I walked back to the beginning of the hall and studied familiar images from my childhood, each and every one exactly as I’d remembered. And then there was the one by Mom and Dad’s bedroom door from the summer we’d gone to the Oregon coast before Dad died. Mom had hung it there after his funeral. This was the one I’d wanted to see. After close examination, nothing was different about the photo. There was no halo around Mom’s head.
I peeked into Mom’s bedroom and verified all was the same. The living room was an exact replica as well, down to the quilts and the spiritual knick-knacks Mom collected. There were Buddhas, crosses of varying shapes and sizes, Shinto images, the Yin and Yang of Taoism, Wicca representations, and many more I didn’t recognize. She’d made sure to consider all of her options while not necessarily adhering to any one belief system.“I’m open to them all,”she’d said. She had books on positive mindset, yoga, meditating, and even a book on ayahuasca retreats.
But after carefully going book by book in her cherished collection, I didn’t find a single one on parallel universes, particularly the one she’d insisted I read a few weeks back. I went through the bathrooms, the spare bedroom, Dad’s old office, and even my own bedroom one more time. The rest was just as I remembered. This home was a carbon copy of my childhood home from my previous life.
I peeked out the window at Cooper’s house across the street. It too was the same. A reverse layout of my house which was like all of the homes on our tree-lined street of nineteen-fifties bungalow houses. Charla’s car was in the driveway but Roger’s was not. Since Roger was usually home on Sunday, perhaps Coop had taken his Dad’s car instead.
My next task was to check if Mom still kept a schedule of school events taped to the right side of the fridge. It was mid-June and school ended the following week and then graduation. I used the same calendar to keep track of my work schedule so I could make sure to ask for days off on special occasions. Mom allowed me to work two school nights a week and one weekend day. She was a stickler for homework and for family time, especially after Dad passed.
The schedule was in its usual spot on the fridge so I closely examined the days left in June. I was off today and had work Tuesday and Thursday next week. Looking closer, I noticed that Senior prom was that weekend. Our school traditionally had prom on the final week of school. Underclassmen had an additional week of class.
A note was written last week to remind me to ask for prom Saturday off, as well as a note Mom added that Jennifer was wearing a sky blue dress. I assumed this was so I could match. Mom was trying her hardest to fade heat from my girlfriend even back then. I marveled at Mom trying to keep her opinions about Jennifer to herself back then.
I had school tomorrow which should be a trippy experience then work on Tuesday, and prom in less than a week. This first week would be my test to see if I’m able to slide back into a life I’ve already experienced. Talk about déjà vu.
The front door burst open, startling me until I heard a familiar voice. A voice that after more than a decade, I adored and never forgot.
“Mikey?” Cooper hollered. “You home?”
“In the hallway,” I yelled back, walking toward the entryway to intercept him.
I came around the corner and found Cooper standing next to Hastings. Hastings had his arm around Coop’s shoulder. I couldn’t recall ever seeing Hastings in my house, especially after hearing he’d been such a creep to Cooper on aso-calleddate at the drive-in. However, according to this Cooper, that hadn’t happened.
“There you are,” Coop said, moving from under Hastings’ arm. The move hadn’t escaped Hastings and he looked less than pleased. I might not haverecognized his disappointment had I been my former seventeen-year-old self, but this version was a decade wiser and less forgiving in regards to his demonstrated possessive move for my benefit.
“Hastings,” I grudgingly acknowledged, trying not to form an opinion at this early stage considering Coop corrected an earlier belief I’d held. “What are you two up to?” I asked, not really caring about anything other than I didn’t like them together, especially right under my nose.
Hastings looked at Coop before proceeding, checking in as if he wanted to be the one to spring any news they had about me.
“Go ahead,” Cooper said, looking warily at me.
“Your girlfriend is pissed,” he blurted out.
“Not actually pissed,” Cooper quickly corrected, frowning at Hastings which pleased me to no end. Cooper always wanted to make people look good when they weren’t around to defend themselves. “Disappointed more than anything,” Cooper added.
“I’d say she was pissed,” Hastings argued. “Thinks you’re cheating on her.”
“She didn’t say that,” Cooper defended. “Not in so many words anyway.”
Hastings glared at Cooper. “Yes, she did.” He turned his attention to me. “She even asked Cooper if it was with him.”
“That’s absurd,” Cooper retorted.
I noticed some things hadn’t changed. Cooper loved using fancy words like absurd. I swore I’d never heard another teenaged boy speak that way.
“Trust me, if I was going to cheat, itwouldbe with Cooper,” I stated, testing Hastings reaction. “He’d be less of a pain in the ass,” I added, turning back to the kitchen and tilting my head for them to join me.
I sat at the kitchen island while Coop opened the fridge for something to drink. Once again, I noticed Hastings watching Cooper move around my house with familiarity and the comfort to make himself at home. I wondered if Coop’s behavior bothered him.
“I’ll take her,” Hastings said, watching our reactions, his eyes traveling back and forth to see what we’d say.
“Have at her,” I remarked, probably too casual and unfeeling in my response. “I’ll take Coop then.”
Cooper stared at me with what appeared to be disappointment. I couldn’t tell if it was in regards to my statement or the fact that Hastings wanted my girlfriend and not him.
“Damn, dude,” Hastings said. “You obviously don’t know what you have.”
I glanced at Cooper and noticed he’d crossed his arms. I’d seen this move before, it wasn’t anger, he was protecting himself from hurt. I was shocked how cavalier Hastings was in front of us considering Cooper liked him and I was Coop’s bestie.
