Disclaimer: Please see Chapter 1 for the usual disclaimer

Time to Consider
Chapter 16
By Callisto

Wyman Cabins
Lake Catherine, VT

Jarod looked over at her with deep concern. It seemed for most of her life she lost everyone precious to her, just at the moment when she began to reach out. He was forced to acknowledge to himself that if he had suffered as she, he too would become as reluctant to put his heart out on the line again. Yet, that's what he was about to ask her to do. For him the question of returning to their time had long since been settled—never.

The weight of what had occurred pressed down on her mind. There was a mixture of guilt and relief that permeated her spirit. As much as she wanted to be reunited with the adult version of Ethan, she was equally if not more reluctant to lose her mother again. Here, she still had Ethan. It seemed as though she had already made her decision without being entirely conscious of doing so. She pushed aside the horror of the very real possibility of never seeing the adult Ethan again but knew it was for the best. If he continued dropping by Blue Cove, Raines eventually would've stumbled on the truth. Here, Ethan still heard the voices but wasn't plagued as he had been in her time. Perhaps that was the result of not having Raines anywhere around him. For the first time in her life, she could have her cake and eat it too, instead of being shown what was tasty and having it snatched away the moment she placed the morsel to her lips. Abruptly realizing that neither had said a word for several minutes, she looked up into Jarod's caring and anxious eyes. A soft sigh escaped from her lips at the look on his face.

"Don't worry, I'm not about to fall apart," she snapped defensively.

"I didn't think you would—at least not in front of me. As long as Ethan gets the schematics for the machine, we'll be able to stay in contact with him. However, there are still some things we need to discuss."

"Yes there are. Namely, with your family leaving, how are we supposed to keep in touch with each other?" she asked with the merest hint of weary disappointment.

He suddenly smiled fondly at her as he replied, "You don't have much confidence in me, do you? I keep my promises, Miss Parker. No. From now on, I think I'll call you Mari, it suits you better."

She continued to stare at him with guarded impassivity, which he took for consent,and continued, "I haven't discussed this with my parents because I wanted to speak with you first." Allowing several seconds pause, he plunged on. "I still haven't made up my mind as to what I want to be when I grow up," he said with a conscious smile. "While I'm deciding, I think touring abroad for a year would help me figure a few things out. From what I understand, it was a common occurrence in this decade for young people to leave home to 'find themselves.' And if I happen to be in the same country while a certain person is auditioning her talent, then I would like to be there for her. Even if she does underestimate her abilities."

Her jaw dropped in surprise. No one, save her mother and occasionally Mr. Parker, had ever cared about her to this extent; Tommy never got the chance. Ever cautious, she neutralized her expression and asked evenly, "Are you sure about this?"

He tilted his head to one side and continued staring at her as he replied, "Yes." Then he looked at her with an entirely different expression, one that he had recently started giving her.

Parker leaned back against a tree and returned his stare. 'Ah, he's giving me that wife and kiddies look again.' Something inside her chest stirred in answer to his expression. 'Who knew a few energetic moments in bed would be all it would take for Genius to start giving me that look? Thankfully no one because I would've never thought it possible for me to like that expression on him.' Remaining silent, she stood and walked over to the transponder, shutting it off without disturbing the setting. Then squatting down she did the same to the radio, silencing its crackling static. Carefully placing it in the worn duffle bag Jarod had brought it in, she looked over at him, her face inches from his.

"I hope you've thought this through," she warned quietly. Leaning forward, she kissed him hard on the mouth. Jarod wrapped an arm around her waist and touched the side of her face with his other hand as she repositioned her kiss, softened then erotically drew out the caress. Playing with his mouth and tongue, she finally drew away from him, knowing full well he was close to insisting on making love to her.

"Not today. Our watcher is still out there and growing restless. Let's get out of here. I've got to get back and you've got some 'splaining to do for your parents."

"You did that on purpose," he accused with frustrated heat.

"I did," she nodded in agreement as she released a sigh of her own pent-up desire. "Thought you might need a gentle reminder as to why you're pissing your parents off so royally."

He rose with her and taking the radio in one hand, he caught her around the waist with the other and received another kiss for encouragement.

Lakeside Bed & Breakfast
Lake Catherine, VT

The following day, Jarod walked over to the Inn. The previous night had been difficult. Announcing to his family that he wouldn't be returning home with them was one of the toughest things he had to do. Oddly, both his parents seemed to have expected it. The wrinkle he threw in about traveling abroad was what shocked them. Jarod asked his father for a substantial loan, promising with the utmost sincerity that he would repay it promptly. The major stared at his son incredulously. Jarod rarely, if ever, broke a promise. What had the major curious was how Jarod figured to make good on his word.

What followed was a series of demanding questions and concerns, which Jarod answered readily. He freely admitted that Mari was the principle reason he wanted to travel. The chance to explore a relationship with her a driving force. At last when there was little more to be said or challenged, Jarod reminded his father that in going to OTS he would be away from the family for the better part of a year and since hanging around home was out of the question, this was the most viable solution he could imagine. There had been a small opportunity open where he could've taken the advantage and try to explain what had occurred to him—the time phase, the fact he was really a 40-something year old man and not a green 20 year old indecisive kid. Reality assaulted him,though,as he quickly examined his options and came to terms that he had no evidence or proof supporting his claims. Not willing to blow his currently established credibility with his parents, Jarod decided that remaining silent would be the best course.

Today, he felt good—resolved. He wanted to see Mari again and let her know his good news. Jarod knew his own heart and understood what he wanted from her. The one thing his confinement in the Centre had taught him was the power of introspection. As he neared the Inn, he spotted a flash of white from the corner of his eye. Pausing, he stared in that direction before continuing on cautiously. In another few seconds the flash of white appeared again, this time in front of him. A wide, appreciative and affectionate grin sprang readily to his face. Standing in his way on the worn footpath was Parker, wearing the white dress he had used as a clue before they both were sucked into the temporal portal. The Irish lace bodice fit snuggly on her body and the gently flared skirt showed off her deeply tanned legs. What complimented the picture was her hair. She had dyed it back to its natural warm brunette color and cut it so that now it was just past the top of her shoulders and styled loosely in a similar style she habitually wore it in their time frame.

"You like?" she asked provocatively, if unnecessarily. She noticed with triumph the appreciative astonishment on his face. He wore his admiration plainly in his eyes.

"You're a very beautiful woman. Though I admit I'm surprised you still have the dress. I would've thought that you left it back at the university. It's a good thing you didn't. It compliments you." He replied as his eyes roamed every inch of her bride-like visage.

"Ana, our housekeeper back home, took it up in a few places so it would fit. And for your information, I never left your clues behind. I forwarded your notes on to the Centre to keep them off my back. This, I stuffed it in my waistband next to my 9mm when you decided to go trolley hopping."

"Where is your 9mm?" he asked with sudden seriousness.

A delighted laugh was his answer as she walked up to him. "Back home in a locked box so Ethan can't get his eager little hands on it."

Jarod looked down at her and pulling her closer said, "I've told my parents about my plans. They didn't take it too well in the beginning but at least they weren't too surprised. That helped because they eventually wore down and agreed to loan me the money for the trip—especially after I vowed to pay them back. The only catch is that I also promised to return home for the holidays. I couldn't refuse them."

"Of course not. The timing will be good because I usually return home from school for the holidays. Mama will be as predictable as the seasons and decorate the entire house for the holidays—American style. You know, last year she actually made boiled dry cod edible?" she asked rhetorically with a pensive shake of her head. "Do you realize it will be the first time either of us as adults will spend the holidays with our parents?"

"I'm looking forward to it. Unfortunately, Ben will be here," Jarod replied slowly. Her reference to what she enjoyed last year caught him off guard.

"He's leaving with us. Apparently meeting me and Ethan has given him the impetus to take the chance and start being a husband and father instead of allowing the Centre to dictate his life."

"It'll give him the time he needs to get to know you and Ethan," he said as they began to saunter slowly towards the Inn. Parker had her arm around Jarod's waist and was leaning lightly against him. Relishing the warmth radiating from her, Jarod closed his eyes and buried his nose in her fragrant hair. "I like your hair better this way."

"It had grown out so much, it was either lighten it again or dye it my natural color. My mother helped me do it. It's wonderful having her here, being able to enjoy those long morning talks we used to have. Lately though, I think she's starting to suspect that I'm seeing someone but she's being very discrete."

"I'm tired of being discrete. For once, one of Kyle's practical jokes hit home. If I hear that song, 'Wouldn't it be nice' one more time, I think I'll have to retaliate," said he peevishly.

His comment and irritated tone of voice made her pause. She started to laugh at the unintentional double-entendre irony of Kyle's joke. Recalling the song's lyrics made her laugh wholeheartedly. While doing so, she leaned further into his body and squeezed him lovingly.

This was the sight that greeted Catherine Parker as she watched the couple walk slowly towards her. She had become concerned over her daughter's re-emergent need for privacy. Like Ethan, Catherine wasn't eager for her daughter's return to her old ways. The long conversations and subtle confidences they shared had long been missing in her life. It was the glue that kept mother and daughter as friends. Though she was still volatile and willful, Mari's shocking maturity had surfaced unexpectedly. This made the sight that greeted her extremely disturbing. Mari was dressed beautifully in a gorgeous white dress that set off both her dark hair and even tan magnificently. Her daughter was laughing and leaning with intimate casualness against an extremely handsome young man who was looking at her Mari like he had fallen hopelessly in love.

The young man was the first to look up to see Catherine staring at them unhappily. Without saying a word, he brought Mari's attention to Catherine's presence. That cut her laughter short but a lovingly contented smile remained plastered on her face. As though coming to a decision, Mari urged her reluctant young man more quickly forward. When they were within a few feet, Mari widened her smile and said quietly, "Hi, Mom. I don't know why I haven't before, but there's someone I want you to meet." With obvious pride the girl said, "Jarod, this is my mother, Catherine. Mama, this is Jarod."

Catherine noted the pride in her daughter's voice when referring to her but this made only a tiny dent in her disapproval. There were so many opportunities open for her daughter and a young puppy like this would only provide distractions. On top of that, his name was disturbingly familiar—but he couldn't be that child.

Jarod stared at Catherine Parker for the first time as an adult. He was shocked to see the differences between the women. Looking at pictures, they were identical however in the flesh, they weren't. It was mainly in attitude and overall mien where the two differed so drastically. Catherine's eyes were a grayish-blue and their expression was far from the distracted, care-worn and trapped woman he remembered from his original past. And though his memories were that of a woman whose will had been worn down with paranoia and bad decisions, the person staring at him so balefully now gave the impression of incredible strength. As Harriet Tashman once had told him, Catherine possessed a light, she hadn't been kidding. This was the Catherine Parker who had made the earlier entries in the diaries, the former second-in-command of Centre operations. The force of her personality and character was stamped all over her features and the quietly measured look in her eyes revealed the depth of her intelligence. That intelligence was so blatantly obvious that Jarod wondered why the Centre ever bothered with children and didn't look to its own top executives for the ever-elusive gene. 'Then again, perhaps they had,' he thought as he tightened his grip on Parker. Where Parker's bravery came from an innate courage, her mother's came from an innate need to help others. Where Catherine was giving and open, Parker possessed a warmth and covert compassion. Seeing the two of them together was endlessly fascinating.

Using the skills he had been painstakingly taught, Jarod controlled his expression and adopting an insouciant air, greeted his lover's mother. Catherine caught his adjustment immediately.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Ferrer. Mari has told me a great deal about you." Then without pause, Jarod shifted his gaze to Ben who just walked up and politely said, "Sir."

"Oh, that's my father, Ben, this is Jarod. I told you about him."

"So, your name is Jarod? Interesting," Catherine asked with well-concealed disquiet. She remained less than happy at Jarod's appearance. It was her reaction to him that he noticed Parker was either oblivious to or simply ignored.

"Yes. My family and I are staying at the Wyman Cabins."

"Maritza, I would like to speak to you alone for a few moments. You have some explaining to do, young lady," Catherine said in rapid and fluent Portuguese. Turning to Jarod who understood every word, she said in English, "Excuse us." With that, Catherine held out her arm for Parker to join her. Jarod watched them walk away with dread spreading to the pit of his stomach.

Author's Note: 'Wouldn't it be nice' is a Beach Boy's song from 1969. What is so amusing are the 1st few lines of the song.

Wouldn't it be nice if we were older, Then we wouldn't have to wait so long
And wouldn't it be nice to live together, In the kind of world where we belong