Lifetimes

136 years later

Marcus

I sit in my new apartment in Charlotte as I ay on my new bed that Just got here yesterday, the only piece of furniture in the apartment and the first time in my life I've had anything actually new that wasn't handed down to me. I sigh as I enjoy my little piece of success until I hear a knock on the door, I pop my head up like a meerkat trying to not be prey as I yell who is it? I hear back its Santa Claus you dipwad! I shake my head as I get up and open the door as my sister walks in pushing pass me and says I told you I was coming over today.

My sister Riley, my mom and dad's golden little girl, she couldn't do no wrong and everyone loved her. I got blamed for everything she did, if she got caught sneaking out it was because I told her too, if she got caught stealing, I put it in her pocket. I was labeled the bad seed to the point our parents got our pastor involved to "cast my demons out" and I didn't even have to do anything. But I never held it against her she would always try to tell them the truth and they wouldn't listen to her, she always remembered I existed when no one else did, ironically she became my best friend even though I would never tell her that.

I wave her off as I say yeah yeah yeah what's up? She quirks her eyebrow at me and asks you don't remember? I shake my head and says we are going furniture shopping so you don't look like you have the apartment of Ted Bundy remember? I look at her as I say Ted Bundy lived with his girlfriend and her daughter to make him look "normal" I think the comparison you are looking for is closer to Jeffrey Dahmer. She folds her arms and looks at me with disgust as she says one: even he had furniture. Two: the fact that you know that is disturbing. How do you even know that?

I shrug and say I took a criminology course when I went to college. She cringes a bit as she says anyway lets go we are burning daylight! I lean my head back as I say this has been my only day off in like 3 weeks can't I just order it from a catalog or something? I watch her arms unfold and moveto her hips as she asks do you want to order from a catalog and not know if its gonna be comfortable or the right size or color or would you rather be able to pick it out yourself and it be something that you know is gonna fit that someone can put in here for you?

I rub my face as I think about my options as if she is gonna give me any and I finally say ok lets go! She smiles and claps as she walks out and I follow behind her. About 25 minutes of walking around stores and picking out what I want, we finally sit down at a little cafe across from my apartment as I sit with my coffee and Riley sips what I assume is a latte. She looks at me and asks so have you talked to mom and dad? I shake my head as I sip my coffee and let the bitterness hit my tongue as I ask have you?

She looks down as she fiddles with her fingers, I sit down my cup and ask Riley? Have you talked to them? She sighs as she says I've talked to mom, she wants to meet Tommy. I sit there in shock. Tommy is my Nephew who our super religious parents tried to make her give up for adoption when they found out that he was conceived out of wedlock and my sister didn't want to marry the father, so when they found out that she didn't want to go through with the adoption or marry the father they kicked her out and I went with her and Tommy's dad followed us to Charlotte and we have talked to them since.

I takr a deep breath and repeat she wants to meet Tommy? She nods I look at her and ask does dad want to meet Tommy? She shrugs as she says dad doesn't know about the phone call. I rub the back of my neck and ask so mom is going behind dad's back after 4 years of no contact to tell you she wants to meet her grandchild? She nods and I continue to ask what does Patrick think about this? I mean he is Tommy's father he was there when all this went down. She looks down and says he thinks its weird too he said if I did decide to do it, I shouldn't go alone, I scoff as I say well that's the smartest thing I've ever heard him say. She rolls her eyes at me as she says annoyed anyway! I told her that she would have to meet with me alone first and we talk about some things before Tommy would come into the picture so would you be willing to come with me?

I lean back in my seat as I say Rye I don't know, she looks at me with sad eyes as she says Marcus I know I'm asking for a lot but I can't do it by myself, I sigh and say fine! when do we leave? She smiles as she says tomorrow? I'll take Tommy to school tomorrow and we can leave from there, Patrick well pick him up, its his weekend anyway, we will be gone for 4 hours at the most! I sigh and say ok, I'll see you tomorrow? She smiles as she jumps up and hugs me as she says see you tomorrow!

I watch Riley walk away as I sigh and think to myself this is gonna end badly and I walk back up to my apartment lost in my own thoughts until I feel my body connect with a bunch of boxes as they go flying and I hear someone yell OW! As we both fall to the ground.

My eyes widen in shock as I stand up and say oh god I'm so sorry! I look down as my eyes connect with these beautiful ocean blue eyes and a shock of familiarity hits my senses as I extend my hand and help her up s she smiles and says its ok, I overestimated my ability to still be able to see while carrying a mountain of boxes I laugh a bit and ask moving out? She shakes her head and says nah moving in actually, I was just taking these down to the trash.

I nod as I say well here let me help you as I help her pick up the boxes and she shakes her head as she says you don't have to do that, I shrug and pick up the last box and take the rest from her as I say its the least I can do since I knocked ya down, plus I'm taller so I can see over them I smirk mischievously as she playfully hits my shoulder and says hey! I was doing fine until the jolly green giant bumped into me. I laugh as we begin to walk and ask so when did you move in?

I officially moved in yesterday just got done unpacking actually, she says as she opens the door for me, I nod and we walk to the trash room and she asks how long have you lived here? I sit down the empty boxes and we break them down and we walk back up to our respective apartments in awkward silence until she asks have we met before? I shake my head as the words leave my mouth before i could process what I am saying no I don't believe so i would remember meeting someone as beautiful as you.

I watch her cheeks turn a slight shade of red as she smiles and my eyes widen in embarrassment as I say that was a bit forward I'm so sorry. She smiles warmly and its the most beautiful thing I've seen as she says its perfectly fine, I'm Juliette by the way. I smile as I say its nice to meet you Juliette, I'm Marcus.

She smiles as she says its nice to meet you Marcus, I nod as she smiles and nods as well and she asks again are you sure we don't know each other? I nod my head as I say I'm sure, she nods like she doesn't quite believe me. She walks to her door and says well Marcus thank you for your help and I guess I'll see you around? I nod and say you're very welcome and I'll see you around.

I shut my door behind me as I continue to rack my brain wondering where I've seen this girl before. I wake up the next morning with the sense of dread filling my bones, I tossed and turned all night wondering how today is gonna go. I walk out my door as I bump into someone again and it snaps me out of my thoughts as I see Juliette with her brow wavy hair just at her shoulders and a black blouse that brings out her blue eyes and a black skirt as I hear a chuckle and she says we have to stop meeting like this we may not survive if we run into each other again.

I chuckle as I say I'm sorry again and she says it was totally me this time I was lost in my own thoughts, I nod with understanding as I say yeah I know that club all too well, have a lifetime membership actually. She laughs as she asks jokingly does it have good benefits? I smile and say if you consider being in a state of overthinking all of the time a good benefit then yeah its the best. We both laugh as she asks so where are you off to this early?

I sigh as we walk together and she says oh that heavy huh? I shrug and say its nothing, you? She smiles brightly as she says its my first day at my new job, I'm kinda nervous so I was gonna go get a coffee next store, you want to join me? Her smile warms me as I nod and say sure I have some time, she smiles and nods as we walk over to the coffee shop and she orders her coffee, she goes to pay for it but I step in before she can and say I got it,a she looks up at me as she says you don't have to do that, I shrug and say its my treat you can get mine next time deal? She smiles and nods as she says deal, I order mine and pay for both, we grab our coffees and sit down as I ask what is the job?

She shrugs and says just a consulting jon at a little firm, I nod and say that's great! She smiles softly as she says its just entry level right now but it will pay the bills and I'm hoping to move up. I nod as I say hey a job is a job, she nods as she sips her coffee, I watch her eyes close and her body relax with the sip and then she looks at me as she asks so what about you? what are your big plans for the day?

I shrug and say well I have the day off so I'm gonna spend it with my sister and I pause choking on my words as I continue to say and meet up with our mother... I take a deep breath trying to act like those words didn't burn the back of my throat as she watches me and asks not a big fan of dear old mom? I chuckle and ask what gave it away? She shrugs not many people who get along with their moms call them their mothers.

I nod as I say well my sister and I don't have a good relationship with her or our father, they chose religion as she grips her cup and say I get that, my parents were the same way I couldn't get out fast enough. I sip my coffee and watch her softly as she smiles and asks what? I shrug as I say you just look so familiar to me, like I feel like we know each other or should, she nods as she says I feel the same way too, like we've met before but I just can't place when or where.

I nod as we sip our coffee and I go to say something until she looks at the time and says crap! I have to go, she stands up and grabs her stuff as she says but we should do this again, I meet her eyes as I ask you want to do this again? with me? She smiles and nods as she says yeah your a cool dude, you make me feel comfortable, its nice plus I owe you coffee. I smile warmly and nervously as I say ok, yeah, for sure, let's do it again. She chuckles as she says see you around Marcus, she waves bye as she walks away and I wave back as I see Riley pull up and her smirking as I get in the car.

She looks at me and asks....who was that? I cut my eyes to her and say just a friend, she continues to smirk and asks just a friend huh? I sigh and ask will you just drive so we can get this over with? She throws her hands up in surrender as she says ok, ok, she puts her hands on the wheel and starts to drive.