Page 17 of Time After Time
“Cooper!” Mrs. Marley’s voice rang out, and the pig, now identified as Cooper, turned with a sudden shift in demeanour. The troublemaker, once charging at us, now appeared almost angelic as he bounded toward her, making a series of joyful noises just as loud and enthusiastic as his earlier squeals. “Are you being naughty?” she scolded, though amusement laced her tone.
As Cooper sprinted off, Gen’s body seemed to loosen. Her grip on me relaxed, but she still clung to me, her head sliding onto my shoulder. Her face nestled into the crook of my neck, and she let out a few deep, calming breaths. “A demon possessed that pig.” I chuckled, nodding in agreement.
“That pig just destroyed my manhood,” I joked, and Gen’s laughter, muffled against my neck, made the moment feel oddly cosy—even though I was still wincing, my face contorted with the lingering pain. “You’re laughing while I’m about to die,” I said, trying to keep the sarcasm in my voice, but my grin betrayed the discomfort that still had me shifting on my feet.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that Mrs. Marley was watching us more intently now, her gaze lingering as we stayed pressed together. When I turned, I found her standing still, lips pursed, her eyes narrowed just slightly. Her eyebrows lifted, and there was a hint of amusement in the way her gaze flicked between us.
My cheeks heat up, and with Gen still clinging to me, I made my way toward Mrs. Marley, who was now holding out two large glasses.
“I brought you some homemade lemonade.”
“Mrs. Marley, you’re a lifesaver.” With a grunt, I lifted Gen and set her carefully on top of the wooden fence, making sure she was steady. Cooper, still restless, circled around us and Mrs. Marley’s feet, making his presence impossible to ignore.
I handed Gen a glass of lemonade, and her face lit up as she took it from me. She pressed the rim to her lips, letting out a sigh of relief before taking a long drink. I followed suit, gulping down the chilled liquid, the coolness cutting through the heat and easing the tension in my muscles.
Once I finished, I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and handed the empty glass back to Mrs. Marley, offering her a grateful smile.
A sudden, pained sound caused me to jerk my head toward Gen’s direction so rapidly that I felt a twinge in my neck. Her eyes were squeezed shut, and lines of discomfort creased her forehead, nose, and the corners of her eyes. Her head hung low, and her free hand pressed against her forehead.
“Brain freeze?” I asked, and Gen nodded, her face twisted in a grimace as she held the position.
A soft chuckle broke the silence, and when I turned, I caught Mrs. Marley trying to stifle a grin. But then I froze—standing beside her was a girl I hadn’t noticed before.Had she been there all along?
“Oh, I forgot to introduce you,” Mrs. Marley said, her hand resting on the young girl’s shoulder. The girl looked to be about our age—maybe a little younger. “This is my granddaughter, Aria.” I shifted through my memory, remembering Mrs. Marley mentioning Aria before. She was two years younger than me. “She’s staying with me for a few days while her parents are away on business.”
I flashed Aria a grin, assuming her grandmother had already filled her in on who we were. “She’ll be helping out on the farm for a few days too, so you won’t have to come every day.” Though I didn’t mind showing up to help while Mr. Marley recovered, a few mornings off would be nice. It gave Gen and me a chance to make other plans.
As Mrs. Marley kept talking about her granddaughter, I felt a shift in the air. Glancing sideways, I caught Gen watching me closely. Her head was tilted, her expression serious.
She didn’t move, but there was a faint twitch in her brows, like she was trying to figure something out. I met her gaze with a look of my own, unsure of what she was thinking. It seemed to help, though, as her shoulders eased and her focus shifted.
“-to go.” It took a moment for Mrs. Marley’s words to sink in. “Once you’ve finished with the horses, you’re free to go.” I blinked, unsure if I’d heard right, and asked her to repeat herself just to be sure.
Her eyes softened as she spoke again, and she tenderly placed her hand on my forearm. With my other arm still supporting Gen, I held her hand for a brief moment, making sure she didn’t stumble. “You kids are a huge help to me. I’m sure Mr. Marley will want to thank you both personally once he’s feeling better.”
Gen slid off the wooden fence, her weight still leaning against me as she found her balance. She placed her right hand over both Mrs. Marley’s and mine, her touch light. “It’s our pleasure.”
And it truly was.
This wasn’t how I’d imagined spending my summer, but I couldn’t deny that it had given me memories of Gen I’d hold onto forever. If I could, I’d carve those moments into every surface, replaying them over and over, today and long after.
Before we left, I shot Mrs. Marley a grin. “You might want to be careful with how much you’re feeding that pig. I think he’s already planning a takeover.”
Just then, Cooper let out a loud snort, almost as if to confirm it, then shoved his snout into a nearby bucket with a frustrated grunt, knocking it over like he was throwing a tantrum.
Chapter 7
Geneviève
Uh oh.
My mum’s face was the first thing I saw when I walked in, exhausted, aching, and dreaming of the longest shower of my life. Her brows pinched together, and she exhaled softly through her nose, like she wanted to say something but couldn’t find the right words.
“How was your first day at the farm?” she asked, her voice a little too bright. Her lips pressed together, and her eyes flickered over my dirt-streaked clothes before widening slightly, like she was bracing for my answer.
I glanced around the room, confusion spreading across my face, until my gaze landed on Sylvie. She was sprawled on the couch, Mr. Whiskers curled in her lap. Her brows were pulled into a sharp V, her eyes narrowing as her lips pressed tightly together, as if she were holding something back—regret, maybe, or the words she didn’t want to say.
“Today was... kinda tiring,” I said, leaving out the real story. I thought about mentioning Cooper, the pig who followed me around all day, how both funny and a little strange it had been.But I didn’t want to share it. It felt like something for Sebastian and me to laugh about, just the two of us.
