Prisoners of Time: All the time in the world

Story III

Chapter 3

Ramona was finally victorious in calming Ralph down and getting him into a bath. She had a soapy and hairy mess to clean. She didn't hear Phineas and Jeffrey enter the apartment, but Ralph did. He barked in her face and leaped out of the basin covered with soapsuds. Ramona was so frightened she slipped in the watery mess he left behind and tottered. She let out a frightened shout and landed hard upon her side. She grasped her waist as a deep pain coursed through her body.

"Ralph! You found me! Good dog!" Jeffrey exclaimed.

Ralph bounded into the foyer and slid across the floor. He nearly knocked Jeffrey down. He licked and pawed him with delight. Phineas stared amazed. He thought for sure that Ralph had been killed when the warehouse roof collapsed. He was about to pet him when he heard Ramona crying from the washroom. Phineas rushed inside and found his beloved housekeeper sprawled on the floor and soaked. Her face was ashen and it hurt her to move.

"Phineas, please help me up!"

"Ramona! I'm so sorry! That damn, mangy mutt! Jeffrey! Out he goes!"

Phineas crouched down alongside her. Ramona gripped his arm. "I'll…I'll be alright…it's not the dog's fault…he's been waiting for Jeffrey. I figured that. Please just take me to my…my quarters."

"Anything you wish, Roma."

Phineas gently carried her from the washroom toward the opposite end of the apartment. Jeffrey dragged Ralph back to the bathtub. A sickening guilt welled inside him.

"Bogg! Is she gonna be alright?"

"Jeff, she's hurt, maybe more than she's letting on. I'm gonna get her situated. I want you to finish cleaning off that dog and then…well, for now, just lock him in your room."

Jeffrey backed up. Phineas was very irritable and tired.

"Yes, Bogg…I'm really very sorry."

"It's not your fault. I just want to know how he made his way back here. There was no way…ahh, never mind. He's a dog, his senses beat ours and he's loyal to a fault. He made it, that's what's important."

Phineas continued his walk toward Ramona's dwelling. She moaned and her breathing went shallow. He glanced down alarmed.

"Jeffrey, I want you to call a doctor for me right away. Her number is near my telephone in the pantry, tell her it's an emergency."

"Her number?"

"Yes! Doctor Mary Dixon, she is a friend of Roma's. Please hurry!"

Phineas rushed Roma to her bed and laid her down. She was still in pain and felt better when she sat up higher so he fluffed her pillows against the wall. He was about to leave for his lab when she grabbed his arm.

"Phineas wait…"

"No, Roma, I'm going to get you some strong painkillers until Mary or another Doctor arrives."

"Oh dear, you know Mary's hospital is in Brooklyn now, she's too busy. She's a woman's doctor, Phineas. I'm fine with any general practitioner, please honey."

Ramona winced and reached over to her dresser drawer. She pulled out the guidebook.

"That dog…he…he had this in his mouth. I did what I could."

Phineas was about to run out again when he saw his book. His eyes widened and he slowly took it from her hand. It was nothing short of a miracle. He noticed how lovingly Ramona repaired it, she had even sewed the loose pages.

His eyes filled with tears. "Thank you, Roma." He clutched it to his chest. "I think you know how much this means to me."

"Ahh, that I do. Ya know I'd do anything for you, Phinny. Ya know that, my bonnie lad."

Phineas stared at her, remembering his early childhood when she was younger and more robust, and her hair was still streaked with her luxurious red tones. Phineas recollected her singing to him when he put up struggles to go to bed or fell ill. Her engaging alto voice calmed him and he would just gaze about and let his childlike mind be transported. He imagined the beautiful Highlands and shores that Ramona described with a deep yearning, and he always begged her to take him there. Ramona assured him that one day he could make the trip himself when he became a strapping sailor like his father.

The lyrics to his favorite song came to mind. He put the book down and knelt by the bed. He clutched her hand. He hummed and then softly sang to her.

"O, my luve is like a red, red rose, That's newly sprung in June: O, my luve is like the melodie, That's sweetly play'd in tune. As fair art thou, my bonnie lass, so deep in luve am I, and I will luve thee still, my dear, Till a' the seas gang dry. Till a' the seas gang dry, my dear, and the rocks melt wi' the sun! And I will luve thee still, my dear, While the sands o' life shall run. And fare thee weel, my only luve, And fare thee weel a while! And I will come again, my luve. Tho' 'twere ten thousand mile…"

Phineas leaned over and kissed the top of her head and she smiled serenely at him.

"You remember that. It used to put ya right in a dream world."

"You get some rest, my bonnie lass. This is wonderful news! I'm so glad you took Ralph in. I…I have Jeffrey calling the doctor now and I'll be right back with the medication and…" Phineas noticed spots of blood upon her dress by her knee. Ramona covered it over.

"I must have scraped my leg. It's nothing. Phineas, donna be worryin' about me now! Go and take care of your boy."

Phineas appreciated that comment. Jeffrey was now, his boy. He drew the coverlet over her legs. "I will return with bandages and first aid. I'll take care of you, Roma...just as you have always done for me. I love you and you are to feel no shame in my home or presence."

Ramona reached up and stroked his hair. "I love ya too, Phinny."

When Phineas rushed out, Ramona laid her head against the pillows and closed her eyes. Although not without his quirks and subtle moods, Phineas Bogg was the most charming and kind man she had ever met and she was thankful to have one soul who still cared for her in this world. She took in a sharp breath and tried to ignore the pains in her heart. Phineas returned within fifteen minutes carrying a tray with bandages, medicine and a steaming cup of chamomile tea. He tended to her gently and propped up her pillows so she could sip her tea.

"Are you comfy, now? Can I get you food?"

"Oh no…Oh dear, I haven't even started dinner."

"Never mind that. I can take Jeffrey out later."

"Phineas, ya look exhausted and bruised! Oh, ya need rest, lad. I know you do."

"I can sleep when I'm old and gray."

"I donna think anything can keep ya down, Phineas!" She chuckled. "I need ta keep ya on a leash!"

Phineas laughed. "Roma, if it weren't for you in my life, I may have let this project go to waste. I know that you stay in the background and you don't feel the need to question my actions, but I appreciate your advice and counsel. You gave me hope and comfort when my parents died. It was you who encouraged me to go to this wondrous Academy because you knew me inside and out. Better than my own mother. You knew I needed to be there."

"Oh Phineas, I love ya as I would my own son. I wanted ya to have the best in life and the Voyager Academy suited ya fine."

Phineas saw a profound grief in her eyes. "Roma, do you have a son?"

Her fingers tightened through his. "I did. I came to New York with my husband."

"I thought you had never married?"

"No, I married, but it was a shame on my family, that's why I left Scotland. They warned me of him, Phineas. They knew he was only after my dowry, my so-called beauty…but I was a headstrong, plucky young thing. I gave my poor parents such a hard time. I believed he loved me and then he left me dry in 1834. He got involved with wicked and corrupt business and I wanted no part of it. I found out I was pregnant that year, but I never saw him again."

"The scoundrel! What happened to the baby?"

Ramona heaved a sigh. "I was poor, almost destitute. I took all kinds of odd jobs that let me bring the babe, but it wasn't healthy for either of us. It was a rough time for me, Phineas. I took jobs in singing halls and bars, any place that had warmth where I could keep an eye on him. Winter was coming on fierce. So I made the decision to give him up for adoption. I wanted him to have a good life, and I couldn't give it ta him. I was a mess. I found a lovely family, and they thought he was a beautiful baby…he was! He had red hair like me, and eyes, bright and green like my father. But then…"

Ramona lowered her face in her hands and sobbed. Phineas embraced her. "Oh Roma, if you'd rather not go on, I understand…"

"Oh, no, I must tell it, nobody ever knew I had a child or a husband. They just always thought I was a crazy sort, lettin' my youth and looks go to waste and workin' as a maid. After I lost baby Breannen… I didn't want anything more out of life. I was tired of the clubs and impropriety. I figured if I worked for fine families, I wouldn't be alone and I wouldn't have to deal with all those animals out there in the streets. Oh Phineas, ya probably look at me so bad now…"

Phineas caressed her cheek. "I could never look at you badly, Roma."

"I kept my wits, Phineas. I never let those men touch me or harass me willingly. I was not that sort. I still had me pride. But sometimes…they…they…"

"Oh sweet, Roma. I wish I could find those heathens and…" Phineas' heart thudded fast. His wishes were realities. "Roma, what happened to Breannen?"

Roma's mouth trembled. "It was all my fault. A stupid mistake! I never meant to bring him…he died in the Great Fire in…"

Jeffrey came running into the room. A middle-aged doctor with a black beard was at his heels. "Bogg! The doctor's here, I told him it was an emergency! He knows her medical history from Mary Dixon."

"Ramona, we'll continue this. I want to know everything, dear."

"Aye love, maybe another time."

Phineas stood back and let the doctor take over. He and Jeffrey walked in nervous circles outside the room for over ten minutes until the doctor came out. He removed his hat and the solemn expression on his face sent Phineas' stomach aflutter.

"Doctor Hunt, what is it? Will she be okay?"

"Mr. Bogg, she took a harsh fall, and there are bruises along her waist and abdomen, so she must look out for internal bleeding. But right now she isn't showing symptoms."

"I will keep an eye out. Thank you."

"There is something else, Mr. Bogg. Her heart. This fall knocked the wind out of her. Has she complained of any dizziness or shortness of breath or chest pains recently?"

Phineas shrugged. "None. I would assume she'd have told me if she were ill. But then again, Ramona hates for me to worry."

"It's worse than she lets on, Mr. Bogg. I'm sorry. Ramona's heart has been weak for the last year. She may not make it past the winter."

Phineas sank into a chair and held his head. "No, not Roma. Why didn't she tell me this!"

Jeffrey stood by her door and bit his lip. Guilt coursed through him. "Bogg, the other morning when she was getting the bath ready for me I saw her get dizzy. She keeled over and had trouble breathing. I was going to tell you right away, and she made me promise I wouldn't. She kept saying it was nothing." Jeffrey cast his eyes to the floor to hide his tears. "I'm sorry, Bogg! I should have told you anyway. Then maybe this wouldn't have happened. Maybe she fell because she got dizzy again. We could have prevented it."

Phineas drew Jeffrey close and patted his back. "Jeff, I don't blame you. You did the right thing by respecting her privacy. She has her reasons for not wanting me to know."

"Yes, young man, you aren't to blame. She told me she fell because the dog ran out to greet you and left a soapy trail." The Doctor said.

Jeffrey swallowed down a sob, but another one burst forth. "Ralph is my dog and he was looking for me! She's gonna die soon and it's all my fault! Everything's my fault!"

"Jeffrey, don't say that!" Phineas tried to hold him back, but Jeffrey ran fast away and up the spiral staircase to Phineas' laboratory. His cries echoed throughout the house. The Doctor left Phineas special medication to give to Roma and admonished that she needed plenty of bed rest. At the moment she was fast asleep.

~V~

Phineas went up to meet Jeffrey. He had drawn the curtain from the Omnichron and lay at the base with his head in his arms. Phineas sat next to him and rubbed his curls.

"Jeffrey, what do you mean, everything is your fault. Nothing is. Its just circumstances."

"Yes, I'm to blame! First my parents, and then Jimmy, and now Ramona."

"What do you mean your parents? It was a train wreck. You had no control over that."

Jeffrey raised his tear-streaked face. "We should have taken the first train back. I begged my father to let us camp just for one extra day because we were having such a good time. He surprised me by making it three-days because it would have taken that long for the next train to come through the town."

"Jeffrey, you didn't know there was going to be a crash. Your father extended the trip because he loved you and wanted to see you happy. That's what any good father would do."

Jeffrey knew Phineas was right, but it still pained him. "My father was the best. And my mother too, I saw she was tired and ready to go back home, but she didn't complain. We all enjoyed ourselves, fishing and hiking, telling stories by the campfire. My mother drew some beautiful pictures of the scenery too. She was sort of an artist."

"I'm sorry, Jeffrey. I know how painful those wounds are, and it's still so fresh for you. You can always talk to me about it whenever you need to." Phineas soothed him.

"Thanks, Bogg. There's really not much anyone can say. But sometimes I like to talk about them. Just like…you might want to talk about your parents?"

Phineas took a drawn out breath. "Yes. I can talk about them from time to time. They were very good to me."

"You're a good man, Bogg. They raised you right."

"Thanks, Jeffrey. So, who is Jimmy?"

Jeffrey leaned back against the Time Machine. "Jimmy O'Grady was a Hester Street kid. He was getting tired of King-Ray and his abuse. We talked about it. He liked talking to me because he said I was really smart for my age. He was fifteen, and he kind of took me under his wing. Jimmy wanted to stand up to King-Ray and I encouraged him. I told him I would too. Jimmy didn't want me to say anything, but I insisted."

Jeffrey stood and faced Phineas. "But when the time came I went yellow. I knew Mikey was planning something and I got too scared to call him out on it. He murdered Jimmy! I know he did! And I let it happen!"

Phineas felt his heart drop. Jeffrey Jones carried the weight of the world on his small shoulders and now Phineas added to his burdens with time travel. He hugged him.

"Jeffrey, there was nothing you could have done for Jimmy either! Mikey or King-Ray may have killed you too if you got involved. Jimmy knew that. He cared about you like an older brother and you were his friend. Aww, kid, you have so much hurt inside."

Phineas held him back and looked him straight in the eye. "Listen to me carefully. From now on it's a clean slate. You have a new life to lead with me. I'm…I'm your guardian now and I'm going to look out for your welfare. Starting Monday we'll see about getting you back into school…no, I will have tutors come to you, good ones that went to Voyager Academy."

Phineas stood next to Jeffrey and they gazed at the Omnichron. He was lost in deep thought. His tiredness fled. "You're my assistant, and together we're going to make this hunk of metal work."

Jeffrey smiled and brushed his tears away. "That's right we are! Voyagers! Remember?"

Phineas rolled up his sleeves. "Voyagers. So, what are we standing around here for? We have work to do on this blasted Time Machine if we ever want to change history!"

"Alright! Now you're talking! But Bogg…change history? I thought we couldn't?"

Phineas' cheeks reddened. "Did I say that? I meant…well, observe history. Never mind, whatever happens, happens. Just help me get these tools prepared."

"You're the boss!" Jeffrey ran excited to the drafting table. "What about the bath and food and stuff you wanted?"

"Later, Jeff. That's one thing you'll learn, I tend to…let myself go a bit when I'm focused."

"Hey, I'm not complaining…yet! Here's the toolbox."

Phineas adjusted his lights to better see the parts and joints on the apparatus. The brass glow enticed him. He had to put it to use sometime and right now he had a lot to reflect on. He knew the consequences of altering time zones; at least, he knew the theories of what could occur. It had never been proven that changing an event to help someone's life along would ruin the stream of time.

Voyager Academy was focused on the grander prospects of history – the world leaders, the inventors, and all the people who made a colossal dent for future generations. He thought about William Jones and his thesis for the Academy. Was it so wrong to try and help an individual enhance their life? Could there be much harm in trying? He was going to find out.