Cousin's in Time: Part III

Ch 9

Doc's POV

I was with Clara and we were using her repaired telescope to look at the stars. I was hanging onto every word she was saying.

She explained, "That one's called Copernicus. Listen to me, I feel like I'm teaching school!"

She laughed as I said, lovely, "No, please. Continue your lesson. I never found lunar geography so fascinating."

She blushed and explained, "Well, when I was ten, I was quartered and my father bought me this telescope and showed me the stars. Do you ever think that we'll travel to the moon like we do on trains?"

I smiled and started to say, "Oh yes and we'll have rockets taking us to the moon..."

She smiled and responded, "Emmet, you're quoting Jules Verne."

I grinned even more now and asked, "You've read Jules Verne?"

She smiled back and responded, "I adore Jules Verne. My favorite book was 20, 000 Leagues Under the Sea!"

I smiled and responded, "I know what you mean. When I first read that book when I was a little boy, I wanted to meet Captain Nemo!"

She laughed and said, "Emmet, you couldn't have read that book when you were a little boy. That book just came out ten years ago."

'Uh oh. I shouldn't have said that,' I thought.

I quickly recovered and responded, "What I meant was is that I felt like a little boy. You know, I've never met woman that loved Jules Verne before."

She smiled and responded, "I never met a man quite like you before, either."

With that, our lips met and I was on cloud nine. So this is how Marty felt about Annie. Wait, Marty! With his name, my mind went crazy. I thought, 'Great Scott! What made him not to face Tannen after Tannen called him yellow? Annie. She must've told him the truth. Thank you, Annie. You've just saved my best friend from a great disaster. Maybe the time machine did have some good qualities in it.'

The next morning, I was walking into town smelling the pin of iris Clara had given me last night. I looked up and saw that either Marty or Annie was anywhere in sight.

Seamus came over to me and said, "Ah, good morning, Mr. Brown!"

I smiled back at Marty's ancestor and responded, "Good morning, Seamus. How are you this beautiful morning?"

Seamus shot me a look and said, "Clint and Amelia were right. You are, as they say, head over heels in love, for Miss Clayton."

I smiled and responded, "They told you? Well, I guess I can't hide it anymore. It's true, Seamus. I'm in love."

Seamus smiled and I asked, "Purchase, have you seen Clint and Amelia? I haven't seen them since last night."

Seamus nodded and answered, "Last I saw them, they were riding together towards me cousin's place. Diane is going to get a big surprise when she meets them. They remind me so much of Martian and Annie."

My heart skipped a beat. I was in shock. Marty and Annie wouldn't...

I decided to ask, "Martian and Annie? Who are they?"

Seamus explained, sadly, "Martian was me brother. He died after he was called yellow and got a knife in his belly. He never considered the future, God rest his soul. As for Annie, she was me cousin and Diane's younger sister. She died after a poisonous snake bit her in her right leg. She died sixteen days after Martian did, God rest her soul. She enjoyed a good joke and she loved Martian dearly and he felt the same. They were also born sixteen days of each other."

Time around me stopped. The connection between Martian and Annie was an exact copy of Marty and Annie. I knew that in the Hell Valley universe, Annie's counterpart had died of poisoning sixteen days after Marty's counterpart was sent back to Switzerland. Now I was sure of it! They were meant to be together! Time seemed to have restarted.

I stated, "I'm sure sorry to hear that, Seamus. You must have been really shaken about what almost happened last night."

Seamus nodded and replied, "Aye, for a split second there I thought for sure Clint would've accepted Tannen's challenge. But he must've realized that as long as he has you and Amelia then why try to be a hero? I only wish Martian realized that before it was too late."

With that, he walked away from me and I was still in a bit of shock. I decided to find Marty and Annie. I got on my horse and rode off in the direction of the McGruebeger place.

…

Wishmaker1028: Dun, dun, dun. Didn't see that coming, did you? Sorry that this chapter is so short but I wanted to establish Marty and Annie's canniness to their ancestors. Please read and review! And always think outside of the box!