47 Years

Chapter 1 – Fading Memories

"C'mon Grandpa Jack, tell us more about the robots"

"Yeah, please Grandpa Jack, you promised"

The two pleading voices came from a pair of children sitting on the floor opposite and old man resting in a large, but uncomfortable looking armchair. The youngest was a little girl who looked to be about four years old, she had dark shaggy hair that framed her inquisitive face while the second child was short but looked to be around the age of seven, short cropped blonde hair adorned the top of his head while a small but distinctive scar ran through his eyebrow, more than likely obtained in some youthful hi-jinks.

The elderly gentleman looked at them with a confused look on his face, something was wrong, why were two children sitting in front of him? Why were they calling him Grandpa? As if to answer these plaguing questions a women in her early thirties began to make her way over to the trio.

"That's enough you two" said the woman, "your grandfather needs his rest"

"Awww, but mom" The boy groaned.

"Come on now Jackie, you too Susan, I think Grandpa Jack has told you enough stories for one day"

The aged figure turn his head towards the woman, he knew her face, pale skin, blonde hair, she looked so much like her mother... His late wife... Her name was... Was...

"Bah" The old man growled, frustrated with his slipping grasp on his own memories, they were his after all, and why they refused to obey him sent anger coursing through his body.

"Okay dad, me and the kids are leaving now" The woman said softly, getting a glazed look for the slumped figure.

"Looks like he's gone again" Sighed the woman, suddenly looking about twenty years older, seeing her father like this always broke her heart, it was the same every time, but it was always worse when moments before his eyes went blank he was laughing and telling his grandchildren fantastical stories about giant robots and a eons old war. While the existence of this warring race of titans had been common knowledge now since before she was born, they had not been seen for years. According to all known sources they're war had ended with the destruction of one of the factions leaders, along with most of the north east of the United States, after that they had apparently left Earth.

"Excuse me, Mrs Darby?" Came a voice that awoke her from her musing.

"It's Miss Darby actually, but please call me Rachael" Replied Rachael Darby

"Of course, Rachael, If you have a minute I would like to speak to you about your fathers condition" said the Doctor, also a woman who looked to the same age as Rachael, she gave the worried woman a warm caring smile and gestured towards what she assumed was her office.

"Of course" said Rachael, looking around for something to occupy her children for a few minutes, with a glance at her father thinking that she could hardly leave them with a man who as far as he knew didn't know them, was surprised to see a smile on his face.

"You go see the doctor sweetheart, I can watch the young ones" Said the old man grinning.

"Uh, okay, uh you kids be good for Grandpa Jack now"

"Okay mom" both kids answered in unison

With another smile and a gesture towards the door, Rachael followed the female doctor to her office. Taking a seat and offing another to Rachael with a wave, the two women sat down and Rachael let out a long sigh.

"I don't know how much more of this I can take doctor...? I'm sorry I didn't catch your name" Asked Rachael

"Its Doctor Jones, Felicity Jones, however Doctor Jones usually leads to jokes about whips so I prefer to be called by my first name"

"Alright Doctor Felicity then"

"Please, just Fliss is fine"

"Okay, Fliss, he's been getting worse hasn't he?" Replied Rachael with a worried face. The Doctor for her part was trying to keep a composed air about her.

"Miss Darby... Sorry, Rachael, your father has very late stage dementia, as you know; there is little that can be done for him now except to make him as comfortable as possible" Said Felicity "However, that being said it is not uncommon for patients such as your father to remember things from much earlier in their lives than more recent events. As is the case with the stories he tells your children" the doctor continued.

Rachael now had to speak up, "That's just the thing, those stories aren't memories, they're just stories, as far as I'm aware my father has never seen a giant robot, let alone been a partner to one, and to believe that he was part of all the mess makes my blood boil after the destruction and death they caused" She was getting angry now, she hated those filthy robots, Cybertronians is what they called themselves, but to her they were all devils.

"Be that as it may Rachael, your fathers accounts of his younger days are very vivid, far more detailed than a story that someone would make up, I think it would be best if..."

"Doctor Jones" Rachael interrupted, instantly becoming formal and more than a bit agitated.

"My father was a Bank manager, it was a job he did my entire life, he went to work, paid his taxes, had his two holidays a year and never so much as got a parking ticket!"

"He was in no way involved with any aliens; don't you think that if he was he would have let it slip just once? I will give you the fact that he never had much of an imagination from what I can remember, but I refuse to believe he had anything to do with... Them"

For her part, the doctor stayed silent while the woman in front of her got some of this pent up rage towards earths once alien visitors out of her system, what had made her so prejudiced towards the robots she could only guess, but it wasn't unexpected. Very few people on the planet had much good to say about them.

"Rachael, I can understand that this is difficult to believe, but here" the doctor said handing her a file. "One of the nurses here has been documenting your father's stories; I believe you know nurse Esquivel?"

"Of course, she's always taken an interest in my father's care" Replied the now calming woman as she took the quite heavy file.

"Jack seems to enjoy telling nurse Esquivel his stories, and this file has become a sort of diary of his earlier life, before he met your mother" The doctor watched for a reaction and was surprised to see none.

"Please Rachael, just have a read of this, I believe there could be answers in that could help your father, while we know he will never recover, I think there is something in that file that could give him some semblance of piece" The doctor said with her warm smile returning.

Rachael let out a sigh "Fine, I'll give it a look over" With that the mousy blonde haired woman stood up to leave, glancing back to the doctor as she was leaving.

"Thank you Fliss, we will see you on Wednesday"

"Goodbye Rachael" the doctor said as the door closed.

"Come on kid's time to go" She hustled the children towards the exit as she placed a kiss on her father's head. "Bye Dad, see you soon"

"Goodbye sweetheart, say hi to your mother for me, when is she going to visit?" The old man questioned his daughter, as Rachael face grimaced with pain. With another sigh she just said "Soon Dad, I'm sure you'll see mom soon" With tears beginning to form in the corner of her eyes she turned to her two children, "Say goodbye kids"

"Bye Grandpa Jack" the two kids shouted at the same time.

As the small family got into their crimson saloon Susan piped up with the question Rachael did not want asked.

"Mommy? Why does Grandpa Jack think he's going to see grandma soon? He's not going to heaven yet is he mommy?" The small girl asked with fear in her eyes.

"No sweetie" Her mother replied, "Grandpa Jack is just confused is all"

The answer seemed to leave the small child with more questions but she kept silent as the car drove off to start the journey home.

Later, at the Darby residence, a home that had been in the family since her own grandmother June's day, Rachael poured herself a cup of coffee and opened the file given to her earlier in the hospital day centre. With her children in bed for the night, the women decided it was time to read this supposed account of her father's youth. With a slight dread she opened the first page, and began reading...

To Be Continued...