Tunnels Of Time

True Confessions

5:45 AM Saturday Morning

         Andrea's only thought was to check on Vance and then to fall into bed. She had pretty well been up all night and the lack of sleep and the great physical and emotional exertion was beginning to take its toll. She peeked into the living room, expecting to find Vance asleep. Instead he was sitting up, propped by pillows, awaiting her return.
"Andy!" he called excitedly waving her over with his good arm. "Tell me what happened! Beanie wouldn't say a thing. And Mom was fit to be tied! She dragged 'er down the hall by her ear. She won't be able ta sit down fer a week, I bet!"

Vance was much better. The colour had returned to his face and the swelling had gone down. The bruises were still vibrant, though, around his injured eye.
"There's really nothing much to tell," Andrea said, exhaustion in her voice. "I found Beanie at Rosie's, just like you said, and sent her home. The rest can wait till later, I'm so tired I could sleep for a million years."

"Let Andy get some sleep now, Vance," Viola chided gently as she entered the living room. "You need to get some rest too. You've been nothing but a bundle of nerves since sh-ah- he left."
"Sleep as long as you need to, Andy," Vance's mother invited. "We are so grateful to you for going after Beanie like that and making sure that she got home safely. Our home is yours. You can stay here as long as you need to."

"Thank you." Andrea choked, tears forming in her eyes. She excused herself quickly, afraid that she might really cry in front of Vance and embarrass them all. She went down the hall to Vance's room and let herself in, closing the door softly behind her.
"Hey, Andrea," a familiar young voice greeted her. Andrea jumped and then collapsed against the door. "Beanie," she admonished through clenched teeth. "Don't scare a person like that!"
"Sorry," Beanie muttered. "I just wanted to say thanks for helping me. You were brave, and I hope the trap works."
"Yeah," Andrea mumbled tiredly, "me too." She sat down on the side of the bed near Beanie and leaned over to undo her Reeboks. They were filthy, caked with dirt and mud from the tunnels, grey with dust and grime. They would never be the same again.

"Those sure are strange looking shoes," Beanie commented, looking closely at them. "I've never seen such thick soles on shoes, and so white too! I don't think you're from around here, are you?"
"Nope." Andrea let her shoes plop down on the hardwood floor and removed her Mickey Mouse socks.
"Where did you get those socks?!" Beanie fingered the material. "It doesn't even feel like wool. My socks always make my feet itch. They're thick and usually lumpy. How can these be so soft and smooth?"

"It's synthetic," Andrea replied absently. She wiggled her damp toes, letting them air dry. Beanie looked at her blankly. "Synthetic?"
"You know, it's made from man-made materials like polyester."
"Polly-what?!" Beanie studied Andrea very closely. "Something very strange is going on here. Just where are you from?" Beanie insisted.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you, Beanie," Andrea sighed. "I hardly believe it myself." Andrea pulled her knees up and tucked them under her chin as she sat on the edge of the bed, thinking of her nice soft bed at home and the lovely warm shower she wished she was taking right this very minute. The movement caused the pockets in her overalls bunch and something shiny slipped out and bounced onto the bedspread between the girls.

Beanie picked it up, fingering it. "A-n-d-r-e-a," she read slowly, turning it this way and that in the morn ing light. "What is this? It has your name on it."
"That's a barrette; a hair clip. I made it."
"You made this? It's really nice. C-can I have it?" she asked, suddenly shy.
"Sure," Andrea offered. "I have another one too, you can take them both, though this one has my last name on it." She leaned back onto the bed, digging into her pocket. "Here it is." She dropped the barrette into Beanie's eager fingers.
"T-a-l-b-o-t," Beanie read excitedly. "Hey! That's my last name too!" "Really? Maybe we're related! Do you think we might be?"