Mine Tomorrow by Jackie Braun

me.
    That was Devin’s plea now.

Chapter Fourteen
    It might have been the first day of spring, but Mother Nature hadn’t received the memo, so Devin wore the overcoat, grateful for its warmth as she hurried the last couple of blocks from the subway stop to her shop.
    She made coffee, decaffeinated at her obstetrician’s request. One hand on her rounding belly, she turned the sign over to open.
    Emily hustled in not long after on a blast of frigid air. “Sorry I’m late. The strangest thing just happened. This guy stopped me on the corner. He asked if I could point him in the direction of a watch repair shop.”
    Devin’s skin prickled, but she knew better than to get her hopes up. Keeping her tone casual, she asked, “Did he say the name?”
    “Sam’s I think. Or Sal’s. He thought it was on this block.”
    “Where is he?” Without waiting for a reply, she rushed to the door and then outside, unmindful of the cold. She scanned the faces of the people on the sidewalk, but none of them was familiar. Emily joined her outside.
    “Devin, what are you doing? It’s freezing out here. Come inside.”
    She allowed her sister to guide her back into the shop, but she couldn’t keep the desperation from her tone when she asked, “Did you see which way he went?”
    “No.” Em eyed her uneasily.
    “What did you tell him? Think, Emily! Please! This is important.”
    “I told him I didn’t know of any watch repair shops on this block. That was it. He walked away. Are you all right?”
    “I’m fine,” she lied, feeling foolish for getting her hopes up.
    She and her sister had reached an agreement of sorts. Devin no longer tried to convince Emily that she’d lived another life. And Emily had stopped peppering her with questions about the identity of the father of Devin’s baby. It wasn’t an ideal solution. In fact, far from it. The unanswered questions were driving a wedge between them, but Devin didn’t know what else to do.
    So, she put on a brave face now. With tears threatening, she excused herself so she could cry in private. She didn’t want to upset Emily or give her any more reason to question Devin’s sanity.
    It was several minutes before she stepped out of the restroom. When she did, she heard voices coming from the front of the shop. She recognized Emily’s. It was the other voice that held her attention. On shaky legs, she came out of the back room.
    “I’m pretty sure my sister will be interested in this.” Emily was saying to a man who stood on the opposite side of the counter. His head was tipped down, his face obscured by the brim of a fedora. Over his arm was draped an overcoat. Herringbone.
    Devin’s heart sped up. She knew that overcoat. She knew that man!
    Her steps faltered and she gasped, drawing her sister’s attention.
    “Oh, Devin, there you are,” Emily said. “This is the guy who asked me about the watch repair shop. He has the coolest coat he’s interested in selling. I know we don’t carry much in the way of men’s clothing, but…Dev? Are you okay?”
    “Gregory!”
    She shouted his name, but needn’t have bothered. He was already rushing around the counter, a smile wreathing his face even as tears made his eyes bright.
    Even their reunion in Times Square hadn’t been as emotional as this one.
    “Devin!” When he reached her, he wrapped her in a fierce hug. “I won’t pretend to know what’s going on—whether it’s real or a dream—but now that you’re in my arms, I don’t care.”
    “This is Gregory,” Emily said slowly. “The guy you…the guy from…”
    That was all she got out before she dropped onto the stool behind the register. Her mouth gaped open in disbelief.
    “I know how she feels,” he said. “I’ve been out of my head with worry for the past month, searching everywhere for you.”
    “Did you find my letter?”
    “The one you left in the desk?”
    “Yes.”
    “It didn’t make sense, but it was my only lead. I decided to go back to