2005
"I can't believe it's been 22 years since we joined our lives together." Laura Borden smiled, squeezing her husband's hands across the table.
"Marrying you was the best thing I have ever done." Steve agreed, love shining in his eyes.
Soft lamplight spread out from low hanging chandeliers and gentle music played through discreetly placed speakers. Around the two other couples spoke in melodious voices.
"Can you believe we have two whole nights to ourselves, no children, no interruptions." She said smiling suggestively.
"I'm sure we're going to make good use of the time together." He replied bringing her hand up to his lips and placing a soft kiss to her palm.
Laura laughed even as heat spread up through her body. "Be good." She admonished placing her hand back on the table. "At least until we get to our hotel."
"You mean the hotel where our room is? The room up on the twentieth floor with the floor to ceiling windows, the large spa tub we can both fit in and the bed with the sheets that are almost as silky as your skin?" He asked in a low voice, his eyes intense.
"Steve." She scolded him, laughing. Seeing the waiter approach she put her head down to hide the bright red blush staining her cheeks.
"You should be ashamed of yourself." She said once he had ordered for them and the young waiter had walked away.
"Why?" He asked smiling fondly at her. "I am here with the most beautiful girl in the country."
"Flattery will get you nothing but trouble." She warned, trying to maintain a stern expression.
"I like being a bad boy with you." He whispered outrageously leaning across the table and leering at her.
Laura placed her hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter. "What in the world has gotten in to you tonight?" She asked, trying to calm her beating heart.
"I have everything in the world to be happy about. Our family is alive and in good health, none of our kids are currently in any trouble, and I am alone with you on a beautiful night." Smiling he grabbed her hand and squeezed. "What more could I ask for?"
Halfway through their meal Laura brought up the subject of children. 'You know Cooper's going to be leaving for college next year. That will just leave Cadence and Savvy at home." She started.
"It's going to be real quiet with just the two girls in the house." Steve agreed.
"We have always had a least one rowdy boy to liven things up." She agreed. "And with Savvy being eleven, she's almost a teenager and not going to want a whole lot to do with us."
He looked across the table with narrowed eyes. "Where are you going with this Laura?" He asked.
She shifted in her seat nervously. "We're still pretty young. I just thought we might consider bringing another child into our lives." She finished in a row.
Steve looked at her thoughtfully. "You've given this a lot of thought."
She shrugged, not meeting his eyes. "I got used to having someone to take care of. None of my chicks need me anymore."
"They have a name for what you're feeling." He started.
"I am not having empty nest syndrome. I just feel like we have more to give." She defended herself.
Steve shoved his empty plate aside, thinking. "If we bring another child into our lives then we're stuck for another twenty years. We couldn't do any of the things most couples do when their children leave the house."
"What's another twenty years? You'll be sixty-four. That's still young when you think about it. And if there's anything we feel like doing we have a wealth of babysitters." She argued.
"If you feel this strongly about it then I'm with you. But," he said his hand when she started to express her gratitude. "But we have to think everything through clearly and discuss it with the other members of the family. We are not the only ones this is going to affect."
"Of course." She agreed smiling in happiness.
"Now, if we are going to be bombarded with another rug rat we need to take advantage of every moment of peace we can get." He said laying some money on the table. "Are you ready?" He asked holding out his hand.
"For you anytime."
Arm in arm they walked out of the restaurant and down the road toward their hotel.
"It's so beautiful out tonight. I'm glad we walked." Laura said, gazing up at the star filled sky.
"Perfect fall weather." Steve agreed, holding her closer. "Perfect for snuggling." He whispered in her ear causing her to giggle.
From behind a hand came out of the dark and shoved the couple to the ground. Instinctively Steve rolled as he landed, coming to his feet at the mouth of an alley.
A voice came out of the shadows. "Back up to the end of the alley or the girl gets it." It said as a man materialized over the fallen Laura. Steve looked on in horror as her head was pulled up by her hair and a knife was placed against her throat
He held up his hands and began slowly backing up. "I'll do anything you want. Just let her go." He pleaded.
The voice in the shadows laughed menacingly as it tracked the back pedaling man. "You'll do what I want anyway." He taunted. The second man followed, dragging the stumbling Laura and occasionally nicking her neck with his big knife.
Steve felt anger well through him at the sight of her blood. "What do you want?' He shouted coming to a halt besides some overflowing trash cans. His heels were touching the stone wall at the back of the alley.
"What do I want?" The voice asked enraged. "I want what you took away from me. I want the family you stole from me!" A gun barrel appeared out of the darkness. "I want your life."
"We didn't steal anything away from you." Laura yelled attempting to wrench away from her captor. "You lost them through your own foolishness." She spat out before sinking her teeth in the arm restraining him.
Crying out the man threw her into the wall where she slumped to the ground after hitting her head. Seeing this Steve rushed the man with the knife, catching him below the knees. Crashing to the ground the two men rolled through the trash, each attempting to get the upper hand. Landing a lucky punch Steve managed to come up on top, where he continued to pummel the dazed man.
Suddenly he stiffened in pain as the retort of a gun faded in the small space. Gasping for breath he toppled over, landing in a puddle of cold, dirty water.
"Get up." The voice instructed his partner. "Grab the women. She's going to get me my baby back." Stepping out of the shadows the tall, thin man walked over to the fallen body. Pushing his lame leg out of the way he knelt down beside the wounded man. "I'm going to tear your family apart, just like you destroyed mine."
Laughing fiendishly he stood with difficultly and watched as his cohort lifted the unconscious female to his shoulders. Motioning to the car he followed at a slower pace. Once at the mouth of the alley he turned, lifting his gun and putting the already fallen man in his sights.
Steve watched through a haze of pain as Laura was transported out of his sight. Gathering his strength he attempted to raise and follow. Dragging breath into lungs that wouldn't work he levered himself halfway up.
"Laura." He whispered as pain exploded in his head and the world went black. The man lowered his gun and watched in satisfaction as the injured man fell and the water in which he lay began to turn red with blood.
An unknown amount of time later Steve opened his eyes to find himself in a movie theater. Looking around he realized he was alone and that there didn't seem to be any doors. Standing up he turned around cautiously, expecting monsters to jump out at him from the shadows. Unsure why he tensed himself expecting great pain.
A sound came from behind him as the movie screen came to life. Startled he whipped around, prepared to fight for his life. Bewildered he stared at the screens as typed words appeared.
Steve Borden—This is your life.
Shocked he settled back into his seat as his high school graduation appeared on the screen.
1979
"Son, I am so proud of you." Davis Borden exclaimed hugging his son.
"Dad, I just graduated. Its not like I saved the world." Steve said wryly, tolerating his father's affections.
"You're the first Borden to graduate high school. Both your grandfather and I quit early to join the army. But you, with a high school graduation, can become an officer and go straight to the top." The older man rambled, leading his son through the crowd to where the rest of the family waited.
"Dad, I'm not going to join the army. We've been over this. I start college in a couple weeks. I signed up for summer courses so I could get my two majors in." Steve said, disappointed that he had to go through this again.
Davis waited as some of his son's friends rushed over and enthusiastically invited him to the graduation party that night. "I know that son and I am planning on supporting you through anything you choose to do. I just don't understand some of the your choices." He finished as they came upon the section of bleachers where the rest of the family waited.
"Davis leave him alone. You don't have to understand anything. Our son's going to be famous one day." Diane admonished as she stood up to give her son a kiss.
"Thanks mom." He grinned returning her hug.
"Do you have time to have dinner with us before you go partying with your friends?" She asked as they walked toward the cars.
"If you're cooking I always have time." He smiled at her.