The Long Wait for Tomorrow (27 page)

“So …” Al’s voice was soft, gently sliding between them. “Prom’s tonight. What do you kids have planned for today?”

Patrick leaned back, taking a cue from Al’s relaxed slouch. “Kelly …” He looked over to the sink. “Are you still here?”

“It’s still today,” Kelly replied, shutting off the water. He picked up a green towel and dried his hands with thorough rubs. “And we’ve got some unfinished business.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the small gray memory card.

“Try finishing your coffee first,” Al recommended. “You look tired.”

Kelly didn’t need to be told twice.

dmund stepped out into the muggy afternoon. He seemed genuinely surprised to see Patrick. The screen door slammed behind him, and he looked around the front porch with trademark suspicion. Leaned to the side, checking out the walkway.

“Where’s Kelly?” he asked.

“At the playground.” Patrick pointed across the street. “He didn’t want to make a big deal.”

Edmund’s eyes narrowed. “Big deal of what?”

“Of this …”

Despite the unsettling nature of Edmund’s mistrust, Patrick had to hold back a smile.

Edmund appeared unable to place the memory card in his mind. He stared, confused, as though Patrick had just ambushed him with a diamond engagement ring. His Adam’s apple worked once, twice against his neck before he could manage to ask: “What’s that?”

“Our half of the bargain.”

Edmund didn’t move.

He doesn’t want to believe
, his angels nudged silently.
He’s lived it for so long, he can’t begin to imagine there’s anyone left on his side.

“Go ahead,” Patrick encouraged. “Take it.”

Edmund took the memory card gingerly between his thumb and index finger. Held it close to his face. He turned it over a few times, thoroughly examining both sides. The action was purely arbitrary, but it came through as absolutely necessary. Searching for evidence of an elaborate practical joke, enemies everywhere.

“Thank you,” he said cautiously.

“Don’t,” Patrick replied. “I don’t have a leg to stand on. This whole thing was as much my fault as it was for the rest of those numb-nuts on the team.”

“Yeah … Still, though, thanks.”

Patrick thought he detected a question mark punctuating the appreciation. He couldn’t blame the kid, though. With a simple nod, he put his hands in his pockets, turned to walk down the front steps. Back on solid ground before he heard Edmund pipe up: “Do you think Kelly would mind if I went over and talked to him?”

Patrick turned, shrugged. “Not at all. Now that we’re all squared away.”

Edmund took to the steps, and the pair of them started off across the street.

“You guys going tonight?” Edmund asked, trying for casual. “The prom?”

“Maybe. We were supposed to share a limo with some of the guys from the team.” Patrick shook his head with a slight laugh. “Don’t think
that
part’s going to be happening.”

“What do you mean?”

“Just saying, if you thought
you
were unpopular before last night …”

Patrick didn’t think Edmund had even heard about the game. Still, the thought of a football player rating below Edmund on the social ladder brought the dark outline of a smile to the sad outcast’s lips.

They reached the two-foot concrete barrier that surrounded the park, keeping erosion at bay. Stepping up, they rode the small slope up to where the grass leveled out. A collection of wooden play sets greeted them; slides, ladders, monkey bars.

Kelly and Jenna were sitting on the swings, swaying back and forth.

Toes twisting in the scattered cedar chips all around.

“Edmund.” Kelly saluted. He nodded to his side. “I’d like you to meet Jenna.”

“Hi, Edmund.”

He clearly wasn’t expecting a girl, and Edmund flustered his way into a mumbled greeting. For a moment, Patrick thought Edmund might even try hiding behind him, the comforting sanctuary of a mother’s skirt.

“It’s been a big day,” Kelly said. “Glad you could make time for us.”

“I—I wanted to see you,” Edmund stammered.

“Thank you.”

“No, you shouldn’t …” Edmund cleared his throat. He began anew, taking a firmer stance. “I thought I should tell you
that I wasn’t entirely on the level. Yesterday, when it came to the time-travel thing.”

“Do tell.”

“I mean, it’s all just theory.” He began to speak more rapidly. “And I don’t even understand most of it. All I presented yesterday was an assortment of ideas, things that I’d read about in periodicals and stories. Some of it doesn’t even have any direct scientific bearing, I was just … trying to tell you things I’d thought you wanted to hear, because I thought that if I didn’t … I mean, there’s time loops, and wormholes, and the actual nature of time—”

“I liked your theories,” Kelly assured him. “They gave me a lot to think about.”

Edmund let out a shaky breath, struggling against Kelly’s sincerity.

“Edmund …” Kelly hesitated, then took the plunge. “Edmund, what was it you even saw?”

For a moment, it looked as though Edmund was about to weave himself yet another defensive cocoon. The darkness returned to his eyes, fists balling up.

Patrick was on the verge of saying something, anything, to bring him back into the fold.

And then, incredibly enough, Edmund fought back, somehow calling upon himself to ignore the ingrained misgivings that came with every human interaction. Muscles relaxing. Eyes lucid once more.

He shook his head. “I don’t know.”

“If you still think I’m not on the level …”

“I mean, I
don’t know what I saw …
,” Edmund explained. “I’m staying late in the science lab one afternoon, rooting through the supply closet, when Cody comes in with some guy I’d never seen. He was an older guy. White guy, with a crappy beard and big, dumb gold chains. I guess they thought they were alone, because Cody gave him some money, and the guy gave him a bottle of something.”

“Guess they found you out,” Kelly said, shaking his head.

“It’s like something out of Kafka … I don’t even know what I saw.”

“Well … what have you got in your hand there?”

Edmund glanced down, memory card resting in his open, sweaty palm.

“What’s that still doing in one piece?” Kelly smiled.

“I’m sorry I didn’t believe you,” Edmund mumbled, head downcast.

“You had no reason to.”

“I didn’t want to be made an idiot … again.”

“We’ve got the camera right here,” Kelly offered again. “If you want to take a look at the pictures on that card, make sure it’s really the one Cody—”

“No …” Edmund shook his head. His voice dropped to a whisper. “I believe you.”

Kelly nodded. “Then have at it.”

The memory card fell to the ground. Edmund raised his foot and brought it down in a slow grind, twisting the tip of his brown Hush Puppy. For good measure, he switched to the heel, biting down on his lower lip as the plastic snapped, broke apart.

“Sweet music,” Kelly murmured, grabbing on to the swing chains and tilting his head back. Eyes closed in anticipation of what felt like an approaching rainstorm.

Edmund let go with a long, exhausted sigh, body trembling with unexpected release. Patrick saw his lower lip quiver. Tears ran down Edmund’s face, dotting the ground around the decimated memory card, all that was left of that squalid afternoon by the flagpole.

And it was something special when Edmund finally smiled.

That’s satisfaction you’re feeling
, Patrick’s angels informed him.

He reached out to pat Edmund on the back.

Edmund didn’t flinch, even as Patrick gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

“So what happens now, Kelly?” Edmund asked, looking up from his kill with a satisfied sniffle. “You going to disappear into a white flash of light, like the guy from that old
Quantum Leap
show?”

“Don’t think it’s going to go down like that.” Kelly straightened himself. “I was just thinking, maybe if I actually got some sleep. Maybe then.”

“So maybe it’s time to get some sleep,” Edmund suggested.

“All in good time,” Kelly said, getting up from the swing. He brushed off his pants. “There’s one more thing I’d like to take care of.”

They waited for him to elaborate.

“Head on home, Edmund,” Kelly advised, stepping forward and shaking his hand. “You don’t have anything to worry about anymore.”

Edmund seemed loath to let go, keeping a firm grip on Kelly’s hand.

“You’re a good man, Edmund …” Kelly gave it one last squeeze and let go. “You should stay that way.”

Patrick thought about offering his own handshake, but simply gave a small wave as Edmund turned and made his way back across the park.

The three of them watched him go, then headed over to Kelly’s car.

“So it looks to be around two,” Jenna remarked, scanning the sky. “What do you want to do now, Kelly?”

“Think it’s time we paid Patrick’s parents a little visit,” Kelly said, opening the door to his Ferrari. He caught Patrick’s eye, and motioned for him to get in. “A little overdue, don’t you think?”

Patrick silently agreed.

He jumped in the backseat, finally ready.

hey parked the car out front and walked up along the stepping stones to Patrick’s house.

“You always do this,” Kelly casually informed Patrick, taking a look around. “Nobody else in this neighborhood comes in the front way except—”

“We’ve had this conversation,” Patrick said dully, stomach tightening up.

“Oh.”

Patrick slipped the key into the lock, twisted the knob, and pushed.

There was no need to announce his presence. Seated on the plush maroon couches were Patrick’s mother and father. Side by side, their heads turned to the front door, away from the television.

“Where have
you
been?” Patrick’s mother demanded, shooting up. A flowered throw pillow slid off her lap and onto the floor. “Do you know who we just got off the phone with?”

“I was out last night,” Patrick said evenly. “I wanted some time—”

“Not you, Patrick.” His father jammed his thumb on the remote, muting the television. He joined ranks with Patrick’s
mother, sent a finger pointing past his son. “We just got off the phone with your parents, Kelly.”