“Tell me about it,” said Kay, understanding exactly what hemeant after comparing the vision of loveliness that was her earlier self withher ragged current appearance. “So let’s hear some more about your trips. Howdid you decide what days to go back to? I’m still trying to figure out what todo with mine.”
Kent related a few tales from his trips back through time,making Kay chuckle with the story of how he had stuck the head of a large,plastic dinosaur up his evil boss’s arse.
“I would have loved to have seen that,” she said, thoughtsof Alan and McVie suddenly springing to mind. “I can think of one or two peopleI wouldn’t mind doing something similar to myself.”
Her mind was opening up to all manner of possibilities.Discovering that she had a kindred spirit in Kent had been a welcome andunexpected development. The yearning she felt towards him was stronger thanever, but it was more than that now. There was a new and unique bond betweenthem. He was her co-conspirator, and her partner in time. She intended to makethe most of it.
Kay decided it was time she brought the subject back aroundto the day of the ball, since that was what she had originally come to talk tohim about.
“So, in terms of which days to choose, I’m seriouslyconsidering going back to live the day of the ball over again. The reason Iwant to ask you about this is that it directly concerns you. I want to see if Ican change things on the day so that it is you who takes me to the ball ratherthan Glen. How would you feel about that?”
Kent paused, clearly deep in thought about how he shouldrespond.
“OK, I’ll be honest with you,” he said. “I’ve already beenthere. Just like you, I wondered how that day might have turned out differently,so it was one of the days I chose.”
“What happened?” asked Kay, eager to hear more.
“I’m not sure I should say,” he said. “I don’t think I oughtto influence what you do when you go back there. You should follow your ownpath.”
“But you already know how it all turned out,” she said. “Atleast you can tell me if it’s worth my while going back there. If you don’twant to take me to the ball, or you didn’t want to back then, then I’d bewasting my time.”
“I did want to take you to the ball,” replied Kent. “That’snot exactly what I meant, though. You see, I know how it turned out for me whenI went back. But remember, you’ll be going back to a completely new version ofthat day, not the one that I went back to.”
Kay nodded, remembering what the angel had said. “I see whatyou mean,” she said. “The angel creates a copy each time she sends us back. Ineffect, this will be a third version of the day, different both from theoriginal and from the one you experienced on your trip.”
“That’s exactly right,” said Kent. “As soon as you getthere, things will start to deviate from what happened on my visit because itwill be you changing things this time, rather than me.”
“It’s very complicated, all of this,” replied Kay. “So, justto clarify, I will be starting the day with a clean sheet of paper. That meansit doesn’t matter if you tell me what you did on your trip because it won’t bethat version of you that I encounter.”
“You’re right, it won’t be that version,” said Kent. “At nopoint are we going to meet up in the past both remembering all of this. Whenyou get there, you will meet my blissfully unaware seventeen-year-old self whowill know nothing about any of this. That gives you a significant advantageover me, and everyone else, come to that.”
“It’s not like you didn’t have that advantage when you wentback, though, was it?” asked Kay. “And knowing how I felt about you…how I stillfeel about you, it wouldn’t have been difficult for you to take advantage ofme. Not that I would have minded, obviously.”
“I hardly think I was taking advantage of you,” said Kent.“From what I recall it was you coming on to me.”
“So something did happen then?” exclaimed Kay,enthusiastically.
“Look, you’ve wheedled enough information out of mealready,” said Kent. “We probably shouldn’t even be having this conversation –it might contravene the angel’s rules, not that he’s particularly forthcomingon that front. All I’m willing to say at this stage is that I went back thereto fix things so that I would be your ball date, rather than Glen. Whathappened after that I want to keep to myself, at least until you return. Justfollow your feelings, enjoy the moment and let things happen naturally.”
“That’s good enough for me,” she said. “By the way, how didyou get rid of Glen?”
“Let’s just say he was indisposed and leave it at that,”replied Kent. “Don’t worry: I didn’t bump him off or anything.”
“I’ll need to get rid of him as well,” said Kay. “Anysuggestions?”
“I’m sure you’ll think of something,” replied Kent. “He’snot as clever as he thinks he is, and you’ve got all that life experience thathe won’t have back then.”
“You’re right, he was all brawn and no brains,” said Kay.“I’ll get him out of the picture, no problem.”
“Right, that’s all I’m telling you – for now, at least,”said Kent. “We’ll compare notes when you come back.”
“Thank you,” replied Kay, gratefully. “Will you be in hereagain tomorrow night? I’m meeting the angel again in the morning, and that’swhen I’m planning to make the trip.”
“I wasn’t planning on coming down here tomorrow,” repliedKent. “Debs doesn’t like me going out on Sunday nights. But I am keen to hearhow you got on, so I shall try and find a reason to pop down for a bit. And nowwe really should be getting back to the bar before Andy tells the
