##The Last Missed Goodbye

Gerald smiles at his younger self and his little brother Daryl as they play in their room.

Gerry changed his battle bot’s setting to offense and was striking Daryl’s robot. Daryl pretended his robot had lost function to stop the fight. When Gerry stopped attacking, Daryl switched his into attack mode.

Gerald laughs at the scene. His brother used that trick so many times, but Gerald always played along.

“You shouldn’t be here, and you know it,” Jack says from behind him.

“Be quiet. You’re interrupting the important moment,” Gerald says.

“Kids, I’m going to the store.” Gerry’s mom walked into the room. Gerry left his toys and ran to give his mom a massive hug.

“I love you,” he said.

“I love you too.” His mom giggled and wrapped her arms around him. “But I have to go.”

“No don’t,” Gerry said.

“What’s gotten into you?” Daryl asked.

“You told him. Didn’t you?” Jack asks.

“I planted the thought into his mind that he should appreciate his mom today. I didn’t mention anything about the accident in the tunnel,” Gerald replies.

“Why would you do that? You know it’s going to cause an anachronism. Your mother’s death, while tragic, was one of many outcomes. The outcomes became circumstances which later created the outcome of-”

“Yes yes yes, I know all about that.” Gerald waves his hands. “You’re going to lecture me about time loops and paradoxes. Don’t bother. I completed my fiftieth chronal realignment when you were still studying string theory.”

“Which is why it’s shocking to see you doing this.” Jack shakes his head. “I looked up to you. You were a model for duty and keeping the agency’s values.”

“I never agreed with those values, but I didn’t care enough to correct them. For instance.” Gerald holds out his arm. “What’s the harm in giving a boy a chance to say goodbye.”

“Sorry, I’m being weird, mom. I just had a nightmare where I saw you get hurt, and it scared me,” Gerry began to cry.

“Oh sweetie.” His mom bent down and wiped his face. “It’s okay to worry about your family. I worry about you two all the time, but there’s parts of our lives that we can’t control. If I get hurt, I’ll get better. I’m only leaving for a quick errand. When I come back, we can eat ice cream and watch a movie.”

“But what if you don’t come back?” Gerry whimpered.

“Well, that’s horrible to think about, and I will come back,” his mom paused, “But if I don’t, I know I’ll live on with you two. In your hearts and memories.” She turned and walked away. Daryl came behind his brother and pushed him.

“Why were you being so weird?” he asked.

“Shut up,” Gerry replied.

Gerald smiles and cries at the scene. Jack monitors the timeline with his temporal tracker.

“Hmm, your mother still dies in the same accident, and you are still a decorated chronal officer for now.” Jack shifts through the tracker. “But she got into an accident with someone else. Who knows what kind of impact that might have on the future.”

“That’s fine. I knew the events wouldn’t play out in the exact same fashion. But I got the chance to say good-bye and tell her I love her. All my life I wished I had more time to say goodbye, And now, there was time enough, at last.” Gerald holds out his wrists. “Arrest me Jack. My work is done.”

“You realize we may have to perform a reversion if we find your change is too great.” Jack puts on the handcuffs.

“Of course, I only wanted to see myself say goodbye to her. That’s all. I hope Daryl and I are still close,” Gerald says. Jack opens the portal behind them.

“I don’t know whether to condemn you or pat you on the back,” Jack says.

“Do both or neither,” Gerald smiles, “Just make sure you think for yourself in the future.”

r/AstroRideWrites