Theorizing that one could time-travel within his own lifetime, Dr. Sam Beckett led an elite group of scientists into the desert to develop a top-secret project known as Quantum Leap.  Pressured to prove his theories or lose funding, Dr. Beckett prematurely stepped into the Project Accelerator…and vanished.

 

He awoke to find himself in the past, suffering from partial amnesia and facing a mirror image that was not his own.  Fortunately, contact with his own time was maintained through brainwave transmissions with Al, the Project Observer, who appeared in the form of a hologram that only Dr. Beckett can see and hear.

 

As evil and neutral forces alike do their best to stop Dr. Beckett’s journey, his children, Dr. Samantha Josephine Fulton and Stephen Beckett, continuously strive to retrieve their time-lost father and bring him home permanently.  Despite returning home several times over the last decade, Dr. Beckett has remained lost in the time stream…his final fate no longer certain.

 

Trapped in the past and driven by an unknown force, Dr. Beckett struggles to accept his destiny as he continues to find himself leaping from life to life, putting things right that once went wrong with the hopes that his next leap…will be the final leap home.

PROLOGUE

White light filled Sam Beckett’s eyes, static crackled in his ears and quantum particles danced along every nerve in his body as he replaced another quantum leaping host. Through the darkness Sam strained to see as his flashbulb blindness from the quantum light began to subside. The leather of the car seat felt warm as opposed to the cold metal of the dashboard and the cool breeze across his neck due to the open controvertible roof of the late 1950’s automobile. To his left was a young man with long blond hair wearing a varsity jacket that was finishing up a high school football story. Sam listened contently since for once he had not leaped into the middle of a two-way conversation. Next to Sam was a small white purse. In the side mirror Sam saw a young pretty, high school girl dressed in a white sweater wearing pearls around her neck and a white sweater. Overhead the moon shown bright through a few white fluffy clouds as Cassiopeia winked to him from above.

As his companion finished his story making him the big football hero, he reached up and yawned stretching out his incredibly long right arm settling behind Sam’s shoulders. In the dim moonlight Sam could make out other cars parked on a bluff overlooking the dark landscape below. No one in any of the nearby cars appeared to be admiring the stellar display above.

Sam put all the evidence of his eyes and ears together and came to a startling conclusion. ‘I’m up at Make-Out Point!’ Sam thought as he panicked and sat up straight and stiff, while straightening out his light blue skirt. His date must have sensed something because he removed his arm. Sam relaxed his shoulders, but didn’t move from his spot.

“Something wrong, Annie?” the driver asked in a squeaky Southern drawl.

Sam searched his scrambled mind for an appropriate female response, but all he could do was shrug his shoulders smiling sheepishly.

Beating his fist on the dashboard, Sam’s date cried out, “It’s that Susan Preston, isn’t it? I talld you she was just coming on to me. Yare the one I want to be with Annie. She’s just too... Too wild for me. Too forward. Yare a lot more. I don’t know how to say it. You’re so much more a girl. Sweet and feminine. ”

Sam looked up to the sky with an ironic smile. “I wouldn’t bet on that,” he remarked quietly. Pretending to be a female was not impossible except when it called to be in these most female of situations.

Putting his head down on the steering wheel he looked at Sam with a look of utter confusion, “I thought you really liked me. Darn it. Did our signals get crossed or wot, Annie?”

Without the benefit of who this frustrated teenager was and whether this couple was on the upswing or downswing in their relationship, Sam replied, “No, I’m just not feeling good, right now. You’re still the gentleman. I’m just tired, I guess.” Sam patted him on the shoulder and then quickly withdrew his hand as his date reached for it. Being of the male gender was very inconvenient in this type of social situation. Sam much preferred the more domestic scenarios when it came time for him to wear skirts.

“Do ya want me to tike you home?” he asked with a hound dog look on his face.

“That just might be a good idea,” Sam said patting him on the shoulder.

The jock quickly reacted to Sam’s touch and gave Sam a kiss as Sam uttered quietly. “Oh Boy!”

PART ONE

Project Quantum Leap Headquarters

Stallion’s Gate, New Mexico

November 23, 2006

In a bright blue room sat a dazed young lady in a white Fermi suit staring off into the distance weaving from side to side. Her eyes darted from right to left and back again as her forehead kept going up and down as one thought after another crossed her mind, was crossed out and then jumped started with another random thought. The girl was at a loss to place the place she was and to even place herself. Lost in the scrambled eggs of her memory she let out a scream until she heard a kind voice behind her.

“Please keep calm. You may be confused, but you are definitely safe I assure you,” the reassuring voice said. The girl turned around and saw a tall middle-aged black woman in a blue tailored suit holding a clipboard.

The girl just shook her head, held out her hand reaching for Dr. Verbena Beeks and then cradled her face in her hands and burst into tears.

“I know how confusing things must be, but we will take care of you,” Verbena said placing a gentle hand on the top of her head.

Choking back her tears, she replied in a sweet Southern voice. “I... I don’t know whar I am.  I can’t remember coming here. I was with my date and...”

“Good. What is the last thing you remember, my dear?” she asked looking down at her clipboard.

The girl furled her brow. “John or Jim or Jack or Jessie. I can’t seem to focus on his name. We war on a date and that’s aw I can remember,” she said a bit calmer.

Verbena nodded and took down another note. “Fine. Where was that?”

She looked up a little brighter than before. “Up at Franklin Point.  Near my home in Montgomery, Alabama.”

Verbena looked up with a little smile. “Fine. Do you remember the date?”

She thought for a minute. “UM. The thirteenth. No. Wait. The fourteenth. I’m sure of it. It’s the fourteenth!”

 Verbena clutched her clipboard. “Do you remember the month and year?”

The girl looked up suspiciously at Verbena. “And I thought I had memory problems! February 1970. Whar is this place?”

Verbena looked up as something pinged her own memory and then went back to the interview. “In a minute. Your name and your parents’ names.”

“Am I in trouble, Miss?” she asked going as her expression changed from suspicion to worry.

“No, but you will have to cooperate so we can help you,” she said with authority. 

“Desire Ann Cumberland. My parents are Arthur and Judy Cumberland. He’s a television repairman. Wh-whar am I?” she asked in a slightly higher key.

Again something pinged in Verbena’s memory. Verbena looked a little less sure of herself as she changed the question. “My goodness! Do you live in a yellow cape cod over on Dumont Street in the 400 block?”

“Yes!” she replied nodding.

Verbena sounding more amazed kept up the biographical questions. “And your friends call you Annie because of your curly read hair. You have a big golden retriever named Mickey. And one of your brothers is named Walter, though he goes by Hondo. And your best friend is Sasha Washington.”

Annie’s head looked like a bobble-head as she agreed with every statement Bena made. “Do I know you?” she asked scratching her head. “Ah don’t remember you being any of my Mama’s Negro friends.”

“At one time, Annie, if I can call you that, we knew each other very well. As to your questions as to this place, this is a government project that brought you here for a brief stay. If everything goes right you’ll be back home soon. Part of the process has muddled your memory, but it’s not permanent. You don’t seem to be having any of our usual problems; however, I’d like to give you a brief medical exam. Do you have any questions?” she asked.

“Oh, about a ca-jillion,” she snapped back with a crooked smile on her face.

Verbena sighed. “Well, I have to go and check on something and I will return shortly, Annie. We can have a nice long talk when I get back.  Are you going to be OK?”

“Oh I guess. Can you turn the heat up in here?” she asked holding her sides and shivering.

“I think that can be arranged,” Verbena said tapping the control next to the door. “I’ll be back shortly,” she said heading into the control room.

Donna looked up from her console. “How’s the patient?”

Verbena took a deep breath. “Fine. Confused as usual, but not overly emotional or panicked. Does Ziggy have a positive lock on Sam now?”

Donna nodded in the affirmative. “Yes. A Southside address in Montgomery Alabama. He is a sixteen-year-old girl named Desire Ann Cumberland. 433 Dumont Street. No scenarios yet from Ziggy, but the girl is still alive. Not married and an author of children’s books living in Atlanta.”

“She always was writing up a storm,” Verbena said quietly under her breath.

Sammy Jo heard her, turned around and asked, “Something familiar about her?”

Verbena looked surprised not realizing she had spoken out loud. “Yes. She was my cousin’s best friend. What’s the date?”

Ziggy broke in. “February 14, 1970. Happy Valentine’s Day, Doctor Beeks.”

“My goodness. That means I’m not very far from there,” she said uncharacteristically cocking her head to one side.

Ziggy efficiently replied. “True, Doctor. You are currently residing at the home of Gerald and Agnes Washington. 2034 West 23rd Street, Montgomery, Alabama.”

Bena took a deep breath and started to reminisce. “It was not long after my sixteen birthday. I had been spending some time with my cousin. She was like a twin sister to me,” she said not usually being so personal. Verbena had a lot of friends at the project, but almost never let down her guard. “That was a very bad winter for my cousin and her friends.”

PART TWO

Montgomery, Alabama

February 14, 1970

“Look, Annie darling. Aw don’t know what ha-penned. Aw still had a gud time,” he said leaning toward Sam. Anticipation was written all over his face.

Sam felt very uncomfortable as his date’s face came nearer and nearer. “I had a good time too,” Sam said very cautiously.

His date broke into a quick smile and then puckered up. Fear crept up Sam’s spine as he leaned back and gave him his hand.

A forced smile hit Sam’s lips as he grabbed his date’s hand pumping it vigorously. “Good night!”

Looking confused and disappointed, he stared at the strong grip he was getting from his demure date. “Well, night Annie, darlin’. Can I see you again?”

Sam wondered how did his host Annie want him to reply.

Changes in these types of social situations can have a great impact on future events. Romantic encounters can lead to marriage and the birth of children who may and may not supposed to exist.

“May-be. I will have to think about it,” replied Sam without any commitment hoping that Al could help him later.

Sounding even less sure of himself, her date tried to regroup himself with, “I’ll call ya darlin’. OK?”

“Sure. No problem,” replied Sam as her date walked around, opened the door and walked Sam to the door with Al now trailing behind them. Her date waved, jumped his the car and left leaving a patch of rubber on the street in front of them.

Al walked up to Sam looking at Sam’s ensemble with a bit of amusement and then surveyed the front yard.  “No light on. No one peeking through the shades. What kind of parents are these? Beth and I used to sit up worried sick before one of my beauties got home from their dates,” complained Al depositing some ash on the parent’s front porch.

“And since they were YOUR girls, they must have been pretty friendly with the guys,” said Sam quietly.

Al snapped around after admiring a ’69 Camero drive by, “Hey, I raised good girls. Well, Beth did most of the discipline and all the female stuff. Though it might have been interesting if I had a son. Now there’s someone that would have a way with the ladies and given his old man a heart attack, but then at least he would have had an old man. Lucky son of a bitch,” thought Al quietly puffing away on his Corona Special.

While Sam fiddled with the keys in his purse, the front door was opened by an older version of the young lady residing in the Waiting Room. 

“Have a nice time, sugar?” asked the sweetest Southern voice this side of Jeff Davis’ candy works.

Sam wandered in the door. “Fine, just fine,” replied Sam putting away his keys and getting a small peek on the cheek from “his” mother.

Mother Cumberland closed the door and looked worried at her daughter. “My aren’t you the quiet one. You’re usually bubbling like Mama Cassidy’s giblet gravy. Did something happen tonight, sweetie pie?”

Sam winced and replied, “No, Mother.” Still getting used to the leap, Sam looked over at Al who shook his head and shrugged.

“Was that Cummings’ boy a gentleman?  You can tell me, darlin’,” she said taking Sam’s shoulders and looking deep in Sam’s bloodshot eyes.

Sam decided to wing it. “I can assure you he was as much of a gentleman as I was... Let me put it another way, Mother. You can keep your faith in me and I will be a good… girl,” Sam replied letting out that last word with a funny breath. “I think I better get to bed. I’m tired and tomorrow is another day.”

Now, Al was wincing.

“Sure, sugar. Good night, darlin’,” she said giving Sam another little peck on the cheek. “Sweet dreams, precious!”

Sam smiled and climbed the stairs taking the first right into the room marked “Annie’s Place.” Sitting down on the bed Sam dropped his purse onto the floor spilling the contents. While picking them up, Sam looked around the fairly nondescript girl’s room that had no major theme, nor was it a teenage shrine to some seventies celebrity. The main color was light green and most of the furniture looked like secondhand castoffs. Sam put the purse on the desk next to an electric typewriter and fell back on the soft bed.

“Why must some mother’s treat their daughter’s like their some fragile curio sitting the china closet?” Sam asked Al.

“Who knows? Some mothers are just very protective with their daughters. Maybe it’s the southern culture. Maybe Annie’s just in a very old fashioned family. It’s hard to say Sam,” explained Al.

Sam threw up his hands looking even more frustrated. “Al, what is going on here? That is one of the most embarrassing situations I ever leaped into. That boy...” sputtered Sam.

Al looked at his handlink “Um... Jesse Stuart Cummings. Second string forward for the Jackson High Rebels.”

Sam thought for a moment. “Right. He wanted to do something that I found pretty embarrassing,” exclaimed Sam looking just a bit reddish.

Al put his cigar back in his mouth and started playing “Ping-pong” with his handlink. “Then I don’t think you want to be reminded of your actions in some of your previous leaps. Now back to basics. You are Miss Desire Ann Cumberland—sixteen years old. The place is on the outskirts of Montgomery, Alabama on Valentine’s Day in 1970. She grows up with no major problems. Well, nothing we can fix here and now. She is a little agoraphobic. Not a social butterfly. Nothing disastrous though. Ziggy hasn’t come up with a scenario yet, but she’s working on it. That and a grand master’s chess tourney.”

Sam looked over at Al cross-eyed. He never knew when Al was pulling his leg about their computerized friend with the synthesized human personality.

Al’s eyes lit up. “It’s true. The head of our programming division entered Ziggy in the government computer chess tournament and she has a match with the Colossus Unit in the Department of Defense on Tuesday. I’m not much into chess, but Steven is like his mother,” remarked Al who wished he wasn’t rambling.

“Steven?” asked Sam.

“Oh, the kid of one of our quantum theorists,” Al replied not trying to burden Sam at the moment. “They both love the game here and at the project as do you. I suggest you hit the hay and we’ll hopefully have all the answers you need before the biscuits and gravy are cold in the morning.”

Sam gave Al another dirty look, as Al was about to disappear when the white princess phone on her night table rang. Sam picked up the receiver.

“Hey, Anz,” somebody called out through the crackling telephone line.

Sam replied. “Hi, there!”

Al clued Sam in. “Um, Sasha Washington. Your best friend, Sam. Think Tony Randall, but in bobby socks.”

“So how’d it go? Give me all the disgusting details, Anz,” she said enthusiastically.

Sam who had no idea how the date started replied, “Oh, same old same old.”

“Anz, is that you?” she asked looking at the phone.

“Yep, Sasha. It’s me. Nothing really happened. We got home early,” admitted Sam.

“Come on, Anz. You’ve been raving about him since last Tuesday. He turned you on more than even Walter Roberts. Did he or didn’t he get beyond second base?” asked Sasha.

“No! I just wasn’t feeling well, you know,” said Sam quietly. He hoped she would read the obvious.

“Ohh. Bummer. I guess you MUST need to get some rest then,” she said gently.

“Right!!” snapped back Sam.

Sasha quickly backed off not getting the thrill she was expecting. “Don’t forget to come over to my house after school Monday. Then we can head for the mall. I really need to pick up something for the Winter Dance.”

“Sure,” replied Sam. “I’ll see you on Monday.”

“Right on. Night, Anz,” she replied hanging up wondering why the sudden change in her friend’s personality.

“A word to the wise. You better keep on her good side or the host gig is up. Get some sleep. We’ll continue this while you’re trying on the dresses,” snickered Al as he disappeared into that white rectangle. The Imaging Chamber door snapped shut before Sam could wish Al good night.

He threw himself down on the bed skirts flying hoping that this venture into femininity would be over very soon.

PART THREE

Project Quantum Leap Headquarters

Stallion’s Gate, New Mexico

November 23, 2006

Al walked swiftly down the hall to the control room while whistling some long lost tune that was one of his daughter’s favorites as an early teen. Verbena met him at the control room door looking uncharacteristically worried.

“Anything to report?” asked Al tossing out his cigar butt.

Verbena paused a moment. The Admiral wondered why his project psychiatrist was for once at a loss for words.

“Admiral,” she began nervously. She first smiled, then frowned and finally leaned very close to him. “Al. Ziggy has nothing new, but I do have to report something of a personal nature.”

“OK. What’s up, Doc?” asked Al paying close attention hoping she was not sick or worse planning on leaving them.

Verbena looked down and then looked straight into Al’s eyes. “The day after tomorrow when Sam visits the Washington residence you’ll find me there.”

“You mean you’ll be backing us up as usual?” asked Al not quite catching Verbena’s meaning.

She shook her head. “No, Admiral. You’ll find me at the Washington residence. That’s the home of my aunt and uncle. The winter of 1970 I was visiting them. The girl in the Waiting Room is my cousin’s best friend.”

“OK, that shouldn’t be a problem,” replied Al. “We’ve run into our former selves countless times before in leaps. I can alert Sam to steer clear of you.”

Verbena took Al’s hands. “That’s not what I meant. Don’t let Sam know it’s me.”

Al’s voice lowered. “If he remembers you at all. Our control room staff may figure it out, but I think we can keep Sam in the dark. You don’t want any inadvertent stomping on your lifeline? We can handle that, Verbena,” said Al reassuringly.

Verbena smiled for an instant and then looked down at her feet. “There’s something else. I was staying with them because I had been having some trouble back at home. My parents had sent me to live with my mother’s sister for a few months,” she said in an unusually quiet demeanor.

Al lit up a new Corona Special and looked slightly amused. “You in trouble? Dr. Beeks you are the most straight-laced member of the entire project staff.”

“Now, but back in my teen years I was running around with a rougher crowd. My parents were very conservative. I was pregnant in the winter of 70-71.”

Al dropped his cigar. “You mean with...”

Bena gave Al just a very faint head nod. “Just what you think Admiral. It’s very hard even after all these years to admit I gave up my twins. They were only children I ever had. The one time I went too far with the wrong guy I found myself in a family way. He didn’t really want me so my parents sent me from Chicago to Alabama. In April, I had my twins and gave them up for adoption. So as you can see I would like to keep this a secret from everyone, if that’s possible.”

“Well. I’ll not bring it up the subject, but someone may figure it out. Sam’s leaps are public knowledge at least around the old control room staff. I’m sorry that the memory is still so painful, Bena. If YOU ever want to talk about it, for once you can come to ME! Or Beth if that would be better,” suggested Al pointing toward the project quarters that was up two levels.

“I can put it in the back of my mind most of the time. It will not affect my performance, Al,” admitted Verbena.

“Sure. I’ll at least steer Sam away from you. The effect at the Project is just up to fate. And we have a lot of that around here,” the Admiral said with a slight look up.

Returning to her reserved nature she pulled down her immaculately tailored jacket and replied to Al, “Thank you very much, Admiral. Good night.”

“The same to you, Doctor Beeks,” replied Al as he walked into the control room with a very different view of his friend.

Montgomery, Alabama

February 16, 1970

After school Monday morning, Sam walked into the local Montgomery County Mall. Tall and stately matching the fresh new magnolias planted around the exterior; the complex was a salute to the antebellum south wrapped in the youth generation that grew out of the rebellious Sixties. People of all ages, sizes and colors came to meet and shop in the latest trendy shops offering the Southern Lifestyle that mainly catered to the young. And into the mall walked three of them. Well, two if you discounted the disguised middle-aged Doctor Samuel Beckett.

Sasha Washington, sixteen, second best athlete on the high school swim team, astrology and astronomy enthusiast, Aretha Franklin lover and often found on the arm of Francis J. Brown, the second string quarterback and star pitcher of Jackson High.

Kathy Lisa Easton, fifteen, field hockey and piano player extraordinaire. Less outgoing than her friends, but still loved to hang with them unless she’s in front of the TV dreaming of David Cassidy. Currently she is mooning over fellow student Malcolm Randolph Quentin Trent the III.

Desire Ann Cumberland, sixteen, sweetest girl in upper Montgomery County though currently secretly a quantum leaping scientist. She liked dressing up, dances, her friends, ballet, writing, singing in her church choir and playing tennis. She currently didn’t have a steady beau.

Visiting their third dress shop, Sam tried to keep his eyes lowered, but still be enthusiastic about all those things twentieth century girls get excited about. Mainly boys and clothes. The Winter Formal Dance was in two weeks and for some reason none of these three girls yet had anything to wear. From Sam’s previous leaping experience he found that girls and shopping was more of a social function rather than an efficient means of getting the job done. When Sam was growing up he’d usually knew what he wanted, made sure that it fit and was out of the store in the manner of minutes. These girls had been shopping all afternoon and still had not purchased a single dress.  Exiting the dressing room in a low cut yellow dress with a long smooth satin skirt Sam waltzed out with a sour expression on his face after three hours of playing dress up with Annie’s two friends.

Sasha looked at the dress and then saw Sam’s dour expression. “Why the long look, Anz? That is the most becoming gown you had on yet! It really shows off what you have!”

Sam twirled around once, and then looked down. “It hangs kinda straight.”

“Sweetie, you will look simply fabulous! What’ll you think, Kath?” she asked their shopping companion.

“It’s OK. I like dresses that cover a bit more,” Kathy said quietly still admiring the silkiness of the material.

Sam bit his lip and nodded his head in agreement. “I’ll by that!”

Sasha swung around pointing directly at Sam. “Now you’re talking, sugar! It’ll look great on you,” Sasha said enthusiastically.

Sam waved his arms in front of him. “No, no, no! I mean I agree with Kathy. I’d like something that had more to it,” said Sam pointing to the missing portion of the dress.

”Sugar, if you want to get it, then you’ll have to show it. We’ll find something you’ll sizzle in, Anz!” she said.

Sam looked a bit more uncomfortable at the thought of becoming a boy magnet while Al walked from the dressing room area motioning for Sam to join him. Sam excused himself and headed back to his little cubbyhole.  In the dressing room Sam sat down in an unfeminine fashion and saw his reflection in the mirror doing the same.

Al spoke as if speaking to one of his grandchildren. “Sit up straight. Close your legs there, Sam. You sure look cute. I haven’t seen you this Scarlet O’Hara-ish since you were in the Miss Deep South contest. With the right coach you could take that Annie Cumberland all the way,” exclaimed Al as he turned and peeked over the adjoining partition.

Sam sighed and then screamed “Al!”

Al looked back without a blush and then replied. “What do you expect from me, Sam? This is not the men’s locker-room! And being a hologram has quite a few nice advantages. Besides, I am an OBSERVER! And I LOVE what I am observing!”

“For me, Al. You’re my observer!” yelled Sam as he stood up and blocked Al’s view.

“That is correct. But I will also point out that I am here to watch the lay of the land, report on things around here, give you an extra set of eyes and generally watch your back. And some of those backs I might add are definitely worth watching! That one redhead in the blue velvet...” said Al coyly pointing to the dressing room across from Sam.

”AL!” screamed Sam. “I’m sorry, but I’m a bit tired...”

”Shopping? Just a standard function of being an eligible bachelorette. One time with Julianna, my daughter to you with the Swiss cheese brain, took six hours to find her prom dress. Just when we were about to pull out the old plastic, she has us back in the first shop buying her the first thing she ever tried on. Hey, it’s all part of being a lady and keeping themselves ‘looking-good’ for the men in their lives. And believe me from one veteran looker’s looker it’s well worth looking, Sam!” exclaimed Al as he pulled out his handlink.

“I don’t want to know what you do on your free time wandering around the Imaging Chamber. Just tell me if Ziggy has anything for me,” inquired Sam trying to undo the most stubborn zipper he had ever come across.

“I’ve been avoiding that, as you can see,” said Al a little quieter. “It seems that Annie’s friend Kathy Easton is found dead floating in Woodruff Lake Wednesday night after she disappears. 

Sam gulped. “Was she killed?”

Al looked down sadly at his handlink. “The coroner’s report was inconclusive, but it was probably suicide off one of the cross-street bridges not far upstream. Though very quiet, she didn’t have any symptoms of depression. No known mental, biological or social problems. Just a little shy. It kind of shakes up the high school for the rest of the year. Her mother ends up in the Whitehall Creek Sanitarium for depression for almost eighteen months. She never really recovers,” explained Al quietly. “What a waste of a human life!”

“Is there any family history of mental illness?” asked Doctor Sam Beckett.

“Nope. Her mother’s problem is traced to losing her daughter, so if you can save Kathy, then her mother will also benefit according to our favorite project computer!” said Al going back to his cigar. “My best guess is to stick to Kathy like there’s no tomorrow,” said Al waving around his cigar, “Which for Kathy, there ain’t!”

Sam was about to question Al when a knock came on the partition wall.

“Hey, Anz? Are you making out with somebody in there?” asked Sasha coyly.

“NO!” screamed an embarrassed Sam.  “I AM alone. Come on in, Sash.”

Sasha tiptoed in looking for someone hiding in the corner. “Then whom are you talking to? You are too old for imaginary friends, Anz. People will start thinking you’re tripping out on something. Let me help you out of that,” replied Sasha as she undid the troublesome zipper.

“Sorry, just acting something out. I’ve got lots of things to think about,” said Sam trying to cover for Al’s visit.

“Then I suggest you just THINK about them or you could end up in Whitehall Creek, Anz. There! You wanta go hit Dawn’s Gowns?” she asked indicating the shop next door. “I hear they just received a new shipment.”

Sam shook his head no. “I’ve had enough. How about some ice cream?”

Sasha’s eyes lit up at the mention of her favorite food. “Sounds good to me. I’ll go get...”

“Yea, Kathy. Do you know of anything that’s bothering her right now?” asked Sam.

“Nope. Quiet as a mouse as always,” replied Sasha.

Sam turned up one side of his mouth thinking. “Anything between about Kathy and this Malcolm Trent guy?” asked Sam.

Sasha put her hands on her hips and looked at Sam a bit cross-eyed. “Just the whole universe, Anz. Quite one sided, I’m afraid.  She only talks about him thirty-five hours a day, silly. Don’t you pay attention, sugar? She keeps comparing him to Bobby Sherman, though I don’t see what you white girls see in him. Come on and let’s get some of that ice cream! I am a bit parched!”

As the three girls giggled running into Sasha’s house, (Sam more chuckled) Sasha hung up the dress she had purchased and motioned for them to sit on the living room floor.  Sam sat down with some difficulty sitting cross-legged while Sasha brought in a pile of teen magazines to go through.

“Anz, we are going to find you that dress yet, sugar,” she said as Sam heard a groaning behind him. Looking around a sixteen-year-old girl in the very late stages of pregnancy came waddling in. She seemed happy to see the girls though this disgruntled look never left her face. She passed them and then lay down on the couch with her feet propped up on the armrest.

Al looked at Sam who reluctantly replied, “That’s Sasha’s cousin who is staying with them until after the blessed event. Ziggy doesn’t think she has anything to do with your leap, Sam.”

“How are you feeling, BB?” asked Kathy quietly.

BB wiped the sweat off her forehead in the unair-conditioned house. “Man, too tired for words!  These kids are dancing up a storm in there and my kidneys feel like they're the dance floor,” she said slightly smiling and then holding her left side with a minor twinge of pain.

“Wow! I can’t wait to have a kid someday,” said Kathy going over and feeling the movement in her belly.

BB shook her head. “Take your time, sweetie. This is not something you want to do until you are ready and have the support of a husband. It is not fun doing this alone!”

“And who am I, BB dear?” broke in Sasha looking peeved though touched with quite a bit of love.

BB looked over, smiled and reached out for her. “I know, Sasha. I’ll never forget your help. You’re my cousin and my best friend in the whole wide world.  A world that closes up real fast when you have little mouths to feed,” she sighed.

“How much longer?” asked Sam.

“Lord, two whole months, but I already look like I’m a already an overripe watermelon. When I’m walking to the right, they want to go to the left. And as soon as I lie down and get partially comfortable, my whole stomach shifts somewhere else.  See that, Annie? Never a moment’s peace,” she sighed trying to find another comfortable position.

Kathy looked at BB’s stomach. Something below the surface crossed the top of her stomach and then moved down the left side followed by a whole jello-shaking motion. “Did you see that?” she exclaimed excitedly.

“Look at those kids go,” exclaimed Sasha jumping up to feel the babies herself.

BB nodded in the affirmative. “Yep. More like felt it. These babies are going to be wrestlers or football players or maybe even Olympic gymnasts,” winced BB.

“Wow, that’s so incredible inside you!” Kathy said in awe. “Some new little person inside of you! Someone totally dependent on you! Someone who will always love you!”

BB shook her head again. “Kathy, don’t romanticize this here experience. Believe me you DON’T want to rush this. I’m going through it, but then I’m going to let some other family raise them. I just can’t take care of these little ones. At least not home in Chicago. My parents would never have a daughter with two illegitimate children,” said BB looking off into the distance. “Besides I have other plans for the rest of my life.”

Kathy slid off the couch and onto the rug looking dreamy. “Oh, someday. First I do want to find the right guy,” sighed Kathy. “Somewhere! Someday!”

Sam agreed with her though tried to steer her down a better path. “You know, you should learn to be your own person first, Kathy. There’s a world of opportunities out there for any girl.”

Sasha looked surprised. “Damn girl. Has woman’s lib hit the Cumberland household?”

Sam shrugged as Kathy looked dreamily out the window. “I know what Annie is saying, but I also respect my mother and I want to be like her and be taken care of...”

“Taken care of? What century you from?” asked BB as her belly was hit by another kid-quake.

Sasha broke in. “Everyone does their own thing, sister. And Kaz can do hers. Just don’t get lost out there, girl. I still want to see you make something of yourself. I KNOW you can do that, sugar! Now snap on the TV, I think Steve McQueen’s in da afternoon movie!”

PART FOUR

Project Quantum Leap Headquarters

Stallion’s Gate, New Mexico

November 25, 2006

In the Waiting Room sat Annie busily writing to her heart’s delight. Sheets and sheets of paper were piled next to her as she kept her pen going at express train speed. Her head cocked from side to side as she furiously wrote finishing one page after another. Her concentration was deep as she first furled her brow, and then seemed to frown or looked melancholy followed by a smile of happiness reacting to her story. Her hand flowed across the page going from one page to the next.

Verbena watched from the door at the output of her friend from long ago. She walked toward her as Annie looked up suddenly putting her hand on her chest. 

“Oh my. So it’s you, Doctor. MY did you give me a start! And how is every little thing wit you?” she chirped in.

“Fine, thank you! You’re my patient, and I’m supposed to be checking up on you!” Bena said with an inner grin.

“Well, you know I’m doin’ pretty good. Never had so much tame on my hands. So I’m just writing here, you see. I have this series of staries about someone’s little country cousin visiting the big city. Written dozens of them, but I can’t for the life of me remember whar I was last. So here it goes a new story,” she said pointing to the finished pile of papers.

“Can I see it?” asked Bena.

“Sare, when I’m done. Shouldn’t be more than ‘nother couple of hours. My, this is a tranquil place. I must remember to pint my room such a pleasing color,” rattled on Annie. “This is the most pleasin’ place I’ve aver been in. Kinda like doin that yogi stuff that John, Paul, George and Ringo are into,” she said crossing her arms and legs in the lotus position.

Bena covered her mouth to hide laughing at Annie. “A substitute for yogi? We’ve never had such an endorsement for the Waiting Room before. That must be a first. I will have to tell the Admiral Calavicci...”

Annie chirped in again. “Al? Oh, he is such a darlin’ man. We were getting along so well until I told him how much he reminded me of ma great uncle Jaike, God rest his soul. But Al is SO funny. Especially with that little TV controller of his. Never saw one with so many lights and buttons. Anyway, he got me all of this paper, this funny little pen and anything I wanted to eat. My. My. What a dear man,” she said gushing on and on.

Verbena looked on as a smile came to her face. “Yes, he does like to please the ladies. Looks like you’re doing fine. Nothing seems to disturb you, Annie.”

She put down her pen and then turned down her lower lip. ”Well, one thin. That reflection! Mine I don’t thank it’s a bad reflection. A fine handsome man, like my papa. But I just can’t get used to him lookin' back at me. Then I look at ma hand and its looks at his hand. But there it ain’t...”

Verbena responded, “Didn’t Al explain it?”

“Yes ma’am, he did. But that’s still one of the funniest things he says,” she said. “Going through time. Replacing images. All that weird science fiction stuff. It’ll never happen. I like what I can see. I like to write about what I know.”

“Very sensible, Annie,” replied Verbena tapping her pencil on her clipboard.

“Thank you kindly,” Annie chirped back.

“Keep up the writing. My sources tell me you’ll make quite an author. This experience may even help you out,” said Verbena.

In her possession was Annie’s third novel called “The Great Blue Room.” A story about an abused young girl who finds tranquility within her mind in a mental ‘great blue room.’ And Verbena’s copy is inscribed “To a good friend who taught me about the human mind and human heart. My inspiration. Annie Cumberland.”

Montgomery, Alabama

February 17, 1970

After school Sam was back at Annie’s house working with Sasha on their respective homework. Though geared more towards a liberal arts curriculum, Annie had also been taking a basic chemistry course that had performed a sodium nitrate filtration experiment during that day’s lab period. Sam laid all his data before him and was quickly writing up the lab report in the style of any post-doctorate scientist. Working on his fifth page, Sasha just threw down her pencil in amazement.

“Where you getting all that from, sugar?” she asked looking slightly cross-eyed. “I’ve got one page of hen scratch that just MAY get me a D. Why are you doing this Dr. Jekyll thing? You hate chemistry and only took this course because your Daddy insisted!”

Sam looked down at his lab report and then over at Sasha’s example. “Too much huh? I guess I get lost in myself sometimes. I’ll drop all the corollaries and reference notes though it sure was fun getting back to science though. I’ve been away from it for soooo long, Sash!” explained Sam sounding proud of his work.

Sasha wriggled up her nose. “Away? What does a future romance novelist need to know about covalent bonding?” she asked as Sam started crossing out whole sections.

Sam looked for an answer and then relied on his instincts, again. “Well, you never know when it might come in handy. Maybe a book involving doctors and medicine. Or scientists that makes chemical concoctions or even travel through time!”

Sasha was now laughing out loud. “Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! You’re putting me on, aren’t you? I don’t know where you come up with these hair brained ideas sometimes!” she chuckled.

“Yea, I guess I was over doing it. Nothing like a good laugh,” chuckled Sam as Al came running through the dining room wall waving his arms in the air.

“Sam, you have got to go. Kathy just had a big ruckus with her ‘not-so-significant’ other and she’s probably heading for the bridge. Right now she’s crying buckets in a nearby park, but Ziggy says that she’s going to get there shortly and...” reported Al frantically.

Sam looked intently toward Al. “And Ziggy?”

Sasha looked in the same direction as Sam not knowing she was directly eyeing the invisible Al. “Ziggy? Who’s Ziggy, Anz? Sounds like someone from a bad Russian spy novel!”

Al nervously stared at Sasha since he was not used to being looked at directly at by Sam’s charges. “Well, she’s not running completely on par. She lost the chess tourney. Sammy Jo thinks she’s sulking. That’s not good for her over-inflated ego.”

Sam picked up her books in a messy pile and exclaimed, “I have to go, Sash!”

Sasha screwed up her face not understanding the unusual behavior of her normally demure friend. “Where?”

Al threw out his usual advice and commentary, “Sam, don’t tell her anything!”

For once Sam ignored Al’s suggestion. “Kathy is in trouble. BIG trouble.”

“How’d you know that? No one called you, Anz,” she asked getting to her feet.

Sam took two steps from the table. “Welllllll! It’s sort of a call,” said Sam hesitantly.

Sasha grabbed her purse. “I didn’t hear any phone or radio or anything, Anz. Did you get a message like straight into your head? You got ESP, sugar?” Sasha asked with the most perplexed look across her face. 

Sam had run out of responses and time and said quickly, “Yea, Extra Salavicic Perception!”

Al cringed at another use of his name sprinkled throughout the timeline of history.

“I don’t really know what to think, but if you say Kaz is in trouble I’m with you, honey,” said Sasha as they both ran out he door and hailed a passing cab.

Some big black birds circled over the old concrete bridge that crossed Woodruff Lake on the north side of Montgomery. Behind the tall black metallic streetlamp, a speck of bright blue material peeked from around the old dirty giant in an otherwise dull dirty landscape. One car after another shot by in a never-ending late afternoon rush hour. A yellow cab pulled up on the side of the road causing traffic behind it to a stop or pull around them. Al Calavicci unseen to anyone but Sam stood on the curb motioning toward the old streetlamp.

Fumbling with the last of her babysitting money Sasha paid off the cabbie that was complaining about all the traffic. He wasn’t going to wait for them and drove away yelling that the two girls were crazy stopping in traffic in the middle of a bridge. Sam bolted from the cab running over to Al.

“Kathy!” he cried out and found her practically glued to the streetlamp. Her hair was a mess and her face was stained with makeup. Her school clothes were dirty from running through the park and clinging to the blackened light pole. She looked up in fright as she saw her friends. Fear filled her eyes as she dropped her purse and then climbed up onto the railing. Her breathing stopped momentarily as she watched the churning water in the lake forty feet below her.

“Stop!” she cried.  “Stop there or I am jumping, Annie!” she shouted holding her hand out toward Sam.

Sam quickly stopped in his tracks. “OK, Kathy. I’m staying where I am!”

Sasha ran up behind him as Sam held her in place. “Kaz. Come down from there, please!” she called out. “Man, you were right as rain Anz!” she whispered to Sam.

“Go away. Leave me be!” called out Kathy in tears almost losing her balance perched on the railing.

“OK. I’ll take one step back,” said Sam. “Now I took one step back. Now you do the same. Take one step toward me. Climb off the fence.”

Sasha reached out toward her begging for Kathy to listen. “Come on, sweetie. Do as Anz said. Just step down. And come over here and be with us.”

She shook her head no. “You both go away! Leave me alone!”

“No, she doesn’t have to come over here, Sasha. But if we’ll take another step back, then if she takes one step away from the fence. Just one step, Kathy. Please!” pleaded Sam beckoning to her with an outstretched hand.

“What?” asked Sasha looking confused at Sam.

“One thing at a time, Sash. Come on, Kathy! Please! Please!” said Sam.

“Good, Sam. Good. You can tell that she’s at least thinking about it,” remarked Al.

Kathy twirled her hair, looked down at the water, up to the sky, down to her feet and then decided to step down from the fence. “Oh, all right,” said Kathy. “That still doesn’t change my mind!”

Sam let out a big sigh of relief. “Good. Now we can talk. I promise we won’t come toward you. Just let’s talk. All of us,” said Sam pointing at all three of the girls.

“Just talk?” asked Sasha.

Sam shook his head in the affirmative. “Yes. We will talk. Please tell us what’s wrong, Kathy.”

Kathy took one more look down at the churning green water and plopped in front of the fence with her feet up and her face in her hands as she broke into tears.

Sasha tried to step to her to comfort her, but Sam held her back. “Let her have a good cry. Feeling better, Kathy? Can you tell us what happened?”

“Don’t! Want! To! Talk! About! It!” she said sporadically between sobs.

Sam tried to coax something out of her. “Come on. You’ll feel a lot better. Get rid of that dark cloud hanging over you. We can find a silver lining in it, Kath! Come on!”

“No!” she said with her face buried in her hands.

Sasha tried to talk to her, “Come on, Kaz. We’re your friends. We’ve been through a lot together. Remember that jerk old Banks who kept bullying us in the third grade? We stuck together and stood up to him together. We’re here to help you now, Kaz. We’re sisters, remember?”

Kathy shook her head. “No!” she cried out.

“But you’ll feel better. We won’t tell anyone. It’ll be our secret,” said Sasha. “No one needs to know.”

“That’s not such a good idea, Sam,” said Al watching carefully over Kathy. “She could use some help.”

“Promise?” she said looking through her fingers.

“OK, promise,” replied Sam hoping to gain her confidence. “Now what’s troubling you?”

“Shake it out, sugar!” said Sasha trying to rally her friend.

“I can’t talk about it,” she said quietly. “Annie, it just hurts too much!”

 “Come on, Kaz. What’s the problem? Nothing’s that bad!” said Sasha kneeling next to her stroking her hair.

Kathy put her head on Sasha’s shoulder and she completely collapsed in her arms as she held her tightly.

Sam knelt down and put his hand on her other shoulder. “Come on. Tell it to your friends. We’re all here for you, Kathy.”

“I don’t know! I don’t know why!” she said barely audibly through her tears.

“Come on, Kaz. Spit it out! What is it? What can’t ya figure out, girl?” asked Sasha

“I don’t know what happened. Malcolm and I were talking. Just having a good time like always. He’s so good at that. And I mentioned the Winter Formal Dance,” Kathy said looking away from her friends.

“Oh no,” exclaimed Al.

Sam asked, “Is he taking someone else?”

Kathy sobbed, “No. But when I mentioned how great it would be to go, he implied that I was the last person he’d…” she cried, “He would ever think of going with!”

An angry expression crossed Sasha’s face, “That jerk! You sure you heard him right, Kaz?”

Kathy shook her head. “No. He actually said that he thought it was hilarious that if others saw us as a couple. He just thought we were good friends.”

Sam tried to put on a convincing smile. “Friends can be good. No reason a guy and chick can’t be friends.’

Kathy broke into a big crying fit. “But I LOVE him!”

“OH, no. Now we’re in trouble,” said Al checking out his handlink. “This guy Malcolm ends up going to college and marrying some big busty blonde bimbo. Looks like our intelligent and sensitive Kathy isn’t quite his type.”

“Then we have to let him know this, Kathy,” suggested Sam. “We have to let him know how you feel.”

“You bet,” replied Sasha helping Kathy to her feet and brushing off her skirt. “And we’ll help you out!”

“I wouldn’t recommend this course of action,” said Al. “Ziggy is noncommittal on an outcome. She is still angry about losing her chess match.”

“Well, we’ll at least try,” Sam said taking Kathy’s hand and walking her away from the bridge.

“And we’ll be there with you. Come on over to my house. We’ll get you all cleaned up,” said Sasha. “No one will know what happened here. You’ll be as good as new, sugar.”

“Thanks. It’s good to have friends like you,” cried Kathy as Sam got a big hug and Sasha joined in.

”I’ll take care of you, Kathy. I’m sure that’s why I’m here,” said Sam looking up toward his stellar travel agent.

PART FIVE

Montgomery, Alabama

February 18, 1970

“Sam. Ziggy is has been following the course of your leap even though she’s not up to her full potential yet. She still thinks it’s near to nothing for your own little matchmaking scenario,” said Al solemnly looking at his little colorful handlink

Sam spoke quietly in the corner booth of the Hillcrest Diner while waiting for her compatriots. “Near to nothing? Quite colorful for a computer, Al. Are you sure you’re not adding a bit of flourish to her commentary?”

”Nope. Ziggy has been insisting on improving her syntax. Of course sometimes she sounds like an immigrant trying to use American slang, but I’ll give her credit even if she does mix her metaphors. She is just trying to be more human. And in that respect she doesn’t want to see Kathy and this snob getting together. Not one bit!” Al said waving around his cigar for emphasis.

“Well, at least let me try. Either Malcolm will come around or Kathy can bring closure to her feelings for him. I’ve been fairly successful leaping matchmaking. Haven’t I?” asked Sam for clarification to his Swiss cheese mind.

Al looked at his handlink, gave it a good whack and then looked like his lunch had disagreed with him. “Well, in the world of human relationships it’s hard to judge who’s successful or who’s happy together. For Ziggy two world class mathematicians who battle night and day, but turn out beautiful and logical equations together are deliriously happy. I find that two people must inwardly really care about each other to be truly happy or have a successful relationship. Like Beth and me. Or... well I can’t mention anyone else you know. We do have a very happy couple here at the project that just had an infant. They come from different backgrounds, but just fit together so well,” said Al talking about Sam’s daughter in Ziggy’s control room.

Sam looked at Al a bit annoyed at his ramblings. “What you say is true, but at least let me pursue my own human intuition.”

”Female intuition? You have had a lot of that over the years bouncing between XX and XY chromosomes,” chuckled Al going back to his cigar.

Sam shrugged. “Maybe. Who knows? But I think that…”

“Quiet,” hushed Al as Sasha and Kathy came in and sat down in Sam’s secluded booth. Kathy looked especially cute thanks to Sasha and BB. She was as nervous as a cat as she slid in beside Sam.

Sam looked at Kathy as she looked down extremely shy. “Now don’t you look like the cover of Seventeen? If he doesn’t flip then he is just...”

Sasha interrupted Sam. “..then he can go jump in the lake. Oops. Bad analogy. I guess I’m a bit nervous, too.”

Sam took Kathy’s hand. “Look. At least let him know how you feel, then figure out what to do. Half the troubles in the world are because people don’t know the truth or don’t want to know it.”

“Right on! This hunk is junk if you don’t at least peek his interest. There’s always other fish in the sea,” said Sasha.

“I hope .. Oh HI!” said Kathy turning red as Malcolm came up to the table looking over the ladies while straightening his tie.

“Ladies. Good afternoon. It is most fortuitous to have such a set of gals as you ask me to sit with them,” he said whipping off his sunglasses eyeing all three of the girls.

Al cringed at how deep this Casanova was spreading it around.

He flashed a big grin and turned to Sasha. “May I sit here, my pretty?“

Now Sasha winced and nodded yes.

He leaned back in the booth surveying the girls from right to left. “So what’s new in femaleland? And what do I get this honored invitation for, my fine ladies?”

Sasha shook her head and then replied, “Well, we’re trying to put together a community basketball game to raise money for the swim team and wanted to know if you were interested in helping out. You’re such a great athlete that if you were on the team it would attract a lot of people. We could raise a good portion of the money we need for their new swimsuits.”

“Interesting. When does this shindig go down?” he asked looking a couple of times over at Kathy who continued to blush. The couple of looks turned into constant glances over at Kathy as she began to look up and smile at him. 

“March the third. Over in the school gym,” replied Sasha.

“The third? I’m sorry, but I am too busy studying for my SATs that week. English is not my prime motivation and I need to catch-up to make it with the good grade,” he said now admiring Annie much to Sam’s discomfort.  “My old man wants be to attend his old alma mater.”

Sam popped in, “You need help with words and such?  Kathy here is a whiz in the English Department. Right, Kath?”

Kathy first looked at Sam nervously and then agreed with possibly a bit too much enthusiasm. ”Yea! I’d be glad to help you out!”

Malcolm turned and looked at Kathy with gratitude. “Is that true? Wow. That would be extra wonderful. Then I just might help you gals out by at least recruiting some of my fellow star athletes. Kathy, you are very nice person to do this thing for me. My gratitude is unboundless,” he said taking her hand.

She now turned almost deep purple. “Anytime, Malcolm.”

“And do you mind if we also do it with Jeanie?” he asked with his most endearing smile.

Kathy’s heart sunk. “Jeanie Offenbach? From the marching Reblets?”

He nodded. “Yes. She is my very good friend, who also has the need to improve her English. A very sweet girl, but not too good with the English van-nack-u-ler.”

Kathy pulled back her hand and slumped in her seat. “Sure!” she said almost inaudibly.

Al quickly brought up her biographical data for Sam. “Jeanie Offenbach. Five eleven, blonde, dancer, 38-23-35, which adds up to her IQ. This guy is not looking for anyone of Kathy’s caliber. Sorry Sam,” said Al quietly playing with his handlink.

Malcolm sat back and put his sunglasses back on. “I am sure that all of us will benefit from our mutual cooperation. I will be forever in your debt, Miss Kathy. You are a girl in several million. One extra fine friend!”

“Anytime!” Kathy said giving him a nervous smile.

The abortive get-together quickly ended since Malcolm had another appointment. Broken and downhearted the three girls left the diner and headed back to their respective homes. Kathy followed far behind them. Sam looked around and motioned for Kathy to join them.

“Come on. Let’s head home. Tonight we can make it a...um.. girls night out!” called out Sam.

“On a school night? I have to get home!” explained Sasha.

Kathy looked at her shoes and replied. “Yea, me too. I’ve got to get my homework done!”

Sam shrugged and then offered an alternative. “OK. Then Friday night!”

Sasha shook her head with a smile on her face. “Nope. I got a date! And I think Anz you has one with Rick Johnson! You are one lucky girl!”

Kathy got more visibly upset. “I’m busy! I’ll call you,” she cried. “Maybe someone will take pity on me!” she said running down the street.

Sam took a couple of steps toward her. “Maybe I should...”

Sasha disagreed. ”No, sugar. She is best alone. We tried to help her. Tomorrow we can console her and lift up her spirits again. I think a complete makeover is due for her.”

“I guess that’s best,” sighed Sam.

Al popped in, “Ziggy is still not coming up with any scenarios and probabilities. She has no new suggestions to help Miss Lonely Hearts there.”

Sam waved good-bye. “All right. See you tomorrow, Sash!”

Project Quantum Leap Headquarters

Stallion’s Gate, New Mexico

November 27, 2006

“Morning, Annie,” said Bena walking into the Waiting Room. Annie woke up from her cot and smiled at the doctor.

“Marning, Doctor. How are you doing this fine marning?” Annie asked stretching and then standing up.

“Just fine and thank you for asking. I just want to just check your blood pressure and temperature. Routine, you see,” she said sitting on the cot and opening up her medical bag.

“Sure. Hey Doc, you know how ma memory goes I in and out like my little sister’s Slinky?” Annie said looking closely at Doctor Verbena Beeks.

“That’s right,” said Verbena as she opened up the blood pressure gauge.

“Well, you do remind me of someone,” she said anxiously.

“When your mind can’t find a fact, it keeps trying to fit the puzzle piece anywhere it can. Please turn your arm up side down, Annie,” she said.

“I’ve tried to place you and place you, Doctor. You sure remind me of a friend of mine,” Annie said scratching the side of her head.

Wrapping up her arm Verbena replied, “Your mind can play lots of tricks on you, Annie.”

Annie took a big breath and then asked, “Are your BB’s mother? You remind me so much of her.”

The former BB stopped. Annie was right on target. “BB?” she asked nervously.

“Bennie Beeks. My best friend’s cousin from Chicago. She visits usually every summer,” replied Annie. 

“No. I’m sorry, Annie. I don’t have any children,” Bena said almost telling her the truth.

“You sure look like her. Same eye color. Same chin. Same end-flestion in yar voice. You seem to sit a lot stiffer than her. She was more relaxed,” explained Annie.

“You are quite observant, my dear. Unfortunately it must be just a coincidence,” she said finished in up with Annie’s blood pressure check.

Annie shook her head. “Well, if you ain’t her mother, then you should be. You are such a nice parson.”

“Thank you. That’s very kind of you, Annie. Now let’s check that temperature,” said Verbena who wished that she could level with her friend from so long ago.  

Montgomery, Alabama

February 19, 1970

Spanish class. The very well educated Sam Beckett had no problem with most of the high school level classes except for the inescapable Home Ec class. Sam breezed through the Spanish class since he found it was one of the half dozen living and dead languages he could speak. His only difficulty was trying to sound like a third year high school student and not a twenty-year veteran of the United Nations’ interpreter legions. He accomplished this by trying to sound like his sister Katie when she was about six years old, a memory that thankfully had came back to him this leap.

“My mother wants me to go and get milk from the grocery,” he said in phonetically perfect Spanish.

Senorita McKenzie complimented the improvement in Annie’s diction and then continued with another girl for the next recitation exercise. Sam nodded in response, reviewed the next exercise and finished by looking around the room. The classroom was filled with travel posters, handwritten Spanish words plastered on every wall and piece of furniture and some old faded bulletin board displays extolling the virtues of Mexico and the values of correct verb conjugations. On the far left was poor Kathy slumped in her chair and looking out the window. She was hopelessly doodling on what had been her homework. First she started out with the name of her inattentive intended followed by doodling circles upon circles upon circles.

“Senorita Katrina,” called out Senorita McKenzie invoking Kathy’s Spanish name. “Atención! Please join us here in class and do exercise fourteen. What does your sister want from the store?”

Kathy looked around dully and realized that an entire classroom of students was staring at her. Flipping through her book for today’s lesson she found her place and quickly shouted out an answer to the giggles of half her classmates.

“No, Senorita Katrina. Senor Pablo. Would you please answer that question?” she asked as Kathy collapsed on the desk with her arms over her head. “Would you rather study this lesson in detention, Senorita Nina?”

Kathy quickly sat up stiffly and shook her head no. She pulled out her book concentrating on the recitation lesson, though Sam kept seeing her eyes drifting off to the window and back again. Luckily the period was soon over. Kathy slapped her book shut, picked them up and dragged her feet from the class. Sam joined her holding his books close to his chest in a feminine fashion.

“That no good teach! Calling on me like that. Couldn’t she see I had things on my mind?” she said seething and keeping very close to Sam.

“Well, she could have handled that better,” remarked Sam trying to sympathize with the upset Kathy.

Kathy stopped and looked at Sam in disbelief. “Better? Why if I was a teacher, I would never do that to a student!”

Sam’s eyes lit up. “See how caring you are? You’d make a better instructor that Senorita Mac-‘What’s-Her-Name.’ Find something you like and stick to it. That will keep other things from distracting you when…”

“No, no. I don’t need that. I am still optimistic. Malcolm has got to think of me more than a friend. He’s has got to!” she said slamming her fist into her locker. “He has just got to!”

Sam and Kathy finished going through their lockers, headed down the hall and ran into a group of fellow students having an animated discussion.

“...And me and Jeanie can mix it up all summer. No summer school for her and me. I have got this patsy Kathy eating out of my hand,” Malcolm laughed as Sam and Kathy came up behind them.

His slicked down greasy friend saw the object of their discussion standing behind Malcolm. “Not so cool, dude!” he said pointing over his buddy’s shoulder.

Malcolm turned around looking very surprised. “Hey, Kathsie. Annsie. Don’t get me. I’m just mouthing off in front of...”

Kathy’s lip quivered as she reached up and slapped him followed by running back down the hallway.

He rubbed his sore cheek. “Crazy Bitch,” Malcolm said to his companion.

“Jerk!” exclaimed Sam who though of several other choice words for him. “Kathy!” he called out as the door at the end of the hallway slammed shut.

The class bell rang and students headed for their classes as Sam started after Kathy.

“Miss Cumberland!” exclaimed the ancient Algebra teacher. “Please join us!”

Sam looked both ways and then went into the class though he was itching to go and find Kathy.

At lunch Sam sat alone with a meal of over-cooked vegetables and some mystery meat covered in brown gravy. Sasha sat down next to him.

“Kathy must have really taken off! The whole junior class his buzzing about her slugging Mr. Confidence!” Sasha explained. “I really didn’t think she had it in her. Good for her!”

“She was extremely upset, Sasha.  I am very concerned about her,” said Sam quietly while digging though his vegetables.

“She totally disappeared. Mina Olsson saw her tear out of here and disappear into the woods. She’s gonna have detention for sure if they don’t suspend her, Anz. We can go calm her down after school. Maybe make some of her favorite oatmeal cookies,” said Sasha confidently.

“Did you try to call her on your cell?” asked Sam nonchalantly.

“My what?” asked Sasha.

A hydraulic sound could be heard behind Sam as Al walked up behind him. “Too early Sam. Drop a dime in those anachronistic black payphones in the student lounge.”

“Give her a ring,” said Sam correcting himself.

Sasha looked up at Sam. “And even if I did, how do we know where she is?”

Al broke in. “No problemo! That’s my job. And you better get going. She’s at Sasha’s house in the garage going through the poisons and chemicals. She may be trying to end it all again. You better hurry Sam.”

“Oh God,” sighed Sam. “Kathy’s in trouble. I just know it and I know where.”

“Whoa! What is it now? You getting another premonition? Damn, you’re spooky. I never saw anyone with that talent. What’s that girl trying now?” asked Sasha throwing down her fork.

Sam leaned forward talking confidentially. “She’s at your house trying something she shouldn’t in the garage.”

Sasha’s eyes opened wide with fear. “Holy Toledo! Daddy was just going through all his chemicals trying to get everything out before the Earth Day celebration. There’s enough bottles stacked in the front of the garage to poison half the population of Atlanta! Let’s get out of here. I’m coming with you!”

Sam shook his head. “No, you’ll get into trouble and...”

“And poor Kaz is going to be putting on her Sunday best in a satin lined box! Not on your life! Besides that’s my house! Come on, sister!” she said calling out and heading for the door.

After sneaking around the back wing, they flagged down a friend with wheels and headed back to Sasha’s house.

Though screech of wheels could be heard from the curb, Kathy did not respond to it as she continued her crying and her deadly chemical experiment. Through her tears she looked over the various bottles for as many ‘skull-and-crossbones’ as she could find. She poured a bit of each into a discarded cardboard fast-food drink cup. Whimpering she grabbed a paint stirrer and began mixing the dark bubbling and noxious brew.

Footsteps could be heard coming up the driveway. “Kath! Don’t do it!” cried out Sam.

“Come on, honey. Put it down. Your answer is not in there,” exclaimed Sasha who stood close behind Sam.

“Careful, Sam. There’s enough bad stuff in that cup to eat through her own stomach, let alone kill her,” said Al as he appeared right behind Kathy. “Most of those liquids have been banned in Boston and the rest of the country by now.”

Kathy looked down at the brackish concoction and then through a mess of tears, ruined makeup and dirt she sniffed, “Don’t stop me! I can’t live without him!”

“Sugar, he sure thinks he can live without you. You don’t need him. You don’t NEED any man. Not that kind at least,” said Sasha standing there with her hands on her hips.

“That’s right. No man is worth this,” said Sam looking up a bit. “Now put that cup down and let’s work this out.”

Kathy shook her head wildly spilling some of the liquid. The concrete on the garage floor sizzled. “No. This time you’re not going to talk me out of it.  Bottoms up!” she said raising the glass.

Sam took one step toward her holding his arm up and yelled, “Please! Wait! You don’t have to do this, Kathy,” said Sam.

“What is going on here?” asked someone who waddled into the middle of the mess. “Good God, Kathy! You are going to hurt yourself with that!” yelled BB.

“BB, stay back!” yelled Sasha. “We have a little problem here! And your babies shouldn’t get near all those stinking chemicals.”

“Little problem? I’d say it could be a catastrophe,” snapped BB.

“Not as much as my life is. Bottoms up,” she said waving the glass in front of her lips.

“Please don’t, Kaz,” pleaded Sasha.

“No wait! There is another solution,” said Sam without a real idea in mind. “Um. We can work it out.  Yea. We can work it out. Life is very short and there’s no time or fussing and fighting… my friend.”

Al looked frustrated as Sam had started to quote a Beatle’s lyrics. “Bena, if you have anything to add, do it now!”

“That boy doesn’t want me! And if I can’t have him,” she said sniffing and wiping her face on the not-so-clean sleeve of her white blouse.

“Um, Verbena said to get her to talk about her family. Something that is familiar. Try it that way, Sam!” yelled out Al over the ruckus.

“Then you’re going to deprive everyone else of your company?” asked Sam. “There are a lot of people out there who care about you, Kaz!”

“NOOOO! I just can’t live without him,” cried Kathy. “Nobody else cares! Nobody else needs me!”

“We need you too,” said Sam.

Sasha joined in. “Yea, sugar. This world will be a sad place without you. Your friends really need you, honey!”

BB shifted in place obviously very tired, but still tried to help out. “That’s right. I don’t want to miss your good humor and easygoing style. You’re great to just to hang out with. It’s so much better than the rough time I have living on the Southside of Chicago.”

“I’m sure you can move on and forget about me. I’m just a blip on the radar screen, a pebble on the highway, a bug on the windshield. Nothing!” she cried out hoarsely.

“No! You are important to us. You’re our very good friend, Kaz,” said Sasha.

“Ha. You’ll get over me. Graduate high school. Have your baby. You’ll move on without me, my dear ‘sisters’!” Kathy said sarcastically.

Al interjected, “Sam, listen. Get her to talk about her family. The one’s closest to her.”

Sam asked, “What about your own sisters?”

“What? I don’t have any sisters. I don’t have anyone!” she again cried hoarsely.

“She has her father and no mother,” said Al tweaking his colorful little hand buddy.

Sam back stepped. “Then your father. He needs you.”

“Pa can get along without me. My mother left him and he got over it. He’ll get over me too,” she spat.

BB responded, “I wish my father was here with me.”

“Kathy, I don’t think that’s true. I know what it’s like to lose your family,” said Sam.

Kathy looked at Sam like he was crazy. “What do you mean? You have the biggest family on the block!”

Sam bit his lip and tried to think through his hazy memory. “Yea, well. I did have cousin... um Tom who died in Vietnam. He was real close to all of us. I never really got over it. I don’t like to talk about it much.”

She threw up her free hand. “It doesn’t matter!”

“I hate to say this in your current position, but you are wrong, Kathy,” said Sam tying to stare down Kathy.

“What?” asked a surprised Sasha and BB.

“She’s in a very delicate position right now Sam. Verbena said to be extra gentle with her,” said Al after hearing from Ziggy.

“No! It really does matter. Family is more important. More than anything. Whether it’s your parents, grandparents, cousins or just those you feel like you’re a part of the family. They’re very important to you and everyone in that family,” explained Sam.

BB started to sniff. “I wish I was with my family now. Sorry, Sash. I mean my family that sent me here.”

“I understand,” said Sasha a bit emotional herself.

Sam took two steps toward Kathy who retreated half a step. Sam tried to talk to her in a fatherly fashion. “You’ll know your family longer than anyone. Your brothers and sisters will be around from the time you born till... uh oh.”

Both Sasha and Al called out to Sam after that comment.

Sam put up his hand. “All right. It’s not just about you. I know you hurt. And it may feel like you will never get over it. Right now it hurts really bad.”

“Yea,” said Kathy weakly.

Sam continued, “But with your family you can get through it. With your family you can be...”

Kathy looked a bit annoyed, “This isn’t the Partridge Family. I’m not in some stupid television comedy!”

Sam shook his head. “No one said you were. But your family is the most important thing you have. Your father loves you and he can get you through the hurt. And he’ll rely on you for the same thing. I’m sure he misses your mother, Kath!”

BB felt another kick inside her stomach and listened carefully to Sam’s dissertation. “Family. That’s right.  That’s the ticket. People you know from birth to...” said BB stopping then looking down at her slightly exposed belly. She softly caressed her babies and whispered “Family!”

Sam continued as Al looked on like it was a tennis match.  Back and forth. Back and forth.

“All I said was true, but you’re not alone. You have us. I’ll be with you the rest of your life. You’ll have your other friends and the most important thing is your family. Most friends come and go, but family members are there for the rest of your life. Your brothers and sisters, your own child. They are the future. And all together we can and will get through it. Through good times and bad. Through thick and thin,” said Sam reaching out to Kathy.

“Family is very important. They’re the ones who are around forever, Kathy, ” said BB as if it was a revelation to her. “Family should be around forever,” she said a little quieter as she felt her twins react to all the excitement.

“Come on, sugar. Think about your father. Think about what your mother would have wanted you to do!” said Sasha lovingly.

“Family?” Kathy thought and then sat down. “What happens to those I leave behind? My poor Pa!” she said now crying about someone else.

Sam sighed. “That right. Think about your Pa.”

Sasha walked up closer to her. “Come on, sugar. You’re a member of a family. Now put down that old cup, Kaz. Put it down for old Saza!”

Sam walked over not coming any closer that Sasha. “Yes, Kathy put it down. We’ll take care of you.”

Kathy put down the cup.

“Thank God!” exclaimed Al. “She’s going to be all right.”

Kathy put her hand on her mouth. “Oh God! What was I thinking?” She broke into tears hysterically as Sam and Sasha came up and hugged her.

“Everything’s OK, sugar,” reassured Sasha. “Everything’s going to be ok, Kaz.”

Kathy cried in both of their arms as Sam looked up at Al.

“Sasha’s right,” said Al. “Kathy does get some experimental therapy from the University of Alabama, but she still graduates from high school. Today, she’s got a degree in chemistry and works a pharmaceutical firm in Somerville, New Jersey. She volunteers on a suicide line four nights a week. You did it Sam. Sasha’s life changed to. Besides getting married to a Birmingham doctor and raising three kids, she teaches astronomy at the local community college while an advocate and participant with the call-in psychic network. I guess your second sight kind of pushed her in that direction.” 

Sasha helped Kathy into the house, while Sam helped BB across the lawn.

“Man, you sure talked her out of that real good Annie,” said a very impressed BB.

“Just a little psychology I leaned from a very fine teacher, BB,” said Sam. “Watch your step there.”

“I guess that head stuff can help people out,” replied a future psychologist. “I really want to help people too.”

“It is a great privilege to be able to help people, BB,” agreed the time-leaping Sam who had had more than his fair share of helping people over the last decade.

“There are a lot of things I want to change in my life,” she said quietly as Sam reached the porch.

“And I’m sure you will,” replied Sam opening the door for her. “What does BB stand for?” he asked with a smile.

“It stands for Beenie Beeks,” she replied to Sam.

Sam’s eyes lit up when he recognized the name as his leap ended and he vanished into the blue-sparked starlight.

PART SEVEN

Project Quantum Leap Headquarters

Stallion’s Gate, New Mexico

November 28, 2006

Working on her laptop Verbena was quickly finishing the final report on her guest in the Waiting Room. She had found it strange rerunning her life this past leap, but then she wasn’t the only one at QPL to find themselves doing that. She was adding one final thought as a slight wave of nausea hit her. It wasn’t her stomach or a swirling in her head, but more something that hit her and then passed through her causing a momentary disorientation. She reached for the keys of the laptop and had completely forgotten what she was going to add to her report. Something did not feel right. Before her was a report on Desire Ann Cumberland, but not the report she had just typed. The content of the report had changed as she paged back through it. She still had a similar conclusion, but from a new prospective and different point of view. More compassionate. More emotional. Less analytical. Not that Verbena wasn’t a kind and understanding person at heart, she just tried to distance herself between her own emotions and her systematic observations. Where this new less clinical insight came from.  She couldn’t figure it out.

‘Strange,’ she thought looking across her clean and orderly desk. All of her work papers were still neatly stacked. Her personal touch of the small prig of violets in the blue vase was still there. Next to the vase was something she had never seen before, a photograph of Verbena and two young people who looked not unlike other members of her own family. The girl was in graduation garb while the young man held tightly onto Verbena or Verbena from about a decade ago.

Verbena picked up the picture. It was labeled University of Chicago; Class of ‘93. Two names seemed to appear in her mind from nowhere. Sasha. William. Sasha and William. Sasha and William Beeks.

“It can’t be! I gave up by babies long ago!” Then she thought, ‘Babies?’ as she saw a picture on the opposite side of her desk. It was a photograph of Sasha, a handsome man and two little children both under the age of four.

She put down the graduation picture and reached for her purse. In her wallet were several more pictures of her two twins; Sasha dressed in a bridal gown and a college graduation picture of William Thomas Beeks.

Verbena laid down her wallet and put her hand over her rapidly beating heart. “I must have named her after my cousin. But where is she?” Verbena reached deep into her mind. “Oh my. I still have no husband!”

Stuck in another compartment in her wallet were two old more pictures from when the twins were barely teens. One was taken at Disney World and the other picture taken was overlooking the Grand Canyon.

‘This can’t be. I never take vacations, or go to places like this. But…. My, they are good looking kids,’ thought Bena. “My kids!” she said out loud as the words caught in her throat. 

She straightened back up and called out, “Ziggy!”

The intercom to the project computer responded. “Yes, Doctor Beeks?”

“Any changes I need to be aware of?” she asked.

Ziggy quickly replied, “Doctor Beckett is currently between leaps. All my systems are currently running at nominal levels. Also, a force three nonlinear time ripple just passed through the complex. No changes that affect the project complex.”

Bena bit her lip. “Um, do you have the addresses and phone numbers for my children? I seem to have misplaced by personal directory.”

Ziggy efficiently replied, ”Certainly. William Thomas Beeks’ phone number is 212-555-7455. He resides at 136 South Houston Street in New York City. Sasha Ann Beeks Richmond’s phone number is extension 3443. She lives in Casa Verde at 5632 West Sagebrush Lane.”

“Extension?” Bena said to herself.  “Her office is here at the project?”

“Level 6, office 613. Nuclear medicine,” replied Ziggy, “Is there a problem?”  she asked. “Doctor Beeks? Doctor Beeks?” asked Ziggy who received no response from the empty office.

Walking down the corridor at a faster paced than usual she seemed to getting more recognition from the other employees than she remembered. Instead of polite nods and “Good Morning, Doctor Beeks,” peopled were smiling and waving.

“Morning, Doc!” said one technician in a white lab coat.

“Hiya, Verbena!” called out a male security guard.

“Good Morning, Doctor Beeks!” said the computer tech that Verbena had never known to have ever spoken to her.

“Hey, Bena!” called out a secretary.

“Hi there, Doc!” called out Sammy Jo’s quantum theorist.

Walking down the hallway on level 6, Verbena felt she was walking through a Wonderland were things got curiouser and curiouser. She received an almost ceaseless flow of chatter including three comments of “We’ll talk later,” and one invitation to lunch. Her normal circle of friends seldom went beyond her control room buddies and never extended to her own staff and overflowed to the rest of QPL employees.

She found office 613 and stopped as she could feel the loud slow beat of her heart. Verbena reached for the door handle and opened it. Inside the small office sat Sasha, thirty-six years old and the spitting image of her older cousin, Sasha Washington, but this beautiful woman was her daughter.

‘Her daughter?’ thought Beena, as she knew that Freud would have a field day with her current range of mixed emotions.

Wearing a white coat and sporting a rather large retro-Afro, Sasha turned around and smiled.

“Hey there, Momma! Is it lunchtime already? What time is it? No, just 10:30! What brings you down to the medical department so early? Does Liz Calavicci have you checking up on me again?” she asked while closing up her laptop.

Verbena stood in silence staring at her daughter feeling completely befuddled.

”Something wrong?” asked Sasha as she swung her chair around and pushed down on the desk carefully bringing herself to her feet. Her lab coat opened revealing another child not far from making its appearance in the world. Sasha noticed her shocked expression. “Oh, you still playing the worried Grandma?”

“Grandma?” said Verbena realizing in the space of last twenty minutes she had moved back two whole generations. “No,” she said shaking her head.

With a cockeyed look of love Sasha stared right back. “Well, then what is it? You always have something to say, Momma dear,” said Sasha who waddled over and gave her a little hug.

At arms length Verbena looked her daughter up and down. Besides being the splitting image of her cousin, she appeared to be very happy and healthy except for her latest venture into motherhood.

A little smile and a tear came to her eye. “Nothing dear. Just checking up on you and..” said Verbena who could not continue.

“Don’t worry! I’m not due for three weeks. Afterward you can have all the fun you want like when we were kids. I never knew anyone who was so fun and full of life like you Momma!” Sasha said with a big grin.

Verbena put her hand on her breast breathing heavily. “Me? I would never...”

Sasha shook her head with a loving grin. “Yes you, Momma. You are one of the most fun-loving people I know. That’s how you raised Bill and me. You always brought out the fun in life and we’re so glad to have you around. And I’ll be glad you’re around after Denise and Richard are born too. I just wish Bill was around more. You and Tim have been so wonderful!. Thank you, Momma. I do love you so!” she said bursting into tears.

Verbena though confused about her own emotions, shed a tear or two and told Sasha how much she loved her too. Still, she wondered when had she gotten the fun loving reputation since she had remembered a completely different more reserved life.

Sasha grabbed a tissue and dabbed her eyes. “Damn these hormones. I just can’t help myself sometimes. Shall we head to lunch early? I’m starved!” she exclaimed taking off her lab coat and grabbing her purse.

“Anything you want, my darling Sasha. Anything at all,” Verbena said taking her arm. And off Verbena went with her new family, her new life and her new path. That in of itself made all the difference.

EPILOGUE

“Hey!”

Sam could hear the voice but it seemed to be emanating from every which direction. He tried to focus on its source, but his senses weren’t quite attuned. The sensation of floating through the Abyss seemed to dissipate, the ringing in his ears subsiding. After a few moments the rest of the quantum energy had lingered away, and Sam Beckett could finally get a much clearer view of his new surroundings. He found himself sitting, or slouching rather behind a small desk in a dimly lit classroom. The room was dark, the blinds were drawn, the only light provided coming from a television set which was playing a documentary on wildlife, or something similar. Sam looked around and saw about twenty other kids, appearing to be somewhere in their teens, from what Sam could make out, with a very few of them showing little interest in the video, whispering amongst each other. He looked down and saw a red thick binder opened on his desk, with notes scribbled on them. The word ‘More Biology Notes for a Lame Test’ written on the top center and underlined. Beneath it were a bunch of notes scribbled on them. Sam smirked.

“Eddie!”

The voice this time was a bit harsher, causing Sam to flinch and turn around. He was met with the hard stare of a brown haired boy who pushed a folded piece of paper in Sam’s hand. Sam looked down at it quizzically.

“Dude, what gives?” The boy raised his eyebrows. “I’ve been tryin’ to get your attention forever.”

Sam whispered back to him. “I don’t think we should be talking during the video. The teacher might…” The rest of what Sam was going to say was abruptly cut off by the stern tone of the teacher. Both Sam and the boy snapped their heads up.

“Mr. Wright and Mr. Sharpe,” the teacher said as he shook his head. “What a surprise to find you two talking during class...again and passing notes this time.” Sam slunk back in his chair as he locked gazes with the teacher. The teacher then walked up to Sam’s desk, holding out his hand. “I believe I will take that, now.” Sam handed him the note and the teacher, a balding man in a white shirt and tan slacks, shook his head at the two. “I will see the both of you after class.”