Time Swap

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A/N:

Chapter 36 (Discussing the Future)

"We'd be more than happy helping you girls out," Didi chimed at the table. Angelica and Teddy were sitting in one of the corner booths at the Java Lava with Didi, Betty, Kira, and even Mrs. Carmichael. Angelica was being reassured that she wasn't truly alone in all this. Susie and Ivy were sitting with them as well. Across the way, Harold was sitting with the women's husbands, possibly getting some much needed advice from them.

Charlie was at another table with Tommy, Phil, Lil, Chuckie, and Dil. And at another table, Gabe and PJ were chatting with their girlfriends, possibly figuring out what would become of Gabe when Amy passed on. Everyone knew what would be happening with Teddy and Angelica, they were going towards a big time college elsewhere. PJ was in college and could take care of himself, but a fourteen year old teenager couldn't live on his own. PJ would likely have to take care of him. Everybody had their worries, the future was not a very certain one.

She smiled as Kira reached over to pat her hand, "We're all here for you. Your mother was a great woman, sure she was busy most days, but she did what she could. We know you're fixing to go off to college and taking on the responsibility of being a mom all at once, but you're going to be able to do it." Angelica had been accepted into almost every school she applied to, as did Teddy and Harold. What she was getting advice on was where to go, because she knew she'd be taking Charlie with her. "You can go to whatever college you want to go to, we'll all help and support you."

"The thing is, I really want to go to Harvard, but...it's in Michigan." Berkley was another she'd applied to, but it was in California and with a selective admissions program. She leaned forward and rubbed her temples. Both Teddy and Harold had been accepted into Harvard University as well, and Harold applied so he could be with Angelica. It was fine, though he wanted to be a personal trainer. He would likely be a fitness instructor at a college and work as a personal trainer elsewhere, at least that's what he always said. She was for it, and he could get into any college he wanted at this point.

"So go," Betty marveled. "Nothing's stopping you, it's the best school in the country." She bit her lip and looked to Teddy. Teddy shrugged her shoulders and dipped her eyes towards the table. For her, it didn't much matter. She wanted to be around for Charlie, but her main concern was Toby. Teddy wanted to go to Harvard because of the same reason Angelica did, it had the top rated political science programs in the country. "So if I'm getting this right, Teddy wants to be a Governor of a state and you're hoping for congresswoman?"

"I might never make it to be a governor," Teddy chuckled, "I'll settle for whatever I can get in the political path. That's what makes us best friends, we both got the same interests." Angelica nodded briskly and leaned back in her chair, sighing as her eyes drifted towards Charlie. She hated thinking that Charlie would be states away from family, though.

"I just don't want her to be so far away from everyone." The women looked to her and Lucy Carmichael was the first to respond, quick on the dial.

"She's not the one in college. Your baby girl can visit family as many times as you see fit. Didi and Stu are more than willing to be there as the girl's unofficial 'grandparents'. Not to mention, you've got us all here opening our arms to you." Her heart lifted up and her lips curved into a smile, she was confident things would be okay. She was frightened as hell, but at the very least, she had to know things would be just fine. "I know it's a scary world out there, and at least college is just a few short years. You're free to do anything you desire, we're going to support you, Angelica."

"It's true!" Didi remarked. "We love you very much, sweetie." The woman adjusted her red hair and sighed, smiling into Angelica's anxious eyes. She turned her gaze to Teddy and gave her the same pleasant look. "We consider you a part of the family too, Teddy. So just like Angelica and Charlie, you'll have help with Toby too." Angelica lifted her coffee cup to her lips and breathed in the fumes before sipping on the hot liquid. "No one knows what the future holds, girls. The best thing you can do is trust your instincts and do what your heart says is right." Angelica opened one eye and lowered the cup, remembering the words her mother spoke to her. What did her heart tell her?

The best thing she could do is secure a solid career, Harvard looks fantastic on resumes. The women were right, she and Charlie could visit whenever they liked. It wasn't as though she would never see family again if she went to Harvard. Her dream wasn't just to have a big time career, but yet, she wanted to provide Charlie with the best life possible. Harvard could help, it was a stepping stone.

"I think…it's October, I turn eighteen on the first of January…college doesn't start until fall of next year-"

"And you have the opportunity to graduate from high school now," Kira lamented. It was true, several seniors that were smart enough were given the chance to finish a semester earlier. On the last day of school before the Christmas holidays, Angelica was going to take a test, that if she passed, she could be one of those seniors that got to graduate early. "So you've taken your SAT, got a full scholarship to any college in the country, and a full semester break before Summer break."

"That's a lot of time to think."

"Yes. You don't have to make your decision now. When the time comes to make that final decision, we know you'll be ready. Remember, we'll all support you."

"Thank you Mrs. Finster." Kira laughed and Lucy shook her head.

"Please, you're a mother now," Lucy remarked with a smile and a simple eye roll, "You're a woman. You don't need to call us Mrs. Anything. I'm Lucy, that's Kira, Betty…" She pointed out each woman, then paused landing on Didi. Her eyes squinted for a second and smirked. "She's still Aunt Didi to you, though." Angelica laughed heartily as Didi swiftly nodded. The other women murmured their agreements.

For the first time though, she did feel like a part of the group. Mothers, women, it was all right. When she was a kid, she never pictured herself doing what they all did, sitting around the table and sharing stories as if it were one of those debutante balls. Yet, here she was, and she loved it!

"So this is what it feels like," Harold muttered at his table. He was surrounded by Stu Pickles, Chas Finster, Howard DeVille, and Randy Carmichael. "I'm at the dad table." The men laughed and pat his back. He took pride in it, knowing he was to be a father, even though he was not Charlie's father. "The one thing I know for certain in my future is I guess I belong at the dad table."

"You do," Stu cheered, "Maybe you're not as dopey as some of us, but we have all the fun. Just a secret." Stu winked at him and Harold chuckled, he could picture himself playing cards with the men. All he wanted to do was to be a good father and a good husband. He loved Angelica and Charlie with all his heart and would do anything to protect them. He'd grown immensely concerned when Spencer had told him what Jonathan had done, and now was trying to figure how to protect the girls.

"What am I supposed to do though? If I'm to be a father, a husband, I should know how to protect them…" The men frowned, understanding his plight. He'd already explained to them what Spencer said about Jonathan. One thing was certain, no way in hell was he letting Angelica hire an assistant. "How can I protect them against someone so unpredictable…a madman willing to go through the lengths that he's gone? How do I keep him from making Charlie lose her mother, her family? How do I protect those two?"

"You do the best you can," Randy pat his shoulder and the other men nodded. "You're a father, not superman. Though being a dad can sometimes mean you can put Superman to shame." Harold folded his hands over each other on the table and stared down at them, pondering Randy's words. "You know the thing Superman, Spiderman, Batman, Thor, all the superheroes have in common with one another? Yet, the thing they have in difference with a dad?"

"What's that?"

"They're not real," Howard said clearly. "A dad is." Harold lifted his head and smiled slightly as his heart began to swell with confidence. He turned his gaze to Charlie with her cousins, she was laughing and bouncing between Tommy and Dil. His gaze softened as he heard Chas's voice drift into his ears.

"I've had a lot of allergies in my life. I've been a klutz, I've been a coward and usually I wouldn't know how to take care of some of the simplest things. Harold, Howard can say the same." Howard laughed and Randy smirked. "In fact most of us at this table can say this: We're not perfect, but we all have something that a superhero doesn't." Harold slowly looked over as the men leaned back and crossed their arms, smirking with confidence. "Children that look to us with the trust and confidence that we will always be there for us, faith and love that make us far superior to those superheroes in all those comic books. We have wives that adore us, granted most of the times they do better than we do, but they still turn to us if they themselves can't solve something. Why? Because we're a team. A family."

"Just do what's best in your heart," Stu added, "As the mother does, the father trusts his own instincts. Talk to Angelica about what's right, do what you feel is best for those that you love. You don't have to be some shining superman in order to take care of them. You could be a goof-"

"Hell you could be allergic to anything and everything," Chas joked. Howard laughed and rubbed the back of his head, adding his own commentary.

"Or you could simply be a klutz that trips over everything there is and runs into stuff on the walls."

"But it won't matter," Randy reminded them, "None of it matters. In the end of the day, you're a father, a dad. A husband, and you're confident in that title. As confident as your wife and child. There is no task too great when it comes to that. I can understand fear of the unknown, uncertain of the dangers that are coming to your family, but right now there are no dangers that you don't know about."

Stu hummed and pat his hand on the table, "He's right. You know Jonathan, you know what he's capable of. It's frightening for all of us that he's lurking about, but there are ways to protect yourself. For one, if you can get away from his prying eyes, that would be good."

"Spencer stated Jonathan was stalking them," Harold announced. "He said Jonathan was trying to get them where it hurts. He wants…" He choked on his words and clenched his fists as the men all sympathized with his concerns. "He wants to make Angelica lose everything. How am I supposed to defend them against that?"

"So hide them," Chas answered. He raised an eyebrow and watched as Chas slipped out from his seat and walked towards the door to the back room. What was he suggesting? Harold moved over with the men and gazed in as Chas opened the door and pointed towards a back door. "Years ago, Kira and I put a tunnel through our basement. The tunnel has a door that's been locked tight with a pass code that only we know. In the case of danger, we can escape through the tunnel and pop out home at our basement at home. No one knows it exists."

"Interesting…" Harold looked over to Angelica, she and the women were looking over to them. Kira looked to be explaining what Chas was, the couple apparently was on the same wavelength. As he turned his gaze to Charlie, his heart skipped a beat. He could protect her, he could protect his family. "But what if they have to leave the house…you know Angelica has several tests coming up."

"Right, but you see, Jonathan doesn't know where we live. We moved since he got arrested for Charlotte's murder. Not to mention, the same is the case with Howard and Betty, since they work here too." He was astonished by this news and turned quickly towards Howard.

"You guys have a tunnel too?"

"Yes," Howard replied. "Not to mention Stu's made some sort of small vehicle that helps us get to and from our basements and this place."

"So…You and Chas are saying that you'd welcome Angelica and Charlie into your homes?"

"At least for a while, yes. It is something to consider. Also, we would be more than happy to drive them wherever they need to go. Our cars have dark windows, so it's a safe bet." Right now, this was the best thing he could think to do for them. He closed his eyes and slowly breathed in. He wanted to talk to Angelica about this first, but for the most part, he was very certain that this would be the best thing to do.

"Let me talk to Angelica first…"

"Right, that's the way it should be. Always talk to the woman. See, you've already got the first rule of being a husband and dad down!" The men laughed and Harold began to smile, confident in his role for the future.

Thoughts?