The Time-Space Door, Part One: Birthday Surprise

Because whatever small hope Lizzie had had before of it, Aunt Judith would never love her now. Maybe I should leave this house, as hard as it would be to say good-bye to the memories tied up in it.

Yet now she no longer had a home. And Aunt Judith’s house was not where she wanted to be.

***

The next morning, Aunt Judith had prepared an elaborate breakfast of eggs, sausage, and toast. But no show of kindness could blind Lizzie to her aunt’s true nature or motives. With all her niceties, Aunt Judith was preparing to soften the blow of something, something awful. Lizzie sipped her orange juice nervously, waiting for whatever blow was coming.

"Hurry and eat up, dear. This afternoon we're going to Mr. Holcombe's office to sign some documents." Aunt Judith said without turning around from the stove and the sizzling sausage.

From his position in front of the hearth, Pumpkin stretched, clawing at the frayed edges of the rug. He came purring and rubbed himself against Lizzie's legs. After a moment, he sat down and began licking his paws.

Some time later, Aunt Judith brought over the sausage and laid it on the table.

"I’m going to get dressed now," she announced before leaving. "Make sure you wear something presentable today, not any of your faded jeans with holes at the knees and oversized sweat shirts."

And with that, Aunt Judith left the kitchen.

***

Aunt Judith’s old Cadillac pulled into the law offices of Mr. Holcombe an hour later. Lizzie waited for Aunt Judith to gather her things from the car and followed her aunt into the offices, where a curt receptionist directed them upstairs. Lizzie was introduced to Mr. Holcombe, a pleasant-faced man with a wide waistline and pedestrian manners. Aunt Judith and Mr. Holcombe discussed preliminaries, then moved on to other topics, before meandering to the point that Lizzie had been brought along to hear.

"My dear,"Aunt Judith said after an introduction Lizzie hadn’t heard, "You know I love you, but I’m getting old, and can’t take care of a young lady properly. Besides which, I’m a spinster and know nothing about rearing children."

Lizzie was silent.

"Your aunt has decided to give you up as a ward of the state," Mr Holcombe announced flatly, but not without some attempt at delicacy.

Lizzie stared, open-mouthed. Hearing her suspicions confirmed did nothing to make confronting them head-on any easier.

"But you're all the family I have left." Lizzie whispered at last.

"You are not my flesh and blood, though." Aunt Judith shrugged. "My nephew Ralph and his wife Lucinda couldn't have children, so they adopted you nine years ago. Lord knows who your real parents were."

"They were my real parents."

"Not by blood they weren't. Your parents adopted you when you were a child, bless them, and had the misfortune of leaving you in the care of others who could scarcely afford to. Now here I am left with a burden, and I have to consider what is best for you as well as for me."

"All that, about being adopted, you knew about, right, Elisabeth?" Mr. Holcombe said, to make sure.

"I know I was legally adopted-"

"But not by me," Aunt Judith insisted. "I can’t handle children. Elisabeth, though you may not remember it, you were in the system before. And you'll manage again."