Suspended in Time

Chapter 2 - A Whole New Adventure: The 1950s

Note: Above picture is Darina and her younger sister.

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"Darina, I really don't know this Kyle Lancaster, so I insist you stop asking me."

I stopped on the stairs coming down to the main floor of the hotel as I heard that woman speak. It was Darina's mother who she said she would call to come and see for herself the man who knew so much about her without meeting her. Darina was insistent, not just with this, but asking her boss if I could wear clothing from their lost and found since my luggage was back, or forward, maybe, in 2024. So, I put on some 1950s garb... after taking a shower. I felt sweat and gross since that house I explored was sweltering.

"How does he know so much about me without even knowing me, huh? He would have to have talked to someone who knows me pretty well."

"You were daft to go with him into the woods, you know. He could be dangerous."

That pricked something unpleasant in me, but she had a point. Darine argued, "He may have looked rugged on the outside, but he seems like a good person. A confused person, but a good person, nonetheless."

I huffed through my nose. Maybe I should stop the banter with a mother and her daughter by appearing. I stepped down the steps, and I saw the two women standing near the foot of it, and the older one looked like the older version of Darina, or... that painting of her from the house. They both looked up at me, and the older of the two dropped open her mouth.

"Oh my... this is the man you spoke of, Darina?"

"Yeah..."

Clearly, Darina was far more taken aback since she saw me in my rugged wear before. I could pull off a suit if I wanted to, and in the 50s, most men wore suits, either that or just slacks and a dress shirt all the time. No t-shirts and jeans. Well, they had those in the 50s, but they weren't widely worn.

"Hello, Mr. Lancaster. Mrs. Eliza Edding." She held out her hand to me as soon as I stepped off the stairs, and I shook her hand. I felt the softness. "Please excuse my daughter for her impulsiveness earlier, making you take her to a make-believe house in the woods."

"Mother, that isn't what you said!" Darina protested, her cheeks turning dark pink. "Never mind, Mr. Lancaster."

"Kyle, please. And I'm the one who has to apologize. I'm just... not quite sure what's going on here. I visited an abandoned house out there, but... maybe it was in a different place. I apologize for the craziness."

She patted my arm, over the grey suit coat. I was told that lighter colors brought out my fair skin and blonde hair, as well as my blue eyes. There was no tie to this outfit. I never liked wearing the things.

"Don't think anything of it," said Mrs. Edding, and she was blushing like her daughter just was. How flattering. "It must be such a headache, the mix-up. If you don't have a place to stay for the night, since I was told that you're leaving tomorrow, you can stay in my son's room at our place. He just got married, so he isn't returning. Hopefully."

Darina's eyes widened as she stared at her mother, mouth open. "Mother, what are you doing?!"

"Will you hush and be polite Darina Agatha Edding? You're being rude."

Her face suddenly flushed again, but with annoyance, and her eyes shot razors. "Mother, please, don't say my middle name out loud."

I tried not to chuckle at that, and at the same time, I had to hold in my shock. Agatha was Darina's middle name, the Darina I learned about. I cleared my throat. "I really appreciate the offer, but I think I'll just stay here. The owners offered to allow me to stay in the room I thought I was staying in. Thank you, though."