familiar with the archaic technology. I grabbed the notepad beside me and starting taking notes for what all the function keys did. By lunch I had it all worked out and got the quote ready for the guy who had been in earlier.

  Man, insurance was a lot cheaper in 1994.

  I called and left a message for the guy telling him his quote. Once I’d done that, I went back into Mr. Duke’s office and tried to wake him. All he did was swat at me and babble nonsense. I looked around and found his wallet and car keys.

  I looked at them and pondered the risk to my idea. If it worked, I could end up with a job. If it didn’t, I would probably end up in jail. I grabbed the wallet, keys, and a stack of business cards from his desk and made for the parking lot. I found the black Cadillac parked just outside, unlocked it, and got in. I started the engine and put the car in reverse and backed out into the street. I drove about another block to the grocery store where I’d met David’s mother the evening before. I walked inside to the bakery and ordered five cookie trays and took them to the register where I purchased them all with Duke’s credit card. After I took them to the car, I placed the trays in the backseat and drove down the street a bit farther. I pulled into the first used car lot I saw and took the tray of cookies and business cards in.

  “Hey guys, here is a little gift from the office of Drake Duke, and here are some business cards. Could you pass these along to people buying cars?”

  The guys took the cards and cookies, and I returned to the Cadillac and drove down a bit farther and did the same thing at the next used car lot. I drove a few more miles and did the same at the Ford place and finally down a bit farther where I dropped a tray and cards at a real estate office before heading back.

  Around four o’clock, Mr. Duke stumbled out to my desk as I was writing out my third policy of the day.

  “Who the hell are you?” he asked, scratching his head.

  “I’m your new office assistant.” I stood and grabbed the stack of policies I’d written in his name. “I need you to sign these and send them in to the main office. One guy is bringing his wife back in tomorrow to discuss life insurance. We started chatting, and I found out they just had their first baby. I got them thinking about securing his future. Anyway, it’s been a busy day.”

  Mr. Duke raked his thin fingers through his long comb-over style hair and stared at me. “I need a drink.”

  “Of coffee?” I jumped up and poured him a cup. “I just made a fresh pot.” I handed the mug to him before reaching into my desk for the aspirin bottle. “Take a couple of these with it.”

  He took the pills and tossed them into his mouth before swallowing a gulp of coffee. Then he struggled to focus on me. “I’m sorry. I can’t remember your name.”

  “Layla.” I grabbed the stack
of contracts. “I will put these on your desk for you to sign. I’ve collected payments today and have the receipts in the cash drawer. I was looking at the contest the main office has going on for an office bonus. I’m going to win it for you.” I walked the contracts into his office and placed them on his desk and stepped out of his way so he could sit.

  “We haven’t won a contest bonus since my dad died two years ago.”

  “We will this month.”

  “Sounds like a lot of work.” He reached down to open a drawer, and his brow furrowed before he bent down to look more closely.

  “I threw the bottle out. It was empty anyway.”

  “I could fire you for that.”

  “I’d just show up anyway and work all day with you passed out.” I smiled at him as I said it and then walked back to my desk.

  *

  BY MY SECOND WEEK, THE office was busy with customers coming in. I’d set up lunch to be sent to at least one of the car lots each week on us and had a goody basket sent to another real estate office. Mr. Duke had even managed to stay somewhat sober during work hours. One evening after closing, he asked me to step into his office.

  “I’m sorry to say this, but I can’t find your paperwork from when I hired you. Can you fill them out again? To be honest, I don’t even remember hiring you. As you saw when you first got here, I’d pretty much given up. I was waiting on the main office to come shut me down.”

  I sat up straight in my seat. “Actually, you didn’t hire me.”

  “Then who did?” He stiffened. “Are you here from the main office to take over?”

  “No, I walked in to apply for a job and found you in your office. I couldn’t wake you when a customer walked in, so I took care of him and just stayed.”

  Mr. Duke’s brows furrowed as he looked at me, causing the abundance of wrinkles to become more pronounced. “So…what? You just walked in here one day while I was passed out and started working?”

  I nodded. “Pretty much.”

  He stopped and looked around then back at me. “Are you serious?”

  I nodded. “Yeah.”

  “How do I know you’re not a thief?”

  “I am. On my first day, I took your wallet and keys—bought and delivered cookies to the local car lots.”

  “I wondered what those thank you messages were about.”

  “So, do I have the job?”

  “Maybe.” He opened the drawer beside him.

  “If you drink until you pass out, do I get to make that decision too?”

  His eyebrow rose on that, and he closed the drawer. “How do I pay you? Are you even licensed to sell insurance?”

  “Not in South Carolina. I’m in the process of moving from California, so I’ll need you to send me to a school and sign me up for the test. I lost my purse in the move along with my driver’s license and all ID with it. Is there any way you can pay me in cash until all that gets taken care of.”

  “You have to have an ID to go take the state licensing test.”

  “I know. I’ll have it here by then. If we can’t work this out, I’ll keep looking for a job. But if you can, I promise you, I can get your office back to where it was before your father passed away—maybe surpass that level.”

  Mr. Duke sighed. “You’re on.” He reached for his wallet and pulled out a stack of bills and handed them to me. “This enough?”

  I smiled as I took the money. “Yes, it will do. When I’m signed on for real, I want a straight pay and a percentage of the book of business I build and renewals.”

  “I don’t normally give renewals.”

  “You don’t normally sell like you’re going to with me here.”

  The older man grinned. “Let’s just see first?”

  “If I win the contest for you, can I have my own book of business with renewals?”

  “All right. Deal.”

  I stood and turned to walk out the door.

  “Where did you come from? I bet I’m still passed out on my desk, dreaming this whole thing.”

  I only laughed as I grabbed my bag from under my desk and let myself out the front door. I already had a key.

  Chapter 10

  Layla

  DAVID HAD GOTTEN A SENIOR lunch pass since graduation was now only days away and came to take me to lunch one Friday. We were sitting in the Bantam Chef, a Fifty’s style restaurant, chatting over burgers.

  “What year did you turn twenty-four?” he asked after taking a sip of his soda.

  I smiled, thinking about the ridiculousness of my answer. “I turned twenty-four on January 4th, 2014.”

  His nose scrunched in the cute way it did. He glanced away, taking the information in and letting it process. Then he faced me, looking into my eyes with his beautiful blue ones. “So you were born in 1990?”

  I nodded. “Sure was.” Then I took a bite of the low-carb version of a burger I was eating with a knife and fork.

  “So right now, out there somewhere, there is a four-year-old version of you too.”

  I sat up and took that in. “Yeah, I guess there is.”

  “And she is just out there living somewhere?”

  I looked down at my dark suit with new recognition and pulled out my planner to look at the date. “Yeah, something like that.”

  David continued talking to me but I didn’t hear him. My mind was somewhere else—somewhere I’d soon have to revisit.

  “Listen, I need to get back to the office. I just remembered something I need to do.”

  David grabbed his jacket and stood. “Sure. I’ve got to get back to the school anyway.

  After he drove me back, I walked in and headed for Mr. Duke’s office, praying he was sober. Thank goodness he was.

  “Mr. Duke, can I borrow your car?”

  “Sure!” He picked up his keys and extended his hand. “Taking more business cards out to car dealers?”

  I considered lying, but I didn’t want to do that. “Not exactly. It’s…personal. I need to borrow your car for the rest of the day. I will bring it back to you this evening.”

  Mr. Drake sat up straight. “Are you in trouble?” He glanced around the office. “Is trouble following you here? I don’t want some old jealous boyfriend shooting up the place.”

  “No, nothing like that. I’m not in trouble. Not me here anyway. Someone really needs my help and… All I can say is that it is a matter of life and death, and I will never ask this of you again. I HATE asking for favors, and I hate drama.” I swallowed after I said it.

  “I hardly know you, young lady.”

  I nodded. “I know.”

  “You’ve already stolen my car and credit card once.”

  I couldn’t look him in the eye as I nodded again.

  “But you brought them back. And me back. Are you an angel, like on one of those TV shows?’

  “What?” I finally looked at him, scrunching my forehead.

  The older man nodded and reached out farther to extend the keys my way. “You were there to save me when I needed it. So here. I trust you. Do you need some cash?”

  I nodded again as I took the keys and the cash he was now handing to me. “A little. I’ll pay you back.”

  “Nah, just consider it an advance on your bonus. We are creaming the other offices. The bonus is in the bag for us.”

  I smiled as I headed for the door. “Thank you, Mr. Duke. You will not be sorry.”

  I walked out to the car, sat down, and started the engine before I said a quick prayer. I tried not to bother God too often with my problems. He had enough to deal with so why bother Him when I could take care of it all myself. But this was bigger than me, and I knew it. I closed my eyes, and after the prayer, I focused on the memory. I opened my eyes and opened the glove compartment to see if he had a map of South Carolina highways. I let out a sigh when I found a map. GPS wasn’t standard in cars yet.

  I pulled it out to get an idea of the general direction I would take on the interstate. It was time to face my past and prepare mys
elf for the future.

  *

  I PULLED INTO THE PARKING lot of the Beach Bum Motel in Camden, South Carolina. It was just off the interstate. Faded paint covered the front of the building, and the rails were missing off the stairs and along the balcony. It was the epitome of the word “dump.”

  I grabbed my purse, not wanting to leave it in the car, and walked into the motel office. A greasy, dirty man stood when I walked in.

  “I need a key to get into room 209.”

  The man smiled, exposing large gaps where several teeth used to be. “You don’t look like one of Blain’s girls. He getting into the high end game now?” He eyed me up and down, and I fought back the vomit and swallowed when he gave me a lustful look.

  “I’m not one of Blain’s girls.”

  He stepped back and examined me further. “Then who sent you?”

  “Look, you can open the door and let me retrieve what was left there last night, or I can call the police and let them know a drug-dealing pimp is operating out of your motel. I can tell them when to show up, and I can tell them what he pays you to keep quiet.” I crossed my arms in front of me, trying to make my bluff look authentic. “Or you can hand me a key, and I can get what I need from the room and the whole thing can be forgotten—no police called.”

  The man’s nose tilted up as he asked, “You a dirty cop?”

  “No.”

  “Then I’m not opening anything for you. Blain will kill me.”

  I gestured to my business suit. “Blain is the least of your worries.”

  “How’s that?”

  “Do I look like I work for someone the same level as Blain?” I leaned over the front counter. “The person I work for can take care of Blain.” I stood straight again. “And you…one way or another. I’m the one he sends to play nice and keep it classy. But we don’t have to play it that way.”

  “What’s in the room and how much is it worth to you?”

  I sighed and rolled my eyes at the man before reaching into my purse and pulling out $300 and tossing it on the desk. “It’s none of your business what is in that room. I suggest you leave a key on the counter here and walk to the back, so you can say you didn’t see who got in the room or what they came out with.”