Page 37 of Time After Time
I pouted, my chest tightening a little. I couldn’t even begin to imagine that kind of silence—the waiting, the doubt, the ache of not knowing if someone you loved was safe… or if they’d already slipped away.
Sighing deeply, my chest rose a little too sharply as I picked up the blush and began to sweep it across her cheeks. But before I could finish, Mrs. Marley took it from my hands, leaning closer to the mirror and dabbing a touch more blush onto the bridge of her nose and the tip of her chin.
“When you live in another country, even now with all this technology… It’s still hard,” I answered. “Different time zones, packed schedules… I worry we won’t even find a moment to talk.”
I walked over to the bed and sat at the foot of it, watching as she reached for her red lipstick. I didn’t offer to help—I knew better. Mrs. Marley’s hands always trembled slightly, but she never let that stop her. No matter how much they shook, she insisted on doing everything herself, and if the colour went past her lip line, she’d fix it with a cotton swab like I had seen her do a thousand times before.
“I used to have online friends I really cared about,” I said, almost without thinking. My thumb rubbed slowly over the edge of the bedspread, following the stitching like it could help me find the right words.
At the vanity, Mrs. Marley was focused on her lipstick. Her hand trembled a little, as it always did, but she steadied it with her other hand and carefully traced the shape of her lips. She missed a spot at the corner and, without a fuss, reached for a cotton swab to fix it. Just as I expected.
“We used to talk all the time,” I went on, still watching the way the sunlight came through the curtain, faint and golden. “But then life happened. School, work, everything started pulling us in different directions.” I shrugged a little, pulling my legs up onto the bed. “Sometimes I forgot to answer. Sometimes they did. No one meant anything by it. But eventually, the messages just stopped.”
I looked over at her, and she met my eyes through the mirror.
“And then it was quiet. Like they were never really there to begin with.”
“Then those were just temporary friendships, and that’s alright,” She leaned in closer to the mirror, smacking her lips together, before checking the result in the reflection. “Sometimes we need those.”
Mrs. Marley reached for her perfume, spritzing a little in the air and then around her neck, inhaling deeply. “Maybe those friends helped you see parts of yourself you hadn’t noticedbefore, or showed you something worth remembering.” She placed the bottle down on her vanity with a clink, her hands moving carefully as she pushed the perfume farther from the edge of the table. “And I don’t think that will happen with Sebastian.”
She held my gaze, letting the words sit before adding, “You two will decide what happens. A friendship doesn’t fade on its own. It’s something both of you have to make space for, again and again.”
I wanted to bring up another thought, something that would only amplify my fear, but I held it back. Deep down, I knew that once Sebastian was in America, I’d be the one checking in constantly, sending messages, asking how he was doing, needing those video calls just to see his face. I tried to tell myself he’d be too busy with the internship to have time for me, that he’d be swallowed up by everything he’d have to do. But in the back of my mind, I couldn’t shake the voice reminding me that Sebastian would probably wake up at some inhuman hour, just to catch a few minutes with me, no matter how hectic his days would be.
Still, the fear lingered. Like a shadow that wouldn’t leave, no matter how much I tried to reason with it.
“Enough about Sebastian and me,” I said, clapping my hands as I stood up, eager to shift the focus. I walked toward her with a smile, trying to shake off the heavy thoughts. “It’s about Mr. Marley and you today.”
I smiled, feeling my eyes sting a little as I watched Mrs. Marley’s face light up. A wide grin spread across her lips, and her eyes seemed to sparkle at the mere mention of him, as though the sun, the stars, and the moon all existed because he had willed them into being. I couldn’t help but think that if I asked her, she’d probably say that he had.
“Sebastian and Mr. Marley are waiting!”
I stood there, waiting for her to rise, offering my arm for her to take. She placed her hand on mine, letting me help her carefully descend the stairs. To my surprise, as we reached the first floor, I noticed rose petals scattered across the ground, leading the way. Mrs. Marley stopped in her tracks, gasping before letting out a loud, carefree laugh.
“Those are fake petals,” she said, shaking her head, her voice full of affection and amusement.
I glanced at her, confused, as we continued our walk toward the front door, the petals guiding us like a trail. “Mr. Marley knows I hate when petals are used like that,” she explained, her eyes twinkling. “Those are fake, my darling.”
I hadn’t known about the petals, so either it was Sebastian’s idea—though he hadn’t mentioned it—or Mr. Marley had kept a stash of fake flowers tucked away somewhere for moments like this. My heart clenched a little at the thought. Being loved like that, with such care and effort… it must be one of the most thrilling feelings in the world.
Once we stepped through the threshold of the door, Mrs. Marley’s eyes darted around, her excitement palpable. But as she scanned the area, her face softened, her eyes momentarily dimming when she didn’t spot Mr. Marley or Sebastian right away. A small flicker of disappointment passed over her expression before I gave her arm a gentle squeeze, reassuring her without words.
I guided her toward the back of the house, and when she caught sight of the table we had set, her gasp was so loud it nearly knocked the air from my chest. Her whole body seemed to move with the sound, and for a split second, I worried she might lose her balance.
But there it was—the table, with its white mantel, golden cutlery, and a fresh bouquet in a flowerpot, all ready for her to plant and grow. The backdrop of blue skies, the bright sun,and the vibrant colours from Mrs. Marley’s garden only made the scene even more breathtaking. Yet, I knew she wasn’t really seeing any of that. Her gaze was fixed on one person only.
Mr. Marley stood there, dressed in a crisp formal shirt and pants that looked just a bit too short for him. His face was gleaming with a wide, welcoming smile as he waited for her.
She let go of my arm, her steps growing more purposeful as she moved toward him, her eyes never leaving his face. No words passed between them.
Mr. Marley then reached for the back of the chair, pulling it out for her, and with a gesture, invited his wife to sit. She settled gracefully into the chair, and he took his place across from her, still grinning as they exchanged a look. One that could not be described.
I glanced at Sebastian as he stepped closer, standing beside me. His arm brushed mine, and we both watched Mr. and Mrs. Marley. They were laughing, their hands resting on the table as Mr. Marley uncovered the dishes and sweets Sebastian had prepared for them. It was all part of the day we had set up, giving them a moment to breathe, to enjoy a quiet, beautiful memory—especially now that Mr. Marley seemed to have recovered.
“How do you think it feels?” Sebastian’s voice pulled me from my thoughts, but I didn’t look at him. I knew his gaze was still fixed on the couple in front of us. “To grow old with someone?”
This time, I did turn toward him, curious about the expression on his face. He was standing with his arms crossed, his eyes glinting, and his lips struggling to hold back a smile.
