chapter one
it happened by call
Damn it.
Austen Leigh murmured while she is typing her thesis proposal. She is absolutely excited that she is finally graduating in her dreadful five-year course. She really never wanted to be a chemical engineering but in order to obtain the family legacy of her mother where her grand uncle was Doctor Emmett Brown, a very well known inventor and scientist way back in the '80s.
It was said that he was only recognized by the Nobel Prize when he died. His inventions are also popular up until in the modern era. Her older brother, Conrad Greyson was a micro-biologist and a current professor at a prestigious university. Her parents would pressure her to get into medical school or be a scientist instead but then she took chemical engineering.
She was totally frustrated with her parent's belief about continuing to honor the legacy or the pride to have children that are intelligent and well known in the scientific field.
University was another reason to be frustrated. How the deadlines are quick and the expectations of the professors to their students. There are times that Austen wanted to shift another course but her parents threatened her.
Austen buried her face on her laptop. She looked at her clock, it was three in the morning. Her thesis proposal was just a half-way through and her first class was seven. She grabbed her mug and sipped the remaining coffee. The coffee kicked in and she continued typing but she could feel her eyelids are dropping like it was smeared by thick honey. It had been her second day with no proper sleep.
Austen yawned heavily and let herself rest for a minute, her eyes looked at the picture frame beside her laptop. It was a picture with her grandmother; she was only five years old. They are at a diner in Hill Valley, Austen was sitting on the lap of her grandmother while she is drinking her Pepsi. Austen missed going to Hill Valley with her grandmother but her schedule became hectic as she entered the university.
She reached for the picture; her grandma Emma did give her a wonderful childhood. Austen was very thankful and grateful that she got her grandmother. Despite some of her childhood is shitty, but then she doesn't care a whiff about it.
Austen stretched her arms and proceeded typing. After a few hours of typing, she decided to sleep so she could rest for a moment.
When she is about to give in slumber, her phone suddenly rang. Austen groaned and quickly grabbed her phone. She answers her phone, "Hi, Mom. Why did you call?"
Austen heavily yawned and her eyes became teary.
"Austen, how is your thesis? Are you gonna graduate this year?"
Austen rolled her eyes. Her mother kept phoning her for the past months if she will be graduated on time and also the assurance that she will not be delayed. "Mom, I will be graduating. You're a lot more nervous than me."
"We just want you to get graduate on time."
Austen smiled. She yawn again then her mother added, "I know you will have a one week vacation, I have a favor to ask."
"What is it?"
"You and Conrad are going to Hill Valley. We need to sell the remaining estate of your late grand-uncle."
Austen widened her eyes. She couldn't believe what she heard, her grandmother wouldn't want to sell the estate of Doc Emmett Brown, she would always tell her when she was young that it is the only memory that she had to her late brother.
"Mom, you can't do this. You know how much grandma Emma kept it."
"I know, Austen but it is time to sell it. No one lives there and the land costs big money."
Austen felt mad. She can't believe this.
"Mom, this is Grandma Emma we're talking about. Don't you do this!" Austen said louder, almost shouting at the phone.
"I know that you will argue with me, Austen but I have no choice. I already sign the papers to sell the remaining estate."
She could herself has broken but what Austen can't imagine is her grandmother's grief about the remaining memory of her beloved brother.
"Does grandma knew about this?" She asked.
"Yes."
"Did you persuade her?" Austen is getting angry with her mother.
"No. Your grandma insisted on it."
She couldn't speak for a minute so her mother told her, "Conrad will pick you in your dorm next week."
Austen hangs the phone. She couldn't believe that her grandmother insisted it; she always knew that it is very precious for her. But it seems that her grandmother needed to move on from the past.
She looked again at the photo where she is sitting on the lap of her grandmother. She clearly remembered that day, her grandmother would tell about Doc Emmett Brown and Marty Mcfly. Her grandmother's stories fascinated her.
Austen smiled and wishing that she would be stuck at that moment.