Loved. Yeah, that’s what he intended to say, but stopped himself. Why?
Hampstead made a face. “Well, if he comes around again and tries to bother you, let me know, all right?”
“I will. Thank you.”
The rest of her shift passed uneventfully. When she finally clocked out, she grabbed an apple from the produce bin on her way out as she always did and stepped out onto the street. She spotted him almost immediately. He was sitting on the bus bench in front of Newbly’s Hardware and chomping down on what looked like an apple. He didn’t move when she started walking toward Duncan’s Diner. Although she half-expected him to follow her, he didn’t. Instead, he continued to watch her, as if observing the passing traffic. Despite his intense gaze, she still didn’t feel intimidated. It baffled her.
At the diner, she enjoyed a bowl of chicken noodle soup with a slab of homemade bread. Maggie, who waited on her, snuck an extra jar of the soup into a bag for her to take home. Juda protested, but the woman insisted.
“Don’t worry about it. We got plenty. You just enjoy it.” Lowering her voice, the big woman added, “I included some of those soda crackers, too.”
“You are too good to me,” Juda told her, handing over the money to pay for her meal. “Thank you so much.”
“My pleasure. Now, you better get home before it gets too dark.” The woman patted her shoulder before strolling away.
Getting up from her seat, Juda started for the front door when she remembered the strange man. What if he was outside this very minute, waiting for her to reappear? What if he tried to follow her this time? What if he wanted to find out where she lived?
Cautiously, she stared out the window but the bus seat was empty. Neither could she see the guy anywhere in the vicinity. Leaving the diner, she checked all around but apparently the man had left. He was nowhere in sight.
Even so, as she hurried home, she kept glancing behind her every now and then to make sure.
Inquiry
She didn’t recognize him.
Cayn stared at his hands. She didn’t recognize him, and he could guess why. That finger-long scar on her forehead was new. Either she’d been in an accident, or she’d been attacked. If it was the latter, he wondered who had attacked her. His thoughts went immediately to one possibility.
If Goen had caught up with her…
Either was feasible, but he leaned more toward Goen. The man was relentless. He’d never stop until he got his hands back on Cayn and killed him.
Cayn snorted softly. The man had no knowledge about Juda, and Cayn took extraordinary measures to make sure he wouldn’t. Otherwise, the guy would take evil pleasure in destroying her as well.
There was a movement off to the side. Someone walked around the shelving and vanished down the next aisle of books. Sitting up straighter, Cayn directed his attention back to the newspaper. More specifically, to the photo of Juda. It had been taken at the grocers. She was standing behind the cash register, and she was smiling at someone. Below the black and white shot were the words Employee of the Month. The date at the top read August 30, 1954.
He had always been able to find her whenever they were separated. They were inexplicably tied—their hearts, minds, souls, and love. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to traverse years and decades when he searched for her. He was drawn to her like a storm-tossed ship on the seas navigating via the guiding beam from a lighthouse.
It had taken him weeks and more than a dozen jumps to find her…
And she didn’t recognize him.
At first, he’d been unprepared for her non-acceptance. He didn’t know what to say or do. Could he be wrong? Could he have mistakenly found her doppelganger? A lookalike? A distant kin?
Fortunately, this town had a library, and within it, a treasure trove of old archived newspapers. Working on a hunch, he’d scanned past issues until he found this one photo. It proved that she was his Juda.
Bending over, he cradled his head in his palms. The medicant was gradually easing the ache behind his eyes. He never understood why these migraines came every time he went through time. Normally, he’d be forced to endure them until they eventually eased. Or one of Juda’s potions gave him surcease. Juda, however, seemed unaffected by the jumps.
He sighed. “Just another one of life’s little mysteries,” he whispered.
Carefully folding the newspaper, he returned it to its proper shelf and left the library. He paused outside the door to stare down the main street of this little town. People greeted each other, called out to each other. Everyone seemed to know everyone else. That made his strangeness stick out even more.
“No wonder she asked if I was new in town.”
Judging by the placement of the sun, it was starting to get dark. Most towns closed up shop at dusk, and he guessed the grocers would as well. More than likely she was already off work and had gone home.
Home.
She was his home. His arms ached for the feel of her. His heart ached even more for the sound of her voice saying his name. Saying she loved him.
