(This is a excerpt from Chapter 16: The Thing About the Book--Part 3 from
A Time Traveler's Companion.)
“Remi, I didn’t notice that you came in. I
thought I heard the front door earlier and assumed you had left. Did you go
out?”
“Actually, I went hiking
with Leila,” I lied. The truth is I was having lunch with Mr. Smith, completely
oblivious to my mom's presence at home.
“Oh, I thought Leila was
working today?” my mom asked.
“She had a schedule change,”
I replied, continuing the deception.
“Sweetheart, I’m really
sorry,” she said, taking a breath. “I didn’t mean to upset you, and you were
right; I shouldn’t have looked at your diary.”
I gave her a soft smile. “It’s okay mom, let’s just forget about it,” I responded, and accepted her apology. She mentioned that she had the day off and asked if I wanted to join her for some shopping. I smiled and agreed. We headed out and I made a stop at that nearby thrift store, where I spotted Tracy’s granddaughter assisting a customer.
Once she finished with the customer, I approached her. “Hi, I’m not sure if you remember me, but—”
She cut me off, saying, “Of course, you’re the girl who bought the book!”
I nodded in acknowledgment and asked, “Do you know where the author lives now?”
"My grandmother passed away in the early 2000s," she disclosed, leaving me momentarily stunned.
"Oh, I'm really sorry to hear that," I replied, feeling a wave of sympathy.
"It's alright; my mom often shared tales of my grandmother's escapades with her time traveler,” she fingered quoted and smiled, “I'm glad you enjoyed the book," she continued, and my heart sank.
The revelation hit me hard—not only was Tracy gone, but she had travelled with Mr. Smith at some point in the past. The realization was painful, and I felt a deep sense of loss, my heart sank. I left the shop, seeking comfort in the familiar spot where I had first spoke to Melanie, where my mom was waiting for me.
"It's nothing," I lied to her, but
her gaze pierced through my facade. Leaning against her, I fought back tears
that threatened to spill. "Sweetheart, it can't be as terrible as it
seems." I inhaled deeply and straightened up.
“How did you manage to contact her?” I asked,
my voice laced with suspicion as tears streamed down my cheeks. “I provided her
with a phone, much like yours,” he said.
“When we first ran into her, she said she
wanted to tag along on our adventures, but I could see you were a bit jealous.
So, after we dropped her off and I took you home, I headed back to 1969, where
I thought it’d be fun to take Tracy on a little trip, and I took her to…”
I jumped in, “Tarislee?” I said with a hint of accusation. He looked at me with a smile and planted a kiss on my forehead. “No, my love, I took her to the Century 21 Exposition World’s Fair in Seattle back in the 1950s.”
My brow furrowed, I shot back, laced with
sarcasm, “So why haven’t you taken me to any of the world’s fairs?” He let out
a soft sigh, taking my hand and planting a gentle kiss on it.
“I promise, I will—maybe next time.”
“Yes, Tracy had a passion
for time travel and often shared how much she wished you could accompany us.
She truly loved you Remi."
“How? She barely knew me,” I thought to myself, and urged him to continue.
"Eventually, she contacted me in her late
30s, excited about the idea of one final adventure together. I had no idea she
was chronicling our experiences in a book." He paused briefly before
adding, "I have strong feelings for you, but it pains me that you kept
your friendship with Melanie hidden from me." I took a deep breath, though
traces of anger remained. Reflecting on his words, I came to understand that we
had both, in our own way, let each other down. I kept quiet about Melanie, and
he never mentioned his time-traveling adventures with Tracy, so we were on
equal footing.
"Alright, I guess that
makes us even,” I said. He gently turned my face to look into his eyes.
“Remi, did Melanie share anything else with you?” I took a deep breath and replied, “No,” knowing I was being dishonest. He let out a sigh, flashed a smile, and nodded, “Alright, Butterfly.” I kept to myself the fact that Melanie had revealed his true name.
“Tracy’s granddaughter mentioned to me that she passed away in the early 2000s. Were you aware of that?” He sighed deeply, “Yes, the AI had actually informed me well in advance that Tracy would succumb to an aneurysm and recommended that I take her on some trips to show kindness.” Hearing this made me feel a pang of sadness for Tracy.
(Pictures are for the readers entertainment)