CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX: Mike
“We’ve got a problem,” I hissed, lowering my voice because Mom was downstairs and might overhear my phone call.
“We?”Druzella asked. “I have nothing to do with your dilemma.”
“The hell you don’t.”
“Does your mother know you talk to adults like this?” she asked.
“Iama freakin’ adult, remember?” I reminded her. “Mom gets the eighteen year old I am in this dimension, but you get the ten years older version. The version you created.”
I shouldn’t speak to her this way but I was getting more alarmed by the day. My problem was that the anniversary of Coop’s death was a mere ten days away and I had no clue what I should do. Her and Mom had supplied the way here but we’d never actually spoken about what happened after.
“Listen to me carefully, Michael. I cannot possibly know how you got here. I only have your limited details of how the event took place and the evidence there is scant at best.”
Figuring she was my best hope for advice, I toned down the forceful edge to my voice. “I really need your help. I don’t know what to do next.”
Druzella was silent for a moment before responding. “We need to involve your mother,” she declared, surprising me.
My calm approach lasted three seconds. “Not a chance,” I argued. “How do we explain that?Gee, Mom, I’m your future son and I’m back to blow up the course of history.”
“You have to admit, it’s usually the direct approachthat works best,” she replied.
Her idea made sense, but how to begin that conversation? “To use your exact words against you,don’t fuck around and get out.Remember that advice?”
“And I stick by those words,” she stated. “You need to involve as few people as possible, Michael. The more people who know, the crazier the impact could be on their future lives, not to mention everyone around them.”
“Two of these people die,” I reminded her. “One is here and the other from where I came from.”
“Actually, they’re both here,” she corrected. “And neither one of them knows.”
“I only came here to try to stop Cooper from going swimming. Now the subject of swimming has come up. I’m terrified that I won’t be able to control the outcome,” I said. “Mom, you, somebody, hell, probably me for agreeing to do this, didn’t think this through. I need to prevent his death.”
“Okay. And what about your mother’s?” she inquired.
Her question hurt my heart. Mom and I had discussed this before she died. We’d argued for days after I asked her why not have me warn her of her illness far in advance. Mom had said that she wanted to be with Dad, and that she wasn’t concerned about her fate because she believed we had many lives that we experienced in infinite universes. Of course, I’d argued she was crazy to reject help, but now look where I was. She’d actually been able to get me here.
“She didn’t want me to tell her,” I choked out. “I’m struggling with that, Druzella.”
“Then don’t,” she stated rather bluntly.
“Just like that?” I asked. “Do you agree with her?”
“I don’t know anything about parallel universes, Michael. I’ve told you that several times now, but if Kathleen asked you not to tell her about her death, then she’s made your decision for you. Do you understand?”
“I guess,” I mumbled. “I want to tell her so bad.”
“I know your mother quite well, son. She is a kind and caring woman, but she is strong-willed as well,” she began. “But more importantly, yourmother fervently believes that outside forces impact our lives. Convincing her to believe you regarding this spectacular event you’ve experienced, will not take much effort on your part.”
“Can you be there with me?” I asked. “Mom trusts your insight.”
“Yes,” she agreed. “I’m seeing her the day after tomorrow. How about we do it then?”
“Thank you,” I said. “I have something that might provide the proof she’ll need.”
“Terrific. Do me a favor though,” she began. “Don’t tell me yet. Provide it to me at the same time as your mother. If we concocted this plan in the future, I want to keep myself as unprepared as possible so as not to affect my own future.”
“Okay,” I replied. “The proof is stunning, Druzella.”
