The following morning, William quickly rose and dressed as usual before walking over to his desk. He was eager, to say the very least, to read the latest response from Buffy Summers.
Buffy Summers.
She had written that her full name was Elizabeth, but as William had read her reply the other day, he knew that he could only think of her as Buffy - a strong, independent, twenty-first-century woman, not an insipid, shallow, nineteenth century sheep.
As he sat down to read her newest entry, he couldn't help but smile. Although he still did not fully understand the concept of all these modern marvels she mentioned, he was delighted to see that she at least tried. She tried to help him understand what she knew so well. She was actually eager to explain, however badly she worded things, and she wasn't condescending in her tone at all.
But it was her last little section that really made his smile glow.
But in answer to your last statement...William, I believe you. I believe in this, whatever and however it may be. I believe this is happening and that I'm not ready for it to end, whatever that means.
I believe you.
Until next time,
Buffy
She believed that this was actually happening.
Not only that, but judging from her closing, she expected him to continue writing to her. And that thought filled him with a sense of joy.
He was still smiling when he grabbed his pen and ink to begin writing his reply.
September 24, 2005
Dear Buffy,
That is wonderful news to hear that your sister has come back home for the weekend! I completely understand you ending your entry so quickly in order to spend time with her. I know that if my sister was home for such a limited amount of time, I would feel the exact same way. It is amazing that schooling is so accessible to everyone in your time. Here, it is only the men who are academically educated. Overall, the women are expected to serve as mothers and to tend to the house, and they are given only basic knowledge to do just that. Miss Dawn should take full advantage of the privilege she has been given to attend University, although I am sure you are well aware of that.
I must say that your profession is unusual, or I suppose that for a man of my time, it is unique. There are few women painters in my era, and successful ones are even more rare. Female painters are trained under the guidance of their fathers, and even assist in working on their canvases sometimes, but often do not succeed on their own. I admire your courage in running your own business to support yourself.
Of course, all of this is said with the thinking of my time, and I'm sure that many things are different in 2004, including the equality between men and women. We have always tried to have equality in my house; that is something my father wished for and taught us. Nevertheless, there are still many things that limit women in our world, which I fear that Emily-Grace has already begun to experience.
In response to your descriptions of television and the Internet, although I still do not fully understand your explanation, I do appreciate you taking the time to try your best. These two inventions sound oddly fascinating. I, for one, would most likely be interested in this Internet thing. It sounds both impossible and remarkable to be able to communicate with people so easily.
In closing, tell me more about your sister, Dawn. I do hope that your weekend together goes well.
Sincerely,
William
William put down his pen, thinking about how amazing it was that something so simple as writing to this woman could enliven his life so much. Even as he worried about supporting and protecting his family, his mother’s health, and what the future would bring, writing to Buffy Summers offered him a temporary escape.
As he placed the journal back in the desk drawer, William knew he finally had something positive in his life outside of his family, and having it all to himself made it that much more important to him. Right then, he knew that he would continue to write and listen to whatever Buffy had to say as long as this magic continued.
~~~
After lunch, Buffy and Dawn quickly talked it over and decided to spend the rest of the day together and meet up with Buffy's friends tomorrow evening at the Bronze. The two went to Blockbuster to rent a few movies that they hadn’t seen yet, and then splurged at the grocery store so Dawn could eat some normal food before heading back to school Sunday afternoon.
That evening, the two spread out on the couch with drinks, a huge bowl of popcorn between them, and bags of candy and other junk food on the coffee table, and watched their movies. Dawn fell asleep sometime during the third one, leaving Buffy to tidy up before calling it a night.
After waking Dawn up and helping her to bed, Buffy headed into her room and pulled out the journal, hoping that William had found some free time to respond.
She read over William's answer and smiled at his nervousness over asking about her private life.
He's so polite, Buffy thought as she began her reply. I wish guys were half this polite nowadays.
September 24, 2004
Dear William,
Before I begin I just want to say this - please don't ever feel embarrassed or afraid to ask me anything. Ask me whatever you want, and I will answer it the best I can. After all, I figure with me being as blunt as I am, I'll probably ask you things that will freak you out unintentionally. I hope that we will be able to be frank with each other and get over our nerves.
In answer to your question, no, I am not married. I'm not even dating anyone. In the 21st century, we do things differently than what you're used to. Women can ask the men out, we generally date several different people before deciding who or whom to marry, and women can even ask the guys to marry them! That probably all sounds crazy to you, right? But it's a lot more equal between men and women these days, so we date around to see who suits us best and then get married...and then if you wind up hating each other five years later, you get a divorce - you split up and become single again. A lot of people like to do that these days.
Dawn has long brown hair, blue eyes, and is a few inches taller than me - which she mentions as often as possible, trust me. She's eerily smart, especially when it comes to foreign languages, but - and I think I already mentioned this, she still isn't too sure about what she will major in. Luckily, you don't have to decide right away, you can wait one or two years into school these days.
Today, she and I went shopping and rented - borrowed, movies...uh, they're like plays but are recorded so people can watch them over and over again. It's like photography, but there are so many pictures taken one second after the other, it becomes moving...hence the name moving pictures, shortened into movies. I hope that made sense. I took history of photography back in high school, but it's pretty hard to explain without knowing anything about it.
Anyway, we came back to the house and
Our Mom, Joyce Summers, was an amazing woman. She took care and supported the three of us for years after our father left. She was quiet yet had a commanding presence, and was gentle yet firm in what she said and did. I have no doubt that she is similar to your mother...they would probably get along very well if they ever met. I still miss her, but she has given so much of her wisdom to Dawn and myself that we will keep her alive in our memories forever.
So...tell me about your family - what's your mother like? You mentioned your father earlier, but if you don't want to talk about him, that's fine.
Well, I'm pretty exhausted as well, so I think I will call it a night with this.
Talk to you again soon,
Buffy
~~~
True to their plans, the following night Buffy and Dawn decided to meet the gang at the Bronze at 10:00 to hang out and relax.
Buffy and Dawn walked in several minutes late, still bickering about Buffy's incredibly slow speed at getting ready when they spotted Xander and Anya sitting at a table across the dance floor.
"Hey guys!" Dawn greeted, waving at two of her closest friends. Since she was so close to her sister, whenever Buffy spent time with any of her friends, Dawn usually had tagged along. Because of that, Dawn was very close to all of Buffy’s good friends. In fact, she’d had a crush on Xander for years, which ended just about the same time he announced his engagement to Anya.
"Dawnster! Hi! You're not at school!" Xander exclaimed, reaching over to give her a hug. "Why aren't you at school? You didn't get in trouble did you?"
"No, Xander. I'm just visiting for the weekend," Dawn explained, pulling out the bar-stool chair and sitting down.
"Hey Dawn," Anya said, waving back before returning to her drink.
"Anya, love the new hair color," Buffy remarked, looking over at the now-brunette.
Anya had met Xander by chance almost two years ago. Xander was visiting Willow and Buffy at the gallery one morning when Anya walked in, a fresh face in town, looking for a job. She took one look at him and he at her, and it was...well, not exactly love at first sight. At first, they simply tolerated each other. Xander listened to Anya's boring and oftentimes bizzare stories, and Anya never understood any of Xander's Star Trek, Star Wars, or Spider-man references. Buffy and Willow, however, could tell that something might be developing.
Buffy decided to hire Anya to help out at the gallery, and she quickly discovered that she had made the right decision. Anya had many new ideas in order to bring more money in, and Anya very soon wove her way into their inner circle of friends, becoming particularly close to Xander.
"Thanks, Buffy," Anya replied. "I figured it was time for a change. I was getting pretty sick of being blonde."
"Where's Willow?" Dawn asked, looking around the room for the red head.
"Oh, she couldn't make it...last minute change of plans," Xander explained. "She, uh..."
"She's too busy having orgasms with Tara," Anya blurted out.
One thing you had to get used to about Anya? Her complete lack of tact.
Xander groaned and covered his face as Buffy and Dawn laughed, more at Xander's reaction than at what Anya had said. Sometimes he thought he would never get used to his fiancée’s candor.
"How are they doing?" Buffy asked as she pulled out a chair and sat down. "You know...besides that?"
"Pretty good," Xander answered. "She said that they'll both come to our next get-together."
"That's great. I'm going to go get myself a drink. Dawn?"
"Sprite, please."
Buffy stood and walked over to the bar and ordered a beer for herself and Sprite for Dawn.
When she walked back over to their table, Dawn was the only person sitting there, happily bobbing her head back and forth to the beat of the music. Xander and Anya were several feet away on the dance floor, dancing around each other and laughing.
"Having fun?" Buffy asked as she handed Dawn her drink.
"It's okay," she answered. "It's a bit slow for a Saturday night, don't you think?"
Buffy looked around. The dance floor was a bit bare, and the pool tables were unused, a rare sight for this club on the weekend evenings. "Yeah, it's a bit slow. Maybe we'll stay another hour or so?"
"Sure."
Xander and Anya walked back up to their table several minutes later. "Hey, Dawnie, how about a dance?" Xander asked.
Dawn smiled, feeling her heart jump. Okay, so maybe some of that teenage girl crush was still inside of her. "Sure, that'd be great."
Buffy smiled as she watched her sister walk away, hearing Xander ask, "So, how is school doing?"
It was nearing 11:00, and the club was slower than usual. With no performing bands or other exciting events, a lot of people must have decided to skip the Bronze this evening. Having danced all they wanted, the four decided it was time to head home.
"Good luck at school," Anya said. "Make sure to study hard and find hot guys at the same time."
"Anya!" Buffy exclaimed, not wanting Anya to be the one giving advice like that to her younger sister. "Maybe we'll all try to get together tomorrow evening, all six of us."
"That'd be great, I'll call Willow," Xander replied. "It was great seeing you, Dawn. I'm glad school is going so well for you."
"Thanks," Dawn explained.
"Well, you'll see her again in a few weeks during fall break," Buffy said, pulling out her car keys from her purse. "But we better be getting home now."
Dawn rolled her eyes. "She just wants to get home to write to her pen pal," she teased with a singsong tone of voice.
Xander chuckled. "Got yourself a writing buddy, do you there, Buffy?"
"That's so...pre-e-mail," Anya stated.
Buffy blushed and tried to act nonchalant about it. "Well..."
"His name is William, and he lives in Britain, and-"
"That's enough from you, Dawn," Buffy said, pulling her sister towards her and squeezing her arm a bit harder than necessary. "And here I was thinking Anya was the one with the big mouth."
"Thank you," Anya beamed, taking it as a compliment. "Xander likes that I have a big mouth, he says that-"
"So! About this whole pen pal thing. Sounds like fun!" Xander quickly interrupted, quickly interrupting whatever embarrassing thing Anya was about to say.
"It's no big deal," Buffy explained. "I just...we've been writing to each other for a short while now, and..."
"It's lo-ove," Dawn teased.
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Please, Dawn. It's just for fun."
"Well, still...although I don't know why you like to write your letters so late at night. I’ll bet you're looking forward to getting back home and writing to him," Dawn said.
And, for once, Buffy had no reply - because she couldn't deny that Dawn was right.
~~~
After saying goodnight to Dawn and changing for the evening, Buffy grabbed the journal and sat down on her bed. She flipped to where she had finished her last entry and was delighted to see a new one from William.
September 25, 2004
Dear Buffy,
Thank you for your kindness in understanding my hesitancy in asking certain questions. I am beginning to understand that it is much easier to be informal in your time than in mine.
I cannot begin to imagine courting in the 21st century based upon what you have said. I fear that I would not fare very well in your time left on my own, and I know that I would most certainly not be able to handle a woman asking a man for his hand in marraige!
Your sister sounds like a lovely young girl. And I am so glad that you two had a lovely weekend. It's just wonderful that you two can spend a relaxing time at home with no worries or distractions. The movies that you mentioned sound splendid; I would love to see them. I hope they will be invented soon, although I'm sure they will be much less spectacular that what you are accustomed to seeing.
Your mother sounds like a wonderful woman. I have no doubt that our mothers would get along very well. They have many things in common from what you have said. My mother has raised Emily-Grace and myself for many years. Although, that was out of necessity, and different reasons than your own. Any man who would leave his wife does not deserve to live. I admire your mother's courage to continue on after that happened.
My father, Benjamin Stafford, was a powerful man, who loved my mother unconditionally. He was very understanding, but firm when it came to discipline and teachings. He was very bright and taught me many things, both academically, and in life. I feel that I am a better man thanks to him. He left us with several investments and since he came from a wealthy family, he left us financially secure, thank goodness.
My mother, Anne Maitena, is very much like yours. She, too, is gentle yet firm in keeping our family together. She has raised Emmy into a beautiful, polite, young woman and I know that my mother will live on in her in the years to come.
That is the extent of my family, which is what you asked to know about in particularly. Although 122 years separates us and we come from entirely different backgrounds, our families do not sound so different, do they?
Until next time,
William
As Buffy read through his writing, she was pleased to see how much more relaxed he was in talking about his personal life. She could already sense a much more informal tone in his words since he knew that he was not talking to someone in 1882 that he had to impress. However, no matter how formal or informal his writing was, he was always courteous and kind in his words, something that pleased her very much.
September 25, 2004
Dear William,
Your family sounds wonderful, so loving and caring. Thank you for describing them to me, especially your father, which I have no doubt was painful to think of. It still sometimes pains me to think of my mother, even though I try to remember only the good times. Sometimes, even though you might think medicine and technology is as good as it will ever get, it still doesn’t help.
I was at the Bronze - a
I figure we should each pick a topic to talk about - things that are typical in our era, and explain our side of it. I'm sure things are very different in 1882 than 2004, both in inventions and customs.
So, tell me more about 1882 traditions? What's the norm and what's taboo? As a modern gal, I'm pretty curious about what life is like back then. Tell me whatever you want, and I'll do the same. I'll be looking forward to seeing what you respond with.
Until next time,
Buffy
Buffy closed the journal and placed it in its usual spot, knowing that William would respond sometime tomorrow morning or afternoon - and she was thrilled at the very thought of it. She leaned back against the headboard and smiled. She was eager and very curious to learn more about William's world, and she could tell that William was just as curious about hers.
It was amazing. It hadn't even been a week, but her life suddenly didn't feel entirely real - after all, in the real world, women don't talk to Victorian-era gentlemen through a magical journal. However, Buffy had accepted the notion of writing back and forth with William with great ease. She didn't know how he really felt about it, but Buffy was eager to write again, read his responses, and start all over. She wanted their written communication to continue for a very long time.
And that thought both comforted and worried her.
It comforted her because she took pleasure in the notion that she could ask, say, or complain about anything, and William would listen and offer his support and kind words.
But it also worried her for that very same reason - what if she wanted more? It wouldn't be very hard to fall for someone with the impeccable manners that William displayed in his writings, but it was impossible to act upon them. Over 122 years separated the two.
What if...?
"Don't be stupid," Buffy whispered to herself. "He's just a guy who happens to live in 1882 and is your friend. Nothing more. You're just...not quite over Warren and desperate for any male attention."
Buffy rolled onto her side to settle in for the night, making a vow not to ruin her newfound friendship.
TBC...
I hope you all like the newest chapter! I'll be out of town for the weekend without access to my computer, but I will post the next chapter as soon as I can! Please review and let me know what you thought...I'm not complaining about my review count for the last chapter by any means, but it would just rock to get double digits again for the review count!