2024-10-13 “Moving Day” for Shay (born 2001)

Shay walked out of the small, non-denominational church she attended fairly regularly and headed for home. Her guard de jour was Ray Becker, one of the six that her father commissioned to keep his daughter safe.

“Lovely service, Miss Ryder,” Ray said as they walked along.

Shay insisted they try to not act like guards. She thought she should have told the other time travelers about them, but things happened so fast. Suffice to say, her security detail was none-too-happy about the time-shifting. Her father had scheduled a visit to NYC to discuss the situation, and would be arriving later in the week.

As for things happening fast, Merritt, Devon, Hannah, and Emma were supposed to move into their new apartments earlier. Being zipped back in time had interfered. It had been a topic skittering under the surface all week; it even came up on the train from Memphis to Grand Junction.

The construction was complete. Everything was ready, but (ironically) the time travelers had run out of time.

As a rule, Shay tried not to flex the fact that she lived in a “money is no object” world. Truthfully, she had become the “anonymous donor” providing a lot of the supplies for the Habitat Housing projects she coordinated. She had access to more money than she cared to think about.

Shay had decided it would be better for her new friends if she didn’t try to hide her wealth from them. Specifically, getting them moved. When Hannah had shifted back from 1880 the day before, Shay decided to make an offer.

“Look… Merritt… we don’t know when the next shift will be. Let me just hire crews to move everything… We can get it all done today and tomorrow…”

“It will cost a fortune…”

Shay told him not to worry about it, and he—after discussing it with the others—agreed. Packers were at their old apartments by dinner time. The four of them spent the night in a hotel. Movers would be on site by 1:00 and would have them moved in by dinner time… 

Hannah’s loft would be the hardest. Emma and Merritt live within walking distance of the new location. And Emma's apartment was almost empty aside from her bed, desk and chair. Merritt's one-bedroom was typical, so for professional movers, it would be no challenge at all.

“Ray, we’ll be heading to Brooklyn… And I guess I need to introduce you to everyone…”

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll look forward to that.”