Outwardly, he struggled the most of the guys, but I had a feeling if I stayed here even longer, I’d learn all the little ways they’d fallen apart.
I didn’t blame them, and I didn’t think they were weak. I thought they’d broken and when they’d put themselves back together, the edges were left jagged.
This was the result.
If I stayed, maybe we’d reshape ourselves, fit all our pieces in a way that worked, but I couldn’t do that. With the appearance of Erdirg, I knew for certain I didn’t have that time.
What the fuck was Mr. Chee doing? Why hadn’t he figured out time travel, or reality travel, in the time I’d given him to get it done?
As if he could read my mind, Aaron smiled. “He’ll figure it out. If he did it in one reality, he’ll do it in another. But give him time.”
Exactly what I didn’t have.
Like we’d conjured him, Mr. Chee came out. He was dressed in pajama pants and a t-shirt that said Scooby Doo Detective Agency on it. I blinked. I wouldn’t have seen him as a fan of The Mystery Machine, but then again there were lots of things I didn’t expect in this world. Being here at all was one of them.
He held the stones in his hand and then sat down on the edge of the couch.
“What if I could undo this but redo it in a way that made it all better? A third option. Not yours, not this. Something else.”
Regardless of what world we were in, Mr. Chee really could be a jackass. “Listen, we could try this a million times and not get it right.”
“I have to believe I had a good reason to do this. Maybe it was a selfish reason, but it was justified.”
I leaned forward. “If you don’t help me do it, I’ll figure out how to do it myself. And maybe I’ll fuck it up even worse. But one way or another I’m getting back to my own time. That is how serious I am about this.”
He stared me in my eyes, his gaze intense. “I believe you.”
Well that was good. “You should.”
“I’m wondering why we didn’t just give you to Erdirg.”
I would have gasped, but somehow, I wasn’t surprised he’d said something so terrible. Would the Mr. Chee in my world have said that? No. He’d talked on a podcast about his regrets when it came to me. But this one… he wasn’t the same. His mind contained information I needed, but otherwise he wasn’t the same man I’d known all those years ago.
Maybe he’d expected a gasp from me. He got that from Aaron. But I didn’t give him the satisfaction. Instead, I shook my head. “Dick thing to say, but I’ve heard worse. I spent my life trailing adulterers and insurance scammers. So have it. Say terrible things. You didn’t give me to Erdirg because back then you helped people. You didn’t live in a house trailing after your wife and your drunk daughter who isn’t taking care of her baby. Oh, and how about your son who is on drugs and went to jail? Or maybe you can throw more over on Aaron. He isn’t going to break under the strain or anything. Sure. Go ahead. Say terrible things. It changes nothing.”
He visibly swallowed and looked away. “You’re talking about undoing everything.”
“Maybe not. Maybe I’ll just vanish. Maybe you’ll stay just as you are.”
He widened his eyes. “I know how to do that, actually. Assuming I know how to do any of this at all, and I’m not sure I do. I… I can send you away. Sure, fine. I’ll gladly do that. I don’t need a dead girl running around and making my kids upset. We’ll do that. You’ll leave. We’ll stay.”
Chapter 13
Of all the people I thought would argue, I didn’t think it would be Thorn. This Thorn was pretty easy going, and hadn’t shown a lot of bitterness or anger, but that changed after Mr. Chee spoke.
“Fuck you.”
I’d forgotten about him, snoring away, but he stood now and strode toward us, puffed up like he was ready to get into a fight.
He said it again. “Fuck you, Ray. If you can send her anywhere, you send her right where she came from.”
“We’ll stay as we are.” Mr. Chee’s voice shook, and Thorn narrowed his eyes.
“Liar.” Oliver was looking a little green as he stumbled to us and pulled out a kitchen chair. He sat down like he couldn’t