Page 161

Finally he says, “What did the police make of it?”

“Well, they just didn’t know what to think. Because, the guests, they were a mix of people who knew about the time travel and people who had no idea. And there was no weapon and no bullet, you had obviously been shot but not there in the living room, it didn’t make any sense to them. I think eventually it was Dr. Kendrick who convinced them not to charge anyone. By then he had published a few papers explaining how time travel might work, and there were two other cases, one in the Netherlands and one in China.”

“Yes, I know about those. Funny to think we were all time traveling and didn’t know about each other.”

“Even in Oliver’s time people can be very secretive about it.”

“I didn’t find any mention of time travel in my obituary.”

I frown. “You looked up your own obituary?”

“Of course. I wanted to know how long I had, and I found out.”

“When did you . . . ?”

“Last summer. Not too long before I lost my feet. The obit doesn’t mention the feet, either. That came as a surprise.”

“I always wondered if I should tell you about that.”

He shrugs. “It’s just as well you didn’t; somehow I find the amputation more disturbing than the idea that I’m about to die. If you’d told me, I would have had nightmares about it.”

“Gomez managed to put a lid on the newspapers, I don’t know how. I think the mayor had something to do with it.”

“Nice to be an alderman.”

“They get away with a lot,” I agree. “But Gomez was always good to you.”

“Did he . . . ? Never mind.”

“What?”

He shakes his head. “Did Clare marry him? Or some other guy?”

This question startles me. I can’t imagine he’d really want to know; the truth lies outside of his idea of who Mama is, and I don’t want to tell Dad what happened to Gomez. “No,” I answer, evading the intent of his question. “He stayed married to Charisse. Rosa has two kids now.”

“Wow. Strange. Is Clare happy?”

“You always ask me that.”

“I want her to be happy.”

“I wish you could have visited her more. In the future.”

“I know. I don’t understand; I mean, I’m grateful that I got to see you grow up, but I don’t know why I didn’t see Clare. Unless I was afraid to find out, you know, if she has someone else, or she forgot about me, but I want her to be happy. But if she’s happy without me . . . oh, I don’t know.” He is near tears. “I saw her once, as an old woman. Did I tell you that?”

“Yes. You could have asked her yourself.”

“I didn’t know—that I would want to know.”

“She never forgot about you,” I tell him, gently. “You don’t really think she would, do you?”

“No.” He smiles a tense, awkward smile. “Especially since for all she knows, I could be popping in on her at any moment.”

“She looks forward to seeing you. Always.”

Dad raises one eyebrow. “Not always, I think. Remember when Kimy died?”

Uh-oh. “Yeah.”