The world swam in blurred colors and it felt like it was moving in slow motion. The blood had left my head rapidly and my vision became fuzzy, but I could clearly discern the face I had so recently given up all hope of ever seeing again. I lifted an arm to reach out and touch him, absolutely certain this was some kind of hallucination. His own face was blanched with shock but also full of a burning question that had miraculously been answered. And I wasn’t about to start questioning the whys and hows, but instead stood motionless so as to preserve this moment in case it turned out to be a fantasy or a mistake of some kind. Jack, if this was indeed Jack, was also not moving. We stood like statues, just staring at each another. I barely noticed the nurses around us, all of whom had stopped to watch us. We were our own island, and reality hadn’t yet intruded.
It was Jack who took the first step forward. I took a step as well, and then we were embracing, and it was as if 500 years hadn’t passed, it was as if we had been together the day before, and no tragedy had torn us apart or separated us over the arc of time. His arms were strong and warm, and I felt myself sag into them. His hands, those hands I had come to know so well, were stroking my hair, and he was whispering in my ear that now everything would be all right, that I was safe. I felt like a child again, and as if I had been lost but was now found. I turned my face into the crook of his neck and marveled that his scent was somehow the same, that woodsy aroma that reminded me of warm sunshine on green grass. I rested there, the relief of it all washing over me. I had resigned myself to being completely alone in this strange new world, in this strange new city, and here was the person I had longed for, not only in this new life but in my previous life, too. And I allowed myself to feel thankful for the science that had brought him back to me, but I thought perhaps my thanks belonged to some force greater than technology. Jack was pulling my head back to gaze into my face, and my eyes were just as hungrily taking in his appearance. The creases around his eyes were gone. His skin was as smooth and ageless as mine, and his hair no longer had any peppering of gray. I was looking at a twenty-five-year-old version of Jack, but it was unmistakably him. His personality still shone through his eyes, and the smile that was lighting up his face was the same, too. His eyes were taking me in like those of a starving man, and I felt very sure that this was indeed the same man I had died with in Lagos. This was real, and I hugged him as hard as I possibly could. I heard him laugh, and I thanked the stars that even that was the same.
“Mina, you’re much stronger than you used to be. Easy does it.”
His humor was the same, too, and I almost began to cry in relief. The nurses were still standing around staring at our spectacle, and I became aware that Jack and I were behaving rather oddly in the midst of a medical clinic. Jack didn’t seem to mind that his staff was probably wondering what their attending was doing with this strange woman, but both the old and now new Jack had never given a rip what anyone thought of him, or what he did.
We separated slightly to drink in each other’s faces again, lonely travelers who technically hadn’t seen each other for centuries, although for us it had only been yesterday. Still, I felt the passage of time deep in my bones, and I knew he did, too. I stepped back slightly and felt myself wince at the growing discomfort in my leg, and realization dawned on Jack’s face.
“You’re here because you’re injured!” he exclaimed, and I blushed, as I had so often in his presence in a lifetime long past.
“It’s not that bad. I’d rather talk with you, find out how any of this is possible….”
“We’ll talk while I examine you. Mina, you klutz. What did you do this time?”
I smiled, reveling in his concern. The nurses had dispersed, as we were now behaving like normal people, not desperate and deranged lunatics. Jack grabbed my hand and helped me over to a bed. I didn’t want to break contact with him, but had to sit and recline so my leg was accessible. Jack was still smiling into my face, and a nurse appeared at his side to assist.
“It’s really not a big deal, I was out running and tripped down a little hill. I think it’s just sprained,” I said.
Jack grinned. “You truly haven’t changed an ounce, have you, kid? Still out running like a maniac whenever or wherever you can.”
I nodded, beaming at his old nickname for me. He turned to the nurse and requested something, but I couldn’t make out what it was.
“I picked things up pretty quickly,” he said to me, but held up his hand when he saw I was going to begin questioning him. “Plenty of time for all that. For right now, let’s just look at this leg.”
He gently probed the area around my shin where the cut was, and I inhaled quickly at the pain. He was given a small scanning device, and ran it over the length of my leg.
“Looks like you were right, kid. A sprain. You’ll need some old-fashioned rest, ice, compression and elevation for a couple of days, but I’m going to need to stitch this cut.”
I must have looked a little queasy at the mention of stitches, but Jack said, “We do all that the old-fashioned way here, too. Just manual stitches that won’t hurt too badly. You’re tough.”
He let his hand linger on my leg, and the familiar sensation of butterflies began in my stomach. Our old chemistry was there, picking up right where it had left off. I let my head fall back onto the pillow while he quickly sutured my leg, applied a bandage, injected something into it, exchanged some words with his nurse, and then it was over. I found myself wondering what we would do now. We had found each other, which in itself was an impossibility. Would we be able to talk about all that happened to both of us? Jack must have been thinking exactly the same thing, because as he helped me stand up he told me his shift would run another several hours.
“Where did the Facility place you?” he asked.
I explained about the apartment building and where in the city I thought it was located. I didn’t have a street name, and I hadn’t thought to ask if there was one. Jack nodded and seemed familiar with my building, however, and told me he’d take a train to meet me there right after his shift. I was at least able to recall what floor I was on, and which apartment I was in. Waiting for him the rest of the day seemed impossible, though. Being apart from him now would feel like I was missing a limb. Thinking of limbs, I realized I now felt almost no pain in my leg anymore. I told Jack this, and he smiled and reached out to touch my cheek.
“Medicine here is astounding, Mina. I can’t wait to hear about everything that’s happened to you.”
I felt myself grow warm again, but kept my eyes on his. “You have to tell me everything, too,” I replied.
“I know you realize it’s been 500 years since we’ve seen each other, but it only feels like yesterday. This is a miracle,” he said, echoing my own thoughts. We were still in sync.
He hugged me again, held me tightly, and then released me. “I’ll see you soon,” he whispered into my ear, and I felt a thrill along my spine.
For the nurses to hear, he told me to go home right away and elevate the leg with ice. I nodded obediently, we said a quick goodbye, and I followed the admitting nurse out to the waiting room. He instructed me that I didn’t need to do any discharge information; I was free to go. He looked at me curiously, but didn’t ask me anything and I was thankful. The day was turning out to be confusing and wonderful. The last thing I needed was questions. As I walked out of the clinic, marveling at how fine my leg felt now, my head was preoccupied with all that had just transpired. One thing I could say with certainty: my time in this city had thus far not been boring. Not in the least.