History Professor Slips into the Past and Befriends Ulysses S Grant: When her fiancé is away on business, lonely Samantha Hunter despairs and absorbs herself in historical research. Her nighttime dreams being so vivid, Samantha believes she’s traveling to a past century. As she navigates the Victorian era rules of dos and even more don’ts, she charms an American icon while struggling to maintain her present-day romance.
History Professor Slips into the Past and Befriends Ulysses S Grant: When her fiancé is away on business, lonely Samantha Hunter despairs and absorbs herself in historical research. Her nighttime dreams being so vivid, Samantha believes she’s traveling to a past century. As she navigates the Victorian era rules of dos and even more don’ts, she charms an American icon while struggling to maintain her present-day romance.
The newlyweds-to-be were matchmaking. Having confidence their own union was imminent, the bride and the groom, Grace and John, arranged for the maid of honor, Samantha, and the best man, Aaron, to meet. Grace had long hoped her younger sister, Samantha, would partner with John’s best friend, Aaron. Now, two weeks before the wedding, the four agreed to spend a day together.
The meeting place was Grounds for Sculpture, fifteen minutes south of Princeton in New Jersey. Their early-morning reservation time would allow them to spend much of the day on the enormous outdoor grounds.
They met in the parking lot on a partly sunny, warm day. The sisters had obviously conferred with each other on what to wear. They both wore comfortable jersey dresses just below the knee with slip-on shoes, and each carried a small crossover handbag. Grace wore a blue round-neck, A-line, short-sleeve dress. Samantha wore a three-quarter-length-sleeve faux-wrap dress in a multicolor flower print. Although not intentionally coordinated, John and Aaron both wore jeans; small-checked, button-down long-sleeve shirts (untucked); and sneakers.
Samantha greeted her sister with a hug; John and Aaron shook hands.
Grace said, “Aaron, this is my sister, Samantha.”
Samantha was slim, five five, with wide hazel eyes and well-proportioned feminine facial features. Her cinnamon-brown wavy hair fell to the middle of her back.
Aaron said, “A pleasure to meet you at last.”
“Likewise,” Samantha replied.
She had googled Aaron Parker’s LinkedIn profile and had seen photos Grace had taken of him. He stood five nine, a runner’s build, dark brown hair, deep blue eyes—good-looking.
Grace shared a familial resemblance with her sister, including similar height and size, although Grace had shoulder-length dark brunette hair. Her fiancé, John, was a handsome Black-White biracial man, six feet with the broad shoulders of a former collegiate swimmer.
John said, “Okay, we have reservations at one o’clock for lunch. I’ll text you twenty minutes before to give you enough time to get there. It’s easy to get lost here.”
“Okay,” Aaron said, viewing the map placard with Samantha.
“Have you ever been here?” Samantha asked.
“No, first time. And you?” Aaron asked.
“First time for me too.”
They studied the map for several minutes.
“So, it shows we are here,” Samantha said, pointing at the red dot on the map.
“We should start this way.” Aaron motioned with his hand to the right.
Samantha looked around. “Where are Grace and John?”
“I don’t see them either,” Aaron answered.
“My own sister has left me with a stranger.”
Aaron laughed.
“They’re trying too hard,” Samantha said. “I guess we’re just stuck with each other for a few hours.”
“Doesn’t seem like a bad thing.”
“Aren’t you a charmer?”
They walked side by side down a path into the park.
“We do come prescreened by Grace and John,” Samantha said.
“Yes, ever since after John finished law school and met Grace, I’ve been hearing about you,” Aaron said.
“And they told us about our love lives or lack thereof.”
“Well, what’s your version?” Aaron asked.
Samantha put one hand on her forehead. “Let’s not go there. I would prefer not to talk about my failed relationships. I tried the dating apps. I know many people who found their mates that way. The apps don’t work—for me.”
“I guess Grace told you about me and my past girlfriends,” Aaron said.
“I know that, like John, you’re from Southern California, ‘SoCal.’ And with girlfriends, you’re Mister In-N-Out Burger.”
Aaron laughed. “Wow. I can’t believe you said that!”
“Listen, you give me an opening for a layup, I’m going to take it. No one is spared.”
They walked and there was a long pause in the conversation.
“Okay, I’ll start over. Hello, I’m Samantha Hunter. Call me Sam. Grace and I are Jersey girls. Grew up in Atlantic Highlands. Like Grace, I went to Rutgers in New Brunswick. I studied history then got my master’s. I teach at the university, part-time history professor. It’s really hard to get full-time. You need a doctorate, so I’ll probably do that when it’s economical.
“You’re an accountant; I’m sure Grace has told you I am debt-free. Student loans were paid off through a work-study program.
“Grace and I shared an apartment, and we bought furniture and small appliances together. When she moved in with John, I told her to take everything. Now I’m a boarder. One of my sorority sisters, Deanna, has a house—it was her parents’—in Atlantic Highlands. I’m helping her pay the bills. And I’m saving, hopefully for a deposit on a house someday. So debt-free and savings account in my plus column.
“Your turn,” Samantha said playfully. “Give me your best elevator pitch.”
“Went to Penn, where I met John. We were roommates. He came from SoCal too, so that was a nice connection. I graduated with a degree in economics. Passed the CPA exam. Work at a CPA firm in Philly. But you knew all that.”
“Yes I did. But I wanted to hear you say it. And we’re both runners. I do five miles every other day. Then I lift weights on off days. Do crunches.”
“Same here, at least five, sometimes eight miles, a few times a week. Exercises too.”
They walked to another park area and Samantha said, “I thought those sculptures were real people.”
“Yes. They’re so lifelike. Amazing.”
They leisurely wandered the grounds. Samantha spotted a porch swing, hung by a tree branch, and sat down. Her phone made a ding sound. “Grace sent me a text.” She read it out loud: “How’s it going?”
She looked up at Aaron. “It’s only been an hour.”
“John sent me the same text.”
“Come sit down,” she said.
Aaron sat comfortably distant from Samantha.
“Let’s mess with them,” Samantha suggested while lifting herself a little closer to Aaron.
Aaron looked at her incredulously.
“I’ll send a text to Grace saying I somehow lost you, and I haven’t seen you for twenty minutes.” Samantha began typing the text and laughing. “Come closer to see.”
Aaron moved toward Samantha in the center of the swing.
She said, “Okay, now you send a text to John saying the same. No. Don’t say twenty minutes. It sounds too contrived. Say fifteen minutes. Come on, it’s just a little fun. If we’re caught, we may have to pay for everyone’s lunch.”
Aaron was shaking his head, but he sent the text to John anyway.
Samantha looked at her phone, “Grace sent me another text. She gave me your phone number. That’s good.”
Aaron said, “John sent me your phone number. Now what?”
“I’m not sure. I didn’t think this all the way through.”
Aaron said, “John sent another text: Are you guys messing with us? This sounds like Sam. And her little tricks. Come clean or you’re paying for lunch.”
They both laughed.
“John is such a law-and-order guy,” Samantha said. “Okay, let’s take a selfie. Come in.”
Aaron leaned close to her for the picture, and she snapped a photo.
“I like it. See?” She said, showing Aaron the photo.
She typed the text while saying, “Now, sending photo with message: Busted!”
After putting her phone in her handbag, she said, “Now we won’t hear from them until lunchtime. Wasn’t that fun? Grace says this park has areas that replicate impressionist paintings. There’s even a Monet lily pond. We should find it.
Aaron said, “Grace never told me about your spunk.”
“Spunky. That’s a good description of me. But I’m also serious. Serious about my work. My studies.”
“What was your master’s in?”
“Well, my bachelor’s degree was in history. For that, I took courses in everything—world history. Subsequent degrees, you need more focus. My master’s was in U.S. history. It’s a natural choice. To be a full professor, I need a doctorate. I’m leaning toward the Civil War period and Reconstruction. Sorry. Am I boring you?”
“No. Not at all. What do you like about history?”
“It gives perspective. Popular sentiment is that it’s not relevant. Of course I disagree. When I teach, I try in every lecture to relate the history we’re discussing with the present. Compare and contrast.
“Oh, look at that sculpture on the hill. It’s Monet’s woman holding a parasol.”
“Looks so real.”
Samantha asked, “Do you have hobbies?”
“I run and read the news. I do collect coins.”
“Coins. Both art and history. Interesting.”
“I like the U.S. precious metal coins. Liberty quarters. Half dollars. Silver dollars.”
Samantha said, “My father has a collection. Passed down through a few generations. I never thought about it, but I should ask him about the collection. Maybe it could be a muse for my doctoral dissertation. You’ve given me an idea.”
“Glad to help.”
“This bamboo pathway is beautiful. Would you take my picture?” Samantha handed Aaron her cellphone.
He snapped a few shots. “I want to take one with my cellphone.”
“Oh.” Samantha smiled and she posed.
Someone walked by and said, “Do you want me to take the two of you?”
Samantha turned to Aaron for affirmation. “Okay. Here, take my phone and press the white dot.”
Aaron moved next to Samantha. But he didn’t put his arm around her. She was also unsure of any touching. So they stiffly stood shoulder to shoulder.
“Thank you.” Samantha took her cellphone back. “Good shots. See? Do you want one?”
“Yes. Send it to me.”
“Okay, you should have it.” Samantha was looking down at her phone, then glanced up, and Aaron was staring at her.
Aaron’s phone made a ding sound. “Yes, got it.”
After a few hours walking the grounds, they met Grace and John for lunch. Samantha motioned for Grace to sit next to her and whispered, “Tell me if I get anything in my teeth.”
The waiter handed them the menus and Samantha said, “Aaron, are you going to have a burger?”
Shaking his head, he replid, “I guess not if I want you to stop with that joke.”
Grace smiled at John and raised her eyebrows as if to say, “It’s looking good.”
They ordered their entrées, and Samantha took pleasure in watching her date with his best friend. Aaron was relaxed with John; together they were witty and entertaining.
After the meal, John said he needed to return home early to do some legal work. Aaron had come with Grace and John; now they were going to drive home early.
Samantha said, “John, you’re such bad liar. Your ruse is so obvious.” She shook her head, then took advantage of the lull in conversation to compose a limerick:
A man named John practiced law,
So smart people were in awe,
So honest was he,
So good to a tee,
His wont to lie his one flaw.
They all laughed.
She turned to Aaron. “This is their plan. Make up an excuse that John has to work, so you and I will stay here longer. And then, I’ll drive you to the station so you can catch a train back to Philly.”
Aaron said, “Sounds like a good plan to me.”
After lunch Samantha and Aaron lingered on the Monet bridge and meandered the sculpture grounds. Then Samantha drove Aaron to the train station.
“I’ll wait with you,” Samantha said and parked the car.
“You don’t have to.”
“I want to.”
Walking from the car to the platform, Samantha said, “My parents remember the days when you could go into Newark Airport and go to the gate without a ticket to see someone board a flight.”
They laughed.
“And you could wave to them when they climbed the stairs to the plane—then watch the plane take off.”
They climbed the stairs to the platform. “We can still do that with trains,” she said.
They reached the platform, and Samantha sat down on a bench. She crossed her legs, sat straight with her hands on her lap. The flare of the dress skirt fell nicely. Aaron sat next to her.
“So watching someone take a train can be a moment, sentimental.” She thought, Romantic. She glanced at Aaron then looked straight ahead. “Do you think Grace and John are right? It’s probably an unfair question after one day together. Do you think we could be like them?”
“I’d like to see you again.”
“I’d like that.”
“Next Saturday?”
“Sure.”
“Why don’t you come to Philly? We can walk around. Have lunch. There’s plenty to do.”
“I like to do plenty,” Samantha joked and Aaron smiled.
“They did plan a wonderful day. The Grounds for Sculpture was a green canvas, a perfect way to meet someone for the first time,” Samantha said.
“I had a good time. The day went by quickly.”
A train appeared in the distance.
“That’s my train.”
They stood as the train pulled into the station.
“You can call me during the week. Evening is good for me,” Samantha said.
“Sure. To talk about particulars for Saturday.”
Their introduction was unremarkable, and Samantha wanted their parting to end well. She said, “There’s a custom here on the Princeton platform that kissing brings safe travel. No other touching required. Only kissing. The longer, the safer.”
Aaron grinned at her playful instruction.
They moved closer and kissed on the lips, several sensual kisses. Then they locked eyes but said nothing. Aaron stepped away and boarded the train. Samantha watched the train pull out of the station until it disappeared from view. After the train left, she made the lonely walk to her car and the even lonelier drive home.
Aaron called during the week and they made plans for Saturday. Samantha would arrive by train at noon. The return trains back were not as frequent, and Samantha didn’t know how long she would stay. Aaron blurted, “Listen, you can stay at my place, if you don’t want to travel back at night.”
“Oh.” Samantha was taken aback. “Thank you for the offer. It may be too soon. You seem really nice. It’s just all the guys before you. Usually, things like that haven’t gone well. I’d like to wait and get better acquainted.”
“I understand.”
She tried to lighten the conversation. “I’m really looking forward to it. Last Saturday was great. I’ll go for great again. And you don’t have to plan a whole itinerary. I’ve been to Philly many times. I’ve seen the bell, Independence Hall. I’m coming to be with you.”
“Sounds good. See you at noon on Saturday.”
Saturday at noon Aaron called Samantha’s cellphone.
She said, “Hi, the train is pulling into the station now.”
“I’m standing by this statute the Angel of the Resurrection. It’s at the entrance. You can’t miss it.”
“I have another idea. I’ll text you.”
She texted: See you in the north waiting room off the main concourse. The west wall by The Spirit of Transportation. Got it?
Aaron texted: Got it.
When Samantha arrived at the spot, Aaron was already there. They were both wearing jeans. Samantha wore an olive-green long-sleeve V-neck top, a black blazer with a light blue scarf, and black flat lace-up shoes. Aaron wore a burgundy crewneck sweater over a T-shirt and black sneakers.
She said, “It’s amazing. Isn’t it?”
“Have you ever seen it?”
“No. But I googled the station and found this.”
The bas-relief consumed the wall, thirty feet long, with carvings of raised figures in a rectangle picture-like frame.
Samantha illustrated, “An immigrant to America, Karl Bitter, created this piece and completed it in 1895. From left to right you can see the evolution of transportation. On the far right, a figurine is holding an airship, portending air travel. Impressive.”
“I never knew it was here.”
“That’s what I thought. Most people coming here would probably say that. It’s lost history.”
She stared, admiring the work of art, and then she turned to Aaron. “Good to see you.”
“Same here. Lunch?”
“Yes, and this can be your choice. I won’t interfere.”
They laughed.
Samantha had been excited and nervous about the day. But after a few minutes, she was comfortable and sensed Aaron felt the same. Conversation flowed easily.
At lunch, they sat across from each other, getting another good look. She kept her long bangs out of her face with her apt French braiding from her side part to the opposite ear, where she pinned and tucked the braid end behind her ear. The rest of her wavy hair fell naturally.
They talked more than they ate. After a leisurely lunch, Aaron said, “What to do next? I thought maybe we’d go to the Philadelphia Museum. Walk up the steps shown in the Rocky movie.”
Samantha smiled, assuming Aaron had done this before: meet a woman at the train station’s angel statue, then go the Rocky steps. “Maybe another time, when we’re in our running clothes, we could do the Rocky steps. But I have another idea.”
“Why am I not surprised?”
“Are you up for something different?”
“I’m game.”
Samantha said, “There’s another movie location I’d like to go to. You may like it too. I’ve already saved it on my phone.” She looked at her phone. “It’s a twenty-minute walk from here.”
When they arrived at St. Augustine Church, Samantha said, “The movie The Sixth Sense was filmed in this church. Are you okay going into a church?”
“Can we?”
“There’s one way to find out.”
She pulled on the handle of the red wooden tri-panel door and it opened. “Voilà.” They entered the church. “As long as there’s not a mass, churches in cities are usually empty, other than a few homeless people. We’ll be quiet and whisper. I’ll put money in the donation box. Let’s sit.”
She slid onto the last pew, and Aaron sat next to her.
Whispering, she explained, “The ceiling frescoes were painted in 1844. Other parts of the church date back to 1848. Where we’re sitting is original, all of these pews and the balcony. It’s like going back in time. What do you think?”
“I like seeing you enjoy it. Do you belong to a church?”
“My father isn’t anything. My mother is Catholic. Grace and I were baptized, did First Communion and confirmation. But that was it. My mother goes to church every week, but Grace and I don’t even go on Christmas and Easter. My mother is thrilled Grace is getting married in a church. How about you?”
“No. My grandparents were Protestant, but it ended with them.”
“Some well-preserved churches hold history. Some like this one. It’s pleasant to sit and imagine being in the past.”
She looked around, then closed her eyes. When she opened them, Aaron was gazing at her. She whispered, “It’s nice to be comfortable with someone in silence. Calvin Coolidge, Silent Cal, would spend hours with a friend without talking.”
“I call that sleeping.”
They laughed.
Samantha said, “There’s a funny story about Coolidge when he was president. A woman who sat next to Coolidge at a White House dinner said, ‘I have a bet with a friend that I can get you to say more than two words to me,’ to which the president replied, ‘You lose.’”
“I never heard that.”
She placed her hand on his. “I appreciate your suggestions to show me the city.” She paused to avoid saying “but”—although it was implied. “I’m a history professor. When I travel, I want to explore the past. The Rocky steps are twentieth century. This church is older; the history is deeper.”
She took a five-dollar bill out of her purse. “Ready to go back to the twenty-first century?”
Samantha slipped the bill in the donation box. They opened the doors, and the sun was bright.
“Back to the present,” Samantha said.
“What next?”
“Meander, find a park bench.”
The day went by quickly. Later, while walking down a park path, Aaron took his phone out of his pocket and glanced at it. “It’s six o’clock. What time is your train?”
Samantha stopped. Aaron walked a few steps before noticing his date was no longer next to him. He turned around. “What’s the matter?”
“You made an offer, and I said it was too soon. Now I don’t want to leave. I don’t want to go home. I’m having so much fun. Why stop?”
“Do you want dinner?”
“I’m not hungry.”
Aaron said nothing and waited for Samantha to say what she wanted. “I don’t even have a toothbrush and nothing to change into.”
“I buy toothbrushes in packs. I have several new ones. You can choose your own color. And you don’t need to change. I can lend you a T-shirt.”
“And I don’t like my bare feet touching the floor.”
“I’ll give you socks.”
“Okay,” Samantha said, smiling.
For the first time, he took her hand, and they walked to his apartment.
His place was a sizable second-floor loft in a renovated building with stores on the first floor. It had an industrial look, brick walls, and glossy hardwood floors. The shelves, end tables, and a coffee table were black metal. The sofa and chairs were eclectic. The kitchen was small with new appliances and barstools at the counter. To her relief, the bathroom was new, and the whole place was clean.
“Do you want anything to drink?”
“Water is fine.” Samantha took off her blazer and scarf and hung them on a coatrack. Then she sat down on the sofa and took off her shoes. Her thin socks were tight around her feet. She took them off and threw them on the floor. “May I have those socks now?”
He walked to the far end of the room and returned with a pair of white crew socks. “Are these okay?”
“Yes. Thanks.”
Aaron placed two glasses of water on the glass-top coffee table.
“Nice place. How long have you lived here?”
“Three years.”
Samantha thought, We don’t want to talk. Why are we even trying to have a conversation?
She moved over to be next to Aaron. They embraced and kissed.
“I’d like to see your bedroom,” she said.
They stood and he held her hand as they walked past a room divider where the bed was.
“I’m on the pill.”
“Thanks for telling me. What side do you want?”
“This side is good.” She walked to one side of the bed, turned her back to Aaron, unzipped her jeans, and took them off. After looking for a spot to lay her jeans, she laid them flat on an oversized leather chair facing the foot of the bed. Aaron followed suit and took off his jeans. Then, with perfect aim, he threw them over the bed onto the chair on top of Samantha’s.
Samantha laughed. “Well that was symbolic.”
Partially clothed, she unfolded the blanket and sheet, and she slipped under the covers. Aaron did the same. They both moved to the center of the mattress.
Samantha whispered, “Let’s play.”
Soon after, their remaining clothes were lost between the sheets.
The next morning, they awoke and lay in bed, kissing and talking.
Aaron’s feet touched hers. “Are you still wearing the socks?”
“Yes. I like my feet warm.”
“You wore them all night?”
“They’re my ‘cat feet.’ When I’m wearing ankle socks on bare legs.”
“Do you want coffee?” Aaron asked while dressing in a T-shirt and gym shorts.
“Sure. May I have a T-shirt and gym shorts?”
“Check the first and second drawer. Take what you want.”
Samantha slipped on a T-shirt and loose-fitting gym shorts. In the kitchen, she sat on a barstool, swinging her legs. After Aaron finished making the coffee, he pulled a stool next to Samantha and sat. They chatted, enjoying being close. When they finished their coffee, Samantha looked around and noticed a fedora hat on a shelf.
“What’s this?”
In her stocking feet, Samantha slid across the glossy hardwood floor over to the shelf.
“Oh, it was a joke present. An office party gift.”
“Sounds like an interesting story.”
“I discovered some accounting irregularity, and they teased me about being Dick Tracy.”
“Accounting humor. Sounds like an oxymoron. Do you ever wear it?”
“No.”
He watched as she hung her head down so her hair fell to the floor. Then she twisted her long hair with one hand, making a makeshift bun on the top of her head. She stood, took the fedora from the shelf, put it on her head, and then tucked her hair under the hat.
“Oh, it’s big,” she said, giggling. The hat covered most of her ears and forehead. Aaron watched Samantha walking, then sliding on the floor to a rack of coats and jackets. She rifled through them, pulled out a brown leather bomber jacket, and put it on over her T-shirt. She flipped up the collar, covering her neck and obscuring part of her face. The sleeves covered her hands, so she put them in the jacket pockets.
“There’s something Grace and John didn’t tell you about me,” Samantha said, gliding to an open space of the loft. “I have a little skill I learned from my sorority sisters. You have to practice. And I need socked feet, my cat feet.”
Samantha slid backward across the floor moonwalking to one end of the room. Then she turned on the ball of one foot and moonwalked to where she began, this time swaying her arms, adding rhythm. Then she pivoted again and looked up at Aaron. The rim of the hat covered her eyes, so she held her head back to see him.
“It’s not hard once you get the hang of it.” She made another pass. She turned around, started back, and bumped into Aaron.
She said, “I didn’t see you there. With this hat on, I can only see the floor. Do you want to learn?”
He scooped her up with both of his arms. The hat fell to the floor, and her hair fell down. Aaron carried her to the bed and placed her down on the mattress. Samantha giggled. “I guess you liked it.”
He kissed her on the lips, and she wiggled out of the jacket. He shoved it off the bed onto the floor.
They made love—again. Samantha was over the moon.
That afternoon, they walked hand in hand to the train station. Aaron asked, “Did you have a good time?”
“I think my body spoke for me.”
Aaron’s eyes widened. “I can’t believe the things you say.”
“Well, get used to it. I don’t have to ask you; I see the signs and you enjoyed yourself.”
They stopped and viewed the departures board. While walking to track eight, Samantha said, “You collect coins, I like to make moments, making memories. I try not to over-orchestrate things. But the way you departed at the Princeton train station was romantic. It’s not only what you do, it’s how you do it.”
The train was in the station and passengers were boarding.
Aaron teased Samantha and said, “And what if I don’t want to play your little games?”
She kissed him on the lips. “You lose.”
She walked to a train door, looked back at Aaron and smiled, then stepped aboard.
That week, Samantha and Aaron talked at length every night on the phone. Grace and John’s wedding was the coming weekend, so there was last-minute planning.
Friday was the rehearsal dinner; Samantha introduced Aaron to her parents. When Samantha and her mother were alone, she said, “He seems nice, Sam. But don’t rush into it.”
“I know,” Samantha said. Yes, she was rushing it.
Despite the thirty-plus guests at the dinner, Samantha and Aaron spent the evening as if they were alone. Samantha neglected her maid-of-honor duties: greeting the out-of-town guests and helping Grace. But Samantha was enthralled with Aaron. Miss Manners would have disapproved.
The overcast day did not dampen the joy of the bride and groom, who exchanged vows in a church wedding. At the reception, Samantha and Aaron sat next to each other during the meal. They gave short but loving tributes to the bride and groom.
Afterward Samantha said, “There are many people here I want to speak with. I’m sorry to have to leave you alone.”
Aaron said, “I’m fine. Go ahead. Have fun.”
She kissed him on the lips.
Occasionally glancing back and smiling at Aaron, Samantha gracefully crisscrossed the room. She was wearing a dusty rose-colored gown, which softly flared from the midhip with a strapless bodice. It was topped with an above-the-elbow-length chiffon wrap that split in the back. Her hair was side-parted with French braids around the sides, tendrils at her temples, and a generous loopy bun at the nape of her neck.
When she finished making the rounds, Samantha stood at the edge of the dance floor watching everyone. Aaron came from behind her and put his hand on her back. “May I have this dance?”
She smiled. The band was playing a slow song.
Aaron wrapped his arms around Samantha’s waist, and she put her arms behind his neck. They shuffled their feet in little steps and swayed to the slow rhythm. Samantha noticed her mother watching them.
Samantha said, “I’m sorry I left you for so long.”
“No worries. I enjoyed watching you, in my own silent movie, not knowing what was being said—or caring.”
She opened her mouth to say something but she stopped. Nothing she could say would match his comment.
As he stared at her, Samantha’s eyes looked into his, then down and up again. Then Aaron said, “We should blend our lives.”
Samantha’s eyes widened. “We met only two weeks ago.”
“Move in with me.” He emphasized his desire with a tug pulling Samantha closer to him. “The few days you’re on campus, you can take the train from Philly to New Brunswick.”
“You thought this through.” Samantha watched as the staff set up the three-tier cake on the head table. “Well, the move would be easy. I have only a few suitcases of clothes. What will I do with my car?”
“You can sell it. We need only one car in the city.”
Samantha put her forehead against his and she whispered, “I’m thinking.”
Aaron looked at her and said, “We’re good together. Old enough to know. We want the same things. And yes, it’s only been two weeks. But I don’t want to just talk with you on the phone. I want you to be with me. I want Sam time.”
It rang in her head: Sam time. If he wanted to charm her, this was the way to do it.
“Move in and after some time, we take the next step.”
Samantha knew “the next step” meant marriage. “What would Grace and John say? They’d come back from their honeymoon, and we’re living together.”
“They’d be happy for us. Come to Philly. Say yes.”
“I need to think about it.”
When the song ended, they stopped moving their feet but stayed attached. After a few seconds, Samantha snapped out of her trance. “I see my mother by herself. I haven’t spoken with her all night.”
Aaron squeezed Samantha’s hands before she walked toward her mother.
“Hey, Mom. It’s been a lovely day.”
An announcement was made that the bride and groom would cut the cake. Samantha and her mother watched and clapped with everyone. Then Grace and John danced to an upbeat song in the center of the parquet floor.
Samantha said to her mother, “I’m so happy for them.”
“I see you and Aaron are very close.”
“He asked me to move in with him.”
Her mother gasped and placed her fingers over her mouth. “That’s too soon. You don’t know even him.”
“It’s been a short time, but it feels as if I’ve known him longer.”
“Has he told you he loves you?”
“Not yet.”
“I don’t want either of my daughters getting hurt. I know Grace will be okay.”
“Mom, I’m in my late twenties. The clock is ticking.”
“I’m not going to tell you what to do. But the beginning may only be physical attraction. Then once you get to know him, he may not be a compatible partner.”
“I know. But this feels right. Not like the others. Grace and John think he’s great.” There was a long pause, and then Samantha said, “Well, don’t be surprised if I tell you to update your Christmas card list for my new address.”
Samantha walked to the table where Aaron was sitting and said, “The band is so loud. Let’s find someplace quiet.”
“Good idea.”
He took her hand and they went outside.
She pointed to the gazebo in a grassy area. “Let’s go over there.”
The air was warm, thick and humid. Samantha lifted her gown while walking on the grass. They climbed several steps into the gazebo.
She said, “It’s anticlimactic. Made solely for photo ops. But it is quiet. What do we do now?” She wrapped her arms around Aaron. “Do we dance and think of our own music? Maybe we should—”
Whatever Samantha was going to say next was interrupted by the sound of raindrops falling on the roof of the gazebo. Then came a downpour. They laughed.
“We’re stranded. What can we do?” Samantha asked.
“Call someone. Tell them to bring an umbrella.”
“One, my cellphone is in my hand clutch on the table, and two, umbrellas don’t help when it’s raining this hard.”
“I have my cellphone.” Aaron pulled it out of his breast pocket. “I’ll call John.”
“It’s his wedding. He’s not going to answer.”
“I can try.” Aaron waited. “You’re right. He’s not picking up.” He slipped his cellphone back into his breast pocket. “I guess we wait until it lets up.”
“You don’t know New Jersey. We could be waiting for days.”
The downpour wet the gazebo on all sides, so they huddled in its center.
Samantha said, “We’ll wait until the rain slows down. I’ll take my shoes off, lift my gown, and we can make a dash for it. We’re going to get soaked.”
They laughed.
She said, “We’re missing the bride throwing the bouquet and the garter thing. You know that’s intended for us. And we’re not going to be there. Grace will say, ‘Where’s Sam?’ She’s going to think I orchestrated this.”
“It sounds like something you would do.”
“It does. And Grace knows I don’t like the bride throwing the bouquet and the garter thing. It’s too predictable. At our wedding, we’re not doing that, the bouquet and garter bit,” she said flipping her hand for emphasis.
She caught herself and covered her face with her hands. “Oh my God. I’m so embarrassed. I can’t believe I said that!”
“You’re not sure if you want to move in with me, but you’re planning our wedding?” Aaron smiled, now knowing Samantha was thinking yes to moving in with him.
“Let’s rewind and pretend I never said that. I don’t want to scare you away by jumping way ahead.”
Aaron wrapped his arms around Samantha and kissed her. “I’m not scared.”
The rain slowed. “This is the best we can hope for.” Samantha took off her shoes and lifted her gown. She looked at Aaron.
He said, “I don’t care if I get wet.”
“Ready?”
They ran in the steady rain, splashing through the wet grass.
Once inside, they laughed. Samantha said, “I’m wilted. You look okay. The black tux doesn’t show how wet you are. I’m going to the ladies’ room. Maybe there’s a hand dryer in there.”
Aaron kissed her on the lips. “I’ll see you inside.”
Samantha dried herself with paper towels, but her wet gown clung to her. She came back into the reception room and spotted Grace.
“Sam, where were you? I wanted to throw my bouquet to you.”
“Aaron and I walked outside to the gazebo and got caught in the rain. I want to hug you but I’m wet. I’m so happy for you and John.”
“I see you and Aaron are getting along nicely.”
“I’m falling for him. I think it’s mutual.”
“John and I have been wishing this for you and Aaron for a long time.”
“It’s happening so quickly. Maybe too quickly. That’s what Mom says.”
“Go for it, Sam. Don’t hesitate. Mom means well, but your big sister knows.”
Someone else was now demanding Grace’s attention and she turned away. Samantha stood watching everyone hug and say goodbye to the newlyweds while absorbing her sister’s advice. Samantha then turned around looking for Aaron, not knowing he was only an arm’s length away.
Samantha laughed. “Oh, there you are!”
Aaron put his arm around her, and she leaned against him as they walked.
Samantha said, “Take me home. I have packing to do. Yes, I’m going to Philly.”
Two months after Samantha moved in with Aaron, they lay in bed snuggling. She said, “I don’t have classes tomorrow, so I may sleep later.”
“Okay, I’ll be quiet so I won’t wake you.”
“You know, Aaron, we skipped a few steps when I moved here and I’m very happy.”
“So am I.”
“But it’s been two months and neither one of us has said those three magic words. And I’m not going to be the first. Just saying.”
They fell asleep.
The next morning, Samantha awoke past her normal time. Aaron had already left. On this cool and rainy day, the loft was drafty. She dressed in black leggings with a pair of Aaron’s knit crew socks and slipped on Aaron’s knit fisherman sweater over a T-shirt.
She made coffee and read the news online. While sipping coffee, she looked out the window. The panes were foggy, but on one window, Aaron had traced two hearts and written the words “I love you” with his finger.
Samantha took a picture of the inscribed window and sent it to Aaron with a text message: Love you too.
Thereafter they exchanged this sentiment daily.
Six months after they were married, Grace and John moved from Philadelphia to Austin, Texas. John, having grown up in Southern California, wanted to live in a warmer climate. He accepted at job offer at an Austin law firm. Grace was promoted to director of human resources at a regional company.
Samantha cried for days, having enjoyed spending time with Grace while they both lived in Philadelphia. Save for a couple of years, the sisters had always lived close by. Aaron consoled Samantha saying they too would eventually move to Austin.
Both Aaron and John had enjoyed living on the East Coast during their college years and after starting their careers. They were also blessed having met two Jersey girls who were their soulmates. Like John’s, Aaron’s SoCal roots were persuasive in his desire to return to a warmer climate.
Once Grace and John were settled in their new home, they urged Samantha and Aaron to join them. Aaron was hired by a CPA firm, and Samantha accepted a position as a part-time professor of history at the University of Texas at Austin. Moreover, they bought a house around the corner from Grace and John.
Samantha and Aaron celebrated their first-date anniversary at an Austin restaurant. The happy couple agreed to wait another year before becoming engaged. On their second anniversary, they went to a jewelry store to select an engagement ring and wedding bands.
One weekend Aaron suggested they take a drive to Georgetown, a town thirty miles north of Austin. While holding hands, they walked the downtown streets and came upon the Grace Heritage Center, a former Episcopal church built in 1881. They stood in front of the narrow white wood-frame church building with a steeply pitched roof and a bell tower at the front entrance that rose above the roof’s apex.
Samantha was intrigued. “Let’s go inside. I want to see the interior.”
They wandered into the former church. The interior was white with the original wooden pews. The windows were a lancet architecture, narrow width with arched, pointed tops. The building was so small, a posted sign at the entrance limited occupancy to fifty people.
In the middle of the nave, Aaron knelt on one knee.
Unsuspecting, Samantha said, “Did you plan all this?”
“Yes. I’ve been trying to act casually, but I had to rent this place for a short window of time. Now will you marry me?”
Her answer was never in doubt. The wedding would be in a year.
Samantha took an eighteen-month leave to work on her doctorate. Two university history professors planned on retiring in a few years. Samantha’s strategy was to earn a doctorate for a full-time professorship.
Early on a weekday morning, Aaron left for an in-office company meeting. When he returned before noon, Samantha was in the kitchen. Her hair was styled in a single, centered, back-of-the-head French braid. She was wearing one of Aaron’s white T-shirts, black leggings, and slip-on shoes. “How was the meeting?”
“I need to talk with you about a big job I’ll be involved in.”
“Okay. Do you want tea or something?”
“Tea is fine. Whatever flavor you’re having,” Aaron replied.
He sat in a chair at the table. Sam leaned her back against the counter, listening to Aaron’s news.
“I’ve been assigned as manager on a job for a Denver company, which is going public. There’s a lot of work before the initial public offering. I’ll be there during the weekdays with a team. Leaving Monday morning, or Sunday night, and returning Friday night. The assignment will take about nine months.”
As Aaron talked about the details of his new out-of-state assignment, Samantha’s breathing deepened. She folded her arms against her chest, her eyebrows furrowed and lips pursed. When he was finished speaking, he waited for her reply.
She glared at him, took a deep breath, and said, “I don’t like you anymore.”
Aaron was stunned.
“How could you do this to me? You know I don’t like being alone!”
“Actually, I didn’t.”
“Well, I don’t.” She walked out of the kitchen into the living room and paced. “You’re the one who said you didn’t want to just talk with me on the phone, so I should come to Philly. I moved in with you after two weeks. Now we’re going to go back to phone calls during the week. We’re regressing! You wanted Sam time. What happened to Sam time?”
Samantha’s reaction was fierce, and he tried to calm her. “It’s not permanent. It’s for nine months—maybe. I’ll be home on weekends.”
“What about working from home? Grace and John do two days a week. You’re doing that often. Why now, five days—out of state?”
“The company has a subsidiary, which is a defense contractor. Employees can’t work from home because of security clearances. And contractors, like our accounting firm, must be physically on the premises. Also, I’m the manager; staff can cycle in and out, but I’ll have to be there. The firm is renting a condo where I’ll stay.”
“Well, like I said, I don’t like you anymore.” She folded her arms on her chest while pacing.
“You don’t mean that. Go for a run.”
“I already did.”
“Well, go shopping. Get something that will make you feel good.”
Samantha sat down at the table and held her forehead in the palms of her hands. “Why do men think shopping is the cure for a woman’s problem? Besides, you have enough clothes for both of us.”
“You’re making my point.” He took a sip of tea. “Maybe it’s time to get a dog or a cat.”
“We can’t,” she said.
“Why not? It doesn’t matter to me which. I like them both.”
“Dad is allergic to cats. And Mom is allergic to everything. We never had pets growing up. Good thing the neighbors did. Plenty of dogs to become attached to.”
“But your parents come here only a couple of times a year.”
“I like that we can spend quality time with them, because they’re states away. If we have pets, they won’t be able to enter our house, even if they stay with Grace and John.”
He said softly, “Sam, it was an idea. I’m trying to help.”
Samantha sat up, took deep breaths. “You know, I want to get my mother’s bridal gown redesigned for me. Grace told me about this dressmaker who’s supposed to be really good. I’ll go now.”
As she walked out of the kitchen, Aaron said, “You don’t like me anymore, but you’re getting the bridal gown ready for our wedding.”
Samantha yelled back, “Oh, stop making sense!”
A few minutes later, she returned wearing jeans, a red V-neck T-shirt, black blazer, and slip-on shoes. She carried her tote bag in one hand and the bridal gown bag in the other. Aaron stood and hugged her. Samantha didn’t drop the bags she was holding and kept her arms at her sides, protesting their soon-to-change circumstances. But she laid her head on Aaron’s chest and enjoyed being hugged.
Aaron put his hands on her forearms. “This is good for my career. I’ll get a nice bonus for this work. This is good for us. I don’t want to be away from you either.”
Samantha nodded and left.
Samantha was driving when Grace called. “Hey, Sam. I have some time in between calls. Can you talk?”
“Yes, I’m driving. Did Aaron call you?” Samantha asked.
“Yes, he’s concerned about you.”
“Did you hear? He’s deserting me.”
“It’s not desertion. He’ll be home on the weekends.”
“This has happened before. You know I don’t like being alone.”
“Yes, and I told Aaron what happened to us.”
Samantha said, “You mean when you and John agreed to live together? You left me all alone in a two-bedroom apartment!”
“Yes. I told him. He didn’t know the full story. That you were delighted when John and I got serious, but when we agreed to live together, you were upset because you were losing me as a roommate. I know you like company, never lived on your own, and don’t want to. You were so upset that you gave me all the furniture. But I told Aaron it worked out. You moved in with Deanna. She’s like a sister to you. I love Deanna too.
“Sam, I never told you this, but your reaction to me leaving—leaving ‘the nest’—caught me off guard. You’re so put together, and I didn’t expect your reaction. But it passed; it didn’t last. You found a solution.”
Samantha remained silent.
Grace asked, “Sam, are you still there?”
“I’m here.”
“Remember when John and I left Philly for Austin, you cried for days?”
“But I had Aaron.”
“Yes, you pulled yourself together quickly.”
“What am I going to do now? I’m so disappointed at his news. But I could tell he was shocked at my reaction. I threw a tantrum. It was ugly. I’m regretting it.”
“Sam, I have time between video calls. Let’s go to lunch.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“What about coffee? Or ice cream? Let’s go out for ice cream.”
“Ice cream for lunch. Okay. I’d like that. I don’t mind Aaron calling you. I feel loved. It warms my heart you both care so much.”
“When do you want to go?”
“Well, I’m on my way to that dressmaker’s shop you told me about. Mary Sanchez. I’m taking Mom’s wedding gown and redesigning it for me. I may be an hour.”
“No problem. Text me when you’re on your way home and come pick me up.”
Several women were busily sewing and repairing garments in the dressmaker’s shop. A woman introduced herself as Mary Sanchez and showed Samantha into the dressing room. Samantha tried on her mother’s bridal gown and explained the desired alterations to transform the gown.
Mary asked about the wedding party. Always-thrifty Samantha and her accountant fiancé were keen on a small, affordable wedding. John would be Aaron’s best man, and Grace would be Samantha’s matron of honor.
The dressmaker offered suggestions for a customized bridesmaid’s gown, pointing to three cotton fabric rolls with color choices in light green, pink and powder blue. Samantha contemplated which floral print and color she liked best. She noticed labels on the fabric rolls: “Mfg. 1882.” Mary explained she had purchased the material from a seller who recently discovered the hundred-plus-year-old, well-preserved fabric.
As a student of history, Samantha loved the idea of making a gown in a Victorian-era style with fabric from that period. Perhaps Aaron’s suggestion to shop for clothes had inspired Samantha to order a custom bridesmaid gown with this gorgeous floral fabric.
Samantha chose the light green fabric and discussed with Mary the gown design while paging through pattern books. Because the sisters were similar in build, Samantha would act as the model for fittings once Mary sewed, then tailored the gown.
After leaving the dressmaker’s shop, Samantha picked up Grace. From the waist up, Grace was professional: button-down blouse and a navy blazer. Below the waist, she wore black leggings and ballet shoes.
At their favorite ice cream shop, Grace ordered a scoop of rocky road, and Samantha ordered a scoop of chocolate mint chip. They sat at a table on the sidewalk.
While Grace engaged in cheery conservation to lift her sister’s mood, Samantha looked down at her paper cup, dug the plastic spoon into her ice cream, and ate her comfort food.
Grace said, “You know, I got a year-end bonus, so I treated myself to some new clothes. My closet is very full, so you can come by, see what you like of my older clothes, and take what you want.”
“Why do you and Aaron think a new wardrobe is going to make me feel better?” Samantha shook her hand.
Grace didn’t say anything.
“I’m sorry I snapped. That’s so generous of you. Of course, I love your taste in clothes and would be happy with your hand-me-downs. Lucky for me, you’re a clothes horse. All these years, I’ve gotten free beautiful clothes.”
Then Grace leaned in and lowered her voice as if she was telling her sister a secret. “You know, John told me about Aaron’s dating before he met you. And I saw it too. He would cycle through relationships quickly. Not many steadies. Nothing too long. With you, Aaron is a changed man. John said he’s never seen Aaron like this. And I’ve seen a change in him.”
Samantha had heard this before and concentrated on eating her ice cream.
“I know you get lonely, but you and Aaron are solid. You can both handle this,” Grace said.
Once her cup was empty, Samantha looked up and leaned her left elbow on the arm of the chair, shifting her weight to one side. “I know my reaction and my loneliness is on the extreme side of the spectrum. But that doesn’t mean I’m wrong about having concerns.”
Grace leaned over the table. “Concerns about Aaron? I just told you. He’s crazy in love with you.”
“When a couple is apart—distance-wise—because of work or whatever, the relationship stagnates. It can’t move forward. And that’s not good.”
Grace ate the last spoonful of her ice cream, listening to Samantha, and sat up straight.
“Aaron and I are great together. But being apart is at least unhealthy, at worst, dangerous.”
“Sam, he’s coming home every weekend. He’s not going to stray.”
“I’m not talking about him.”
“Sam, what are you saying? You’re in love with Aaron.”
“That’s not what I mean. You’re taking this the wrong way. I don’t want anyone but Aaron. But being apart means I have to learn to live without him. And that’s the contradiction. Five days a week, I have to pretend I have my own life, then two days, he’s back. It’s not a switch I can easily turn on and off.
“When he goes on this job, his career is advancing and, yes, it’s convenient for me to work on my dissertation, which is nowhere. I haven’t even started. So we can both concentrate on work. But relationship-wise, for nine months we’ll be stuck, on hold. I hate that. Because it’s the best part of my life, and it’s going to be suspended.”
Grace said, “You’ll learn how to cope. You’ll find something to fill the void. And John and I are around the corner.”
Samantha gathered their cups, spoons, and napkins and threw them into a trash can. “You have to get back. Thanks for listening.”
“Sure. You’re still my little sister.”
After dropping off Grace, Samantha returned home and Aaron came out of the den to the kitchen, where Samantha placed her tote bag on the counter.
Aaron hugged Samantha and said, “Don’t be mad at me.”
“I’m not mad at you. I’m upset with your news.”
Aaron tried to soothe her. “It will go by fast. It’s going to be all right.”
Samantha put her hands on his chest and pushed abruptly away from Aaron, stunning him. “It will go by fast! Time is constant. It doesn’t accelerate.”
“Sam, it’s an expression, meaning it’s going to be okay.”
“That is the worst movie line, the worst script line ever: ‘It’s going to be okay!’”
Aaron stood frozen.
“You don’t know if it’s going to be okay. I don’t know. Don’t give me platitudes!”
Aaron said, “I don’t know what to say.”
She yelled, “Then say nothing. Remember Silent Cal? Say nothing, if you have nothing to say. And never give me platitudes!”
“Sam, chill.”
“Chill! Chill!” She yelled louder and stomped one foot. “Do you even know who you’re marrying? There is nothing chill about me!” She paced, knowing she was unhinged. She lowered her voice, held up her index finger and said, “And don’t you dare ask me.”
“Don’t ask you what?”
“If I have my period.”
“I was going to ask you what flavor of ice cream you had. You should never have it again.”
Samantha chuckled. “That’s what you should do. Disarm me with humor. You do it so well.”
She hugged Aaron and he kissed her on the forehead. With her inside voice, she said, “I should come with instructions: How to Get Along with Sam: disarm with humor, hugs and kisses, and default to silence.”
“That’s my Sam.”
They were still embracing and Samantha said, “I appreciate you and Grace caring. Rationally, I understand your work situation. Emotionally, I’m going to let the days roll by and see what happens.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Thank you for trying to make me feel better. Sorry I yelled.”
She broke away from his embrace, held his hands, and said firmly, “But I meant everything I said.”
“I know. This assignment starts next month.”
Samantha frowned and said, “Well, this loneliness thing I have, it’s up to me to find my way through it.”
Samantha’s playfulness was zapped out of her. She was, however, affectionate and loving to Aaron. On the Monday morning he left, they hugged and kissed before the car service arrived. Wearing his T-shirt from the night before, black leggings, and slip-on shoes, Samantha followed him out to the car. As he opened the door, she placed her hand on the middle of his back. She closed the car door and stood in the driveway until the car turned the corner out of sight.
She came back into the house, closed her eyes, and put her hands around her waist, hugging the T-shirt of Aaron’s she was wearing. Then she changed into her sportswear and went for a run.
Soon after she returned from running, she received a text from Mary the dressmaker saying the gown was ready for a fitting. Samantha showered and changed, then went to the dressmaker’s shop.
To Samantha’s surprise, Mary and her seamstresses had sewn the bridesmaid’s light green floral print gown. Samantha had instructed Mary to make alterations on the bridal gown before fabricating the bridesmaid’s gown. Mary was nonchalant about the mistake and urged Samantha to try on the gown. As she stood in front of the full-length, trifold mirror looking at the perfect-fitting gown from all angles, Samantha fell in love. She paid for the gown and took it home.
That evening she tried on the gown again, roaming around the house. Her phone rang; Grace was calling. “Hi, Sam.”
“Hi. It’s day one. I went to the dressmaker’s shop for a fitting of Mom’s redesigned bridal gown. But you know the dressmaker Mary, who you told me about? She made this bridesmaid’s gown instead. The first time I went to her shop was that day when I was upset with Aaron’s news. Maybe I didn’t communicate properly what I wanted. Anyway, the gown is beautiful. And now I am rethinking the redesign of the bridal gown.”
“If you’re happy, it doesn’t matter in what order things are done.”
“I think you’ll like it. It’s cotton. A light green print with scrolls of vines with white and gold flowers. Here, I’ll take a picture and text it to you.”
After she texted the photo to Grace, Samantha continued describing the gown. “The style is Victorian. See the mini buttons—there’s ten—down the front with looped buttonholes. It’s fitted at the waist with mini pleats on the skirt waist. See the full skirt? It looks like two pieces: a jacket and a skirt, but it’s really a one-piece gown.”
Grace said, “I see it. Very pretty.”
“Can you see this faux jacket with its sloped shoulder seams and peplum? The peplum is fabric that’s attached to the waist and falls to the midhip. Like a flounce with a curved hem. You can’t see the back, but the fabric is longer, like a bustle.
“Mary took some liberties. She fabricated bell sleeves, which widen at the cuffs. And each cuff has several one-inch horizontal pleats. She reversed the fabric for these pleats, the ruffle, the covered buttons, and the buttonhole loops. There’s also a ruffle around the crew neckline and down the front, covering the buttonhole loops. The fabric’s reverse side is pretty too. It’s a nice contrast. Can you see the reversed fabric?
“I can. Very nice.”
“When designing the gown, we spoke about the ease of putting it on and taking it off. So I selected a style with buttons in the front and a pleat at the waistline. But it still takes a while to slip on. At the shop, Mary helped me to get into it. Tonight it took me a while to put it on.”
Samantha looked at the gown in the mirror as she was talking, “I’m also amazed how quickly this gown was made. Mary has a few women working there. Maybe they all pitched in sewing it. They are great seamstresses. The gown is completely lined, and the skirt has a sewn-in petticoat.”
“Is it comfortable?”
“That’s why I’m wearing it. Sitting, moving around. Cotton doesn’t have any give. The fabric weight is heavier and sturdier than a thin poplin. Oh, and I had her sew in deep pockets on the side seams, so you can carry tissues and other necessities without needing a handbag.”
Grace said, “You thought of everything.”
Samantha received a notification on her phone. “Aaron’s calling.”
Grace said quickly, “Okay, I’ll call tomorrow.”
“Bye." Samantha hung up with Grace and picked up Aaron’s call. “Hi, sweetie.”
“How are you doing, Sam?”
“Oh, fine. How was your day?”
“Okay. Lots to do. Meetings.”
“I was just on the phone with Grace. I picked up her bridesmaid gown today. I’m wearing it now. It’s this Victorian-style gown. And I’m not making any progress on my dissertation; maybe this will give me some inspiration. Anything to give me a start.”
“I have confidence in you. Anyway, it’s been a long day. I wanted to say hi. A group of us are going out to dinner now. Call you tomorrow night. Love you, Sam.”
“Love you too.”
After Samantha put down the phone, she stood in front of the bathroom mirror, fussing with different hairstyles for her wedding day. Using her skills in French braiding, she fashioned a crown braid: two side-by-side braids around the head like a crown.
Feeling Victorian, she wore the gown while paging through a history book. She lounged on the sofa with the book propped up. Still wearing her shoes on her always-cold feet, she draped her grandmother’s cream-colored crocheted afghan over her shoulders.
Later that night, her eyes tired, and she turned off the light on the end table.
She thought, I’ll close my eyes for moment, then go to bed.
The book fell against the back cushion. An hour later, Samantha was still lying on the sofa, now in a deep sleep—unaware of the confluence of unknowns that would seemingly transport her back in time.
Any historical fiction admirer would love the idea of being able to transport themselves to their favourite period of the past in order to experience it, no matter how briefly. And the next best thing? To follow the story of someone who is able to do this like the heroine of Sam Time, Samantha Hunter.
The book begins with Balon establishing key relationships that will influence Sam throughout the novel – Grace, her sister; John, Grace’s soon-to-be husband and Aaron, John’s best friend who Grace and John have matched with Sam. It is obvious that Sam and Aaron have chemistry and soon, they are planning their future together, including their wedding. But when Aaron’s job takes him away, Sam fears loneliness and it is this, together with a serendipitous purchase, that acts as a catalyst which transports her to the past.
Sam is a history professor so she has a lot of prior knowledge of America’s past and in particular, her interest focuses on the Civil War. She is in pursuit of a doctorate but is in need of a central idea – enter Ulysses S. Grant. Transported to the past when she is asleep, Sam’s interaction with Grant does not immediately impact her present, although as the book continues and she finds herself more and more drawn to the 1800s, her surreptitious time-travelling begins to manifest itself more obviously in her present.
The plot of the book has Sam balancing her two lives: the one in the present with Aaron and the one where she delves into the past and meets with Grant.
There is much to like about this novel. It flows readily from start to finish and Balon manages the various encounters that Sam has with Grant well in terms of their placing within the plot –there is no clunkiness here. Balon is able to provide lively dialogue between her characters but I did feel at times that it could be more nuanced – extra direction given to gestures and movement between speeches, for instance - and this would have intensified the relationship that Sam has with Grant, for me. However, my interest was maintained throughout, especially in the latter interactions between them which felt more involved and I was keen to know how it would end and be resolved for Sam.
For those who like an easy historical read, this is a good choice.