“Time,” said Amelia, “is not a line. Do you understand that?”
“I hear what you’re saying,” Jenny said, “but I guess you’ve realized that it’s kind of hard for me to go there. I mean, I live it as a line. Even after that session with your, um, friend.” She shuddered as she thought about that.
“Yes, I’m sorry about that. I tried to tell him that wouldn’t work. He doesn’t really know our ways. I’m different, because he spent years carefully working with me, getting me to see. You had to face it all at once.”
“Wait,” Jenny said, “How come he didn’t see that it wouldn’t work? I thought you guys already know the future.”
“We do know the future, up to the part when you come. We’ve been expecting you, but we didn’t know what you would be like. It’s like there’s a wall in this part of time. In fact, that’s what he and I always call it — ‘the wall’. We can’t see anything beyond that wall.”
“You mean I stop you from seeing the future?” Jenny asked, astonished.
“Not just you — all of you,” Amelia said, gesturing to Josh and Mr. Symarian. “And your friends outside too. But we think it’s mostly you. Because of the connection between you and me. Somehow, you change things.”
“Wow,” Jenny said. “I had no idea. I was just trying to find my grandmother. I hope you don’t hate me.”
“I did indeed so want to hate you. I was fully expecting to. You may have guessed that from the nature of your encounters with Bruno along the way here.” Amelia and Jenny both looked over at the little dog, who was still sleeping peacefully in Josh’s arms. Then Amelia turned back to Jenny, giving her a long searching look. “Although I must confess — now that I’ve met you, I rather like you.”
“Thank you,” Jenny said. “I rather like you too.”