Love and the Time of Dinosaurs

Act 3 Part 1

     Three months had passed, and the air was only slightly cooler now that it was November. Dr. Helen Marsh still had nightmares of having a black sac put over her head as she was placed in the back of a truck, and a dinosaur chasing her but not being able to see it. She would wake up almost every night, crying and covered in sweat. The institute had been shut down since that day, and all previous research was taken over by the U.S. military. Lucky the dinosaur was kept under close watch, and all of the staff had been thoroughly interviewed on the events of what happened on that August afternoon.
They were informed that Grant was in an accident, but not told what. What happened that day in the Springs shopping center was twisted into a cover story of a malfunctioning animatronic dinosaur, but his family wasn't given an explanation on Grant’s disappearance. Only Helen and those who worked closely on the project knew the truth. She had begged to send a team to retrieve Grant, but ultimately, she knew that no matter how much she begged, the government was not going to release the technology or spend the resources to go get him. They were going to deny he was ever stuck in the past, but they couldn't make her forget him.
        Laying in bed and in grief was not good for her. She had written off her missed periods as her getting older. It was around this time, Helen went to the doctor. It was confirmed that she was, in fact, pregnant, and it was a boy. She wasn’t ready to bring another person into the world that she had let crumble around her, but this was also all she had left of him that wasn't locked away in a facility somewhere; with the exception of a set of photo booth pictures she kept safety in her jewelry box next to a blue crocheted triceratops plush.
      When she found out, she picked up the phone. It was a complicated call to make to a grieving sister and her family. There was anger, confusion, and disbelief, but ultimately happiness. Grant's sister, Sera, flew down for Helen’s next appointment, and they formally met. It was this time that Helen confirmed Sera’s suspicions that Grant was lost to time.
      The days blurred with her leaving the house only for appointments. Sera promised to be in touch, but the phone didn't ring often. Helen didn't blame her. Time seemed to move slower but quickly all at once.
      One afternoon, there was a knock on her door. A familiar dark haired woman was at her doorstep with a casserole dish filled with something that made Helen's stomach growl. “Flora!” She embraced the woman in her doorway, and Dr. Wheeler stepped into her home.
      They had lunch and exchanged pleasantries. Dr. Wheeler was surprised to see Helen with a baby bump, knowing she had recently divorced. “Is it Morton’s?” she asked.
     “Grant's,” Helen said blankly. Flora’s face was genuinely surprised.
“I'm sorry,” she said quietly, her eyes darting to her stomach and back to Helen’s face.
     “Don't be,” Helen responded, not sure what to make of Dr. Wheeler's apology.
“I didn't know you were together,” she posed it more like a question. Helen knew she wanted more information.
“Briefly. Before everything,” Helen folded her hands around her stomach. “We hadn't been together very long,” she said, not wanting to elaborate, knowing she would start crying. “It was complicated.
      “I see,” Flora said. “I'm sorry for your loss.” She paused for a moment, clearly thinking about how to approach what she was going to say next. “I came here to tell you that I've been hired to work on a new project,” she admitted to Helen. Helen tilted her head curiously, and Dr. Wheeler continued, “Chrono-Tech was seized with the takeover of the Dino Institute, and research is being furthered,” she tried to carefully say.
     “The government is using the time travel technology?” Helen asked. She couldn’t say she was surprised. Flora nodded. “And they won't go get him?” She shook her head solemnly. Helen closed her eyes for a moment. Her face contorted in anger, but she quickly tried to calm herself. Hot tears stung her eyes. Flora gave her a moment before she continued.
     “I thought I overhead my supervisors talking about him, asking about the liability in the Cretaceous, but their focus isn't on dinosaurs; said he shouldn't be a problem.” Helen's thoughts went back to the memory of her calling him a liability, and regret hit her and fell into a pool of dread. She wiped her tears. Flora grabbed her a tissue from the coffee table to hand to her, “I didn't tell you this to upset you, but so that you'd be aware. Dr. Orach has also been pulled from the Lucky project to be a controller with the absence of anyone else with the experience. Cameron Chandler is the sole handler of baby Lucky for the time being. I don't think the military likes the idea of keeping him alive.”
      “Cameron or Lucky?” Helen asked.
Flora smiled, “If they'd have it their way without issues, probably both.” There was dry laughter.
“Thank you for telling me,” Helen said, and Flora watched her struggle to stand up, getting up to leave herself.
“Take care of yourself,” she said to her at the door. Helen smiled, but it didn't reach her tired eyes. “I will try. Thank you.”