LEXI
2004 - THE HALLWAY
That’s how I found Cooper looking very morose, leaning against the wall in the hallway.
I frowned. “Oh no, Coop, I’m so sorry.” I stood in front of him, then leaned forward nestling my head against his chest.
He put his arms around me, and held on. “I had big plans, Lexi, I was going to build an eco-tourism empire.”
I nodded and said quietly, “It’s still a great plan, what do those guys know? They’re idiots to not give you the money. They don’t think the plan is a moneymaker? You don’t need them. We’ll figure it out, this is just the?—”
“I know you’re trying to help, Lexi, can we just not try to fix it right now?”
“Yeah. I get you.” I sighed and pressed against him, his arms around me. And we stood there, comforting each other with an embrace.
Finally Jen came around the corner. “Oh, sorry to interrupt. Wondered where everyone went…”
Cooper let go. I stepped away. Cooper said, “No problem, we’re done.”
As he passed Jen they went through their fancy handshake: fist-bump, bird wing, clutch, pinky twist, fist-pound, run hand through hair. They had been doing it since they met, senior year in high school.
We returned to the table and Cooper immediately started grilling Torin again. “So, Medieval Man, what year are you from, you say?”
I said, “His name is Torin, Coop, let’s keep it civil.”
“He says his name is Torin, for all I know it’s Bob Johnson, not a reason in the world to believe a word he says.”
Torin said, “Tis fine, Mistress Lexi, I ken m’tale is difficult tae believe. I daena begrudge Master Cooper’s vigilance, I would do the same if he were feasting inmyGreat Hall. Tae answer yer question, Master Cooper, twas the year of our Lord, fifteen hundred, fifty-eight.”
Cooper said, “Alright,Torin, and you expect me to believe you came forward over four hundred years. And yet, I’m also supposed to believe you don’t know how to work it — can I hold it?”
Torin said, “Use caution, it grabbed me.”
I winced as he placed it in front of Cooper. “Honestly, Coop, be careful. We do not want that kind of storm in the dining room. This’s my grandmother’s china.”
Cooper nudged it with a finger, then picked it up and turned it over in his hands.
Torin said, “I wish Max had explained its workings, the only thing I ken now is not tae twist it or twill take me away — daena twist it.”
I said, “Didyoutwist it? Is that why it’s jumping you?”
“Nae, I hae been cautious, but it keeps grabbin’ me anyway without tryin’.”
Cooper opened his hand and let it roll back to the table. He concentrated on it for a moment with his eyes narrowed. “…Andyou’ve never left the…” He counted on his fingers. “Sixteenth century before,ever?”
“Nae, I hae always lived there.”
“You said this thing belongs to your lord, Maximillian, so somehow I’m supposed to believe he’s been time jumping around, yet time travel doesn’t exist and I’m damn sure if it did, and a man named Maximillian was jumping around, I would have seen him on the news. I’d expect a man who time travels would be in the history books, yet somehow, Lexi’s kitchen is the only place and time it’s even being discussed.”
Torin said, “Dost ye want the full story?”
Cooper said, “Yes, enlighten me.” And took a big bite of pasta.
“Max was born in a different time. He is a prince. His throne is in the future. I daena ken the year, tis not something I ever asked about —”
Cooper said, “So not now, in the future from now?”
“Hae ye ever heard of a prince named Maximillian?”
