Chapter 17 #2
The coffee shop was quite crowded and Cormac couldn’t believe that all these people were waiting in line for coffee.
He didn’t understand it. Coffee was good, but he didn’t think it was so good that it warranted stores on every corner and lines out the door.
People in this time seemed to always have a cup of coffee in one hand and their phone in the other.
They were unaware of what was going on around them.
Dangerous to be sure. Why only this morning he had seen two people almost hit by the speeding wagons people used to get around.
They barely looked up from their phones to notice their near demise.
Jenna paid for the coffee and pastries and led the way to a corner table for two.
She ordered herself a drink with a verra long title and he got his coffee black.
After drinking it with cream and sugar, he had discovered that he preferred it black.
It had tasted bitter at first, but after getting used to it, he discovered he enjoyed the flavor of the coffee.
Everything here was either too sweet or too salty to his tastebuds.
Jenna handed him a bagel and cream cheese.
“Thank ye, Jenna. What do I do with this?” he asked, holding up the small container of cream cheese.
“It’s to spread on your bagel, silly,” she smiled sweetly at him.
He watched carefully as she spread cream cheese on her own bagel.
He immediately followed suit and took a bite and then another.
If this was his breakfast, he was going to be hungry again verra soon.
He sipped his coffee and admired Jenna as she ate.
She was so ladylike and dainty in her movements.
Exactly the woman he had imagined his wife to be.
He tried not to think about that. It would do nothing but serve to sadden him.
Next, Cormac perused the people in the room.
Since his arrival, he had taken great pleasure in observing those he saw around him.
He tried to imagine what their life was like.
He knew not everyone lived as Jenna and her cousin did.
He saw people who in his time would likely be merchants or artisans.
There were plenty of poor and homeless. He had seen evidence of that daily.
At Breaghacraig everyone was well cared for and had what they needed to live a good life.
He knew that wasn’t the case in all parts of Scotland in his time, but those the MacKenzies were responsible for had no complaints to speak of.
He felt sorry for those in San Francisco that he saw sleeping in doorways and being passed by like they didn’t exist. He was just about to ask Jenna about it when there was a scuffle outside the coffee shop.
An older woman was wrestling with a much younger man who was attempting to steal her purse and her phone.
Cormac immediately rose from his seat and before Jenna could stop him he was outside.
The man managed to steal both objects and was running down the street.
“Cormac, wait,” Jenna called. “Don’t go after him. He might have a gun.”
Cormac didn’t heed her warning, instead charging off down the street after the thief.
The man quickly turned a corner and Cormac flew after him.
They were running down an alley now and Cormac was right on his heels.
Turning, the thief flashed a knife and Cormac quickly grabbed his arm forcing the man to drop the knife.
Cormac grabbed the man by his shirt and threw him up against the nearest wall.
“I believe ye have something that doesnae belong to ye,” Cormac growled.
“Here, take it,” the man’s voice quaivered as he held out the purse and cell phone. “Just let me go.”
“I’m afraid not, lad.” Releasing the man from the wall, Cormac grabbed his arm and started off down the alley.
The man’s feet barely touched the ground as he was dragged along.
At the corner, a breathless Jenna had just turned her ankle and fallen to the ground.
“Dinna move or ye’ll regret it,” Cormac said to the thief.
The man nodded his head and stood perfectly still while Cormac scooped Jenna off the ground.
“Ye shouldnae have come after me, Jenna.”
“I was afraid he’d hurt you,” Jenna said.
Cormac laughed. “Ye were afraid that this wee man could hurt me? ‘Tis not likely.” He renewed his grip on the man’s arm, placing him in front of him while also carrying Jenna in his arms and heading back to the woman whose purse had been stolen.
All along the street people were applauding Cormac and as they approached the coffeeshop, they were met by two police officers and a paramedic.
“Cormac, you can put me down now,” Jenna whispered.
He gently placed Jenna on her feet. She was obviously favoring her ankle. The paramedic, who had been tending to the other woman’s bruises, led Jenna to the back of another strange looking wagon, where he examined her ankle.
“Sir, that was very courageous of you.” One of the men in blue uniforms was talking to Cormac. “You can release your hold on this guy. We’ll take it from here.”
“I have a few questions for you, sir,” the other man in blue said. Cormac watched as the man was led away to the backseat of a black and white wagon with flashing lights on top. Much like the one he had seen that day on their way home from the beach.
“Aye. What would ye like to know?”
“I just need to get your statement. What you saw, etc.”
“Thank you so much,” the older woman gushed as she threw her arms around Cormac. “You’re my hero.” She continued holding onto him.
“Sir I need to know your name, address, etc. If you could just fill out this form for me I’d appreciate it. You can sign it down at the bottom.”
Jenna hobbled back to his side and whispered, “I’ll help you with that. Officer, can we take this back into the coffee shop to fill it out?”
“Sure. We’ll be out here for a while.”
“Miss, you’ll need to let go of my friend,” Jenna politely said.
“Oh, I’m so sorry. I just can’t thank you enough.”
Cormac peeled the lady’s arms from around his waist and set her away from him.
Her bright smile belied the fact that she had just been the victim of a crime.
Cormac moved to pick Jenna up again and she waved him off.
“I can walk, thanks.” She limped to the door of the coffee shop and Cormac opened it, ushering her inside.
They sat back down and Cormac looked at the papers in his hand. “Here, let me see that,” Jenna offered.
Cormac handed the papers to her and Jenna produced a pen from her purse. “What is that?” Cormac wanted to know.
“It’s a police report. I’ll fill it out for you and then you can sign it on the bottom. I’m sure that’s all they’ll need from you, although they might need you to testify in court.”
“When will that be?” Cormac asked.
“Oh, it won’t be for a while, I’m sure.”
“I’m leaving tomorrow, lass. I’ll not be here.”
Jenna looked disappointed, but she began filling the paper out. When she was finished, she handed the pen to Cormac and pointed to a spot on the paper for him to sign.
“Okay. That should do it. Let’s go give this to them and then we can leave,” Jenna said.
Cormac handed the papers to the police officer and they checked to make sure they had his contact information. “Thank you, sir. We’re grateful for your help. We’ll be in touch.”
“’Twas no trouble at all,” Cormac replied.
They started to walk away and Cormac noticed that Jenna was still favoring her ankle.
He swept her up in his arms and the people who had gathered to witness the incident broke out in applause again.
Jenna buried her head in Cormac’s chest. “You really don’t have to carry me, you know. I can walk,” she said in embarrassment.
“Not verra well, lass. I’m going to take you home to rest,” Cormac raised an eyebrow as he answered. “Believe me, ‘twill be quicker my way.”
“Let me call a cab, please.”
“Dinna waste yer time, lass. We’ve not that far to go.” He felt her relax in his arms and knew she wouldnae continue to resist.