Parrallel

  “What happens if I don’t want to choose?”

                “You must choose one.”

                “But what if I don’t like any of the options?”

                “What do you mean?”

                “In every scenario there is something wrong.”

                “So you want more choices?”

                “Yes, can you do that?”

                “Yes, when you wake up you’ll have a new life.”

                “Just one?”

                “Honestly, others have had difficulty choosing between two and you want more than three? Are you sure?”

                “Yes.”

                “It is done.”

                “Goodnight.”

Parrallel

 

And if everyone is given this choice what happens if one of the lives I pick, my husband or boyfriend picks a different life other than me, how does that work?

Parralllel: story 7

FRIDAY

                There was a soft knock at the door. She rolled over to see who was opening it. She focused on red curls first and recognized Luann as she peeked in.

“Hey Liz, is he awake?”

She sat up and looked over at him. “No, he’s still crashed.”

“He needs to get up. He’ll be late.”

“Okay, I’ll wake him. “ Luann smiled, her blue eyes crinkling and closed the door. “Hey baby,” she gently shook him. He grumbled and snuggled in more. She giggled and shook again. “Tommy get up.”

“hmph”

“You need to get up for work.”

“Nah.”

“Yes, you do. “ He rolled over and pulled her down. Softly kissing her lips, he opened his eyes. “This is why I don’t stay over on weeknights.”

“But you had the day off.”

“So… you didn’t.”

“Yea, and I could have slept in.” She giggled and kissed him again.

“Well, hopefully my day will be as great as my morning.”

“We could only hope.” She got up and packed her clothes.

“So, while I’m wasting away at work. What will you be doing?”

“I’m going back home. I’ll do laundry. I need to finish grading the bench marks. I’ll clean up a bit and then I’ll start dinner. We can eat at my house before going out tonight.

Parrallel: white room

“So you see now?”

                “Yes.”

                “Do you understand?”

                “The terms? Sort of. I get to choose a life, but once chosen, I have to stick with it.”

                “Yes.”

                “But what I don’t understand is the choice. Why me? How do I have this choice. I know I’ll be stuck in that life but what about the others?”

                “They will cease to exist.”

                “I have felt the love for all those children. How can I choose between them?”

                “You will have to.”

                “Will… Will I remember?”

                “No, you will remember nothing of this choice. These lives. Today. Us.”

                “It will be like I have only had the life I choose.”

                “Yes.”

                “Do you control what happens after?”

                “No, now and later, it is all your choice. It is your free will.”

Parrallel

Miriam sat down across from Alyzabeth. She pulled her cloak off her head and rested it on her shoulders. Her delicate hands picked up an intricately designed teacup. She took a sip.

You have questions.

Yes, ma’am

Thank you for the respectful formalities, but no need. You may call me Miriam.

Miriam, where am I?

This is reality.

That doesn’t make sense.  I don’t mean to be rude but I need to get back to my daughter.  My children.  Why do I remember so many children? Oh my god! My children, they are all alone. I stood up quickly.

Please. Sit. They are fine. They are children from different lives. I feel your anxiety. If you must check on them, you may peek through the windows, but I assure you they are all safe and asleep.

I turned and noticed all the windows that lined the wall. In here the room was so bright with all the white, it was near blinding. I walked slowly to the windows, in the first window I found Emma asleep in her bed. The next three windows had Alijah, Alyx,and Alyzza. I continued to walk against the  wall and peeked into the next room, in the fluffy pink bed I found a small toddler with blonde ringlets.

Who is this one? I turned to Miriam and asked, then quickly turned back to see the small child. Her face hidden beneath her comforter.

One to come.

The one I am pregnant with? My hand went to my belly, but instead found my stomach. “Wait, why am I not pregnant here?”

Like I said, this is a different reality. We brought you here to sleep. It is time for you to sleep.

Sleep?

Yes, between worlds you need time to recharge. Please drink some tea. I walked back to the table Miriam was still sitting at. I slowly sat down and looked at her. So… those lives aren’t real?

They are real in a sense. They are all paths you could have chosen after high school. But we can talk another night, you need rest tonight.

How do I sleep?

In that bed. Miriam gestured to a four poster canopy bed against the wall. I took another sip of tea and walked to the bed. Miriam helped unbind my cloak and hung it in the pearl white armoir. Alyzabeth looked down at her white cotton night gown. Took a last look at Miriam and climbed into bed. MIraim pulled the covers over me and tucked me in like a child.

Will I see you in the morning?

No, you will wake up in one of your lives, but I will see you again.

She sat at the desk staring at the objects placed on top. Her cell phone was in front of her. She glanced at the screen, and then turned it over. She didn’t want to see it light up. She put it on mute. No ringtone or vibration. She wasn’t going to answer her phone now. He had the chance to call her earlier. However, he didn’t, just like she didn’t expect him to.

                This time was different, or at least she thought. She had left a tearful message on his voicemail.

Parrallel

And she wondered what life she would wake up to in the morning.

 

Parrallel

I knocked on the metal gated screen door. After a few minutes Joseph answered the door. Where is he?

Hello, Beth. Where’s Emma?

She is at a birthday party.  The one he was supposed to take her to two hours ago. I grumbled as I moved past him and walked through the living room to the hallway. I walked down the hallway to the last door on the right and opened it.  I walked in to find him sprawled asleep on the bed. I shook my head and yelled at him.

Get up. I looked down and found a pair of jeans on the floor. I picked them up. A girl rolled over in bed and grumbled at the loud noise. She saw me and sat up frightened trying to use the sheet to cover her naked body. I threw the jeans at her.

Get out.

Whatever bitch. You can’t tell me what to do. She snarled at me. Joey just rolled over and looked at me with one eye opened. He smirked at me.

Hello Beth.

She’s Beth?

Yes, I am.

Go on, he nudged the girl with the back of his hand.

Ugh. She got up and pulled her jeans on. She grabbed her tube top off the lamp shade and pulled it over her head. She stood up and threw the sheet on the floor, no longer needing it, and stormed passed me pushing against me on her way out.

What the hell Joey?

He rolled over and swung his legs over the bed, picked out a pair of jeans off the floor, and pulled them on. Nice to see you too.

Would’ve been nicer three hours ago.

Oh, yeah. Well I can take care of you now that you ran her off.

Don’t even. That’s not what this is about, I replied disgusted.

No need to be jealous. She doesn’t matter.

Your right, she doesn’t. You know who does, I asked. Your daughter. Do you remember her?

What about Emma?

You forgot her.

No, I didn’t.

Save it. You can hurt me, I don’t care.  You promised you wouldn’t hurt her, and this morning you did it again. I dropped my arms to my side in exhaustion. You forgot to pick her up.

So I’m a little late.

A little?

Yea.

Try a lot. You were supposed to pick her up three hours ago for a birthday party.

I’ll take her now, is she dressed and ready in the living room with dad?

No, she’s at the party, you jack ass.

So, she’s at the party and probably happy. What’s the problem? He asked finally finding a shirt and pulling it over his head.

Seriously?

Okay, okay. So what time do I need to pick her up?

You don’t.

Hey Beth.

Don’t Joseph. I put my hand up to stop him from making any lame excuse for his son. If you want, it’s the usual tonight at Burger King. You can spend some time with her, Don’t bring him.

Yea, he responded dejected as I stormed out of the house. I slammed the metal screen door behind me and it jingled. I walked across the path to my car when I heard the front door open.

Come on beth.

No, Joey. You come on. You promised. I hissed. Do you even remember the last time you saw her?

I looked up at him to see him thinking. I sighed. Exactly, you can’t because it’s been that long. If you don’t show up Tuesday, don’t bother coming next weekend either.

Tuesday?

You’ve got to be kidding. I opened my car door.

Wait, what’s on Tuesday?

Her recital. You promised her you would be there. I’m not going to keep covering for you.

So what did you tell her today?

Same bullshit as always, that you were called for a job. But she’s not stupid Joey, she knows your just bailing on her.

No she doesn’t. She knows I love her. She thinks I’m the greatest.

You didn’t see her face this morning.

Beth

And this is why I left you. I replied as I got into my car.

Yea but she wont.

Don’t be too sure. I closed my door and started the car. I pulled out of his drive onto the street and drove off. Ring… My cell phone started ringing, I pulled it out of my purse and answered it. Hello?

Hi Mommy. The party is ending.

Okay, did you have a good time?

Yes, I did.

Good sweetie.

Nana said to let you know we were going shopping.

Okay.

When are you coming home?

I’m on my way, I’ll meet you soon at the store.

Okay. How’s Daddy?

What?

I know you went to go wake him up like you always do.

Oh, Emma.

It’s okay mommy, Do I get to see Papaw tonight?

Yes.

Okay. I love you.

I love you so much. I will see you in a few. I pulled the car off to the side of the road and started to cry. Although I really wanted to believe he would never flake again, I knew I’d be lying to myself. He had always been that way, but I had a soft spot for him and kept getting back with him. Although I hadn’t planned on Emma, she was the greatest thing. Joey was one of the biggest mistakes of my life, but I got Emma out of the relationship so I couldn’t complain. I just didn’t understand how he could give up on a life with Emma. She was such an amazing little girl. Everyone else knew it, why couldn’t he see it? Ugh. I hastily wiped my eyes, put my car back in drive and drove to see my little girl. He could miss out, but I wasn’t going to miss more seconds than I needed to.

I arrived at the grocery store in fifteen minutes.