Chapter 19
Dressed in some clothes he borrowed for Adam, Junior sat on the edge of the couch as Joanne combed his hair.
Adam and Matthew waited for her to finish so they could go out and the twins watched amused as they waited for Sam to arrive.
“Annie, leave the poor lad alone,” Her dad laughed taking the comb from her.
She pouted. “His hair is fine. He is not a child. You can brush and coddle him later.”
Junior stood up and chuckled before taking her hand.
“Let’s go, princess, before it is too late.”
“I like brushing your hair.” He chuckled.
Matthew took her coat off the peg and started putting on her and buttoning it up.
“Dad, I can dress myself.” He ignored her whining and continued.
“This is a sight you should get used too. Annie is Dad’s baby,” Adam whispered to Junior. “He has been going crazy while she was gone. I swear if she were gone any longer I would have locked him in a cupboard.”
When they looked at Joanne again, she was dressed in a thick coat, Fox Cowl and gloves. She was grumbling under her breath, but Matthew was smiling.
The twins could be heard laughing at them.
“Now you are Annie pennie.” He hugged her and kissed her hat covered head. “I missed you, baby girl.” He rocked her slightly as though a baby.
“I missed you too, Daddy,” She hugged him back.
They pulled apart a few seconds later. She took Junior’s hand and he grinned, kissing her cheek. “I love your hat,” His voice full of humour.
“It’s a cowl.”
“Oh, well, cowl then.” They exchanged a smile and turned their attention to Matthew, who was watching them.
“Let’s go, kiddies.”
The four of them left the house and walked to the car.
Just as she was about to get in the car, she felt a presence behind her. She turned her head just in time to see Sam reach for her backside.
Junior must have seen too because he pulled her behind him and glared at the man.
“You are no fun,” Sam grumbled.
“She is a lady. A gentleman does not accost a lady in the street. Especially one who is already betrothed.”
Sam began laughing, “We ain’t in the olden days.”
Junior wanted to punch him but knew he couldn’t because they needed his help to get back.
“Sam!” Matthew’s voice made the young man sober. He wouldn’t say it, but Sam was terrified of him. Matthew was a large man known not to take abuse from anyone.
He didn’t have to say anything else, “I am sorry,” Sam said knowing that if he ever wanted to get with Joanne he had to get her father on the side first.
They climbed in the car with him watching. Joanne leaned over and belted Junior in. “All safe,” She pecked his nose making him grin.
“Where are you going?” Sam asked through the window.
“Town. Need to buy some stuff before Junior returns,” She told him, not mentioning the rest of them were leaving too. But Junior understood why.
“Oh. Great,” Sam smiled widely. “Make sure you get everything.” They all knew that he thought when Junior had gone he could swoop in and have his chance.
They left a few seconds left, with Matthew driving.
“What’s happening with the car?” Adam asked remembering.
“He bought it too. When we have moved everything we want to Junior’s ship, I will call Jackson and he will meet me in Sainsburys car park and I will give him the keys to the house and car.” The supermarket was next to the port where the ship was docked making it a convenient place to meet.
“But he has given you all the money and stuff?” Adam double checked.
“Yes. Just have to change the money to jewellery or whatever and wait for the postman to come and if everything goes well we can go this evening.”
“What has Junior’s Dad told the crew?” They would surely miss the large group.
“They will be kept pretty busy,” Junior answered remembering where they were. “We are in a location prime with fish. They properly won’t notice us gone and if they do Dad will just tell them we are busy in a different area on the ship.”
“And they’ll believe that?” Adam questioned.
“Yes,” Junior nodded. “Where else would we be?”
Adam nodded back remembering the time they came from.
“Dad, can we go to the butchers and the market before we go home? I want to get some stuff for Derek. I know he was only messing. But it will be nice to surprise everyone with a good meal. Plus I want some water.”
Joanne had done she research and had learned by added certain chemicals to water they could keep it up to six months.
She told this to them and they agreed it was a great idea. “We’ll only take several gallons and we’ll talk to Andy about taking more on the next trip out.”
Junior’s eyes were fixed on the outside world.
“Is it that different?” Adam asked randomly.
“Almost everything is different. There are one or two buildings, but mostly…” Junior trailed off.
“Yes. I have missed the old town,” Matthew said fondly.
“Are Dad’s parents still alive?” Adam inquired.
“Yes. They live not far from my parents and me, Harriet and Derek live close as well.” Junior remembered with a smile. “My mother often drags me to Ettie’s to try and make me spend time with Millie.”
Matthew chuckled at this. Junior had told them all about Ettie and Tilla trying to set him up with the spoiled girl.
“Your grandparents spend a lot of time there. Almost every time I see them they mention Mattie, they miss you a lot.”
“I miss them too. If it weren’t for my Juliet and children, I would have tried to go back. But then everything happened… I never dreamed my children would actually be willing to move time… Well, other than my little girl,” He smiled in the rearview mirror.
“She has always been obsessed with the past. She was studying history on fishing, you know?” He said proudly.
“I know. I was surprised how much she knew,” Junior admitted. “Not only because she was a woman. She knows more than most of the crew, even some stuff I didn’t know.”
“Ha-ha, I can believe that.”
Soon enough they parked up in the high-rise car park.
**
Walking around the town centre, they went to several different jewellers so they didn’t ask questions.
They took a couple of trips back to the car to drop off the bags. Junior was fascinated by everything but said he was glad they were returning to his time.
Not surprisingly along the way women and men stared at them, a couple gave their numbers and one group of teenage girls barely sixteen yelled, “Get ya cock out!”
Junior was stunned. Adam was amused, “Not even the twins get that much attention.”
“I think it’s because he looks like he could be one of those action heroes,” Joanne said her eyes shamelessly raking over Junior’s muscular upper body.
“Annie leave the poor lad alone,” Matthew couldn’t help but chuckle. Junior’s cheeks were a bright red, showing her father how innocent the man was.
“Sorry, Jr,” She kissed his cheek. “It’s alright, Princess,” He replied timidly. Her brother and father watched with a smile as Joanne hugged Junior’s side, he hugged her back. It was quite the sight, he was twice wider and almost a foot taller. But he was much shyer when it came to kissing and hugging in front of people.
“Come on, kiddies. Let’s continue shopping.” They began walking again, this time to a shop to buy some silks and materials.
**
After visiting several stores, a butcher, spending most of their money and buying lunch they finally went home with the completely full car.
“Thank God we have a huge car or we’d never of fit all this stuff,” Adam said as they drove home.
“Yes. Let’s leave it in the car… Well, other than the perishables. That way Sam won’t ask any questions.”
They all agreed.
Arriving at the house, they weren’t surprising to see Sam still there.
“Hello beautiful,” Sam greeted Joanne. “I heard you want to borrow my key for your project?” She knew without asking her brothers have used her college work as an excuse.
“Yes. I have a project due. I have been on the boat for a short time. But I need a few hours to go over in more detail.”
“Do you need help?” His words had double meaning.
“No. I really need some time alone with the ship.”
“Alright. I’ll let you have the keys until tomorrow.” He smirked in Junior’s direction, who was sat beside her.
“You will?” She was surprised at how easy it was.
“Yes.” He leaned in and whispered, “If you let me take you on a date tomorrow?”
Junior obviously heard by the growl that left his throat.
“Junior, can I have a word?” Adam said from the doorway, he reluctantly went over and gave his sister a look to tell her to go along with it.
“But I am engaged?” She whispered playing along. She hated acting like this, but she needed his help.
“You go on a date with me and I’ll marry you myself.” She forced herself not to laugh. He was only saying that to get to date him.
“I’ll tell you what…” She paused and leaned in so he could hear her better. His breath hitched up at the closeness.
“You give me the keys, I’ll go on a date with you and if you treat me good and only then, I will dump Junior and be your girl instead.”
He stared at her with a mixture of lust and love making her feel bad.
“Deal.” He handed her the keys. “We’ll talk later.” Before she has a chance to react he kissed her cheek. He quickly said bye to the others and left before Junior’s glare could have killed him.
“Good job,” Luke said from the armchair.
“I feel bad for using him. He is an idiot, but I know he cares for me.”
A now frowning Junior walked over and sat back beside her.
“Do you still want to marry me?” He asked in a worried whisper.
She looked at him smiling and cupped his cheek, “I only want to marry you, Andy. You are my soul mate. I love you and only you.” She pressed her lips to his in a lingering kiss.
“You never have to worry about that. I just feel bad for tricking Sam. Despite how he is, I do like him, but only like I like Adam and the twins. He is like my fourth brother. When he isn’t trying to get with me, he is a great guy. Well, apart from that one time he forced that girl to abort his baby. But he did have reasons for that,” She explained. “The girl’s parents were crazily strict religious types. They would have forced them to marry if they had found out.”
Junior nodded in understanding.
He personally couldn’t understand why someone would sleep around so much. Let alone get a girl he wasn’t married to pregnant.
“You two would be great friends under different circumstances.”
“I don’t mind as long as you are mine.” He hugged her to him.
“Come in, kiddies, let’s eat lunch.”
“Your parcels came, by the way,” Mike told her as they entered the dining room.
“Fantastic. I’ll check it’s all there after lunch.” They all sat at the table.
“What did you order anyway?” Adam asked curiously.
“A couple of Lily cups, several pairs of special period panties with built in pads, straight razor for dad,” He smiled and thanked her. “A safety razor for each us four, with a sharpening strap. Solar charger for dad’s phone so he can watch his movies still and reusable condoms for the twins.”
“They do them?” Luke questioned. But Matthew was almost crying with happiness. “Thank you, baby girl. I didn’t think I’d be able to view them…” He stood up and pulled her into his embrace. “I love you, darling. You are the best daughter in the world.”
“I love you too, daddy.”
**
They arrived at the ship after dark, which was about five pm in the cold January weather.
They had already made a couple of trips back with stuff, which mostly was taken to an empty storage room. They had taken all the stuff they had bought today and their clothing that they wanted to keep, photos and so on. Joanne had left a lot of her clothes behind. But choose to take some bits to either wear in bed – her onesies – or some of her trousers or jumpers, coat, hat, on the ship.
Andrew had been surprised but happy about the quickness. He didn’t have to tell them, Joanne knew he had missed them, especially his son.
Now after returning home one last time to pick up Yuki and the food they made their final trip to the ship.
The twins were still in the past helping put the stuff away. Surprisingly no one asked any questions. But Andrew chuckled when he saw Joanne’s Fox cowl. He told her she looked adorable.
“We got everything? Food, Yuki, dry food and tins for him, water, medicine?” She listed things off.
“Yes. We have it all,” Adam reassured her. When they carried the food on board, they found the twins there. “We’ll take them. You go get Yuki and is Dad sorting out the car?” Mike asked noticing him and Yuki were missing.
“Yes. He is meeting the man. He has Yuki with him.”
“This is everything apart from that?” Adam nodded.
“We’ll take these then. You and Junior wait for Dad.” Luke and Mike took the boxes of food from them, while Adam carried a couple of gallon bottles. There was several more, but they returned, collected them and went again.
Junior and Joanne watched the sight in amazement. “I can’t believe this is happening. I really going to have the girl of my dreams as my wife.”
When her father and Yuki came minutes later, they walked in to find the pair in a deep kiss.
“That’s enough, kiddies.” They pulled apart straight away.
“All good?” He nodded holding the fluffy dog.
“What are we going to do about the key?”
“The doors are locked, his uncle has a spare. We’ll leave it here,” Matthew placed the key on the side near the controls.
They stood there for a few seconds just looking around.
“I am scared, dad,” She admitted.
“I know, baby. I am too. But you have me, the boys, Junior and Andy. I know everything will come good, I promise,” Her dad reassures her.
They knew that there would be talk and they would be reported missing. But they had still contacted everyone telling them they were moving away and goodbye. Even contacting their mother’s family who they were no longer close with.
Lottie would properly be a bit upset, but she had moved away and had her own life now. She would be fine.
“Take my hand.” She took Junior’s hand and her dad had his free hand on her shoulder as she pull the lever.
But just before she made the move she felt a third hand that didn’t belong to either man touch her back. She was about to stop, but it was already too late.
The person was transported with them.
