TEMPUS CHAPTER THIRTEEN
I’d rather live in a cave with a view of a palace than live in a palace with a view of a cave.
Karl Pilkington
They arrived at the Cave in the future. Cristian helped Lorelei out of the Ascalon.
“You live in a cave Cristian?”
“I just moved here I have a house as well. It is safe here from the people that would do us harm.”
“Are these your cats? They are beautiful.”
“Nope, those are our cats meet Cali & Deakes.”
They immediately came up to her and circled the bottom of her dress. Purring as mad cats do.
“Hey Deakes, Cali what’s happening?”
Cristian noticed that a lot of his belongings had been moved in. The tattered chair, now repaired and upholstered in real leather. Off to the side, a workshop had been constructed. The walls were covered in his tools. The bike stand was in the middle of the new shop.
His bike was up on the stand. He walked over and took a look underneath. Not a drop of oil. M1 had been busy.
M1 showed up this time looking like Alfred the butler from the 1960’s batman series. Complete with a British accent.
“M1 please meet Lorelei, Lorelei M1.”
“Nice to meet you M1.”
“Nice to see you, Lorelei.”
“Is M1 your butler Cristian?”
“It would appear so.”
“Nice touch Watcher, Alfred in the bat cave.”
“I thought you would like that.”
“Lorelei M1 is a mechanical.”
“I see.”
“He is not human but a thinking machine.”
She walked up and touched his face. “He feels like a human.”
“Watcher is there a way we can give Lorelei the education you gave me.”
“I can.”
“Lorelei if I told you there was a way you could learn about all of this in a few minutes would you be interested?”
“Yes Please.”
“I would like you to meet Watcher.”
He handed her the watch. She felt the pinprick as an interface entered her body.
“Hello, Lorelei,” Watcher said out loud.
“Hello Watcher” she answered looking at the watch.“You may want to lie down Lorelei” She heeded the advice from the watch as she gained knowledge with her feet up. Cristian unlaced her boots and took them off, then he gave her a foot rub.
“Cristian that was brilliant, I know so many things, and the foot rub was nice.”
“I know sweetie, I went through the same procedure without the foot rub. You know what I know.”
“M1 great job on the shop and the motor sickle. How did you get all this here.”
“I borrowed a truck Cristian. Your house is now empty and cleaned I thought you may want to rent it or sell it.”
“Thank you M1. Did you return the truck? M1 I think Lorelei will need some jeans and boots. We will take a shopping trip later.”
“The truck has been returned with a full gas tank. I will need a couple of hours. 34B 22 34, Size 6 shoe Height 5’ 3” weight”
“Stop there.”
“I can finish that. Weight perfect.”
“That was sweet Cristian. And thanks M1. He is good” commented Lorelei.
“Still want to marry me.”
“Twice as much as I did two minutes ago and half as much as two minutes from now,” said Lorelei.
“Cristian I have some news for you.”
“Yes, Watcher.”
“Your bride-to-be, is pregnant with your child.”
“That is excellent news Watcher.”
“Lorelei you are carrying our child.”
She immediately kissed him and never said another word smiling like crazy.
Lorelei went to the fridge opened the door and surveyed the contents. After a moment she pulled out a few items and started to make sandwiches out of some ham, cheese, tomatoes, and mustard. Then she poured some almond milk into a couple of glasses.
“Cristian come and have a bite.”
“Of you or the sandwich Lorelei?”
“Your choice” she answered with a sly smile.
Lorelei tried almond milk “this is made from almonds? It’s quite good. I approve.”
“First time I have ever had it. It is good.”
“Cristian this is a lot of information to process. I think I will lie down when the clean-up is done.”
“I will clean up, you rest” After he saw the look on her face, he thought he understood.
“In this day and age, we share the work sweetie. You get some rest.” He missed the point she was impressed that a man from this age was helpful at all.
When she woke it was Cristian who was watching her sleep and smiling. He was in his jeans and boots. “How long was I asleep?”
“About three hours sweetie.”
“I feel better, much better.”
“The interface has released small machines inside of your body that can repair damage and keep you healthy.”
“Nanobots” she answered.
“There are new clothes for you to try on in the closet.”
She opened the closet door and looked inside “We will need a bigger closet” she remarked after looking inside.
Cristian smiled a little and thought about the adjustments that needed doing. They needed some walls and a bigger closet.
“Understood Cristian, I will work it out with M1,” said Watcher.
Lorelei emerged from the bathroom wearing jeans, a green t-shirt and boots, finished off with a short leather vest.
“I like them and no corset.”
She spun around for her man waiting for a report.
“Wow you look good” He meant it. She looked good in jeans. She definitely looked good coming and going. She walked over sat on his lap and kissed him for a long time.
“I took the liberty of mounting the passenger seat on the bike Cristian.”
“Good thinking M1.”
“You have fresh oil and filter in the crankcase and transmission. I have also tuned the carb and increased the horsepower. The bike is ready to go.”
“Lorelei do you want to go for a ride?”
“On that, oh yes please,” she said with an excited tone.
He pulled a spare beanie and a set of shades out of the saddlebag. He looked at all of that long red hair and reached into the bag and pulled out a silk scarf and a couple of hair bands. They belonged to his x wife. He hoped someone else would have need of them one day.
“Did this belong to her?”
“Yes.”
“Stupid woman her loss. I will thank her if I ever meet her.”
“You will need these, it gets windy on the scooter.” He handed her a couple of earplugs. She immediately began to roll them up and put them in her ears.
After braiding her hair and tucking it into her vest, she put on the helmet and shades like she had been born to them.
“Now about being a passenger on a bike.”
“I know Cristian don’t lean, keep my shoulders where yours are and kiss your neck often.”
“You are the perfect woman Lorelei.”
“I couldn’t be anything else.”
They rolled out of the cave and down the highway she hung onto him as she would never let go. He took it a little easier with her on the back so she could enjoy the ride.
It had been a very long time since he had felt any happiness. This happiness far exceeded anything he had ever felt. He eliminated the small voice that was trying to rob him of this.
He took her up to the mall. She had her beanie off on the seat before he even had the forks locked.
She was smiling as she pulled out her earplugs and stored them in her vest pocket.
“Are we going shopping Cristian?”
“Yes sweetie but I didn’t bring much money; I need to do a couple of more trips before that happens. I thought you would like to try on some rings.”
“Wedding rings yes I would.” she was having a very hard time keeping composed. Making her happy made him happy, as it should be.
“The mall is so big and busy Cristian. Is the future like this everywhere?”
“It can be Lorelei.”
“I don’t enjoy the crowds much.”
“I agree, let’s get out of here. Are you fussy about new or used for our rings?”
“No Cristian a ring is just a symbol the love is more important.”
“Good I know a man. I will take you to him. It’s where I take items from the past to sell.”
They arrived at Jimmy’s shop and went to his office in the back.
“Cristian good to see you, what do you have for me this time?”
“Nothing Jimmy I came to buy.”
“Who is this beautiful woman?”
“Jimmy meet my fiancé Lorelei.”
“Very pleased to meet the one who tamed this man, that tells me that you are an incredible woman.”
“Thank you, Jimmy, that is very kind.”
“What are you looking for Cristian?”
“Wedding rings Jimmy.”
“I have something very special.” He went into a small safe and produced a trio of rings in a red velvet box. A plain gold band for him and an engagement wedding ring combo for her. Jimmy showed how the rings locked together to make one ring. There was a modest diamond on the top, and on the sides of the rings were a combination of rubies, sapphires, and turquoise. They were very unusual. Lorelei tried them on and of course, they fit perfectly, He did the same. She put her hand next to his to see how they looked together.
“I like the rings Cristian they will do nicely.”
“Lorelei would you like to look around the shop while Jimmy and I discuss business.”
“Not at all.”
“The rings Jimmy how much are you asking?”
“For you, Cristian 2 large they are worth double that.”
“I don’t have the cash with me, Jimmy.”
“That isn’t a problem. Pay me when you can.”
He handed the rings over to Cristian.
“Thanks, Jimmy I will see you in the near future.”
“Ready to ride sweetie?”
“Yes I am, how did we do?”
“The rings were more money than I had with me”
He didn’t say another word as he climbed onto the bike and fired it up”
“Can we head home Cristian?”
“As you wish.”
When they arrived home, M1 was already laying out the new closet with masking tape. “M1 I thought we could build the new closet over here and the nursery over there” Cristian was smiling as he watched Lorelei take over. He had also smiled when she called the cave home.
“She is an incredible woman Watcher.”
“That she is Cristian.”
“Lorelei would you mind handing me the papers in my leather jacket, please. Inside pocket.”
“Sure.”
She found the box with the rings in the jacket she almost knocked him over when she kissed him.
“Please give me the box sweetie.”
He took apart the rings and placed the engagement ring on her finger, on bended knee he asked her again.
“Lorelei O’Rourke, would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?”
She looked down at her man and joined him on her knees and asked him “Cristian Wolf would you be my Husband through all that life throws at us?”
He answered “Let me think about it,” he said with a pause “okay” She hit him on the shoulder lightly. He picked her up and carried her to the bed.