The Day We Borrowed Yesterday
“Will it work?” Jonathan was skeptical even before the light turned on. It wasn’t a surprise. This was our first time and it was riddled with uncertainty. The man who had sold us this machine, a yellow-toothed and beady-eyed old man, had confirmed he knew nothing about the machine. It was left to us to see if it would work.
I stepped forward with a lit candle, making sure I had the right button to press. The big, red button was too obvious to miss, shinning like a cautionary sign to an irreparable cause.
I shook the fear with a shrug and gave a good look back at Haney.
“You ready?”
“There ain’t nothing else I can do, is there?”
“Pray?”
“Sure, I got you.”
I pushed the button and the machine thrummed to life. It was loud. Loud enough to blow our ears. We took a step back. The sparks started flying like fireworks on a new years eve. I knew something had gone wrong, or something had gone really right. It was hard to tell.
All I knew, when the machine stopped running, I had a queasy feeling in my stomach, like the world had turned on its axis, spun by Zeus or his acolytes.
“You feelin’ what I’m feeling, Chad?”
“Yea.”
“Did it work?”
“I don’t know, but we’ll need to find out.” A smirk crept on my face, knowing the reality of what this meant. Surely, with all the noise the machine had made, it should’ve done at least something. I raced to the threshold and opened the door to the barn, expecting to see something drastically different.
Nothing looked different and it sure didn’t feel like it. I was gutted, frustrated that it somehow didn’t work. Leaving Jonathan behind, I rushed to the house curious to see if anything had changed. The day was October 9, I recalled. If the machine had worked, the day would be October 8.
As I entered the kitchen, I saw mother standing by the sink, wearing the same clothes she was wearing the day before. We made eye contact and she stood with her perfect eyebrow creased.
“Chad? You just went out that door wearing different clothes. When did you find the time to change?”
The question had confirmed what we were expecting. The machine had worked. I ran to give her a kiss on the cheek and didn’t wait to answer her question. There was not much time left. Our plan had worked and I had been granted just one chance to see Cassandra again and convince her to stay.
I jumped into a pair of fresh jeans and draped the flannel shirt over my body. Before long, I was passing Jonathan on the front yard, yelling that we had done it.
Jonathan just stood there, wide-eyed, and shook his head.
The rusted Corvette thrummed to life. Unlike the day before, I knew the same guy would come racing down the street so I let the Mustang pass before I went off into the street.
I felt proud knowing this, for a moment I felt like I was cheating life to its own game. Manipulating time.
The house to the Hemingway family was quiet when I pulled over the driveway. The small bouquet of withering flowers shivered in my hands, but I made the effort to align the best ones in the middle, those that had life in them.
I walked up to the door and remembered the words Mrs. Hemingway had said the day before, how hurt I felt knowing I would never see Cassandra again. I whipped out the paper I had prepared. I was going to say the right thing this time. It was smudged with messy writing and I practiced the words like I was preparing to take pledge for being President.
I pushed the doorbell, when I was sure I was done, and before long, Mrs Hemingway appeared in the same attire she had worn yesterday. White classical blouse and a matching skirt, pearl necklace shinning like little suns.
“Oh, Finley’s boy. To what do I owe you the visit?”
“Nothing. I ask only the privilege to meet Cassandra on short notice. I don’t have much but well wishes on her trip to Lemmings Drama School.”
Her crystal blue eyes never left mine. For a moment, I thought she was going to say no. Her face lightened up eventually and she turned to call Cassandra.
“I hope it won’t be long. She needs to prepare for her long journey.”
I increased my grip on the flowers, preparing to meet her. She had not seen them the day I was rejected, but now she was going to.
My heart fell through when she appeared on the door. Her wide smile showed her milky white teeth, and the blue dress she had on matched her eyes.
I felt like I could hug her forever, never let go until the end of time, but I had something to say and not much time to say it.
I gave her the flowers and she laughed at how crooked they looked. She smelled them anyway, and I handed her the poem I had written along with them. She smiled and could not stop the tears flowing from her eyes.
“But I’m leaving, Chad. I’m not sure if I’ll ever see you again.”
“I know, and that’s why I came to see you. This one last time. I know you might not understand, but this was never meant to happen. It’s alright now. Here…” I folded a small locket on her hand and pressed firmly. “Whatever choice you make, just know I’m okay with it. Giving this to you means everything to me and it’ll make sense once we meet again.”
Her eyebrows creased, but I knew she had some semblance of understanding. Her mother opened the door behind us, and I knew it was time.
“Soon, Cassandra.”
