Echoes of Time Page 8

  I found the condo interesting. To me, it was a very condensed space. But the windows and deck afforded me a chance to look at the city beneath me. People and cars seemed like ants I could pick up and hold in my palm. Everybody moved at brisk paces, eager to get to their next destination. What struck me the most was the number of living complexes in the area. They seemed to have sprouted from the ground. The fine craftsmanship Belgrave possessed was not as prevalent in this era. Here, it was more about quantity versus quality. However, the amenities—laptops, cell phones, television, and microwaves—more than made up for the quality of buildings. There was even some invention called a vacuum cleaner. And just yesterday, Serene showed me how to do my first load of laundry.

  But the laundry I washed, oafishly folded, and then put away has found its way onto the ground because Serene has spent the past fifteen minutes in front of her closet, staring at the array of clothes presented to her. At first, she started to slide the hangers from left to right at a rapid pace. Did she even know what she was looking for? I don’t think she did because she would mutter words under her breath as she jerked blouses from the hangers and tried them on, only to groan in frustration, take them off, and drop them to the floor. Serene did this a handful of times before she settled for the first blouse she had put on and then she moved to the bathroom. She was in there for thirty, and by the time she came out, her eyes were brighter, and her cheeks were rosy, and her hair … it was straight and nearly to the middle of her back.

  I’m used to seeing Serene’s hair thick and wavy. In my time, she attempted to have her hair in the latest updo, but those endeavors always failed. Tendrils inevitably escaped and fell to her shoulders. She would give up and let her hair free without any regard for what people thought.

  I loved combing my hands through it as I kissed her.

  Is this what women did to get ready?

  She smells amazing, though. Some type of floral scent that has me inching closer.

  With a flick of her hand, her hair lands over her shoulders. Serene looks at me and tilts her head to the side. “Why are you staring?”

  “You smell pleasant,” I say bluntly.

  Serene smiles, wraps an arm around my neck, and leans into me. “I got kind words wrapped in a stern tone.”

  “In my head, my thoughts are gentle. I cannot help it if they come out sharp.”

  She steps back and grabs her shoes. “We should probably go. I took longer than I thought.”

  I glance at myself. Never have I given my appearance such thought. Confidence has always been my guide whenever I’ve been lost, but in a different time, I’m unsure. I feel as though I’m my sister who spends half the day in front of her mirror. However, I am all too aware that certain actions and phrases I use cause me to stand out. I need to stack the cards in my favor. As much as I hate to admit it, the impromptu trip to the mall was much needed. The material of the jeans is coarse against my skin. They brush against my thighs yet feel too loose around my lower legs. Serene insists this style is popular for the time, but I am not fully convinced.

  “Do I appear from this time?” I ask Serene.

  She makes a spinning motion with her finger. “Turn for me.”

  Reluctantly, I comply. As Serene takes me in, I continue to snuff down the ever-growing anxiety bubbling inside me. I’ve been in the present day for approximately five days. This dinner tonight is crucial for many reasons. I don’t know how her older brother Bradley will receive me, or how the conversation will go with her parents. I will attempt to speak in greater length with her father, Daniel.

  To say her father seems cautious of me is putting it lightly. I don’t seek approval from anyone, and I never will. To Daniel, I am merely a strange man who came off the streets claiming to love his daughter, and he doesn’t place much stock in our relationship. I know the love I have for Serene. But I can see it’s important to Serene that we try to get along with one another. When she speaks to her father, her shoulders relax, and I can tell she truly enjoys his company. I need to find something I have in common with Daniel.

  “You appear really hot. Does that count?”

  “I’m not sure. Does that count?”

  “It does for me,” Serene replies cheekily as we walk out of the bedroom. I turn off the light.

  When I don’t smile, Serene gently slaps my arm. “You can relax. It’s just dinner.”

  “With your family, Serene.”

  “I know that, Étienne.”

  “You’re close with my siblings. And I’ve only met Ian once. We both know first impressions count.”

  “You’re absolutely right, but I already told you everything you need to know. They might be dickbags for the first few seconds, but after that, they’ll be cool.” Serene grabs her purse, slides her feet into her boots, and gives me a faint smile. “I’m positive.”

  I stay silent, allowing Serene to bask in her words. I’m a brother, and I know how protective I am of Nathalie. If they’re anything like me, tonight won’t go as smooth as Serene imagines.

  “We’re here,” Serene declares.

  My brows slant low as Serene expertly finds a parking spot in an open lot near downtown Champaign. “Where are you referrin’ to?” I ask.

  It’s virtually impossible to know. I continue to look at the world through a lens created from the past, not the present, which makes adapting to my surroundings nearly impossible. The number of restaurants and stores open are overwhelming. A group of young ladies walks past my door without a chaperone, unaware of how scandalous their behavior would be in my era.

  When I look at Serene, she’s already staring at me. Both brows are arched as though she can read my thoughts.

  “You ready?” she says.

  “Of course,” I say.

  I’m not certain I’m prepared for the crowds in the restaurant, but in difficult situations, I find it’s best to dive in headfirst. I am ready to get to know Serene’s brothers. I’m ready to form my own impressions of them. I only have stories from all the conversations Serene and I have had throughout the years to gauge the two of them. From that alone, I deduced she was far closer to Ian than Bradley and saw firsthand the good rapport they have with one another.

  I slam my car door and hurry to open Serene’s door before she has the chance. In all my observances of the present day, I’ve taken from this era that chivalry is dead, and manners barely exist. Men rarely open doors or escort women.

  I take Serene’s hand, and as we walk through the lot, I examine my surroundings. In Serene’s time, the city comes alive at night. Serene once made the remark that my era held a sense of opulence that couldn’t be duplicated. However, the present day had its own riches. It was in the items presented in window shops and by each unique vehicle on the road. And as frustrating as I found people with their lack of manners, how they carried themselves without a thought to the stranger next to them was frankly quite refreshing. Charleston was not a small city, but the elite circle was, and what you did always spread throughout the streets. I found it tedious. But here you were afforded a sense of freedom. It was one more reason to start over here.

  We hurry across the road. The slick pavement from a rainstorm earlier today causes the light from the pole lights to reflect on the road.

  “Now, before we go in, I’m gonna give you a quick pop quiz. What does my brother Ian do for a living?”

  “He is an IT tech.”

  “Correct. And why did we wait so long to tell everyone we were in a relationship?”

  “Because we’ve had a long-distance relationship, and we wanted to wait until we were engaged. My siblings also live in the South. My twin resides in Charleston, South Carolina, and my sister is in Savannah, Georgia. It’s very important to Serene and me that we have them there, which is why we haven’t settled on a date yet.”

  “Excellent, excellent. Kill two birds with one stone.” She glances at me from the corner of her eye. “Who is Bradley married to?”

  At that, I hesit
ate. I can align faces to names quite well. I envision them to be puzzle pieces perfectly sliding into place. However, I’ve never met Bradley’s wife. Serene’s told me her name time and time again, and I know it starts with an M, so I take a shot in the dark. “Michelle?”

  Serene makes a loud buzzing noise. “Wrong. Myen. If you can’t remember when you’re introduced to her, just say, ‘Nice to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.’”

  “Serene, I know it’s hard to believe, but I have a brain that works.”

  “I just want tonight to go smoothly.”

  “It will. I’ve won over stubborn old businessmen—”

  “You mean there are men more stubborn than you?” Serene asks teasingly.

  I wrap my arm across her shoulders and draw her closer. “Amusin’, but convincin’ your family I’m from this time and the right man for you are of the utmost importance.”

  “Oh, yes. There’s nothing to worry about,” Serene replies.

  I frown. “Your tone is derisive. Are you not convinced?”

  “Of course, I’m not convinced. You talk as if you’re a walking dictionary.”

  “Do I, or does the rest of the world not properly articulate?”

  Serene stops us outside of a brightly lit restaurant. With her hands on my biceps, she smiles at me. “We can’t have a repeat of the mall.”

  “The mall is where I encountered that callous boob of a man?”

  She wants to be upset, but Serene’s lips curve upward in a small grin. “See, this is exactly what I’m talking about. You can’t call people boobs. And Mom is already onto you.”

  “How so?”

  “Well, you nearly spent an hour toying with the coffeemaker at their house before we moved into the condo.”

  “Simple explanation. I’ve never seen her coffeemaker before.”

  Which wasn’t far from the truth. That machine made the trusty percolator at Belgrave seem inadequate.

  “And when you almost chucked my iPad across the room?”

  “I don’t care to have my privacy invaded by a robotic woman.”

  “Siri, Étienne. Her name is Siri.”

  “What type of name is Siri?”

  “She’s not a person. She’s a—” Serene abruptly stops speaking and waves her hands in front of her. “We’re getting off topic.”

  If there’s ever a delay in my replies to Serene, it’s because I’m translating her phrases. It’s a challenge, but I love every moment of it.

  “Just try to be as agreeable as possible. All right?”

  Glancing around, I make sure the coast is clear. By nature, I’m private with my emotions. In this time, I’ve noticed how unrestrained people are with their emotions. Laughter spills out at will, and women don’t hide their smiles behind fans. Even I find it incredibly liberating and wrap my arms around her waist in the middle of the street. Smiling, Serene raises onto her tiptoes to meet my lips.

  As we’re kissing, I open my eyes and find a man walking by with his eyes blatantly taking Serene in. I break away from Serene, curling my upper lip upward, and I nearly snarl at him. It takes him a moment to look at me and realize he’s seconds away from my fist meeting his face. Abruptly, he averts his gaze, looks down at the sidewalk, and hurries away.

  Serene places a hand on my chest, grabbing my attention. “As much as I want to tell you I got this, seeing you jealous is really hot. Also, my family is probably wondering where we are.”

  I link her fingers through mine, and we walk into the restaurant. The atmosphere is … bustling. Waiters hurry back and forth. People are congregating around a frazzled girl behind a booth.

  As bold as brass, Serene walks toward the girl and gives her last name, saying the rest of our party should already be here. The girl scans the list in front of her and nods. She points to the left and gives directions, but it’s nearly impossible to hear her due to the number of people speaking at the same time.

  Serene must hear her perfectly fine because she links her hand through mine and walks in the direction the girl pointed. Serene scans the faces scattered around the restaurant as we continue to walk. While she looks for her family, I look at the portions on the plates placed in front of people. Dear God, they’re massive. My stomach growls just looking at some of the food.

  Once I stop drooling, I lift my head and spot Ian speaking to Serene’s mother to the right in a corner booth.

  Serene spots them at the same time and slows down her pace to walk shoulder to shoulder with me. “There they are,” she says as she squeezes my hand and looks up at me.

  I repeatedly waggle my brows, causing her to laugh and earning the attention of her family.

  Immediately, the blonde sitting next to one of Serene’s brothers smiles in our direction. She stands and hugs Serene. “Congratulations on your engagement!”

  I know Serene wants tonight to go well so I will my lips to curl into a friendly smile as the blonde turns her attention to me. “Hello. I’m Myen, and you must be Étienne.”

  I hold my hand out to her. “I am. It is a pleasure, ma’am.”

  With a laugh, she takes my hand before she takes a seat and nudges the guy beside her. “Did you hear that? He called me ma’am. Take a page from his book, Bradley.”

  Ah-ha. So he must be Bradley. Reaching across the table, I introduce myself to him. He doesn’t appear overly thrilled to see me, but I’m not upset by his reaction. If anything, it helps me better understand him. Ian appears mildly amused by the introductions.

  I am the same way with Nathalie. It doesn’t matter how perfect the man seems to be, he’ll never be good enough for my sister. I only agreed to her betrothal to Oliver because I had him thoroughly investigated, and Livingston told me many times he was a good man and to give him a chance.

  I take a seat with Serene to my right and Daniel to my left. In all the days I’ve been here, we’ve only had two conversations, and both of them were brief. Perhaps that will change tonight although he doesn’t seem particularly pleased to see me.

  I grab the menu, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the options.

  “Will you be having anything to drink tonight?” Daniel asks me.

  “I don’t believe I will.”

  For reasons beyond me, that earns a thorough look. I have a distinct feeling anything I say won’t sit well with Daniel.

  “Se, are you drinking tonight?” Ian asks.

  Serene coughs into her hand. “Nah. I’m good.”

  While Serene keeps her gaze fixed on her menu, I glance at her family members. No one seems bothered by her response, though her mother watches her for a moment longer with raised brows. I don’t know when we’ll tell her family Serene’s pregnant. This is one thing I’m allowing Serene to decided when is the right time.

  A waitress comes to take our order. I’ve become lost in my thoughts and haven’t given the menu a thorough scan. I end up choosing the first thing I see: fiesta lime chicken. The fiesta part is alarming to me, but it has chicken in the title, so how bad can it be? The waitress takes our menus, and once she’s gone, a tense silence settles over the table like an itchy blanket.

  “So how do the two of you like the condo?” Serene’s mom asks.

  I sit up straighter in my chair and look at Serene from the corner of my eye. Typically, she speaks for the both of us, though tonight she’s quiet.

  “It’s quite nice,” I say. “Wonderful view and impressive electronics.”

  Her mom smiles. “I’m so glad. Did the airline ever send your luggage?”

  “My what?” I blurt out at the same time Serene kicks me underneath the table.

  “Your luggage,” her mom repeats.

  “Yes,” Serene cuts in. “Yeah, they contacted him. It was sent to him yesterday,” she lies.

  Her mom slowly nods.

  As I observe her family, I think of my siblings. It would take no time for Livingston to find his place with Serene’s brothers. He was friends with everyone. The same could be said for Nathalie, but s
he didn’t have Livingston’s natural charisma. Her kindness was bred from naïvety. When she looked at people, she automatically believed they were as pure as she was. It was one of the many reasons I was so protective of her. Nathalie would love Serene’s family solely for the rapport they have with one another and to have any sort of relationship with Serene’s parents. She’s desperate to fill the void my parents left.

  The thought of Nat and Livingston causes me to frown at my food. Five days. That’s all, but I’ve discovered how simple it is to immerse myself in the present day and to allow my misery to fade. If I’m here for another five days, will I even think of my siblings?

  “Are you okay?”

  Lifting my head, I look at the woman I love. She stares at me with concern etched in her eyes. “Perfectly fine.”

  “I think tonight is going well so far, don’t you think?” Serene says in a near whisper.

  I nod.

  “Étienne,” Daniel interrupts. “Serene mentioned you took time off work to visit her, but she didn’t say what you did for a living.”

  I’m not misled by Daniel’s question. He’s not interested in my life, but merely testing me to see if I measure up.

  “My family has a shippin’ company that I help run on the side. My primary focus is on my corporation that centers around investments and real estate.”

  Before an unknown person decided to take matters into their own hands and destroy years of hard work, I bitterly think to myself.

  “It sounds like you have your hands full.” This remark comes from Bradley.

  “I do. However, I find the challenges both companies present can be quite rewardin’.” I look back and forth between Bradley and Daniel. “But you understand, considerin’ you have Hambleton’s.”

  Bradley holds his index finger up, preventing anyone from speaking. “I’m afraid I’m the only family member who plays an active role in the daily operations of the store.”

  “Hey now, I’m happy to assist when your computer fucks up,” Ian objects.

  “That doesn’t count. Call me when you have an investor threaten to back out of an important deal at the final hour.”