Lost in La La Land(74)

“Welcome to Two Rivers.” I grinned wide. The Wheel of Time series, the one he had told me about, was popular in the nineties and early two thousands. I’d read it then and recalled my favorite character was actually Matrim Cauthon.

“Are you Egwene al’Vere?” He tilted his head to the side as if confused. “I kinda always had a thing for her.”

“Yeah, I guess so. Simple green dress, no knives, and these stupid boots. Glad to see they didn't fix the footwear.” I gave him a grin. “You wanna go see the town?”

We stood on a dirt cart path, a road of sorts. Smoke rose in the distance from where the forge was likely put.

He spun in a circle, taking it all in. “This is nuts, Em. Nuts. I can taste it, the wood smoke. I haven’t tasted that in years.” He beamed and I folded my arms, giving him my best Egwene smug-ass grin. “Okay, okay. I get it. This is off the charts. I get it. It’s amazing and you’re an engineering genius, and you didn't make something to lure people to the dark side,” he offered weakly, almost sounding like Rand. “Come on. I never want to come back in here so let’s see everything we can.”

“If it’s the start of the book, shouldn't the carnival be coming to town?”

“I don't remember. It’s been a long time, and I’m super anxious right now and overwhelmed. Is my heart beating fast to you?” he asked, holding his chest out.

“Oh my God, come on. And get into character.” I grabbed his hand and dragged him toward town.

He started out rocky, struggling to fit in and earning some strange looks, but by the time we were sucked from the machine, he was grinning like a kid.

“That was fucking awesome.” He sat upright, bright and awake.

“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself, Mr. Daley.” The lady monitoring us smiled brightly, a little too brightly. Her gaze turned to me after a moment. “And how did Mrs. Daley enjoy it?”

I barely caught what she said beyond my name. “It was magical.” I winked at Mike.

“Yes, we do love the machines. The experience is one of a kind.” She helped us up as we were served refreshments and taken to a room to come back down in.

“I get it,” Mike muttered as he ate his cookie. “Mrs. Daley. I get the appeal. If I went in that machine before, before when I was in the middle of my divorce or after she—” He paused. “I wouldn't have been good in there. I actually played enough Call of Duty that they offered me a job testing the data. I didn't sleep so I played. I see now, this is the same thing. Only better.”

“Thank you.” I needed this. The villain in me died off a little as vindication was offered. Not all of it, but the motives with which I made the machine were no longer in question.

“Now promise me, we won’t ever come back here. I have an addictive personality, and I think I could get into this. Kinda seriously.”

“I promise, Mr. Daley. We won’t ever come back here.” It wasn't a lie. It wasn't even a slight exaggeration.

“Mr. and Mrs. Daley, I like how that sounds.” He ate a bite of my cookie and kissed me with his crumby lips. “What’s your big plans now?” He sighed, sounding satisfied.

“I was thinking pretty seriously about those cooking classes.” I smiled. “And getting a dog.”

“Cooking classes sound amazing. A dog sounds like me going outside to make sure he takes a crap and then I have to pick it up.”

“I’ll make you yummy things to win you over so you don't mind the dog crap.”

“Deal.” He kissed me again. “What kind of dog?”

That I didn't know the answer to. “When we get home we should go to the shelter and see what they have.”

“Okay.” He stared deeply into my eyes, making me smile. “What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing,” I lied. I didn't want to tell him that I was feeling complete, like I’d come full circle. Part of the reason I needed to go back in was to let go. And I had.

When we got to the car to drive home from Imagination Playlands, I pulled a copy of my book from the backseat. I had a few extra copies on hand for family at the wedding. They cared more about the stupid book than they did the wedding. Second weddings were never as entertaining for people. Except Mike’s mom who was relieved we were finally right with the lord. Like he and I would ever be square.

I started to read the first couple of pages, remembering how it felt to be this woman, so long ago.

How it felt to be so troubled.

I closed the book and tossed it in the backseat where it belonged.

“So what kind of cooking classes?” he asked as he got in and started the car.

“I was thinking about taking beginning baking first.”

“That sounds like the right place to start. My favorite place anyway.” He lifted my hand and kissed it.

The huntsman had become the handsome prince and the evil queen had become the princess.

And they lived happily ever after.

As happily as two people with a lifetime of ghosts ever lived.

Because this was the real world. It was messy and ugly and scary at least some of the time. But that was what made the beauty and love and kindness so much more worthwhile.


The End.