by Jill Cooper
I follow after him and inside I feel so defensive. Sure, I was happy my parents had rekindled their relationship, but it wasn’t what I had wanted at first. “Jax is every bit my dad too. I hate how things ended and I hate that Mom decided to divorce him. It killed me inside, Mike. I tried to convince her. I tried.”
“Sure,” Mike flops on his bed and faces the wall, angrily flipping through a magazine. “Except now you have what you want. Your dad in our house.”
“That’s Mom’s decision. Not mine. She deserves to be happy. Don’t take that away from her. She’s been through hell and back. You were too young to remember how hard it was.”
He tosses his head back and glare at me. “I remember.”
Sure, he does. The anger flames inside, but he’s just a kid. I need to control it. “Maybe you feel like the world is against you, Mike. I felt like that, too, but it’s not true. We’re here for you. We just want everyone to get along and be happy.”
“You’ll get your happy tomorrow, right?” Mike snorts and slips his headphones on. He’s done with me, just like he’s been for weeks. I hope tomorrow at least he won’t sulk. I hope things can at least go the way they are supposed to for one miserable day.
I remember being an angry teenager with a huge chip on my shoulder, but I wanted more for Mike. I don’t want him to make the same mistakes I did.
****
Molly and I eat enough pepperoni pizza for a family of four while sitting on the floor of her room. She’s in pink pajamas and I’m in blue, there are empty soda cans between us and we laugh at some silly show that’s on her television.
We’re almost identical except there’s an innocence to her face I hadn’t been allowed to have. Her eyes are always full of emotion and she’s so grown up now, I can barely believe it when I stop to take it all in. She has petite tiny breasts, for goodness sakes.
What happened to that seven year old girl who I felt like I just met yesterday?
I should be done eating if I want to squeeze into my wedding dress tomorrow, but I can’t help picking at the cheese on the remaining slice of pizza. “How’s Mike been with you lately?” I try not to stare at her as I ask the question. I don’t want it to seem like a serious grilling, but I’m worried about him.
More than I thought I was.
Molly shrugs, staring off at the TV instead of at me. “He’s more serious than he used to be. I noticed it when Mom and Uncle John started seeing more of each other. Now that he’s practically moved in, Mike is way moodier. He used to be so much fun. Carefree. He’s not himself.” She sighs and her eyes turn down. Far as twins go, they were the closest.
“Let’s try to cut him some slack. It’s not easy for Mike. He doesn’t know or see the things that we do.”
“We’re a time traveling duo.” Molly slurps her soda.
More like I’m a time traveler and I’m not sure what Molly is. She can rewind, fast forward, and freeze time, but what she does isn’t exactly traveling. She doesn’t change the past so much as study it. When she does change it, those caught in her stream remember the past the way it was.
And the way Molly made it be.
Molly sees all the infinite streams of time like they are individual strands. She’s learning not to tell people about their life choices as it freaks people out, but there’s something special about her that is radically different than my own power.
I feel the urge to sneeze and right before I do Molly says, “Bless you,” and hands me a tissue. Taking it, I wipe my nose and give her a look.
“What?” Molly asks. “You were going to sneeze, you did the eye twitch thing you always do before you sneeze.”
I wipe my nose. “So, he’s really moved in?”
Molly shrugs. “Feels like it. Some night’s he stays and just pretends he got here early enough to make breakfast. Like anyone is stupid enough to fall for that.”
“Huh,” well, I’d have to tease my parents about that later.
“How about you? Are you nervous?” Molly asks genuinely. Her eyes wide as she waits for my answer.
“I’ve been waiting for this day for years it seems like. Nervous is the last thing I am.”
“Just be careful. The future’s path isn’t set yet.”
Her tone of voice scares me. I open my mouth to ask her what she means but a shimmering hole opening up in time interrupts. Cassidy, my great niece from the future, steps through. She’s staring at her phone and lifts a hand to close the gateway to the bridge closed—a place that exists outside of time.
“Here you guys are. Everything so far looks tip top. No sightings that we need to worry about. No Rex. No rogue time travelers. What?” Cassidy blinks as she finally looks up. “Why are you both staring at me like that?”
Molly laughs as she reaches up and grabs Cassidy, pulling her down into the group with us. “You’re late for pizza. This is the night before Lara gets married. We don’t want to talk about any of that right now.”
Cassidy scowls. “Well when will we talk about it then? Tomorrow she’ll be too busy. Then she’ll be going off on her honeymoon.”
“No honeymoon, remember?” I try not to feel that twinge of disappointment. The time isn’t right just yet for a honeymoon, we can’t afford it, but I so desperately want to be away with Donovan all to myself.
She gives me a look. “Right, well just because you guys don’t know how to do it right. I—.” Molly shoves a piece of pizza into Cassidy’s mouth and we all erupt into a fit of giggles.
They’re my present, my future, all the reasons I have for living my life. We’re together and life is good. Nothing is ever going to tear me away.
Chapter Two: Molly
I love my big sister, but she snores like the Dickens. Whatever that means. I stare up at the ceiling and when my stomach growls so loud I feel sick, I decide I need to grab something to eat. That left-over pizza in the fridge is calling my name.
Peeling my comforter off, I tip toe over the sleeping bodies of Lara and Cassidy. They’re both light sleepers and I tip toe to avoid waking them. I take a moment to stare at Cassidy’s face and am marveled by the fact she’s older than me, but I am her grandmother. One day. That means I grow up, I have a daughter who in turn will grow up and have her.
That means all of this will work out and no matter what path I take, it’ll all lead to her. Pretty cool, if you think about it. I wish it was something I could share with others, but I guess I can’t unless I want to really confuse people.
Downstairs I trip over Uncle John’s duffle bag. They really aren’t the stealthiest of individuals. I wouldn’t mind except for how trippy Mike’s been about the situation. I move the bag over before heading into the kitchen. When I open the fridge, the light nearly blinds me it’s so bright.
Fridges should come with a nighttime setting, for goodness sakes.
Biting into the cold pizza and it’s burst of sweetness and tang from the tomato sauce, makes it worth it. I close the fridge door and lean against it, enjoying my snack. As my vision readjusts to the darkness, a shape takes form in front of me and I jump at the sight of Mike. He’s in his pajamas and staring at me with a small smile on his face.
“Don’t you ever learn that you can’t do anything without me hearing you?”
I swallow the pizza bits in my mouth. “Want a piece? We can eat together.”
Mike nods. “Yeah, I’m starving.”
“Ask and you shall receive,” I pull a piece from the fridge and hand it to him. We could sit at the table, but we always eat our midnight snacks on the floor with our backs against the cabinets. I don’t know why it started, I think because when we were little we couldn’t move the chairs without them squeaking across the floor.
I sit beside him and he doesn’t say anything. Mike puts his arm around my shoulders and stares off while he eats. There’s worry on his face. I peer into the future for him without meaning to and see an endless sea of choices.
Mike and Uncle John find a way to move forward with
their relationship. This is of course the best option.
Mike runs away because he can’t handle having a step-father.
He gets in trouble with the law and drops out of school.
Mike makes life impossible for Mom and Uncle John, causing them to split up for good. I don’t want that and I don’t think Mike wants that either.
There’s so much darkness in is choices that it surprises me. He’s always been upbeat and happy. Something’s changed him, but I can’t find what it is. It’s almost like it isn’t in time at all and that terrifies me.
“You should be happy for Mom.”
He sighs. “Not you, too.”
“You don’t see what I do. I’ve seen what Dad put Mom through. I don’t want to pick sides, but—.” Mike knows my secret and keeps it for me. I’m glad but we don’t get to talk about it that much.
“Pretty sure you already did.”
My eyes widen at the insult. “I love Dad more than anything. I love staying with him and I only ever wanted him and Mom to get back together. But it’s not going to happen, Mike. Mom tried to forgive him. She just can’t.”
Not in this timeline anyway.
“For what he did to John?” Mike says his name like it’s a swear. I can’t understand why he hates him so much.
“What else would I be talking about?”
Mike gives a dispassionate shrug and it makes me want to shove him. Why can’t he just tell me what he’s feeling? He used to.
“Mike—.”
“Can we just not do this right now? It’s late. Let’s eat our pizza and celebrate tomorrow. I don’t want to ruin this for Lara.”
I nod. “Good decision.”
“It’s clear I can’t change your mind. I doubt you’ll be able to change my mind either.” His words are so final, I’m surprised he stays, but he does. His arm stays draped around me and I lean my head on his shoulder, feeling his cheek press against the top of my head.
We sit there for a long time, saying nothing, and eating pizza.
But the future darkens and I’m afraid for what it has in store.
Chapter Three: Lara Montgomery
I never thought this day would arrive.
Spring flowers decorate the back of the church and music fills the halls, and the window gives a few of bright blue sky. It’s everything a girl can dream for her wedding day and that might be what scares me most of all.
“Fifteen minutes until go time,” the voice of Jax, my former step-father rings out and he steps into the room.
I throw a glance back at him and smile, holding the ends of my white dress up. “We’re almost ready.”
Almost ready, for the walk of my life.
He smiles, his blue eyes shining with happy tears for the first time in what seems like forever. “I can’t believe you’re this grown up and how much time has passed.” Jax touches my hair and then his thumb strokes my cheek.
When his eyes fill with tears, mine do too. Jax struggles with a breath. “First time I met you, you were this tiny thing. Chubby cheeks and nervous smiles. I thought it’d be a struggle to learn to be your dad, but you loved me so easily, how could I do anything but love you back?”
“I still love you, Jax.” I lean forward and place my cheek against his. “Please never stop being my dad.”
His hands press me in close. “Never happen. Wild horses couldn’t carry me away from your life.”
His words warm my heart as he steps away but I hold onto his fingers for a moment longer.
“Wait until Donovan see you. He’s not going to know what hit him.” Jax disappears outside and I return to my task. Waiting’s never been a skill of mine, even before I was a time traveler.
I breathe a deep sigh and stare into the mirror before me. My reflection is beautiful, happy, and hopeful. It’s everything it’s supposed to be and for me, Lara Montgomery, that’s scares me. I’m not supposed to be happy, I’m not supposed to have this life, but thanks to time travel, I do.
And somehow other people always end up paying for it.
While staring into the mirror and I watch Cassidy stepping out from the restroom behind me. She’s in a pretty paisley dress with a light blue lace sash and with her hair pulled off her neck, she looks beautiful. No one suspects she’s my great niece from the future, but when she scowls, she reminds me of me. Her eyes shine with defiance no matter what she does.
It’s a family tradition.
I need to care for her, protect her. Her future was destroyed because of me, because my Uncle Rex from another time line, wanted to destroy my life. In turn, the only thing he destroyed was her.
“No one is ever going to buy this.” Cassidy smooths her dress down and gazes at her own reflection with a tilt of her head.
“You’re Donovan’s cousin visiting from out of town. What’s not to buy?” I take her hand and she squeezes it back.
“How about all of it?” Molly, asks from behind us. She’s why Cassidy and I are together. She’s the very thing we want to protect.
Family, it’s everything, and my family is just about to get a little bit bigger.
Time travel isn’t just my thing, it’s a family thing, but Molly is different and she must be trained, protected, no matter the cost.
I extend my hand to Molly and she takes it, stepping forward. In her light blue dress, she’s the picture of pre-teen elegance. Naivety shines on her face, she hasn’t faced the horrors I have, what future Molly has, and I’m desperate to keep it that way, long as possible.
I pull her brown curls so similar to mine off of her neck so I can slip a new locket. Inside, a picture of the three of us, hugging side by side.
The Montgomery girls for all that they do, and all the secrets that they hide, nothing will ever tear us apart again.
Outside the music in the hall changes into a march. My stomach lifts with nerves as Cassidy opens the door, peering out into the hall. “You ready to leave Montgomery and Crane behind forever?”
To become a James, I was, but I’d never leave them behind completely. I was meant to become a James, I was born to be a Crane, and Montgomery?
Well, that I moved hell and high water for the right to obtain. Even though I didn’t realize it. Time taught me that, like it teaches everyone.
****
The timeline had been changed so many times, I no longer know how old I really am, but I do know I changed the past to save my mother and destroyed the future. Then, one adventure after another robbed me of my present. Now, with so much riding on time, the ability to change it, the ability to protect it, I have my family.
When Cassidy Winters, her mind brain washed against me, arrived in the past to ruin my life, we banned together to save the future and our family. Trapped two years in the past, I lived my life over again, this time with new choices and new decisions.
Donovan James, the love of my life, lost his fortune, but we built a new future, the only one he ever knew. With my arm interlocked with my father’s to my left, and Jax to my right, we walk down the aisle toward him and he waits like destiny.
The veil hides my face, but it didn’t obscure Donovan’s anxious nerves as he adjusts his jacket, crossing his hands again in front of him.
Everyone in the pews watches me as we make our way down the center. Rose petals cushion each step and I can’t stop smiling as Donovan steps down to greet me. I stare at him, totally in love with all that he is, as Dad places my hand in his.
Dad kisses my cheek, his own eyes riddle with grief. There’s so much I want to say to him, but I can’t. All I can do is smile as he returns to his pew beside my beloved mother.
The woman I changed I risked life and limb for. What a sacrifice it had been, and in some ways I never stop paying for those decisions.
Donovan steps in front of me and lets out a low slow breath as he tips my veil up, smoothing it against my hair. “I don’t know why I’m so nervous,” he whispers as he takes both my hands and we head up the stairs together toward the priest waiti
ng for us.
We turn to face each other as the priest speaks and I try to listen, but my raging heart won’t let me. I steady myself by staring into Donovan’s eyes. Feeling the flashes of the camera going off, I glance at those witnessing to my wedding.
Everyone is there that I love from Jax, my parents, Cassidy, and my twin sister and brother. Mike’s arm is around Molly’s waist and her head is on his shoulder. They are the picture of a lady and a gentleman, perfect as a polaroid. It’s like every dream coming true.
Something that used to make me worry, but now I’m embracing my future. Donovan and I have earned it.
“I can’t wait for the future,” Donovan says with a cocky smile, as he beings his vows. The crowd politely laughs and I’m filled with wonder that he’s able to joke about that after the two years we’ve had since we lost our money, home, and our way of life.
We recite our vows, we dedicate our lives to one another. Applause erupts around us as we seal it with a kiss and a shadow looms in the corner of the church. It reminds me that everything we have, everything we are, it’s only a moment from being taken away.
*****
The past and the present had been unkind to us, and our eyes were on the future as much as they were on each other. Donovan holds my hand, brings it to his lips and gave it a ginger kiss. “You ready?” His nervous voice makes me smile but the love in his eyes makes my heart skip. Forever and a day he has been mine and I won’t let him go.
On the other side of the purple curtain the applause of our guests grows as the master of ceremonies welcomes us to the dance floor. “For the first time ever, at least in this timeline, Mr. and Mrs. Donovan James!”
I smile curtly at the time travel jokes as they come my way, which seemed to be unending. Once it bothered me, but now I take it in stride with gentle grace. Donovan peels back the curtain and we step through, waving at the quaint crowd of fifty. I could’ve invited a hundred, maybe two, but since we lost a fortune in the stock market and had to live the life of the humble, it didn’t seem that important anymore.
