"For how long must you endure this sham of a marriage? She's never around. She's either travelling or busy at work. This must stop." The high-pitched aggravating voice of my mother-in-law echoed from Carter's home office.
I froze in my steps.
"Mother, please. I love Kimberly and the nature of her work…"
I turned and walked back upstairs. I pulled out my luggage and began to fold my things inside. I'd had enough.
Carter did not have the guts to tell his mother that our marriage fell apart because of his wandering eyes. Granted, as an art curator for several museums in my city, I was always on the move but it shouldn't be an excuse to cheat.
I placed my luggage in the boot of my BMW coupé when Carter ran towards me, breathing hard. "Kim? What are you doing?"
"What I should have done months ago. I'm leaving you."
"I thought you would give me a second chance. Mother was here—"
"Yes. I heard her in your office. No second chance, Carter," I said, got into my car and drove away.
My office was spacious and I sometimes slept there. I dropped my bag and began to unload the box from my recent trip to Antalya.
I turned on my coffee maker, remembering my visit to a nice Kahveci Usta in Antalya. The middle-aged man gazed at me with soulful eyes and pressed a small packet into my hands.
"What is it?" I asked shyly.
He smiled. "I believe you may need this soon. It's a special roast of coffee that lets you travel in time…"
"What?" I scoffed disbelievingly.
"You doubt me? Try it when you return to your city. It works only if you are drinking it. If it finishes, you will find yourself back home."
I hurriedly pulled out the packet from my bag. Inside was finely ground coffee with a sweet aroma. I poured it into my coffee maker and waited.
I grew up on fascinating stories of my great-grandmother, an independent and brave woman who was born ahead of her time. I wanted to see her.
I scoffed and shook my head. Perhaps the Kahveci Usta was messing with me. But he appeared serious and a little sad that I doubted him.
Only one way to know if this coffee was for real or some sham. I poured a mug and sipped. I close my eyes to savour the strong and nutty taste…
I felt a cool breeze lift my hair. I swallowed and opened my eyes.
"Erm, young lady. Watch your steps or you'll fall backwards," a beautiful woman, likely in her late forties with grey hair spotting her hairline like a hairband, said to me.
I shrieked. And almost dropped my mug of 'special' coffee. Some coffee spilt and sprayed into the air. I was left with very little. I gripped my mug tight with both hands and looked around.
I was standing on a high peak in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco.
I stared mouth agape at my great-grandmother. She grinned at me and spread out her hands. I went into them, holding onto my mug with one hand and hugging her with the other. She held me to her bosom.
"I did not expect to see any of my great-grandchildren from the future. Child, what are you doing here?"
"I wanted to meet you," I whispered and quickly took a sip of the coffee. I gazed in wonder at the mountaintops and valleys. The weather was cool and cloudy. The breeze was soothing.
She held my hand. "Come sit with me." She pulled out a thick blanket from her backpack and spread it on the ground. We sat and looked into each other's eyes.
A Peregrine falcon screeched and hovered over us for a moment before it flew away.
I felt so good inside me. It was like I was home.
"You are falling into a dark abyss and you won't let anyone take your hand. Why?" My great-grandmother asked softly and unexpectedly.
I averted my eyes. "I want to be like you—independent, strong, wise and successful."
She chuckled. "You can't be anyone of those things you mentioned without people around you."
"How did you…I mean how do you break these conventional roles and expectations that society demand of us?"
"I did?" She asked with a hearty laugh. I laughed too, realising how funny my question was because we were in her 'present'.
"Yes. In my time, Grandma talked about how you became…."
"Shh. Say no more so. We can't mess with time and nature. Mmhm? Tell me where it hurts."
I took another sip and realise I had about a sip left. I told her about the challenges at work that were gender related and how Carter hurt me.
"You must choose your path. Don't let society dictate your life. Own it!" She said fiercely.
"Is that what you do?"
"Child, I've been where you are and came out here to meditate and seek answers. I was told to expect a visit from the future. You are the answer. Your visit has challenged me to own my life too."
"Really? Who told you so?"
"You are almost out of coffee," she said instead. "Let's make a pact that we won't let anything hold us back from truly living, eh?"
I was feeling faint. I nodded and downed the last coffee. We held each other tightly and I closed my eyes to inhale her spicy body scent.
The low hum of the AC in my office made me open my eyes. I exhaled and glanced at my phone. Fifteen missed calls from Carter and his mother.
I'd been gone for hours but it felt like a blink. I was sad and fatigued when I left but came back lighter, refreshed and happy.
I couldn't stop smiling as I unloaded the art pieces from Antalya. It was time to start living.