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God, what have I done? Dani put her face in her hands in despair just as the piano began to play.
Chapter Twenty-Six
It hadn’t been hard to find the wedding announcement for Rachel Barsetti. Gemma was counting on Dani showing up for the wedding. If she didn’t, there wasn’t much chance Gemma would ever find her. Her cell phone number no longer worked. It just rang and never went to voice mail. She had gone back to Stormy’s to ask if Dani had come in again, but Stormy reported that she hadn’t seen her. Recalling what Dani had said about running, she had gone to Crissy Field and sat for three hours watching people flying kites and skateboarding, hoping Dani would jog by. She had even called several hospitals on the chance that Dani had checked herself in because the sickness she believed was coming. She knew that was a long shot. Dani was wanted by the police, thanks to Gemma, so she couldn’t very well check herself into a hospital, at least not under that name. She didn’t know where else to look. So she desperately hoped this last chance would pay off.
She took the street car to Noe Valley, to a part of the city foreign to her. Gemma still didn’t know how to believe Dani’s story, but part of her did believe it. And she wanted Dani to know that, that Gemma had reconsidered and hadn’t abandoned her. She felt through the material of her zippered pocket to be sure Dani’s gadget was still there.
The street car was slower than she had hoped and the route to the church was complicated. She had to get off and wait for another car to take her the last stretch, and then the car didn’t stop on 28th as she had anticipated. She consulted her map app and realized she had missed her stop. She got off the street car at the next stop and backtracked on foot, worried that she’d be too late. She rapidly walked the last couple of blocks to the church, an imposing building of gray stone with Gothic-style stained glass windows and soaring spires. The front of the building was dominated by a round stained glass window over three arches. Behind the arches, double doors were open. A couple of young men in suits were under the arches talking. Maybe the ceremony was over.
As she approached the building, people rushed out of the doors and took up places on the steps in an air of excitement, their cameras drawn. A professional photographer was among them. Gemma chose a spot on the sidewalk where she could get a good view and scanned all the faces. The crowd grew larger as everyone from inside poured outside until finally the bride and groom emerged from the church, all smiles, the bride in traditional white and the groom in a black tux. They posed for photos while Gemma continued to look for Dani. The bride, she noticed, had features that resembled Dani’s. Maybe this was her sister after all. And these people were her friends and family members. Maybe Dani was here with the people who loved her and cared about her and everything was fine. Gemma began to have second thoughts about coming, falling back on her original assessment that Dani suffered from delusions. If Dani was back with her family, maybe Gemma’s presence would merely cause trouble.
But she had to follow through, she told herself, just in case.
She waited until the newlyweds had been whisked away in the limousine before venturing closer. Some of the guests were leaving and others lingered around the entrance to the church. Others might have gone back inside, she realized, so she walked up the steps and into the magnificent interior. The space was massive. The walls soared high above to a dome-shaped ceiling. There were at least thirty rows of pews leading to the altar area, making for a long aisle for a bride to walk. What a place to get married! Gemma thought, her head bent back to take in the stained glass.
Small clusters of people were gathered inside talking. She glanced from person to person, searching for Dani. Toward the back of the church, not far from where she had entered, one woman sat near the left wall, her body slumped forward. From her angle, Gemma couldn’t see her face, but from the shape of her body and the style of her hair, she was almost certain it was Dani. She felt a surge of joy and triumph.
She entered the pew, making her way to the wall where the woman sat. Dani looked up and recognized her. A smile instantly broke out on her face. She’s happy to see me, Gemma thought, sliding onto the bench next to her. She did look happy, but she didn’t look well. There were dark circles under her eyes and her face was pale and gaunt, cheekbones more sharply defined than ever. Gemma sat close.
“I’m so glad I found you!” she said quietly.
“What are you doing here?”
“I came to see you, of course. I guessed you’d be here, at your sister’s wedding.” Dani’s eyes were full of tenderness and love. What a look!
“You missed the whole thing,” Dani said with a small chuckle.
“How was it?”
“Beautiful. Very traditional. This is a great place to get hitched. It was good to see everybody again. That man up there, the one in the blue shirt, that’s my grandfather Antonio. And the woman in the yellow hat, that’s my mother. Next to her, looking exceptionally handsome today, is my father.” Dani snorted a laugh. “I’d introduce you, but it’s all way too weird. I’m passing myself off as a distant cousin. Nobody asked any questions. They’re all in a good mood and they haven’t even started on the champagne yet. It turned out this was the perfect occasion to see them all for the last time, everyone all together and happy.”
“Where’s your brother? You said you had a younger brother.”
Dani nodded, her smile fading. “Nick, yes. I just found out he’s in prison. He’s been there almost two years and won’t be out for a long time.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. What do you mean, you just found out? If he’s been there two years…”
“He never went to prison in my timeline. He never got seriously into drugs. It’s like Oreo was never Miko’s dog, and you…” Dani stared deeper into Gemma’s eyes. “You had your own consulting company. Some things are the same and some things are different. This is the worst thing, that Nick never straightened up and never went to college and probably never will.”
“Because you weren’t here?”
Dani nodded dejectedly.
Gemma searched between them for Dani’s right hand and clasped it. “I’m so sorry I called the cops on you.”
Dani gripped her hand tighter. “No hard feelings. I don’t blame you. Of course you think I’m a lunatic. It’s what I would have expected of you, but I was hoping for something else.”
A little boy in a tiny tux trotted past them and out the front door. The adults followed more slowly, talking and passing their pew without noticing either of them on their way out.
“Did we get married here?” Gemma asked.
Dani looked at her warmly. “No. It wasn’t nearly this grand. And besides—Catholic church.” She shrugged.
“Oh, right.”
“We got married at a historic Gold Rush hotel in the mountains. My parents and brother and sister came. Your mother and a few friends. It was small. That’s the way you wanted it.”
“I wish I could remember.”
Dani opened the bag she carried and took a gold ring from it. “This is my wedding ring, the one you put on my finger, the same as the one you wore. I can tell you, Gem, I’d do it again in a heartbeat. The last four years were the best of my life. You made me a better person. I’d like to think I did the same for you, that you were really happy…except for the sloppiness. I should have tried harder with that.” Dani lifted Gemma’s hand and slid the ring on her finger. “You can keep this.”
“Thank you.” Gemma held her hand up to admire the ring. “I have something for you too. Is there someplace private we can go?”
“There’s a little room over there. It’s probably empty.”
They made their way out of the pew. Gemma watched Dani move, noting that she was weak and clearly in pain. She seemed frail and smaller than before, so changed from the vigorous woman she had first met. They went through a side door to a small room that looked like a combination office and storeroom. It contained four chairs, a desk and a low table, and there wasn’t room for anything else. Dani shut the door. “You believe me now?” she asked, pushing her bangs away from her eyes and looking beseechingly into Gemma’s.
“I do.” She put her hand in her pocket and pulled out the device. “But I’m confused about why you didn’t come back for this, if it’s really so essential, if it can save your life.”
Dani’s mouth fell open. “Oh, my God! You do have it.”
“I told you I did.”
“I thought…when I asked you that day to give it to me, you said you didn’t have it.”
“I meant I didn’t have it on me. It was in my bedroom, and under the circumstances there was no way to get it.”
“I thought it was part of the trap, just something you said to lure me there.”
Gemma shook her head, holding the silver tube in the flat palm of her hand. “Take it.”
Dani’s hand shook as she picked up the device. Then she wrapped her hand around it tightly and swallowed hard. “Gemma, you’ve saved my life! Now I can go back.” Dani’s eyes shone with gratitude. She looked like she was about to cry.
“That little thing can really send you through time?”
“That’s the idea. It reactivates the worm hole I came through and holds it open for the return trip. Something like that. They tried to give me a crash course on temporal mechanics, but…” She shook her head. “Maybe Miko can explain it to you.”
“Is there a special place you have to be to use it? Some kind of star gate or time portal or something?”
“No. I can do it right here.” Dani flung her arms around Gemma and hugged her close. It felt good to be in her arms. After a moment of just holding one another, Dani kissed her, flooding Gemma’s body with warmth. It felt so right to be here with her, their bodies pressed up against one another, their lips touching. Gemma was sorry when Dani pulled away.
“What’s the future like?” she asked.
“I didn’t see much of it. I think it’s probably a lot like here, just with more fancy gadgets.”
“I wish I could go with you.”
“Me too.” A look of sadness passed over her face. “I should go.”
“Do you have to go right now? Can’t you stay a while?”
“I’m actually feeling pretty lousy. Things aren’t working too well inside my body. Besides, why drag it out? This is so tough already. I’m going to miss you so much.”
“Okay,” Gemma said reluctantly. She felt that they had only just been reunited. She wanted to get to know Dani and hear all about the life they had shared. “What happens now?”
“I turn this thing on, then I disappear. There’ll be a bright flash of light, so you’ll need to shield your eyes. And that’s it. You’ll walk out of here and go on with your life. There is one thing I want to say to you, Gem.” Dani placed her hand on Gemma’s cheek and gazed into her eyes. “You can do anything you set your mind to. You should pursue your dreams. Believe me, you have it in you to succeed. It’s already happened in the other timeline, so go for it, okay?”
“Can I do it without you?”
“I’m sure you can. You just needed somebody to believe in you so you could believe in yourself.” Dani kissed her briefly on the lips. “I believe in you.”
Overcome with emotion, Gemma fell into one of the chairs. Her heart was breaking. She was about to lose something wonderful without ever having had the chance to know it.
“I always hate to see you cry,” Dani said, stroking her hair. “Remember me and have a good life.” Dani held the silver tube between her thumb and forefinger. “I love you, Gem, through all of time and space.”
“I love you too, Dani,” Gemma sobbed.
Dani twisted the top of the tube, causing three blue lights to illuminate. Gemma was afraid, afraid that nothing would happen and also afraid that something would happen. Dani smiled encouragingly at her, then placed her thumb on the top of the tube. Gemma gasped when a burst of white light filled the room. She closed her eyes and turned away until the light faded outside her closed eyelids. When she opened them, Dani was gone. She sat unmoving with her mouth open. So it was true, after all.
A flash of gold caught her eye. She looked down to see the ring on her finger.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Dani woke with the worst headache she’d ever had. She was lying on her back, feeling like she’d fallen off a three-story building. Maybe she had. She couldn’t remember what had happened. She opened her eyes and looked around the eggshell-colored room. It had no windows and not much furniture. There was light but no light fixtures, no lamps. It looked familiar. She heard no sound except her own breathing. She moved her legs, then her arms. Nothing seemed broken or paralyzed, but she felt weak and nauseated.
Gradually, lying still and staring at the ceiling, she began to remember. This was the same room she’d awakened in before, the one she had mistaken for a hospital room.
She’d been in the church with Gemma. She’d used the beacon and transported back to the future. Apparently it had worked. But this time she was still wearing her own clothes, the outfit she’d worn to Rachel’s wedding.
As she swung her legs over the side of the bed and sat up, her head felt like it would crack open.
“Oh, shit!” she said, waiting for the nausea to subside.
The door opened and Lara entered, looking just as she had before, right down to the clothes she was wearing. There was the same practiced smile on her face. If Lara was here, did that mean that Swenson and Hale were also here? Had they been here when Darius returned? Dani began to worry that Darius had failed. If he was out of the picture, that meant nobody could or would send her back to her own time. Considering how she had helped Darius, she knew she couldn’t expect a lot of sympathy from Swenson. It could get really ugly here, she realized.
“Good afternoon,” said Lara, handing her a glass of what looked like club soda. “Drink this. You’ll feel better.”
Dani looked at the glass, then smelled the liquid, the tiny bubbles tickling her nose. “How long have I been asleep?”
“One hour. We have been treating you for temporal asynchrony, but no solid food yet.”
As if! Dani thought, her stomach clenching at the thought. “Is Dr. Darius here?” she asked.
“Yes. Dr. Darius is here and is waiting for you to wake up.”
Relieved, Dani drank the liquid, noting that it tasted like club soda. Maybe it was. Not everything had to change over the course of two hundred years.
“You are particularly sensitive to the negative physical effects of transporting.”
“Yeah, I was always the one who got car sick.”
“Car sick,” repeated Lara carefully.
“Motion sickness.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Dani handed Lara the glass, then she stood, grabbing the edge of the bedframe as a wave of dizziness struck.
“I can bring you a motorized chair,” Lara offered.
Dani released the bed and stood to her full height. “I can walk.”
She followed Lara shakily past the conference room where she had met with the others the first time and down a long, curving hallway to a pair of double doors. A sign next to them said, “Laboratory – Authorized Personnel Only.” Under that was a panel with buttons and a screen. She had been here before, she remembered, the first time she’d transported back to her own time. This laboratory housed the time machine.
Lara stood in front of the panel and pushed a button. A light scanned her face, then the door opened.
Inside was a large, bright room with several counters, instrument panels, giant video screens, and a high ceiling pouring down light. The room was dominated by a twelve-foot-high circular chamber of metal and glass, the time machine. Leo Darius appeared from behind it and approached. He smiled, looking a lot better than he had when she’d last seen him. There was more color in his cheeks, more vigor in his body and his face was freshly shaved. He wore brown slacks and a white coat of shimmery material like satin, and over his ear he wore one of those iJinn devices.
“Welcome back, Dani,” he said enthusiastically. “I’m overjoyed you found your beacon in time. How are you feeling?”
“I’ll survive.”
“Yes, you will. Without any permanent damage, I believe.”
“What about you?” Dani asked. “Are you okay? I mean…” she glanced at Lara, careful to say nothing specific. “Did it go okay?”
“Yes, yes! No problem. Lara, thank you. You can go.”
Lara left the lab and the two of them were alone.
“Can you trust her?” Dani asked.
“Of course,” Darius laughed. “I programmed her.”
Dani stared at the door that Lara had exited through, quickly revising her previous impressions of her. She turned back to Darius. “Are the beans safe?”
“Yes, yes. I’ve already started them.” He led her to a table holding a glass box connected to plastic tubes cloudy with condensation. Inside the box were two black beans that had nearly doubled in size and sprouted tendrils of white roots. “I decided to try only two at first, in case something goes wrong. Then we’ll have another chance. But we won’t have too many chances with only ten beans. I’m optimistic though.” He breathed deeply. “Those two little beans offer so much hope. It’s hard for me to look at them without getting emotional.”
