Thursday, March 31, 1988
2:10 p.m.
Hill Valley, California
DAYS had passed since Jennifer’s release from the hospital. However, Marty was still there, still unconscious from the wound that Brutus had inflicted on him. She kept visiting him even when she didn’t have an appointment to see the doctor. Finally, at the request of Marty’s attending physician, she was told to stop haunting the hospital.
It was Easter break so Jennifer had been working all day at Burger King. When she arrived home, Jennifer had received a call. Her mother took it, asked who it was and gave it to her daughter.
Taking the receiver from her mother Jennifer talked into it saying “Yes?”
“Jennifer.” said a voice. It was the Doc’s. “The DeLorean has been fixed and is ready to use for taking Calpurnia back to her own time.”
“Why Doc,” said Jennifer, “That’s…” She cut herself of in mid speech when she saw her mother stand nearby . So she took the receiver into the bedroom to finish her sentence. “…great. But Doctor Brown, I don’t think I’m still up to taking Calpurnia back to Rome…”
“You’re not taking her back. Clara is.”
“Then why did you call me?”
“Because it was decided that you should come along for the ride. Spend a week in the ancient city. Be shown around the place. The sites themselves would be therapeutic after what you went through.”
“That sounds like a good idea, Doctor Brown. What time do you want me over there?”
“Clara’s coming over to pick you up. She’s going to bring some clothes over for you to wear so you could fit in that era.”
“That sounds like a good idea. What time will she arrive?”
“1:15 a.m.”
“One fifteen in the morning? Oh alright. But she’ll have to be careful not to wake my parents.”
“Don’t worry, Jennifer. She’ll be as quiet as a church mouse. Now remember, Jennifer. 1:15 in the morning.”
“Right Doctor Brown. I’ll see your wife then. Good bye.”
After going out to hang up the phone, Jennifer looked at her watch. My doctor’s appointment, she said to herself, I’m going to be late.
Immediately, she got ready to go.
++++++
After hanging up,. Doc called Clara and Calpurnia over to say “Alright, she’s coming. But remember, she still doesn’t know what get well gift Marty bought for her. So you two have to keep her from finding out while she’s there.”
“We’ve got it.” said Clara.
“You could count on me.” said Calpurnia, “If I could keep the existence of time travel a secret, I could keep this a secret as well.”
“Very good.” said Doc.
++++++
After her checkup she was sitting at the desk opposite the examining doctor who said “Miss Parker. It looks like your strength is coming back. But you’re far from alright.”
“But you said I’m getting better.” said Jennifer.
“Physically your are.” said the doctor, “But psychologically, you’re still going to need help. Now there’s this group that holds meetings on Wednesdays here at the hospital for bulimics like you. I want you to start attending these meetings starting next Wednesday.”
“Next Wednesday?” asked Jennifer, “What do they do there?”
“Discuss what caused them to be bulimics.” said the doctor.
Jennifer reeled back. I can’t tell them what cause me to have eating disorder without exposing them to the knowledge of time travel. she said to herself. Deep down inside she knew that the cause of her problem was that trip to Italy and her encounter with Count Tannenio.
So she said “Can I think about this first?”
“Go ahead.” said the doctor, “Discuss it with your family.”
“Thanks.” said Jennifer.
Friday, April 1, 1988
1:00 a.m.
Hill Valley, California
Doc was getting the final touches ready for Calpurnia’s trip back to Ancient Rome. The newly restored DeLorean was as good as new. Then Calpurnia and Clara came in. Calpurnia was reading the nightgown she was wearing when she was kidnapped and taken hostage by Brutus and his cronies. Clara was dressed up to pass as a shepherdess.
“You both look marvelous.” said Doc.
“Thank you.” said Clara.
“I guess this is where I say goodbye.” said Calpurnia, “It’s nice to see you again, Doctor Brown.”
“And it’s nice to see you again, Calpurnia.” said Doc. They both embraced.
“I hope Marty gets better.” said Calpurnia.
“I hope so too.” said Doc. He turned to Clara and said “Clara, I’m going be knocking off to bed so when you get back here, I’ll be asleep.”
“Okay, Emmett.” said Clara, “Goodnight.” They both kissed.
“Goodnight, Clara.” said Doc, “Oh, the outfit Jennifer’s going to wear is in the DeLorean. Tell her to put it on before getting into the car.”
“Okay, Emmett.” said Clara, “I’ll make sure she does that.” After that, the two women got into the car.
Doc went to the driver’s side of the car where Clara was and said “Alright Clara, activate the time circuits.”
“Right.” said Clara and she did.
“Now look at the ‘Last Time Departed’ indicator.” instructed Doc, “It should give a readout of the time Marty, Calpurnia and the boys left 44 B.C.”
Clara did. “It say’s ‘March 18, 44 B.C. 5:15 p.m.”
“That’s good, Clara.” said Doc, “Now set the ‘Destination Time’ for the same thing. It’ll be like Calpurnia never left. And remember, the ‘Destination Location’ is Salonae, Dalmatia. That’s present day Split, Yugoslavia.”
“Okay.” said Clara setting the time circuits for the time and place she was to take Calpurnia and Jennifer too.
“And you’re all set.” said Doc, “And I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Alright Emmett.” she closed the door, opened the roof and the car lifted off into the night
++++++
Wally had gotten up to go to the bathroom. After going he heard a strange noise outside so he opened the window to look. In the distance he saw a DeLorean float over the Brown’s house and landing on the street. After it drove away, he went back into the bedroom to wake his wife.
“Harriet.” he said “You wouldn’t believe what I saw.”
“What did you see Wally?” asked Harriet.
“I saw a floating DeLorean landing in the street and driving off.”
“I knew it.” said Harriet, “We should’ve never watch that horror movie in the television. It’s starting to keep you up.”
The sound of her voice startled Wally.
++++++
Jennifer was awaken by the ringing of her cell phone. She picked it up and said “Hello?”
“Jennifer. You didn’t fall asleep did you?”
Jennifer recognized the voice immediately. “Doctor Brown.” she asked, “Is that you?”
“It is.” said Doc, “Listen, Clara should be here any minute to pick you up. She’s brought along some clothes for you to wear.”
“Alright, Doctor Brown.” said Jennifer as she went to the window to look out. Her bedroom was one of the few that had windows looking out to the street. “Oh Doctor Brown,” she went onto say, “I would like to thank you for letting me go with Clara while she’s taking Calpurnia back to Rome.”
“You’re welcome, Jennifer.” said Doc.
Then, Jennifer spotted someone coming up by way of the side. It was Clara. And she had a bundle under her arm.
“She’s here.” said Jennifer.
“Good.” said Doc, “Good luck, Jennifer. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Good night, Doctor Brown.” said Jennifer, “I’ll see you in a week.”
“Exactly!” said Doc.
After that she hung up and opened the window. “Hello, Clara.” she said.
“Jennifer.” said Clara, “I’ve got your clothes right here.”
“Okay, Clara.” said Jennifer, “Oh, keep down. My parents are asleep.”
“Okay, sorry.” said Clara as she hushed her voice a little.
Taking the clothes from Clara, Jennifer opened it and examined the contents. “What is this?” she asked.
“It’s a shepherdess’s outfit.” said Clara.
“I see.” as she changed out of her pajamas and into the outfit. Then, she asked “Where’s Calpurnia?”
“She’s in the car.” said Clara.
“You don’t think she’ll make off with it will she?” wondered Jennifer.
“Relax, Jennifer.” said Clara, “She doesn’t know how to drive.”
Then, there was a knock on the door. On the other side of it was a voice saying “Jennifer.”
“My mom.” said Jennifer. With the outfit halfway on, she went over to pick her bathroom and put it on. After closing the window, she went to open the door. “Mom?” she asked.
“Jennifer.” said Prudence, “I swore I heard you talk to someone.”
“Oh.” said Jennifer, “You must’ve heard things.”
“Jennifer.” said her mother, “Why are you still in your bathrobe?”
“Oh this.” said Jennifer, “I was going out to get a midnight snack.”
“Now Jennifer.” said Prudence, “You know what the doctor said. Any snacking and you’ll have a relapse.”
“You’re right, Mom.” said Jennifer, “You’re absolutely right. I just can’t sleep thinking that I’m out of the hospital while Marty’s still in there.”
“Well, snacking isn’t going to make him well any sooner.” said her mother, “Only time will.”
“Time.” mused Jennifer.
“So why don’t you just go back to bed close your eyes and just think happy thoughts.”
Mother. If only you knew I was asleep and it took a phone call from Doctor Brown to wake me. said Jennifer to herself. Then, to her mother she said “Okay, I will.”
“Okay Jennifer.” said Prudence as she was undoing the belt on her daughter’s robe.
Jennifer, not wanting her mother to see the shepherdess’s outfit underneath it, said “Mom, I’m a big girl now. I could take off my own robe.”
“Well then, good night.” said Prudence as she kissed her daughter on the forehead.
“Good night, mom.” said Jennifer as she kissed her mother on the cheek.
After her mother left, Jennifer took off her robe and opened the window saying “That was close.”
“It sure was.” said Clara, “You almost mashed my fingers.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” said Jennifer as she was being helped out of the window.
Once they got out to the front, they spotted the DeLorean. Calpurnia got out.
“Jennifer.” said Clara, “This is Calpurnia.”
“I think we met.” said Jennifer as she shook hands with her.
“You did.” said Calpurnia, “At the hospital when they wheeled Marty in.”
“Oh yes. I remember.” said Jennifer. Then she noticed something that Calpurna was wearing. “Is that a lie preserver?” she asked.
Calpurnia took a glancing look at Clara who said “It is. All your questions will be answered once we’re back there.”
“Oh, Okay.” said Jennifer as all three time travelers got in.
Turning on the ignition, Clara asked the other two “Alright buckle up!” and they did. After activating the cloaking device, she then activated the hovering device and the DeLorean lifted off the ground. Then, it made a straight beeline over the city until it reached 88 miles per hour and through the time barrier.