It was seven that Tuesday morning, and it looked like it was going to be another beautiful day.
It was quiet in the Heartfelt Care Hospital when Michael walked up to the nurse's station.
Mary looked up from her paperwork and saw Michael. "Hello, Mister Osborne. You're here awful early. Are you here to check up on our patient?"
"Yes. How's she doing?"
"Fine."
"Can you call me when she's ready to be discharged. She'll need a ride, and he has a job interview tomorrow morning. So I hope she'll be discharged today," he added.
"So far, Doctor Harris doesn't see any problems. So he might release her as soon as he shows up for work," Mary said with a smile.
"Thanks," Michael said, then walked away and headed left down the hallway.
Michael walked up to Room 480.
He lightly knocked on the door and opened it and peeked inside.
He saw Abby still asleep in her bed, so he closed the door and walked away with the hallway.
Hours had passed, and Doctor Harris finished giving Abby and examination with Mary in the room.
"I think she's ready to be discharged," Doctor Harris told Mary then walked away and headed to the door.
"Take a shower if you want before you get dressed. Then come down to the nurse's station, we need to get your insurance information," Mary said.
"Insurance information?"
"Yes. Come down to the nurse's station when you get dressed. I have the form you need to complete," Mary said then turned around and headed to the door.
Abby looked a little nervous while she got out of bed.
After Mary left the room, Abby removed her hospital gown and walked naked over to the bathroom.
Back at his office desk at the college, Michael graded some more test papers.
After he finished placing a "93" on the front of an exam, he glanced at the framed picture of Jennifer on his desk. He put that exam on the completed pile then started grading the next exam.
His desk phone rang. Michael picked up the phone. "Professor Osborne," he answered.
"It's Mary here at the hospital. Abby Austin is ready to be discharged, as soon as she completes filling out the insurance form."
"I'll be right over in a few minutes," Michael replied into the phone then hung up.
He got up from his desk and headed to the door.
Back at the hospital, Abby walked out of her room wearing that blue dress with flowers and blue high heel shoes and had her backpack in hand.
She glanced back at the door while it closed and noticed it was Room 480. She thought nothing of it and walked down the hallway and headed to the nurse's station.
It dawned on her, and she stopped, turned around, and glanced back at the room. "Four eighty," she quietly said while she remembered being in that room a few days ago when Michael died in 2010.
She walked away while she recalled that morning in her mind.
She walked up to the nurse's station, where Mary worked on some paperwork.
Mary looked up and saw Abby standing by the counter.
"Come have a seat," she told Abby.
Abby walked around behind the counter and sat down next to Mary.
"Here's the insurance form," Mary said then slid the form and pen over to Abby.
Abby looked a little nervous while she started to fill out her information. But she figured that with the way paper moved around in 1961, it would be months before they figure out she gave them bogus information.
She started to fill out the form.
Out in the Heartfelt Care Hospital parking lot, Michael parked his Bel-Air.
He got out and rushed to the front entrance of the hospital.
Upon the fourth floor, Michael walked over to the nurse's station, where Mary reviewed Abby's completed insurance form.
"Blue Cross Blue Shield is good insurance," Mary said then placed Abby's insurance form on top of the other insurance forms to be processed.
Abby saw Michael standing on the other side of the counter.
"Is she discharged?" Michael asked Mary.
"She can go," Mary said.
Abby got up with her backpack in hand and headed out from behind the nurse's station.
"I thought you could use a ride," Michael told her when she walked up to him.
"That would be nice," she replied and enjoyed the thought of spending time with him.
They walked down the hallway and headed in the direction of the elevators.
Michael glanced down at her backpack, held against her stomach. "That's a strange backpack. Looks like some kind of fancy Army backpack," he said.
She held her backpack tighter against her body. "A new design from Florida," she replied and avoided eye contact since she told a lie.
The elevator dinged, and the door opened.
Michael motioned for Abby to go inside first.
She did, and he followed behind her.
The elevator door closed and made its journey to the first floor.
A little while later, Michael and Abby walked to his Bel-Air in the parking lot.
Michael walked Abby over to the passenger door. He opened it. Abby looked a little surprised, as no guy in 2010 ever opened a door for her. She loved this and wished more men during her time acted like gentlemen.
Abby got inside her car, and he closed the door.
While Michael walked around to the other side, out of old habit, Abby reached over her right shoulder and grabbed in the air for the seat belt. She looked to her right and noticed one wasn't installed. She felt a little stupid while Michael opened the door.
Michael got behind the wheel, started up his car, then backed out of the parking spot.
"I hope your fiancé doesn't mind you picking me up," she said while he drove off through the lot.
"Oh no, we talked about that last night. She's looking forward to meeting you."
"I'm looking forward to meeting her," Abby said while Michael turned his car down the hospital entrance road that led to York Avenue.
Michael's eyes widened when he remembered something when he got to the end of the hospital entrance and stopped at the stop sign.
"Oh, I got you an interview tomorrow morning for a secretarial job at the college. I hope you don't mind," he said while he waited for an opening in the traffic.
Abby actually thought it might be a neat adventure. "Thanks."
"And since you don't have a place to stay yet, why don't you stay at mom and dad's house with me. You can sleep in my old bedroom until you find a place. I'll sleep on the couch."
"I don't want to be a bother," he said then made a left turn onto York Avenue after a break in the traffic.
"No, bother. Mom insisted and wants to make sure you're okay from your fall. She's a bit of a worrywart."
Abby looked a little nervous about staying at his house, but she was looking forward to it.
Michael smiled at the thought of Abby staying at his house for a few days.
Michael drove farther down York Avenue and stopped at a red light.
The light turned green, and Michael made a left turn onto Shady Hill Avenue.
"The college is down this road a little way," he told Abby.
She smiled then looked out her window, enjoying the 1961 sights of Barbourville.
It was not long before Michael drove by the entrance of the college to the right.
"And there's the Barbourville College. It's located in the northeastern part of town," he said while he pointed to the right.
Abby looked and saw a "Barbourville College" sign. But it was a big wooden sign and was nothing compared to the fancy sign encased in stone she saw in 2010.
"How long have you worked there?" Abby asked.
"Oh, I started teaching in fifty-eight," he replied.
Abby faked looking interested with his reply, but she already knew the answer.
Michael continued his drive down Shady Hill Avenue.
While they got to the northern end of the college property, Abby spotted the Barbourville Diner off to the left. She thought it was cool seeing that place back here in 1961. It had no chance at all during the past forty-nine years.
Abby's eyes widened when she ran her tongue across her upper teeth. "I need a toothbrush and toothpaste.
"There's a Woolworth down on Bumby Avenue up ahead," Michael replied while he continued down Shady Hill Avenue.
"Thanks."
Michael drove a little farther down Shady Hill Avenue then made a U-turn when the traffic was light.
He drove a little farther down Shady Hill Drive then made a right turn onto Bumby Avenue.
He drove down Bumby where the Woolworth's store was to the right.
Abby was looking forward to going into Woolworth's as she heard her grandmother talk about shopping at one in Orlando.
A little while Michael and Abby finished shopping at Woolworth's where she bought some toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, shampoo, and a hairbrush.
Abby loved these prices while she paid for the items with a ten-dollar bill, but this time, she used the one she bought at that Coin Store in 2010. It had a 1959 date on it.
A little while later, Michael turned his Bel-Air right into the driveway of his home. Well, it was actually his parent's home that he would inherit in 1982.
Abby, with her backpack and Woolworth shopping bag in hand, got out of the Bel-Air with Michael.
Abby glanced over and stared at what would be her new home in 2010. It felt weird, as the house looked the same.
Michael walked Abby walk to his front door. He opened it and motioned for Abby to go inside.
Abby stepped inside the living room and saw it was furnished with 1940s style furniture still in excellent condition. The room had a strange déjà-vu homey feeling.
"Mom," he called out when he stepped inside the living room and closed the door.
"Coming," Martha called from down the hallway.
Abby noticed that Michael didn't lock the door behind him. Then she remembered her grandmother telling her that during her days, people didn't lock their doors. They didn't fear someone would break inside. But times sure have changed, and Abby actually liked these times so far.
Martha Osborne entered the living room. She was in her late fifties and wore an apron around her plain flowered dress. "Hi Michael," she said then saw Abby. "Jennifer? Did you dye your hair?
Michael chuckled.
Abby looked at Martha, and she appeared familiar to her.
"No, mom. She's Abby Austin. I told you about her last night," he said.
Martha looked in awe at Abby looking so much like Jennifer. "Oh yeah, the poor girl that hit her head in the street. I'm Martha," she said, then walked over and gave Abby a little hug.
"I need to get back to the college and finish grading some exams, so why don't you two get to know each other," Michael said then walked over and gave Martha a light kiss on her cheek.
"Okay, dear," Martha said.
Michael took a step to the front door then his eyes widened when he remembered something. He turned around. "Mom, show Abby my typewriter and paper supply in my room. She needs to type her resume for an interview tomorrow."
"Yes, dear," Martha replied.
Michael smiled then turned around and headed back to the door.
Martha grabbed Abby's hand and walked her out of the living room while Michael left the house.
Martha walked Abby down the hallway to the second bedroom on the right just before the bathroom.
She took her inside the bedroom, and Abby immediately knew it was Michael's room. She glanced around the room, and it also felt familiar.
Martha walked her over to a small wooden desk and wooden chair against the wall across his bed.
Abby dropped her backpack on the floor by the desk.
Abby saw an old Royal manual typewriter in the middle of the desk. She looked a little intimidated while she looked at the keys.
"There should be enough paper in here," Martha said while she opened up the top drawer to the right side of the desk.
"Thank you," Abby replied while she sat down in the chair.
"You're welcome, my dear," Martha said then walked away toward the door.
Martha stopped in the doorway and watched while Abby removed a piece of paper from the desk. There something about her that gave Martha a warm, loving feeling. She shrugged it off and went out of the room and headed down the hallway.
Abby looked the typewriter over for the place to insert the paper. After a few wrong attempts, she finally got it right. She moved the carriage return handle knowing how that worked from seeing that done in old movies.
She started typing her resume with an occasional finger slipping between the keys.
A few minutes passed, and Abby had four crumpled resumes in the trash can. Typing on a manual typewriter was harder than she thought, but she was now getting the hang of it.
Martha walked into the bedroom with a ham and cheese sandwich and two chocolate chip cookies on a plate and a glass of milk.
She walked over to the desk while Abby typed.
"Here you go, my dear. I thought you might want something to eat," she said while she set the plate and glass of milk in front of Abby.
Abby looked at the sandwich, cookies, and milk. "Thank you," she said and loved Martha's hospitality and knew she would enjoy her stay here.
"You're welcome. So how's the resume coming along?" Martha asked while she looked at the typewriter.
"A little slow. I hate typing resumes," Abby said.
"I don't know how to type. That machine looks too complicated if you ask me. But Michael has fast fingers. All we would hear was clickety clack clickety clack when he typed his papers for college," she told Abby.
Abby smiled as she liked that little story.
"Well, I'll let you get back to your typing," Martha said then turned around and headed to the door.
Abby grabbed the glass of milk and took a drink. She set the glass down, then picked up the ham and cheese sandwich. She took a bite, and it was delicious and gave her a feeling of being back home.
While Abby ate her sandwich and drank her milk, Martha would occasionally peek in the doorway. She looked happy to have Abby stay at her home. She loved Michael but also wished she had a daughter. But as fate would have it, she would only have one child, and now age worked against her.
She left the doorway and headed down the hallway to the kitchen.