Falling For You in the Wrong Century

CHAPTER 11: THE LONG WAIT

Weeks pass, and I never fall asleep in the rocking chair again. No matter how hard I try, how long I sit there at 2 PM, I can’t go back to the 1870s. Romano is gone—from my dreams and my life—and I feel like I’m drowning in grief.

I stop eating, stop leaving the house. Linda worries constantly, bringing me soup and trying to talk to me, but I can’t bring myself to care about anything. I spend my days staring at the portrait of my great-great grandmother’s sister, realizing now why her eyes look so sad—she lost someone she loved too, didn’t she? Maybe the resemblance isn’t just in our faces, but in our hearts.

One afternoon, Linda sits down next to me and takes my hand. “Señorita, I know you’re hurting, but you can’t stay like this forever. The town is having a community program at the church next week—food drives, games for the kids, even a small concert. Please come with me. It might help you feel better.”

I want to say no, but I see the worry in her eyes, and I know she’s only trying to help. I nod slowly, agreeing to go. Maybe getting out of the house will help—maybe it’ll stop me from feeling like I’m stuck between two worlds, neither of which I can truly be part of.