CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO Mike
Iwaited until Mom was gone for at least ten minutes before I tore through the house.
The cemetery where Dad was buried was on the other side of town so she’d be gone for a while.
There was a closer one, but my folks had been friends with the McPherson family that owned the funeral home across town when they decided to buy their plots.
I’d attended classes with their son Brad.
Classes where I assumed I’d be bumping into him again.
I’d been rude to Brad just a week ago after Mom died in the other universe when I got snappy about not burying her in the prepaid resting spot, but that hadn’t happened here yet.
This was getting fucking weirder by the minute.
I wanted to go through the house to see if I could note the differences in this universe.
Wouldn’t it be trippy if Dad was a different man?
First stop was the hallway of family photos.
Dad was still Dad. All of the pictures of my childhood were the same, but only appeared halfway down the hall.
The main difference being that all of the photos stopped before any senior graduation pics.
It was odd to be standing in the hallway and being able to visualize where the images of my adult life had been displayed.
Those pictures didn’t exist here yet. This world hadn’t seen me graduate high school or attend college either.
No pictures of the university I’d attended after Cooper died.
No wedding photos with my bride, Jennifer.
None of it happened. Those years were waiting to be experienced.
“Mom,” I whispered, wishing old Mom was nearby. “What the hell were you thinking?”
I stepped down the hall and imagined the frames on the wall from my memory.
My nineteenth birthday. The used car Mom finally gave in and bought me the month before college.
After Cooper died she purchased me a used car even though we’d agreed it was better financially not to.
Graduation from The University of Washington.
All of those memories should have been here.
The second half of the hallway walls were devoid of pictures, along with nearly half of my life experiences.
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 a so-called date 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 have recognized 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, it would be 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.
I gestured to Cooper before asking Hastings a direct question. “Wanna trade? I’m serious. I’ll take him and you can have her,” I said.
Hastings didn’t answer my question. Most likely because I sounded as serious as a heart attack with more bitterness than intended. I had to remind myself that they didn’t know why I was so blasé about Jennifer. How could they?
“Uh, thanks, but no thanks,” Cooper muttered. He was upset and I’d hurt his feelings. I needed to shut up before I completed a trifecta. “I’m going home,” he added.
“Want me to go with you?” Hastings asked.
“No. I’m tired and have homework to do,” Cooper answered.
“How will I get home? We drove your old man’s car,” he said, suddenly realizing he may have put his foot in his mouth in regards to Jennifer.
“I suggest you call Jennifer.” And with that, Cooper left the kitchen and walked out the front door. The slam of the door let us know he wasn’t happy with either of our comments.
“Shit!” Hastings said. “Fucked that up, didn’t I?”
“Looks like it,” I agreed, sounding happier than I should.
That’s when I heard Mom enter the front door before she came around the corner to the kitchen. “Why was Cooper so upset?” she asked, giving me one of her this better not be because of you, young man, looks. “He could barely speak when I ran into him in the driveway,” she added. “Mike?”
I quickly looked at Hastings, needing a cover. “I think we may have teased him about something and he didn’t like it, Mom. I’ll apologize later.”
Mom crossed her arms, but unlike Coop, this was her go to I’m not happy with you, move. “You’ll apologize right now, young man. I mean it. You know Cooper is more sensitive than you.”
“I know, Mom,” I muttered.
“He loves you, Mike. You need to do better,” she reminded me.
“Sorry, Mrs. Hill,” Hastings said. He’d been watching my interaction with my mother and seemed shocked that Mom defended Cooper. “I’ll be going now,” he added.
“And you too, young man,” Mom stated, glaring at Hastings. “That boy likes you and you better be respectful toward his feelings.”
“Chill, Mom,” I said, noticing Hastings withering in her presence.
“I will not chill. Neither of you deserve Cooper’s friendship,” she said. “And you certainly know better, Michael.”
Hastings started heading toward the front door, a look of confusion on his face. “I’m gonna run,” he said, glancing at Mom and then me. “Sorry, ma’am.” Hastings hunched his shoulders and scurried out of the kitchen.
“That was harsh,” I stated, gesturing toward the living room after we heard the door shut behind Hastings.
“You need to go over and say you’re sorry for whatever it is you said to Cooper.”
“It was just boys being boys, Mom,” I said, standing from the island and attempting to move around her.
Mom stepped in front of me, clearly disappointed. “You are not this blind, son,” she began. The corner of my mouth curled in confusion and surprise at her words. “Cooper is in love with you and I’m sure you know it’s not just as your best friend.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked, unaware that she knew about Coop’s feelings. “Did he say that?”
“He doesn’t have to,” she said. “And regardless of your feelings, he is your best friend, Michael, and you will not treat him as anything less. Understood?”
“Can I go now?”
“No, you may not. What has gotten into you today?” she asked.
Her comment caught me off guard. Could she see that I was different? Did she notice I had years of experiences and feelings coursing through my brain? “Nothing,” I answered, staring at my feet. “I’ll go over and apologize now.”
Her face softened when she lifted my chin so I could face her. “Look, honey,” she began. “I don’t expect you to feel the same way about Cooper unless you really do, but you need to handle him more carefully.”
“I’ll do better,” I said. “Honest, Mom. I will.”
She hugged me and sniffed my neck. “You smell different,” she said. She stepped back, still holding my arms. “What is it with you today?” she asked again.
“I’m just getting older, Mom,” I said, chills running up my spine as she studied me. “Your baby boy is almost a man.”
“That’s not it, son, but trust me, mom’s know stuff and we both know that I have that something extra, so you best be watching yourself.”
I believed her.