by Gini Koch
Stryker took meeting Uncle Alfred in stride, shared that it was about damn time we’d gotten the kids a pet, and generally acted exactly like you want the friend picking you up from the airport to act. Seriously had trouble associating this person with the Eddy Simms I knew.
The Reynolds home was fantastic. If the home in Colonial Village had been large and lovely, their home in Darling Point proved that things were indeed better Down Under. Managed not to say I was impressed with the house, grounds, and furnishings because I knew without asking that Other Me had chosen them.
We had almost no luggage, seeing as everything the family owned in the States had been blown up, cars included, and we hadn’t overshopped during the few days of freedom the government had given us. Talk about starting over. There. Here, the place was furnished and closets filled as if no one had ever left.
Thankfully, Pierre showed everyone to their guest rooms, of which this house had plenty, while the kids scampered to their rooms. I followed the kids. Charlie and Max’s room was similar to the one they’d had in America—still loaded with science, sports, and Lego stuff.
Jamie’s room was almost an exact replica of her room in America. Complete with a three-way mirror. She raced to it and plopped right down in front of it, Stripes in her lap. My heart sank. She’d been so normal, as Chuckie had said. And now, this again.
But I went over to her, sat down behind her, and put her and the cat into my lap. “What do you see?” I asked softly.
She heaved a sigh of relief. “Everything.” She smiled at me in the mirror. “It’s going to be okay, Mommy. I promise.”
I hugged her. “I know. But . . . you need to promise me something else.”
“What?”
“You need to not spend all your time in front of these mirrors. I know that you saved everyone by bringing me here and sending your Other Mommy to my world. But your family needs you. Daddy needs to see his little girl smile at him. Your brothers need to be able to tease their little sister, and you need to be able to drive them crazy. For some kids, they can never have those things—it’s not their choice, it’s just how their brains are wired. But your brain isn’t wired like that.”
She shook her head. “But the other mes need me.”
“I know they do. But you know what?”
“What?”
“You don’t have to do it all. And you shouldn’t do it all. If you can do it, then the others can do it, too. Maybe, one hour a week, you look in your mirrors. Make sure everyone’s okay. But that’s all.”
“But what if they need me when I’m not looking?”
Hugged her again. “Baby, your family needs you all the time. They need you looking at them. Papa Sol needs you to keep him from missing Nana Angela so badly. Uncle Alfred needs you to remind him that in another world, you’re his granddaughter. Aunt Carla needs you to remind everyone why we love her. And your Other Mommy needs you, so much, to be the little girl she gets to dote on. I know she wants to, and I know she hasn’t been able to. Doesn’t she deserve that?”
Jamie nodded. “But what if something happens when I’m not watching?”
“Then I’ll handle it. Somehow. Just like I did here. Okay?”
“You promise?” She was looking at me in the mirror still.
Looked right back. “I promise.”
“What if the only way I can send you back is if I look in the mirrors all the time?”
The hard question. The question I knew was coming as soon as I saw the mirrors, if I was honest with myself.
Took a deep breath and sent an apology to the cosmos. “Then I stay here. You’re more important—you having a good life, as normal a life as someone as smart and wonderful as you are can have, is the most important thing to me. In every universe, you’re my daughter, and in every universe I love you and want only the best for you. And if that means I can’t go home to my universe, but you’ll have a better life because of it? Then I’ll stay here. Because that’s what mothers who love their children do—they sacrifice for those children. And one day, when you have children of your own, you’ll know exactly why I’m saying this.”
Jamie smiled. “Then it will all be okay, Mommy.”
She put Stripes down, got up, kissed me, picked Stripes up, and trotted out of the room.
“Okay,” I said to myself in the mirror. Stared at myself for a while. And then I could see her. Not me, not Jamie—Naomi. Both in front of me and somehow also in the reflection of every one of the multiverse images. As I’d known her, not as a superconsciousness, but as the beautiful Dazzler with ebony skin, kind eyes, and a smile that reminded me of Jeff’s and Alfred’s.
“We miss you,” I said softly to the images in the mirror. “I know you can’t come back. I wish you could. But thank you for watching over Jamie and Chuckie wherever and everywhere they are.”
She smiled at me and blew me a kiss. Same smile, same kiss, repeated at the same time all over the multiverse. Then the mirrors went back to normal, and all I saw was me.
It wasn’t an answer, but I felt a little better. No matter what, no matter where, Naomi was watching and doing what she could to protect those she loved. I got up and followed Jamie out of the room.
Met Chuckie in the hall. “Is Jamie—”
“We talked. She’s going to look in her mirrors one hour a week. We’ll want to police that. But she seemed to accept it.”
“Did she . . . say if you could go home?”
I could tell him, tell him what I’d told her, tell him who I’d seen and what it might mean. But why?
“She isn’t sure.” Leaned up and kissed his cheek. “It’ll be fine. One way or the other.”
CHAPTER 84
WE’D BEEN IN AUSTRALIA for a good week, and I was still in Australia. Of course, I had no idea where in the world my Cosmic Alternate actually was, nor did I have any idea if we had to be in the exact same place at the exact same time in order to switch back. Refused to consider the idea that she or my Jamie were dead, and didn’t allow Martini to bring it up, either.
On the plus side, we’d had a nice time seeing all the sights, including the Taronga Zoo, which Jamie loved. Martini and I were doing fine with the public displays of walking around holding hands, with our arms around each other, or nuzzling. Sure, the nuzzling was more about passing along information than smooching, but the average person on the street was fooled.
We’d also had a lot of political mover and shaker meetings, as Margie had promised. They were okay. The hardest part was pretending I didn’t know people I’d been friends, frenemies, or enemies with for years. But I smiled and nodded and it seemed to do the trick.
I’d also spent a lot of time with my parents, Mom in particular. “When you get back, I want you to give your father a message,” she said when it was just her and me alone. “Tell him that I love him throughout the multiverse, but if I’m gone, he needs to find someone else who makes him happy.”
“I’ll try, Mom, but I don’t know if he’ll listen.”
Mom stroked my cheek. “He will. Now.”
“Do you think I’m going to go back or stay here?”
“Honestly? I don’t know, kitten.” She pulled me to her and hugged me tight. “But I love you in all the multiverse, too. You are my precious one and I’m proud of you every single moment of every single day. Don’t ever forget that, for the rest of your life, whether you’re here or there.”
We hugged for what seemed like a long time. But it wasn’t nearly long enough.
I’d also written out what had gone on, as much as I could, in the hopes that it would help my CA. And in the additional hopes that my CA would see them because we’d be back in our own worlds someday soon. Wrote notes for Jamie and Martini and Charles as well. And for Mom and Dad. And I spent a lot of time with Gershom. Had no idea what happened to a Poof when the person who named it disappeared. Maybe it wo
uld just be attached to my CA. Hoped that whatever happened, the Poof would be okay.
The night for Aaron and Amadhia’s concert finally arrived. They’d been practicing all week and this was the last day we were going to be in Australia; Martini was needed back in the States, in part so it didn’t seem like the VP was spending all his time hanging out and having fun.
It seemed mighty fast to get a venue and all the other things necessary to a live show set up and going in a week, but apparently when the PM wanted a thing done, that thing happened. At least if it was a concert to celebrate what great pals the U.S. and Australia were while raising money for charity at the same time. And it wasn’t the largest venue, so that might have had something to do with the speedy setup.
The Operations Team had my clothes ready for me—jeans, Converse, an Aerosmith hoodie, and an Amadhia shirt, hot off whatever presses were used to make concert T-shirts. Charles had had shirts made with just Amadhia, just Aaron, and both of them. “Thanks for the clothing choices and all your help,” I said to the hamper.
Jamie was being allowed to come along, since all her babysitters were going to the concert, too. The humans who weren’t Centaurion agents were dressed casually. Everyone else, Martini in particular, were in their suits.
We headed to the Big Top Auditorium. Amadhia and Aaron were already there—I’d already told both of them to break a leg hours earlier.
Our entourage made up a good portion of the attendees, but much of the political hoi polloi were in attendance as well, since this was a benefit concert to support those injured during or at cricket matches—the way we’d turned the whole incident at the stadium into a positive joke.
There were the usual opening speeches any kind of fundraiser seems required to have, and then the music started. They opened with the Australian national anthem, and then the Star Spangled Banner.
“Want to dance?” Martini asked me. “When the real music starts, I mean?”
“Sure.” Hugged Jamie and gave her to Mom, then gave my purse to Dad. “We’re going to get up a little closer.”
Mom laughed. “I’m so shocked.”
Martini took my hand and as we got up nearer to the stage, Amadhia spoke. “I want to dedicate this to Kitty, for making our dreams come true.” I heard the first notes and realized this was the first song I’d ever heard the Amadhia in this world singing—“Heartbreak Beat.”
Couldn’t help it—I squealed. Martini laughed and kissed my cheek. “Enjoy this. You more than earned it.”
Listened to her sing the lyrics, and really heard them, as I danced along next to Martini. Couldn’t help myself—I sang along, too. Well, that’s what you did at concerts.
Started to twirl with the chorus, and as I did, I felt something.
As if I was floating away.
CHAPTER 85
THE KIDS, Chuckie, Stryker, Reader, Cox, and I were going to the Amadhia concert. Pierre had been supposed to go, but he felt he’d had more than enough excitement recently, and he gave his ticket to Cox.
The night before I’d taken the time to write out what had gone on, so Other Me would have a hope of understanding what had happened and who the new people in her life were. I’d also written notes to everyone here. This wasn’t something I normally did, but in case I did get zapped back, I wanted them to know how I felt about them.
Hugged everyone goodbye, even Cantu. Didn’t want to leave the house or the people for some reason. But the kids were excited about the concert and, besides, I’d been thinking I’d be zapped home for so many days now that this was probably just a reaction to the disappointment of still being here. Even though part of me wasn’t disappointed to still be here.
I’d slept with him cuddled next to me the night before, but I cuddled Stripes again for a good long while. “You’ll always be my cat,” I whispered to him. “Whether we’re together for years more or just a day or two. But no matter what or where I am, I need you to take care of Jamie, okay? I know you’re the cat for the job.” Stripes purred at me. He wasn’t worried.
“Mommy, we need to go,” Jamie said as I finally put the cat down. “We can’t be late.”
I was in jeans, Converse, an Aerosmith hoodie, and an Amadhia T-shirt because, well, why not? Other Me certainly had a lot of them to choose from.
We were heading to someplace called the Big Top Auditorium, which had the kids excited. Per Stryker, it was a smaller venue, great for hearing and seeing a favorite artist up close. Amadhia rarely played venues this small anymore, so we were lucky to see her here and luckier to have tickets to the show.
Chuckie drove us in the family’s big SUV. We went in with the rest of the excited crowd. It was an all-standing setup but we lucked out and got into an area near the front.
There were the usual delays, but finally Amadhia hit the stage, singing a song I didn’t recognize but the crowd did, if their screams were any indication. After her first number was met with thunderous applause, she chatted up the crowd. She was sweet and gracious, looked almost elfin, and the crowd loved her.
Jamie tugged at my hand and I bent down. “I love you, Mommy. I’ll take good care of Stripes, I promise. And everybody else, too.”
“What?” As I said this I was surprised to recognize the opening beats of the next song—a cover of the Psychedelic Furs’ “Heartbreak Beat.”
“This is the right music now.” Jamie hugged me. “You should dance with Mommy, Daddy,” she said to Chuckie seriously but with great urgency.
Chuckie laughed. “If you insist, Jamie-Kat.”
Stryker picked her up and Reader held Charlie’s hand while Cox took Max’s. “Go have a little fun, ma’am,” Cox said, as he took my purse. “We’ll hold down the fort.”
“I’m not going more than a few feet away.” But I did love this song, and I bobbed to the beat.
We moved off a little closer to the stage and as the chorus started I sang along with Amadhia. I mean, that’s what you did at a concert, right?
Allowed myself to just enjoy the music. Let go of Chuckie’s hand and started to twirl with the music.
And as I did, the song got louder, as if Amadhia was singing harmony with herself. And as if there was another me singing along too.
The right music. I reached out to touch Chuckie, but my hand went through him. And I floated away, the music still playing.
CHAPTER 86
I SPUN, as Amadhia sang. And Chuckie faded away.
While Amadhia sang, Martini floated away from me or I floated away from him. I wasn’t sure which.
Wanted to tell them all I loved them and would miss them, but I couldn’t. I wasn’t sure where I was going, but I didn’t want to forget where I’d been.
If I was going home, that was wonderful. But what if I didn’t remember everyone? What if they didn’t remember me?
I’ll never see Stripes again. Or Cox. Or Charlie and Max.
I’ll never see Mom again.
Should I try to stay? They needed me. I’d helped. I’d saved them, saved the world.
Should I try to go back? I could make it work. Maybe. But if I stayed, I’d never see Charlie or Max again.
But if I stayed, I’d never see Jeff again. Or the flyboys. Or Mom. And all the rest of my friends and family. It was a heartbreak beat I was on. Lose one life, gain another. I couldn’t have both.
I can’t have both. Even if I want both. I have to choose. The heartbreak beat goes on.
Take care of them for me, like I took care of them for you.
Remember them for me, and I’ll remember you for them.
It didn’t just feel like love.
It was love. It still is.
Always remember.
Never forget.
CHAPTER 87
THE FEELING OF FLOATING stopped and I blinked. The song was over. Looked around. I was still here, still in the Big Top. I
didn’t know whether to laugh, cry, feel relieved, or feel cheated.
“Hey, I almost lost you there.” A man took my hand in his. I knew the sound of his voice and the feel of his hand, and I spun toward him.
Charles smiled at me. “Ready to keep on dancing or do you want to go back with the others and dance with the kids?”
“Others? Kids?” Looked around. There were no gorgeous people in Armani suits in evidence, no politicians. It just looked like a typical casual Australian crowd.
“Kitty?” He looked worried. “Are you okay?”
“I might be. Have I been . . . odd . . . over the past couple of weeks?”
“Odder than you normally were? No.”
“Huh. So you didn’t notice anything off about me?”
He pulled me closer. “Are you okay? I’m not sure what you’re trying to get me to say, especially not in a crowd. Are you trying to give me some kind of danger hint?”
“What do you do for a living?”
He sighed. “You know what I do.”
“No, I don’t. Well, I didn’t. I do now. I’m pretty sure.”
He stared at me. “How many weddings did we have?”
“Three. One in Vegas, one in France, and one in Australia. ’Cause someone wanted to make extra sure I wasn’t going to change my mind.”
“How long were you in labor with Max?”
“Two hours. He almost got delivered in the back of Peter’s car.”
He moved me and studied my wedding ring. Then he looked back at me and smiled slowly. “If I kiss you, really kiss you, what are you going to do?”
“Try me and find out.”
He did. We made out while Amadhia sang her next song, whatever it was.
Charles ended our kiss slowly. “I thought I’d lost you forever.”
“Me too. Are the kids here?”
“They are. And we have a lot to tell you about. But first off, we have several new residents and a cat.”
“We got a cat?”
