Out Of Space And Time

Agnes Turns 827

One warm, sunny day in July, the family was downstairs having breakfast.

“Where's Agnes?”, Marty asked about 10am.

“Well, today's our day off, so Agnes probably just decided to sleep in somewhat. Even if she only has a pastry or toast, she doesn't normally miss breakfast.”, Tara replied.

About an hour later they heard her walk out of her bedroom and go into the bathroom. Minutes later they heard the shower.

“There she is. She's in the shower.”, Mrs. Tepesch said.

After finishing her shower, she went to her room and dressed, choosing a powder blue dress with her new dark blue petticoat to wear over her shift, stay, and socks. She'd asked Tara two days earlier if the replicators could make her the outfit.

She put on her black shoes with the buckle on top, applying 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. She wore a muslin cap on her head.

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

She then put on a gold necklace with bluebells in the design, along with a pair of matching dangly oearrings.

She dabbed on abit of perfume. The fragrance had flowery notes of lilacs and daisies.

Upon arriving downstairs, purse in her hand and bonnet on her head, Agnes curtsied deeply and said,

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

“Good morning, Agnes.”, they replied.

“Pray excuse me, but...'tis very fine out, and I should like to go for a walk. I shall return abit later. I shan't be away long.”, she said.

“No problem, dear. Have fun.”, Mrs. Tepesch replied, smiling.

“Oh Agnes! We're going out for dinner tonight. Will you be back by then?”, Tara asked.

“Indeed I shall. I look forward to joining all of you for dinner. I shall away for naught but a few hours.

”Pray, do have an exceeding agreeable afternoon.”, Agnes replied, then turned and left, walking out the front door.

She walked about half a mile before arriving at a local diner. She was quickly seated at a booth.

Her waitress brought a menu for her and took her drink order. Agnes ordered a carbonated drink, a favorite of hers in this new century.

A few minutes later the waitress returned with her drink. Agnes ordered the pot roast special and deep fried cheese strips. Her meal arrived a short time later.

She savored every bite of her lunch, then ordered a slice of banana cream pie, her favorite, tied only with apple pie.

After paying her bill, Agnes walked down the street and came across a nail salon. She decided to treat herself to what the salon called a mani-pedi.

She asked about gel nails, something she'd never had before, and decided it was what she truly wanted.

“Pray, will any gentlemen see me as I lift my skirts? I do not want any gentlemen to see my legs. 'Tis highly inappropriate for a lady to show her legs.”, she said to the tech.

“You'll be fine, Miss. I promise you.”, the tech replied.

After removing her shoes and socks, Agnes shyly lifted her skirts high and sat in a massaging pedicure chair.

She chose a bright purple nail polish for both her hands and feet.

The tech painted a bright glittery flower on each of her big toes as well as on her ring fingers. Agnes thoroughly enjoyed the massage from the pedicure chair. She enjoyed the whole salon experience.

Afterwards, she walked next door and bought a caramel iced coffee.

After walking a few more blocks, she came across a shoe store. She decided to step out of her comfort zone abit and bought a pair of flashy purple athletic shoes, a pair of glittery hot pink athletic shoes, two pairs of sandals with rhinestones on them, and two pairs of flipflops.

One pair of sandals was blue, and the other pair was purple. One pair of flipflops had leopard spots, and the other was bright purple with tropical flowers.

She eventually came upon a bakery that specialized in artisan cupcakes. She bought 2 and an ice cream sundae with cherry ice cream. The cupcakes were in a decorative box with the bakery's logo on it.The box was placed in a plastic bag with the bakery's logo on it.

Agnes decided to head back towards home. She stopped at a deli two blocks away and bought herself a corned beef sandwich and a large berry iced tea to go.

Half a mile later, she stopped at a liquor store and bought a bottle of wine plus small bottles of whiskey and rum.

She went next door to a coffeeshop after paying her bill. Agnes bought two pastries and an extra-large caramel iced coffee.

When she arrived home, she came in through the back door. Seeing Agnes loaded down with bags and her drink, Marty went over to help her.

“I see you had some retail therapy, Agnes.”, he said, smiling broadly as she handed him the bags from the shoe store.

“Indeed I did, Mr. Steele.”, she replied as she put her deli sandwich and wine in the refrigerator. He went up to her room and put the bags on her bed.

Tara noticed her nails.

“Well look at you, all snazzed up with fancy nails!”, she exclaimed, smiling broadly as well.

“They look beautiful!”, Mrs. Tepesch said.

“Thank you both ever so kindly!”, she replied, smiling from ear to ear.

“Where did you find a shoe store with styles from your time?”, Tara asked.

“Oh, they are not that style at all. They are modern shoes.”, Agnes replied.

“Ooh...let's see!”, Tara replied. The ladies went up to her room and she showed them.

“Oh my goodness! Ooh la la!”, Mrs. Tepesch exclaimed as she looked at Agnes' new sandals.

“WOW!”, exclaimed Tara, eyeing the flipflops and athletic shoes.

Agnes took her shoes and socks off and showed them her toenails.

“OH MY GOODNESS, AGNES! THEY'RE GORGEOUS!”, Tara exclaimed.

“Marty! Come here! You've got to see Agnes' toenails!”, Mrs. Tepesch called out to him. Tara assured Agnes it was alright.

“WHOA! Where's our Agnes and what did you do with her?”, Marty exclaimed, smiling broadly at her.

“They look beautiful, Agnes, as do your nails.”, he said politely.

A little later it was time to go out for dinner. Unbeknownst to them, Agnes had decided to wear her new blue sandals.

Arriving at the restaurant, they were quickly seated at a booth. Mrs. Tepesch sat directly across from her. Tara sat next to her.

Their waitress brought menus and took their drink order. Agnes ordered a mixed drink, as did Tara, Marty and Mrs. Tepesch. Agnes ended up ordering three mixed drinks during the course of the meal.

A few minutes later their waitress returned with their drinks. They then ordered dinner.

Agnes ordered a full slab of ribs with baked potato, cole slaw, plus spicy meat soup. She requested extra onions, cheese and chives on her spicy meat soup, plus cheese, bacon and chives on her potato.

The kids ordered kid's cheese meat round meals. MJ ordered a bacon double cheese meat round with deep fried potato wedges.

Mrs. Tepesch ordered the senior half chicken meal, while Tara and Marty each ordered lasagne.

For dessert, Agnes ordered carrot cake and asked for an extra slice to take home. She'd already told Tara she wanted to pay for her own meal that night, not wanting to feel guilty for ordering so much.

To top off her meal, Agnes ordered one whiskey shot plus a shot called a New England apple shot, downing each of them with a serene, peaceful smile on her face.

Marty whispered to Tara that her smile might be from being more than abit tipsy or, as Marty put it, “Sloshed out of her gourd!”

In reality, Agnes was indeed more than abit tipsy, but was not “sloshed”. She needed no help walking, and didn't slur her words. She was, however, more relaxed and chattier than usual, at times even using 26th century slang!

Later that night, after the younger kids were asleep, Agnes sat on the edge of her bed, her back facing the partially opened door.

As Mrs. Tepesch walked by Agnes' room, she heard her say,

“Happy Birthday, Agnes!”, then saw her take a bite out of a cupcake she'd bought earlier that day.

“Ooh...this tastes SOO good!”, Agnes exclaimed, moaning happily as she savored her dessert.

Suddenly Mrs. Tepesch understood. Agnes had been very privately celebrating her birthday! Her “retail therapy”, including getting her nails done in a salon, had all been Agnes' birthday gifts to herself!

“Oh Agnes!”, Mrs. Tepesch said softly.

She went downstairs and got a piece of leftover cake she'd made the day before. She found a birthday candle, lit it, put it in the center of the cake, got a fork, put a scoop of some cherry ice cream next to the cake, and went upstairs.

Mrs. Tepesch knocked lightly on Agnes' door.

“May I come in please?”, she asked.

“Yes, Ma'am.”, Agnes replied.

“Happy Birthday, Agnes!”, she said, placing the cake onto the nightstand and giving her a loving hug.

“How...?”, Agnes asked, her voice trailing off.

“Close your eyes, make a wish, and blow out the candle, dear.”, Mrs. Tepesch said.

Agnes did, tears in her eyes.

“Thank you ever so much, Mrs. Tepesch! How did you know?”, she asked.

“I was walking by a few minutes ago and heard you. Agnes dear, you should have told us it was your birthday!

”We would've given you a party, even had the Birthday Special Dessert and Song sung at the restaurant! You didn't need to celebrate alone, dear!”, she said, giving her another hug.

“I do appreciate the thought, Mrs. Tepesch, but I felt more comfortable this way. Maybe next year I shall feel differently.”, Agnes replied, deep gratitude in her eyes.

“Pray, please do not tell anyone, Mrs. Tepesch. Let this be our secret. Please.”, Agnes begged.

“Alright, dear. Now...have some cake and ice cream.”, she said, giving her a hug and a kiss on her head.

“Happy Birthday, Agnes.”, she said as she left the room.

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The next morning, everyone was ready for the cookout. Agnes made apple brown betty as her contribution to the meal.

Up in her room, Agnes ate her carrot cake slice and the last birthday cupcake, then put her shoes and socks on.

She wore a light blue flower-print dress with a dark blue petticoat over her shift and stay.

She applied a little bit of makeup after putting her hair up in a braided bun.

Agnes put a bonnet on and was ready for the cookout. She headed downstairs and outside to the pool.

Tara and Mrs. Tepesch saw her in the hallway.

“Agnes, why aren't you dressed for the cookout and pool party?”

“Indeed, Tara, I am dressed for it.”, she replied.

“I was concerned this might happen. Let's go back into your room. We got you something.”, Tara said, leading her back into her room while Mrs. Tepesch went to get a bag out of Tara's room.

When Agnes saw what was in the bag, her jaw dropped and she blushed deep red!

“Oh no! Indeed, I cannot wear this! 'Tis inappropriate, Tara! 'Tis indecent for me to do so! Pray forgive me, but I simply cannot wear this, especially in front of gentlemen!”, she exclaimed.

“Agnes dear, you stepped out of your comfort zone yesterday. Why not do it one more time, just for today?”, Mrs. Tepesch said.

It took some convincing but, in the end, Agnes acquiesced. She put on the yellow polka dot swim dress known as a tankini.

She was extremely nervous and uncomfortable showing that much skin, and insisted on leaving the swim wrap on at all times. They also convinced her to wear her hair down instead of in a bun.

“WOW! Is that YOU, Agnes?”, Marty and MJ exclaimed when they saw her. She blushed deep red, but smiled ever-so-slightly.

Everyone except Agnes then got in the pool. She sat down on a lounge chair. She had her bonnet on to protect against the sun, and happily worked on her sewing.

Eventually Marty got out of the pool, dried himself off and starting grilling. He then came over to check on Agnes, bringing her a tall glass of cold lemonade.

“You look really nice today, Agnes.”, he said. She thanked him, blushing at seeing him shirtless. They chatted abit before he headed back to the grill.

When dinner was ready, everyone filled their plates and sat down to eat. Mrs. Tepesch brought a lounge chair over to sit by Agnes.

Eventually, she convinced Agnes to get in the pool. Agnes insisted on keeping the wrap on so her legs wouldn't be seen, but did get in the pool. As it turned out, she was quite a good swimmer.

The rest of the evening was spent in the pool, eating, back in the pool, eating, and more relaxing.