Memories from a Different Future: Jump When Ready, Book 2 by David Pandolfe Page B

but more how angry she’d been about not
getting to go where she’d thought she was going. But lately she’d been thinking
about a different direction entirely.
    As if Naomi read her mind, she asked, “Do you think about
going back again? Do you feel ready yet?”
    Nikki thought for a moment, then said, “More lately. But
I’m not sure I’m ready.”
    “What do you think it takes?”
    A simple question but at the same time the only question.
This time, Nikki felt her eyes start to fill and she had to look away before
Naomi noticed. She gazed out the window to where sun shined on a patch of
wildflowers that she felt sure originated somehow from Naomi’s imagination. At
first, she didn’t think she’d have an answer but she did.
    “The need,” Nikki said. Even as she said it, she knew the
truth of it. The need for more.
    Naomi untied her apron, took it off and hung it on the
hook near the back door. “What do you mean?”
    Nikki thought for a moment. “The need to see how the rest
of it goes next time.” She wasn’t sure if she should add more.
    “Like maybe to grow up?” Naomi said.
    Nikki nodded.
    “Maybe get married and have a family some day?”
    Clearly, Naomi had thought about similar things. Again,
Nikki nodded.
    It was like Naomi read Nikki’s mind when she asked, “But
we must have before, right?”
    Nikki had definitely thought about that from time to
time. Why didn’t they remember the other lives? She’d figured that’s how it was
meant to be, at least for a while. Clearly, the others didn’t either or they
would have mentioned it by now. Nikki had no doubt there was a reason behind
it—one that maybe Martha understood at least to some degree—and this time she
didn’t resent it. Something told her it just wasn’t something they were ready
to handle. At least, not yet.
    “I guess we must have lived other lives,” Nikki said.
“It’s weird to think about, isn’t it?”
    Naomi surprised her by giggling. “I’m pretty sure I got
fat before. Like, really fat.”
    It was hard to imagine, looking at Naomi. She was such a
little bird of a girl, short and thin with long blonde hair and big brown eyes.
“Like maybe you loved to bake and couldn’t stop eating since all your cakes and
cookies were so good?”
    “Exactly!” Naomi said.
    A smile spread across Nikki’s face as she imagined Naomi
a plump woman, hair tied back in a bun, stomach and bosom bulging against an
apron.
    “Then you might as well keep going for it while you’re
here,” Nikki said. “I mean, I guess you could choose to look chubby if
you felt like it but otherwise you’re safe.”
    “Yeah, I think for now I’ll just keep the eating part,”
Naomi said, making Nikki laugh again. “What about you? What do you imagine?”
    “I don’t know…” Nikki said. “I bet I was like this total
old spinster, cat lady.”
    Naomi burst out laughing. “No way! I bet you were a
model. And the boys—well, I guess they must have been men—totally adored you.”
    Nikki’s face grew warm. Still, she had to smile. “Not likely.
I probably wandered the streets talking to myself and forgot to take baths.”
    “Yeah, right. I bet you had a boyfriend who looked just
like Henry. He’s cute, don’t you think?”
    Nikki hesitated. “Do you think so?” She glanced out at
those wildflowers again. “I could totally see you two together.”
    “Ew, not for me!” Naomi looked around to be sure, then
lowered her voice. “Boys are kind of gross. But maybe for you. You like him,
don’t you?”
    Nikki busied her hands by reaching for the tin foil Naomi
had left on the counter. She rolled out a sheet to cover the brownies. “Not my
type,” she said.
    “Oh, okay. Just a thought. Never mind.”
    Nikki placed the tin foil over the brownies.
    “I think I might have one of those,” Naomi said.
    “Yeah, me too,” Nikki said.
    “I’ll get the milk,” Naomi said.
     

 
10
    Out Of Reach
     
    The rain had never bothered