Never Too Late (Resetter Series Book 1)

by Brenda Barrett

  And then the familiar jingle, It's now time for Calypso Corner. Addi opened the door and went into the hall. Her father was there. He raised an eyebrow at her mode of dress.

  "I am going to paint." Addi shrugged.

  He nodded and then held up his finger when the calypso song came on. It was the song, Dolla Wine.

  Cent, five cent, ten cent dolla. He started jerking his hips in tune to the music. Addi leaned on the wall and laughed.

  Josh came out of his room at the same time and glanced at her and then his dad and shook his head.

  "Dad loves his soca."

  Addi nodded. She had forgotten that. She had also forgotten how playful he could be. Her mother came out of the kitchen to join him and they both danced enthusiastically to the music, while she and Josh watched them.

  When the song ended her father grabbed her mother and kissed her at the side of the cheek. The two of them laughed and looked at their grinning children.

  "And that lady and gentleman is how you keep young." Her father announced and then he looked at Addi. "Where are your painting supplies?"

  "I don't know." Addi shrugged. "I was just about to ask you where I can get brushes and thinners and what not."

  Josh chuckled. "Brush? That would take you all day. We are going to use rollers. Come on. Your supplies are in the garage."

  ****

  Josh basically took over her painting project. He taped the corner edges of the walls. He mixed the paint. Randy joined them when they were moving the dresser out of the way and then he grabbed one of the rollers and she was left standing in the middle of the room while they made short work of her painting project.

  When music from the Love Spot was announced on the Morning Man program. Usually, Alan Magnus played a love song that was positive and uplifting.

  This morning was, I Just Called To Say I Love You by Stevie Wonder.

  Josh looked at her. "Hey, future girl, what happened to Stevie Wonder?"

  Addi glanced at Randy and then at Josh. "Still around. Still singing too. I went to a concert where he was one of the artistes. I went with Sky in 2016. Her last concert before she killed herself."

  Josh laughed. "Ah boy, in your stories somebody has to die, eh?"

  Randy didn't join in. He just continued painting, a grim look to his face.

  "Why don't you ask me about you in the future?" Addi asked testing the waters with Josh.

  "Me?" Josh looked at her, "Well okay, what's happening with me. Please say I am still around. Unlike Sky and all of the singers you told me about."

  "You are." Addi sniffed, "but you are unhappy."

  Josh finished one side of the wall. "Why am I unhappy?"

  "You got married to Ellie this year because she was..."

  "Addi!" Randy was the one who turned to her and shook his head. "Stop."

  "But he deserves to hear!" Addi wailed.

  Josh looked between her and Randy. "I deserve to hear what?"

  Addi swallowed. "Ellie is not the person you think she is. She did something very bad to you in the future. I think she is cheating on you now."

  Josh froze. "That is not funny," He finally said. "This joke, this future thing. Ends now. You hear!"

  Addi nodded and swallowed. Josh looked livid. She could see his Adam's apple bobbing up and down as he stared at the wall, holding himself rigid.

  "Don't ever say anything about Ellie ever again. You hear me?"

  She nodded again.

  He finished his side of the wall in silence.

  Randy gave her a look. It was as if he was saying I warned you. Serve you right.

  But telling Josh was worth the try. She kind of felt deflated about how vehemently he had shut her down. But a small spark of happiness blossomed in her chest. At least Randy believed her, as preposterous and crazy as her story was. Randy believed her still. She had one ally in this summer do-over.

  ****

  Addi spent most of the rest of the day feeling restless. Her room was painted. Very neatly at that. It looked bigger too because of the lighter color they used. She placed a pan with water in the middle of the room to absorb the scent and then left the door wide open.

  The day was overcast and very cool, bordering on cold. She used some of her pent up energy to walk to Uncle Stan's house. She needed to talk to Sky, but Sky had not returned from her self-exile at Colleen's house. Nobody was home. She contemplated going to the office to spar with Randy but thought better of it. He hadn't looked too pleased after her impromptu revelations to Josh.

  She decided to take a stroll around the neighborhood instead. The guava trees across from the houses were loaded. She took off her sweatshirt and made a make shift bag to carry home some of the ripest and biggest ones.

  Mrs. Jones, their neighbor waved to her when she was heading back.

  Addi waved. She didn't remember what Mrs. Jones first name was. She was standing at the front step of her house just staring into space. She looked quite young too. Maybe early thirties.

  She had a square face, and thick eye brows that were neatly shaped and an almond nut complexion free of blemishes. She was surprisingly slim now.

  In all of her recollections of Mrs. Jones she had never thought of her as young looking or even beautiful.

  She had concluded maybe upon seeing her once or twice that she was just drawn and burdened and perpetually pregnant.

  "Do you want some of my guavas?" Addi decided to make an overture. She could not recall ever talking to this lady though they lived beside each other for years. That had been one of her regrets.

  It was time to reset.

  "Thank you." Mrs. Jones nodded. She went for a container and Addi dumped the guavas in them.

  She shook out her sweater and tied it around her waist.

  "I can make jam." Mrs. Jones smiled. "Thank you."

  Addi smiled back. "It's nothing. They were falling from the tree in the common over there. You know, I always thought that jam was hard to make but found out that it was pretty easy a couple of years ago."

  "A couple years ago?"

  Addi groaned out loud. She had been getting her mouth in it from morning.

  "You are one of the Porter girls aren't you?" Mrs. Jones asked.

  "Yes." Addi nodded. "I am Nate Porter's daughter, Addison."

  "I am Myrna Weir."

  "Myrna Weir? As in you are not Mrs. Jones?"

  "No." Myrna laughed. "I am not married to Keith. People assume we are so I just answer to Mrs. Jones. It's easier, more respectable. Maybe one day we'll get married."

  "I always thought you were married." Addi gaped at her. "Whenever, I see you, I think Mrs. Jones who is always pregnant..."

  She clapped her hand over her mouth.

  Myrna laughed. "Not always. I have just five children."

  "Seemed like more." Addi mumbled feeling embarrassed. "Where are they?"

  "They are spending summer with Keith's mother. I was standing out here thinking about them. The house seems empty without them."

  Addi nodded. "I hear my friends who are mothers say that all the time."

  Myrna glanced at her sharply. "How old are you?"

  "Old enough," Addi said, flippantly sitting on the step.

  Myrna found her funny. She laughed. "Well then, I am thirty this year."

  "Just thirty." Addi shook her head. "That's too young to be so discontented."

  Myrna sighed and sat beside her. Still with that thoughtful look on her face. "When the children are here I am distracted by all the noise and the motherly stuff. When they are gone, I wonder..."

  She sat back on her hands and looked out. "I wonder if I am not wasting myself here with Keith and..."

  She stopped speaking as if realizing that Addi was up to now a stranger.

  Addi waited for her to weigh the pros and cons of speaking about it. She wasn't going to prompt her.

  "I wish I had money," Myrna finally said. "I would buy a sewing machine. That's my skill you know. Sewing. My aunt did it and I u
sed to help. She did drapes and curtains and spreads and those kind of things. I was really good at it too. I could do it again. I need to do something. This inactivity is killing me."

  Addi glanced at her. "My mother has a sewing machine that she hasn't touched for ages. I could ask her to lend it to you."

  Myrna clasped her hands in front of her and then looked at Addi. "Really?"

  "Yes, why not?" You'll need other stuff too, like a cutting table and sewing stuff.

  Myrna looked deflated again.

  "Tell you what," Addi got up and brushed herself off. "I need a new bed spread and pillowcases and matching curtains. You do my stuff for free and I can get you everything else you want."

  "How?" Myrna frowned. "You are just a kid. A nice one but..."

  "I'll do it." Addi held out her hand. "Deal?"

  "Deal." Myrna took her hands slowly.

  ****

  Addi headed straight for the office when she entered the yard. Randy had a large ledger in front of him and a calculator punching numbers into. He didn't even look up when she entered the office.

  He was whispering numbers under his breath and jotting figures down on a piece of paper.

  He finally looked up. "Yes, Addison Porter."

  "I want to help Myrna from next door to get a sewing business started."

  Randy nodded. "And how may I assist you in this?"

  "You can tell me how a fifteen year old in 1992 can make money quickly and legally."

  Randy sighed and closed his eyes. "Addi..."

  "Yes Randy," she leaned forward and grinned. "You do long suffering so well."

  Randy grimaced. "How did I become your sidekick?"

  Because you are the only one who believes me."

  "And for that, I should have my head examined." Randy tapped his pen on the desk. "To make money legally you can always try race horsing. There is a shop in every major town."

  "I have no idea about any horses." Addi sighed. "I don't even know what the interior of one of those places look like. I always found the whole horse racing thing boring."

  "Well, there is the informal betting at Chungs Haberdashery. They bet on everything. Sometimes the stakes are pretty high, like half a million dollars."

  Addi nodded slowly. "Like what can you bet on?"

  "Like presidential elections, celebrity stuff both local and international, the Summer Olympics in Barcelona this year, other random stuff. Everyday there is something. Your Uncle Stan told me that he made a killing from predicting who would succeed Michael Manley when he stepped down as prime minister this year."

  "My uncle doesn't gamble," Addi muttered.

  "Look at that, she doesn't know everything!" Randy laughed and hit the desk. "What, in the future he has no vices?"

  Addi leaned back in the chair. "In the future he is not around."

  Randy went silent. "Oh Addi."

  "We have to save him too." Addi whispered, "but first, we need to work on getting some money."

  "I don't gamble either." Randy tapped the desk. "But I am going to go out on a limb here and justify this okay?"

  "Okay." Addi watched him closely. Today he was looking especially handsome. His face was closely shaven, his dark brown eyes sparkling, his pink lips firm yet soft.

  She could remember every time they had ever kissed, including their first kiss, when he had shown up at her off campus apartment and begged her not to let him inside.

  "If you know the future it's really not gambling is it?"

  "Huh?" Addi dragged her mind from the future that would never be and into the here and now.

  "Gambling," Randy repeated patiently. "For you this is not gambling."

  "True." Addi nodded. "Which makes life totally boring and no fun. Not knowing the future is actually half of the fun of living."

  Randy smirked. "Well...you would know."

  "It is so." Addi grunted. "So what are we going to bet on?"

  "You are going to bet on the upcoming presidential pick for US vice president. It's two days away. Your uncle told me about it." Randy pointed at her. "You'd better be right because I am giving you all my savings."

  "Randy you are the best!"

  "Remember to tell me this, when you are an adult. Now scat, I need to give this estimate to your father and uncle by this evening."

  Addi left the office beaming.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Addi did her usual stint in the settee, this time because the fumes from the freshly painted walls were too much for her. She found Monica's grandmother's diaries under the bed of all places and had already read through the first one.

  She was a good writer. Very engaging. She wrote about her life like a story, Addi appreciated that. The first diary had her hooked. She started reading:

  My name is Gwendolyn Fisher and I was born on October fifth, 1921, to Perkins Fisher a wealthy land owner and citrus farmer and Theresa Fisher, housewife. I was the third of seven children, the only girl. It was my grandmother Dorothy Fisher who first recognized that I had only two lines in my palms. She was considered superstitious and no one took her observations seriously so this out of place phenomena was discounted. Jamaica in the twenties was a place of change...

  Addi read through what she was loosely calling in her head book 1. Her concentration was so engaged in the book. She jumped when a hand tickled the soles of her feet.

  "Wha?" Her father was holding a glass of water and grinning. "I said, what are you reading Addi?"

  "I didn't hear." Addi grinned at him. "It's good stuff. A diary from Miss Monica's grandmother, Gwendolyn Campbell."

  "Ah, Miss Gwen." Nate sat down across from her and sipped his water.

  "What's wrong?" Addi frowned at him and then looked at the clock, it was a little after midnight.

  "Heart burn," he said closing his eyes and leaning back in the settee. "Vicky said I should sip some water and baking soda slowly. Remind me never to eat tomatoes again."

  "Tomatoes." Addi grinned, so that's why he never touched them in the future. "Yes sure."

  "You should go to bed," he said taking another sip of his water.

  "I can't, my room smells awful and I hate my bed."

  "Right." Nate closed his eyes. "Your mom told me about the bed and I can smell the paint from out here."

  "Dad, tell me about Miss Gwen." Addi closed the book. She was almost done anyway. Miss Gwen had a lot of stories about her early life but nothing about the two lines in her hand.

  "She was a lovely old lady," Nate said softly, "very good with names and history. She was like a walking herbal encyclopedia. I think she was a genius or something. You just needed to point at a plant. She could tell you the scientific name and its uses and all of that stuff."

  Addi nodded. "In her diary she said her father owned most of the property around here when she was younger."

  "Yes." Nate nodded. "He left chunks of it to all of his children. Miss Gwen had owned this side of the land for miles around. But she sold it out through the years. When Stan and I were looking around for a place to build we heard about her and how reasonable she was selling property. We drove all the way from Mile Gully where we were living at the time to come see Miss Gwen. It was a Sunday, Miss Gwen had just come from church, we had you and Sky with us. We drove up the long drive way up to her house.

  "She heard us out as we politely enquired about land and said, 'I am so sorry gentlemen I have nothing available for sale.' And then you came out of the car. You were just five at the time."

  Nate chuckled. "You were super cute too. You came out saying, 'Daddy Daddy I want to go potty.'

  "Miss Gwen offered to take you to the bathroom. When she came back with you she practically gave us this piece of land. To this day Stan and I have no idea what made the difference."

  My palms! Addi subsided in the chair. Miss Gwen must have seen my palms and known that I had the same resetting abilities.

  It was uncanny she didn't remember that episode with Miss Gwen. It was also funny that he
r father had never mentioned the story before now, or maybe he had and she hadn't noticed any significant reason for it then.

  She wished she could have met Miss Gwen in person. By the time they had moved into this house she was around eight. Miss Gwen had died by then. She turned on her side suddenly feeling sleepy.

  "Night Dad."

  "Night Addi," he murmured closing his eyes too.

  ****

  Addi went on to read book two of Gwendolyn Fisher's Diaries before she even ate breakfast. A point her mother wasn't reticent to share.

  "I will eat." Addi mumbled in irritation. "I am fine."

  Her mother paused before heading to the kitchen. "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day."

  Addi looked over the top of the book. "Says who?"

  "Says me." Her mother scowled. "And when since have you taken up back chatting me, Addison Porter? I hope this is not a thing."

  Her full name. Her mother rarely used her full name unless she was about to get mad.

  Addi sighed. She had to fly under the radar for two and a half more years. Acting like a teenager and not being to speak her mind was going to be a pain.

  She could see it in her mother's nose flare. She could see it in the tapping of her feet.

  Addi had better move now or else she wouldn't hear the end of it. She had forgotten how grumpy her mother had gotten especially this summer.

  The last time she had been happy to get out of the house then. She got up, feeling hard done by. Why should she be browbeaten to eat a meal she had no interest in? The 2000's had debunked the breakfast myth anyway.

  Josh and Randy joined them just when her mother was about to blow her top. They had gone running.

  "You could have invited me," Addi mumbled.

  "You were snoring when we passed you in the settee," Randy was the first to quip. "There is always this evening."

  Josh still had some residual resentment toward her for telling him bad things about his Ellie.

  He just shrugged. "I wouldn't want you along with us anyway, you would slow us down."

  Addi made a face at him and headed for the kitchen. Her mother had scrambled eggs and fried plantains and fried over dumplings. She didn't want it. She wished that her mother wasn't watching her so keenly waiting for a fight.