Chapter 1
Twenty-five years had passed, and it was now Wednesday, July fifteen in nineteen eighty-one in Waterford, Georgia.
It was a beautiful sunrise with no clouds in sight for miles for the entire day across Georgia.
Inside a one-bedroom apartment of the Waterford Arms Apartment Complex lived Ernie Conner. He was now twenty-five years old and looked like a nerd.
He slept alone in his bed and had a smile while he dreamt about having a sexual encounter with a naked drop-dead gorgeous woman.
The digital clock buzzed from the small bedside table by his bed. It was now seven in the morning.
Ernie's eyes opened and cringed at that annoying alarm sound. He looked disappointed and wanted to go back to sleep and return to his hot steamy dream. He knew that wouldn't happen no matter how hard he tried, so he reached overturned off the alarm. He slowly sat up and yawned. He slowly got out of bed.
Ernie dragged his feet across the carpet while he headed to the bathroom.
He passed by a dresser where an old picture of his mother Erica and Ernie when he was two years old was in a frame. His dad Jesse wasn't in the picture.
On the wall above the dresser hung his framed college diploma for a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Ernie went side the bathroom. He started his morning ritual of getting ready for another day of work.
Twenty minutes had passed, and Ernie, dressed in khaki pants with a dress shirt and tie, walked through the parking lot of the apartment complex with his lunch bag and thermos in hand.
He walked over to a blue 1980 Toyota Tercel. This was his first brand new car and was his pride and joy.
He got inside his Tercel, started it up, and backed out of his reserved parking spot.
He drove off through the lot.
A little while later, Ernie drove his Tercel down Fay Avenue in town.
He drove past a True Value hardware store that was once Frazier's Hardware Store in the old days.
Ernie drove his Tercel a little farther down Fay Avenue and went passed Woolworths. The store looked run down and was on the verge of closing down. The
Across the street was an abandoned building that was once the old "Conner Chevrolet" car dealership. It closed down six years ago and relocated.
A little while later, Ernie drove his Tercel down Elliot Avenue. He drove past the "Conner Chevrolet" dealership. This dealership was more significant than the older one and was built on the northern side of town five years ago. The owner was Ernie's father Jesse who took over the family business five years ago hence the newer location. Ernie opted not to work in the family business, as he loved airplanes more than cars.
Ernie eventually drove his Tercel down a four-lane road to the Atlantis Aircraft plant located in the northwestern area of town.
This plant was built in Waterford back in 1964 when Atlantis Aircraft was experiencing a considerable growth spurt. They picked Waterford because of some tax-incentives they were offered by Mayor Henderson. This plant specialized in the General Aviation sector and built two and four-seater single-engine airplanes.
Ernie parked his car in the employees of the parking lot.
He got out with his lunch bag and thermos and headed off to the office entrance of the plant.
While Ernie walked closer to the front entrance, he came upon the motorcycle parking area.
He spotted a red Harley Davidson Electra Glide parked in its usual spot. It belonged to fellow engineer Louie Rodriquez.
After he entered the building, Ernie headed to the second floor. He walked through the large office area that housed engineers and management.
Ernie walked through a small maze of cubicles with his lunch bag and thermos in hand.
He saw a female employee while she worked at her desk. His heart started fluttering. Her name was Rebecca Turley, and she was a beautiful twenty-four-year-old brunette with large brown eyes and a figure to die for. She worked as a secretary for Engineering Manager Kenny Roscoe during the past two years. And it had been two years where Ernie wanted to ask her out, but could never drum up the courage. He often got tongue-tied when he tried that move.
Ernie kept a watchful eye on Rebecca while he walked through the area.
He didn't notice his surroundings and smacked into a cubicle wall while he watched her. The items on the other side of the wall made a racket when they crashed to that cubicle floor.
Rebecca heard the noise and looked up from her work and saw Ernie. She rolled her eyes and went back to her typing. She wasn't really interested in him in the least.
Ernie rushed away red face and rushed into his cubicle.
His two-man cubicle was where he worked with fellow engineer sixty-year-old Louie Rodriquez. Louie worked on wing designs while Louie specialized in electronics and wiring.
The cubicles consisted of two drafting tables and two filing cabinets.
Ernie was still embarrassed while he sat down at his drafting table. He opened up the thermos and took a drink of coffee. He glanced over to his right and saw Louie was not at work yet even though he saw his Harley in the parking lot.
He kicked back and started reviewing his design for an airplane wing.
The phone on his drafting table rang, and he picked it up.
"Ernie Conner," he answered.
"Hi baby, it's mom," Beth Whitfield Conner said from the phone.
"Hi mom," Ernie replied.
"I haven't seen you in months, so why don't you come over for dinner tonight?"
"Is dad going to be there?"
"Yes."
Ernie looks a little disinterested.
"I would love it if you come," Beth said in a sweet tone.
"I would love dinner with you. What time?"
"Six sharp."
"I'll be there."
"Great. See you later tonight. Love you," Beth said then disconnected her end of the call.
Ernie hung up his phone.
Louie looked over his shoulder while he entered the cubicle with a large paper bag in hand. He was bald with a long ponytail to the middle of his back and a cheesy mustache.
Louie rushed over to his drafting table and shoved the paper bag underneath it.
Ernie got up and peeked over the top of his cubicle wall. He eyed Rebecca and yearned to have the opportunity to be romantically involved with her. He wondered what it would be like to kiss her sweet lips.
He sat back down.
"Have you asked her out yet?" Louie asked him.
"No. Not yet," Ernie replied and looked a little disappointed with himself.
"Hurry up, man. No guts, no filled condom," Louie said then chuckled.
"I don't want to suffer through the embarrassment of being rejected."
"Man, you're going to spend the rest of your life dating Rosie Palm and her five sisters," Louie replied then simulated jerking off.
Kenny Roscoe entered the cubicle and saw Louie's hand gesture. He gave Louie a dirty look.
Louie quickly started working on his design with a quiet whistle.
"Ernie, get down to the floor. They're having an issue with installing a wing," Kenny said while he kept a suspicious eye on Louie and the paper bag under his drafting table.
"Okay Kenny," Ernie said then got up from his drafting table.
Kenny left the cubicle, and Louie sighed a sigh of relief.
Ernie left the cubicle.
Louie reached down and opened the paper bag and smiled at the sight of some fittings and other airplane parts. He closed the bag with a grin. He then opened up the drawer on his drafting table and removed a book on time-travel. He opened the book and discreetly read.
The day passed on, and Ernie was on his way to his parents for dinner. He loved being with Beth, but his dad Jesse always made him feel uneasy and a little intimidated.
Ernie pulled his Tercel into the circular brick driveway of an expensive upper-class home of his parents.
This home was located in the fancy neighborhood called Waterford Heights located on the western part of town. The expensive home was the result of Jesse owning the prosperous Chevrolet dealership.
A 1968 Chevrolet Impala with rust holes was parked across the street from Jesse's home.
Inside the car behind the wheel was Laurence Lincoln, a fifty-one-year-old African-American. He eyed Ernie's Tercel with keen interest while he parked in the circular driveway.
"He's gotta be Ernie," Laurence said while he watched while Ernie got out of his car.
Ernie was dressed in dress pants and a dress shirt while he walked to the large, expensive wood doors.
Laurence stared at the expensive home with a little hatred in his eyes.
He looked in his rearview mirror and saw a man walking his German Shepherd on a leash down the sidewalk. He started up his Impala.
Laurence's Impala drove away in a trail of white exhaust.
The man walking his German Shepherd looked irritated while the Impala's exhaust came his way.
Beth greeted Ernie into her home with a kiss on the cheek. Beth was now forty-six years old and was still a knock out for her age.
She walked him to the dining room where the table was set for dinner with two glasses of wine and a glass of Coke.
"Have a seat, and I'll go get Jesse. He's in his den," she said then walked out of the dining room.
Ernie sat down two seats from the head of the table and waited.
A few seconds passed, and Beth and Jesse entered the dining room.
Jesse was now forty-nine years old and started to show some gray hair in his crew cut. He was still muscular and intimidating in size. He wore dress pants, dress shirt, and his standard brown snake skinned cowboys.
"Ernie," Jesse said while he sat down at the head of the table.
Ernie stood up and pulled out the chair next to the head of the table for Beth.
"Thank you," she said while she sat down.
Jesse rolled his eyes.
Beth saw him and gave his hand a little tap. "You need to be more of a gentleman.
Beth grabbed a small bell and rang it.
The swinging door from the kitchen opened, and an African-American woman entered with a tray that contained three plates of Prime Rib dinners with mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables, and a salad.
A few minutes later, and dinner started.
"Ernie, come on down to the dealership on Saturday. We have some new Camaros that just arrived," Jesse said then shoved a piece of Prime Rib in his mouth. His salad was untouched.
"I'm happy with my Tercel. It's extremely reliable," Ernie said then ate some salad.
Jesse gave Ernie a stern look. "But you bought it in Emerson taking money away from my dealership," he said in a bit of a raised voice.
"I like Toyota's. I think they're cute. And besides, that was daddy's dealership before you took over," Beth said and gave Jesse a look to remind him.
Jesse ignored Beth's comment and look.
"No, I want him inside an American made car. And that's that," Jesse said in a louder voice while he stared at Ernie.
Ernie felt intimidated by Jesse's stare. "Yes, sir."
"Good," Jesse said then took a drink of wine.
Beth rolled her eyes at Jesse then looked at Ernie. "So, is there any romance in your life?" she said with hopeful eyes then ate some of her salad.
"Not at the moment."
"Don't be scared of the opposite sex. Some grandkids one day would be nice," she said.
"Maybe for you Beth, but I'm way too young to be a grandfather," Jesse said then shoved some mashed potatoes in his mouth.
"I would love some grandkids. Especially since I can't have any. Right, Jesse?" she said and looked at Jesse with a raised eyebrow.
"Whatever," Jesse said then took another bite of his Prime Rib.
It was quiet for a few seconds while they ate.
Beth's eyes widened when she remembered something. "Oh, guess what I heard on the news today? Laurence Lincoln was released from state prison."
Jesse looked bothered by the news. "Released? Why?"
"Good behavior I guess," she replied, then took a drink of wine.
"Good behavior my ass," Jesse said then took a drink of his wine.
"Who is Laurence Lincoln?" Ernie curiously asked while he looked at Beth.
"Someone your father and I knew a long time ago. You know, he robbed a bank and did something horrible," she replied.
"What did horrible thing did he do?" Ernie asked while his curiously kicked into high gear.
Jesse slammed down his fork, interrupting Beth. "I don't want to hear any more discussions about this," Jesse said then bolted up with his glass of wine from the table.
Beth looked concerned while she watched Jesse storm out of the room.
Ernie got more curious about Jesse's behavior.
It was quiet while Erne and Beth finished their dinner.
Thirty minutes had passed, and inside his den, Jesse sat in his expensive leather chair and smoked a cigar with a glass of brandy in hand. He was in deep thought and still looked bothered.
Ernie entered the room and stood by the doorway. "I'm heading back to my place."
Jesse remained in deep thought.
Ernie waited for a response.
Jesse waved Ernie off.
Ernie left.
Jesse gulped down his brandy and looked bothered.
Beth walked arm in arm with Ernie through the living room.
"What's with this Laurence Lincoln guy?" he curiously asked Beth.
"Oh, it's nothing. I never should have mentioned his name," she said while they walked closer to the front door.
When they got to the front door, Ernie gave Beth a little kiss on her cheek.
"It was good seeing you tonight," she said while she opened the door.
"I enjoyed dinner," he replied with his little white lie because he never enjoyed being around Jesse.
Beth gave Ernie a loving smile while he left the house.
A little while later, Ernie drove his Tercel through the streets of Waterford. The previous discussion about Laurence Lincoln was still on his mind. He was curious about this man, and his curiosity often got him in trouble.