Page 36 of Harbinger of Destiny

20

TROUBLE IN PARADISE

Tuesday, July 24, 2085

Joshua hadn’t seen or spoken to Amy since Sunday mid-morning when he’d left the Institute for Time Travel and returned to his parents’ home. They’d been excited to have him home and were full of questions about his time in the past, and particularly about the woman he’d brought back. He’d told them about some of his experiences in 2025, but hadn’t gone into detail about Amy, and hadn’t mentioned her physical disfigurement. How could he answer their questions when he didn’t know whether he had true feelings for her, or whether it was just sex that drew him to her? Just like it did now.

After nearly forty-eight hours without seeing her, without touching her, he felt like a drug addict on withdrawal. Fuck! He’d never felt like that when he hadn’t seen Kelly in a few days. Was it because Amy was so much more generous, giving him free reign over her body when they made love? When he’d awoken with her in the pod on Sunday, he’d found Amy sucking his cock with such skill and abandon that he’d come so hard and so fast that he hadn’t even been able to pull out of her mouth.

Just thinking of this now, made him yearn for Amy’s touch. Damn it, he had to go and see her, even though he still had no answer to his ultimate question: could he fully commit to her and start a life with her, have a family with her? Maybe the answer to that question would reveal itself once they’d spent more time together, once they knew each other better.

He ordered a car to take him to the Institute for Time Travel. The gates of the institute were open now, which could only mean that quarantine had been lifted for all new arrivals. The women were allowed to receive visitors—not just their respective Romeos—and leave the compound if they wished to explore other parts of the city.

He took the footpath to Amy’s pod and noticed that many young women were chatting with each other or walking hand in hand with young men, presumably the ones who had brought them to the future. There were signs posted for various events the women were requested to attend to learn more about the future. Other signs pointed to the communal dining tent. The entire place looked peaceful.

At the door to Amy’s pod, Joshua took a deep breath. He opened the door quietly, because he wanted to surprise her. He found her standing in the living room, looking at the TV screen, which showed the agenda for the day. She wore shorts and a T-shirt.

“Amy,” he murmured.

Amy spun around, and he was already opening his arms and walking toward her to embrace her, when she glared at him and took a step back.

“What are you doing here?”

The hostile tone in her voice made him stop in his approach. “What do you mean? I’m here because I missed you. I want to spend time with you.”

She scoffed. “Right! What about your girlfriend? I suppose she doesn’t have time today, or is she just not in the mood for sex? So you figured you could sneak in here for sex.”

“What? I don’t have a girlfriend.”

“Stop lying to me, Joshua. She came to see me. Kelly—she told me you’re getting married, and that I was just one last fling.”

Fuck! He ran a hand through his hair, trying to digest the news. “Kelly? She came here?” What the fuck! Why would Kelly claim that she was his girlfriend and they were getting married? She was engaged to Corbin Carmichael.

“It’s not true, Amy. Kelly is my ex-girlfriend. And I have no idea why she would claim that we’re getting married. She’s engaged to somebody else.”

He took a step toward her, but Amy lifted her hand to stop him. “Don’t! Do you really think I’d let you touch me when you’re just using me?” She shook her head. “How could I have been so stupid to think that you cared about me? It all makes sense now.” She sniffled. “I met the other women from 2025. Their Romeos are committed to them. They are couples. But we’re not! Because you only used me to do your duty, to bring me here. And I was so stupid to mistake sex for love.”

“Please, Amy, I’m not with Kelly anymore. She lied. I don’t know why. But I left her before I went back to 2025. We’re not a couple anymore.”

“Neither are you and I! Or can you tell me right here and right now that you want to spend your life with me? That you want to have a family with me?” Her voice broke. “That you love me?”

Joshua took a shaky inhale. Fuck! He couldn’t lie to her. He wasn’t ready to commit to her. But he didn’t want her to think that he was just using her, because he wasn’t.

“It’s because of this, isn’t it?” She turned her face so he had to look at the ugly scars.

He swallowed hard, not wanting to admit that her scars were still holding him back. “Please, Amy, give me some time.”

“Just like I thought,” she said, sounding resigned. “I’m not pretty enough for you. Go back to your girlfriend. She’s forgiven you for cheating on her. And she’s prettier than me. Then you don’t have to worry about what people will say when they see you with me.”

The words hit him in the gut. Amy had seen through him all along. She’d realized that her scars were still making him hesitate. But the thought of losing her suddenly frightened him. “Amy, you and I, we have something…”

There was a soft ping, then a voice came through the speakers. “Amy Brooks, please report to Laboratory H to be fitted with your holocom.”

“It was only sex. Nothing more. Leave, Joshua. I don’t want to see you anymore.” She walked past him toward the door. “If you’re still here when I’m back from my fitting, I’ll have security remove you.”

She left the pod. When the door fell shut behind her, Joshua stood there in the silence, his thoughts his only companion.

“We’re not done, Amy,” he murmured to himself. “Not by a long shot.”