The Passage of Time

Chapter 1

The neighborhood was normal, by all accounts, as the residents would gladly tell you. No funny business of any sort ever happened here and quite possibly never would. Bethton was a small, well to do, southern town located on the outskirts of New Orleans. But somehow the French architecture that was so prevalent in that famous port city was missing in this small town. Instead it boasted of some of the most incredible Victorian style houses in the eastern United States.

The warm air was thick with moisture and filled with the scents of summer flowers as twilight fell onto this small community. Rocking chairs were quickly occupied as the front porches filled with people. The young had retired to their rooms to lament their old fashioned relations, leaving their elders to talk of things…mostly each other.

Bethton was no different from other small towns, especially when it came to knowing everybody’s business. It was next to impossible to keep a secret in Bethton for the gossip networks rivaled those of the military. The top informant in this little network was old Mrs. Gumner. If someone needed any information on anyone in the town, all they needed to do was join Mrs. Gumner on her front pouch on any given summer evening. People would often join her on the pretense of a visit because in this town full of gossips no one would dream of sticking their noses into someone else’s business. But whatever they might say in their defense it is a truth of nature that the lives of other people fascinate mankind.

Mrs. Gumner’s porch, like the rest of her house, was old but well looked after. The paint was a new light blue with white trim that the old woman was bursting with pride over. Roses climbed up lattes on either side of the porch and sometimes hid the old woman from view; which might have been how she managed to get some of her information.

This evening Mrs. Gumner was joined by two old friends, Mrs. Marsh and Mrs. Conner. The pouch light glowed and gave the women plenty of light to knit by as they discussed the day. The topic of discussion was the relatively new Monroe family who had moved into the white Victorian up the street about six years ago. They were relatively new because most of the people in Bethton could boast families that had lived there since the War of Northern Aggression.

Mrs. Gumner tsked to herself, “A shame it is bout that Monroe child; always did think they were a tad odd.”

The other two women perked up and it was Mrs. Connor who spoke first. “Really? Have they gone and left again?”

That was news of a sort but not really too interesting, not anymore at least, because the Monroes were always going to out landish places; sometimes for years. Their latest trip had been to Egypt, but that had been more for pleasure than for business. For both Mr. and Mrs. Monroe were doctors of archeology who worked for a private group of people who resided in England and received government funding. That was all very interesting to the small town people of Bethton, but what really shocked them was that the Monroes would take their young daughter along on these trips.

Mrs. Gumner smiled to herself as her fingers knowingly slid a stitch off one of her needles. “Yes they’ve gone again.” She paused before continuing. “But they didn’t take their daughter with them.” That had the other women’s attention.

Mrs. Marsh wrinkled her brow in confusion. “So what have they done with the child? Tell me she’s not all alone in that big house?!”

The source of this information snorted, “Of course not! They may be strange folk, but they do love that girl and rightly so. Alice is their only child.” A smile flitted on the old woman’s lips “and she is the sweetest little thing with that mop of blond curls and those big blue eyes. Never have I seen eyes so dark in one that young. No, they have the Rendell girl, Teri, staying with her.”

The other women nodded their heads in approval when they heard the girl’s name. Mrs. Marsh was her great aunt and so she smiled with pride, “Ah yes Teri’s a fine level headed girl.” They all continued on with their knitting, watching people as they passed by and waving every now and then.

Mrs. Connor cleared her throat, “I have to admit that I’m a little curious as to where they’ve gone.”

It was the opening that Mrs. Gumner had been waiting for so she could deliver the rest of her news. “Well I ran into Alex Monroe before they left and he told me that they were going to the Amazon.”

The other women gasped and Mrs. Connor exclaimed, “Good Heavens, I can see why they wouldn’t take the child there! Way too dangerous.”

Mrs. Gumner merely smiled at her knitting aware that she was being observed by Mrs. Marsh. “Well Maddy, it would seem that you think otherwise. Why’s that? Have you heard something?”

Madeline Gumner had been counting on the sharpness of her friend so that she could continue her ‘news’ without it being considered, at least in her eyes, gossip. “Of course it’s their business, and I wouldn’t dream of judging them. But, considering what I’ve gathered during polite conversation with a few friends; I would be led to believe that they are going to send for the child. She’s to stay here for a week while they prepare a place for her. Obviously they plan on being away for quite some time and they want their daughter with them to experience different cultures while she’s still young.”

Mrs. Marsh smiled at her success. “I knew that you had something up your sleeve. Why that poor child she can’t be older than 8 years old. She does seem quite normal though even if her parents are a bit odd.” The old woman sighed, “Maybe she’ll turn out all right in the end.”

All this time Mrs. Connor had been listening rather intently, but at the last statement she nodded her head sharply. “Ah yes the Monroes’ are a little more than odd if you ask me. Sure they might look normal enough at first, but have you ever locked eyes with one of them?”

Both of other women looked confused and their knitting lay forgotten in their laps. But come to think of it, no, neither of them could recall a time when they had look either person directly in the eye. “Of course,” the lady snorted, “they’re very careful about that sort of thing I’m sure. But she did with me once and I swear it took years off my life.”

She paused and looked thoughtful, but the other women were careful not to speak because they feared that they might break her train of thought and never find out. They shouldn’t have worried for the event was burned in the woman’s mind. Mrs. Connor’s eyes focused on a blooming rose as she searched her mind for the right words to describe what she had felt in that moment long ago. “I saw her eyes, Sarah’s. Blue like her daughter’s except hers were lighter.” She paused. “The eyes of a fallen angel they were. Like those of an old soldier, except they were bright. Old eyes in a young face; they had a sort of power in them that reminded me of my mima’s fairy stories about how the folk could compel you with a glance.”

The woman shook herself and smiled at her friends, “Yes I know it all sounds very silly indeed, but it’s how I felt and I swear that even if I forget everything else I will remember those eyes until the day I die and probably after still.”

The night was oddly silent as the women pondered the strange family that had entered into their quiet little town. One by one they each glanced down the street at a beautifully restored two story Victorian house with its white spires stretching up into the night sky. The house’s stain glass windows were dark except for a single light that flooded the kitchen, and if the women had been close enough, they might have caught the scent of burnt popcorn in the wind.

***********

The inside of the white Victorian was what one would expect the inside of an academic’s house to be, especially when those before named academics were rarely ever at ‘home’. Papers, maps, statues, and all sorts of other odds and ends were cast about seemingly without order. Of course both of the Monroes would argue that they knew where everything was and surely that was all that mattered since it was their own house and no one else’s.

The kitchen was the only part of the house that bespoke the truly modern world. It was filled with whiteness and the bright shining of new metal, as is common in most kitchens. The color white, somehow, seems to fool mankind into thinking whatever it covers is clean and pure. Walking through the door there was an oak dinner table to the left next to a large window that looked out over the porch railing into the front yard. Past the table there was an island that was parallel to the kitchen sink and at that moment there was a child seated upon this shining white island.

She giggled as she watched a young woman in her teens pull a smoking bag of popcorn out of the microwave. Grabbing the bag by a corner she quickly lifted/tossed it into the gleaming metal bowl of the sink. She glanced at the child, her lips turning down at the corners as she crossed the tiled floor to the sink to turn water on and soak the smoking bag. After the woman was sure that the bag was no longer smoking she stuffed it into the trash can that was in the cabinet beneath the sink.

The teenager turned and fixed the child in place with a glare that froze the smile on the girl’s face. The kid might look like an angel, but she’s far from it that’s for sure…the little hellion. That was probably what was running through the older girl’s mind as she surveyed the child perched upon the island. Teri knew that this was her fault, she could have said no when Mrs. Monroe had asked her to watch Alice for a week while they got things set up in South America. But she needed the money, and the Monroes always paid her very well when she babysat for them.

They had only been gone three days. Teri took a deep breath and tried to force the thought that she could’ve be at the beach this week out of her mind. Alice wasn’t a spoiled child, Teri reminded herself, just a little wild; which was probably the product of living with two different native tribes. That would put a wild streak in just about anyone.

So the pranks weren’t really malicious; the child was just bored and anxious to join her parents in an interesting new place. Still, that was no excuse for almost setting a fire. “Alice.” The girl looked at her hands which were folded in her lap. “Please don’t put something in the microwave when I’m out of the room. You could’ve started a fire.” Teri wrinkled her nose, “Plus it doesn’t smell too great.”

Alice glanced up at Teri and caught the glimmer of humor in the girl’s dark eyes and so she smiled carefully at her babysitter. “Yes Miss Teri…I’m sorry it wont happen again.”

Teri sighed and looked at the clock, it was 9:30. “Ok girlie, time for bed. Go brush your teeth and comb your hair and get into your PJs.” The girl grinned because she knew that she had gotten away with the burnt popcorn. She slipped off the bar and skipped out of the kitchen heading up the stairs to her bathroom.

The phone rang.

A childish shriek pierced the silence as bare feet slapped down the wooden stairs. “It has to be Mom and Dad! I’ll get it!”

A sense of dread filled Teri. “No!” The girl stopped and looked back puzzled. “Go get ready for bed; I’ll come and get you if it’s your parents.” Alice slunk back up the stairs and Teri made her way to the answer machine which was on the counter next to the phone. There were a few more rings and then Alice’s bright voice sounded on the recording. “Hi! This is the Monroe residence. We aren’t home right now but if you leave a message we’ll get back to you.”

The sharp beep jarred Teri, but not as much as what came next. “Teri Marie Rendell pick up the phone it’s urgent.”

The British voice was male and the girl was quite certain that she had never heard it before. But the command in the voice was clear enough and Teri picked up the phone. “Hello?”

Someone sighed on the other end of the phone. “Ah, Miss Rendell, thank you for picking up. I’m the other Dr. Monroe; Alice’s grandfather.”

The man paused and Teri felt her heart catch in her throat and words rushed out before she could stop them. “Something bad happened didn’t it Dr. Monroe?” She heard his in take of breath and she rushed on. “It’s just cause they told me that they wouldn’t be calling until it was time for her to go and it’s only been three days; plus they don’t have a phone out there.”

Dr. Monroe coughed and struggled to find the right words; he wasn’t very good with emotion. “Yes, communication is very hard when you’re out in the wilds. That’s why I didn’t hear until today what had happened.” He paused. “There was an accident two days ago. They had to take a boat to get out to the dig site and on the way they hit some rapids and…there was a waterfall and lots of rocks…no one survived.”

Teri stood frozen as a selfish thought hit her; she was going to have to be the one to tell Alice. She whispered condolences or at least sympatric sounds. The Monroes’ had been British and it was a well known fact that they didn’t have any family within the United States. “What will happen to Alice?” Her thoughts turned towards the beautiful little girl who would be brushing her teeth at this moment, blissfully unaware that her whole world had just shattered.

The man’s voice strengthened and he turned his mind to more practical matters. “I will come and collect her. The bodies are being shipped to England and I would like for her to be here in time for the funeral so I will be arriving tomorrow just after lunch. I’m in the airport now I just wanted for you to be prepared before I showed up.”

Ha, thought Teri, yeah right you just wanted someone else to have to tell Alice that her parents were dead. Scaredy cat! Of course she couldn’t say anything like that to the man on the other end of the phone but she damn well wanted to. “Thank you for the warning Dr. Monroe; I’ll tell Alice in the morning.” Her voice was hard, which wasn’t really fair because it hadn’t been his fault but that didn’t change the fact that she was angry with him. Just as she knew that Alice was going to be angry with her when she told her the news; that’s just how it went with certain kinds of people.

They exchanged the usual pleasantries of a fair well and then Teri hung up the phone. She heard the water running and knew that Alice was probably playing with the water more than she was brushing her teeth. Slowly she turned and exited the kitchen and began to climb the stairs. Everything in this house shouted with memories; she could remember watching as a kid as the movers unloaded some of the more interesting pieces.

They had always been so kind to her and her family; she had always been the person they would call first if they needed anyone to watch Alice. So she had basically watched the girl grow up; kind of like her kid sister in a way and she did love the girl she realized. With every step up the stairs her heart fell just a little more; why do bad things happen to good people? But then again the Monroes’ had gone to the Amazons knowing full well the dangers involved; young enough that they still thought themselves immortal, but that doesn’t fit. They were, in fact, the smartest most stable people that Teri had ever met. It was just luck of the draw that they had picked the wrong guide and gotten hurled into churning waters; but what of their child?

She had reached the last step. Standing perfectly still she contemplated what to do next. Give her one last night, her heart told her, let her hold on to them for one last night. So she breathed in deeply and hid her pain. She waited until she felt herself slip into babysitter-mode and then she strode into the bathroom and found to her great surprise, Alice actually brushing her teeth. Teri smiled wryly at the girl in the mirror and cocked her eye brow. “Now what’s this? This can’t be Alice! The Alice I know never does what I tell her too.”

Alice spat and then stuck her tongue out at the older girl. “Not true! I’ve been very good.” She put her tooth brush away and turned around just in time to be caught and pulled up into the other girl’s arms. Teri then proceeded to tickle her little charge until the girl shrieked with laughter. With the girl still in her arms Teri ran into Alice’s room pausing only to flick on the lights before she deposited the screaming buddle on the bed.

Alex Monroe had been a painter of sort, though he would have only admitted to having a small talent. The little girl’s room was a product of that talent; the walls were covered in fanciful green landscapes with vines and trees painted as large as life. The bed, with its’ soft green blanket and sheets look out of place. A piece of the modern world thrust into some forgotten druid’s grove. Off in the distance a faun played his pipes as nymphs danced gaily about him, so real that she could almost hear the music. Teri had seen this room many times, but it still took her breath away.

The child was looking at the walls as well. “It looks like Ireland, except for the faun and nymphs of course those are from Greek and Roman myths.”

Teri smiled down at the girl; she sure had picked up a thing or two from her parents and she didn’t mind telling the kids at school about it either. Alice might be blonde but she was by no means stupid and she refused to be treated as such. “Would you like a story before you go to bed?”

Alice sprang up and dashed across the room to grab a book off one of her shelves. After climbing back onto the bed she thrust it into Teri’s hands. “Could you read the one about Artemis and Orion, please Miss Teri?” She the proceeded to bat her eyes in the most blatant way trying to keep a pleading expression on her face, but the grin finally broke through.

Teri laughed and shook her finger at the little girl. “Yes you little rascal, I’ll read you the one about Artemis and Orion.” Alice snuggled in under the covers as Teri opened the well worn book to the most dog eared of pages and started reading in her most soothing voice.

When she got to the part where Apollo tricked his sister Artemis into shooting Orion, the sound of heavy breathing made her look down at the child. She was asleep. Carefully, Teri climbed off the bed and pulled the blankets up over the sleeping orphan. Replacing the book on its’ shelf, she walked to the door and flicked off the light. The nightlights glowed fainting, casting shadows among the enchanted landscapes that were the walls.

She stepped out into the hall and eased the door closed behind her. If ever there was a night that needed to last forever it was this one. Teri wandered down to the end of the hall; the Monroes’ had been gracious enough to allow her to sleep in their bed while they were gone. She stood frozen in front of the door to their sleeping chamber; it was just too creepy, she couldn’t sleep there. But if Alice needed her during the night she would come to this room and if she didn’t find her she would get upset. You’re braver than this, Teri chided herself. The metal door-knob was cold in her hand as she turned it and gently pushed the door open.

It was a beautiful room; nothing more. The tall four post bed had a feather mattress on it that made the bed look so inviting to Teri’s weary body. The faded silver sheets had been turned down, outlined by the dark honeyed gold of the blanket. Alex had painted this room too; swirling patterns of gold and silver chased each other, jumping from wall to wall. The elegant spirals seemed timeless, almost as if Alex had unknowingly copied some forbidden dance from an unknown culture.

Teri eased out of her shoes and rifled about in her over night bag trying to find her PJs. The faded material of her pajama pants came into view and she quickly shucked off her jeans and slipped them on. After brushing her teeth she removed her bra and flicked off the light. The street light outside dimly lit up the room just enough for her to find the wooden step for her to climb on to the bed. She sank into the softness of the sheets and sighed deeply, the morning would not be pleasant. Her eyes grew heavy and with great reluctance she gave herself up to sleep.

*************

Early rays of sunlight filtered through the bedroom window to dance across the sleeping girl’s eye lids. Teri moaned and turned over; averting her closed eyes from the fact that it was indeed morning. Buried beneath the covers she could still pretend that it was night and she didn’t have to go tell a little girl that her family was gone and wouldn’t be coming back. A dark mood settled within her, she was being selfish. She couldn’t hide; with another groan she sat up and looked at her wrist watch. It was 10:00. She had to get Alice up and ready for her grandfather.

She swung her legs over the side of the bed and by shear luck found the step with her bare feet. The first morning she had missed it completely and her fall had woken Alice. Teri smothered a grin as she remembered her own embarrassment.


***********************

Alice heard the thump of Teri’s feet hitting the floor and opened her eyes. She had been a wake for a while, just lying in the warm softness of her bed wondering what was wrong. People really don’t give children enough credit, they’re like emotional lie detectors and Teri’s forced happiness had been a dead give away.

A normal wild child would have thrown a fit and demanded to know who had been on the phone, but Alice was far from normal. But that was probably just the byproduct of living with primitive cultures in remote locations for more than half her life. She was far more self-sufficient than the normal nine year old. Danger had lurked around every tree, but she had learned their ways and flourished. So when she came back to the States after living in the wilderness for so long, she found some things just plain silly. Her parents had always tried to treat her like a person instead of a child who couldn’t possibly understand anything. Therefore, when people began to pinch her cheeks and talk to her slowly in small words, she got mad and took on the wild child role.

Last night she had been a little uneasy, but she had played along because whatever the problem was, it was making Teri very sad. Feet padded down the hall and Alice knew that she was about to find out what the phone call had been about. Her eyes followed the twirling figures on her walls that her father had painted and a sense of doom flooded over her. If only she could freeze this moment and block out the sound of those foot steps; she didn’t want to know what had caused that heavy look in Teri’s eyes.

The door slid open and a sleep tousled Teri peered into her room. “Hey kiddo, sleep well?” She slipped through the doorway and tiptoed over to Alice’s bed so she could sit by the girl. Oh no, Alice thought, this is worse than I thought. Usually she would take me down stairs, if she wants to talk to me about whatever it is here, she not sure how I’m going to react.

Alice pretended to stretch. “Yeah I slept pretty good.” Then she grinned, “I heard you get out of bed.”

Teri blushed, “I’m still not used to the drop.” Her face fell a little, “Alice I have something hard to tell you.” This was another reason why Alice liked her babysitter; Teri always spoke to her like a person even though she was a lot older than Alice. “Your grandfather is coming to get you; the one from England I’m not sure about you’re other grandparents.”

Alice shook her head and looked a little puzzled; all the fuss had been about her Pa? “No, I only have one Pa and Mima; mom’s parents died before I was born.” The girl paused, “Why’s he coming?”

Teri took a deep breath and brushed at her eyes. “Ally I’m so sorry.” The girl’s heart sank. “He called last night because your parents…your parents passed away…two day ago.”

The room seemed to still as if the world was holding its breath and the silence mocked the little girl; when your whole world shatters it should at least make some sort of noise. “How.” The word was whispered and Alice’s eyes were far away in the world her father had painted for her.

All of Teri’s body language screamed that she wanted to hold her, but Alice held back not wanting to feel anything. Teri looked at her hands. “The boat they were taking to the dig site hit some rapids…no one…survived.”

Alice thought back two days ago; she had been playing in the back yard with Teri. They had made garlands out of the wisteria that climbed the arbor and pretended to be princesses. Sometime during that day her parents had drowned…drowned…died…gone. She was alone and her Pa was coming to get her. His English accent ran through her mind since that was the only part of him she knew. She had never met her grandparents, but from over hearing her parents she thought that might be because her Mima didn’t like her mother.

Teri touched her shoulder and brought her out of her thoughts. “Come lets get you some breakfast.” Such a normal thing; was breakfast suppose to exist after your parents died? Teri pulled back the blankets so Alice could sit up and swing her feet over the edge to the floor. Reality hit her. This was real, not some nightmare; there was no going back to the way things use to be. She allowed Teri to lead her down stairs to the kitchen and seat her at the table.

The sound of pans rattling and a bowl being pulled from the cabinet announce that breakfast was going to be eggs and maybe bacon. Teri began talking about Alice’s grandfather and all the things they needed to do before he got here. She was nervous and worried, so the girl let her ramble on.

Death wasn’t a new thing to Alice, she had grown up in dangerous places and a few people she had known had met their end in front of her very eyes. Snake bites, disease, falls, or unfriendly natives had been their lot; they knew what their job meant and the dangers that went with it. Her parent were good swimmers, perhaps they had lived and were now in the jungle making friends with some newly discovered tribe. Hope was a deadly thing; it could bring her up only to be dashed upon the rocks of reality.

A plate of eggs and bacon with some toast was set down in front of her. “You need to eat, you’re going to have a long flight and I know you don’t like air plane food.” Alice sighed and picked up her fork as Teri set about trying to comb her tangle of golden curls. The little girl closed her eyes and enjoyed the feel of the brush; she suddenly felt guilty, her parents had died, she shouldn’t enjoy anything or feel happy.

Out of habit she raised her fork to her lips and ate. Pepper, salt, eggs, and cheese mixed within her mouth as she chewed. Cheese eggs meant that Teri was really trying to do everything within her power to comfort. Mechanically the meal disappeared and Alice was shooed up stairs to get dressed while Teri cleaned the kitchen.