Save You - Choni

Part 27

No One's POV

Mary couldn't believe her eyes, what she saw, simply couldn't be.

"Grandmother, is everything alright." The woman said, with concern.

Not answering, Mary walked over to Cheryl's table half in a daze. The face was exactly as she remembered it from all those years ago.

"Cheryl? It can't be."

Cheryl smiled. "Hello Mary. It's been a while hasn't it."

"It can't be..." Mary repeated.

"Do you remember what I told you that night?"

Mary thought and tilted her head. "You were from the future."

Cheryl nodded. "Well, you caught up to me. From your perspective it's been something like 70 years, from mine; it's only been a few months."

Mary suddenly flashed back to that night and all of it came back, the music, everything. "It is you."

The young woman came up, looked to Cheryl and then back to Mary. "Grandmother, what's going on."

Mary looked to her granddaughter and smiled. "Charlotte, Do you remember the story I told you about the night I got lost during the blitz."

Charlotte thought for a moment. "Yes. You were with great grandmother and when the air raid siren sounded, you got lost. But this odd woman found you in the tube station. She took care of you and played strange music for you. Then she took you home the next day. You told me once she played Taylor Swift for you and was from the future."

"Charlotte, this is Cheryl, the woman that took care of me that night."

Charlotte looked at her grandmother as if she'd turned purple. "You must be mistaken grandmother, that woman would have to be more than a hundred years old. That part about the future, is just a story."

Cheryl smirked and pulled out her phone. "It's not a story and I can prove it."

After fiddling with her smart phone for a moment, she held out a picture for Mary and Charlotte to see. It was a selfie with a 6 year old Mary and Cheryl. "I took that picture on October 9th, 1940 when I was with your grandmother."

Charlotte looked at it in disbelief. "No it can't be. It looks like pictures of my grandmum at that age, but that just can't be."

Mary just looked at the picture with a happy smile.

Cheryl laughed I can do you one better. "Watch this." Cheryl then hit another button and a small video began to play.

Charlotte looked to see Cheryl and what appeared to be her grandmother at age 6 in a dark corner.

Cheryl pointed at the phone. "Ok then, you just talk and look right there. Tell them who you are."

"And this is a movie camera?" Mary said.

"That's right."

The small girl smiled and looked directly into the little lens. "My name is Mary Bell and I'm 6 years old. I live at 194 Stepney way in London. I have 2 sisters Eva and Helen. My mummy's name is Charlotte and my daddy's name is Fred and he's in the Royal Navy."

At that point a dull thud could be heard which made Mary visibly cringe. "I don't like the bomb's Cheryl. They scare me."

"Don't worry, we're safe and I'm protecting you. Just go on."

"My favorite doll is Sara, my best friend is Beatrice and I want to be a fireman."

In the video, Mary happily chatted on for a few more seconds but a sad look came to Mary's face. "Beatrice."

"You've never mentioned Beatrice grandmother. Who was she? Why do you look so sad?"

Mary lowered her head and a tear fell down her cheek. "She was killed in a V2 rocket attack in 1944, along with her mother and brother."

Charlotte now was very convinced and eased her rather sad looking grandmother into the chair at Cheryl's table.

"I do believe you Cheryl. But it's all so fantastic."

Cheryl sat down and motioned for Charlotte to sit. "It's a bit fantastic for me as well. But I have or at least had access to a time machine and briefly met your great grandmother. All she told you was the truth, she was in the world's first selfie and I can proudly say is the world's first Taylor Swift fan. Not to mention she was listening to Daft Punk ages ago."

Mary who had recovered by this point, took Cheryl's hand. "It is so very good to see you again Cheryl. If you don't mind me asking, why are you here?"

"It's a long story."

Mary smiled. "Please tell me." She then turned to Charlotte. "Could you please to tell the limo driver to park and wait? It's nearly lunch time anyway so just tell him to get some lunch and we'll reimburse him. Have him return in an hour."

Charlotte got up. "Yes grandmother."

So Cheryl then began to tell the whole tale, from the finding of the photograph to the events of today. Charlotte returned after a few minutes and after catching her up, Cheryl continued the tale.

After finishing her story, Cheryl sighed. "So that's it. My dilemma. I save her but now we're all in a world of hurt."

Mary sat there for a moment and put her hand on her chin. Charlotte looked to her grandmother at this point. "Grandmother can we...."

Mary nodded and sat up. "Cheryl you were there for me at probably the worst night of my life. I was lost and scared. You found me and took care of me, and showed me wonders of the future. You told me the Germans were going to lose and you gave me my lucky pair of switch blade. I know now they were just an ordinary pair of switch blade, but they kept me and my sisters from being afraid. We would sit in the shelter and all three of us hold on, night after night. Most importantly you told me that I could be anything I want. I never forgot those words you told me as we were heading home, you said, You Mary, can be whatever you want. Even if someone tells you that you can't. Don't listen. You just keep trying and do it. Prove them wrong."

Cheryl laughed. "I remember that."

"Cheryl, I lived by those words. I didn't become a fireman, but I eventually became interested in the world of fact. They told me it was a man's world. I proved them wrong, just like you told me to. I became one of the first female stockbrokers and worked my way up. Later, I started my own company. I have for 74 years have wanted to thank you and finally I can."

Cheryl was honestly touched, that Mary took her advice and became apparently very successful. "How?"

Mary put her hand on Cheryl's shoulder and got up. "Well, first of all I'm on the board of directors for this hospital. Second, I just donated a building to them, third I'm worth...well let's say a lot of money. You don't worry, I'll be back in 5 minutes."

Cheryl wasn't sure what that all meant, but she prayed it would get her out of her jam. For a few minutes she spoke with Charlotte who was an accountant and learned that Mary got married and had 3 children, 9 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren and despite having a family built her own very successful financial services company.

Mary returned some 5 minutes later with a broad grin on her face. "You're troubles are over."

Cheryl did a double take. "What?"

"Well I spoke to the head of the hospital, the police will not be called. I personally will take care of the hospital bill and have arranged for Antoinette to recover in one of the best rooms of the hospital."

"Oh my god, thank you. How can I ever repay you." Cheryl said wiping a tear of Joy.

"You already did, a long time ago. Even better, I can do you one better. My son Ronald, works for the Ministry of health. Let's say I've managed to arrange for a fake birth certificate for your Antoinette giving her a birthdate of 1999. Plus a few other identity documents that will give her a rather convincing cover identity."

Overjoyed, Cheryl gave Mary a hug, which was a big deal as Cheryl hated hugs. "Thank you Mary."

"You're welcome child." Mary said after a moment in the hug. "If you do feel obligated, all you have to do is let me meet this Antoinette sometime. I love reading about the Antoinette's age and remember a few of my elderly relatives when I was a child speak about it. I think it would be so fascinating to talk to someone who lived through at least part of the Antoinette's age."

"Done. I'm sure she'd be glad to meet you.

For a while they talked and caught up on what had happened in their lives. She also emailed the picture and video to Mary's granddaughter so Mary could enjoy the piece of her past. Eventually Cheryl had to get back to see how Toni was doing. She gave Mary her phone number, they said a tearful goodbye and separated.

Cheryl didn't even want to think about how it came to be that each met the other at a point in their lives when they were most in need. She was just glad she did.

Toni suddenly became aware that she was lying down in a very comfortable bed, she felt a bit groggy and strange. Her chest felt a bit tight.

After a few moment she groaned and managed to open her eyes. All she saw was bright light, which cause her to shut them again.

After another moment she opened them again slowly. After a second her eyes adjusted to the light and began to focus. The first thing she saw was a white ceiling with some strange glowing tubes set in it.

"Where am I?" She said softly.

Looking around she realized she was in a bed in an even stranger looking room, full of strange objects and odd looking furniture. She also noticed some strange tubes where attached to her arms.

Not having any idea where she was, Toni immediately panicked. "Help? Cheryl? Where am I?" She cried, fear evident in her voice...

Suddenly there was a strange whooshing sound coming from behind a door to her left. About a second later, Cheryl burst out of the door. She was wearing a strange pair of pants which she was only now pulling up and buttoning and a some sort of strange shirt.

"Cheryl? Where am I? Am I dead? I don't know this place, am I in heaven or the other place. Where's Fangs? Please tell me, I'm scared."

Cheryl rushed to Toni's side and took her hand. "Toni, Relax. Relax. You're safe, You're safe. Fangs is gone and you won't ever have to see him again."

Somewhat calmed, but still a bit freaked out, Toni took another look around. "What are these tubes attached to my arms, what are those strange machines next to my bed. I can't believe this is what heaven is like."

Cheryl chuckled. "You're not in heaven my dear."

Toni's eyes suddenly buldged out. "Oh my, I've gone to damnation. Oh God please forgi...."

"Toni Stop, you're not there either, nor in limbo. "

"Then where am I?"

"You're in a hospital in the Whitechapel section of London. This stuff attached to your arms and the machines are to help you get better. Just relax. Those tubes you see above you. Let's start with that. Those are called lights, or electric lights. They are an artificial source of light, no candles are needed. They use something called electricity, it's a bit like lightning. They're invented in the 1870's and are common as rain."

Toni looked up at the lights and studied them for a second. "And they are not dangerous?"

"Not normally."

Suddenly Toni remembered, "You took me to your time. Am I in your world?"

Cheryl nodded looking just a bit sad. "Yes. There's no easy way to say this, but today is August 16th, 2022. The wedding, the day Fangs shot you, that was 153 years ago. Long in the past."

Toni sat back in bed as that seemed to sink in, with a look of dismay.

"I'm sorry Toni, there was no other way to save you. I took you here and the doctors operated on you. They took out the bullet and you're expected to fully recover."

After a moment Toni nodded and said quietly. "I did trust you. Thank you. "

"You asked about Fangs. I looked it up. Just to ease your fears. After he shot you, I shot at him and hit his arm. The rest of the men after him chased him down by the river where they cornered him. Desperate he tried to escape by swimming across. But with a bullet in his arm, he wasn't able to. He drowned and his body was found the next day by a fisherman. His father identified the body and he was buried in a paupers grave. He's long gone. Thank you for saving me."

Toni sat for a few movements. Then squeezed Cheryl's hand. "You're welcome. Anything for you Cheryl. I love you."

Cheryl couldn't help but smile. "I love you too."

Toni was scared and nervous about this new world, but with Cheryl she hoped she could find a place in it.