Chapter 11
Jude
Jude stood by his hospital bed staring down at his body. He watched his chest move up and down thanks to the ventilator, saw his heart rate and brain activity chart across the monitor above his bed. He was alive and stable, but in a sort of limbo.
“It’s more like suspended animation,” Bertha said, appearing beside Jude.
“I was wondering if I’d see you again.” Jude wrapped Bertha in a hug. He pulled back to look at her. There was one question he’d always wanted to ask Bertha, but the timing never seemed to be right until now. “Does being dead ever piss you off?”
Bertha laughed. “It sure the hell does, honey. Every. Single. Day. I’ve got a son-in-law, a daughter-in-law, six grandbabies, six bonus sons, and five bonus grandbabies who I’ve never gotten to hug or meet in person.
I didn’t get to walk down the aisle at Carson or Cole’s weddings.
Didn’t get to pick out cribs or baby clothes, or sit around the tree on Christmas morning to open presents.
I’m luckier than most with some of you being able to see dead people, but it’s not the same as being there in person to cook the turkey or bake cookies. ”
Jude understood where Bertha was coming from.
“When Ronan, Fitz, and I were in Vermont for the last two weeks, I felt like that. I didn’t get to read stories or tuck my kids into bed.
I didn’t have quiet time with Cope to talk or cuddle.
It sucked not hearing Wolf tell funny stories about his day at school, or new words Lizbet had learned.
I thought a lot about you during that week.
To be honest, I couldn’t have given two fucks if we caught the killer, I just wanted to get home to my family. ”
“I hear you Jude. I think that’s what we all want. To be in a place and time where we’re the most loved we’ve ever been. Where we’re surrounded by our favorite people.” Bertha offered Jude a dazzling grin. “Let’s go take a peek, shall we?” She held out her hand.
“Is this the part where you turn into the Ghost of Christmas Past?” Jude snickered.
Bertha sighed. “Just take my hand.”
Jude did what Bertha asked. He threaded his fingers with hers and instantly felt dizzy.
He slammed his eyes shut until he found his equilibrium.
When Jude opened his eyes, he found himself standing on his back deck in the middle of the night.
He remembered this moment instantly. “Lizbet and I had only been home from the hospital for a few weeks. I was still pretty weak from dying and was having panic attacks that would wake me up in the middle of the night. As luck would have it, my little ladybug wasn’t sleeping through the night either. ”
“I remember those days with Carson and Cole.” Jude could hear the fondness in Bertha’s voice.
“Usually, I’d take Lizbet downstairs and give her a bottle while I watched ESPN highlights, but this night I took her outside instead.
It was May and the weather had finally taken a turn toward spring.
I took a seat in the lounge chair with the baby’s back against my chest so we were both looking up at the stars.
” Jude took a few steps closer to himself and Lizbet, loving the look of wonder in his own eyes.
“You two look very sweet together.”
“Any second now there’s going to be a shooting star.
” Jude paused and sure enough it appeared.
“You’re gonna burn bright just like that star,” Jude said, along with his past self.
“You can be anything you want, an astronaut, a chef, a fire captain, a mommy, just do it with your entire heart and soul and don’t let anyone ever tell you no.
” The baby raised her hand and cooed as the meteor streaked across the sky.
“I never had these tiny infant moments with Wolf. He was a few months old when we adopted him. After this night Lizbet and I would keep coming out to look at the stars. I even bought star charts to study so that I could point out different constellations to her. I wonder if stargazing made any impact on her?”
Bertha giggled.
“What? What’s funny? Is LizzyB gonna be an astrophysicist or the engineer who creates the NASA spacecraft that flies to Mars?”
“Our little Lizzy’s life is definitely going to revolve around the stars.” Bertha started laughing.
“Shit, Bertha, please don’t tell me my daughter is going to be a famous actress.” Jude couldn’t imagine seeing Lizbet on the screen making out with famous actors.
“She’s going to be famous all right! As an astrologer.”
“Astrologer? You mean she’s gonna study the stars and find new planets or have a comet named after her.”
“That’s an Astronomer. I said astrologer.
Lizzy’s gonna read people’s destiny in the stars.
Tourists will come from far and wide to have her create their star charts and give her own private horoscopes.
Lizzy, Aurora, Everly, Laurel, and my namesake, Baby Bertha will be the faces of West Side Magick’s third generation. ”
“Huh, I never saw that coming.”
“What, Lizzy joining the family business?” Bertha asked.
Jude shook his head. “No, that our family would stay put. You know, kids go to college, they get married, they move away. Aside from dying young or losing my movie star good looks, my biggest fear was not being able to see my kids every day. No more Sunday dinners with football or cookouts at Fitzgibbon’s house at the pool. No more sleepovers.”
“Trust me, Jude, there are a lot more sleepovers in your future. You’re not going to be a fan of some of the later ones, you know with Wolf and his future bride, same for Lizbet.”
“I cannot imagine future me allowing my daughter to shack up, even for one night, in my house with her future husband.” Jude shook his head as if to emphasize his point.
“Good news, honey, our little Lizzy won’t be shacking up with a future husband.”
“Future wife?” Jude asked.
Bertha nodded. “I won’t give too much away, but Lizbet’s wife is going to be part of West Side Sweets for years to come. Actually, she’ll be the one, with Cassie’s permission, of course, who will expand the business and change the name to West Side Eats.”
“What about Wolf?” Jude asked, wondering what the future held for his son.
“Wolf is going to join the family business too.”
“Don’t tell me he’s going to read people’s auras or tarot cards.” Not that Jude would mind if he did, but Wolf didn’t seem like the kind of kid who’d be happy with a desk job.
“No, Wolf doesn’t have any psychic gifts, like Cope. The family business he’s getting into is yours.”
“Mine?” Jude asked, feeling lightheaded. “Wolf’s going to be a cop?”
“Detective,” Bertha said, her voice filled with pride. “He’s gonna work with the cold case unit in the last few years before you, Ronan, and Fitz retire. He’ll be joined by Frankie Jackson.”
“Luca and Cisco’s son?”
Bertha nodded. “Want a peek?”
“More than anything!” Jude grabbed Bertha’s hands and readied himself for takeoff. His stomach didn’t lurch quite as hard as it had the first few times he’d done this. Maybe he was getting used to time travel.
“Open your eyes, Jude.”
Jude obeyed and found himself in a small football stadium. Looking around he saw Home of the Salem Witches painted on the wall beneath the broadcast booth. A graduation ceremony was taking place.
“Wolf Byrne!” A voice called out over the speaker system.
A tall young man, dressed as a police officer, stood up to raucous applause.
From where Jude was located, he could see their family standing and cheering.
Cope and LizzyB were there, along with Ten, Ronan, Fitz, Jace and the kids.
The only person missing was himself. “Bertha, where am I?” Jude felt like he was going to throw up and it had nothing to do with Bertha sending him into the future at the speed of light.
“Be patient, Jude. Watch.” She pointed to Wolf, who’d climbed onto the stage.
Again, Jude did what Bertha asked. He watched his son receive his diploma. Wolf stood with the head of the police academy and posed for pictures. “Awarding Officer Byrne’s badge is his father, Cold Case Captain, Jude Byrne.”
Jude gasped. He watched as his older self climbed the stairs of the stage.
Future Jude’s grin spread from ear to ear.
He looked as if he were literally bursting with pride.
As he pinned Wolf’s badge, Jude noticed his hair was greying at the temples, but other than that, he was still a handsome bastard.
When the badge was pinned to Wolf’s uniform, father and son stood together, posing for pictures. Jude and his future self were crying. He could hear Ronan, Everly, and Aurora shouting their congratulations, while Ten held a weeping Cope.
“Bertha, this is amazing.” Jude swiped at his tears.
“It is, Jude. Just remember this is only one moment of a million more to come from this day forward. I could go on and on about our family’s future, Jude, but right now, the focus is on one particular member. You.”
Jude had a feeling that’s what Bertha’s ultimate point was. “It all comes back to me and my ability to heal and get my creaky ass out of that hospital bed.”
“It’s all on you, Jude.”
“I get that, I really do. At first, I wasn’t sure the pain would be worth it, but now, all I want to do is wake up. I want to cuddle my daughter and make pancakes with Wolf. What exactly is it that you think I can do to heal myself?”
“Focus on using your healing power for yourself. You always say you’d move mountains for your family and friends.
Now it’s time to do it for yourself. I believe in you.
So do Lizbet, Wolf, and Cope. Let’s get this show on the road.
I’ll be with you every step of the way.” With those words, Bertha vanished.
Jude stood rooted to the spot, watching his future self and Wolf hug each other. Bertha was right. It was time to get moving. His future started today and Jude wouldn’t miss it for anything.