Christmas Angel (21 page)

He was not oblivious to the notion of time travel. Hollywood did a fine job of bringing the idea to life in movies and television. His brother had been fanatical about it, forcing him to watch episode after episode of
Dr. Who
and the movie adaptation of
The Time Machine
. It had fascinated Daniel to the point of his studying the many theories on the topic, but Shado was never interested in the future. His feet had always been firmly planted in the present. He was busy rescuing cats from trees, mowing the lawns of the elderly ladies on his block to make money, and figuring out ways to make his twin brother’s life a living hell. Now he wished he’d paid more attention, because if time travel were real, he’d go back in a heartbeat and make sure Penny and Danny Jr. still had their husband and father.

***

Angel drummed her fingers on the arm of the chair and glanced toward the bathroom where the shower had gone on. He didn’t believe her. She’d seen the look of disbelief in his eyes. Yet how could she possibly explain something she didn’t fully understand? The thought came to her then in a flash of brilliance. Perhaps she wouldn’t have to be the one to explain it. Perhaps she could get Miss Brisbee to speak to him, make him understand how it was possible. Even though the two women differed in how the concept worked, she at least believed it possible that somehow, long ago, Miss Lillian had found her way to the past and back again, and that Angel, had followed a similar path. She stood, wringing her hands, confounded by whether she wanted to pursue this or let it be. If she delved too far into trying to unlock the mystery, it might hasten the time she had left to spend here with Shado. Yet, if she had only a bit of time, shouldn’t she try to help him understand the miracle they’d been given and the purpose it had?

She hurried to the bathroom door, opening it just enough to speak to him. “I’m going to see about borrowing a wrap from Miss Brisbee. I’ll be right back.” She eased the door shut, hearing him call her name, but ignoring the rest.

The elderly neighbor answered after the first rap on the door. “Oh, my dear, look how lovely you are. Well, tell me. Did he like it?”

Angel shrugged. “He seemed to. I need your help.”

The woman regarded her. “Of course, what is it?”

“First, do you happen to have a wrap I might borrow for the evening?”

“Oh posh, I meant to send one along with you earlier.” She went to the closet and pulled out a beautiful long coat made of fur. “It’s a faux fur, but I couldn’t resist. It hasn’t seen a night out in ages.” She handed it to Angel. “Now you’re set.”

“There’s one more thing I need your help with.” She grabbed the old woman’s hand. “Come with me. I’ll explain on the way.”

Confused no doubt, but willing, she closed her door and toddled alongside

Angel. “What is it you need, dear?”

“I need you to explain about the necklace, about Miss Lillian and time travel to Shado.”

The woman stopped and grabbed Angel’s arm. “Now…tonight?”

“He doesn’t believe me,” Angel stated. They stood in front of his apartment door. The entry door below slammed shut and a series of kissing, grunting sounds followed. A moment later the couple in the third apartment on their floor appeared. They smiled, dropping their hands from each other as the man worked feverishly to unlock the door.

Miss Brisbee stared at the two and shook her head. “Like rabbits,” she muttered and jerked with a start as the door slammed behind them. She refocused her attention on Angel. “Why in heavens name do you think he’s going to listen to me?”

“Because you’ve known him longer or because you’re a science teacher? I don’t know, but I need you to try,” Angel pleaded, taking the old woman’s hands in hers.

“Does this have something to do with how you feel about Shado, my dear?”

Angel shook her head and looked down at her feet. “I don’t know if how I feel makes one lick of difference. He’s managed to work himself into believing he doesn’t deserve to be happy because of his brother’s death. Every time I try to get close to him, he pushes me away.” She looked up and met the kindness shining in the elderly woman’s eyes.

“Okay then, let’s go in there and knock some sense into the boy’s head.”

A few moments later, they were seated in the living room waiting for him to emerge from the bedroom.

“I have to warn you. It’s been forever since I wore this thing. You’ll have to tell me if it looks—” His words halted as he came around the corner. “Okay…Miss

Brisbee?”

Angel stared at him, forgetting for a moment about her guest. Her heart did a little flip. He wore an elegant black suit, fitted to his broad shoulders perfectly. The color only accentuated the stormy gray blue eyes that Angel, from the moment they met, had fallen in love with. A rush of tingles skirted through her as she remembered his shadowy beard pressed against her sensitive flesh. The ensemble was complete with his freshly pressed white dress shirt and red tie, knotted precisely right at his neck.
Like a gorgeous Christmas present waiting to be unwrapped.
Angel blatantly stared until Miss Brisbee’s quiet gasp tore her from her reverie.

“Turn around,” she prompted with a sweep of her hand.

The corner of his mouth lifted slightly and he cast a glance to the ceiling, as he obliged her.

“Young man, you are simply dashing in a suit.”

“Why, thank you.” His eyes darted to Angel as if to ask why his neighbor was sitting there, with a glint of
how do you think I look?
added into his expression.

“I needed to borrow a wrap for the evening and invited her over for a moment.”

He glanced at the fur coat. “Nice threads.”

“Oh heavens, it’s not real. I’d never condone such a thing. But it will keep her warm.”

“Thank you. It’s going to look a far sight better than the trench coat I had to offer.” He looked at Angel. “We should get going.”

She stood and walked over to him, reaching up to straighten his tie. “You look very fetching.”

He smiled, and she noticed the faint lines at the corners of his eyes. His cocked his brow. “Fetching? That’s good, right?”

“Very.” She searched his eyes and for a moment, the thought of being in a crowded room drinking champagne paled in comparison to spending a night alone with him. “But I did invite Miss Brisbee over to tell you something.”

His face clouded, and his attention shifted to the elderly woman. “Is everything okay with you?”

“Me?” She touched her blouse, a profusion of bright purple lilacs and pink roses. “Of course, it’s just…well…” she started, with a quick glance to Angel, “she asked if I’d I share a bit about what I know on the topic of the Magnolia and my experience with—”

Shado tossed Angel a quelling look. “I thought we were tabling this until tomorrow.”

“It’s important to me you understand I’m…or at least I think I’m telling you the truth.” She shrugged. “I’m still trying to understand it myself. But I thought if we both had all the pieces, together, we’d be able to come up with a probable explanation much faster.”

He sighed and then held up his hands. “Listen, no offense to either of you two ladies, but the possibility of time travel simply doesn’t exist.” He looked from one to the other. “Now, we really should get going. We’re going to be late.”

The old woman delicately cleared her throat. “Well, that’s not entirely true, young man. As a science teacher for some fifty years, I’ve studied many of the theories on the subject. The fact is while time-travel has yet to be proven beyond shadow of a doubt, neither has it been disproven. And any scientist will tell you, until disproven, it remains entirely possible. No one has figured out all the puzzle pieces, and it may take decades, centuries, who knows? Just because we don’t have all the answers yet does not make it less real.”

He stared at the old woman. “Let’s say, for conversation’s sake, I was to believe you, which I don’t, by the way. But let’s say I did—what does it have to do with

Angel or me?”

Miss Brisbee looked deep in thought before she answered. “I’m afraid I can’t answer to that, but I can tell you Angel Marie Sutter’s name appears as a resident of the 1881 Sweet Magnolia. And I have a friend—” “Miss Lillian?” Shado interjected.

“Yes,” she answered succinctly. “Who believes she traveled back in time to meet her true love.”

“But she came back,” he added.

“And Jake found her finally.”

Shado’s eyes darted to Angel’s. “You’re saying Jake, the guy at the precinct, is— was—from the past as well?”

She sighed. “I know it sounds bizarre.”

He chuckled. “I would have to go with yes.”

“But how do you explain all they seemed to know about the time and the Magnolia?” Miss Brisbee posed.

“There could be many reasons. What about past life regression? There’s a viable possibility.”

She shrugged her bony shoulders. “Perhaps, but it wouldn’t fall in line with how real for a time the transition was. A number of years had passed before Lillian’s memories—and his—of Deadwater Gulch began to fade and seem like a dream. The book helped her to face the possibility of what had happened to her, and both of them had an encounter with who we believe is the same man— perhaps the conduit in the big scheme of things. It would seem you, too, have had an encounter with the man.

“Tell him about the necklace, Miss Brisbee,” Angel prompted.

“Well, Lillian certainly recognized it as being the one she wore the day she went back in time to the Magnolia,” Rosalee continued. “But more important, she remembered the name Bert Fesuvius, purveyor of time. Does the name ring a bell?”

Angel caught Shado’s questioning look. “I found the label in the box and since the necklace was lying on the dress the next morning, I assumed it was from the same place. Was he the proprietor at the store where you got the dress and the necklace?”

“A coincidence, but yeah, he is.” He raked his fingers through his hair and chuckled. “This whole thing has gotten out of hand.” He looked at Angel. “Come on. I’ve got an idea. We’re going to make a quick stop before the party.” He held out his hand to Miss Brisbee. “Let me walk you home.”

Angel stood, grabbed her coat, and waited at the door while Shado returned his neighbor to her apartment. Though she couldn’t hear what was said, she had a feeling Miss Brisbee put in another good word for her as she patted his arm then toddled inside.

Shado returned and reached for her wrap, slipping it over her shoulders. The unexpected gesture caused her heart to twist with uncertainty. How was it possible she could be falling for a man, different than the one she’d come to find, if her heart’s desire was Billy? Shado’s fingertips brushed the back of her neck as he let the fur settle over her shoulders. She turned to face him. “Do you think I’m crazy?”

He searched her eyes. “No, but I’m beginning to wonder about me, and there’s only one man who may be able to explain it to both of us. Come on.”

A few moments later, they were headed down a quiet street not far from the apartment building. The night was crisp, cold, and clear, the sky a blanket of black ink, sprinkled with stars. It had taken a moment or two to warm up the car, and Angel passed the time blowing her breath on the window and writing her name in the frosty fog. She hadn’t paid too much attention to where they were until Shado pulled to a stop. He sat for a moment silent, his finger nervously tapping the wheel.

“What is it? Where are we?”

He peered out the window, checking up and down the block, and then sat back, his shoulders dropping in defeat. “I’m sure this is the right block.”

“Sure of what?”

He sighed. “The Timeless Passion store. I’m certain it was right over there.” He pointed to the darkened storefront. “It was between the restaurant and the tattoo place.” He scratched his chin and searched again for the phantom store.

“Maybe it was the next street?” she suggested, sensing there was more to this mystery.

He shook his head. “No, it was over there. I remember I stood out in the street, looking at the store because I didn’t remember ever seeing it before.” He turned to her. “I swear I played checkers with the guy right inside that building.”

“Maybe he moved?” Could this strange, elusive man actually be the same one who’d helped Miss Lillian all those years ago? Angel searched the empty front window of the silent building. She might never find the answer.

Shado jerked the car into gear. “This is insane.”

“Now you understand how I feel.” She studied his profile.

“There’s a reasonable explanation, Angel. People don’t just pop up in and out of time.” He shot her a glance.

Angel pressed her lips together and kept her silence. Perhaps she could speak more to Miss Lillian tonight and clear up some of her questions about this Burt fellow.

A short time later, they entered the ballroom of the hotel. Angel was aware immediately of the attention turned her way when Shado removed her coat. Was it the dress? Did her hair look strange? She nervously scanned the room for Miss Lillian.

“Shado, glad to see you could make it, and Miss Sutter? I don’t believe you’ll remember me, but I spoke with you briefly in the hospital. I hope you’re feeling better, and this guy hasn’t been too much of a pain to live with.” A large man, a good two inches taller and three times broader than Shado, stood before them.