12:30 PM CDT
Real World Universe
"Are you nervous, Amanda?" Calvin asked. "I notice you've been pacing back and forth all morning."
"Yeah, to say the least," replied Amanda. "I mean, what if they say that I can't live with my mother and grandma? I really do not have to go live in another foster home. Anyway, do you have any idea what it's like, to not have been allowed to have any contact with your mother for three years?"
"Well, I know what it's like to lose your father," Calvin replied, gently. "I guess you don't really have a father, do you? I mean, well, of course you do - but you never really knew him, I take it?"
"No, I really don't have any memories of my father," replied Amanda. "I have lots of really fond childhood memories of living with my mother and grandma, and I regret to say that I haven't always been the nicest to my mother. There have been times when I felt that it was my fault that I've been separated from my mother."
"There have been times when I've had regrets, with regards to my father," explained Calvin. "I have not always been a good little boy, nor have I always appreciated my father. It's really a case of, you tend to not realize what you have until it's gone. Although I have a father again, he's not quite the same father that I have childhood memories of spending time with. My early childhood may have been very similar to that of my counterpart, but it probably was not the same. I mean, the timeline did diverge on November 12 of 1955 - which was before I was born."
"Yeah, I really appreciate what you have gone through," Amanda said, softly, "and I understand that you've probably had an even worse upbringing than I have. There were times, however, when I kept promising that I would be a better girl - and that I would be nicer to my mother. I sometimes wish that I had fought a little harder to make sure that I didn't get separated from my mother. The last three years of my life have been really tough for me."
"Well, we've both had our rough times," replied Calvin. "You know, I really will miss you. Maybe we could come over from time to time, and see you. It probably won't be real often, though."
"I'll really miss you, too, Calvin," Amanda said, as she blinked back tears. "It's been wonderful spending the last week or so with you and Marty, and Doc. I don't believe I will ever be able to watch the Back to the Future trilogy in the same light, again. I mean, I often fantasized about what it would be like to meet you - but I never expected that this would ever really happen. Do you often get mistaken for Michael J Fox at home?"
"No, not usually," replied Calvin, smiling. "Marty and I are very well-known around town. Anyway, there does appear to be a very promising future for our rock band, The Pinheads. I'm quite glad that Marty and the other were able to make room in their band for a rhythm guitarist."
"You did mention that Doc had sent you to 2006 a few months ago," Amanda commented. "Were you ever able to find out if your band did end up becoming successful in the future?"
"Actually, no," Calvin replied, "because Doc gave us explicit instructions to not look up our futures. It was quite tempting to try to find out information, like if I ever ended up getting married - and to whom. We did run into Jennifer's older self, and she was with two young children named Marty Jr and Marlene. It appears that I have children in the future, too. Their names are Mike and Alex. I never was able find out who my future wife was, but I guess I shouldn't worry about it too much."
"I really wish you and I could be a couple," Amanda said, blushing. "I know Marty already has Jennifer - but you're still available. Well, in the trilogy, Doc met Clara Clayton a hundred years in the past - and they were still able to get married and have kids. I dunno. Maybe it is best that we stay in our own dimensions."
"Well, for right now, anyway," Calvin said, as he smiled a little. "I still have to finish up school, and..."
Just then, the telephone had rung, causing Amanda and Calvin to jump up nervously.
"I'll answer the phone," announced Karen, as she walked into the room. "It's probably Lucy Conway."
"Oh, boy, I'm real worried about she has to say," mumbled Amanda. "I do not want to go to another foster home."
"How are you guys doing?" asked Marty, as he walked into the room. "Hey, Amanda, relax a little, okay? I really did enjoy spending the last week with you. Although, I am starting to miss Jennifer and my family."
"Tell Jennifer that I said 'hi', okay?" Amanda asked, as she smiled a little. "I really love the way you and Calvin smile. You have the same adorable lopsided smile as Michael J Fox does. As much as I really do adore Michael J Fox, I think I like spending time with the two of you better. You're really good at things like riding a skateboard, and you play a mean game of Wild Gunman. Michael had to learn how to do both things, for the trilogy."
"I still have a hard time believing that my character was played by the great Michael J Fox," Marty replied. "There are quite a few people who have commented that I look a lot like Michael J Fox, but I never would have guessed that he would have played me in a movie trilogy. This is really heavy."
"I wonder what your future daughter, Marlene, would think of it," Amanda said, smiling. "I wonder if she might feel a little freaked out, if she could out that it was a male actor who played her."
"I think her voice would sound a little more feminine," Marty said, smiling. "It was a rather surreal experience to have watched the trilogy, and hear all the background music behind the rather intense scenes. Of course, it felt so surreal to watch the third movie - since nothing from the movie really happened to me. Maybe we could take a little vacation to the Old West, sometime. I wouldn't want to live there, though."
"Well, Doc could always go back in time to save Clara, if he really wanted to," Amanda suggested.
"Actually, I did suggest just that the other day," Marty replied. "He decided that love is not something that could be forced, though. It's something that you would have to allow to happen, naturally."
"Yeah, and I guess I need to be patient, too," Calvin added. "Anyway, even if I never do find my soulmate - I guess it's not the end of the world. Some people just are destined to remain single, I guess."
"I have some great news for you, Amanda!" Karen said, as she entered the room. "That was Lucy on the phone, and she told me that you could live with your grandma and I. Lucy should be arriving here in about an hour to drop off your belonging. I think this calls for a celebration!"
"This sounds wonderful," added Doc, as he entered the room. "Maybe we could go out for Italian food tonight. I'm so happy to hear that the three of you can live together. The twins and I better head home later tonight, though."
"You have all been great company," said Eleanor, as she entered the room. "I'll really miss you, when you leave. So you came here from California? I have a daughter to lives in California, with her granddaughter."
"Yeah, we're from California," replied Doc. "We live close to San Francisco. I wish you all the best of luck. I bet Amanda is really happy with the news, eh?"
"Oh, yes, for sure!" gushed Amanda. "This really is like a dream come true. I really will miss you guys, too."
"Well, we could always write," suggested Eleanor, "couldn't we? I would love to keep in touch with all of you."
Doc and the twins glanced at each other. "Of course," Doc replied, smiling. "I'll drop you a line. It's been really nice spending the last week in Wisconsin, but it'll be nice to go back to California."
"Yeah, I have a girlfriend at home," added Marty, "and I'm really starting to miss my own family. It is things like this that really makes you appreciate your own family. I am so happy for all of you."
Amanda had a great big smile on her face, as she threw her arms around Marty and Calvin.