September 8, 1905
5:30 PM PDT
Marty glanced around, as he and his group of friends stepped into the roller rink. The place sure looked quite similar to the way it was, back in 1895. He then noticed Verne and Linda, as he swallowed. For the past few days, Verne sure seemed to be smitten with the girl. Of course, it still seemed a little strange to think of Verne being in love.
"It's so great to be here," Tiff commented, sighing. "I really hope that, one day, I'll be able to find someone. I mean, I really can't believe that I'm soon to become a mother. It really hurts me, thinking of how judgemental some people are. It makes me feel..."
"Just forget about what my mother said," Otis suggested, softly. "We're here to have fun, after all! We were going to wait until Friday - but then... Well, we sure found out about the discounts. It's too good of an offer to pass up. Well, let's enjoy ourselves!"
"Otis is right, Tiff," Annette agreed, nodding. "I still remember how your mother didn't approve of Jennifer rollerskating. She didn't think it was very ladylike. I'm so glad that she managed to find her real mother. At times, I sure can't help but wonder just what kind of life Mrs. Peabody had - when she was a little girl. She sure can be so difficult!"
"Well, let's simply not worry about Mrs. Peabody," suggested William, as he slipped his arm around his wife. "I'm sure that Jenn is very happy, living with her mother. I simply have a good feeling about tonight. I've heard that the band playing should be good."
"That'd be wonderful," Steven replied, dreamily. "I'm very happy for my cousin. It's so nice, seeing how she and her mother reunited. I can't quite believe that, at one point, I quite had my eyes set on her. If only I had known that we were related, I never...."
"Don't be hard on yourself, Steve," Tiff suggested, softly. "All our lives, we were best friends - and, much of the time, I sure felt as if we could almost be sisters. I quite had no idea that we truly were sisters. I simply do miss her. I do quite remember how sad she was, when Mrs. Peabody disowned her. I was so terribly mad at the woman!"
"Oh, she'll come to visit," suggested Steven, softly. "I quite wonder how Todd's doing, as well. I was amazed by how fast the two of them hit it off. Of course, William, I sure remember how fast you and Annette fell in love. Now, the two of you are married."
"It's so shocking," William commented, pensively, "thinking of how fast time has flown. I simply do remember how reluctant Jenn was, about striking a relationship with Todd. It was like she... needed my blessing to move on. It was a hard week for both of us."
"Yeah, and Michael was here," added Otis, smiling. "I do recall how much of a struggle it was, for you to end relationship with Jenn. It worked out for the good, though. You sure have Annette to call your wife, and you have a baby on the way. Jenn has Todd to call her husband. They tied the knot, just two weeks after you and Annette did."
Marty did, in fact, simply remember the week that everyone was discussing. That time around, his Jennifer had joined him - and they were both shocked to actually see their ancestors being in a relationship. He was happy by how well everything worked out.
"I sure wish that I could find someone," Tiff commented, plaintively. "The sad thing is, nobody wants to marry a rape victim. I think I'm stuck with actually raising my child by myself. I'll actually have to become a nurse, in order to support my child and myself."
"I quite think you'd make a great nurse, Tiff," Otis replied, softly. "I wish I could marry you, but... Well, you know how my mother simply feels about... I'd be disinherited, as well as disowned. I may not get along very well with my mother, but she's... She's the only mother I have. After all, I wasn't adopted. I rather stand the idea of losing her."
Tears welled up in Marty's eyes, as his heart went out towards the future farmer. He also felt sorry for Tiff. If only he could do help improve their lives, somehow. He then thought about his great-grandaunt, Linda - and Verne! He began to feel so helpless.
oooooooooo
Verne felt pretty nervous, as he and Linda were skating around the skate floor. For a moment, it rather seemed like being back in 1997. He thought of what Marty told him, about how Linda was actually going to die of cholera. He simply couldn't allow for that to happen! Linda was a sweet girl, and deserved to have a long and prosperous life.
"This is a lot of fun, Verne!" gushed Linda, cheerfully. "I'm quite glad that you decided to come back, for a visit. I've really missed you. We sure had much fun, back in 1895, when your family came to town. It's strange to think that HG Wells also decided to..."
"HG Wells is a good author," commented Sarah, as she skated up to the couple. "I do enjoy that book, The Time Machine. Sometimes, I sure can't help but wonder what all the future will hold. Think of how much is changing, already. I have a feeling that..."
"We have horseless carriages, for one," Linda commented, smiling. "We really haven't seen too many of them around here, yet. I'm quite sure we'll be seeing more of them, soon enough. Mommy is scared of them, of course. Then again, she sure seems to be scared of just about any kind of newfangled technology. Even with the telephone..."
"Your parents sure did butt heads on that one," Sarah replied, laughing. "I really wish there was a way, though, to simply call someone - without it being possible for any of the neighbours to pick up the receiver, sand overhear your conversation. I mean..."
"Like Charlie Needles, for one," Linda replied, grimacing. "After all, the fellow can be a very great nuisance. Perhaps, in the future, it will become possible for telephone calls to be more private. I do wonder how the future will change in about, oh, fifty years."
"That will be so interesting to see," agreed Sarah, nodding. "Or how about, uh, eighty years? It's real likely that, by then, we won't even be around. It's really a sad thing to consider." Turning to Verne, she asked, "How about you? I'm just guessing that things are a little more... Well, in San Francisco, you folks must be a mite more advanced."
"Uh, right," Verne replied, nervously. He, of course, knew what the future would be like. He wondered how his friends would feel about life in 1997. He quite wondered how his own life would be different, if his father hadn't opted to move into the future.
"How are you fine folks doing?" asked Abraham, as he joined the group. "I simply must say, this sure is a great evening. So, Verne, have you ever thought of moving back to Hill Valley? To be completely frank, I'm not sure if I could stand life in such a big city."
"I sure agree with you, Abe," commented Teddy, as he joined the group. Chester and Bruce weren't far behind. "I really enjoy like in good ol' Hill Valley. It's sure been a little over fifty years, now - since good ol' William Hill founded this town. That must've been an exciting event to observe. Well, Verne and Linda, I see that you two are in love!"
"That much is very obvious," added Sarah, smiling. "In a way, I actually can't help but feel a mite jealous of my best friend. I'm happy for her and Verne, of course - and it'd be petty for me to begrudge them of their happiness. Still, I rather wish that I had..."
Verne's heart really skipped a beat, as he wondered what Sarah was about to say. He sure wasn't keen on the idea of his grandmother actually being in love with him, to say the least. He thought of Marty's initial trip in 1955, and understood how his friend felt.
"I also simply hope to, one day, find someone," agreed Bruce. "I've always considered both you and Linda to be my close friends, granted - but I don't feel as... Well, having known the two of you for my whole life, it's sure quite tough to imagine feeling... In all honesty, I do tend to not feel as if it's quite right to fall in love with someone that..."
"That's why I really couldn't help being surprised," admitted Sarah, softly, "when Linda told me that she had fallen in love with Verne. I didn't really judge her, of course - and Verne had lived out of town, for quite some time. Still, it really just seemed strange..."
"I guess I can understand that, Sarah," Linda replied, nervously. "Still, I can't help but love him - and he seems to feel the same way. It's not like we're simply doing anything wrong. It's not as if Verne and I are related. I'm sure nervous about moving, though."
"Moving?" Abraham asked, stunned. "Verne, you're not planning to stay in Hill Valley?" Verne felt nervous, as he shook his head. "Well, I think it's a shame. I was just hoping that you'd be able to... I suppose it's really not my place to tell you what to do. I sure was hoping that you'd be staying in town, this time around. After all, I missed you!"
"How is everyone doing?" asked Douglas, as he joined the group. "It's strange to think that my cousin is in love. Well, I must say, I rather do enjoy the band. I'm quite happy that my father decided to move us here. I'd simply hate for Linda to leave this town."
"I understand what you mean," Chester replied, softly. "We were just talking about it, not long before you..." Just then, his eyes grew quite wide - as he gasped, "Hey, look over here! Girls! They must be new! I'd better go talk with them. Be back, real soon."
"See you, Chester," Douglas replied, smiling. "I've never seen those girls, before. I do wonder if they're... They both sure look pretty. We'll definitely have to do our part, in order to make them feel welcome. Linda and Sarah, I sure can imagine that the two of you are happy. They do look like they're about our age. I have a feeling about this."
Verne smiled, as he gazed into Linda's brown eyes. For now, this was the only girl that he was rather interested in talking to. He hoped that Marty would come to understood how much he cared about Linda. That girl didn't deserve to die at such a young age.
