Rewrite Redemption

by Walker, J. H.

  “I dreamt that you started thinking that I might be like you…you know, in the friends-with-benefits department. In my dream, you decided that if I got knocked up, it might be an inconvenience, complicate your climb to the top. So that meant getting Ipod out of the way.”

  The Chihuahua sat down.

  “I dreamt that you made a little visit to Ipod’s father and told him that you’d sue his ass if I got pregnant.”

  The Chihuahua’s mouth dropped open. “How did you—” she started. “I haven’t even—”

  “I had a dream,” Lex said, waving her arms. She was obviously getting off on the drama. “I dreamt that you narked on Ipod to his psycho of a father. And Ipod’s father beat the shit out of him and shipped him off to military school.” She leaned over, putting her hands on her mother’s desk. “And it was all your fault.”

  The Chihuahua moved back in her chair, literally stunned silent.

  “And then…” Lex paused for effect, “in my dream, I got really, really angry. I wanted revenge.” She leaned closer and stole some lines from the Hulk, delivering them perfectly, “Pat, don’t make me angry. You wouldn’t like me…when I’m angry!”

  “How—”

  “Ehhh! No talking! This was my dream and I’m not finished. I got so angry that I posted all kinds of little items from your hard drive on the net.” She waited a moment to let it sink in.

  Her mother’s face went white. She stood up, knocking files to the floor. “You don’t have—”

  “Oh, indeed I do,” Lex interrupted, twirling the key chain with the thumb drive around her finger. “Indeed I do…in the dream, of course…the one where I could see the future. And I dreamt that your hard drive was full of all kinds of nasty things. Emails with highly suspect content, correspondence admitting withholding of evidence, hourly billing for times when you were out of town skiing. I especially enjoyed your photo album. That little number with you in that interesting outfit—or lack thereof—would go viral on YouTube.”

  The Chihuahua grabbed for the thumb drive.

  Lex snatched it back, snickering. “Please, I’m not that stupid. Think I don’t have backup?”

  The Chihuahua closed her eyes. She said nothing, but her knuckles were white from gripping the edge of her desk.

  “Oooo, this one I particularly like,” Lex said. She grinned at her mother, as if she’d done something she was really proud of. “I had to add it myself. It’s a picture of your underwear drawer…you know, the one with the little vials of white powder next to your passport.”

  Lex held up her phone so her mom could see the picture. “Nice shot, huh?

  The Chihuahua said nothing.

  “I trust I’ve made my case?” Lex asked, sarcastically.

  The Chihuahua nodded in defeat.

  “So my dream can just stay a dream? No need to make the movie?”

  She nodded again.

  “Look, Pat, we have a deal. I let you pretend you’re single and free to live the wild life. You stay the hell out of mine. You got your hands on a big chunk of the Archer money. I get my trust fund and my college tuition. You get an empty house, and in return, Arthur pays my grocery bill and deposits an allowance in my debit account. An allowance that needs a cost-of-living raise, I might add. I’ll speak to Arthur.”

  The Chihuahua smoothed down her suit jacket and slowly sat back down.

  “Oh, and your private investigator? He comes anywhere near me, or any of my people, and you’re the next YouTube sensation. Got that?”

  The Chihuahua nodded. We’d never seen her speechless before.

  “It’s a good deal for both of us,” Lex finished. “It’s worked pretty well up to now. Do we need to go back to court and modify the contract?”

  “No,” the Chihuahua said, wearily, waving us towards the door.

  “Then I’d say this case is closed,” Lex said, motioning to me.

  Since his ear was against the door, we banged into Arthur on the way out. As we passed him, he applauded silently, with a huge smile on his face.

  Lex bowed flamboyantly.

  And we left the building with Lex pretty much dancing in the street.

  “That was amazing!” Lex yelled, as they morphed back into the tree house. “That was so freaking tight!”

  A.J. smiled at me where I sat on the sofa, fiddling with the remote.

  Lex danced around, then ran over, jumped into my lap, and hugged me, singing, “Ding, dong, the bitch is dead, the wicked bitch…”

  “So, you held Lex conscious for the trip back,” I observed, impressed.

  “Yeah, and it was epic!” she yelled again as she hopped off my lap. “I love this time travel stuff.”

  “I take it that it went well,” I said, grinning, in spite of my bad mood. When Lex was happy, she was really, really happy. I had to admit, she was really infectious.

  “Lex rocked,” A.J. said. “I have it on my phone…at least part of it. You need to see it.” She pulled it out and played it back, the two of them supplying commentary through the whole thing.

  “Remind me never to make you angry,” I said to Lex.

  She grinned. Then she leaned over me and delivered the Hulk line again. The two of them lost it. It was so good to hear A.J. laugh. I wished I could bottle it up for later.

  Lex danced around the room, blonde hair flying, bracelets clanking. “The trip was the bomb. But even more than that, the Chihuahua is never going to squash me again. I won, yes!”

  “The trip was amazing,” A.J. said softly. “I had no idea…all those trips and never feeling the journey or seeing the colors. I loved it.”

  “Yeah,” I agreed. “I love it too. Every time I—”

  “So, New Guy, when do we know—you know, for sure—that it worked?” Lex interrupted. “I have total confidence in my intervention with the Chihuahua. She’s not about to cross me now. But still, I want concrete evidence.”

  “Soon, probably.” I checked my phone for the time. “School just got out. I’d say—”

  A.J.’s ring tone sounded.

  Lex grabbed it and shouted, “Whoo hoo! Text from Ipod, look!

  AJ U back? Can’t find Lx.

  Lex waved the phone in the air, hugged me, and then grabbed A.J., dancing her around the room singing. A.J. disentangled herself from the dancing Lex, took the phone, and texted Ipod to come home. For some reason, Lex was thrilled about a couple of dirty plates in the sink. Then we all sat down, and they gave me another replay of the confrontation with Lex’s mom. The whole conversation was punctuated by intermittent bursts of “Ding dong, the bitch is dead!” from Lex.

  “Lex? You up there?” Ipod’s voice called from the yard. As he reached the top of the ladder, he waved to A.J. through the open door. “A.J., girl, when did you get back? We were so worried! Wow, you look really nice! Hoodie’s gone for good, huh?”

  Both girls attacked him the moment he made it to the porch. He walked in the room, a girl on each arm. He was laughing with them, but when he noticed me, he sobered up immediately.

  “Oh…whoa. Okay, what’s up guys?” He looked from A.J. to Lex and then to me. “Lex, I looked for you after school. But you’re here, and…there’s something wrong with this picture.”

  “Ipod, Sweetie, you better sit down, cause do we have a story to tell you!” Lex shoved him down on the sofa beside me. “You won’t believe what has gone down! You were in the past, and A.J. and I went back…no…no, you weren’t in the past; you’re just missing a piece of it. A.J. was in the past…the olden days past, but then you know about that. The Hammer came here, beat you up, and then hauled you off to military school—”

  “Say what?” Ipod interrupted. “Wait, wait, slow down, Lex…”

  “A.J. got chased by cowboys and Constantine got shot. You were gone. A.J. was gone. I didn’t know what to do. And Constantine, he was going to get A.J. back. But then A.J. pulled him into the past, and there was an Indian and…ohmygod! You just won’t believe it all. I’m so glad to see you!
” She dropped down on his lap and hugged him. “I had to blackmail the Chihuahua to get you back.”

  He just stared at her, and then he looked at A.J., who nodded.

  “Well, kinda-sorta, but way more complicated than that,” she said, laughing.

  Lex got off Ipod’s lap and sat sideways on the sofa. She was facing him with her back to me.

  “Okaaaay,” Ipod said, pushing up his glasses, “obviously, I’m missing massive data here. Lex, I just saw you a couple hours ago at lunch. We were figuring out a plan…you know…” He trailed off and glanced around Lex at me.

  “It’s all right, he knows,” Lex said, turning and winking at me. She looked back at Ipod and grinned. “You aren’t going to believe all that’s gone down. Ha! There’s even a little string theory in it for you.”

  I got up and walked into the kitchen. The sofa was getting a little crowded and I felt like the odd man out. To have something to do, I grabbed a bottle of water and chugged half of it down. Then I just stood there, watching them, feeling seriously awkward.

  “Lex was right,” A.J. said. “He’s like me.” She sat down coffee table across from him—their knees were touching. “Wait, you guys have never actually met, have you? Ipod, this is Constantine.” She turned and gestured to me. “Constantine, this is Ipod.”

  “Nice to finally meet you,” Ipod said, nodding his head at me.

  “Likewise,” I said, from across the room. Nicer if you weren’t A.J.’s boyfriend, I thought.

  The three of them jumped right back into their conversation, laughing, and talking over each other. At that point, it was obvious. They were a unit, and I was an intruder. I still needed her help, unfortunately. But right then, I wanted to vacate, at least until they caught Ipod up. Majorly bummed, I walked to the door.

  A.J. saw me and stood up. “Constantine, are you leaving?” She walked over and put her hand on my arm. I felt the warmth of her energy, but it was mellow. She knew how to handle it better now.

  “You guys have a lot to talk about to bring Ipod up to speed,” I said. “I need to run an errand. Still on for the second trip?”

  She nodded. “Absolutely.” She bit her bottom lip and then she glanced back at Lex and Ipod. The two of them were focused on each other, paying no attention to us. A.J. put her hands against my chest and stood on tiptoe. I guessed to kiss me on the cheek. I leaned down so she could reach me. Her lips were velvet soft against my skin. “Constantine, thank you for bringing him back,” she whispered in my ear. “Thank you for everything.”

  “I’m just glad it all worked out,” I told her. I meant it. Her wish was my command—even if I got totally screwed in the process. The scent of her hair made me dizzy. I held my arms at my sides, woodenly, determined to keep from throwing them around her and holding her against me.

  She stepped back and looked up at me with her head tilted to the side. She fumbled with the key around her neck. Are you okay? She mindspoke. I felt a little wave of calm come with the words.

  Yeah, I mindspoke back. But I lied. I was losing it. I was absolutely falling apart. Here we were, talking, and no one else could hear us. Who else could do that? We belonged together. Why couldn’t she see that?

  She gave me a little smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. We’re going to fix it. All the bad stuff will disappear.

  I know. And so would she from my life. I couldn’t take any more. I needed to get out of there before I did or said something stupid. I spoke out loud this time. “I’ll be back in an hour.”

  When I turned to climb down the ladder, she was still standing there watching me. I felt a knife in my gut. I thought I’d never seen anything so beautiful as A.J. Jones standing there in the doorway of the tree house. All I wanted to do was go back to her. To hold her.

  To be with her forever.

  As I walked through the yard, I heard Lex shout, “New Guy, bring back a pizza! Pepperoni and mushroom. I’ll pay!”

  Ipod couldn’t believe all that had gone down. He was grateful to Constantine for all he’d done. He was impressed with the confrontation with the Chihuahua. But mostly, he was blown away by the fact he’d gotten beaten up again by the Hammer—yet there he was, no bruises and no memory of it. He’d be buzzed on that one for days.

  I left Lex and Ipod, completely immersed in talking about all that had happened. I crossed the bridge to the big house and walked out on the landing to see where Sam was. I hadn’t been around the last few days. Lex had covered for me. But still, I didn’t want Sam checking on me in the next couple hours, considering what we were doing. My dad didn’t come to the tree house often, but he did make an appearance once in a while.

  Lex had said he’d played the piano pretty much nonstop while I was gone. The house was silent now. I called his name—no answer. When I got downstairs, I was relieved to see that his bedroom door was closed. That meant he was sleeping. Hopefully, he’d stay that way till we got back.

  I wanted to grab a quick shower and change while Constantine was gone. All that time we spent in the past, I had been wearing my stupid SpongeBob pajamas and Ipod’s hoodie. If this was goodbye, I wanted his last vision of me to be—I don’t know—at least as a girl…maybe even pretty.

  I put on a skirt, a short one, and a soft blouse of Lex’s that had colors that matched my eyes. Along with my key, I added Hosa’s necklace and a bunch of bracelets. I even used a tiny bit of Lex’s Dolce and Gabbana perfume. I grabbed one of Lex’s jackets since it would be November in Seattle. Con said it would be cooler, maybe even raining.

  When I was finished, I thought I looked okay…well, for me. I certainly looked the best he’d ever seen me. Not that seeing me seemed to be too high on his list at that moment.

  Still…

  I stood in front of the bathroom mirror, stroking my key, struggling to get a handle on my feelings. Suddenly the truth of it overwhelmed me with its cruel, frigid reality. What was I doing, getting all dressed up, worrying about his last vision of me? It could be my last vision of him! What did it matter what I looked like? He wouldn’t remember!

  It was so not fair!

  I sank to the floor and wrapped my arms around my knees. I rocked back and forth on the bathroom rug, determined not to cry. It was hard. The guy who took a bullet for me, the guy whose life I saved…he was just going to disappear. I didn’t care that there would be another version of him somewhere in Seattle. I wanted the guy who raced across the meadow with me. I wanted the guy who laughed at my SpongeBob pajamas. I wanted the guy who almost died in my arms.

  I guess I just wanted too much.

  If I’d learned anything in my sixteen years of life, it was that you don’t always get what you want. If Fate had taught me anything, it was that. Once we made the change, Constantine would have his life back. Ipod was home where he belonged. I didn’t die in the olden days, and I didn’t lose my V-card to a couple of Neanderthals. I knew how to control my time travel, and I didn’t have to worry about being invisible anymore.

  Those were good things.

  Fate was cutting me some slack. I shouldn’t expect to get everything. Lex and Ipod were happy. I should be happy too. But that fault line down my heart was beginning to crack again.

  And it hurt.

  I slammed the car door shut and gunned the engine. I lied about the errand, but I had to get out of there. I was glad the guy was safe, but I couldn’t watch one more second of that touching reunion. A reunion, I might add, that left me out altogether. I knew I was thinking like a jerk, but hey, their gain…my pain.

  Having absolutely nothing to do, I drove to Abo’s on the hill, and ordered a large with pepperoni and mushrooms. Then I sat in the car, waiting for it, trying to figure things out. I had two options, both of them grim. One, I could stand clear of the tree when they took the past me my message. I’d end up in Seattle, in my old life, with absolutely no memory of anything that happened there in Colorado. I’d forget A.J. Jones.

  The feeling of dread that washed over me at that thoug
ht was enough to make me moan out loud. How could I possibly do that? I banged my fist on the steering wheel and leaned back with my eyes closed. The whole situation sucked!

  The best moments of my life had all been with her. Some were in the midst of total madness, sure. Some of the moments were fleeting. But they were still my most amazing moments. But if I’d never known them, I couldn’t miss them.

  Sure, I felt like shit, knowing I was going to lose her. But as soon as they made the change, I’d be totally fine. If a tree falls in the forest and there’s nobody to hear, does it make a sound? If a memory happens on a different timeline, and you don’t remember, did it really happen? Not for the me in Seattle.

  Ignorance is bliss.

  I’d also delete all the memories of my brother’s suffering, my parent’s collapse, and the horror that went with the accident. I delete the whole DeMille nightmare, because none of it would have happened to the me in Seattle. I wouldn’t be on the Guild’s blacklist. I’d no longer be Constantine the Destroyer. I’d have my redwood back.

  My life would make sense again.

  The second choice was to hold on to the timeline. I’d still end up in Seattle, but I’d remember. I’d be this me, slowly incorporating the Seattle memories of the last seven months. I’d remember the accident.

  And I’d remember A.J. Jones.

  I’d remember everything: how her hair gleamed in the moonlight, her amber eyes. God, A.J. twirling on the bridge in the white dress against the dark night sky. That seemed like so long ago. Drowning in her eyes in the hallway at school. Watching her heal Hosa. The exhilaration of racing bareback across the meadow with her behind me, holding me tight. Lying with her in my arms all night, waking up with my face in her silky hair. God, how could I give up those memories?

  The question was, could I live with the memories and not have her?

  I had no idea how much the melding affected how I felt. At that point, I didn’t care. I loved who she was. Lex said that A.J. just wanted to be normal. The way we connected—so profound, so deep—normal just wouldn’t do it for me anymore. Normal would be like being with a mannequin.