Time Tantrums (21 page)

“I don’t mind going back, but I’m not sure what good it’s going to do. I woke up in a strange place and I’ve been here ever since. I have memories of a husband who looks nothing like you, but you tell me I look exactly like your wife. If you say I’m confused, I have to agree.”

“I think both of feel that way. I know seeing Doctor Ramone is difficult for you, but we have to find out if things are going to stay this way. I need to go back to work. It takes money to live. As much as I would like to stay home every day, I can’t. The company has been kind enough to let me take family leave, and luckily we have money in the bank to cover our expenses. But it won’t last forever.”

Mariah shook her head. “You know, I don’t even know where you work or what you do. How strange. We’ve shared a home and our lives for over a month—even shared a bed—but there’s still so much I don’t know about you.”

David jumped off the counter. “Well, maybe it’s time we have a long talk and take care of that. If things don’t change, we may have a quite a while to get to know one another better, but we can still start now. Let’s go in the living room where it’s more comfortable.”

He kicked off his shoes and leaned back in his recliner. Mariah sat caddy corner to him and nestled in the comfort of the pillow-back sofa, her feet tucked under her. She pondered David’s statement about how long they might have to get to know each other. “About what you said in the kitchen... You know, we might be together a long time. How do you feel about that?”

David moved his chair back into a semi-reclining position. “I’m not sure. The only thing that has been different is the inner you. When I look at you, I see my beautiful Taylor. You are her in almost every way... better in some. So, the hard part for me
is knowing
you really aren’t my wife and trying to make myself understand how that could be.”

“You say I’m like her in almost every way? What ways am I not?”

“You have a softer side. Taylor is a spirited, ambitious, working woman. She isn’t a homemaker. Doesn’t like to cook or clean—she will, but she grumbles. Like I told you, she isn’t a very good cook at all. You really outshine her there.”

Mariah felt herself heat at his compliment and lowered her eyes. “Thank you. Frank loves my cooking, too. But there’s got to be something that drew you to her. Go on, tell me more about Taylor.”

He locked his hands behind his head and stared up at the ceiling. “She works mostly with men every day. Taylor’s an attorney and earns a good living. She’s had to learn to be aggressive to survive in the business world, and being an only child, she already had a temperamental streak.”

Mariah was about to ask him to explain being an attorney when a ringing doorbell interrupted.

 
David disappeared in the foyer. When he came back, he carried a large bouquet of spring flowers in a crystal vase. “These are for you.”

“Mariah’s eyes widened. “For me?”

He sat them on the coffee table, picked the card from among the leaves and held it out to her. “Do you want to open it?”

She took the envelope and slid the card from inside. “It says, ‘Get well soon. We miss you.
Your pals at the office.’
What pals at the office?”
 
She flashed him a puzzled look.

David plopped back down in his chair. “Well, I’ll be darned. I never would have guessed they’d be this sensitive. After all the things Taylor’s told me about them, I assumed they’d been too busy to notice she was gone. Oh,
what pals
?
The guys who work with Taylor at the law firm.
I believe she refers to them as jerks.”

Mariah leaned forward and inhaled the fragrant aroma. “They’re lovely. I’ve never seen such a big bunch of flowers. How in the world did they find such beautiful ones?”

“I guess you wouldn’t know about florists. They’re people who sell flowers for special occasions—like this…get well wishes, also weddings and funerals. They probably rake in a lot from husbands who need to make up with their wives. People pay, they deliver.”

“Oh, my goodness.
Who would ever think of such a thing? Flowers should be free to whoever wants them. When I wanted some, I just went out for a walk and picked them where they grew.”

“Well, things have changed. People find all kinds of ways to make money these days. Most people don’t have time to grow flowers, let alone pick them.”

“I guess it takes more money today. I’m embarrassed to admit that I don’t know much about the cost of things. Is that why you and Taylor both work?” She leaned back. “You have a very exciting life.”

“Exciting? There’s nothing exciting about both people working full time. You barely see each other. It seems the more you earn, the more you spend. Everybody wants to outdo everyone else. If someone has a pool, then someone else gets a pool and spa. If someone gets a new car, someone else has to have a bigger, better, more expensive one.
The same with homes, televisions… almost everything.
We’ve become a very materialistic race.” He sighed. “What else do you want to know?”

“I don’t know. Just keep talking. I’m learning about my future.”

He smiled. “Well, let’s see. Taylor is pushy, mouthy and has two bad habits that drive me crazy: being late and cussing like a drunken sailor. But, I love her so much. You wanted to know what drew me to
her?
She makes me laugh. She keeps me sane when it seems everything else around me is crazy. And did I mention how aggressive she is in the—”

David stopped short, a sheepish look on his face.

“In?”

“I’m
sorry,
I didn’t want to say something improper.”

“You were going to say in the bedroom, weren’t you?”

“How did you know?”

“Because I’m not and I know it. I’m sure you noticed when you came to my bed the other night. I’m afraid I’m just not comfortable with my sharing myself.”

“Mariah, I’ve apologized already, but I really am sorry for being so pushy.”

She stared into her lap. “I understand. We all have needs. I’m probably not as forward as most men would like their wives to be, but I was brought up in a different time and place. Acting brazenly is considered improper. My mother was very straight-laced and I had strict rules to follow until I married Frank. Then, I didn’t know anything about the facts of life, so what I do know I learned from him.”
 
She raised her gaze and shrugged. “He never complains and always acts like he’s still in love with me, so I guess I’m tolerable.”

David peered into her eyes. “Tolerable? You’re more than tolerable. You’re a passionate, beautiful woman. There’s nothing wrong with being different. I’m sure if you stay in this century, you’ll find out more about sex than you ever wanted to know. It’s everywhere—billboards, movies, television, books.”

“Do you think I’m going to stay here and never see my Frank again?”
 
Tears welled in her eyes.
“Or my children?
I have two precious children. What must they being doing without their mother?”
 

“Please, don’t cry! I don’t think we have much control over the situation. We sure as hell don’t understand it. Maybe it’s a time travel thing. I’ve read about the possibility, but never believed in it, but now...”

 
“Time travel?
I’ve never even heard of such a thing, but if there is, I definitely believe in it. How else would you explain my being here instead of where I belong in 1872 with my family? One minute I’m there and the next minute I’m here. How else can you explain it?”
 
She nibbled her bottom lip.

“I can’t, that’s the problem. I have no explanation, no remedy, no cure, and no expectations at this point. I want you to be able to return to your family, honestly. Believe it not, I want my pushy, opinionated, veraciously sexy wife back. I’m even willing to give up your great food.”

Mariah smiled. “Well, that’s what I call sacrifice.” She sighed. “Looks like we need to see Dr. Ramone again and give it one more shot. Maybe there’s some little thing I’m overlooking.”

Chapter Twenty-seven

With their plates empty, Frank and Taylor sat at opposite ends of the table and relaxed to let dinner digest. She rubbed her stomach. “You know, you really are a very good cook. Mariah is lucky.”

“Thanks. She taught me most of what I know. I don’t cook very often because she loves to.”

Taylor giggled. “Well, that’s where we really differ. I hate anything to do with the kitchen.”

Frank leaned his chair back onto its two rear legs, dug into his shirt pocket for a small sliver of wood, and picked at his front teeth. “I kind of got that feeling since you tend to avoid this part of the house.”

Feeling a little ashamed, Taylor immediately got up and began clearing the table.
“How about a cup of coffee in the parlor where it’s a little more comfortable?”

“Sounds good to me.
I’ll pour.” Frank started toward the stove.

Taylor reached over and grabbed the pot. “Oh no, I’ll pour. I want no more of your comments about my kitchen skills.”

She filled his cup and followed him into the other room.

Frank stood next to the fireplace, leaned against the mantel and looked up at the picture of Mariah. He glanced at Taylor, sitting in the side chair, then at the picture. “You know, now that I really look at you, there is something different about you and Mariah. It’s something around your eyes.”

“Really?”
 

“Yes, Mariah’s eyes always had a certain sparkle.
More so, when the kids were around and she was happy, but I haven’t seen that sparkle in your eyes at all.”

Taylor pondered his comments. “Well, waking up in another century, with a strange man who thinks he’s your husband and believes you are mother to his two children, is not something that would put a sparkle in one’s eyes. Wouldn’t you agree?”

He sidled over and sat on the settee. “I see your point. You’ve had a rough time, but we need to discuss the future. What if this is how things are gonna stay? Are you prepared to deal with that?”

She shook her head.

 
“You mean no, you aren’t prepared?”

“I mean I haven’t even given it any consideration. I figured I would wake up one morning and find out this had been a dream. Not a nightmare, just a bad dream.”

He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. “Well, perhaps we need to discuss it. We’ve woken up quite a few mornins’ now and nothing seems to be changin’.”

She tried to tuck her feet under her dress, but finding it much more difficult in Mariah’s clothing, she gave up. “You’re right. It’s been a month and everything is the same. I keep thinking about my life—
not
 
Mariah’s
. Have I lost my job with the law firm? Has David found someone else? Does he even know I’m gone? Maybe he’s in a time warp and hasn’t missed me yet.”

“I know it’s hard. I think about Mariah every day. Where is she? If you’re here, then where is she? Does she miss me as much as I miss her?”

Taylor cringed at his remark. “It didn’t seem you missed her too much the other night when you came to my bed.”
 
She immediately wanted to bite her tongue for being so crude. “I’m sorry, that was unkind. I was just as guilty and willing as you.”

Frank stood and paced. “It’s hard to explain. Every day, I look at you, and except for the missin’ sparkle I noticed tonight, you look just like Mariah. You smell and feel like her. I’m a man with needs, and in my mind, I was just makin’ love to my wife.”

Taylor took a deep breath. “Then what’s my excuse? You don’t look anything like David. Maybe I just needed to be held, and God knows David would tell you I’m a sex fiend. Was it so bad with me?”

Frank stopped pacing and jerked around, staring at her with wide eyes. “
No
, it was wonderful! Mariah is a good wife and a willin’ partner, but she’s shy and reserved. That’s when it really hit me you were tellin’ the truth. You are her opposite. I’ve never had a woman be so aggressive with me.”

“If I were a blushing sort of person that would make me turn red, but since I’m not, I’ll just say thank you. I’ve never been told I was good in bed.”

“What about your husband? Doesn’t he tell you?”
 
Frank sat again.

“No! We have a good sex life, but I’m the more energetic of the two of us, so I’m usually the one to start everything. I don’t mind. He takes care of me.”

Frank tugged at the collar on his shirt. “I can’t believe we’re sitting in the parlor, with the Bible right on the table in front of us, talking about such… such personal things.”

“Okay, now who’s being a prude?”

“I’m certainly not a prude. It’s just another new experience for me. You say ‘sex’ like it’s an everyday word. I’m used to sayin’ making love.”

Taylor straightened her legs, stretched her hands over her head and yawned. “Well, we aren’t getting very far in this conversation about the future. We tend to keep looking backwards.”