Zoey sat at the kitchen island with wedding and bridesmaids dress magazines spread out in front of her. Next week was the big day, and she was nervous yet excited. Shawn sat on the couch several feet away, watching the tv.
"Shawn, the wedding is next week. How is that I'm stressing over dresses, and you're sitting there, watching that stupid coyote fall into the grand canyon again?"
Shawn stood up from the couch and placed his hands on Zoey's shoulders. "Honey, you've worked very hard tonight, okay? You deserve a little beak."
"Shawn, we're getting married next week. We have to be responsible. You have to discuss about tuxes with Cory, Jack, Blake... whoever your best man is, while I hive to talk to Angela, Rachel and Topanga about bridesmaids dresses." Zoey told her fiancée, rubbing her hands anxiously.
"Zoey, relax!" Shawn insisted as he began rubbing her shoulders. "Take a little time-out."
"Shawn, you only get married once. I want everything to be perfect, yes David and my mother are helping us with most of it but I'm still stressing about it." Zoey responded.
"You should clean the closet." Shawn told her.
Zoey rolled her eyes. "Cleaning is not relaxation."
"It's better than stressing about wedding dresses." Shawn pointed out.
Zoey let out a groan in defeat as she walked up the stairs and into their bedroom. The closet was an absolute mess. She sat down on her knees and began cleaning.
When Zoey went further into the closet, she noticed a small door that wasn't there before. She opened the door to reveal a black void.
"Shawn, did you know that there was a doorway back here?" Zoey called out. "You know those time continuum vortex things we're studying in physics? This kind of looks like one."
Zoey decided to crawl into the black void.
••••
[1940s]
Zoey suddenly appeared in the 1940s. She looked out and noticed that everything was black-and-white, including herself. Women's clothes of the 1940s were typically modeled after the utility clothes produced during war rationing. Squared shoulders, narrow hips, and skirts that ended just below the knee were the height of fashion.
Zoey stepped out of the phone book and began entering a building where people were piling.
Isaac 'Good shot' Kelly Shangru-La Café... were you check your problems at the door. People come here for all different reasons but stay for just one.. to forget.
Zoey walked into the beautiful café and was greeted by a beautiful middle-aged woman singing on top of a piano. Ella Fitzgerald Kennedy, used to sing with Sinatra... Irv sinatra.
The guy ticklin' the Ivories is Wee Hawkin Willy... direct descendant of Beethoven... Harry Beethoven.
In the corner Fez-Head and Costello- They're always together. People talk.
A waitress walked up to Zoey. "Aw, crazy, mixed-up kid. You look last. Hi, I'm Angle Nuffsaid. How about a cup of joe?"
"I'm Trixie." Another waitress greeted.
"Oh, I'd love one, but I don't seem to have any money." Zoey responded.
"Nobody here needs money, kid." A boy spoke from behind the bar. "This is Isaac 'Good shot' Kelly Shangrula."
Meet Rory. Walked into this place yesterday and never left.
Zoey walked over to the bar and looked around. "Everyone seems so carefree here, so relaxed."
"Well, you can be, too! Forget your troubles." Rory said, handing her a cup of coffee. "Come on, get happy! You know, if you're looking for a job, Angle and Trixie could sure use some help around here.
Just as he said that, Trixie and Angle grabbed onto a tray and was about to pick it up until they both dropped it.
Trixie let out a laugh. "There I go again!"
"They're the worst waitress I've ever seen, but we all love them for that." Rory said with a smirk. He turned to Zoey. "So, what are you running from, sister?"
"What do you mean?" Zoey wondered.
"Well, everyone that comes to Isaacs's is running away from something or trying to find something... usually themselves." Rory explained.
"I don't know who I am or why I'm ever here." Zoey admitted.
Rory scoffed. "No one does, and no one has too. All that matters is that we're here."
"Is everybody happy?" A voice spoke.
"Isaac!" Everyone in the café greeted.
That's Isaac. He owns this place and everything in it. But he doesn't own Zoey... yet.
"Where have you been all my life, baby?" Isaac wondered, grabbing a rose from his white tux and handed it to Zoey.
"I don't know." Zoey replied.
"So, who are you really, and where are you from? What did you do and what do you think? What are you thinking?" Isaac questioned.
"I don't know who I am or even why I'm here." Zoey admitted with a frown.
"I know someone who can help." Isaac said.
••••
Isaac called and scheduled an appointed with the local detective was known around these parts.. Zoey walked into the office, seeing Gumshoe sitting behind his desk.
"Is this a bad time?" Zoey wondered.
"I had a feeling that if it wasn't yet, it was gonna be..." He trailed off.
"Gonna be what?" Zoey questioned.
"What?" Gumshoe asked.
Zoey approached the desk. "I just heard you say..."
"No, I didn't." Gumshoe protested.
"But I heard you." Zoey told him.
"She was as stubborn as a mule with twice the kick." Gumshoe continued.
Zoey raised her eyebrows. "You did it again."
"Did what?" Gumshoe wondered. Maybe this was a mistake, Zoey thought. "What?"
"I didn't say anything." Zoey said.
Yes, you did! Gumshoe thought.
Zoey rolled her eyes and began making her way towards the door.
"Listen, please, please, please, don't go!" Gumshoe insisted, chasing after her. "We don't get a whole lot of crime here in Shangri-la, so, uh, I don't have a lot of cases. Please, just sit down." Zoey sighed and sat down on one of the chairs at his desk. "What seems to be the problem, missy?"
"I know this may sound crazy, I don't seem to know who I am, or why I'm here. I seem to lost track of my identity." Zoey explained.
Gumshoe raised an eyebrow. "The cast of the missing identity. I'm gonna need to see some ID."
••••
Zoey began working at Isaac 'Good shot' Kelly Shangri-La Café as a waitress. This was her first job as a waiter so she really had no idea what she was getting into. Her first couple of days they just had her follow around a few of the waiters and waitresses to get an idea of the routine they follow.
From that point through you are on your own to find the routine that best works for you. Zoey soon found out that it is a job learned mostly by trial and error.
"Hey, Zoella, do you have the time?" Costello wondered.
Zoey smirked. "Honey, I got the time in the world."
"Aw, now you're talking our language." Rory praised.
Rory, Trixie and Angle entered the café with a wide smile when they saw how good of a job Zoella was doing.
"Shangri-la looks good on you, honey." Trixie complimented.
"You know, you really seem to fit in here." Angle stated.
"Like a glove, toots." Zoey replied. "A girl like me I could get used to living in a place like this. It kinda feels like I was meant to be here."
"Hey, Dollface." A familiar voice called out.
Zoey turned around to see Gumshoe approaching her. "Hey."
"I was talking to Fezz-man." Eric began and gestured for her to come closer to him. "I think I got a lead on your case."
"What case?" Zoey asked.
"He means person." The tall girl explained, who was Gumshoe's receptionist.
"Look, you don't know who you are, remember?" Gumshoe questioned.
Zoey paused for a moment before nodding. "Oh, that's right. I was having such a good time here I totally forget." She turned around walked over to Isaac. "Need some more coffee, handsome?"
"Sure." Isaac answered with a smile. She smirked and poured him a coffee. "Hit me baby, one more time. What do you say doll, you and I hitched?"
"What?!" Zoey asked in shock.
Isaac nodded. "Yeah. You know, walked down the aisle, make an honest man out of me."
"You want to marry me?" Zoey wondered, her eyes widen.
"Well, I haven't really thought about it, but sure, why not?" Isaac replied.
"But you don't know anything about me." Zoey pointed out.
Isaac wrapped an around Zoey's waist and pulled her towards him. "I know you're spontaneous and I know you're care free. You fit in perfectly here, and I'm not taking no for an answer."
"You have have to, Isaac. I love it here you big lug and I love you. Kiss me." Zoey demanded. "Kiss me as if there weren't a thought between us!"
Zoey wrapped her arms around Isaac neck as he kissed her. His lips mashed against hers, as if trying to flatten and destroy her mouth. She hungrily pushed back, her mouth open, tongue pushing past his clenched teeth to the moist space within. She worked her mouth against his, their tongues battling back and forth like wrestlers, each trying to pin the other.
Gumshoe began poking Zoey's shoulder which caused them to pull apart.
"Uh, sorry to interrupt, but I think I have some lead on your missing identity." Gumshoe told Zoey.
"Give it to me straight, stupid." Zoey insisted.
"This may sound stupid, but, have you ever of something called the Time Continuum Vortex?" Gumshoe asked.
Zoey narrowed her eyes in confusion. "A Time Continuum Vortex? Never heard of it. Your services are no longer need. Now that I'm getting married, doesn't matter who I was."
"Just think... the two of us here together in Shangru-La, ain't it gonna be grand?" Isaac wondered.
"Could you stop saying 'ain't?" Zoey asked.
Isaac furrowed his eyebrows. "What's wrong with me sayin ain't?"
"I don't know. It just kinda makes me angry." Zoey explained. "So now that we're getting married, maybe you can tell me what you do?"
"Do?" Isaac repeated with a scoff. "What do you mean do? This is what I do. I'm a Dandy."
"A what?" Zoey questioned.
"I'm the one says, 'Is everybody happy'?" Isaac asked out loud. Everyone in the café responded 'yes'. "You see what I mean."
Zoey smirked. "I guess that's okay, I guess I could be Mrs. Dandy."
"That's swell." Isaac stated.
After a long day at work, Zoey was walking out of the café until she felt a thud on the back of her head which caused her to became unconscious.
••••
[2000]
Zoey sat at the kitchen island with wedding and bridesmaids dress magazines spread out in front of her. Next week was the big day, and she was nervous yet excited.
Shawn walked into the main area of the apartment, walking down the stairs and rested his chin on top of his fiancée's head.
"You okay?" Shawn asked.
"Shawn, the wedding is next week. How is that I'm stressing over dresses, and... I don't know." Zoey admitted. "I could use a break."
Shawn turned Zoey to face him and pressed a kiss against her lips. "I think I know just the thing."
"You could use a break." Shawn suggested.
Zoey chuckled, leaning up and pressed another kiss against Shawn's lips. Shawn leaned down and smiled into it.
__________________
PUBLISHED: April 14, 2019
WORDS: 1920