Jamie leaned against the metal building's entrance, experiencing the impossible sensation of being weak in the knees. She turned away for a moment, surveying the inside of the building as she mustered her nerves. Several classic old cars in various states of disassembly sprawled across the concrete floor, attended by towering toolbox sentries. Work tables circled the walls, laden with parts and repair equipment. Working with vintage cars and owning his own dealership had been Dennis's dream for as long as Jamie had known him – dating back to middle school – and in this world he'd obviously made good on that dream. She longed to congratulate him on that, even if his path to success hadn't been as rocky here. She'd always told him that if he trusted himself and went for it he would realize his goals. It was sweet to have her belief in him vindicated. All he'd needed was a little more time.
Jamie permitted herself a moment of mourning for her Dennis, for the sweet, intelligent, dreamer that never got that chance. Then she raised her head and turned back to the house.
A small, redheaded woman was patting Kylee's head and leaning up for a kiss from Dennis. A kiss on the lips.
Jamie's world came to a halt. Her first conscious thought was recrimination: How could she have been so dumb as to not even have considered the possibility? Dennis was an eligible bachelor by any standards, but with this prime land and a car dealership? Local women would surely be swooning. Dennis had always been immaculately loyal, but he was a man whose wife had been dead for years. You couldn't be loyal forever. What an idiot I am!
She was starting to back away when Kylee, glowing with happiness, turned in her direction. Their gazes met. Of course, Kylee wouldn't possess her eagle-eye vision, but she wasn't far away, and by the way Kylee went stock-rigid she'd obviously spotted her. Her mouth formed an "o" of shock. She seemed to recognize her – or maybe it was just the sight of a strange woman who looked like her dead mom standing in the snow staring at her?
It was too much. Jamie twisted back inside the workshop –
And nearly bumped into Brian Loving.
"What the hell?"
"Do you think I could leave without seeing this?" He smiled at her and shook his head with mock sadness. "You have to admit, I paid the price of admission."
"You followed me here...to watch the reunion?"
"Everyone loves a happy ending."
She made a fist and was going to thump him on the chest – before realizing she didn't know how physically strong Brian was.
"Easy, Commander," he said. "Especially when I tell you I took the liberty of peeking inside. I'm sorry to say it looks like your husband has a girlfriend."
"He's not my husband."
"I know." His smile slipped away. "And I really am sorry, Jamie. But you knew this was a possibility, didn't you?"
"I didn't see any evidence of it before." She sagged back against a work table. Now she knew what her kryptonite was. "But yes, I knew it could happen. I just didn't want to face it."
"Understandable. What are you going to do?"
"I don't know."
"I have an idea." He held out his hand. "Come with me. We'll find the place where you truly belong."
Jamie stared at the hand. She had to turn her head before she incinerated it.
"We could see things no human being has ever seen before," he said.
"Been there, done that."
"We could see more things no human being has ever seen before?"
He grinned. A smile crept onto her own face. Damn this goofball and his California surfer charms. For the briefest of instants she could actually see herself going with him and tripping the lights fantastic in a dozen different worlds...until maybe she found a Dennis who was pining for her like a chaste monk.
"No," she said. "I still have my daughter here. And she's seen me."
"We'd find her in other worlds, too."
Jamie shook her head. "I'm not going down that road. Or roads. You have to take a stand somewhere."
Brian nodded, the good cheer in his face sagging in disappointment. "Maybe you're right."
"Go. And please do me a favor and go back to our world. Tell my friends – tell Zachary – I'm okay."
"I will." His white-toothed grin resurfaced. "Eventually."
And he was gone. He'd probably end like that young scientist on the TV show, Sliders, flashing from world to world for decades if not forever. Damn dork. She shook her head and had to smile.
"Hello?"
Jamie looked up. Kylee was standing in the entrance, a ghost come to life. She was wearing a ski cap and a pair of pinkish gloves that matched her winter jacket.
"Hi," said Jamie.
The girl stepped forward, sunlight from the skylights illuminating her face. A matching pair of tears slid down her cheeks.
"Mommy...?"
"Baby."
"How is it possible?"
"It's a long story."
"Were you talking to somebody? I thought I heard voices."
"No. Just talking to myself."
Kylee stumbled forward and buried her head in Jamie's chest. Jamie wrapped her arms around her with exquisite care, reminding herself that even the weakest augment was several times stronger than her daughter. Life would be incredibly fragile on this world.
Kylee leaned back, her face glistening with tears that weren't all her own. "Are you going to disappear? Am I dreaming this?"
"No. It's not a dream and I'm not going anywhere."
"I've missed you so much, Mom! I know I was only four when you" – she made a helpless gesture –"went away, but I remember everything so clearly about you."
Jamie twirled a curl in the girl's bangs. "I remember everything about you, too."
"You used to do that with my hair!"
"Did I?" Jamie's laugh was half-sob. Keep it frosty, Commander, she could almost hear Jake say.
"Come with me to the house. You have to see dad."
"But he...you...seem to have company."
"Oh." Kylee's bright smile dimmed. "Haley. But Dad and her have only been going together for a few months."
"Did you say Haley?" No, it couldn't be!
"Yes. Why?" Kylee searched her face. "Do you know her?"
"Not exactly."
"Anyway, Dad hasn't stopped loving you. Yesterday, we even tied a ribbon around your, um..."
"Yeah," said Jamie, stroking her head. "I saw it. Thank you. It's a lovely grave. It was very sweet what you wrote on the stone."
"I don't understand how you can be here."
Jamie wasn't sure she wanted to explain. Not only would it be complex, but it might taint her presence here.
"Have you heard of parallel worlds?"
"You mean science fiction?"
"They're not fiction."
Jamie waited with forced patience as her daughter stared at her. Kylee had always been a bright child, with such promise. She'd get it.
"So you're from another dimension? My mom really did die? She wasn't resurrected or anything?"
"No. And on my world, you" – Jamie clenched her jaw – "died. You and your father. A car accident."
"You...I mean my mom...was killed by a truck."
"I know."
"But...how did you get here?"
Now came the complicated part, Jamie thought.
"You know about the Last Days movement? People are disappearing?"
"Yes. It's been all over the news. The FBI has been investigating them and their leader, Brian Loving."
"Right. Well, the people really are disappearing. They're being taken aboard a giant alien ship." Kylee was grinning at her as if she knew it was a joke. Jamie laughed softly. "Unfortunately, I'm not joking, Kylee. Aliens are behind this."
Jamie froze, gazing over her daughter's shoulder. Dennis and his redhead girlfriend – possibly the love of her father's life on her world – were tromping toward them through the snow. Dennis wore an expression that Jamie struggled to describe: he looked at once overjoyed, amazed, disbelieving, and terrified beyond measur
e – while his girlfriend scowled at her from behind dark sunglasses. Jamie wondered if there was a vacant cornfield she could wish her to somewhere nearby.
Her daughter startled her with a sneeze. She wiped her nose, then sneezed again.
"Sorry," she said. "It must be the dry air."
"That's okay." A strange thought formed at the periphery of her awareness.
"You were serious about the aliens?"
"Yes. I'm afraid so."
"If that's true, what can we do to stop them?"
"I'm not sure, baby." Jamie mussed her daughter's hair, gazing past the approaching couple, her eyes turning as icy blue as the skies above. "But I'll think of something."
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Super World Page 55
