CHAPTER 7: THE PRESENT MEETS THE PAST

Sally went inside their house to look around the furniture that they have. This place is entirely different from the things she had from the present. Sally felt like going to a different dimension. She admits that it's her first time to see a lot of things from the past. She thinks that most of the people from the present already threw different kinds of things in front of her. That's why she never saw any of it herself from 2020. It was just a cute console TV from 1952. Because she's a bit fond of antique things, she could identify it right away. Sally smiled as she got excited all of a sudden. She looked at it closely and it looked like a small brown box with a rectangular lens in front of it. There were also controllers that's simple to understand. She turned the knob for power and volume in one on the left part. While on the right part were the fine tuning and if you want to switch channels. She turned the TV on and it showed her a black and white screen where an ongoing game show is currently airing. Because of the monotonous tone of the game master and the suppressed enthusiasm that was shown by the contestants, Sally doesn't feel like continuing the show anymore. Gosh, shows were boring from a long time ago. It's only the enthusiasm of the audience that's keeping the game interesting. She instantly missed the colored Smart TV she had in her mansion from the future of 2020. When she turned the TV off, there was silence. It is too quiet that she could hear the chirping of the birds hopping along the branches of a nearby tree, the rustling sound of the wind. She knelt in front of the idiot box and sobbed again. She tried to pinch and even slap herself to confirm if she's only dreaming. Sadly, she's not. She could also see a transistor radio and some things that's from the past. The things were way too outdated that she didn't know how to even turn it on. She went outside again to look for the 1957 Aurora but it is nowhere in sight. She sat on one of the chairs as she covered her hands on her face. Can she still return to the present? No matter how she hurt herself, it is always in vain because she knew that she's not dreaming right now. When she remembered that her mom would be returning before lunch time, he got up and rushed towards the kitchen. She has to prepare their lunch before her mother will know that she's not doing anything again. She prepared meat stew with vegetables for lunch. Good thing her mom has some meat left in the cooler. "I'm home!" Her heart suddenly beat fast from the sound of her mom's voice. Good thing the meat stew with vegetables was cooked just in time before she arrived. "Mom, good thing you're here now." She saw Sally wiping her hands on her apron as she smiled sweetly at her. She couldn't help but to raise one of her eyebrows as she gazed at her from head to toe. She came towards her with a weary look. "Are you sure you cook this one?" Her mom put her hand on her waist as she tasted what she cooked for her a while ago. It's smoking hot and it is obvious that it is newly boiled. "Why, yes," She opened the casserole's lid and they could smell the freshly cooked meat with the aroma of the familiar combination of vegetables that made them both hungry in an instant. Her mom prepared the plates on the table as she got two bowls and placed the meat stew to both of it. Her mom sat in front of her right away. "This really tastes good. Where did you learn to cook this one? I know I haven't taught you to cook any meal?" She just looked at her without even blinking. Could she convince her that she really came from the future? Sally badly ever wanted to brag that she's the one who personally cooked for herself. It's a daily routine inside her mansion decades from now. However, could she ever prove it to her mom? She doesn't want her to say that she's getting crazy again. "How's your job, mom?" "Good. Mr. Anderson wanted me to go to his house after this lunch." She looked at her mom as she ate her part of the meat stew. Why is it that she had goosebumps when she mentioned Mr. Anderson all of a sudden? Sally tried her best to recall him but she couldn't remember some information about him. "Mr. Anderson?" She's also surprised of why she thought of him aloud that her mom put her spoon beside her bowl. "Sally...I hope you're not taking this very hard on your part. Mr. Anderson is a good man." Now, she's right. Most of his intuitions are correct, even in the future far from now. Sally just sighed as she met her mother's gaze. "What time are you going home?" Sally asked her dryly. She gave her an awkward smile as she got her a tiny mirror inside her pocket. She simply glanced at her reflection and smiled like an excited teenager to meet her date. "I don't know when exactly. It would be really late if he would drive me home at 8:00 P.M." "Just stick to the time that you promised me." She stood up as she gave her mother a backhug. "I know you will eventually understand everything." Her mother touched both of her hands that hugged her as she lifted her head to see her reaction. Sally just nodded and that made her mother smile more. They finished lunch and Sally just watched her mother select old but classy dresses. She never thought that she had those collections for herself. She also retouched her makeup and did her weird hairdo. Her red dyed hair is reaching her neck and it has a stiff fly-away hairstyle. "How do I look?" She slowly turned around as she wore the old rose sleeved dress with matching two inches heels. She also has a white hand mitten that's reaching her wrists. "Mom, are you sure you will work for Mr. Anderson? You are more likely to have a date somewhere rather than cleaning his house." "My dear, even if you're only a housekeeper, you have to have a good taste when it comes to fashion." She said as she flaunted her body even more, showing how it is to pose lady-like to other people. "Mom, I always believe that simplicity is beauty." "If you will show that, do you think you could marry a rich, young gentleman? Think, Sally! Think!" Sally looked at her mom and smirked. Here she goes again. If only her mother knew that she endured being single for almost all her life just to reach her ambition, she will never believe it herself. She realized that it is better to show your true self rather than pretend to be someone you're not.