CHAPTER ELEVEN

Juliana and the recurring dream returned, but with sporadic sleep Mitch couldn’t recall any of the vision. He did however wake late in the morning refreshed and eager to put the second stage of his plans into action. Timing was less critical today having no consequence to future events: well not for some time yet. After all, Mitch now had all the time in the world. Today’s journey only required his memory of yesterday afternoon so he grabbed the red handkerchief and alarm clock and left while Peanut lay undisturbed. Mitchell arrived at the plate shortly after knowing exactly what was expected of him. He drew a deep breath to clear his mind, then recalled Albert’s comment of him being like a son. He then ventured one step further.

Mitch turned around slowly and stepped back over his entry point. The light was instantly a little brighter and he saw Albert walking up the hill with Peanut some metres ahead of him: the lead trailing freely behind her. He reached for Peanut and gave her a comforting pat, then called out to Albert signalling his arrival. 

“Hello Future Boy,” Albert replied.

The two men smiled as the plan was indeed working. After checking everything was all right, that Albert and Peanut were in no way affected and happy to continue, Mitchell exchanged his red handkerchief with Albert’s green one, tying it safely around his wrist. He also passed his clock to Albert for safekeeping.

“All good Mitchell? Are we ready?” Albert enquired.

“Yes Albert we are. Nothing yet untoward, so I suppose Einstein was even smarter than many gave him credit for.” And with that the trio continued the identical journey as yesterday. For one of them though it was for the second time. 

Mitchell and Albert carefully walked around the plate forcing Peanut amongst the long grasses, then sat on the bench like before. Unbeknown to Albert, Mitch was insistent they sat in identical positions. There they waited once again. 

The conversation today was vaguely more animated, Mitchell conscious not to say anything that might affect the time passage. Mitch wanted to ask about his ‘memorable’ comment but resisted knowing that could wait. Instead, he looked down at the clocks. One was full of zeros while the other whirled backward to the same point. When it passed the minute mark, Mitch checked Peanuts lead was secured to the bench then gently rested his hand on Alberts leg. 

“See you soon my friends.”

The clocks’ warning call went off, but only one sound came today. Not two, and a few seconds later, Mitch disappeared.

Instantaneously he was transported back to the plate. The light was softer again and he calmly stepped toward the bench. Albert and Peanut were expectantly gone but the green handkerchief tied around his wrist remained. It would be the only thing apart from Mitchell’s memory surviving his last trip. 

Mitchell yearned for a coffee but unfairly couldn’t face Sarah today. He mused there would be ample time for that.

≈

Peanuts’ barking signalled Mitchell’s return. He joined her on the back veranda and between excited yelps, overheard Mrs Bartholomew softly singing as she cultivated her garden. Mitch gently rubbed the Nut’s floppy ears as she quietened and reflected with confidence how he’d changed the past for a second time. The green handkerchief adorning his wrist proved that. Mitch now required the other side of the story.

Alberts’ earlier words rang in his ears - the future could be altered but at what consequence? Juliana customarily entered Mitchell’s thoughts. He rested his head on the comfortable wicker chair and drifted to sleep under the warm afternoon sun. Juliana by his side. Wrapped in his arms.

On the stroke of three a rap at the door startled Mitchell from his nap and he struggled to reorientate. Juliana was lying next to him only moments before; but now it was daytime and he was alone. He longed to still be asleep. 

As arranged Albert arrived for the debrief; at a time both agreed was acceptable for drinking. Mitchell answered the door finding Albert smiling broadly with a full bottle in his hand. His excitement was so over overwhelming, he felt compelled to hug him. Not for the bottle, but of his friend. Albert happily returned the gesture.

Their friendship had come a long way in a very short time. They shared a secret perhaps not many knew; however Mitchell sensed it coursed deeper than the plate. Their friendship was building on trust, honesty and blind faith in the unknown. The last of which schoolboys live by and adults too often forget. 

A celebratory Scotch was definitely in order so Mitch poured two heavy shots which became the first of many. Their glasses clinked in victory and Peanut shot a completely unnoticed eyebrow toward Albert.

“Congratulations Mitchell. You have safely returned.”

“Albert I have, and we’ve done it!” Mitch replied before talking the first sip of the much needed drink. “Between Peanut’s bad behaviour, and your understanding of the plate, we’ve discovered despite logic or knowledge of the mechanics, that we can alter the course of past events,” Mitch said before asking Albert to share what he recalled. 

Albert deliberately regaled in the finest detail everything that happened after leaving the house together yesterday. The setting of the clocks, the placement of the handkerchiefs; everything up to holding hands and his comment that would ultimately split their timelines.

“Immediately following those words, I felt your hand simply disappear from mine. Like you slipped through my fingers. It was a surreal feeling because we didn’t let go of each other, my hand simply closed in on itself as if making a fist. I heard the tinkling of what I suspect was Peanuts lead on the path, and a few moments later heard your voice.” Albert drew a mouthful of liquor and savoured the taste. 

“I know we then exchanged handkerchiefs, and you gave me your clock before sitting down at the bench. We talked for a while. I am not sure of the timing, but you touched my leg and said you would ‘see us both soon’ before the alarm clock went off.”

 “Only one alarm sound Albert?” Mitchell interjected. He recalled Albert’s identification of birds on their second meeting and knew his hearing was more acutely attuned than his own.  

What Albert didn’t see, or would have known, is that after the single alarm clock sounded, Mitchell briefly disappeared from the bench and was instantly replaced with himself from the day before. The Mitch that was removed from the original timeline had returned after the alternate ninety-nine minute journey was completed.

 “Only one Mitchell…I am positive. We then said goodbye and I walked home alone as planned.”

“Do you have my phone Albert?” Mitchell smirked, evidently pleased with himself. At Albert’s side was a brown leather satchel. From it he removed Mitchells mobile phone together with the two alarm clocks. The clocks were supposed to be there, the phone wasn’t.

“I wondered where that came from.” Mitch played the recorded conversation, the one about who had which colour handkerchief, with Alberts voice clearly audible. If it had been tampered with only Albert could have done it.

“When did I say that?

“Yesterday Albert, when we were on the bench,” Mitchell replied with a grin greater than his last.

From Alberts perspective his story was a series of linear events. With the exception of Mitch disappearing for no less than a minute, the course of events progressed without change. Albert had the green hanky. He swapped if for the red one. They passed the plate together then sat on the bench for a while before going their separate ways. Mitch on the other hand had lived the passage of time twice. A ninety-nine minute segment of it and could remember both parallel times. Albert only knew one. 

Albert of course had lived both of them but could recall only one because Mitchell had erased the first time passage and replaced it with an alternate.

“Albert, I lived the event on two occasions. The first time I left you with a green handkerchief, a clock and my phone. The second time you were left with the red handkerchief, and two clocks. I gave you the phone during the segment of time that I ultimately changed. That’s why you can’t recall it. As far as you’re concerned it never happened…but it did happen. We changed the past Albert, we changed the fucking past!”

“Did we Mitchell, did we change anything?”

“We most certainly did. I changed your past with intervention and diverting you from what would have happened.”

“This is risky Mitchell and fraught with danger.” Albert sounded sceptical. When they first spoke of the plate together, it was Mitchell who was the sceptic. 

“So why the clocks?”

Mitch explained they served two purposes. They not only provided a reliable record of time, one he knew his phone wasn’t capable of, but the alarms gave a second measure Albert could quantify…sound. It was a backup satisfying this own opinion of the timeline.

“Another drink?” 

Mitchell didn’t wait for a reply as he wanted one himself. He also needed to fire off a quick text message to Sarah and preferred to do that alone. When Mitchell returned from the kitchen they sat in silence, worlds apart in their thinking. Mitchell wanted Juliana back, well at least a second chance; Albert was content and relished his life despite the obstacles it had thrown him.

“So, what can we change Mitchell?”

“Your sight for one!” came the instant reply.

≈

It had been a long time since Sarah had thought of Alessandro. And at times she felt guilty. He was the father of her only child after all, but the ease in which he’d left them, the swiftness of his departure when things weren’t going right, spoke volumes of his character. 

Her decision to leave Milan was not taken lightly and culminated amongst other things, by a ‘gut’ feeling. Although an ideal love affair, it spawned rather quickly from nothing. Her father’s words regarding the work needed in any relationship, and how nothing could come of anything easily rang in her ears. The lonely and often tortured plane trip home convinced her she was right, and by the time she arrived back to Australia, Sarah was certain her actions were justified. Her feelings toward Alessandro though shifted the longer they were apart. It’s why she faulted at her doorstep when he came on bended knee. The decision was based purely on romance. Not the strong inner knowledge she’d believed from the start. And that had made her sad. She didn’t trust herself anymore.

All her adult life men abandoned Sarah. Her childhood sweetheart left her unexpectedly in Europe, and shortly after her whirlwind marriage Sarah’s father left Rosemary, and in turn Sarah. Alessandro too took his leave just when she needed him the most. Since then Sarah built a protective shield against men. She wouldn’t allow herself to be charmed or swayed by false promises anymore. She wouldn’t fall into their trap as easily. But meeting Mitch changed that view. Almost as if he’d come along at the right time to help her move forward. Mitchell woke something long suppressed: a belief in herself and the ability to be loved.  

Today the cafe bustled such was her reputation, but it had been days since her dinner with Mitchell and every moment passed brought with it the memory of Italy. Why hadn’t he called?

Sarah knew she was better than that but had her times of insecurity. And she was having one right now. She’d struggled raising Christina alone, battling through the aftermath of her accident while holding down a demanding job. Sarah forewent many things ensuring Christina got the attention of two parents, albeit through only one, and gave her every opportunity she could. 

It wasn’t fair she did it alone, but was her lot in life and Sarah could ill afford to dwell on those feelings….But why hadn’t he called?

Sarah wondered if she’d scared Mitchell with the truthfulness of her past. Telling everything about Allesandro and Christina…but how could it? Mitch was a good man she suspected held little concern for a failed marriage and disabled daughter. But their dinner date and his sudden departure made her think of Allesandro and if all men were of the same ilk. All cut from the same cloth.

She’d been stewing on that thought all day questioning her beliefs again and again, until a text message beeped on her phone while preparing the family dinner.

 Hey Sarah, sorry I’ve been off the air. Something’s come up. Not avoiding you but know I did enjoy our dinner. Thanks again. Let me know when you have a day off…I know a great spot for lunch. Mitch xxx

 Her faith in men was immediately restored.

≈