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LEXI

I said, “So you’re leaving.”

“Aye, I will leave on the vessel as soon as we finish.”

“But you’ve left before…”

“Aye, four times already, if m’memories are correct, five if ye count last night.”

I said, “Last night! You left last night?”

“Aye, after we spoke. I knew ye wanted me tae come tae breakfast, but I thought twould be better if I left afore ye were beggin’ me tae go. Ye dinna see the storm?”

“No, I guess I was sleeping.”

He chewed his lip. “I walked a good way off. I meant tae go farther, but was concerned because Dude was followin’ me and I dinna ken if he knew his way back.”

Cooper said, “You time traveled last night… but now you’re back? It didn’t work again? ”

“Aye, I attempted it, but I had misgivings. The vessel had different markings than the last time I jumped, somehow they were altered. Dost ye remember anything changin’ when we looked at it at the table?”

I shook my head.

Cooper said, “I just held it for a moment, it didn’t seem to change.”

“Aye, I am in agreement, but the sequence is altered and I am unsure how tae get it back tae its original form. I went ahead and journeyed though I had misgivings… I jumped intae a different time and place than before, twas dark and cold and wet, a different season than I expected. Och, I was wearin’ the clothes ye gave me from last night, I was ill-prepared for the dreich weather, soaked through. ”

Jen asked, “What did you do?”

“I dragged m’self under a tree, wrapped in m’plaid and kept watch until the morn. Once twas light enough, my plan was tae figure out where I was, but that has always been m’plan. I haena had a chance tae yet?—”

Cooper said, “Why, what keeps happening?”

“I am attacked, usually. Tis why I dinna sleep and when I did twas like this.” He leaned back in his chair and kept one eye open, it looked funny with his full beard and mustache and one eye open.

I laughed.

“But though I stayed awake all night, nae one attacked, though it might hae been because of the dreich weather. Twas not good for men or monsters.”

Cooper ran his hand through his hair. “And though you time traveled last night, you’re here at breakfast?”

Jen said, “You don’t seem wet or exhausted.”

“Aye, because in the morn I traveled along a path and found a village inn.”

He speared another big bite of pancake and then ate two pieces of bacon.

He chewed, then swallowed while wiping his hands on a napkin.

He explained, “I procured a room and stayed there for three nights. All the while it down-poured. Twas impossible tae wander, ye ken, sometimes ye just hae tae stay put.”

I shook my head. “Not in this century, we just grab an umbrella, run to our car, and go. It’s fine, rain doesn’t stop us much.”

“Aye, that would be full fair. I had tae wait, m’purse growin’ lighter.” He patted his bag. “I am down tae one of the coins I shewed ye last night... I ate and drank in front of the hearth in the cellar of an ancient tavern, waitin’ out the storm, worryin’ on Max, and wonderin’ how tae get home?—”

Cooper said, “Back to gloomy castle?”

“Aye, ye remembered...!” He smiled good-naturedly. “And I had nae hope tae find Max. We had promised tae meet in Muckhart, but alas what I discovered on that first night in the tavern chilled me even more than the dreich weather that had settled on the lands of Alba. Twas the year 1635.”

I said, “But you left in 1558!”

“I ken, near everyone I knew was long dead, and I happened tae be in the land of Ferindonald, near Foulis castle, the lands of Clan Munro.” He sadly shook his head. “Nary a friend for miles or years. Och, I learned many terrible things about the future.”

I asked, “Oh no, what did you learn?”

He took a deep breath and exhaled. “The news was dire. The king was named Charles.” He scowled. “King of both England and Scotland — hae ye e’er heard anythin’ so outrageous?”

We shook our heads.

His eyes went to the window, his brow knitted deeply. “I was further told how our Queen Mary Stuart met her end, and tis as if a cold shadow has overcast m’spirit.” He shook his head. “She was sorely misused, and nae man ought tae ken such woeful futures.”

Jen said, “Remind me what happened to Mary Queen of Scots?”

I gave her a look.

She said, “I don’t remember! I gather that it sucks, but how much does it suck is what I need to know.”

Torin’s face grew mournful. “She was driven from Scotland, held captive by her cousin, Elizabeth, England’s queen, and then.

.. beheaded. ” He let out a long breath.

“Our bonny queen suffered great mischance at English hands. Then I learned her bairn, James, was given Scotland’s throne, and Elizabeth passed tae him England’s crown, uniting them. ”

He banged his hand on the tabletop. “Och, tis hard tae muse on it without yearnin’ tae take arms against the English.”

Jen grimaced. “Oh, beheading is bad.” She patted the back of his hand, “I’m sorry I asked, my curiosity got the worst of me.”

“Aye, thank ye, Mistress Jen.” Torin said, his voice low. “I must return home. I hae a duty tae aid Max and I need tae stand ready tae fight for Alba.”

Cooper said, “Does sound like you need to head back, pronto.”

“Aye. That is what spurs me, I yearn tae return home.” He picked up his fork and took another bite, then continued, “On the third day, the rain ceased and I emerged from the tavern. I had been in a battle with m’self.

I hated the device. I loathed the idea of usin’ it again.

Therefore I decided tae bury it in the forest floor and leave it there tae face m’fate, but I was also verra far from home, and I would never see m’family nor friends again.

I wouldna be able tae join the fight tae liberate Alba from the English.

There was a struggle in m’mind. I walked out intae the woods and dug a hole.

” He showed his fingertips, they were cracked and sore from digging.

“You didn’t have a shovel or anything?”

“Nae, dug with m’hands and a rock. Then I dropped the vessel intae the hole.

I stood looking down upon it when the dreadful apparatus began tae vibrate once more, twas faint, yet I could see twas alive.

Twas beckonin’ me tae use it and twas the only way home.

I knew it, but tis verra painful. I dinna want tae touch it, but I couldna bear being lost in time.

I struggled with what tae do, but ultimately I reached intae the hole and as soon as my sore fingers grasped it, it latched down upon m’hand.

The pain spread up m’arm and I was pulled through time and deposited here once more. Ye dinna hear any of it?”

I shook my head. “I must have drunk a lot last night, I crashed out.”

He continued, “Once I woke up, I said good morn tae Dude, who looked as if he had been waitin’ for me, and all but dragged m’self tae yer back-shack. There I slept briefly, all the while wonderin’ if I was days or weeks late for breakfast. I came by tae see if I was on time.”

“You didn’t miss breakfast, you didn’t seem to be gone but for a few hours, we talked at like 10:30 pm, I think, I was in bed by 11:15, so you were gone by midnight, returned the next day.”

“Aye, somethin’ like it.”

Cooper said, “Funny, you’ve seemed in good spirits all morning.”

“I dinna want tae sour the pleasant meal and I dinna want tae hae tae mention tae Mistress Lexi that I lost the clothes she procured for me.”

“Did you, where?”

“Aye, I dinna hae the bags on m’shoulder when the vessel dragged me away, they hae been left near the forest path headin’ south through the lands of Ferindonald.”

I said, “Well, that is fine, no big deal. There are more clothes and Nikes.”

He said, “Tis a relief, I was worried ye would find m’carelessness indefensible.”

Jen said, “But just imagine, hundreds of years ago, someone coming across a plastic bag with a pair of Nikes in it!”

Cooper said, “ That is a crazy thought...”

I asked, “And that’s why your shoulder isn’t as sore, Torin? You haven’t needed pain relief, it looks like you’re feeling better.”

He put down his fork and rolled his shoulder around, gingerly. “Tis feelin’ much better, but not completely healed.” He went back to dipping a strawberry in whipped cream.

Cooper put down his napkin and said, “Babe, can I speak to you for a moment?”

“Sure, of course.”

We both stood from the table. “Excuse us, please.”

Jen looked at me with her eyes wide. Then she joked, “Um, what are we going to talk about Torin — the great new album from Blink-182?”

He grinned, “Och, I daena ken any of those words…”