Page 16 of Time After Time
Before I could finish, Gen playfully punched me in the chest, cutting me off mid-sentence.
Mrs. Marley, already up and carrying an empty basket under her arm, greeted us with a bright smile. “Oh, you’re here early,” she said, glancing toward the sun just starting to rise. Farm work always started before the heat set in, but even she seemed surprised we’d made it this soon.
“I just finished hanging the laundry,” she said, nodding toward a line of clothes swaying gently in the morning breeze. “With the sun coming up, they’ll dry in no time.”
Mrs. Marley wasn’t in her usual farm clothes today. Instead, she wore a semi-long rose-coloured dress, the fabric catching the light breeze, paired with a cowboy hat engraved with Mr. Marley’s name along the side.
Her smile softened, but her eyes sharpened with concern. “Did you two eat breakfast?”
We nodded quickly, her concern easing into a soft smile.
A hearty breakfast was essential for the busy morning ahead on the farm. During the bike ride over, I’d checked with Gen, knowing she often skipped breakfast when she felt rushed. This time, she’d got up earlier to let her stomach settle, making sure she was ready for the work to come.
“In about an hour, I’ll bring you both some lemonade,” Mrs. Marley said with an endearing smile, her eyes crinkling. She set the empty basket down by her feet and wiped her hands on her apron. “But first, I need you to feed the animals and give the horses a good brushing.”
She walked us through the tasks, explaining where to find everything and how to get it done. As she turned to go, she added, “Oh, and if you need the bathroom or anything else, just let yourselves into the house.”
Once we were ready, we started with the chickens since their coops were closest to the farmhouse. The water in their trough had already got dirty, even though Mrs. Marley had replaced it the night before. We emptied the trough, scooping out the floating weeds, and filled it with fresh water. After that, we fed them a mix of wheat, apples, and grains, just like Mrs. Marley had instructed.
Next, we tended to the pigs, giving them fresh water and food. Many of the pigs were young and full of energy. A few of them started darting around, squealing with excitement—either at the sight of us or the fresh provisions. It was a fun sight, especially when one of the older pigs, curious about the younger ones’ playful antics, decided to join in.
This pig was round and pink, with a distinctive brown circle around its left eye and ear. It seemed particularly interested in Gen, following her every move.
As I skimmed through the handwritten note from Mr. Marley, a loud squeal cut through the usual sounds of the pigsty—one that definitely didn’t come from the pigs. I turned just intime to see Gen backing away, her focus on the enormous pig moving toward her. She held her hand out, trying to keep him at arm’s length. “You’re a good boy. Stay back.”
But the pig, understandably smitten, had other ideas. He kept advancing, nibbling at her clothes. Gen, however, wasn’t quite as enthusiastic. She let out a high-pitched shriek and backed away even faster, inadvertently encouraging the pig, who thought she was up for a game.
Gen’s eyes went wide, her lips parting in a silent gasp as the pig blocked her path, its squeals growing louder with every step. She continued to retreat, her feet stumbling, raising her hands in front of her, desperately trying to push the pig away with little success.
A shaky breath escaped her, and her shoulders tensed as she glanced around, realising there was nowhere left to go.
I couldn’t help it. Laughter exploded out of me, shaking my whole body. I bent forward, clutching my sides as tears sprang to my eyes. I squeezed them shut, struggling to breathe through the waves of laughter.
“Sebastian!” Gen’s voice was sharp, and hearing her use my full name only made the situation funnier. Her face was flushed, her lips pressed into a thin line of annoyance, and she shoved the pig away again, more forcefully this time, but it didn’t stop.
She took another step back, eyes darting to me, her expression pleading. “Help me!” she shouted, her voice rising above the noise.
The situation sent me into another fit of laughter, my knees wobbling as I struggled to stay upright. “You’re an asshole!” Gen’s shout cut through the air, sharp and frustrated, but it only made my laughter harder to contain. My breath came in ragged gasps, and another wave of tears poured down my face, mingling with the warmth of the sunlight on my skin.
Then, something heavy landed on my back. I grunted, almost losing my balance as I lurched forward, the sudden weight snapping me out of my laughter and disrupting my thoughts.
“You really are an asshole.” Gen’s voice came from just beside my ear, and I felt a shiver as her breath brushed against my skin. She clung to me, arms winding around my neck, her legs gripping my waist, trying to lift herself as high as she could to stay out of the pig’s reach.
The pig grunted, blocking our way, irritated that I had taken Gen from it. It made another attempt to snap at my clothes, and I quickly stepped back, trying to create some distance.
“Hey, dude,” I said, trying to reason with the pig, but my words and gestures had no effect. He kept edging closer, his large head bumping into my legs. This pig was definitely on the bigger side. “Step back. Go join the others.” But no matter what I said, he didn’t budge, nudging me persistently, as if trying to push me away from Gen, even though she had come to me in the first place.
The pig circled me, positioning himself behind me in an attempt to reach Gen. She screamed even louder and scrambled to climb higher onto my back, as though that were somehow going to help. My hands slid beneath her thighs, unintentionally supporting part of her weight with my arms, a gesture she seemed to misinterpret as an invitation.
I grumbled in frustration as Gen twisted around, her arms and legs moving so fast that I let out a grunt. Now, she clung to me like a koala, but this time she was on my front instead of my back.
Our faces were only inches apart, our bodies pressed tightly together.
Her eyes stayed locked on the pig as he turned, realising Gen was out of his reach. Meanwhile, I couldn’t tear my eyesaway from her. The world around us seemed to fade, my breath catching as I watched her, my heart pounding in my chest.
“Oh, my gosh!” Gen’s shout came at the same time her arms tightened around my neck, and I gasped, caught off guard by how firmly she squeezed. Our bodies pressed closer together, and I had to shut my eyes for a moment, trying to ignore the sensation of how perfectly we seemed to fit.
Without thinking, my hands found their way to her lower back, lifting her slightly. That movement, however, triggered the pig to leap, slamming its head directly into my groin. “Fucking—” The curse was cut short by a sharp, searing pain that shot through me, too intense to finish the word. Despite it, I held onto Gen with everything I had, hyper-aware of her fear as the pig, now far from cute, continued to charge.
