Chapter 11

Thoughts were racing through my head as we continued over to Bowery street. Without a place to stay she would have a problem going to any school and I didn't want her to miss any learning. This conundrum was even worse than the last one I'd had to deal with.

I really had feelings for this twelve year old girl who was holding my hand. Things were getting complicated and I had no idea what I could do to fix things for her. Nor did I want to lose her either.

One thing I felt though was I didn't want to live back in the thirties. I really liked the amenities and toys of my time. I desperately missed my tablet, gaming computer and what I could do on the internet. I guess you could say I was homesick for my own time.

That's why I'd only planned on staying back in the Bowery only a couple of days. Now I was a little constrained by Morgan. I just didn't feel I could shift back and leave her. After all, I'd interacted with her and felt just disappearing would be a mean thing to do.

I definitely couldn't stay here with her. What would everyone think if I disappeared from my time frame. It would be nice if there were some way to work it out, but I couldn't be in two places or time periods at once. Plus I had my own obligations to think of too. Especially, I had my high school senior year to think about and selecting what college I wanted to go to. For me it was an important year. I couldn't miss it.

Morgan doesn't know the most important thing about me either. That was something I'd never told anyone and I had no idea what to say or if she'd believe me. I could imagine saying, 'Yeah honey. I'm over ninety years younger than you ... but I was born fifty years ago.'. She's think I was a lunatic. I'd never see her again. She'd run away screaming.

My life was a complete contradiction. Sure I was born in 1876 on the fourth of July. The day of our country's second, half-centennial anniversary. Of course I don't remember the birth part but when I was fifteen, my dad took me back to see the parades and fireworks of the celebration that year so it would have meaning for me.

Well, by then I could time shift myself, but was still new at it, so we really did go together. It was fun doing that with my father. I was also beginning to understand the power of my gift. And now with the situation I'd created with Morgan, the responsibility that comes with it.

I'm also beginning to understand what drove him too. I never understood why he was gone a lot of the time and he rarely wanted to talk about where and when he'd gone. He usually explained it saying, "I'm just searching."

I knew he was happy with our family but I could feel a yearning. He loved my mother and they seemed happy most of the time but we both felt a little lonely when he was gone.

"I do have to make money," he'd often say, but never said what he did to make that money. It wasn't until he took me with him one time and explained how to move it around at a huge profit that I realized the advantage I had. When he explained how important it was to maintain a little restraint that I understood what he meant when he said, "A little is fine ... but more is too much."

All those thoughts were racing through me as Morgan and I walked toward Bowery street. I was so deep in thought that she had to firmly pull me around the corner to move down the correct street toward the hotel. The hard jolt to my arm brought me back to the present.

"What were you thinking about," she asked.

Man, I was way off in the distance and gave out an involuntary, "What?" before I realized where I was and even what her question was.

Morgan smiled at me as we slowed our pace and repeated her question. "Oh?" I said, then thinking quickly added, "You and me."

It was the truth. I was thinking about her and I was thinking about me. And, YES, I was thinking about the possibility of us being together ... somehow.

"That's nice," she said. "Any answers" she asked.

'Oh, boy', I thought, 'What a kettle of fish I was in.'. I decided to be honest and touch on a few light points and leave the tough stuff till later after I'd really thought things out.

"Well," I started, "I'd like you to finish school first ... and go to college if you wanted."

"College?" she said. "I didn't know women went to college. Isn't it a little young for me to even think about that.

"I'm not even sure if I can go to seventh grade next month. Most of the girls I know pretty much think that soon they're going to have to get a job. Only a few of my friends want to complete high school. I don't know a one who is even thinking of college.

"As for me, I have no idea what I can do at all because I have nowhere to live." Then she bowed her head a little and softly said, "And I don't have any money to do any of that.

"My dad's broke. We don't have any place to live."

I stopped walking and she stopped too. I lifted up her chin and there was a tear tracing itself down her cheek. It broke my heart to see her so sad.

I had to say something. I just did. I hoped I didn't regret it but I was so much in love with this very young girl. How I was going to do it, I had no idea but I was sure, with time, she was going to be my wife.

"Honey. I don't know how to say this, but I am very rich. Somehow, we'll get through this. Somehow we'll work it all out. That's what I was thinking about.

"I'm not sure how, but I want to get your mother and father and you back together. But I need some time to figure it all out."

When I'd said I was actually rich, Morgan looked surprised and took in a deep breath. She held onto it until I finished and then asked, "Really ... You're RICH?"