Chapter 16: The Thing About the Book-Part 3

 

(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.

"What’s wrong?" My mom sensed the sorrow etched on my face.

  "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.

  "Let's head home; our soap opera will be starting soon," I suggested, hiding the ache within. As we settled in to watch our beloved soap, my thoughts drifted elsewhere, haunted by the words Tracy's granddaughter had shared with me. I headed upstairs and took a shower, feeling my face heat up. 

Once in my room, I plopped down on my bed and picked up the book, flipping through the pages. I hit a section where Tracy perfectly detailed Mr. Smith’s bedroom, and my heart sank. That’s when I noticed the monolith materializing in my room. Tears started rolling down my face as a mix of anger and pain bubbled up inside me. When Mr. Smith stepped out, he noticed how upset I was.

 “Remi, what’s wrong?” I was sprawled on my bed, face buried in my pillow. He sat beside me and gently rubbed my back, trying to soothe me. I shot him a glare before turning away and hiding my face again. He seemed puzzled, not grasping my behavior, until I reached over to my nightstand where I placed the book and tossed it at him. He glanced at the back where Tracy’s photo was, and with a simple, “Oh,” I knew he finally understood what had happened.

"Why did she go on trips with you? You slept with her, didn't you," I shouted, my anger boiling over. He sighed deeply, "I'm sorry, Remi. I did take her on a couple of trips, but I didn't sleep with her. When she joined me, she was already married and had a child."

  “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. “Why would you do that?” I pressed.

 “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.” 

 “Did you take her anywhere else?” I asked, wiping tears from my eyes.

“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.

“From now on, let’s promise to be completely honest with one another,” he said as I sat up straight. He wrapped his arm around me and continued, "I want to avoid repeating the mistakes I made with Melanie. I truly love you; my feelings for you have deepened, and my heart is yours, just as yours is mine." I nodded and he held me firmly in his arms.

“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)

GooglePlay