(Leila and Remi are at a local Thrift shop when Remi comes across a peculiar photograph on the wall of the shop)
The following day, Leila and I
decided to hit up the nearby shopping center, which features a Staters Bros
market along with a few cute boutiques to check out. I was particularly excited
about a thrift store that had just opened a few months back, so I made sure to
swing by. While Leila and I were browsing through the aisles, I spotted some
pictures hanging on the wall. They were up for sale, and a few of them had that
charming vintage vibe that really caught my eye.
“Wow, look Leila, these pictures look totally
vintage.” Leila was browsing the clothes racks. I closely looked at a picture
that was from Woodstock and reminisced when Mr. Smith and I attended.
“It seems like yesterday, oh wait it was,” I
thought and chuckled softly. However, as I inspected the picture, I noticed
something familiar.
“Oh shit,” I whispered.
“Who took this picture?” I asked.
“Well, no one knows but I suppose a random photographer who attended the
Woodstock event in 1969,” the shop owner said as she surprised me by
approaching from behind. "Sorry for startling you," she commented. I
shook my head, "No problem, I am captivated by
this picture. How much?”
"Well, most of the vintage pictures here are priced at $80.00, but I can offer it to you for $50.00" With a sigh, I reluctantly agreed, “Okay.” Desperate to conceal my time-traveling escapades at any cost, I was willing to part with fifty dollars, knowing full well that no one would ever suspect the truth behind an innocuous old photograph. Taking down the eight by ten photo from the wall, she examined it closely. "Interesting, the girl in the photo kinda looks like you," she commented nonchalantly. "I guess everyone has a doppelgänger," she added, shrugging it off with a smile.
"Yeah, probably," I replied with a smile, momentarily lost for words feeling speechless as I stared at the image that froze a tender moment between me and Mr. Smith capturing the passionate kiss he had planted on my lips. After a quick transaction, she carefully slid the picture into a bag, which I promptly tucked into my backpack, the best I could.
"Have
you found anything interesting?" Leila asked. "Not really, what about
you?" I asked her, noticing a cute hippie-style tunic shirt in her hand
that seemed familiar. A sudden realization struck me.
"Oh no, it can’t be. That belongs to
Tracy," I thought to myself.
"That's a lovely boho tunic blouse,"
I commented with a nervous tone.
"Yes, it is. It belonged to my
grandmother," the shop owner revealed, leaving me in awe.
"Was your grandmother at Woodstock?" I asked, intrigued. She nodded as she proceeded to ring up Leila's item. "Yes, she was. She always told me stories about her time at Woodstock and a story about a peculiar journey she had with an actual time traveler and his young bride," she shared, causing my eyes to widen in disbelief. “In fact, she wrote a book about it, but it didn’t quite make best seller, however she did sell a few copies. I have a copy of it on the bookshelf, let me go get it." Beads of sweat formed on my forehead, a testament to my nervousness as I anticipated the contents of the book. When she returned, she handed it to me - an old book with yellow pages and a picture of the author, Tracy Richards, on the back. I recognized her by her distinct, beautiful eyes. “Her last name is Richards, it's probably her married name,” I thought.
"Do
you want it?" she asked, to which I simply nodded. Later, Leila and I
found ourselves seated on a bench at the outdoor mall's quad area.
"Can I take a look at that book?"
Leila asked. Passing her the book, she responded with a scoff, "The
Time Traveler and His Bride," reading the title aloud. "Well,
with a title like that, it's no wonder it didn't make it to the best seller
list, but I do like the romantic cover image," she remarked.
"So, how's your job?" I asked, shifting the conversation. She returned the book to me, and I promptly stashed it in my backpack. “It’s fine but well, my boyfriend he’s been a bit distant lately. I wanted to talk to you about it. I tried texting you, but you never responded. Where were you anyways? I was thinking of calling your house to see where you were, but I figured no one was home,” she said. My heart raced as the thought of her calling my house crossed my mind, knowing my parents could’ve caught me in a lie. It's a challenge to keep Mr. Smith a secret, especially from Leila, who has a knack for uncovering the truth. Contemplating whether to confide in her, I weighed the risk of adding another person to the list of those who could potentially expose my secret. With a heavy heart, I let out a sigh. We decided to go get lunch at Burrito Place. Following our meal, we took a stroll back to the quad. We were deep in conversation when I noticed the mysterious woman with sandy blonde curls pass by; she turned and offered me a friendly smile.
"Do you know her?" Leila asked, to which I simply shook my head in response. Leila and I sat on a wooden bench at the center of the quad, we chatted and then Leila excused herself to go to the restroom. I waited for her to come back, absorbing the peaceful scenery. The soft wind danced through the leaves of the trees, creating a tranquil ambiance around me. Suddenly, the mysterious woman approached me, taking a seat beside me. My heart skipped a beat as I tried to compose myself. "Hello, we've never met, but we have a mutual acquaintance in Mr. Smith," she said calmly. She didn’t sound like Mr. Smith at all; instead, her voice had an American tone with a hint of a country twang. I was caught off guard by her surprising introduction, my eyes going wide in disbelief. As I studied her appearance, I couldn't help but notice the details of her outfit.
She wore a stylish brown leather vest adorned with zippers, paired with an off-white cotton blouse with rolled-up sleeves that reached her elbows. Her faded button-front jeans and black flat-heeled boots completed the casual yet chic ensemble. The mysterious woman exuded an air of confidence and intrigue, leaving me curious about her connection to Mr. Smith. "Yes, I understand that this may be overwhelming, but I assure you, I have no ill intentions towards you," she stated calmly as I distanced myself from her, creating a physical barrier by placing my backpack between us. I finally asked, "Who are you and how do you know him?"
"I used to be his companion long ago," she revealed, leaving me speechless and unable to articulate the myriads of emotions swirling within me. My name is Melanie, at least in this current body I am," she added, meeting my gaze with intensity. She shook my hand, and my throat felt dry as I struggled to comprehend her words.
"This
body?" I managed to utter. Melanie nodded in response, prompting me to take
a deep breath before asking, "What exactly do you mean by that?"
"Mr. Smith must have shared some details with you," she continued, and I nodded in confirmation. I know he told me that he took a man’s body, but this was something different. "We were partners in a distant past, inhabiting human bodies as we traversed through time and space," Melanie explained, causing my heart to ache with the realization that he had kept this significant part of his life hidden from me but to be fair, he just didn’t reveal it to me, he was afraid that I would reject him, and I probably would’ve.
You can’t imagine how much it hurt me knowing that Melanie was his first companion. Overwhelmed with a mix of emotions, I hesitated and asked, "What happened between you two?" Although a part of me dreaded the answer, I needed to know the truth behind their shared history. “Did he ever change his body?” It was a stupid question, but I had to ask.
"To the best of my knowledge, he is currently in his first body, as I am," she said, glancing nervously around, clearly hoping to avoid being seen with me by anyone, especially a particular individual I suspect. I couldn't help but wonder about the potential consequences if Mr. Smith were to find out - would he resort to violence or simply sever all ties with me. The uncertainty weighed heavily on my mind as I let out a sigh. "I made the decision to part ways with him due to irreconcilable differences," she finally confessed, her fingers absentmindedly toying with a thick leather bracelet that seemed to hold more significance than just a piece of jewelry. In the middle of her wristband, there was a watch; it reminded me of Mr. Smith’s watch. She nodded, “Okay, you do that, in the
meantime if I were you, I would get on birth control.” Rising to her feet, she
prepared to depart. "Hold on a sec, what are you saying? I can't come out
pregnant, he’s an alien, we are of a different species." She chuckled and
set her arms akimbo.
"Oh Birdie, you're so naive." Leaning down, she planted a kiss on my forehead. "Just be careful," she advised me, her gaze filled with sincerity. She really seemed concerned about me. I was slightly offended by her comment. “I’m not naïve,” I thought, but deep down, she had a point. I should been on birth control. Leila's face shifted to a serious look as she approached me, her gaze locked on Melanie walking away.
"Who is that? Do you know her?" she asked, her curiosity piqued. Sensing the gravity of the situation, I suggested that we continue the conversation in a more private setting. "There's something I want to talk to you about. We should go to my house because this is going to take a while," I said. We drove back to my place; it was then that I told Leila everything.
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