The Great Altruist (23 page)

           
"You mean you don't know, or can't tell me?" he wondered aloud.

           
She looked back at James and smirked. "I don't
know
." She flew to the nightstand and sat down, dangling her legs from the edge. "I just know that I can do what I do. I've tried to remember where I came from but it's hard to know what memories are real and what is just wishful thinking."

           
"What
do
you remember?"

           
"I awoke in a massive tree with no knowledge of anything other than my name, like it was imprinted in my mind. Everything I can do I learned the hard way."

           
"So you don't remember anything else?"

           
She shook her head. “To be frank, I'm not sure I want to. Maybe it's just a good thing that I'm here and that I can help people. Don't get me wrong. I wish I was tall like everyone else, and I wish I could wear clothing like everyone else..."

           
"Why can't you?" he interrupted.

           
She wasn't foolish enough to believe he hadn't been waiting for the right moment to ask her why she was naked. "Whenever I go through time, I always come out the way you see me now. In fact, nothing non-living can travel with me. Besides, I just got used to it and quit worrying. You are one of only two people who have ever seen me anyway."

 
          
“Who else has seen you?”

           
“I don’t talk about her,” Genesis said as she backed away, her demeanor suddenly closed off.

           
“Okay,” he said. They sat in silence while he thought of something else to say. Then he remembered what she said about travelling through time. "Wait! So is that going to happen to me when you send
me
through time?" he asked.

           
She laughed. "I’m afraid so. But don’t worry, I won’t be sending
you
through time anyway.”

           
“Then how will I be able to do anything?”

           
“I’ll be sending your mind into a younger version of yourself.”

           
“And that’s safe?”

           
She bristled at the question. “Yes,” she said. “I’ve worked out all the kinks, but not without a lot of sacrifice.” She lifted into the air and clapped her hands. "So are you ready to get started?"

           
He nodded.

           
"Have you thought about where you would like to start?"

           
"I don't need time to think," he said. "I want to go back three years, to April 13th."

           
"So precise!" she marveled. "The day you met Katherine, I presume?"

           
The sound of her name brought back to his mind all the reasons he wanted to win her back. "I'll never forget that date."

           
"Shall we leave
now
?"

           
"Now is as good a time as any," he said.

           
She extended her arms and the room began to shake as the blue light bathed the room. A brief moment later, they disappeared.

Chapter 3

           
James stood in the same spot in his room as when they supposedly left. He didn't think they traveled anywhere at first. It was only after he looked around that he became convinced they had: the pictures of Katherine did not exist yet. Something else felt strange, but it wasn't until James caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror did he realize why: he now appeared as he did three years ago.

           
"I was wondering about this part of it," he said as he touched his face.

           
"What part?" Genesis asked as she sat on the windowsill, looking out at the clouds.

           
"How I would look."

           
"Oh, that you look three years younger?" she said, turning to face him.

 
          
"Um-hm," he answered, still examining his skinnier body in front of the mirror.
Have I really gained that much weight?
he thought.

           
"Well, that part of the time traveling is under my control. I could have brought you back as you were when we left, but that wouldn't work, would it? I'm sure you don't want to scare your family by suddenly appearing naked – and three years older!"

           
"Do you know how it all works? What happened when I left?"

           
"I just sent your consciousness through time into a younger version of yourself. When we left, your ‘self’ disappeared there and reappeared here. When we go home, I can send you back to the exact moment we left. That way, no one will ever know you were gone."

           
"So are there two of me here in this time?"

           
"No, I made sure you ended up in the younger version’s body. That way, when we leave, he'll still remember anything that
you
do. Your consciousness will go back and not the whole person."

           
"I'm glad you know what you're doing," he said.

           
"I know it can be a little confusing, not to mention very dangerous. But don't worry. I promise I won’t harm you." She thought back to those same words she uttered to Jadzia and how her promise turned out false. But this time there would be no mistake. Genesis was in complete control of her abilities and knew just how far she could push things - if she pushed them at all.

           
"That's good to know," he answered.

           
"So we're here to win your girl back. Do you know where we should start?"

           
"I hoped you might know."

           
Genesis thought long and hard. "You might just want to relive this day once and observe what happens. This way, we can make notes about what you’d like to change. Try to act as you did the first time. Do you remember a lot about what you two did?"

           
"Everything," he said.

           
"Really? That’s good. We'll let this be the control part of our experiment. And after she leaves, we'll change anything you want. Sound good?"

           
"Sure."

           
"Now, do you remember what time she was supposed to arrive?"

           
"Three o'clock," he said, looking at his watch, which read 2:45. "Great! Maybe I should have told you that before we left, huh?"

           
"We'll be fine. Let's just hurry up and get you ready to see her."

           
And so began James's efforts to win back the love of his life. After dressing himself, James was ready for Katherine's arrival. He wanted to wear different clothes from the first time they met, but Genesis reminded him to keep as much as he could the same. The one thing Genesis did help with was his hair. She figured it unlikely that Katherine would have bailed out of a relationship because of poor style alone, and so she allowed this one change. By the time three o'clock rolled around, James was nearly ready.

           
"I can't believe I looked this sloppy. What was I thinking?"

           
Genesis looked him over and saw what he meant. His shirt was untucked and a stain covered the front of his pants. "Did you really wear these pants the first time you met her? It looks like you worked outside in these!"

           
"I used to. These were my work pants."

           
"And you didn't think to change them?"

           
"Not really. I just got home from work when she came over."

           
"You mean you didn't shower first?" Genesis said, rolling her eyes at James and giggling.

           
"Hey, you said to dress the same. If this were me today, I would have worn something nice."

           
"I believe you," she said incredulously.

           
James sighed in defeat. "Let’s get this over with. And where will
you
be when she gets here?"

           
She smiled. "Right by your side, if that's okay."

           
"Won't you be seen?"

           
"Of course not," she said. "I'll just hide inside your coat pocket."

           
He looked at the coat she pointed at on the doorknob. "Are you
sure
you'll be comfortable in that?"

           
"I'll manage," she said.

           
A moment later, there was a knock on the door downstairs.

           
"She’s here!" James said.

           
Genesis flew off the windowsill, climbed inside the coat pocket, and made herself as comfortable as she could.

           
“Grab me something to eat, if you can,” she whispered.

           
James nodded and carried the coat with him as he went downstairs to answer the door. He placed the coat on the back of one of the dining room chairs so Genesis would be able to hear all that he and Katherine said. He was nervous and needed someone else to tell him what might go wrong.

           
Katherine looked just as beautiful as James remembered. When she lifted her head to see him open the door, her smile immediately reminded James why he chose to fix this day. He had thought of a few other mistakes he would like to have fixed when Genesis first made him the offer, but this one made the most sense. All the other days he wanted to repair had happened
during
the last three years. For there to be any real change in his life, he would have to go to the source of his troubles. If this day was changed, the other mistakes might never happen. Moreover, if he was successful in winning her over, then maybe his parents might stay together. James could only hope the two events were somehow connected.