The Time-Traveller's Choice

the click of his door closing

He paused for a moment, then swept up onto the landing, pushing me against the wall next to his bedroom door and fixing his mouth to mine. 

I opened my lips and felt his tongue brush against my teeth. His hands wound around me, digging into my buttocks. He groaned.

"Emma," he said, "dear God."

I squeezed my eyes shut and ducked out under his arm and into my room. 

I shut the door and leaned against it, trying to slow my breathing.

I heard Charlie take two steps towards the door and my heart tried to jump out of my chest. If he knocked, if he opened the door, I was his. I wanted it so badly, even now. Would it be so bad? Sure, if I got back to my own time, none of this would have happened, but I'd still get to keep the memories. Better to have loved and lost and all that...

He paused, then said softly, "You're right, odd 'un. That was a bad idea."

I listened to his footsteps across the landing, and the click of his door closing.

* * *

The next day I presented myself to the Receiving Home with a throbbing hangover. I managed to present a satisfactory scheme for the organisation of the folders and graduated from A to the first half of B.

Wednesday was the rest of B and the beginning of C.

Charlie and I did not talk about the kiss.

On Thursday, one week after I found myself on Mile End Road, I finally got my hands on Alice Connolly's file.

I took it upstairs to the file room and laid it out on the table. There was also a thin file documenting what had happened since she was surrendered. I scanned through the forms. They were filled out in a precise hand I knew to be Miss Morrison's.

Give the child's Christian name and surname.

-- Alice Aoibhe Connolly

State the exact age, and give the date and place of birth.

-- 7 months. Bethnal Green. Oct. 2nd 1920.

Legitimate?

-- No

If baptised, state place and date of baptism.

-- St Matthew's, Bethnal Green. November 5, 1920

Parents living?

-- Mother. Nothing known of the father.

If, however, either or both are dead, state of what disease they died and give the date of their death.

-- 

If living, give their exact places of abode, and state how long they have resided there.

-- 

Give the Christian names and surnames of parents (in full) and state their ages.

-- Emer Aisling Connolly, known as Emma. 23. Father's name not given.

What was or is the nature of the father's occupation and the amount of his weekly earnings?

-- 

What was or is the nature of the mother's occupation and the amount of her weekly earnings? Give the name and address of her present or last employer.

-- No occupation - on the streets of London

Give the names, addresses, ages, occupations and earnings (if any) of all the brothers and sisters of the child.