Free Out of Time by April Sadowski Page A

amazing guy I met
over there. He’s amazing!” Sasha gawked.
    Did she just say amazing, twice ? Sasha
wondered.
    “More than me?” Simon asked. Mandy didn’t
want to offend, so she answered,
    “Comparable to you, Simon.”
    “Perfect.” Simon said, flashing a smile.
    “So Mandy,” Sasha started, changing the
subject. “How are the parents?”
    “They haven’t been in touch with you?” Mandy
was dumbfounded.
    “Well of course they have. I just wondered if
they had talked to you directly.” Sasha mentioned. She wasn’t able
to get over the whole calling them Mom and Dad just yet, though.
“Maybe you’ve talked to them more recently?”
    “Yea, Mom said something about a cruise we
are all invited to go on. Apparently she and Dad won some tickets.”
Mandy said casually. Sasha invited her to sit down and rest a
bit.
    “Who is ‘all’?” Sasha wondered as Mandy took
a seat on some bar stools near the counter in the kitchen. They had
a cute little two-bedroom. One bedroom served as a his and hers
office, and the other was quite untested. While they were together,
Sasha conceded to allowing Simon to move in with her, but not to
stay in the same room.
    “I think they meant Simon too. I mean, you
have been really inseparable. Or so Mom tells me.” Mandy said, with
a wink.
    “You know how love is.” Simon said, wrapping
an arm around Sasha’s waist and bringing her close.
    “Sometimes you know it’s there and sometimes
it comes out of nowhere.” Sasha said, turning to look at Simon.
    “Sometimes you don’t even know how surprising
it can be.” Simon said.
    “Come on guys. You’ve been together for three
years now. Mom said she hasn’t ever seen you apart for the last
year. So I’m not exaggerating. Something has changed.” Mandy said
and Sasha knew she didn’t mean the engagement. She couldn’t tell
her friend about the time travel. She didn’t want to risk it.
    “Yes, but it’s okay.” Sasha dismissed Mandy.
“It’s nothing you need to worry yourself with.”
    “Sure?” Mandy wondered. “You know how I like
sweet romance stories.”
    Simon glanced down at his watch which was on
his free hand. “Yea...really you don’t need to hear about our
‘romance’. Let’s go and eat. The reservations are for a half hour
from now and I don’t want them to give our table away. Meridian’s
is pretty strict on their tardiness policies for guests.”
    “Oh come on.” Mandy giggled light-heartedly.
“It couldn’t take that long to get there.”
    “I like to be early.” Simon stated.
    “He does.” Sasha responded.
    “Okay, then let’s go.” Mandy conceded. She
looked at Sasha and then Simon. “Who’s driving?”
    “I will. It was my idea anyway. The meals are
on me.” he said with a grin.
    “That’s so sweet of you.” Sasha said.
    “I try.” he chuckled and led her forward,
then waited for Mandy to get up, gather her purse and run out the
door. Not before Sasha caught him up in an unexpected kiss.
    “Oh my word, come on. I’ve starving. They
stopped even serving peanuts on the plane. You’ve got to pay extra
for them.” Mandy whined.
    “We’re coming.” Simon said, grasping Sasha’s
hand as they exited the apartment. They headed down to the private
parking area underneath the apartment complex and got into the car,
Sasha in the front with Simon and Mandy in the back.

    The atmosphere at Meridian’s was lovely.
There was soft lighting paired with soft music, and barely audible
voices chattering in the background mixed with glasses and utensils
clinking while other patrons ate.
    Mandy walked in, trailed by the couple, and
gasped. “Oh this is nice .”
    “I thought so.” Simon said, moving forward to
see the host. “Sasha and I came here on our anniversary. She liked
it so much I thought it would be a nice gift for her birthday.”
    “Thanks, by the way.” Sasha said. The host
took note of the new guests and asked if they had reservations.
    “Under Harris.”