4.31 Three Years Later

"Dad" Gabriel called from his room.

Andrew looked over at Charlie who was engrossed in a television show "honey would you mind going to see what our son is hollering about?"

Charlie grunted assent eyes riveted to the screen. He remained frozen to the couch.

"Charlie please" Andrew repeated "I would but I'm in the middle of cooking supper for everyone."

"Yeah yeah I'm going" he muttered giving the TV one last lingering look before going down the hall to check on the angry yelling emanating from their eldest son's room. "What's going on here?" he demanded as he opened the door. He was confronted with his two sons wrestling on the floor while the girls were cheering on their respective favorites.

The girls looked up shocked, mouths open "dad" the boldest of the three vocalized "we didn't hear you come in."

"No I guess it's kind of hard to hear over all of this noise" he indicated the two boys grunting on the floor.

Upon hearing his dad's voice Landon began to cry "ow you're hurting me."

"Am not" Gabriel objected "hey let go" he cried as Charlie pulled them apart. Looking at the floor he shoved his hands in his pockets "sorry" he mumbled "I didn't know it was you."

Charlie gave each of the boys a stern disappointed look. "Why were you fighting?" he asked once he was sure he had a tight hold on his emotions.

Gabriel shrugged looking at his feet. He disliked knowing he had disappointed his parents. It was somewhat better that it was Charlie instead of Andrew but just barely.

"He just attacked me for no reason" Landon said pointing at his older brother "he should be punished."

Charlie rubbed his chin. He hadn't missed the way Gabriel's head had jerked up at the accusation of having attacked his brother unprovoked. Yet he held his tongue and said nothing to contradict him. His eyes swam with tears but he remained silent. "Do you think that's fair?" Charlie asked his firstborn hoping to get the boy to open up and tell his side of things.

Gabriel swiped at his eyes as tears began to slide down his cheeks. His thoughts in turmoil and the unfairness of having to be the oldest and having his things taken without his permission.

"Son" Charlie knelt in front of the eight year old "if you don't tell me what happened I'll have no choice but to believe what Landon told me. Is that what you want?" Charlie hoped the boy would open up. He knew Landon was lying. It wasn't the first time he suspected the boy of lying if he thought it was advantageous to do so. It was even worse that Landon took pleasure in getting his older brother in as much trouble as he could. Charlie didn't understand the whole sibling rivalry thing having grown up with just him and his father. "Alright" he sighed "you're to come straight home after school. No TV. No video games."

"That's not fair" Azalea protested to the baleful glares of the others "he didn't do anything wrong."

 "Shut up" Landon hissed at her.

"No I won't" she stomped her foot "you always get away with stuff and I'm tired of it."

"I'm warning you" Landon gave her a glare.

"You already tore the heads  off all my dolls" the little girl cried to the stunned protests of her sisters.

"We thought Gabriel did that" they said together.

"No he just let you believe that" she took Gabriel's hand "I'm sorry. I should have said something sooner."

"It's alright" he mumbled.

"So what did happen?" Charlie asked keeping his voice gentle, persuasive. He kept an eye on Landon while the little girl spoke.

"Landon knows he's not supposed to come in here without permission" she explained "he did anyway..."

"I didn't do anything" Landon mumbled crossing his arms.

Rose walked over to a book lying on the floor. She picked it up and handed it to her dad "he did that."

Charlie thumbed through the book. He recognized it as one of Gabriel's favorites. It was a birthday present from his Grandpa as well. The Time Machine by HG Wells. He opened the book and the spine was clearly broken. Loose pages fluttered to the floor. Crayon scribbles made the majority of the words unreadable.

He understood Gabriel's anger over having one of his prized possessions destroyed. Why he found the boys struggling on the floor the way he did. He took a closer inspection of the boys. Gabriel had a busted lip and the beginnings of a black eye. Landon on the other hand had a few scratches and his hair was messed up. It was obvious that Gabriel had take pains not to hurt his younger brother while Landon did not give his brother the same consideration.

"Landon why did you do this?" he asked in a voice rough with anger despite his best efforts to keep a tight lid on his emotions.

Landon jumped at the sound of his father's voice "I'm sorry" he cried "I won't do it again. I promise I won't." His eyes darted around the room. He shrank before the unanimous stares of disapproval from everyone.

"Don't tell me" Charlie said "tell your brother."

Turning to Gabriel he sighed mumbling "I'm sorry."

Gabriel shrugged wiping at the offending tears again "why?" he demanded "why did you do it?"

"I don't know" the boy mumbled all to aware of the disbelieving looks from everyone around him. He lifted his head up to Gabriel "I guess I'm tired of listening to you say you're going to be a time traveler." He looked at Charlie "why not me? Why does he get to be the time traveler?"

Inwardly Charlie groaned. He wished Quinn had never put the idea in Gabriel's head that he was the chosen one. He gave each of the kids a stern no nonsense glare before he spoke "that decision hasn't been made yet. Your dad and I will decide when you're all older and not before."

"But dad" Landon interrupted "he's always saying he is. Make him stop."

"Landon what do you want to be when you grow up?" Charlie asked.

He thought for a moment tapping his chin with his index finger "a fireman or cop."

"What if I said you couldn't be one of those" Charlie asked him.

"You can't do that" the boy protested.

"Why not?" Charlie asked making the boy think.

"Cuz I can be anything I want to be" he asserted.

"If you can be anything you want to be why can't Gabriel?" Charlie asked him.

Landon shrugged averting his eyes "what's my punishment?" he asked instead.

"Same as Gabriel. Straight home after school. No TV. No video games" Charlie thought for a moment before adding "and you're going to replace the book you damaged."

Landon gasped "that'll take all my birthday money" he gave Gabriel a nasty look.

"I think that's fair" Charlie said waving the book in front of Landon's face "this was his birthday present from Grandpa."

"Fine. Whatever" Landon growled stomping from the room.

***

Once he was gone Charlie sat on the edge of the bed motioning for Gabriel to join him. The girls slunk from the room murmuring various apologies as they went. "Son why didn't you tell me Landon did this?"

Gabriel looked at his feet shrugging "I didn't want to get him in trouble. I thought that being a good leader meant taking the responsibility for the actions of those under us."

Charlie pondered his son's words "I appreciate what you thought you were doing. If you do that how will Landon learn from his mistakes? You can't shield him from the consequences of his actions."

Gabriel shook his head "I hadn't thought of that."

"I know you didn't" Charlie put an arm around his son's shoulders. He was so much like Andrew in his tenderhearted notions but he also had a strong inner core to go with it. "From now on I want you to come to me when your having problems with anyone. You don't have to be bullied even if it's your brother."

"Alright" he mumbled "is it wrong that I want to be a time traveler? Does that make me abnormal?"

The worry in his his son's eyes made Charlie reconsider the easy words he was about to say. "Son I think you can be anything you want to be. I'm not saying you will be the one chosen but I do think you need to consider other options. You won't be a time traveler forever. It's a mission. Once the mission is over you'll have to become something else."

"Oh" Gabriel sighed "I hadn't thought of that. I'll think of something." He got a far away look in his eyes "maybe I'll be a writer. I'll write my memoirs as a time traveler. I know everyone will think it's fiction but that's ok. I'll know the truth and that's all that matters."

"That sounds like a plan" Charlie lifted the damaged book "I'm sorry about your present."

"It's ok" Gabriel sighed "I'm going to keep it anyway. Grandpa gave it to me."

Charlie moved to get up. As he approached the door Gabriel called out to him "Dad why don't we ever see your parents? Don't they like us?"

Charlie dropped his hand from the door knob. He knew one day the kids would become curious about his side of the family. He had hoped it wouldn't be this soon. "My parents can't come to visit. They would if they could but...." he couldn't bring himself to say it out loud.

"Are they dead?" Gabriel asked "is that why you don't talk about them?"

"Yes son" he choked back a sob. After all these years he still couldn't bring himself to say it. It seemed that the wound only got worse over time. Maybe it was seeing Zayne and his family that kept the wound open.

"Will you tell me about them?" Gabriel asked "please."

Looking down at his son Charlie smiled "alright after supper we'll get out the old photo albums and I'll tell you about my parents."

***

Indira tossed the mail aside ignoring the final notice stamps on the majority of the envelopes. The house she and Randy had bought together was empty accept for a few scattered remnants of their lives together. Things she couldn't bear to throw away or sell. How the mighty had fallen she thought. It was hard to believe it had been three years since she had last seen Randy and Elissa. What was she now? Eight? Randy had every right to leave. He had been right she wasn't a good role model for anyone to follow.

"Mama" a loud excited voice called to her "mama look."

Indira followed the toddlers pointing finger gasping in dismay as she raced towards her child. "Don't touch" she cried scooping the toddler up into her arms. The mouse squeaked and ran across the floor to it's home inside the wall. She shushed the by then screaming baby in her arms wishing she were better equipped at comforting children.

Unbidden memories of her parents soothing her when she had fallen skinning her knee came to mind. As usual she had been crying in hysterics blaming her brother for having tripped over her untied shoe laces.

"Look what you made me do" she had accused to everyone's astonishment none more so then Andrew who looked on the verge of tears.

"I didn't do anything" he stammered looking towards his parents.

"I told you to tie my shoes"she pointed to her shoes. She remembered feeling unfairly put upon when her parents lectured her on the importance of tying her own shoes. She wouldn't always have them around to do it for her.

How true those words had turned out to be. She had been so sure she'd always have someone around to take care of her. So sure she knew what she was doing. So sure of her beliefs and standards.

"Mama sad" the voice of  her son made her open her eyes. She looked into his calm brown eyes so much like his fathers it brought tears to her eyes.

"Yeah bud I'm sad" she murmured feeling his little arms slide around her neck. His soft sloppy kisses on her cheeks. "What would I do without you?" she asked hugging is solid little body close.

His high pitched giggles brought a smile to her face. It was time to put the past behind her and all her stupid ideas of how the world was supposed to work according to her. She needed a new start. Her son needed the stability of family. It was time to go home. She should call she knew but she was too afraid they'd tell her not to come. As if they'd do that a little voice inside  her head said. If they were smart she thought they'd tell her to go away.

She had been nothing but a judgmental idiot. Her ideas were exactly the way her old professor said they were. No wonder he was so shocked. She was ashamed even to think of it. There were so many things she was ashamed of. She had done everything she could think of to keep from going home. There was no other choice left. She needed her family. She was finally able to admit that. She worried now if she had burned too many bridges. If she had could she build another? Her son deserved to know who his family was.

Her mind shied away from thinking too much about Randy. She thought towards the beginning that he'd come back. She tried calling him only to find his phone had been disconnected. Where was he? Had she really been that intolerable to live with?

The only answer was of course she was or he wouldn't have left. That was when she realized she was a terrible person. How would she feel if someone had said or done half the things she had done to him? Having a child of her own had opened her eyes to so many things. She also realized if she hadn't been forced into doing it on her own she still wouldn't have seen it. Having her son was one of the most amazing, most terrifying things she had ever done in her life. She loved him with everything she had as cliche as that was she meant it.

She put her son down and picked up one of the boxes to carry it outside to the car. Her mind on the time when she told her manager about how Randy had left her then finding out she was pregnant. She remembered thinking her boss knew so much about life and business. She wanted to be just like her. Ruthless. Go for the jugular. Take no prisoner type of attitude. She couldn't have been more wrong. What her manager told her turned her stomach. At the time she wanted to believe it was just morning sickness but she knew.

Her manager patted her hand "don't lose any sleep on that dead beat man of yours. He isn't worth your time. He wouldn't know an opportunity if it came and bit him on the ass."

There had been rumors that Indira had dismissed at the time but now she knew were all too true "Mr Hiller."

 A wicked gleam came into the woman's eyes "he offered Randy a promotion for certain shall we say favors."

With a sinking heart Indira regrettably realized she had tried to pressure Randy into taking that promotion. She knew Randy felt uncomfortable in the presence of Mr Hiller but that didn't matter to her compared to the money he could make. She had accused him of being unmotivated and lacking ambition. "Those rumors" she mumbled.

"Aw honey those aren't rumors. He's head his eyes on that husband of yours since the day I hired him. That was one reason why no one made a fuss over you and him getting together even though it was against company policy. Mr Hiller had his hopes of getting his hands on that ass."

The way the woman laughed like it was the best joke she had ever heard made her stomach churn. She wanted to run away and never go back. She could never treat someone like that. Like a piece of property and she was pretty bad. She thought this was what she wanted to be. It was a hard lesson to learn but she was glad she learned it now when she could still make changes.

Learning all of that hadn't been the worst of it. She would always remember how her manager had patted her hand saying "I've got a good doctor that can get rid of that little problem of yours. You'll only miss a few days of work." The way she said it made her cringe. Her whole body broke out in a cold sweat. She got up and stumbled from the room. Head spinning she ran for the elevator and never went back.

She lost her job of course. The one she had always thought she wanted. She should have listened to the doubts she had all those years ago when she was still in college. The ones that kept prompting her to change.

Now she was a broke single mother who owed more money than she could ever hope to pay back. In an odd sort of way she was the happiest she'd ever been. She had her son. She had a new set of priorities. She was going home.