1000 YEARS - Book 1 - Awakening

9. A Fragment from the Past*

The sun hung low in the sky by the time she returned to her study lounge. It cast a golden glow on her chaise longue. — Beautiful lighting!
She placed the origami lotus blossom on the seat, and, leaning in, turned it this way and that, examining how the evening light changed the hues of her colorful little gift. Despite the disturbing revelations of the day, she felt uplifted. Uplifted by the discovery of 'the others' in her predicament — her new-found allies — and the kindness she had encountered. A ray of sunshine danced off the silver pocket watch hanging from her neck, and she instinctively clasped it to her heart.

— Two gifts! Two gifts, and the gift of friendship. Of two new friends!
Because regardless of how little she knew about them yet, she had already decided she would consider Patil and Sochi friends. She knew no one else after all.
...Except for Seth.
But what was Seth? Was he a friend?
She hoped he could be, but ...was that possible? ...At all?
What was Seth really?
— They were in the future; Patil had confirmed her suspicion. And given what they had discovered together today, that was now beyond a shadow of a doubt.
...But that did not answer who — or what? — Seth's identity was!?...

She rested her head on her arm on the sofa cushion and contemplated Sochi's little gift. How would her older friend react to the reality they were in? — Reality! Now there was an interesting concept.
She gazed at the slowly lowering sun outside her window.

Was it really evening? Was the sun really setting for all of them? ...Or just for her?
— It had not occurred to her to check that with Patil and Sochi.
But when she had mentioned the approaching dinner time neither of them had appeared puzzled.
So yes, it seemed probably that they, ...at least they?... were on the same schedule?
This was important if they were to get back together tomorrow.
Tomorrow!

She wished there was something she could do for the older woman. To thank her for the thoughtful gift. — To ease her pain. To let her know that she was not alone. That there was someone who cared.
The light fell perfectly on the colorful paper petals, and an idea struck.
She dashed into the bedroom and retrieved the vase of lilies of the valley and positioned it on the chaise longue, turning it and rearranging the foliage and blossoms until she had the perfect composition of flowers and light. Then she found her largest drawing pad, and, sitting on the floor behind the chaise, she immediately went to work.

Tomorrow she might perhaps bring her art supplies and work on this drawing? Perhaps Sochi would show her how she made her flowers. And maybe Patil would be willing to play his sitar for them?
They could have a relaxed worry-free afternoon social together — and get a better gauge on how Sochi was doing?
It would be their covert little get-together, like a clandestine little club. ...Reminiscent of childhood times, when there had been secret societies and daring missions that had to be kept hidden from the overseeing parental units...
— Of course she had no clear memories of these things. Just an intuitive awareness.
Perhaps the others had such recollections? Recounting childhoods might be a good way to... 'build bridges'?...

She smiled to herself. She would let Patil lead their quest for truth. He had proven surprisingly even keeled with the shocking discoveries. And he had also been most sensitive to her ...'run-in'... with his abhorrent neighbor, and to Sochi's general distress and pain. She trusted Patil.

— Pain...
How was Patil coping with his newfound reality?
He had obviously cared about his parents and had reacted quite visibly to the realization of their loss. Were there other people to which he had been close — that he now had to deem lost forever?
...It did not seem probable that there had been a wife or children — his reaction would have been stronger!? — Although...
The scumbag certainly had not wasted any emotion on his wife and son!
Of course, he had not been aware of the timeline disconnect. ...Where was he now? What had become of him? Had he left? Or had he maybe been transferred to another department? ...Alcohol detox, perhaps?