Out Of Space And Time

Agnes Starts Work

Stepping into the shower the next morning, Agnes decided not to wash her hair since it would take too long to dry. She was afraid of the blow dryer.

After finishing her shower, she went to her room and dressed, choosing a light blue flower-print dress with a dark blue petticoat to wear over her shift, stay, and socks.

She put on her black shoes that had a buckle on top, then applied her new makeup after putting her hair up in a braided bun.

Agnes decided to let some of her hair hang down on each side of her face. As was the custom of ladies during her time, she wore a muslin cap on her head.

The cap had lace around the edges. She'd put a light blue ribbon around it on the outside, as women did in her time, especially after they'd "set their cap" at a young man they fancied.

She then put on a rose necklace with a pair of matching earrings, a gift that the antique shop clerk had thrown in with Agnes' purchases as one of the special extras.

She also dabbed on abit of one of the perfume samples she'd been given at the megamart she, Mrs. Tepesch, and Tara had visited. The fragrance had flowery notes of lilacs and daisies.

Upon arriving downstairs, Agnes curtsied deeply and said,

“Good morrow, Mrs. Tepesch, Tara, Mr. Steele. Good morrow, Master Steele, Misses Steele.”

“Good morning, Agnes.”, they replied.

They had pancakes and sausages for breakfast. Agnes thoroughly enjoyed them.

”Pray, is this dress appropriate for my employment today, Mrs.Tepesch? I truly do appreciate being given an occupation.

“I assure you, I am a conscientious and very hardworking employee. I shall not knowingly do anything to cause problems with my employment.“, Agnes said.

”You look just fine, Agnes dear. I'm thrilled to have you as my assistant.“, she replied, smiling broadly.

After breakfast it was time to leave. Agnes put on one of her new bonnets then collected her purse. She was ready to start her first day of work in 2559.

A short time later, they arrived at the facility.

Upon arriving at Mrs. Tepesch's office, Agnes sat at her desk, removed her bonnet, and placed her purse and bonnet in a drawer to her right. She then started her large-screen, as she'd learned to do the day before.

Despite being from a primitive time in Earth's history compared to 2559, she was a very quick learner, easily catching on to 26th century technology during her crash course in it the day before.

After turning on her large-screen, she checked her stream links for any messages.

There were none but, a few minutes later, the large-screen beeped with a live stream request.

Agnes then pressed Accept on her keyboard. She jumped abit when she saw an alien woman onscreen. The woman was the first alien Agnes had ever seen.

”G...Good morrow, Ma'am. How may I help you?“, she asked nervously.

”Oh hello. I think I've got the wrong stream link. I'm looking for my mother. Is she there?“

”Your mother, Ma'am? Pray forgive me, but 'tis Mrs. Tepesch's office you have reached. I am Miss Agnes Breckinridge, Mrs. Tepesch's assistant.

“Pray, what is your Mother's name? Perhaps I can transfer you to the correct stream link.“, replied Agnes.

”Agnes? Oh...you're AGNES! What a pleasure to meet you! I'm Khasidhi Chakhtra, Mrs. Tepesch's daughter, Tara's sister.“, she said, smiling broadly.

”Oh! Indeed, 'tis a pleasure to meet you as well, Mrs. Chakhtra! Pray, give me a moment whilst I announce your presence here via live stream.“

She stood up and walked to the door. She knocked then said,

”Pray forgive me for intruding, Mrs. Tepesch. There is a Mrs. Khasidhi Chakhtra wishing to be granted an interview with you via live stream. Shall I transfer her to you?“

”Yes, please, Agnes. Thank you!“, she replied, smiling ever-so-slightly at Agnes' formality.

Agnes then went back to her desk and sat down.

”One moment, Mrs. Chakhtra, whilst I transfer you to Mrs. Tepesch. Do have an exceeding agreeable rest of your day.“, she said, then transferred the woman to Mrs. Tepesch's office large-screen.

Agnes was quite proud of herself, and very rightfully so.

Less than 48 hours after arriving in this century, despite being from a primitive time in Earth's history, centuries before even the most basic forms of modern technology existed, Agnes had become quite adept at using technology.

An hour later, Mrs. Tepesch told her it was time to document her memories of her time. In addition to an oral history, she was hooked up to an OEI to create historical videos of life during her time.

Mrs. Tepesch and Tara were both awestruck at what they saw, especially when Agnes and the others were gathering water, washing hair, washing clothes, chopping wood, and cooking.

They marveled at seeing her family and friends from 1755. Everyone around her spoke with the same formal speech, dialect, and accent Agnes spoke with. They admired these hardy people from long-ago.

Living, reading, and working by candlelight were things they wouldn't wish on anyone; yet these people, even Agnes, lived like that. They couldn't fathom what they went through...by necessity!

They were extremely shocked at the flimsy coats and Winter-wear, wondering how anyone kept warm wearing those during the brutal New England Winters.

Afterwards, they stopped for a late lunch.

For dinner, the family stopped at Beefs & Things, their favorite restaurant. It was a restaurant and bar based in Chicago Earth that served cuisine from Chicago Earth's ancient past.

They ordered items called deep fried cheese logs and baked skins of potatoes along with their sandwiches and drinks.

Marty and MJ each ordered a double beef and sausage combo. Agnes, Tara, and Mrs. Tepesch each ordered a beef combo, while the girls ordered kid's cheese meat rounds meals. The girls loved the toys that came with the meals!

Each sandwich was served with fried potato wedges and cold cabbage salad, known in ancient Chicago Earth as cole slaw.

The beef and sausage sandwiches were thinly-sliced slow-cooked beef with various seasonings and sausages made with similar seasonings.

They were served on a thick roll that was dipped in the cooking juices and topped with something called giardiniera. The beef was made the same way minus the sausage. They each had carbonated drinks for their beverage. Every combo came with Boston baked beans.

Agnes ate her meal with gusto.. polite gusto that is! Afterwards, they all went to a megamart. While there, Agnes asked,

”Tara, Mr. Steele, pray, may I indulge your daughters and make their dolls nice doll-sized quilts?“

”Of course you can, if you'd like!“, they replied.

"Pray, what color would you like them to be, girls?", she asked. Eventually the girls decided they'd like a nice green quilt for the dolls.

"An exceeding agreeable choice, ladies!", she exclaimed with a broad smile, giving them a wink.

"Indeed, I shall purchase enough material to make your dolls beautiful quilts!" They beamed with sheer joy and excitement.

"I shall make them this evening when we return home and shall present them to you on the morrow when you arise. Would you like to help me with making it?"

The little girls squealed with glee. "Oh Agnes! We'd love to! Thanks so much!”, they replied, hugging her.

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One night two months later, Agnes was sewing. Mrs. Tepesch said to Tara and Marty,

“Did I tell you Alkhor got 3 weeks off so he can come here, help us pack and move? He'll be here in ten weeks. Khasidhi told me today.

“He convinced the Commander to let him skip Leave and take his vacation time then instead of now like he was scheduled to do.

”Instead of traveling to deliver a lecture at the Academy next month, he's planning on live streaming it so he can get more days here with us.”

“No you didn't. That's great news! It'll be great to see him and hug him again.”, Tara replied.

“Pray, who is Alkhor?“, Agnes asked, pronouncing his name ”Alkhaw“ to their immense amusement.

”He's my son. Stepson, actually. I'm the only mother he's ever known. His mother died when he was very young.

“My husband was a Cardistanian. SO handsome! Alkhor most definitely inherited his father's good looks, physique, and height! He's 6'7", just like his dad!“, Mrs. Tepesch replied.

After Mrs. Tepesch explained what a Cardistanian was, Agnes was surprised to find out that her late husband hadn't been human. She'd assumed that Mr. and Mrs. Tepesch had adopted Khasidhi.

”Pray forgive me Mrs. Tepesch, but I had no idea that humans and nonhumans intermarried. I am not trying to sound rude. I apologize if I am coming across that way.“, Agnes said.

”It does happen quite often. You weren't rude at all, Agnes dear.

“There are no legal or religious prohibitions against intermarriage. Pakhsa was a widower with Alkhor. I was a divorcee with Tara when we met and married. We were quite the scandalous pair back then.

”A Cardistanian widower and a human divorcee. Oh the absolute HORROR!”, she exclaimed, laughing uproariously at the memory.

”Tara and I moved to Cardistan, his home planet. Together we had Khasidhi a few years later. You met her on live stream. She'll arrive a few days before we leave.

“Pakhsa passed twelve months ago after thirty years of marriage. Tara and Alkhor are the same age, only two months apart. Khasidhi is 4 years younger. Our marriage was an extremely happy and loving one.

”There was a period of several years where Alkhor and we were estranged.

”Pakhsa said it was a macho thing between them. Two alpha men having a disagreement, and neither willing to back down.

“Pakhsa told me Alkhor refused to see his point of view about something, and they'd gotten into a huge argument. It was something about a 'family situation', he told me. I asked what that situation was, but he said it was between him and Alkhor so I just let it go. I figured they'd work it out. I just never expected it to take years like it did.

”Eventually though, they must've worked things out between them because they were all smiles when Alkhor visited us years after we moved here. There did seem to be a deep sadness about him though; a disconnect, if you will.

“He was there with us physically, but at times his mind seemed to drift elsewhere. I never did figure out what that disconnect was from or where his mind drifted to.

”Whenever I'd ask him, he'd hug me, kiss me on the top of my head, and tell me he was alright, not to worry, and that he loved me.

”Anyway, we're all very close now.

”The kids love Alkhor and Khasidhi, and they love them. Here's a family picture of all of us, taken two years ago, soon after my Pakhsa got sick.

“Aren't he and Alkhor handsome? Khasidhi and Tara are simply gorgeous!“, she said, showing Agnes the picture.

Having never seen aliens before other than Khasidhi, Agnes was frightened at first, but gradually relaxed. Once she got past the ridges, she said Alkhor and Pakhsa actually looked quite handsome, and that they each had pleasing countenances.

She also thought the ladies were beautiful, and that Alkhor had a very nice smile. She appeared to be quite smitten with him. Agnes couldn't take her eyes off his picture, blushing as she looked at it. She was obviously smitten, and smitten HARD!

”He's available, Agnes. He's quite the eligible bachelor.“, Tara said, noticing Agnes' besotted expression. Agnes blushed deeply.

”Alkhor's a senior science officer specializing in history, psychology, sociology, and interplanetary archeology. He lives on the space station we're moving to.

“Khasidhi's a historian specializing in interplanetary archaeology and sociology.

”She lives on Cardistan with her husband and children, and will be moving to the station we're moving to. We Tepesches are taking over the station. Haha!

“My Pakhsa was a historian as well. Being a historian's in our blood!“, she said, smiling broadly.

The next day was a Sunday. That afternoon Marty's sports games were on. He sat on the couch watching the games, eating snacks and drinking beer. Agnes walked downstairs to get some iced tea.

”Hey there Agnes! Want to watch the football game with me?“, he asked.

”I...I am not sure, Mr. Steele. I do not understand anything about the game.“

”No problem. I'll explain it to you! And it's Marty, by the way.“, he replied.

She sat down on the couch. He then explained the game on the large-screen. They were watching what centuries earlier had been called football. He told her all about the game, including the history of it.

”The team from this area was called the New England Patriots. Football's greatest player, Tom Brady, led the team to 9 Super Bowls, the championship game held each year.

“He then joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and led them to a Super Bowl victory his first year there.”

Marty was an encyclopedia of football trivia. He loved sports of all kinds. He and Agnes hadn't spent any time together getting to know each other.

Whether that was cultural on her part or not he wasn't sure but, since she lived with them, he wanted to get to know her better.

“What types of sports did you have in your time, Agnes?”, he asked.

“Indeed, Mr. Steele, we had nothing like this. We had bowling, darts, cricket and cards. We enjoyed swinging. I loved to go as high as possible without falling off!

”We loved jumping rope, playing on a see-saw, tennis, scotch-hopper. Indeed, children played leap frog, tag, hide-and-seek, sack and relay races.

”I was very good at bowling, leap frog, cards, and jumping rope.“