Ripples in Time
Chapter 24
XXIV
Jeff Parker watched as Michael tried to explain to Liz what he had already told Jeff about Liz being married to Max in the "correct" timeline, having four children –including the triplets- and, as if all that were not enough, living on another planet, because Max is an alien… and the king on his planet.
Liz was trying to keep a straight face so that she could still appear angry… or at least hurt… by her wedding day disaster; but as Michael talked on, she kept giggling despite all her efforts not to.
"Dad, did you put him up to this? You did, didn't you! You hired him to get me out of marrying James and then told him to say all these things to make me laugh."
"No! I swear!" Jeff said, holding his right hand up. "Show her, Michael."
Michael reached over and ran his hand over Jeff's tux, changing it into chain mail. Liz and her mother both watched with their mouths open.
"How did you do that," Liz asked. "Is that a magic trick?"
"No more than this…" Michael said, taking the handkerchief from Liz's hand and turning it into a bouquet of white roses. He handed her the roses, and Liz smelled them…
"They're real!"
"Yeah."
"Did you know that white roses were my favorites?"
"Max told me. They're what he threw up to you on your balcony once."
"Where'd these come from?"
Michael grinned. "I don't know the physics involved. I just do it."
Liz looked momentarily dazed. "You know… if you'd allow me to study you… Omigod! I could describe the mechanism that allows you to do this! Do you know what this could mean to the world?"
"Yeah," Michael said. "I think I do. Sorry, Liz. I came to try to get you and Max back together not to be the subject of a scientific review."
Liz blushed. "I'm… I'm sorry! I didn't mean… you know… Oh geez! You must think I'm terrible."
"Naw! No more than any other molecular biology genius head of research at Harvard who needs a life," Michael said with a smile.
"You think I don't have a life?" Liz half asked, half stated.
"Not like what you had with Max. You said yourself that you felt like the right guy was out there somewhere… just lost in another dimension or something. You said that you always wanted him to come."
Liz looked at the roses Michael had handed her. For a moment, she appeared to be lost in her thoughts.
"I always did dream that my handsome prince would come one day and whisk me away… but New York or Europe was more what I expected. I never thought that it might be… you know, up there." Liz pointed at the sky.
"Well… just don't marry James Quigley," Michael said.
Liz half giggled, half sobbed. "I don't know what I was thinking. James was always there… and he kept asking. And he's so brilliant… so good at what he does…"
"I wonder if he would be nearly as 'brilliant' without your help," Michael said dryly.
Jeff nodded his agreement enthusiastically. "That's what I've been trying to tell her. Quigley needed her to further himself. He can't hold a candle to you, Lizzie! You should have been the one who got that Nobel. You did all the work. It was your research!"
"I know, Dad. I've been a real jerk."
Jeff shook his head. "No. You could never be that, Liz. Quigley's got the market on that."
Liz laughed.
"Well," Michael said, "I think Quigley's gonna have a few days, at least, to cool his heels and do some thinking. Maybe he'll realize what he lost."
Michael called for the portal, and a silvery doorway appeared. Liz walked over to it and touched it. The surface rippled like tiny waves spreading out from a pebble that had been thrown into a calm lake.
"Where does this go," Liz asked, astonished.
"Wherever I ask it to take me," Michael said.
Liz touched it again and watched the ripples.
"It's your portal, Liz," Michael said. "Before time got screwed up, you authorized it to respond to my commands. But it's yours."
Michael temporarily dismissed the portal, and it disappeared again.
Liz appeared enthralled. "Could it take me to see… Max?"
Michael thought a moment. "Well, I guess you could see him in the past… before time got screwed up."
Liz was radiant. "I had a better idea in mind."
Michael looked at her questioningly.
"I was thinking of the future. You do think you're going to succeed, don't you?"
Michael paled slightly… "I hope so… I mean… I have to, you know… somehow… I don't know…"
"Portal," Liz called. The portal appeared.
"It responded to you," Michael gasped…
"You said it was mine," Liz replied.
"Yeah, it is… well, in the other timeline."
"Does that matter?"
"Apparently not," Michael said.
Liz walked into the portal then turned and smiled. "I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere anyone."
Michael looked at Jeff and Nancy. Jeff looked totally amazed and a bit pale. Nancy just looked as though she thought she might be having some kind of weird dream and might wake up any minute.
Suddenly the portal reappeared, and Liz stepped out. Michael noticed immediately that her hair had been let down, and she was wearing new clothes…
"Did you find Max?"
Liz looked at Michael as though trying to decide what to tell him.
"I was warned that I shouldn't say too much about the future, Michael. And I was told to ask you not to go there looking for the ones you're trying to bring back… It could cause the rift in time to increase. But I do have a message for you."
"A message?" Michael asked.
"Find Alex, Kyle, Jim, Kathleen… and Tess."
"And what else," Michael asked."
"Just that. You must find those people, and they must want to return."
Michael stepped into the portal then looked back at Liz. Liz's face was blank, displaying no emotion at all; but as he turned to leave, he thought he saw just a flicker of a smile cross her face.
tbc