Time Capsule

Chapter 4: Life's not Fair

"Took you long enough, it's good to see you Tino." She said with an alluring grin, expecting to get such a warm expression back, but Tino only stared at her like a dear caught in the head lights. Gradually, it began to make her feel self-conscious "What? Aren't you glad to see me?"

It was like a ghost stood before him, "G-glad to see you?" He echoed, "Try: in total shock! Five years Lor! Five years with nothing more from you save for the monthly post card… and even those all stopped years ago. And then POOF! Here you are right in front of me acting like you never left!"

"Geez, with such a warm reception I wonder why I even came back!" She retorted, clearly offended.

Tino took a moment to reexamine his approach, "Okay, look, I'm sorry, that didn't come out right." He apologized, "You just caught me off guard that's all. But sometimes, I thought that maybe you had forgotten about me… or worse."

Lor was actually touched, "Wow, I had no idea those post cards meant so much to you." She said apologetically. "But you don't have to worry about me, I'm a big girl and I can take care of myself… and I would never, ever forget a friend like you."

"…Thanks." Tino smiled, realizing that he was going about this the wrong way, he should be happy to see her, not spiteful. "But the last post card I got from you was almost 4 years ago, and in it you said you were in Italy and planning to return to the states soon… so where have you been?"

"Here and there." She answered very matter-of-fact, "But up until two months ago I lived in Los Angeles."

"Right here in California the whole time?" Tino asked with astonishment.

"No, not the whole time. I lived in New York when I first got back from Europe and slowly made my way across the country over the years. Coming full circle I guess."

"So what brought you back to Bahia Bay?"

"Well…" she began to regale Tino with her story when she was cut off by a voice calling from the kitchen.

"Lor!" the man called, "What are you doing? You've got customers waiting."

"Oops, sorry Eddy." Lor called back. She then turned back to Tino. "Well, I'd love to tell you everything, but as you can see I'm working right now."

"That's alright," Tino said, not wanting Lor to get into any trouble, "I should get going anyways."

"Wait Tino," Lor interrupted, "I want you to come by tomorrow night, same time. I've only got a morning shift tomorrow so we can sit and talk."

"Sure, that sounds great." Tino responded.

"And I may have a little surprise for you." She hummed with a knowing grin on her face.

"A surprise? Ooh what is it" Tino asked with perhaps a little too much enthusiasm.

"You'll have to wait and see." Lor teased.

"Alright, tomorrow, same time, I'll be here." Tino grinned, but then stopped himself as he was about to make his exit "And Lor."

"Yes?"

"It's good to see you too."

Tino stepped outside the pub, into the sidewalk. He couldn't deny that he did feel better. As if seeing Lor after all these years gave him some kind of closure. The sound of the world was added upon by the distance roar of a jet engine far off in the distance. Tino casually looked up to try and pin-point the source in the sky. It was a 747, crossing right overhead. Often entertained is the curiosity as to the people on those planes. A slight inkling as to who they are and where they are going. A thought Tino soon dismissed as his eyes began to strain from the blinding sun… she on the other hand, could easily block out the sun by simply pulling down the blind ever so conveniently within an inch's reach in her airline seat. Everything was within an inch's reach, possibly the only compensation for having no room to move. She didn't really like flying, or traveling much for that matter.

The conclusion of her endeavor was signaled as the pilot buzzed over the intercom "Attention passengers, we'll be landing at the Bahia County Airport in about 15 minutes. Please secure all your belongings and put your seats into the full upright position. We'd like to thank you for flying with Ojeta Airlines and we hope that…" The pilot carries on with the usual pleasantries.

"Thank God." She said to herself. Within a few minutes, she could feel the vessel begin its descent. This was the part that she hated the most. Until she was safe on the ground, she plugged her ears with her pinky fingers and held her head still in her palms, swallowing hard whenever she could feel her ears popping regardless of her efforts.

Once the world had stopped moving, she waited patently for the people in front of her to exit the plane first, despite the fact that her legs were begging to begin walking again. Soon enough, she stepped out of the hallway and into the main area of the airport, her carry on luggage in hand filled with work related essentials that she took the time to go through during her flight. She was supposed to meet Carver there to drive into town. As she darted her head around trying to find that familiar face she hasn't looked upon for so long, her attention was finally grabbed by a tall, well dressed man holding a sign of comical length almost as tall as him which read "Pertratishkovna Katsufracis".

Approaching the man, she smiled and said, "You really didn't have to do that, and you spelled my last name wrong."

Setting the sign up against a wall, he greeted his old friend with open arms, "Tish, it's so good to see you! It has been too long!"

"It's good to see you too Carver," she said shyly, "you look good." And indeed he did, clearly sporting the pinnacle of fashion and wearing it well. Which was more than she could say about herself.

Tish quickly did a once over on herself as soon as Carver turned away, smoothing out imaginary wrinkles in her outfit. Seeing Carver in all his success made her feel incredibly self-conscious, and she took a deep breath to relax. She knew how to carry herself. She would not allow herself to be intimidated by one of her oldest friends, especially when it wasn't his intent. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long." Tish expressed.

"Nah, your flight came in on time. I just hung out in the bar and had a sandwich until I heard them announce your flight's arrival. Speaking of which, how was your flight?"

"Uneventful." Tish said flatly. She's spent the entire time grading papers. It was just like being at home, except for being cramped into a tiny seat with no wiggle room and starving to death because the airline only provided snacks instead of full meals.

"Well, I guess that's good. Excitement when you're twenty thousand feet in the air can be kind of dangerous."

"That's for sure. A little bump and you wonder if you're going to make it. So, where are you staying while you're in town?"

"I'm put up at the Bahia Marina Inn." Carver smiled. "Man, that place is swank! I'll have you guys over as guests tonight or something. The Jacuzzi is to die for! What about you?"

Tish had to take a moment to pick her jaw up off the floor. Clearly, she had underestimated Carver's situation by a long shot. She knew he was doing well, but this was beyond anything she could imagine. "Me? Oh, um, well, you see, I, uh, decided to just find a bed and breakfast or something after I got here. I'm sure there's a vacancy somewhere."

"Oh, that's cool, that's cool." Carver responded. "Well, if you have trouble finding a place, you can crash with me if you want. I have a whole extra bedroom in my suite that's not being used."

"Um, thanks. I'll try to remember that."

After the rest of Tish's luggage rolled around, they left the airport to drive into Bahia Bay. She almost couldn't compose herself when she saw Carver's car, it was a beautiful, brand new, jet black sports car with all the bells and whistles. Just like in the difference between their clothing, this car stood miles above the tiny little clunker she drove back home- which she aptly named "Old Yeller" because it was fit to be taken out and shot. She had to remind herself not to be intimidated.

During the drive, Tish tried to strike up a conversation. "So, it looks like you're doing quite well for yourself." She said as she secretly skated an envious finger along her leather arm rest.

"No complaints." He admitted very modestly, "Who knew that I would actually land it designing shoes for Tommy Hugo. I still owe Dixon for that letter of recommendation, he rocks." Slightly boasting that time.

"Well, it looks like all your dreams have come true." She said with a bit of spitefulness accidentally slipping into her voice.

"I suppose it pays well, it's not all that glamorous." He responded, downplaying his success, perhaps catching a bit of the green eyed monster that Tish thought she could hide. "So what about you? I mean you were the one who went to university, you must be doing something good with yourself as well."

"… I teach." She answered, trying to dodge that subject.

"You mean you're a teacher?" Carver asked to clarify.

"well, um, actually, what I meant to say is that I'm a … a… university professor… yeah," she exaggerated, "I'm even the head of the English department." Now she was just lying through her teeth. She knew that she really shouldn't be ashamed or dishonest about it. But how could she tell Carver, in all his success, that all she could do with a university degree is become a High School English teacher. After all, she left with so much promise, so many dreams… where are those dreams now? She tried, and failed, and this was the best she could do to make a living.

Carver's cell phone began ringing, without taking his eyes off the road, he pulled a small earpiece with a microphone on it from a device, between the two seats, up to his ear and pressed the talk button on his cell, which was propped up in the device that he pulled the earpiece from. "Hello?……oh hey Lor wasn't new?…….really?……wow, I didn't think Tino was much of a pub person." Unnoticed to Carver, Tish snapped to attention when she heard his name, "So…….yeah?……that's cool. It'll probably be a bigger surprise for him that way…….ha-ha, Yeah, I could so see him doing that…….Okay, we're just on our way into town, see you there, bye." He placed the earpiece back and pressed the 'end' button on his cell.

"That was Lor," He began, stating the obvious, "Just a slight change of plans- instead of surprising Tino at his house tomorrow, we'll be meeting Lor at the Rose Street Pub around 3 o'clock to surprise him there."

"Okay." Tish confirmed pretending to give Carver her full attention when in fact she was still hanging on the idea of seeing Tino tomorrow. How could she possibly bring herself to face him, after what she has done. How would Tino take seeing her? She was surprised at herself, coming all this way and not thinking about this until right now. Now it hung over her head, how do you talk casually with someone… when you broke their heart?

Author's Notes:
Another chapter up, I feel this was a nice re-introduction to the characters Tish and Carver. I thought it would make things interesting to have it so that Carver becomes very successful while Tish is… not. I have to give big credit to Malachite, during a chat session a few nights ago, I was stricken with writer's block of the worst kind so he wrote the scene from when Tish meets Carver to just before she picks up the rest of her luggage. It really got me going into this chapter, thanks. And expect to see some more scenes written by him as the story goes on, because every night that I get a chance to, I chat with him on how this story should pan out. He already wrote a very…interesting scene that I have saved and will hopefully work into the story sooner or later.

Another note, in light from the criticism as to me naming Tino's mother, from this point on I will only use the name Emese when it is completely unavoidable, happy now? Okay. Later days.