“I could wait for an eclipse,” Evan said. Elizabeth could see the effort it took to offer that possibility.
“I think you’ve waited long enough,” she said. “I know Lillian has.”
Evan’s eyes welled with tears. He blinked them away and stood up straighter. “Yes, she has.”
Simon adjusted his watch and took back the key.
“We should be back in a few seconds, Jack.”
“Seconds?”
“If for some reason, we’re not,” Elizabeth said as she took Evan’s hand. “Try not to destroy the future.”
Jack frowned at that and nodded, taking another swig of Scotch.
“When will we arrive?” Evan said.
“A few months after the earthquake,” Simon said. “The house survived that, but it was destroyed by the fires. We can only hope she stayed and rebuilt.”
“She would. I know she would.”
“Hold tight,” Simon said and the electric blue light snaked up his arm and the world shifted again.
They arrived in the same location Elizabeth had, in Mrs. Eldridge’s garden, but the hedge she’d been so well acquainted with was gone along with the trees and nearly everything else with it. The street corner that had once held some of the most beautiful and luxurious mansions in San Francisco was covered with empty lots and shells of once grand houses. Everything on Nob Hill that had survived the earthquake had been razed by fire. But amongst the ruins, new life was being built. Frames of even grander houses rose out of the barren ground. San Francisco was rising again.
“She did,” Evan said in a soft voice.
Elizabeth followed his gaze. The house wasn’t quite finished, but it was the same, or it would be. They walked to the newly laid path to the front stoop. Evan stopped before the stairs. He let out a long shuddering breath and nodded for them to go ahead.
Simon knocked on the door. A moment later, it swung open and Gerald filled the doorway. He was wearing his usual expression of annoyance. “Yes? What in God’s name? Elizabeth?”
His dour face lit with a broad smile. “It’s good to see you, girl. And you too I guess,” he added with a glance at Simon.
Elizabeth laughed. How she’d missed this dear man. But her reunions could wait. “Is Mrs. Eldridge here?”
“Lillian. We have visitors!”
“Is it the man come about the garden?” Mrs. Eldridge said, as she came to the door. “Oh, hello, dear. Mr. Cross,” she said as if she weren’t surprised in the slightest to see them again.
Elizabeth felt her throat tighten with emotion. She smiled and took Mrs. Eldridge’s hand. “We brought you something.”
She and Simon stepped aside. Evan stood behind them, halfway up the stairs. He took a tentative step.
Mrs. Eldridge’s gaze landed on Evan and her composure faltered. She didn’t believe her eyes or didn’t dare believe them. “Evan?”
Evan took the last few stairs and stood in front of her. “I’m sorry I kept you waiting.”
She reached out and touched his chest, testing to see if he was real. Her hand trembled and he covered it with his own and then kissed it. She gasped and cried with joy and he pulled her to him. They held one another, trembling in each other’s arms. It was the most beautiful thing Elizabeth had ever seen. The tears that had constricted her throat moments earlier flowed freely now. Evan ducked his head and whispered something to Lillian and she cried harder and he held her tighter.
Simon and Elizabeth shared a glance over the couple. It was a promise and affirmation. Elizabeth wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. She caught a glimpse of Gerald. He had tears in his eyes too. Joy and, she suspected, a little sadness.
Evan eased Lillian back and kissed her cheek. He saw Gerald and put out his hand. “Gerald, it’s good to see. Thank you.”
Gerald sniffled in a manly way, cleared his throat and shook Evan’s hand. “Good to have you home, sir.”
Mr. and Mrs. Eldridge started into the house still in each other’s arms. Mrs. Eldridge stopped and turned back. “Thank you. Thank you both so much.”
“It was our pleasure,” Simon said, taking Elizabeth’s hand.
“You will stay, won’t you? For a little while? I know Maxwell and Teddy would be sick if they missed you.”
“Of course,” Elizabeth said, elated at the idea and then looked up to Simon. “We have time, don’t we, Simon?”
He squeezed her hand. “All the time in the world.”
THE END
NOTE TO THE READERS
Thank you for reading FRAGMENTS; I truly hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
If you liked it, please consider lending a copy to a friend or posting a short review at http://www.amazon.com/author/moniquemartin
ALSO BY MONIQUE MARTIN
Out of Time: A Time Travel Mystery (Book #1, Out of Time)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0036Z9W00
When the Walls Fell (Book #2, Out of Time)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005PII27U
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Monique was born in Houston, Texas, but her family soon moved to Southern California. She grew up on both coasts, living in Connecticut and California. She currently resides in Southern California with her naughty Siamese cat, Monkey.
She's currently working on an adaptation of one of her screenplays, several short stories and novels and the fourth book in the Out of Time series.
For news and information about Monique and upcoming releases, please visit: http://moniquemartin.weebly.com/
Sign up for the new releases newsletter!
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Table of Contents
Copyright Notice
Acknowledgements
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
NOTE TO THE READERS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Table of Contents
Copyright Notice
Acknowledgements
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
NOTE TO THE READERS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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