2121

Phil sat down in his chair and started to read Keely's letter to him.

Phil:

I love you. I also wish that I had the courage to tell you how I felt about you months ago. But unfortunately for us we were awkward teenagers just learning about what love was. I can't believe that I wrote what I wrote. I'm still after all still sixteen years old. But I know when you read this in 2121 I'll be over a 100 years old. If I'm still living that is. But I don't want to dwell on that aspect of the future.

Bye the way have you noticed that you forgot Curtis?

Phil looked up at his bedroom wall that was next to his bed with wide eyes. He was about to get up and rush to tell his parents but he figured that it could wait. He didn't want to stop reading Keely's letter to him. The Curtis factor could wait for a while.

Don't worry about Curtis. He is going to be living with my mom and me. I sat mom down and gently told her that your family had to move for your father's job. That you didn't think you would be able to come back any time soon; if ever. I told mom that Curtis was your cousin on your father's side and that he needed a place to live. Mom took one look at Curtis and almost fainted but after talking with him for a little while she saw that Curtis couldn't look after himself. She also saw what a close real ship that Curtis and I have and gave her consent to allowing Curtis to leave with us. Curtis is quite enjoying having a bedroom to himself. I couldn't bare to keep him in our garage.

I read your letter that you left in my mail box this morning over and over again until I had it memorize. I don't know where I can find a solid lumen box in the year 2006. Besides NASA. And they won't sell them to the ordinary human beings. But I have years to find one so I am not worried.

I miss you. I wish I had the courage to go to your home and said good bye to you before you left. I actually raced there and arrived the second the time machine disappeared from my sight for all time. I originally couldn't bare the thought of actually saying good bye to you one last time and just being outside your house after you left my life for all time, Phil, I knew I could show a strong front in front of you but the moment you disappeared from my life for all time I knew I would crack. I didn't think I could live through that. That was why I said I wasn't going to go and say that final good bye to you. Now I wish I had the opportunity to finally share our first kiss with one another.

I love you for all time;

Keely

Phil closed his eyes as he mentally pictured what Keely had been doing earlier that day.

2006

"Keely Teslow get your little butt down here this insist." Ms.
Teslow yelled up the staircase.

Keely opened her door and looked down the hallway at the open door way where Curtis was standing. She put her finger to her mouth. Curtis nodded and went back into the room. Keely sighed deeply and walked down the hall towards the stair case. "Hey mom." She softly said.

"Why did you leave school this morning and never returned?" Ms. Teslow demanded.

"I had to say good bye to Phil. He and his family had to move for his father's job. They left at 8:30 this morning." Keely replied. She walked into the living room and sat down on the over stuffed couch. She placed her head against the back of the couch.

"I'm sorry that Phil is gone. But that didn't give you the excess to skip the rest of school." Ms. Teslow sighed deeply as she sat down on the couch next to her daughter.

"I'm sorry mom. I wasn't thinking." Keely said. "So how much trouble am I in?"

"Seeing how this is the first time that you skipped school; I will let this go as a warning. But do this again and you are in for some serious grounding." Ms. Teslow said.

"Yes mom." Keely said as she brought her head up. "Mom, we have a new member of the family."

"What are you trying to tell me? Are you pregnant?" Ms. Teslow got up from the couch quickly and turned to walk over to the fireplace and turned around to face her daughter.

"Mom no. I'm still a virgin. I haven't even had my first kiss yet." Keely looked wide eyed at her mother.

Ms. Teslow closed her eyes and sighed in relief. "Thank God." She opened them. "So what do you mean we have a new member of the family? Have you brought home a dog? Cat? Any other sort of animal?"

"No. The thing is mom. Phil's cousin was accidentally left behind. The Diffy's won't be returning any time soon if ever. Curtis needs a place to call home. I told him that it would be all right that he lived with us." Keely said. She raised her voice "Curtis can you come here please."

Ms. Teslow turned to face the young teenage boy to say that she was sorry to say that he couldn't stay with them. It won't be proper. But her eyes widen and her breath caught in her throat as she beheld Curtis. This was no teenage boy. This was a fully grown man who was dressed as a cave man and who seriously needed a hair cut and a shave. She turned back to her daughter. "Keely …." She began.

Keely jumped to her feet and rushed over to Curtis and placed her hand on his right shoulder. "He has no one else mom."

"Hello to Keely's mother. Curtis is very happy that he is able to stay." Curtis said with a smile.

Ms. Teslow noticed right away that Curtis Diffy wasn't your typical young man. That something was wrong with Curtis's head. She just wasn't sure if it was proper to allow a strange man, at least to her, to live in the same house as her teenage daughter. "Nice to meet you Curtis." She finally said.

"Curtis is pleased to meet Keely's mother." Curtis went over and sat down on the floor and he folded his legs and he smiled up at Ms. Teslow

Ms. Teslow looked at Curtis and than over at the hopeful expression on her daughter's face. She also saw the deep loss in her Keely's eyes. She knew that allowing Curtis to live with them would help relieve some of the hurt over losing Phil. Ms. Teslow sighed deeply and nodded. "Welcome to your new home Curtis." She said with a smile on her face as she turned back to face the newest member of the Teslow family.

"Thanks mom. I knew you would understand and allow Curtis to stay." Keely rushed over and hugged her mother. "I love you." She softly said before she pulled away.

"I love you too." Ms. Teslow said as she watched Keely go back up stairs.

"Keely misses Phil. Curtis misses Phil." Curtis said standing to his feet. "I best get back to the Diffy home and bring over what they left. "

"Of course Curtis. Most of the things will fit in the garage. Do you need any help?" Ms. Teslow smiled.

"Keely will help Curtis when Curtis needs help." Curtis said before he left his new home.

HOURS LATER IN KEELY'S BEDROOM

Oh Phil you are asking for an impossible thing for the year 2006. How can I ever hope to find and buy a solid lumen box? The only place I can think to find solid lumen is NASA. And not only would they not sell to the common person; but they won't sell any to a mere fifteen year old girl. Keely stared out of her bedroom widow up at the stars. Tears fell freely down her all ready wet checks. "Well I have plenty of time to find the lumen box. Perhaps in my twenties or thirty's the lumen will be more freely." I knew I forgot to ask Phil about something. I should have thought and asked him when lumen became available to the common people.

END PART TWO