and appreciate the effort it took.
Tut leapt onto my lap and leaned himself against me and with his head on my chest, he folded his wings around me for a genuine ‘bird hug’. I squeezed back and we were all privy to the little ‘bird-grunt’ that was his signature for our embrace.
Giving the act the honor of our silence, we all sat there in wonder of Tut and saw his effort to communicate with me. I kissed his beautiful feathered head many times and stroked my finger nails down through his feathers in an effort to show him the love I felt for him, too.
In a quiet voice that we all heard due to the silence that it penetrated, Lu spoke.
“Elena, you were Tut’s mate before you were human.”
Then she tagged the end of her sentence in mock of me.
“I’m just sure of it.”
Charlie and Michael laughed for just a second and then they were back into their own heads.
“This is going to take some time to figure out.”
Michael was trying not to get carried away with the weirdness of the situation and remain in research/science mode.
“Say that you were Tut’s mate in a previous life, what can we do with that information?”
Charlie was just as stumped as the rest of us.
“Maybe while we’re searching for a mate for Tut, I’ll be able to tell if Tut is pleased with the bird we choose.”
I could clearly see an advantage in having a connection to Tut.
“Tut’ll have to be with us for that shopping trip.” Charlie pointed out.
“Helen’s report isn’t complete.”
Looking at me Michael continued.
“You need to start from the beginning of that particular trip and give us a complete report.”
“Sure.” I said.
“I probably should have recognized that I was going too far back in time while I was in the process of reaching my destination. The portal was the same but I began to fall at an alarming rate of speed. The event was out of balance and chaotic as I plummeted downward within the portal. The turmoil and haziness were frightening but the atmosphere became crystal clear as soon as I stopped.”
It was necessary to pause and take stock. I hadn’t spoken for quite some time due to the injury to my throat and vocal cords. Not wanting to damage myself further and if there were any real strain on my voice I’d have tabled that discussion but I saw that I was fine and continued with the report.
“I was in an old Victorian house with a lot of plants. Even though I don’t remember ever being in that house, it all felt very familiar to me and when I caught sight of Tut, I felt like I was home. Tut was my connection to that place; I’m just sure of it.”
Looking at each of them to get their take on the travel there was no comment for a minute from anyone due to being in their own heads and trying to figure it out. Michael spoke first.
“We need to have the actual date in mind instead of the situation before we travel so that there isn’t that kind of misunderstanding again. Helen, you were too loose with the use of the ‘Red Travel’ and I think that we should be together when you take a trip like that from now on.”
Charlie didn’t care for the tone of Michael’s voice or for the fact that Michael was scolding me. Charlie was ever my protector; but he knew that Michael wanted the same thing that he wanted and looked at me with hope in his eyes that I’d listen to Michael even if he thought I didn’t listen to him.
Lu agreed with Michael but she had such a sweet way of putting things, it never felt like she was disappointed in me.
“Elena, we want to be with you when you are traveling in the red space. We want to help take care of you and keep you safe.”
Lu’s sweet Argentine accent was a coddle in itself and anything she said had a warm and fun feel to it; I listened with eagerness whenever she spoke.
“Thanks Lu. It wasn’t my intention to go that far back in time and Michael’s probably right that I should have had a firm date in mind instead of just asking for the incident that I was interested in. I’ll remember that for the future.”
I looked at Lu but I was speaking to all of them.
“As far as having Michael or any one of you there to travel with me when the opportunity presents itself, I’m sorry but sometimes waiting for you to be available isn’t practical so you can expect that I’ll travel red and into the past without worry if one of you are with me. Charlie will monitor and I’m comfortable with that as all of the security necessary.”
I let that statement just sit for a moment while they looked at me like I was a loose cannon that needed to be reined in and a pain in the butt at the same time. Michael rolled his eyes.
“Oh come on Michael, I can travel without you into the past. I’ve done it nearly a hundred times and I’m happy with the knowledge that we’ve gained from those separate trips taken without you. It’s the trips forward that I need help from you and will request it every time. But you guys need to know that I’m going to travel. I think I’m supposed to; I’m just sure of it.”
“Even though what happened during this last trip wasn’t expected, it was enlightening; for me it was. Miles told me that when Tut’s mate died he plucked out all of his feathers and they never grew back until I came into the picture.”
Charlie groaned; he’d prefer that I not travel out into the universe at all. Since he knew that I’d do it anyway, he was resolute in his need to keep me safe. Charlie had rigged up a couple of cameras so that he could watch over my body and protect me while I was traveling and it didn’t matter where he was. He could see me from wherever he happened to be working at any given time. His attention meant the world to me and I loved him even more for it.
Since I was going to travel whether the three of them sanctioned it or not I pushed my luck. Thinking that I should take advantage of the situation and get Michael’s assistance with ‘Red Spark’ travel while he was there, I questioned them about the length of their visit.
“How long are you guys here?”
When traveling with Michael, I had greater control due to our cosmic connection that we called ‘The Connect’. That connection is apart from Charlie and Lu but they are connected to both of us. It goes like this: Michael and I were the first to be cosmically connected and then the connection accepted Lu and after that our connection included Charlie. My need is always for Michael due to that connection and Michael’s need is for me. Lu needs both Michael and me for her connection to be complete and Charlie needs all three of us to be included in the connection.
“We have to leave tomorrow morning.” Michael informed us.
“If not this time, then maybe when we’re in your neck of the woods in a couple of weeks we could ‘travel red’ together and possibly puzzle together a little more of the ‘Tut mystery’.” I suggested.
Charlie groaned again.
Tut,
