For All the Evers

by Debra Anastasia

  Fallen’s mind was blown. It all sounded like a fairy tale, but she knew it was true. She knew the feel of Thomas’ arms around her.

  “So you beat the room?”

  Ellen finished her wine and poured more. “After a while, Joe and I started sharing information. We whispered to each other in places only we knew.”

  “So you could avoid Lad?” Fallen asked. “In my dreams I’m engaged to him. He’s always trying to find us, keep us apart.” Fallen watched as Ellen’s face fell.

  A man stepped out from the hallway and scared them both into gasping. It was Joe, Fallen realized as soon as she was able to breathe.

  “He’s in them now? Ellen, what did I tell you? You need to stay out of it.” He coaxed her out of her chair and hugged her.

  “Wait, what does that mean?”

  Joe answered for Ellen, who looked terribly upset. “Lad was never in our dreams. But to pass information that can be heard over the noise, you have to outsmart it.” He shook his head. “Lad said he never could dream in the room at all. If you’re seeing him, he’s found another connection somehow, and he’s changing the way the dreams work. That gives him a lot of power. He could choose to affect the course of history, as well as the relationships created in the dreams. Who knows what he might be capable of doing.”

  Fallen felt panic grip her—though less for the fate of the world, and more for the fate of one man. “So how did you find each other here? Please? I love him so much. He’s at war; he’s not safe.” Fallen stood as she implored the couple.

  Ellen patted Joe’s chest. “In my dreams I had visited Joe in the past, but not the too distant past. I realized he could be still alive in my present. Lad and I were married then, so I used his money to buy a private detective who found Joe. He’s older than I am now, but we’re able to be together.” Ellen touched Joe’s face.

  “I thought my dreams were crazy, so many years ago.” Joe shook his head. “I eventually talked myself out of them when Ellen didn’t appear. I got married and had my son, but the relationship didn’t last. Even if my dream relationship hadn’t been real, I knew love could be so much more. My wife and I divorced, and I raised my son. When Ellen arrived at my door many years later, it was like a bomb hit me. Everything came rushing back in an instant, and I was grateful.”

  The doorbell rang. Joe gave Ellen a wary look. “You two, wait out of sight.”

  Fallen and Ellen stepped behind the doorframe as Joe accepted a bouquet of black roses from a delivery man. As he closed the door, he pulled loose a card.

  He gritted his teeth as he handed the card to Ellen. “This is what I was talking about.”

  Please don't let my ex-wife taint my future wife's opinion of me. ~Lad

  Joe gave Fallen a hard look. “Listen, best wishes with everything, but you have to leave right now. He’s watching you or us or both. We don’t want any trouble.”

  He escorted her to the door while Ellen dabbed at her eyes with a piece of paper towel.

  “Thank you for what you shared,” Fallen told them.

  Ellen nodded as the door closed.

  Chapter 18

  You Are Needed Immediately

  Fallen made pancakes for Fenn on Monday morning as a surprise, to give his week a good start. After sending him off to school and starting her walk to work, she returned to her ongoing mental task: processing what Ellen had told her. And what Desta had shared. She had to keep all these secrets, but surely somewhere within them there were common threads, something that would make sense. It seemed unbelievable that an old hotel would have a room in it that caused time travel and located true love matches across the ages, but Fallen only needed to look to the tattoo on her arm to know anything was possible.

  Desta was absent from work when Fallen arrived, which alarmed her until 8 and 9 shared that she was recovering from bronchitis and enjoying the quiet. After that Fallen tried to set her desperate questions for the woman aside and give her time to heal.

  She had to continue the effort on Tuesday, as Desta again stayed home, but at least Fallen had Adelaide to visit with after work. The older woman needed some help with closet reorganization, and they’d talked about tackling the attic next. Fallen was happy to have something to do, and Adelaide’s happy chatter helped pass the time as well. She was a walking, talking history book, and as close to a friend as Fallen had right now. She tried not to think too much about that. She’d started telling Adelaide about Fenn’s games and hopes, and a little about Nora, too. Adelaide not as delicate as she seemed, and shared some of her own memories of loved ones battling alcoholism. It was nice to have a kindred spirit.

  On Wednesday, Fallen couldn’t resist going back to Ellen’s house after work. She refused to live being paranoid about Mr. Orbit all the time. But a For Sale sign on the property greeted her when she arrived, and when she peeked in a window, the interior of the house was barren. The flowers from Lad had changed a lot for Ellen and Joe, it seemed. What did that mean for her? Fallen realized she had no idea what he was truly capable of—and no option to up and disappear like these two had.

  On Thursday—finally Thursday—Fallen was thrilled to see Desta standing near her cart as they assembled for the morning meeting. She listened as Melanny went through the assignments and acknowledged that Desta was back, which was surprisingly human of her. As soon as they were dismissed, Fallen was by Desta’s side. As they walked down the hallway, she asked how Desta was feeling.

  The answer was an edited summary. “I’m fine.”

  Fallen had so much to ask her, so many questions about her absence and the new details she’d gathered about 514, she thought she might need to write it all down. She was just about to explain that when Desta went to her knees, then fell over on her side.

  “Help! Help!” Fallen knelt next to the older woman, who started to cough, and then her eyes rolled into her head.

  8 and 9 abandoned their carts in the birdcage and ran over. Fallen worked on instinct and thought Desta’s problem might be a lack of air. She always seemed to struggle to breathe after a coughing bout.

  Fallen rolled Desta to her side and pounded on her back, hoping to loosen up her airway. Desta’s glasses fell off.

  9 checked for a pulse, and 8 fumbled with her cell phone as she dialed 911.

  “She’s alive.” 9 reported. “You know what?” she added to herself. Then she jumped up and ran down the hallway.

  Fallen focused on Desta. Her lips were blue. She probably needed CPR. Fallen didn’t know how to do it. She pounded on the center of Desta’s back again, and the woman coughed. Fallen felt relief flood through her.

  9 returned with a woman dressed in her pajamas with a stethoscope hanging around her neck. She immediately began checking Desta over.

  “I saw the medical bag in her room when I cleaned,” 9 explained. “I hoped she was a doctor.”

  Pajama lady was composed as she assessed Desta. “I’m a surgeon. Good observation. Okay, you two help me. We’re going to prop her up against the wall.”

  While they maneuvered Desta together, Fallen offered what she knew about the woman’s background.

  “She’s a heavy smoker and was recently diagnosed with cancer.”

  8 and 9 gasped.

  Fallen bit her lip, wondering if that was information she should have kept quiet.

  But then the paramedics arrived, and Desta came to, trying to send the help away before falling unconscious again. Fallen pocketed Desta’s glasses to keep them safe.

  They hustled her downstairs, and even though it was Thursday, Fallen insisted on riding in the ambulance. Melanny reluctantly agreed that she should go.

  Fallen watched out the back window of the ambulance, trying not to think about the growing distance between her and room 514, as well as the relentless passing of time. When she looked back at Desta, the paramedics had cut open her shirt to access her chest, so Fallen turned around to give some privacy.

  Fallen made quick arrangements with Fenn for him to drop
by to check on Adelaide and explained that she would be at the hospital with her friend.

  Hours later, after hovering in the waiting room and being updated on Desta’s condition with alarming infrequency, Fallen was invited to go in to see her. As they walked, a nurse explained that Desta had fluid on her lungs as a complication of her cancer. She had a drain in place now, which sounded painful.

  When Fallen entered the room, Desta was conscious, thank God. Fallen held her hand. She set her glasses next to the bed.

  “Oh, thank you. What time is it?” Desta whispered.

  Fallen looked at her watch; it had been a long day. “11:20.”

  “You have to get back. To the room.”

  “There’s no time. It’s fine. I’ll go next week when you’re better.” Fallen looked around the room at the monitors. “You have medical insurance, right?”

  Fallen knew she and Fenn didn’t have any, and she wondered how much a trip like this cost, let alone having cancer.

  Desta shrugged. “I’ll manage. Don’t you worry about me.” The talking brought a painful bout of coughing.

  Fallen looked at her feet and felt guilty asking questions when talking was obviously a challenge.

  There was knock on the hospital room door, and Fallen stood to answer it.

  She found Mr. Orbit there, with flowers, a very anxious face, and a fading bruise below one eye. “Is she okay?”

  Saying nothing, Fallen turned to face Desta, who watched her intently. “It’s Mr. Orbit. Are you up for a visit?”

  Desta nodded.

  Fallen opened the door. “She has trouble talking, but come in.” She stepped to the side and allowed him to go past and take her chair.

  He was tender with Desta, kissing her forehead and fussing over her flowers until they were propped on the side table. “I told you it was too soon to come back to work.”

  Fallen leaned against the wall, interested in the dynamic between them. Had Desta really raised him?

  She patted his hand and made the okay symbol with her hand.

  Mr. Orbit whipped a pen out of his pocket and flipped over a pamphlet to the blank side. After he dragged the eating table on wheels over, Desta was able to write answers to his questions.

  Her breathing sounded wet. Desta was in trouble. Mr. Orbit asked a few questions about her care before deciding to go to find the doctor. As the door closed behind him, Fallen didn’t hide her confused look. Who was this kind human being?

  Desta wrote and then twirled the paper to face Fallen.

  Go. Go now. Lad will stay with me. He won’t be at the camera.

  “I can’t leave you here with him.” Fallen shook her head.

  Desta picked up the pen again.

  He won’t bother me. I’m ok. Go!!!!!

  Fallen patted the woman’s shoulder. “I saw Burt,” she told her, wanting to offer comfort. “He knew your name. I’m going to try to get to him again.”

  Desta smiled, but made frantic hands at Fallen. When Fallen came near, Desta put the paper she’d been writing on in her hands.

  Fallen understood. She tucked the paper into her bra and grabbed another pamphlet for Desta to write on. She slipped out of the room and turned the corner at the end of the hall just as she saw Mr. Orbit and a doctor appear at the other end, headed back to Desta’s room.

  She tried not to think about the ultimate end of Desta’s disease, and instead focused on getting back to the hotel. If she could make it in time, perhaps she’d not only see Thomas, but have a chance to learn more about Burt.

  As she left the hospital, Fallen noted the clock above the exit doors. 11:40 pm.

  Only 20 minutes left. She had to hurry. She dove into a cab that had just dropped someone off. It would cost, but her dream was waiting.

  She tried not to lean forward as she waited for red lights that took forever. She kept her eyes on the clock. It was 11:54 when she paid the cab driver and ran up the hotel’s service entrance, grateful for the master key she still had in her pocket. She took the stairs, which seemed crazy, but the birdcage moved too slowly.

  Thomas.

  Just to touch him, just to know he was okay after seeing him flinch in the mirror.

  Her heart pounded in her throat as she made it to the door of 514. She inserted her master key, and it gave her trouble at first. She could only guess at the time now. Maybe four minutes had passed?

  Thomas.

  Her eyes brimmed when she slammed the door open. Even just a kiss. To see his face.

  The clock in the room read 11:59 as Fallen threw herself at the bed, willing the darkness to claim her, waiting to feel the rush.

  She looked at the clock despite her wish to keep her eyes tightly shut. 12:00.

  “No! No. Please, I can’t have missed him.” Her tears fell.

  There was no rush. The feeling her body equated with love was absent. But a flash of light caught her eye.

  “Of course. The mirror.” Fallen scrambled from the bed and picked it up.

  At first she saw nothing, and then Thomas took shape for her. He opened his eyes and shook his head. Disappointment was evident on his face that the relief she felt at seeing him was instantly replaced with regret.

  Another whole week.

  She watched as he moved the sleeve of his white T-shirt and touched her name. She touched the mirror, wishing he could tell that she saw him. The brown puppy wiggled itself up the rough-looking blanket on Thomas’ cot.

  He petted the dog’s head while it tried to lick him over and over. She watched him take a deep sigh.

  “I love you, Thomas McHugh. I’m so sorry I missed our date. Stay alive.”

  He showed no sign that he heard her.

  He reached under his cot and pulled out a folder stuffed full. He sat up and moved the puppy to the side. As he flipped through the papers, Fallen saw herself. His drawings—her face, her hand, her eyes, her body. Her name.

  Just before the mirror faded, she watched him cover his face with his hands.

  Fallen sat back on the bed and hugged the mirror.

  She’d missed him.

  She missed him.

  ···

  It took Fallen an hour to get off the floor and return the mirror to its rightful spot. How would she survive the horror of missing Thomas? Seeing him in the mirror just made things worse. Or maybe it was better, she told herself.

  She walked home numb. The cold combined with the pain of missing Thomas and her worry about Desta was a changing kind of experience. It brought the low-level panic at which she lived each day—worrying about her mother, worrying about Fenn, wondering how to make a life for herself—into sharp, crushing focus right at the center of her chest.

  When she got home her brother was waiting for her, sitting on the couch with his arms crossed.

  She didn’t say anything as she hung up her coat and took off her shoes.

  “So that’s it? No phone call? Nothing?” he asked. “Is your friend okay? Miss Adelaide was fine when I went by to check on her. ”

  “It’s Thursday. I thought you knew I’d be late. I’m sorry. And my friend is…I don’t know. Thanks for asking.” She rubbed her arms as the skin prickles kicked in. She should call him more. It felt a little like another job to do, and then she felt guilty about feeling that way.

  “This guy? The one you’re seeing? Is there a reason he doesn’t come around any other time of the week? Is he married?” Fenn stood.

  He was worried. She could see this from his point of view now, at least a little. She was the only adult he had that made sense. She was usually practical. She had nothing in her life to be frivolous about, after all. It must be unnerving to see her stressed out and despondent over Thomas, particularly since he didn’t really understand why.

  “This job just takes a lot out of me. It’s going to be okay. Nothing is out of hand. I’m paying the bills. You’re getting fed.” She tried to step past him, and he moved to block her way.

  “Is it your boss? Mr. Orbit? Because
he seems like a nice guy.”

  “How would you know?” Warning alarms went off in Fallen’s head. What had her mother said? What had Orbit done now?

  “He comes to some of my practices.” Fenn tilted his head.

  Orbit’s stalking was tiresome. What exactly did he think he was going to accomplish?

  “I’m sure he seems nice to you. But no, like I’ve told you before, I’m not involved with him.” Fallen took her ponytail holder out and slipped it over her wrist. “Thursdays are going to be late, and I can’t stop that. Tonight I’m especially late, but like I told you, today another housekeeper had to go to the hospital. She needed me there. She doesn’t have any family.” Fallen crossed her arms too.

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” Fenn said immediately. “And I understand why you went. I just wish you could let me know.”

  Fallen felt like the child in their relationship as Fenn held out his arms. She waited a beat before walking into his big hug.

  He smelled good, she noticed. She crossed deodorant off of the grocery list she had in her head.

  “Thanks,” she finally said. “How was your day? Who are you playing this weekend?” Fallen patted Fenn’s arm as she stepped back.

  That was the perfect question as he slipped right into talking about football. The coach had made some comments that led Fenn to believe he might start some games soon.

  “That’s great. I hope he picks a home game for that. I’d love to see you.” Fallen went to the kitchen to make the sandwiches for the next day’s lunches, but Fenn had already made them.

  She thanked him, and he nodded.

  “I checked with Mitchel, and his parents can give you a ride on Saturday to the game,” he added.

  “Oh, tell them that would be great.”

  Fenn nodded again, but rather than turning to go to bed, he focused on his right foot and kicked at the tile in the kitchen.