Karen D. Badger - Yesterday Once More (23 page)

“Did I allow that?”

“Only after I assured you that I... er, I mean, that Jan wasn’t sleeping with him like Maggie accused her of doing. It was kind of freaky. Anyway, you finally did allow him to carry you back to bed, but you insisted that I stay with you while you slept. So, I climbed into bed with you until you fell asleep. Then I slipped quietly out of the room.”

Jordan’s mind was full of turmoil, but she tried to make light of it. “Are you telling me that you agreed to sleep with me and I don’t even remember it? That sucks!”

Andi said, “You snooze, you lose! So… what do you say you get your butt into the shower while I brew another pot of coffee for the lab crew? I’m sure they’ll enjoy some of these muffins.”

Jordan hesitated slightly, deep in thought. Finally, she snapped out of her trance. “Sounds like a plan. I’ll be back in a jiff.”

* * *

“Jordan, let me get that.” Andi darted forward to hold the door open while Jordan maneuvered her chair into the house.

“Thanks.” Jordan guided her chair into the center of the room and then sat back and stretched. “That feels good. It’s amazing how tiring lying on your back all day can be.”

“I can understand that.”

“It’s kind of odd to be entering data into the computer while lying in bed, but it beats sitting alone all day in the house. I feel like I’m participating in the work on the implant this way. I felt pretty useless before.”

Andi walked up behind Jordan and massaged her shoulders. “We did make a considerable amount of progress today.”

Jordan’s head rolled forward. “Ah! Can you do that for about two hours? I agree that we’ve made some progress, but there’s still something not quite right with the testing. Did you notice how the prototype implants are causing the rats to move haltingly across the table? They should be moving much more smoothly than that. My gut tells me it’s in the computer code somewhere. I just need to find it.”

“You’ll find it. I have faith in you. Why don’t you go enjoy your diaries while I get dinner started? Kale should be in from the lab soon, and then we can all sit down and enjoy a nice meal together.”

“Are you sure I can’t help you?”

“Nope, got it covered. Go ahead, relax in the Jacuzzi, read.”

“You don’t need to tell me twice,” Jordan replied as she headed for the bathroom.

Jordan eased into the Jacuzzi. She had pulled a stool close to the edge of the tub so she could place her book on it. “Oh, my God, that feels good,” she murmured aloud as she felt the warmth spread to her back and chest. Her buoyancy in the water allowed her to position her upper and lower body comfortably in the tub as she placed a rolled up towel behind her head. With the push of a button, gentle jet streams of water pummeled her body in a therapeutic massage.

Jordan reached for the book and began to read.

* * *

September 23, 2018

God! My body hurts like a toothache. I need to speak with the contractor who built the barn. That rafter should not have come apart the way it did. The barn was only built two years ago. And besides, there are other hoists hooked to rafters throughout the barn, and they have never been a problem.

Of course, with my luck, I just happened to be standing beneath the damn thing when it went. Thank God for reflexes. I saw it coming at the last minute and was able to turn so that it grazed me on the back below my shoulder. The doc said if it had hit me on the head, it would surely have killed me. As it is, I ended up with a couple of fractured ribs and a whole lot of black-and-blues.

I swear I lay there for hours before the vet showed up. The thing that puzzles me is where Jan was through all of this. She was supposed to be working on the fences in the barnyard. She should have been close enough to hear me yell. Hell, the vet heard me when he climbed out of his car parked near the house nearly one hundred feet away. Anyway, when she found out I was injured, she went out of her way to wait on me hand and foot. It touched my heart that she was so concerned about me. I guess she really does love me.

Jordan was staring into space when she heard a knock on the door.

“Jordan, dinner is almost ready.”

Jordan closed the diary and placed it on the stool beside the tub. “Thanks, Andi. I’ll be out in a few minutes.”

“Do you need any help?”

“No, I think I’ll be okay.”

“All right. Kale just came in from the barn and is setting the table.”

Fifteen minutes later, a freshly bathed Jordan maneuvered herself into the kitchen. “I need to go out to the barn,” she announced.

“What do you mean, you need to go to the barn? Right now?” Kale asked as he placed a plate of food in front of Jordan.

“Hmm, this smells good. No, after dinner is soon enough,” she replied.

“What’s so interesting in the barn that you need to see it tonight?” asked Andi.

“I’m not sure yet. There’s something I need to check out. I may need your help, Kale.”

Kale put his fork down and wiped his mouth with his napkin. “Sure. What exactly are you looking for?”

“That dream—or whatever it was last night—has been bothering me.”

“Andi told you about it, huh? It was pretty freaky,” Kale said.

“Did something in the diary prompt this sudden need to search the barn tonight?” Andi asked.

“After you told me about last night’s fiasco, I thought I might find something about it in the diary. Specifically the ‘barn incident’ that Maggie mentioned. ”

Kale frowned. “That incident happened more than eighty-five years ago. Do you really think you’ll find new information that might shed light on the issue?”

“I don’t know, but what have I got to lose by looking?”

After dinner, Kale, Andi, and Jordan bundled up against the still-frigid April night and made their way out to the barn.

“You know, Jordan, Peter would not be happy to know you’re spending so much time in this chair,” he reminded her.

Jordan chose to ignore his gentle scolding.

As they approached the barn door, Jordan asked Kale to stop. Poised near the entrance to the barn, she turned around in her chair and mentally measured the distance between them and the house. She judged it to be approximately thirty yards. “Okay, let’s go into the barn, please.”

Looking confused, Kale followed Jordan into the center of the livestock area of the barn. The first thing Jordan did was look at the rafters.

“What are you looking for?” Andi asked.

“I’m not sure yet. It’s too dark to see anything.” She looked around a while longer before turning her attention to Kale. “Kale, would you mind standing on the porch steps?”

Kale put his hands on his hips. “What exactly are you up to? This is odd behavior, even for you.”

Jordan grinned. “Just humor me. Please?”

He threw his hands up into the air. “And you call me a mad scientist.”

Jordan laughed. “No, I said your hair made you look like a mad scientist. Now scoot. And leave the door open. Oh, and let me know when you’re standing on the steps.”

A moment later, she heard Kale’s voice in the distance. “Okay, weirdo. I’m standing on the steps.”

Suddenly, Jordan began to scream. “Help! Help me! Help!”

In a flash, Kale rushed through the doorway of the barn. “Jordan! Jordan, what is it?” he exclaimed in a panic.

Jordan grinned. “Hmm, I thought so. I assume you could hear me from that distance without a problem?”

Kale was obviously struggling to calm himself. “What the hell was that all about?” he asked angrily. “Of course I could hear you. I’m standing here, aren’t I?”

“Cool,” Jordan said. “Now, go back to the porch again if you would.”

“Like shit I will. Tell me what you’re up to. This isn’t funny.”

Jordan reached for Kale’s hand. “I’ll explain it all very soon. Please. I need you to do this for me.”

Kale looked at Andi, who nodded slightly. “Okay. You’re the one who’ll have to wear the straight jacket, not me,” he said as he returned to the porch steps.

“Andi, would you mind telling me when he’s at the steps?”

Andi walked to the barn door. “He’s there.”

“Good. Now, if you would, please close the door.”

“What are you up to?”

“I’ll explain everything in good time. Okay. Here goes. Kale! Help, Help! If you can hear me, please come to the barn!”

A few seconds later, the barn door swung open. “You called?” Kale asked.

Jordan sat back in her chair and nodded. “Okay. I’ve got what I need for now. Besides, I’m freezing my ass off out here. Or at least I would be, if I could feel it. Let’s go into the house.”

Jordan retrieved the diary she had left on the stool beside the tub. When she returned to the living room, Kale was waiting for her.

“Okay, first things first. Out of that chair,” he said as he scooped her into his arms and placed her on the couch. “And let me have your jacket.”

Jordan made herself comfortable as Kale built a fire in the fireplace. Andi brought in three mugs of hot-spiced apple cider. “Here you go. I thought we could all use this to warm us up after that cold barn.”

“You got that right. Thanks.”

Andi made room at the end of the couch by lifting Jordan’s feet and placing them in her lap as she sat down. Kale made himself comfortable in Jordan’s hover-chair.

“Okay, Jord,” Kale said. “You have a lot of explaining to do. Want to tell us what that little field trip was all about?”

“Don’t you see?” Andi said. “With your help, she proved that Jan could have heard Maggie’s cries for help with or without the door open.”

Kale was skeptical. “Wait a minute. Are you saying you suspect Jan of foul play? Just because you’re jealous of Maggie’s relationship with Jan, that doesn’t make her the bad guy. Besides, Maggie died in a riding accident, remember?”

Jordan sipped her cider. “I’m not saying that Jan has done anything wrong here. It just seems odd that she didn’t hear Maggie’s call for help. And for the record, I’m not jealous of Jan and Maggie’s relationship.”

“Bullshit you aren’t.”

“I’m sorry,” Andi said, “but I’ve got to agree with Kale on this one, Jordan. Not that I blame you, though.”

“Okay, okay. I’m jealous. I admit it. So shoot me. I’m sorry, but I can’t help it. It sucks to be in love with a dead woman. Give me a break here.”

Andi said, “I understand. I would feel the same way in your shoes. It’s getting late. I think I’m going to take a quick bath then go to bed.”

Kale intercepted her as she crossed the living room. “I’ll be in soon, love,” he said.

Andi kissed him gently then whispered, “No hurry. She needs you right now. Wake me when you come in.”

Jordan waited until Kale returned to the couch and sat down beside her. “She’s a wonderful woman, and she loves you very much, Kale,” she said. “You’re a lucky man.”

“Yes, she is,” Kale agreed. After a short silence, he said, “Jordan, if what you feel for Maggie is anything close to what I feel for Andi, I totally understand what is motivating you. You’re right about the time travel experiments. I think between the three of us, we can figure out why the boot came back in an altered state. I won’t promise you that we’ll solve the problem quickly, but I’ll work my ass off until we do.”

Jordan touched the side of Kale’s face. “Thank you. Now, why don’t you go join that beautiful woman of yours? I’ll head to bed after the fire dies down. Okay?”

“You’re not supposed to be transferring yourself in and out of that chair, remember?”

“I’ll be careful, I promise. Now go.”

For the next half-hour, Jordan read from the final diary. The entry was dated approximately five months before Maggie’s death.

Come to me, dream lover. You are the answer to my prayers. I have always prayed that I might one day find the one person in all the world who is right for me. The one person who will understand me, perfectly complement me, and be there for me regardless of the circumstances. The one person who will bond with me, body and soul—the perfect blend of physical and spiritual that will allow our lives to mesh together seamlessly. The one person to whom I can give all of myself without reservation, and who can accept that gift and return it to me. Come to me, my love. Soon we will be together and we’ll start a journey that will take us the rest of our lives to travel. I can’t wait to set off on that journey with you.

Jordan closed the diary and sipped the remainder of her cider as she watched the flames dance across the logs.

* * *

Jordan watched intently from her position on the bed as the four rats with prototype implants walked across the table. “There’s something wrong here. Why are their movements so irregular? It’s almost as though they aren’t receiving a continuous flow of current. Like something is interrupting the flow.”

Kale said, “I see what you mean. All four of the test subjects are displaying the same behavior, so it must be something fundamental in the design of the implant rather than a malfunction in any one of them.”