Tempus

Chapter Eight

“Izzy, Isabel. Hello?” said Alex in a sing song voice, waving her hand in front of my face.

It was too early to even function, it was only nine o’clock. Classes back at the tech center didn’t even start until noon, giving all the teachers and student’s time to you know have a life.  Here the ungodly bells start at eight, from those digital clocks in the wall. You can’t even turn them off. I mean what if you don’t have to be anywhere at nine? What if your thingie isn’t until noon?

My eyes followed the swirl of foam on the top of my cappuccino. Swirling around my cup, a mix of four or five shots of espresso and creamer. My mom always accused me of having some “coffee with my creamer” shaking the empty creamer bottle in mock anger, when it was suddenly empty after only a couple of days. Well, maybe at one point it was coffee with my creamer. Irish creams good. But I had grown out of the habit. Too much creamers gross.

A hand on my shoulder startled me out of my foggy, sleep ridden mind. Looking up both Macy and Alex were staring at me.

“Hmm?” I took a sip of my coffee, wincing at the bitter bite. Three shots is plenty next time.

“Finally, what were you up until three last night or something?” asked Macy in disdain.

More like four. I put my elbows on the table, fingering the necklace around my neck. I was still shocked I’d actually found it. It was good to have it back, felt like I’d found something I hadn’t known I was looking for.

 Holding it in my hand, a shock of white light seared in my mind.  Images of my mom appeared. Her blonde hair pooled around her face, several inches longer than she wore it now, the red of the stone glimmering around her neck. She was in a long dark green dress and looked like an actress in a Victorian movie, with ruffles and a low neckline. Laughing she ran her hand through a man’s short black hair. His back was facing towards me, his dark pants and white color shirt. They stood in a long hall way, with dark grey carpet and white walls. A silver railing ran the length of the wall.  He was a good three inches taller than my mom. Her smile slowly disappeared, expression darkening as she listened to what he said.

Mom pulled away from him, shaking her head. She took several steps back, looking at him as if she didn’t know him.

“We’ve been over this, they won’t allow it. You already told her too much before we left.”

          The man ran a hand through his hair, more out of habit than anything else. His posture was rigid.

“I thought you cared about her, wanted her to come with us,” his voice was quiet, subdued. Holding back barely concealed anger.

            Mom shook her head. “I did. I do, she’s like a sister to me. But the Federation won’t allow it. She isn’t ready, she won’t be able to take it. You and I are different, you know that. They pick certain people for a reason, and Julie didn’t fit.”

Fists clenched, he spoke. “I thought you were on my side, Elizabeth. Mother and Father taught us loyalty.  The meaning of family. Family before everything else.”

“Not when family is wrong,” Elizabeth said in a quiet whisper, staring at the guard rail.

His reaction was barely noticeable, a small tightening of his shoulders. Elizabeth looked at his face, her eyes clouded with sadness. I still hadn’t seen his face.

          “Well, I’m glad you love your little Federation friends,” he said voice full of venom.

Storming down the hall, he turned the corner leaving Elizabeth standing alone. Taking a shaky breath, she ran her hand over the stone.