Suspended in Time

Chapter 10 - Love Aside, The Frank House Brings New Guests

The family quickly caught on to what was going on between me and Darina, and while they all were happy for us, I still felt uneasy. Yeah, I was pretty elated that I started something with Darina—anyone would after starting something with a new partner, but...

"Hey, Kyle, you okay?"

I looked up from the burgundy carpet as I sat there on my bed the next morning and saw Violet standing there in the doorway. It was still a little early—7am—and at least the girls and I were up. Darina had already greeted me and said that she'd get started on breakfast. I could already smell the bacon.

"Good morning, Violet."

She gave me a skeptical look and stepped into the room as she wore a light-blue dress. "Okay, you should be flying over the moon right now because of what happened yesterday. I completely knew that you would do something about your feelings."

In other words, she called it. "Yeah, I just... well, there's Edmund..."

"A guy she hasn't met yet!" She came and sat next to me on the bed. "She had to pull you out of that thinking yesterday by kissing you as you sat on your motorbike. I thought you'd be passed that."

"I thought I was, but..."

"You don't want to hinder Darina's future marriage to this guy," she finished. "Darina told me you said that, and it's poppycock. Just keep going with her."

"There's also the little detail of me being from 2024."

"Yes, there is, but you don't even know when you're going or how you'll go."

"Still. I don't belong here."

She hooked her arm with mine. "Of course you do! You were meant to be here or else you wouldn't be. You better not go anywhere. I like you. I mean in an older brother kind of way."

I smirked and was touched. "Thank you. And you're the younger sister I've never had."

She side-hugged me, and we heard Darina call from downstairs that breakfast was ready. Violet said, "She knows how to ruin a sweet moment. Let's go."

She was the one to talk.

Violet bounced off the bed and out of the room. I took an extra minute to take a breath and gather my courage to face Darina. I needed to talk to her after breakfast.

Once at the dining room table, Violet pulled out a chair for me that was right next to Darina. I sat down, and Darina looked over at me. When I first saw her this morning, I almost fell over at how beautiful she was. Now that we were a thing, she seemed far more attractive.

"Hey, took you long enough," Darina said.

"Sorry. So, your parents aren't joining us?"

"They both are still asleep. They had long days yesterday."