Blithe

Chapter 16 // Pajama Girl

Grace expected her alarm to go off the next morning, but found that even if it had, she never would have heard it. She, of course, fell asleep on the roof. The sun had turned the slate roof into a pan on a hot stove, making Grace yelp in pain and gingerly make her way to the window she had crawled out of the night before. She opened it up, paying no attention to the usually cracked paint looking almost new.

Grace however could not ignore the bedroom she had never seen before.

Hardwood floor and beige walls now were in place of her carpet and heavily decorated walls. The bed had new sheets, and the door was ancient and looked to have a skeleton key lock.

"What the fuck..." Grace muttered to herself. This is when her heart rate escalated so much she could hear it. Her entire body grew shaky. "Holy fucking shit. Did I fall asleep on someone else's roof?"

Suddenly, hushed voices were coming from the door. Grace looked back and forth, then finally lunged out of the window. Again. She had hardly shut it when an unrecognizable person entered, and one familiar person walking besides her. "And this is your room," the taller woman said. Her dark ringlets bounced as if they were alive. A polka dot dress hugged her voluptuous curves and dark leather gloves were on her hands. She gave the smaller girl a sad smile, seeing behind the tear filled eyes of the little girl. "Your mother gave me specific instruction to direct you here," she said.

The girl nodded. "I am aware. Thank you, Mildred," she said in a soft voice.

Mildred, Grace guessed was the taller woman's name, curtsied and said, "If there's anything you need, call for me." She then left the room.

The girl sat down on the bed hesitantly, as if sitting down too fast would make reality smack her across the face. Grace let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and sat out of view of the window. What the hell am I supposed to do now, she wondered? The house opposed had a low roof, and seemed close enough to jump on to from there. Grace took a leap of faith - literally - and felt herself soar for a fleeting moment until her feet touched down. Some slate slipped out from under her bare feet, causing her to hiss in pain, but she quickly regained her composure and stood still. Slowly, she inched down the side of the roof, held on to the gutter, and swung down on to the plush grass. Grace sighed in relief at the change to texture to her soft skin. Then, that relief was quickly replaced with fear and embarrassment.

She was standing outside.

In her pajamas.

In a place she didn't know.

"Hello?" a small voice called from behind her.

"Damn it," Grace muttered. She spun around, ready to face her fate, only to see the young girl from before. "Hi?" she said.

"What in the world are you wearing?" the girl asked. Her bright eyes were slightly pink and the skin beneath them was puffy, showing signs she had just finished crying.

"My sleep clothes?" Grace replied, but it was more so a question.

"Well, come on in. You can't possibly be wearing those out here." Grace walked through the back door, following the complete stranger. Grace almost felt a sense of déjà vu, like she had seen everything in this very house before. Like she had been here before.

"You may borrow some of my clothes. What's your name?" the girl asked, breaking Grace away from her thinking.

"My name is Grace," she said.

"Nice to meet you Grace, my name is Alyssa," she said sticking out a hand. "But call me Lyss, please."

Grace's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates, but she took Lyss's hand after a moment of hesitation. "Um, how old are you?"

"I'm thirteen. How old are you?" Lyss said.

"I'm thirteen as well." Grace thought for a moment. "When is your birthday?"

"October 12, 2002."

"Wait what? Come again?" Grace asked. Surely she heard her wrong.

"The twelfth of the October of the year two-thousand-two," Lyss rephrased. "Are you okay? You look pale..."

Grace swayed. Her stomach felt uneasy. "You...what year is it?" she asked in a shaky voice.

"Twenty-fifteen," Lyss stated simply. "Are you sure you're okay? Let me bring you to the guest room. It's supposed to be my mother's but...she's not around much." Grace numbly followed Lyss to the room down the hall and sat down on the bed. "I'll let you rest," she said before exiting the room.

Grace just nodded, only half listening. Once the door shut, Grace held on to her head and tucked it between her knees. "No, no, no, it's not possible. It couldn't...it couldn't happen. The year is 2073. But...then who..." Grace's breathing sped up almost to the point of passing out. She knew exactly the answer.

The girl she had just met was her grandmother.

She had gone back in time.