“Let me guess. You have a grape?” Tomorrow asked Joy.
“I finished that a long time ago, Mom. I went to see my uncle and his cousin.”
“Where? What uncle and cousin?” Tomorrow asked trying to understand while looking at Bob.
“They live in nothing. Hasn’t Dad taken you there?”
“No dear, he has not. Do you know how to click home?” Tomorrow asked Joy.
“Yes.” Joy responded.
“Go now, please.”
“I’m older than you now, but I understand. I’ll see you there.” Joy, still the same age physically as she was just moments ago clicked.
Tomorrow’s face lit up ad she ran towards Bob, “You did know my name! I’ve heard all about your ‘nothing’ from your own head! It’s how I knew you weren’t named Adam, but a strange confliction of his name. I loved you anyway, but that wasn’t your only lie! You can travel into the future!”
Bob held up his hands in a time out gesture, but backed away instinctively, “Not true. I can see possibilities from there. Time is not set. Some things are more probable than others. You were not at all probable. How we met, et cetera. Those are things that meant the timeline was changed and you kept talking about the person who changed it and...” Bob wanted to explain, but knew his words were not making sense, “Well, what can I say, I fell in love with you. I didn’t marry you because you were some future I could know. I married you because you were the future I did not know.” He shook his head, then tried to repeat what he said differently, “I fell in love with you, Tomorrow. You know that. Way down you know there was no particular plan when it came to us.” Then he rolled his eyes back for a second and then looked at her as she held her fist at him. “Besides, all of the plans for you I had, eventually. Okay, now that makes me sound like a jerk.”
Tomorrow punched him hard. He was caught unsuspecting and took the blow hard.
“See? I sure as hell didn’t expect that.” Then he shrugged. “Well maybe, but not enough to think you would do it or I would have avoided that. It does hurt.” He looked up at his wife, wondering if she understood or didn’t.
Joy appeared. “Can you let, Dad get up at least?”
Tomorrow turned to her. “Listen to you! Little by little you’ve been growing up without me! You don’t even sound like…” She stopped. noticing Joy was the size of a teenager. “What is going on?”
Bob stood. “She’s learning what Illumna could do. She can move in and out of bodies of herself that she has known.”
Tomorrow looked at him confused. “What?”
“Don’t ask me, I don’t know how they do it! Stop blaming me for everything, you have similar genes. Do you want to argue who’s genes allow for what? We could be here a while.” Bob stroked his face and looked at the blood on his hand. “I hope I’m still handsome after all of that!”
Tomorrow lunged at him and struck him again, harder.
He stood and repeated his previous action. “And that.” He looked at Tomorrow. “I know you know what those feathers do. You didn’t use them, so you don’t hate me. You’re angry, but I can’t change Joy.”
“Yes, you can!” Tomorrow responded huffing the oxygen from the air surrounding her while staring at him intensely.
“Not really. If I did that, I would never have you and then she wouldn’t exist. So consider that, and please don’t hit me again, that’s getting old.” He wrings his hand into the air, as if all traces of the incident would be stolen by the wind.
Tomorrow reaches for him and he holds his arms out as she cries in his chest.
“I wanted…” She begins.
“Yeah, me too, but she’s still our daughter and she still loves both of us.” Renfield_2 points out.
“I do. I wanted to learn. Brian and Persistence taught me a lot about cities. Kumadri is clearly the leader of this one. I would like to stay and teach her since she can’t go when Brian was building his.” Tomorrow requests.
“What?” Bob asks of his daughter. “You were in the city Brian and Persistence built?”
“Yes, it’s lovely. Things change. I learned.” Joy responded, dryly but with persecution for her goal, but still wanting the permission of her parents.
Renfield_2 stares at his daughter, perplexed. “How? You were born after and I have never taken you there. The only reason I have access to that time is because I had been there before what Stephen did.”
“Brian was there, Dad. Are you, ok?”
Tomorrow looks at her husband for both an explanation as to what her daughter and husband are discussing and also with the same concern that Joy is expressing.
“Huh? Yeah, I’m ok. Just slower. A lot of things to remember. Now I know what Stephen’s changes couldn’t change. I have to go.” He kissed his wife’s hands and then he turned to his daughter and kissed her forehead. Then he turned back to his wife, “I’ll miss Joy. I’ll see you, Tomorrow.”
CHAPTER 34
“I knew I could not save my brother, but I also knew he would find an inventive way to save all of us. Even if we all died in the process.” -- from the Book of Phillip
“So you’re handcuffed here, but the charges are unclear. I don’t like unclear, Mr.”, Detective Brady looks at the paperwork, “Renfield.”
Instantly the man is behind him. “I’m not cuffed there, you are here. Help me save my daughters and yours, my friend.”
“That’s a neat trick, but who’s to say this time will be any different, Adam?”
“Well for one, I’m not Adam. It is predictable that echo memory is getting stronger in you, but I’ll warn you, it’s even stronger in him.” Bob points at the camera. “So do what you do. Do it fast.”
“I feel like this is déjà vu all over again.”
“Then let me explain that it is not and I already know what you will do and why, and what he does and why.” Bob again points to the camera. “I promise to walk you through it if you don’t fight that feeling that I have everyone’s best interests at heart. Even yours.” Bob clicks and Brady sees him grab the camera before he clicks behind Brady again and lays the camera on the desk. “Trust me, I have reasons to snap your neck and I’m not limited to this room. Run if you don’t believe me. You owe me. You are going to make good on what you did wrong.”
Brady’s mind reels trying to understand what is going on, but what he has seen with his own eyes has removed doubt of anything the man behind him has to say. “I’m listening.”
As the room is flooded with armed personnel Brady says, “Does anyone know this guy?”
Angela looks nervous for a moment, but realizes Brady isn’t paying any attention to her and continues doing what everyone else in the room is. Brady reaches for his cell phone as it rings, “Hi, Christina. Lunch would be nice, right about now. The usual spot. Make sure mine is a double, it’s going to be that kind of day, some kooky things here, but let’s not talk shop. Although, I am open to hearing about your day.”
CHAPTER 35
“We all existed. We all played our part.” -- from the Book of Stephen
“Lords, I’m glad I met you. Pardon my place.” She left the bed to put on a silk robe and head to the restroom. She liked the silk robe because it made her feel like she had accomplished something in life, although she lived in what she called a ‘rat box’ in the middle of a high rise in the city. As she sat letting her bladder release into the bowl she watched a roach crawl out of a crack, inspect the area and then crawl back into the crack. She was hoping her lover would not notice the problem that plagued her by living in the place she did. Leaving her own bathroom she saw him laying and staring at the ceiling.
“Did you have fun?” She asked.
“I think you know the answer to that.” He grinned up at her as she leaned over him asking for some reassurance that he would be back.
She laid down next to him and pulled the sheet up over herself to remove it as an obstruction between their bodies. “What are you thinking about?”
He looked slightly, but not overly startled as he reached out his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to himself for a kiss. “Not much, just all the troubles of the world.”
She gave him a look of disapproval and hurt. “That’s what you think about after we…?”
“Well, I sometimes wonder why I deserve such bliss with you. So there is the answer to your question. Yes, I’m happy! Now get my suit, woman, I think I’m late.” As she started to rise he held her arm fast and kissed her as if the world would end.
She kissed him back and as she felt her passions rise she cut the kiss short and said, “Umm, do you want to keep your job or not?”
He laughed and said, “Hmm, my woman is more important to me, actually, but I suppose she’d leave me if I went broke.”
She laughed and replied, “So, I’ve been thinking about kids.”
He immediately sat up and started dressing. “Uh huh, so who’s the Daddy?”
“Not funny!” She smacked his rear as she watched him dress hurriedly. “Have you ever thought about it?”
“I think about your behind, your kisses and the way you do what you do. I suppose one day, but I don’t make enough, so can you put your clock on hold?” He asked her and then kissed her thigh.
“Nope. Rumor is we don’t have to be rich to have kids. Plus, I’ve dated other guys. You seem like the fatherly type and I really don’t want you out of my life.” She responded.
“Bah, I got taken advantage of last night by a harpy! I just met you on the street corner!” He replied laughing.
“Not funny, it’s been a long time, Adam. I know we’re young, but isn’t that when we are supposed to have kids?”
“I didn’t say no. Maybe, Tomorrow. I don’t like to plan things and I am late.” Renfield corrected her.
“It’s times like this I wish you could spend a day with me and then just click back in time to get to work. I’ll be in later today.” Tomorrow flopped on her back and stared at the ceiling.
Adam looked at her. It was if there was an echo from another life pounding in his head when she said that. He looked at his watch. He took it off and flung it, hard across the room and it made a sizeable impression in her wall. “Ok, my dear, I’m all yours. What are they going to do, fire me? I’m top in the nation. Come here!”
She giggled, looked slightly concerned about his decision for a moment and then grabbed his body with her legs. Then she whispered in his ear. “Not bad for a miscreant!”
“I have no idea what that arrest was about, but it blew over. It wasn’t funny. For some reason there was an officer there who seemed to have it out for me, but his boss wasn’t digging that vibe, baby.” Adam laughed at his impression. “It was like he knew me.”
“You’ve always felt familiar to me.”
Adam grabbed at her and threw away her silk robe, sure to aim for the hook she liked for it to sit on. “You are my Tomorrow.”
“You bring me joy!” Her pupils dilated as she spoke the words. She didn’t know why, but she felt more connected to Adam than ever. She pulled his body in to hers.
Adam sunk into her with a burning passion to complete them.
Tomorrow reached for her clock\radio to turn of the alarm she had set for the last possible moment to wake Adam so he could get to work on time. Her finger hits the wrong button and the song “Kashmir” begins to play. The disc jokey announces, “This song was written by a young band I personally think will be legendary!”
Adam stops moving as he hears the opening words. He looks at Tomorrow. “I have to save our daughter.”
She looks at him as if he had hit his head. “Adam, we were working on kids, we don’t have any yet.”
“Yeah, but we did. A long time from now. You’re like a celebrity, I’m old. I don’t know. It feels like an echo that is true. Not just the noise.”
“The noise? We’ve been through this. Are you still taking the medication?” She looked grabbed his face and looked him in the eye.
“No, are you?” Adam asked, but she knew he already knew the answer to his question.
“No.” She felt ashamed to admit it. They had met in the same group. His descriptions of memories that were not his own was so much like hers. He was cute, handsome, in fact. Strong willed. And she loved that he was intelligent. She wondered what caused him to have the same problems she did.
“I have to save all of my daughters!” Adam began to remove himself from her embrace even though she was trying hard to hold him tight.
“Adam, you don’t have any daughters.” Tomorrow looked confused and afraid that she may have misjudged him. Perhaps he truly was as mad as a hatter.
Adam looked directly back into her eyes, “Hatters went mad because of the mercury that was used in their production.” He stopped at the sight of her looking at him with her hand over her mouth in shock.
“How did you know what I was thinking?” Tomorrow asked.
“What? I haven’t said anything.” Adam gazed at Tomorrow.
“Are we?” Tomorrow gestured with her finger to his head and her own and then mouth to mouth.
“Yeah, it seems that way. I have to go and save my daughters.” Adam replied.
“You already said that, but you don’t have any daughters, Adam!” Tomorrow responded.
“I didn’t say that. I’m telling you now.” He turned his head from her and then back to her. “I don’t have any children. That’s odd. Will you come with me?” Adam asked.
“Where are we going?” Tomorrow asked. Then suddenly they were both in a river.
“Hold on to me.” Adam considered his own words rattled in his mind. He looked at Tomorrow to be sure she was real and that he wasn’t dreaming.
Tomorrow looked at him. “I taste sand. Adam, this isn’t my bed, please tell me what’s going on!”
Adam pulled her to the shore and they lay under the trees for some time while he thought how to answer that. Tomorrow was silent trying to make sense of it herself.
“This is where I began. I was never born. Being with you. My Alpha and my Omega.”
“I would say you’re insane, but nothing explains what is going on.” Tomorrow then puts her hand to her mouth realizing she didn’t say those words.
“Yeah, well if you think that’s weird, look at those two over there?” Adam comments on the couple working diligently at procreating with no lack of fun in their eyes.
“Adam, I’ve looked in the mirror while we have been, umm, baby making. That’s us!”
“Yeah, this is strange. Not to mention there are no payphones here, so I can’t call out for the day and you can’t either.” Adam mentions.
“We’re pretty sexy together!” Tomorrow giggles.
“Name someplace, I want to try something.” Adam replies.
“Can I watch us before you get all scientific?” Tomorrow requests. “You definitely look older and I look younger!”
Adam narrows his eyes at her and then he feels the heat on his back. He looks out as he sees himself hovering over Tomorrow pointing from a rise at two people on a cliff below whom are watching a hawk. He feels Tomorrow move.
“Wow, and we were just starting to get interesting!” Tomorrow comments and then shades her eyes. “Seriously, am I dreaming?” She puts his hand on her rear end and says, “Pinch me!”
“I can’t, I’m pinching myself. I am not sure what’s happening, but it’s happening.” Adam replies as he points to what he is watching.
“Oooo, I look even younger! You still look old.” She smiles at him and reaches up to kiss him.
“Yeah, whatever. Why are we seeing this? How can we be here? I don’t know about you, but I keep reaching for the pillow in your bed that should be right about there, but it’s not.” Adam looks very flustered at the fact that Tomorrow is taking the situation in stride. He is keenly aware this is not normal and also aware it doesn’t make sense to either one of them.
“Well, from what I can see, those two are not as ‘friendly’ with each other as we are, or were by the river. You seem very serious and you are pointing at two guys. One of them is trying to trick the other one. I can’t tell which.” Tomorrow points to the sun. “It’s hot, this is dusty and disgusting. I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m going to go back to sleep and wake up from this.”
“I know that gesture. I’m considering something about the two people they are watching. I’m trying to explain it to you, but you don’t understand.” Adam explains, “I’m telling you and asking you.” Adam watches himself then he concludes, “One of those two must die and I have to do it. There is something familiar about them to him and to me.” He stops and looks at Tomorrow, “This me.”
Tomorrow rolls her eyes at him and continues to pretend she is still in bed.
“He’s signaling me. He knows I am here!” Adam yells.
“Good. I suspect he’s telling you to go back to sleep.” Tomorrow reaches for his arm to pull him towards her.
“Tomorrow, that really is me! I’m using a hand code I made up when I was young.” Adam’s heart beings to race as he repeats to Tomorrow what he is seeing, “Stay low. Which one? Children. Important.” He breathes out as he looks at Tomorrow, “What do you think that means?”
“I don’t know, Adam. Maybe he wants to know the lottery numbers to pick.” She then sits up. “We really are here, aren’t we?”
“Do you think he did it? I mean the older me?” Adam asks.
“I think we have both lost our minds and that were just experiencing the best afterglow of all time. Well, given the environment, maybe the worst. I don’t know.”
“They are both family. They both end up creating beautiful societies. They both will unintentionally lead to the death of your daughters.” The voice is clear to both of them.
Tomorrow sits up. “What the hell?”
“I don’t know. He’s trying to get me to decide which one to kill. What if I kill him?” Adam asks Tomorrow.
“Have you ever even been in a fight, Adam? Plus he’s kind of far away. Can we just get out of here?” Tomorrow is clearly spooked.
“I don’t even know how we got here!” Adam’s heart begins to race and then they are behind themselves. Adam moves quickly and grabs himself by the neck and begins struggling to either choke himself or break the neck of the older looking version of himself. He looks down and sees that Tomorrow has already put the younger version of herself down using a far more efficient method.