Tea time.
A very old very short story I wrote a long time ago that I hadn't posted.
The kettle shrieked on top of the blazing, red-hot burner. The tea pot sitting on the counter next to the stove waited for it's turn, the tags from the tea hanging over the lip from their pristine cotton strings. Of course, they were intent on reminding me of the brand of tea before telling me the type.
Pouring the water in, the bags twirled and danced in the eddies as the scalding liquid bloomed dark brown from the tea seeping from the paper fibers. They would have pulled the tags in had I not looped the string around the pot's porcelain handle.
At the table, in my kitchen, the gilded tea-cups were set in place while my visitor sat patiently.
A crimped smile hung on her lips while she waited for me to bring the pot over to serve her one of the things she came here for. Her hands carefully folded together in front of her, as always, waiting for me to join her before engaging in our monthly ritual. First she would smile as she leaned over to smell the tea. Orange pekoe, as usual, and her creased eyes would always narrow just a bit. Then she'd add sugar; two spoons. And she would always stir it well before placing the now-used tool to the side of her cup on the porcelain saucer the cup sat on.
And I would pour myself one, and bring it to my lips to see if the taste had improved since last time. But of course it wouldn't have, and my nose would wrinkle and my tongue would smack about in my mouth trying to work the bitter taste loose from my cheeks.
“So, will you be able to tell me where you've been this time?" I asked, placing my cup down to let it sit for the rest of our conversation.
“As many times as you've asked me that question, I can finally give you a different answer: Yes." She looking at me from over the lip of her cup.
“That means…" I started to ask, but I knew what her response would be.
She nodded. “This is to be our last visit."
I wanted to curl in on myself. As much as I did enjoy our visits, that wasn't my concern. It was what I was informed would happen after.
“There is nothing to be afraid of." She said. “Nullification is not a painful procedure."
“As you've said." I said. “But why? I've kept our visits secret all these years. Surely there's some wiggle room here."
"And I am grateful that you've kept your promise. But rules are rules." She was right. I had kept my promise, but I knew that I would be nullified when we parted ways. “It's standard protocol. We can't have you divulging information about where I come from. The damage to the time-line would be too great."
I sighed. I knew I wouldn't be able to debate this with her. As much as she had been great company, she was set in her ways. That was probably why we got along so well.
For a few brief moments the only sound in my kitchen was the sound of her cup as it clinked down on the saucer.
“When are they going to arrive?" I asked.
“When I leave."
“I don't want to forget you." I begged. “You helped me feel less lonely."
“Then stop shutting yourself in, David." She reached over to place her hand on mine. “There is an entire world outside your door that you've denied. You should enjoy it while you can." She smiled. “Besides, even I can't bend all the rules."
I looked up into her eyes and the usual knowing twinkle was there.
“You know, I remember the first time coming here." She said with a grin. “We popped in here while you were making your breakfast." And then she chuckled. “My husband was probably more shocked than you were."
“I was only wearing an apron." I said, trying to laugh at the memory. “Speaking of which, how have you been lately?"
“As well as can be expected since…" She went silent. Her smile falling away from her face as her own loneliness crept up. “Today was the anniversary of his passing and I guess I just needed to see a friendly face."
I placed my hand on hers, trying to give her some measure of comfort. It was only a few months ago that she started visiting alone, but her schedule was different from mine.
“I never much liked tea before." She said. “I don't remember when, but I found myself making a pot as if I had done it a hundred times."
“I still don't much like it. It just tastes like dirty water."
“Try it with some sugar. It really does help with the bitterness."I tried it, adding two spoons and stirring it in.
When I tasted it, I knew she was right; The flavour went from astringent to having a fuller body and tasted quite nice.She laughed when she saw my face. “See?! I haven't steered you wrong yet."
“No, you haven't." I nodded and took another sip. “So, will these visits get you into trouble?"
“Of course not. I made sure every visit was cleared with the agency. As long as all traces of our… of my interference were nullified, I was free to visit you at my leisure."
“So tell me about your world. If I'm going to be nullified anyway, it can't hurt."
She grinned, then leaned forward with her arms on the table.
The world she told me about seemed like it was a page ripped out of a science fiction novel. Tall buildings that nearly reached the stars, all of them intertwined with walkways between them like a web. Ships docking on the apex, coming and going from parts throughout the solar-system, and beyond. Most carrying goods to buy and sell, but the rest carrying passengers searching for better lives, or better vistas.Though when she described the forests, that's when I laughed.
“Trees still exist in your time?"
“Of course they do." She chuckled. “We found a way through what's coming."
I shook my head in disbelief. “Hard to believe considering how things are."
“Oh, it will get better. But it'll be a while."
“I'll believe it when I see it."
“You will."
I paused. “Claire, did you ever research me?"
She nodded. “Of course, dear. When I first arrived I knew you better than you know yourself."
“Can you tell me more?" I was seething at the idea of being given a glimpse, fleeting as it may be, of what my future held.
“I could." She grinned. “But you wouldn't believe me."
“Maybe." I joked.We both laughed that was interrupted by the dinging from her silver pocket-watch.
“I am sorry, my dear, but this is my signal to depart."
I stood and went behind her to help her up. Spry as she was, she was still old and her body was showing the usual signs.
“Have you considered another transference?" I asked as she got up.
“I have, but I fear my echo has been growing weaker over the decades. And I do not approve of when they use volunteers."
“Cloned bodies?" I asked, to which she nodded.“When are the enforcers coming?"
“As soon as I leave." She said. “Which is now. I am sorry, but I must go.I wanted to say I would miss her, but I knew I wouldn't.
The air started crackling as a ball of light leapt out from her pocket-watch. Then, after swelling to engulf her, it vanished in an instant, leaving the acrid scent of ozone hanging in the air. I would have opened the window to clear the smell out, but I felt a hand on my shoulder as soon as my eyes re-adjusted to the light.
“So this is it?" I asked, feeling a twinge in my guts from fear. “Can I at least turn around and see who's going to nullify me?"
“That is acceptable." The deep voice said.
I turned around to see two men. Both wearing black suits, sunglasses, and sporting the same physique and face.
“Twins?" I asked.
“Clones." They both said in tandem.
“What does it feel like?" I asked, but they didn't seem to understand. “Nullification. What does it feel like?"
“Oh, that? You won't feel a thing. You'll simply come to without your memories of the chancellor."
The one to the left turned to the other with a barely restrained grin. “If he won't remember this, let's get a photo."
“This isn't a vacation, Fifty-three."
“I know, I know. I just want to get a picture with him."
“This is against protocol."
“It's not like he'll remember it. Live a little."
He slumped his shoulders. “If the agency knew what you were intending, they'd remand you to the transference program."
The agent looked at the other, wearing a rather pitiful expression of seriousness.
He shrugged, which was the sign needed to go ahead.He held a device in front of him as he turned to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with me.
“So, when are you going to nullify me?" I asked, feeling my body tense up.
“Oh, it's done. Your n-grams are already being disconnected."
"I…" I tried to say to these strangers.
“See, it's already working." They said as they stepped back. “You might want to sit down for this."
That's when everything started going dark.
***
The shrill sound of the kettle called out from the stove. The tea-pot was there, sitting, waiting for the water I was going to pour. One cup, one saucer, and a bowl of sugar with a spoon sticking out.
When the tea was ready, I poured myself a cup and put two sugars in it. The sunlight streaming through the windows made the experience feel more magical than before.
Though I don't quite understand where it came from, I found the tea in my cupboard. Surely I had bought it for visitors, but I don't recall ever having someone over.
I found that the taste was quite nice with some sweetness.