TURN BACK THE TIME, BABE. BOOK 8. CHALLENGING THE DOORS OF TIME

WE CAN ALL BE FRIENDS

AMANDINE'S POV

Meeting up with Jim Hutton was one of the most beautiful things this mission had given me. Seeing him with Freddie, his natural way of moving, talking, staring, it moved me. And his voice was almost as mesmerizing as the singer's. Truly soothing and masculine.

I had lost any hope to find myself in this situation. I mean, when I was only a single member of Queen Hotzone and just spoke my mind, I was pretty sure that Elideth would eventually destroy everything. After Minns, Fanelli and Bastin rolled away like shattered pieces of her particular chess game, I thought Winnie wouldn't even got a chance to set his eyes on Freddie and nevertheless not only they had their romance but also Jim was finally there. Taking his role. I couldn't believe it.

I came around to be the time orthodox figure. And yes, I admitted I fucked it up more than once. I was inconsistent and let myself sweep away by my heart when I persuaded Fanelli to gulp down those antiretrovirals and it was not clear if it was useful or it was just a waste of time. I also behaved like an hormonally insane teenager on meeting Rudi and was charmed by his blue eyes even though I still refused to think I had fallen in love for the first time in my life. It was too scary to face it. Anyway, I also made some mistakes that destroyed all my preconceived ideas. I was human. But still got time to make things right and if there was someone to justify all my steps, it was Jim Hutton.

I couldn't express and share my joy with Wish because she got totally different ideas and now we got some sort of weird balance in our working collaboration. It was very hard trying to be great friends but we had broken down some walls between us since Sally the devil joined us in that caravan and we finished her off. We weren't the same anymore, we couldn't be. I didn't judge her so relentlessly and vice versa. We had dropped that stubborn and nearly childish attitude that forced us to insult each other. If we disagreed about something we got to argue like two adult people and speak out our differences without quieting our reasons but avoiding the easy provocation. So things smoothed out quite a bit between us after my kidnapping. But something definitely would keep us away, our ideas about the mission. And finally, that meant like everything would eventually keep us away.

When Freddie talked to me about a plan that required my collaboration and Farrokh's, I felt instantly intrigued but I could never imagined what his plan was.

There were people who never changed. Having strong ideas not always was opposite to be able, not changing radically your point of view and therefore your ideas, to give a twist to that idea. An obvious example was my opinion about Farrokh. I never looked kindly on Elideth and Freddie's attempt to have children. I thought the child as well as his mother would destroy Queen singer's identity. Choosing to work as Farrokh's nanny as my spy job in Turn back the Time was pretty risky because in a way it was inconsistent with my strong ideas. What I regarded as a disaster. But actually it turned into heaven-sent. Therefore, my thoughts about Farrokh being a mistake just evolved. Not changed, just evolved. I couldn't repeat not a single time he was a mistake when Freddie needed him to clear his doubts about Jim.

Freddie and Jim were two men meant to be but funnily enough and due to his bad experience with Winnie, the singer needed to make himself sure his son would not be an obstacle to their relationship. Because he craved to see him again but everything depended on that meeting between Jim and Farrokh. And there I joined into that funny scheme.

And the scheme was successful because Irish's heartwarming attitude and his ease of manner with the child were the key to Freddie decided to go on knowing him. So, how could I regard Farrokh a mistake? Now less than ever.

As it happened to me with Winnie before, knowing the Irish shocked me and I stood speechless. We barely talked. It was such an important moment for me and surrendering my big shyness proved to be impossible. But just then I made myself a promise. Jim wouldn't be another puppet in Elideth's hands. Here and now my job took on full meaning.