4 Who knew time flew

I followed Selah into the back of the pub into what looked like a small kitchen section. There was a little single person table with ingredients on top of it. A small little fire to the left with a pot hanging from it and a women standing guard in front of the pot stirring it. I didn't feel a breeze this making the room ten degrees hotter. Selah walked right up to the women giving her a quick peck on the cheek.

"Anna, I would like for you to meet Stephanie MacDonald. She will be staying with us at our house and helping around the pub."

She turned and looked at me fully. She had black hair tied up with a beautiful slim face to match. She had beautiful dark, almost black eyes, that were brown. She looked quiet smart for someone living in this era being a female.

"Why was this not brought to my attention before a decision was made?!"

'Holy shit I thought my mom was scary when pissed, she just almost made me shit myself!' I thought.

"Well, your friend Abraham Woodhull, brought her here this morning asking for sanctuary for her. I refused his offer until she spoke up saying she knows how to help around the pub. If you wish to have final say then if you wish for her to leave then I will send her on her way."

'Wait, what?! He's really gonna just let her kick me out even after telling Abe he would look after me?'

This ran through my head along with slight panic as to what I would do if she did turn me away. I could go back to Abe and Mary, but they won't have room for me. Plus it wouldn't be safe with a red coat in the house. Oh god, I'm gonna be homeless and starve! Maybe I could go to another town and just stay out of all this mess, but sooner of later Abe will come to see if I'm still here and if I'm not here he might loose his shit!

I looked back up at the women to hear her say in the kindest and most calm voice ever to hear.

"Any friend of Abraham's is a friend of mine. If you wish to stay you don't have to work, but the help would be appreciated."

She came up to me giving me a nod and a quick hug before going back to the table to finish the food. The only other time I have seen someone else hold so much trust with another is with my best friend and me. I knew then she still loved Abraham even though she is married to Selah now.

"Well, it's been decided. Let's get you settled into the house after we close up here and then tomorrow you can help."

I nodded at him as he called over a black boy to help me find my way to the house. He explained I couldn't just sit there all day waiting for them and he would give me a proper tour when they got home, but today was a bad day. I agreed and the boy led me out the door and towards the Strong house. He tried taking my bags but I refused to let him take them and I told him he didn't need to call me ma'am.

"So what is your name hun?"

"Cicero, ma'am."

"Cicero, you don't need to call me that just Stephanie is fine."

He just started at me like I was crazy for a second and then looked away like he was contemplating something.

"Your different Miss Stephanie, why is that? You don't walk like any lady that I know and you clearly look uncomfortable in that dress."

For a kid he was quite clever but then again he isn't supposed to know how to read so....oh god why am I considering tell this kid the truth will he keep it a secret? Oooohhh what could be the harm in telling him the truth not like he will believe me.

"Well to tell you the truth hun I'm not from here."

"I could tell that. You don't look like you even know the area."

"That's cause I'm from the future hun. I have been to this state just not in this time."

"Wait so your a witch!"

"No! No! I'm not a witch I what we call in the future I guess a time traveler at this point I think? Huh would I even be one since it was against my will and I don't know how I did it?"

"So if your not a witch and it was against your will maybe God put you here? You could have a higher purpose here then your original time?"

"Cicero has anyone told you how smart and incredibly adorable you are. Why would God send me here or even bother with me at all?"

'It just didn't make sense I'm not important enough for that to happen. I was just a regular girl who didn't even go to church.'

"Yes! My mom all the time! God thinks everyone is important or at least that's what my momma tells me. Maybe he has plans for you and you will just have to be patient."

"Alright Cicero I will be patient, but you have to promise me not to tell anyone about this convo, ok?"

"What do I get in return?"

Ok he wants to make a deal alright. Now that I think about it all colored folks are slaves in this time. I can't get him freedom, but I can help him and his mom if they ever get into trouble. Which in the future I know will happen and I can make sure they both get to Canada, safe and free. So I did just that and he agreed to the terms saying that no matter where I was or what I was doing if he or his mother deed help I would do everything in my power to do just that. I have only met this kid for two minutes and I already know I would lay my life down for him and his mother if I had too.

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When we finally got to the house, it was big. Two story building with lots of windows and a view of the lake. In the back section there was a hanging wrack and a barn. It was a beautiful house that was white with red roofing, front and back porch on it. Cicero led me inside through the kitchen area where there was the most beautiful women I have ever seen. Her black skin was so smooth, her hair was put up with a cloth over it and her eyes were stunning to look at. You could get lost just starring at those stunning brown eyes. I honestly didn't realize I was starring too long until Cicero was trying to get my attention.

"Miss Stephanie, this is my momma! Momma this is miss Stephanie!"

"Hi. Nice to meet you ma'am."

"Cicero what are you doing bringing her through the kitchen!? What's the matter with you?!"

"Oh no ma'am! It's fine you don't have to worry about me or be formal."

"Why? You trying to get my boy in trouble?"

"No ma'am! Where I'm from we don't believe in slavery and I'm a firm believer that everyone deserves right and equality. Speaking of which do you need help with any chores around the house so I can earn my keep? I will be staying here until further notice I guess."

"Yeah mom she's really nice and she wants to help me with my writing and reading."

She looked at her son with horror in her eyes like he was about to be shot or something. She immediately looked at me like I was the cause for it.

"No! I'm not gonna do anything I promise. I really do want to help you can trust me!"

She looked right at me never leaving my face. It was making me shaky with how hard she was starring but I held my gaze firm.

"Alright but I don't want to hear you saying all silly billy to everyone that you are being taught understood?!"

"Yes momma!"

"Ok. Welcome to the Strong household I guess I will show you to your new room seems as we only have one left. Come with me."

She led me upstairs to a bedroom on the right side of the house right next to the stairs. As soon as we got up in the room she was gone and I was left alone to think about the past two days.

I gained hopefully one ally from Abraham Woodhull who in the next month and a half will join the cutler spy ring. I am staying with Anna Strong and her husband so hopefully I can make an ally of her as well. Maybe just maybe I can find a way back before all hell breaks loose in this town.

I spent the day organizing my room by making it kinda look more like home that's really hard to do since I only had another dress Mary have me and a simple blanket as well that was red. I made it work with a simple bed that could fit two people but was nice and comfy for one. I had two windows in my room in either side of my bed. I also had a small round table next to my bed that had a candle on it. Opposite of the bed by the door was a four drawer dresser that was a deep brown color along with all the other wood in the house.

I started by opening the windows to let the air flow in and I went ahead and untucked the bed a bit so when I did go to bed it wasn't a struggle but it still looked neat. After that I put the other dress which was a plain simple brown one into the middle drawer and sat back on the bed.

It wasn't until about seven hours later close to almost dark that Selah and Anna got home. They were followed by three redcoats a captain and two soldiers. I didn't care much about them as the captain was fat and rude to all hell and the other two didn't even acknowledge me at all so I did the same. We had an awekward silence at the table as we ate some soup and bread then everyone went to sleep.

This routine went on for a whole month. Sadly me waking up early with Selah, going to the pub, helping him set up, people from town would come in and drink. After about five days of him only having me clean in my brown dress I saw he was busy one day and Anna was home helping with extra laundry so I offered to help. Surprisingly he didn't reject and so began my new job of waiting and cleaning tables. Selah may have not said anything about the more men that cam in after I started working especially when I started serving but I could tell he didn't like how they would look at me as I walked away or tried to make passes at me. I simply would say I need to establish my place in town before accepting people's 'friendships' they call it, basically a term for relationship into marriage. Yeah fuck that!

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It was finally at the one month mark that I was on good terms with quite a lot of people. Cicero was doing amazing with his reading and writing skill. Abigail lives that she could vent to me about her life and I would agree with her not tell anyone. Anna loved the gossip that I would bring back to the house mostly about how this man fell out the door or this one got into a fight with the other. Selah enjoyed that his wife could just stay home and relax because me being the hard worker that I am kept the pub at ease.

The men loved me as I made them feel good about themselves with compliments and always had a smile on my face. Don't get me wrong I hate the redcoats but you know customer service face and voice. I was fast and efficient as well so Selah didn't have to worry about that. Simcoe would stop by once a week to just sit there and watch me. That was unnerving but I can't be helped he is just a creepy who will soon be gone anyways. I did my best to ignore him simple put all my effort into work and cleaning.

"Why am I staying at the house today?"

"Stephanie you do most of the work at the pub and as much as I appreciate it and you have now earned your keep. You need at least one day to rest and enjoy yourself hun. Stay here enjoy the weather and just relax for today."

"Anna, I like to work it makes me feel like I'm doing something to help."

"No, you are staying here while Anna and I work the pub today. We will see you tonight for dinner."

I watched as they put on coats and walked towards town. In the time I was here I have come to realize that yes I tracked back in time but so didn't my body. I'm back to being eighteen and that means I'm a virgin again and I'm pudgy as well. Since I have been here and only really eating soup I have lost a lot of weight so my waist is slim curving at my hips for an hourglass shape. As I have worked every day as well my ass has gotten a little bigger, my legs slimmer and my baby face is no more.

'I guess I could go for a walk and enjoy the weather'

I put on a coat over my new dress I bought from a traveling wagon one day. It was a red dress that had silver lining along the side and twirls at the breasts. It was beautiful and Anna said I should get it for myself and so I did. I walked on the road towards town taking my time stopping every now and then to look at some tree or flowers. It wasn't until I finally got into town did I hear a commotion in the pub. I quickly walked towards the door only to be blocked by it swinging open when Abe and Selah were being dragged out by Simcoe and other redcoats.

"Go inside miss Stephanie we wouldn't want anything to happen to Selah or Abraham now would we?!"

I ignored Simcoe and ran inside to check on Anna. She was sitting there bawling her eyes out watching as her husband and the man she once loved about to be hung later tonight. If I knew that was today I would have fought to come to work and stop it! Shit! Why does something bad always happen close to my birthday?!