In Time

-Sixteen-

4 April 2017, Tuesday

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I woke up with a start, jolting myself off balance and crashing onto a grassy patch nearby. I dusted myself off the ground, mentally reminding myself to feedback to Thyme about giving me less turbulence on the ride back to the past. I checked my watch, it was 4th April once more! And it meant that Diana was alive! For some reason, I felt especially elated at that thought, that I could see her again. No, only as a friend, I corrected myself.

It meant that today was Family Day again at Crestbridge Park, and I had to prevent the Mayor's daughter from getting kidnapped on this day. I rose from my seat, scanning the area for Cherlyn, not realising that a young girl around six years of age had already made her way to me on her own accord. I guess things were a little different this time. She was staring not-so-discreetly at my prosthetic leg which was exposed by my trouser pant leg during my fall, her toy rabbit hugged to her chest.

I guess children were curious and they were not mean by nature, because something in her eyes told me that she was simply interested things that she wasn't familiar with. She wasn't taught to be polite to me, or to be afraid of me, or to shun me. At least not yet. Perhaps this was my final chance to finally 'hang out with the other kids at the playground'.

"Hello," I caught her attention. "My 'robot leg' is pretty interesting huh?" I straightened my trouser leg and rolled it up.

"Is that your leg? Does it work?" she questioned, her eyes twinkling.

I stood up, jogged on the spot and did a star jump. "Yeah, it sure does."

"Wow cool," she cooed. "Where can you get one of these?"

I laughed. "You'll only need one of these if your leg doesn't work anymore. Your legs certainly work, so you'll have no need for this."

"Ooooo. Does it hurt?" she questioned innocently.

It had been a long time since I had such a conversation with another person, without them making snide remarks and without feeling panicked anxiety building up within myself. Children were innocent blank sheets of paper before their parents tried to impose a set of rules on their behaviours.

"Yeah, sometimes it does, but I get by. Hey, what's your name?" I asked even though I knew the answer.

"Cherlynnn," she mumbled bashfully.

"Hi Cherlyn, I'm Xavier," I held out my hand to shake hers.

"And this is Fluffy," she held up the stuffed rabbit in front of me, placing its slim elongated furry paw into my hand.

I smiled. "So, do you know where's your Mummy?"

She frowned. "Mummy's preparing for her speech now. She told me sit and wait for her, but I was bored. So I came to the lake. My friends told me that are terrapins in the lake."

"Shall we go back to your Mummy then? She must be worried about you."

"But I want to see the terrapins first," Cherlyn sulked.

I hesitated but finally relented. As long as I could prevent her kidnapping, showing her the terrapins probably wouldn't hurt.

"Xavier, there's a terrapin! Come look at it!" she pointed to the lake and ran off giggling.