MARTY was starting to get annoyed by the Italian living in the 15th century and immediately complained to Marco.
“Do you know you don’t have a toilet in this joint?” he insisted.
Both he and his wife Simonetta looked at each other. Then, at Marty asking “What do you mean by the word ‘toilet’?”
“Oh yeah.” said Marty, “You haven’t heard of it yet. Okay, but you don’t have any bathrooms. I have use the window.”
Both husband and wife laughed.
“What the hell’s so funny?” asked Marty.
“You are.” said Marco, “Bathrooms, toilets.”
“Don’t you know what those words mean?” asked Marty.
“Well, bathroom means taking a bath.” said Marco.
“And toilet means perfuming yourself.” said Simonetta.
This is nuts! said Marty to himself. So he said “Alright, have you ever heard of outhouses?”
“Oh those.” said Marco, “The prince has one but nobody else. They’re very expensive.”
Marty felt frustrated over this. I’ve got to find Jennifer. he said, I’ve got to get back together with her. I’ve got to make her fall in love with me all over again. It’s the only way we can get back to 1987 next Thursday.
Marty turned to go out. “Where are you going?” asked Marco.
“I’ve got to go find Jennifer.” said Marty. The couple looked at Marty quizzically. Looking at Simonetta, Marty said “You know. The girl who looks like you.”
“Oh her.” said Simonetta, “What’s your interest in her?”
Marty wanted to explain that she was his girlfriend but said “I wish I could say.” Then, he left.
++++++
Jennifer stood on the clamshell posing for Botticelli. The pose itself and the poses of the man and woman and the broom lady was now similar to the poses in the painting The Birth of Venus.
Then, there was a knock on the door. Putting down the brushes, Botticelli went to the door to find out who it was.
Opening it, he heard “Is Jennifer here?”
Jennifer knew that voice from anywhere. Marty! she said to herself, Why can’t he just take a hint and leave me alone? I’m through with him.
“Who’s Jennifer?” asked Botticelli to Marty outside.
“Do you know Simonetta Vespucci?” asked Marty’s voice.
“Ah yes. The look alike you’re talking about.”
Turning to Jennifer, Botticelli gave her a look of “Do you want to talk to him?” but Jennifer nodded “No!”
“I’m not here.” she whispered, “Tell him to get lost.”
Botticelli turned to talk outside. Then, turning back to Jennifer, he said “He says that it’s important.”
“It sure is.” said Jennifer very angrily. She got off the clamshell and picked up a sheet to cover herself with so she could go to the door.
As she did, she saw Marty there. “What do you want?” demanded Jennifer.
“First, turn off your translator.” said Marty as he turned off his.
“Why?” demanded Jennifer.
“Because this has to do with time travel.” said Marty, “And I don’t want to discuss this in Italian.”
“Alright!” said Jennifer as she turned off hers, “Fire away! I have to get back to posing for Botticelli.”
“Jennifer.” said Marty, “We have to fall in love again.”
No way! said Jennifer to herself, Out of the question, Marty! You’re
a two-timing creep and I don’t want anything to do with you ever again. So,
she said “Get out of here. I don’t want to ever see you again.”
She began to close the door when Marty put his foot between it and the doorframe.
“Jennifer.” he said, “It’s important we do between now and next Thursday.”
Jennifer used her foot to push Marty’s out of the way of the door which was easier said that done knowing that she was barefooted at the moment.
“What is so important about that day of the week?” she demanded.
“That’s the day Doc comes back to pick us up.” said Marty on the other side of the door, “And if we’re not in love again by then, we’ll have to stay here another week and I don’t want to stay here another week.”
“Why, what’s the matter with that?” asked Jennifer with a sarcastic laugh.
“Jennifer.” said Marty, “I don’t know how to put this, but you notice that they don’t have bathrooms, that they have to use the windows for---just say I had to do a number and I got wowed by a group a peeping tom-boys who were watching me. Damn! They don’t use outhouses because the prince is the only one who could afford it. And I have to take a rub-down bath naked while being rubbed down with women.”
Jennifer smiled. “I don’t think I have that kind of problem, jerk.” she said, “I’m living with the prince now.”
“You are?” exclaimed Marty.
“Yes.” said Jennifer, “And tomorrow night at the festival there’s going to be a big announcement.”
“Like what?” demanded Marty.
“You’ll find out.” said Jennifer, “Now get out of here.”
She turned to go back to the clamshell as Marty kept saying, “Jennifer, I’m not leaving here. I want you back.”
Turning to Botticelli, she said “Please do something about this.”
But Botticelli stood there with a confused look. Then, Jennifer realized that she had her translator off and turned it on.
“Mr. Botticelli.” she repeated, “Please do something about this.”
“What is he doing?” he asked.
“He’s bothering me and won’t leave me alone.” insisted Jennifer.
Turning to the door, Botticelli said “She does not wish to talk to you now. Why don’t you leave before I call the magistrate.”
“Jennifer.” asked Marty’s voice, “What did he say? My translator’s off.”
“Well turn it back on, stupid.” said Jennifer, “And you’ll find out.”
“Jennifer.” said Marty’s voice, “This is important.”
Turning to male model, he said “Go get the magistrate.”
The male model got on some clothing and left.
++++++
Marty stayed there for a half an hour before the magistrate arrived. After being hauled off to prison, he sent a messenger to the Vespucci’s to bail him out. It was about nightfall when bail was posted and Marty was released on his own recognizance.
It was Marco Vespucci who bailed him out. And when Marty came to the lobby, Marco said “It was my wife’s idea. She said you look so much like the man she used to love.”
Marty realized that he was talking about the lover that Simonetta lost when she was only fourteen.
“How did he die?” he asked.
“I think I’ll let my wife tell you that story.” said Marco.
“That would be an interesting story.” said Marty.
Saturday, October 23, 1473
7:00 a.m.
Florence, Italy
Jennifer was awaken by the blow of a trumpet.
“What is this?” she asked, “Am I in the army?”
Then, to her amazement, the servants had brought in a tray containing covered dishes and pans and a flower in a vase and put it in front of her while she was in bed.,
“What’s this?” she asked.
“Breakfast in bed.”
Jennifer turned to see the prince coming in to announce it as the pan covers were removed.
Her face lit up. Right there were ham, eggs, toast and orange juice.
“Your majesty…” said Jennifer.
“Call me Lorenzo.” said the prince.
“Well, anyway you shouldn’t have.” said Jennifer as they both kissed.
Noticing the servants watching, the prince dismissed them saying “You may, leave.” and they did.
At the same time, Jennifer looked at the prince saying to herself I have found happiness. Surely now I’m the envy of every member of my own sex being that the odds of a woman having a prince for a husband must be astronomical. “Like one in a googolplex” as Doctor Brown would’ve put it.
Then, the prince studied the tray and said “I think I made a mistake.” He clapped his hands to call in one of his servants saying “This is orange juice. I didn’t request orange juice.”
“What did you require sire?” asked the servant. The prince whispered into the ear of the servant who removed the orange juice from the tray and went outside.
Then, someone else came in with a bottle and two glasses on a platter. Setting it on a table, the servant who brought it in left.
The prince poured it out into the glasses and give one of them to Jennifer.
“Here’s to our marriage.” he said as he proposed a toast.
“I’ll drink to that.” said Jennifer as she tasted the drink. It was champagne. “Champagne.” she said, “In the morning?”
The prince looked at her. “You mean you never heard of a champagne breakfast before?”
“I’ve heard of it.” said Jennifer, “But that’s not the point. I’m only…” Then, realized that she was no longer in the 20th century but in the Renaissance period and that she was in Italy.
“Sorry about that.” she said.
“Why is that?” asked the prince.
“Never mind.” said Jennifer as she picked up her glass, “To us.”
“…and to our future.” said the prince as both glasses clicked.
After a sip, both lovers kissed causing Jennifer’s breakfast to fall to the floor.
Looking down, she said “I wasn’t hungry anyway.” and they both laughed and kissed again.
Then, the prince said “I have to get ready for the festival. We have a long
day ahead.”
“Don’t let me stop you.” said Jennifer.
They kissed on more time before the prince left. Then, the maids came in to help Jennifer out of her bed and get her ready for a bath.
As she was being prepared for the bath, Jennifer was saying to herself One week from today! I’ll be Mrs. Jennifer Jane Parker de Medici. Then, it was Princess Jennifer of Florence. Princess Jennifer, I like the sound of it.
She was finally forgetting about Marty.