Author's Note: Man! That was a lot of questions CraftyNotePad! A few of them made me chuckle. Although some questions I really can't answer yet, it might take things away. Also, I want to take a poll on who would want me to go back in time and show how Lily and Oliver got together. For me and my story it can go either way. I just thought I'd ask… Oh and to the one who asked: Ick! No, I would never ever make this a Oliver/Miley story, what are you nuts?! That element is only to add more chaos in the world of Lily and Oliver. (Like they don't have enough problems.)
(December 26, 2018 Lily and Oliver: 27)
OLIVER: I turn over in bed to kiss her good morning and tell her how amazing last night was but I'm alone. I don't hear the shower running and I can't hear anyone up roaming around the house or talking. I fall back onto the pillow. She was fine! The entire car ride up she didn't travel and all day yesterday. Everything was perfect!
I take a fast shower and slip into a T-shirt with the words Express Yourself written on it, Lily got it for me. I start packing up our things, folding her sweaters, hats and jeans neatly together. I pick up my pocket watch and run my thumb over the smooth glass. I walk downstairs and see the family at the table drinking coffee eating pancakes.
"Oh, good morning Oliver!" Mrs. Truscott smiles merrily.
"Hey." I greet dryly.
"Where's Lily?" Her dad asks.
I shrug. "Off."
The family stops. "When? What time? Do you know where?" They start asking. Sherri is the only one looking slightly confused.
"I don't know I woke up today and she wasn't there." I look down at my bare feet. "I never know where she goes until she comes back."
"Well we should just wait then. Just stay calm… ok Deb?" Mr. Truscott states looking at his wife with a worried expression.
"I just hate that this happens." She sniffs sitting down next to her husband. I hear the front door open. I run and see Lily walking inside whistling and wearing a long gray coat that goes down to her knees.
"Hey!" I grin hugging her. "Where'd you get this?" I say pointing to the coat.
Lily smiles. "I stole it."
"What?!" We hear her mother shouts from behind us.
Lily groans. "Mom, please the next time you wake up in a pile of snow on the side of the street you tell me what you'd do."
Her mother's angry expression changes quickly. "Sorry Lily… where were you?"
"Christmas 1998. I had a glass of hot chocolate with myself. I was a cute little kid wasn't I?" Lily laughs as we walk into the kitchen.
Just before I walk inside Lily pulls me aside. "We need to see Doctor Brown." She says sternly.
"What? But come on it was one time I mean you've been so good for-" I try and convince her but she shakes her head.
"It's getting worse. It hurts."
"What?" I say my breath getting caught in my throat.
"When I travel it hurts, so much more then it use too. It's like I'm crushing under this invisible weight. My head is pounding."
She's scaring me, but I have to be brave, for myself and for my Lily. I put my arm around her. "We'll go tomorrow. Let's just get through the day. I've got your things packed and ready. We can leave soon."
Lily nods. We walk into the kitchen and Lily smiles a pretty smile for her family. It's so convincing that I stop and ponder: How many times as she lied to me? Is she holding something back? … No, no Lily would tell me, she would.
(January 5, 2019 Lily and Oliver: 27)
LILY: Cindy is sitting with her legs crossed. Her notepad is out and she is jotting down everything I tell her.
"Do you have difficulty sleeping?" Her voice flat and tired.
"Sometimes, yes."
"Is there a particular time of day you tend to disappear?"
"Not really. It's all different times."
"Do you get headaches?"
"Yes."
"Migraines?"
I'm getting annoyed. "Yes." I say. We've been over these same questions a million times.
"What is it?" Cindy asks picking up on my irritated tone.
"Where is this getting me?"
Cindy puts her pen down and takes off her square glasses. "This takes time."
"Well I don't have time!"
"Listen! Your answers are changing. Two years ago you didn't have migraines, you didn't have that much trouble sleeping. And now you do. It's different you're changing. Your symptoms are getting worse."
"Don't you think I know that!" I snap back at her. "I can't control myself anymore."
"We can try another head scan?" Cindy offers. "Or maybe…" She trails off, I can tell by the way her eyes drift off her mouth turns down that she's in deep thought.
"I'm going to clone your genes, I'll have my partners and I put them into mice. We're going to experiment. We're done fooling around Lily."
"Fine." I check my watch, I need to go. I stand up but too much blood rushes to my head too fast. I close my eyes and sit back down.
"Are you alright?" Cindy asks.
"Just a little light headed." I say with my eyes closed and my fingers pressing into the middle of my forehead where it hurts. I hear Cindy's black pen scribble something down. I take deep breathes, it will pass soon enough.
OLIVER: I'm sorting through a few of our bookcases. I need to find my book full of German poetry/quotes. I'm in the mood for some… Aha! Found it! Good old Rilke. I'm flipping through the book and dancing around the house when I hear Lily laughing from behind me. Shit.
"Well, well am I missing a party?"
I frown at her and close the book. She walks over and takes it from me. We have both bookmarked our favorite pages. My marks are yellow hers are blue. Lily flips it open and turns to a green bookmark which is a quote we both enjoy. She begins reading with a ponderous look on her face.
"We know that we love each other from a time before the earth began, from a childhood before all the ages of being, we love each other from the womb of existence, as the stars would love one another if they knew of their splendor..." -Rilke and Benvenuta: an Intimate Correspondence
We smile and Lily closes the book and sets it on my armchair. "Let's go out tonight. Like… dancing or something."
I give her a funny look. "What? Why? How was your visit with Brown?"
"Crap, total crap." She growls.
"You two fight again?"
"Of course! Now let's go out! I'm sick of moping around."
I can deny her nothing. We get dressed up, I haven't gone out dancing since the Hannah concert days and I miss it a little. Lily is wearing a skin tight lilac dress. She looks very good and I tell her so. We might be approaching thirty but I think we look like a sexy young couple, if I do say so myself.
Lily and I have always been drawn to the retro clubs, when it comes to dancing. They play all the greats ranging from hard core punk from the 80's and late 70's to the crap they call music now. Teens today have no clue.
We stand in line for a moment. I have my arms wrapped around Lily and my head resting on her shoulder. I'm excited and extremely nervous all at the same time. What if she disappears? What if we get lost in the crowd. But as we near the entrance Lily kisses me and my worries are no more.
Once we're in I can hear the Artic Monkeys I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor blaring. Lily grabs my arm and we throw ourselves into the beat. She runs her fingernails deep into my shaggy hair and messes it up. I kiss her cheek and put my hands on her hips, pressing her against me fully. Although these guys up front singing aren't the real band it doesn't matter.
I'm loosing myself here. Lily was right, moping is no fun. I twirl her around fast and her blonde hair whips across my face. We are pressed up against one another and dozens of other people. My mouth is going dry and I'm sweating. The drummer is wild. He is beating the drums harder and harder, building up tension.
The lead guitarist laughs out and screams into the microphone and then the song slows and everything stops. I'm breathing hard and I watch Lily's chest move up and down quickly before asking her, "Drinks?" She nods and we weave our way through the thick crowd.
"Having fun yet?" She smirks as we sit at a booth.
"Actually yes, you?"
"The best." She says sincerely. I lean in and kiss her roughly and she does not protest. Suddenly I'm eighteen again and I can hear a distant DJ put in Spanish Bombs…
LILY: We get home around midnight. Oliver and I are laughing and holding each other especially close. He unlocks the door and pulls me inside. I don't bother with the light; I attack him with kisses. But someone else turns on the lights.
We both snap apart. Another me is standing watching us intensely, she runs to Oliver and clings to him sobbing. "Oliver! Oliver!" She cries. She is wearing my large red shirt, the one I normally wear to bed.
Oliver holds her close and pets her head trying to clam the other me down. But she won't let go. Instead she keeps saying over and over, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what?" I blurt out wanting, nay demanding some answers. She looks at me; she doesn't look younger or much older, maybe just a few days ahead of me. I'm glaring at her.
I pull her away from Oliver's gentle touch, much to her dismay. I hold her tightly by the upper arms. "Tell me." I hiss.
My face is merely inches from hers. I don't mind getting beaten up by the cruelty of my disease. But if something is bound to happen to my Oliver, well I'll be damned in letting that happen.
She shakes her head, I shake her. "Tell me! Right now!"
"Whoa! Lily calm down." Oliver says softly putting a hand on my shoulder.
"No! I change my mind! I change my mind!" I yell at the other me. "I want to know things! I want to know what happens to him, please." I begging myself. She opens her mouth, but disappears. My hands are still outstretched.
"Lily? What was that about?" Oliver asks.
"I don't know… I really don't know."
…..
Hummm? Confused? Perfect! My next chapter will (hopefully) be a good one. I got a brand new idea and had to (yet again) rewrite my story outline. Note to fellow writers: Don't ever do a time traveling story; it will drive you fucking crazy! Lave your thoughts.