Leaving Time The Book Novels & Stories

It was sweet. He was about to start the car but paused, glancing at her. "I know this is moving fast, but you're leaving for Usna next month, and you'll be gone for two years. I'll only be able to visit when I can fly over… I'm sorry, it just feels like time's running out." He reached out and brushed her cheek gently. Every movement carried a quiet tenderness. She leaned back in her seat and gently took his hand, pausing for a moment before setting it aside.

Standing in the center of the living room, Alex found it difficult to breathe for the first time. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. It was a delivery person with a postcard mailed from Aspurg ten years ago. I had written it in my elegant handwriting. "To us ten years from now, may our love remain as it was in the beginning." Alex rushed out of the villa and called his assistant frantically. "Where's my wife? She's been missing for a month, and none of you noticed?" His assistant, Caleb Grover, trembled on the other end. "Mr. Carter, Mrs. Carter said she wanted to go on a retreat for meditation and didn't want anyone to disturb her... We thought—"

He paused. "Didn't you make these mugs yourself at the pottery studio? Why did you throw them away?" "They're leaking. I don't want them anymore." Charles grabbed my hand. "What are you trying to say, Cindy?" "Nothing." I wrest my hand out of his and said expressionlessly, "I thought you had an important event today. If you don't leave now, you'll be late." Charles glanced at the clock on the wall. His expression darkened with anger. "Why didn't you wake me up earlier? Do you have any idea how important today is for me? Just wait. I'll deal with you when I get back!"

Back to the fun and games of physics. Leesa closed her blue book and exhaled deeply, stretching her arms out in front of her and enjoying what felt like her first real breath in almost two hours. A glance at the sweeping second hand on the old-fashioned clock on the classroom wall showed she had a whole thirty seconds left before time was up. She had barely made it, but finished was finished—and boy, did she feel finished.

“Yeah. You’ll need this for your book anyway, right?” My breath caught between relief and emotion. “Thank you ” Liam smiled faintly, then looked at the book in my hands. “Let’s get lunch now.” I blinked quickly and checked the watch on my wrist. My eyes widened. “Oh my God it’s almost one.” I couldn’t believe how fast time had passed. It felt like I’d only entered the library ten minutes ago. Liam stepped closer, gathered the few books he was holding, and walked toward the counter. I followed behind him, carrying the beautiful-covered book, afraid that if I let go, it might disappear.

Five minutes before our time was up, he pushed the book across his desk. He slid his glasses from his nose and laid them on his desk. "This is an awfully bold move, Jude. Are you prepared if it doesn't go the way you hope?" His tone was inquisitive, yet encouraging. The truth was, my answer was yes. It would hurt like hell if Portia kept her distance, but I refused to live in the shadow of doubt any longer. It was time to pay the piper. And either way, I had already planned to return to Maine at the beginning of June. The bookstore cut back on staff when the college students left for the summer because their sales tanked with the dip in the local population, so it was the perfect time for me

And nothing will ever change that. END OF BOOK TWO: DON'T LEAVE

In the years that followed, I poured all my love and care into little Olivia. Watching Olivia's parents slowly heal day by day, a weight lifted from me. I felt I had, perhaps, atoned for my past errors. Years later, Lily died in the psychiatric hospital, and one quiet evening, old and frail, I took my final walk and left this world. Finally, I was able to reunite with Olivia and deliver the apology I had carried in my heart for so long.

Did he sense something. Did he notice that I wasn't really reading the book? I thought, looking at the book in my hands (My Life Saver by Lilian Finn). What a weird coincidental name for a book. Twenty minutes past eleven p.m. When did time fly so fast? I survived today, tomorrow is going to be another day. "Let's get ready for it." I said, resting my head on my pillow and hugging the book, My Life Saver. ***Day eleven***

The keeping continues. He wrote the date: February 12th, twelfth year. He wrote the time: 10:37 a.m. He looked at Don, who was still sitting at the kitchen table, still looking at the book. The box was open. The other eleven copies were still inside. The bread Wednesday was two weeks away. The other Wednesday had become the day the book arrived.