The Reunion

It started as a normal day, and it wasn’t until he got to the reunion that things started to get strange. The morning started the same as countless other mornings. After getting out of bed, Doug brushed his light brown hair into place and put on his usual jogging outfit, shorts, and a t-shirt. The only thing different about today was that he was in a hotel. He took the elevator to the lobby and turned left into the room that held the breakfast buffet.

Doug poured himself a cup of coffee and placed it on an open table, then headed to the buffet. He opted for scrambled eggs and sausage and returned to his table to eat his meal. There were five other people in the breakfast lounge. On the far side of the room, an older couple sat by the window. The man sat immersed in a newspaper, completely ignoring the woman sitting next to him. The older woman stared out the window while she absently cut her waffle into minuscule pieces. Closer to him was a young couple who seemed a bit mismatched. The woman was an attractive redhead dressed immaculately in a stylish green dress. The man was dressed in shorts and a wrinkled t-shirt. He had a five o’clock shadow and unkempt hair. In between them sat a young child whose features favored the mother. The youngster seemed intent on wreaking havoc on the entire breakfast nook. First, he tugged on their tablecloth forcing his mother to gently pry his fingers away before he could pull it off. Frustrated, the young boy went over to the buffet and started playing with the containers of butter and syrup, trying to make a pyramid.

“No Frederick, those aren’t our things, leave them alone.”

She went over to retrieve their son and looked at her husband in frustration as he paid no attention to the scene.

“Honestly, Charles, why don’t you discipline your son sometimes?”

“Why is he only my son when he’s misbehaving? You’re doing a good job of managing our child.”

Charles’ eyes drifted back to the TV, which was showing the results from last night’s games. He didn’t notice or seem to care that his wife gave him a look that would have killed an elephant.

Hmmm, I’ll give that marriage a year, maybe two at the most.

Before Doug left, he noted that the redhead had stopped Frederick from pouring salt and pepper on their table and ripping open the sugar packets. His father seemed unconcerned about it all.

After breakfast, Doug went outside for his morning jog. One of the things he liked about the Holiday Inn was its proximity to the bike trail. He jogged to the bike path and turned right. This part of the trail went through the woods, and he enjoyed hearing the calls of the birds and the sight of an occasional squirrel scampering around. After jogging for two miles, he turned around.

Back in his room he plopped down on his bed and turned on the TV. Two top twenty teams were playing, and he had been looking forward to the college football game all week. He watched the entire game and part of the next until it was time to shower and head to the reunion.

Doug pulled into the parking lot of the Hilton and found an open spot. He would have preferred to stay in the same hotel where the reunion was being held but had waited too long to make a reservation and all the rooms were full. The Holiday Inn was only a mile away and wasn’t a bad consolation prize.

He checked his hair in the visor mirror. He didn’t consider himself a vain person, but it wasn’t every day he attended his tenth high school reunion. Every hair was in place for once, and Doug breathed a sigh of relief. Deep blue eyes stared back at him as he continued the examination of his face, and he felt he was as ready as he’d ever be. Straightening his tie, he got out of the car.

Entering the lobby of the Hilton he immediately saw the large sign perched on an easel informing the world that the Glenwood High Reunion was in the ballroom to the right. He walked down the short corridor and heard soft music and murmuring voices behind the open doors to the banquet room. As he stepped through the door he felt a wave of dizziness rush over him, and the room seemed to shimmer around him. Feeling like he was about to fall Doug braced himself against the wall, and then just as quickly the feeling was gone. Everything was in perfect focus as he glanced around the room, and he felt steady on his feet once again. What was that? He wasn’t prone to dizzy spells and hadn’t been sick in over a year. It must be nerves. He hadn’t seen some of his classmates since graduation. One of the women at the reception table was staring at him, and he smiled sheepishly as he stepped forward.

The woman looked him over and then smiled. “Doug…Doug Malone, right?”

Doug beamed, glad to be recognized. He glanced at her name tag. Sue Schwartz. He hadn’t known her well, but he remembered she had done a lot of work on the class floats for homecoming and had also been on the prom committee. And here she was helping at the reunion.

Sue handed him his nametag and Doug grinned at her. “Thank you, Sue. I appreciate all the work you did organizing the reunion.”

Sue smiled back. “It wasn’t just me. But thank you, I expect I’ll be helping with the reunions until we’re all using walkers.”

As he stepped into the room Doug immediately ran into Steve Cox, his lab partner in chemistry class. Steve had been overly fascinated with the Bunsen burner, and Doug was glad that Steve hadn’t grown up to become a pyromaniac. Instead, he had become a forest ranger. Doug smirked, he bet Steve was good at making campfires.

One friend led to another, and Doug was glad that so many people remembered him. His class was large, with over 500 people, but even the classmates he hadn’t known shared the same teachers and other memories of their school, and he found himself making new friends.

He glanced across the room and saw Desiree Hanson talking with some of the other cheerleaders. She had been his crush since tenth grade. Her long blonde hair, sparkling emerald eyes, fair skin, and perfect body had often been the subject of his dreams. But she had been way out of his league, and he had barely talked to her outside of class, but he had spent lots of time admiring her in the classes they shared, especially on days when she wore her cheerleading uniform.

That reminded him that he hadn’t seen Kate yet. They had known each other since elementary school, and he considered her his best friend. They still talked regularly, even though they now lived in different cities, and she had told him she would be here tonight. Doug glanced around but didn’t see her. He wasn’t concerned, it was still early.

Doug walked over to the bar and ordered a Sam Adams. Someone glided up next to him as the bartender was rummaging around in the cooler. He smelled the sweet scent of her perfume before he saw her, and his knees went weak. He gathered himself as he turned and looked at her.

“Hi Doug,” Desiree said sweetly. “I was hoping you’d be here.”

What? He was impressed she even remembered his name, but in what world was Desiree glad to see him? He hadn’t thought he was even on her radar.

“Er, good to see you too Desiree.”

She stood there looking into his eyes, and they shared an awkward silence.

“Er, can I get you something to drink?”

Desiree’s lips curled up. “Sure. Aperol spritz please,” she said addressing the bartender.

The bartender produced their drinks, and Steve swiped his credit card. Once they were done, Desiree guided them towards an open corner. She swirled her drink and took a sip. She looked at Doug, then looked away while she took another sip. Desiree seemed nervous, but why?

Finally, she found his eyes. Doug felt drawn into those emerald pools like a moth to a flame. She opened her perfect lips that he had so longed to kiss.

“I made a mistake.”

Doug forced himself out of his dream world and concentrated on her words.

He scowled. “Mistake?”

“Yes. I was afraid that going to different colleges would be too much, and I didn’t think long-distance relationships could work…but it was a mistake.”

Oh, now he understood. Desiree had dated the quarterback on the football team, Randy Johnson, their entire senior year, but they ended up going to different colleges. They must have broken up. And for some unknown reason, she had chosen him to ask for advice.

“I’m sorry. But maybe it’s not too late.”

“You think so?” Doug watched as Desiree’s lips curved up. She was so beautiful!

“Er, maybe Randy will be here, and you can talk to him.”

Desiree’s smile vanished. “What are you talking about? I only went out with Randy a couple of times in the fall, until I realized he wasn’t my type. I’m talking about us.”

Doug gulped. “Us?”

“Of course, us. Who else did I date my senior year?”

Doug stared at Desiree dumbfounded.

Desiree looked back, and there was a sparkle in her eyes. “When we were assigned to work on that first project together in history…that’s when we connected. I’m glad we were sitting on the same side of the room.” She paused and her cheeks turned red. “And our prom night… was perfect. I’ll never forget that.”

Doug’s knees felt weak again. He had dated Desiree! And had they done something on prom night? In what world did that happen?

Desiree touched him lightly on the arm. A jolt of electricity ran through his body.

“Anyway, I saved you a seat at table four. I was hoping we could talk.”

She stared at him with those beautiful green eyes, and he melted. “Er, sure, okay.”

Desiree gave him a dazzling smile. “Great! Now I’ve got to catch up with a few more friends. I’ll see you at dinner.”

With that she turned away, her hips swaying back and forth perfectly as she disappeared into the crowd. He felt like he was in a dream. The best dream ever! Or was Desiree playing an elaborate prank on him? He caught sight of her talking to one of their classmates across the room, and he caught her glancing at him. When she realized she had been caught she gave a small grin and turned away. If it was a prank, Desiree was giving an Academy Award performance.

He needed to find Kate. She’d know what was going on. He had hoped to sit with her at dinner, maybe they could all sit at table four. Doug walked around but still didn’t see her. He saw Ben Stiles, who had been in government class with Kate and himself.

“Hey Ben, you haven’t seen Kate, have you?”

Ben’s eyebrows furrowed together. “Who?”

“Kate…Kate Morrison.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t know who that is?”

“What? We were all on the same team during the diplomacy lesson in Ms. Jenson’s class. Remember, our country was Wisteria. We worked together for a whole month?”

Ben shook his head. “I was in the Kingdom of Scandos, and there was no Kate in our class.” He gave Doug a strange look before walking away.

Doug asked a few other classmates about Kate and got the same blank stares. Finally, he saw Ernie. He had gone to the same middle school, Twin Oaks, with Kate and himself. He had to remember her.

“Hey Ernie, good to see you.”

Ernie nodded non-committedly. He had known Earnie since seventh grade and was a bit surprised by the cool response.

“Remember Kate Morrison?”

“Yes.”

Doug breathed a sigh of relief.

“Have you seen her tonight?”

Ernie’s face turned dark. “What the hell are you talking about? Are you drunk already?”

Doug recoiled from the ferocity with which Ernie spoke. “No, of course not…I just want to talk with Kate, have you seen her tonight?”

Ernie stared at him for a long time. It was not a pleasant look. When Ernie finally spoke, his voice was low and harsh.

“I don’t know what kind of sick joke you’re trying to play. Kate died when we were in middle school.”

Doug felt like he had been punched in the gut.

“What? When…how?”

“Like you don’t know. You were there. November, our eighth-grade year, by the train trestle. We had scored some beer, and we were all a bit drunk. Kate decided she wanted to cross the bridge at night. You should have stopped her; you were our leader. It was your rule that we NEVER crossed at night. Instead, you did nothing, you let her go.”

Doug was getting a sick feeling in his stomach. “The train…”

“It was early, but it didn’t hit her. She saw it in time and jumped. If she had landed anywhere else in the creek, she would have been fine, but she didn’t. She hit the rocks…her head snapped back, and she was gone. And it was your fault.”

Ernie gave Doug a look of disgust and pushed past him. Doug felt sick to his stomach and went to the restroom. He found an empty stall and threw up. It was the first time that had happened in years. His stomach convulsed again, but there was nothing else in him and he dry heaved. Doug knelt on the floor staring into the toilet as his gut twisted inside of him. Finally, he sat down on the floor and leaned back until his head was against the door. His hands felt clammy and there were beads of sweat on his forehead. He put his head in his hands as the first tear ran down his cheek. Kate…dead? How is that possible? He had just talked to her two days ago.

What was going on? Was he in a dream? First Desiree says we dated in high school, and now Kate is dead? If he was dreaming it had just turned into a nightmare. It was time to wake up. Doug took his fist and slammed it against the side of the stall, but he didn’t wake up. Instead, his hand started to ache. He banged the stall again, and again until his hand was in agony, and he forced himself to stop. What kind of sick joke was this? Kate couldn’t be dead, could she? As he sat on the floor doubt turned into despair. Kate…Kate was dead, and he could have stopped it. Why didn’t he remember any of this? Maybe he was going crazy. He ran his fingers through his hair, undoing all the work the hairstylist had done two days ago. He didn’t care. He sat on the floor, his emotions changing from sadness, to anger, then to bewilderment.

Slowly he stood up and unlocked the stall. He washed his hands and looked at himself in the mirror. He looked awful, and he tried to clean up. Doug wiped his face and combed his hair. He did a poor job of both. He wished he had some Visine to remove the redness from his eyes. After a few more moments of trying to make himself presentable, he gave up and walked towards the door like a zombie, afraid of what other surprises awaited him in the banquet room.

Doug was in a daze at dinner. His classmates chatted cheerfully around him, but he barely participated. Desiree did her best to chat him up, but his answers were brief, almost monosyllabic. He could tell she was getting frustrated. Desiree was the last person he wanted to blow off, but he just couldn’t get his head around what was happening.

Dinner was cleared and while they waited for dessert Doug tried to be more attentive. Desiree was still trying to talk with him, and he was glad she hadn’t given up on him. He concentrated on what she was saying, pushing thoughts of Kate into the background. If he didn’t think about her, maybe he could pretend she wasn’t dead, and keep the world from crashing in around him just a little bit longer.

The chocolate mousse came, and as they chatted he found that he had a lot in common with Desiree. She had an active mind full of dreams and ambition.

The DJ was playing music, and many of his classmates were dancing, but he barely noticed as he found himself enthralled in his conversation with Desiree. A fast song ended, and the DJ played “Unchained Melody,” the first slow song of the night.

Desiree stood up. “Let’s dance.”

She wasn’t taking ‘no’ for an answer, so he took her hand and led her to the dance floor. Once there she pressed into him, her soft body melding into his. How many times had he dreamed of this, never believing for a second it would come true?

Desiree’s green eyes met his, “We danced to this song at prom…remember?”

Doug didn’t but he nodded anyway.

“I want you to know that night was very special to me, it was the most romantic evening I’ve ever had,” she whispered.

As she pressed against him, Doug felt himself becoming aroused. He felt embarrassed and tried to separate from Desiree, but she only held him tighter.

She looked at him and smirked. “Seems like someone else remembers that night.”

And then she kissed him. Her lips were soft and sensuous just like he had imagined they would be. What he hadn’t expected were all the other sensations he felt. The feel of her soft body pressed against his. The smell of her perfume, and her silky hair as he ran his fingers through it. But most of all it was the electricity that flowed through him, a feeling warm, erotic, and wonderful. It was a kiss he’d never forget.

Doug woke up on the couch. He was having the weirdest dream. It was already starting to fade; it had been scary and yet erotic at the same time. He noticed he was spotting a woody, and immediately loosened his pants to relieve the pressure.

He looked around the room confused. He wasn’t in his apartment, or in a hotel room, yet there was something very familiar about this place. Across the room was a bookcase that stood in front of the stairs that led to the second level. Two recliners were in front of them, with a reading lamp in the middle. To the right was the front door, and to the right of that was an old 35-inch color TV. His eyes lingered on the TV. It looked like it weighed a ton, nothing like the flat screen he had in his apartment.

This whole place looked like a museum dedicated to the past. In fact, it looked a lot like the house he had grown up in. He froze. That isn’t possible…this must be another dream.

The phone rang, and he realized that must have been what woke him up. He waited for the answering machine to pick up, and then he realized answering machines weren’t widely used when he was a kid. At least his parents hadn’t had one. That led to another disturbing thought.

The phone rang a third time and then a fourth, insistently demanding to be answered. Doug felt as if a magnet was pulling him as he walked to the end table in the corner of the room. He hesitated, then picked up the corded phone.

“Hello.”

“It took you long enough, what were you doing, jerking off again?”

He recognized Ernie’s voice, but it was different, he sounded younger.

“No, of course not, I’m not like you.” Then he hesitated. “What…What’s going on?”

“I scored some beer. My older brother had some leftovers from his party. Let’s get the gang together and go to McKinley Park and have some fun.”

A chill ran through Doug. “McKinley Park? Down by the train trestle?”

“Yes, idiot. What other McKinley Park is there?”

Doug didn’t say anything.

“Look, I’m going to tell my parents I’m coming over to your house to study. That’s what everyone is saying. Nobody’s going to check. I’ll see you at the park at five. OK?

“Ah…OK.” Doug didn’t know what else to say.

He put the phone down and stared into space. Was he really at his parent’s home? How was that possible? He had to be dreaming again. Maybe he was locked up in an asylum somewhere being given experimental drugs. He pinched his arm and saw a red mark form, but the room remained unchanged.

Their old piano was in the corner of the dining room, and he idly walked over and pushed a few keys. It had been a long time since he had played. He pulled out the bench seat and sat down. He tentatively hit a few more keys, then started playing in earnest, picking out a few songs from his memory. He was afraid the notes would be riddled with mistakes, but the songs came out reasonably well. He played one of his favorites, “Unchained Melody,” and a weird and wonderful feeling came over him; like there was some inexplicable connection between him and this song. The feeling subsided after he played the last note.

He stood up and froze as he looked into the mirror that hung over the piano. He looked at the image in shock and banged his knee against the piano bench as he backed away. The image backed away as well. He waved his right hand, and the person in the mirror waved back. Doug cautiously moved closer, and the person in the mirror got larger.

His pulse quickened and Doug felt dizzy. He sat back down on the piano bench and used some of his meditation tricks to calm himself. Deep breaths, in and out. Clear your mind. He closed his eyes and imagined himself on a white sandy beach. Gentle waves were breaking on the shore. White foaming water gently lapped onto the sand, retreating only to be replaced by another wave and then another. The waves rolled in on gentle swells, and Doug found himself relaxing. He wanted to stay on the beach, bask in the sun, and fall asleep to the gentle rhythm of the ocean, but he knew he couldn’t. Tentatively he opened his eyes, relaxed and ready to deal with wherever he was.

He was still sitting on the bench, the piano in front of him. He took a deep breath and stood up, slowly raising his eyes to look into the mirror. The figure was the same. It was him, but it wasn’t. Not precisely. It was a young Doug, the way he had looked as a teenager. In fact, it looked like the picture in his middle school yearbook. Seventh or eighth grade he guessed.

Suddenly he had a horrid thought. He walked back into the living room and picked up the newspaper from the coffee table. November 5th. Didn’t Ernie say Kate had died in November? Was this even possible? This was his eighth-grade year, and somehow, he knew that tonight Kate was going to die.

Why was he here? Could he change anything, or was this just a replay designed to burn that horrible night into his brain forever? The clock on the mantle place gave a sing-song chime, three times. Doug glanced at the clock. 4:45 pm. He went to the closet, grabbed his windbreaker and headed towards McKinley Park.

The night was unseasonably warm as he walked down the path that led to their hangout in the park. The basketball court was on the left, and the lights were already on as dusk came early in November. Ten high school students were playing full court. Doug noticed lots of fast breaks and very few passes as they played the game at a breakneck pace. Further down the path was the playground, and he watched three youngsters happily playing together while two women sat on the bench and chatted.

Doug finally reached the small path that cut away to the right. Few people used it, which was fine with Doug. It twisted around as it wound down to Running Woods Creek. There was a picnic table by the water, twenty yards away from where the train trestle crossed.

Gathered by the picnic table were all his closest childhood friends. Ernie, Bill, Tom, Dave, Linda, and to his relief, Kate! She was alive and well! His eyes lingered on Kate. She was in her tomboy stage and Doug remembered she hadn’t paid much attention to style until high school. She was in her usual outfit of jeans, a rumpled white shirt, and an unbuttoned jean jacket. Her dark hair was carelessly pulled into a ponytail, and her brown eyes sparkled with life.

He remembered how all the guys had given him a hard time in elementary school for being friends with a girl. Didn’t he know girls had ‘cooties’ and Kate was no exception? And then in high school, things had gone the opposite way. Everyone thought they should be dating. They had messed around a bit. It was fun exploring each other’s bodies, but when they kissed, there was none of the excitement he had felt when kissing other girls. He could tell Kate had felt the same way. In a sense, it had been a relief, because sex always complicates relationships, and he had worried that if they’d slept together, it would change things between them forever. After their one and only kiss, those fears had vanished like early morning fog. Girlfriends come and go, but friends are forever.

He knew he could tell Kate anything, especially about his dates, without her feeling jealous or judgmental. He did his best to always be there for her, including the time she had been accosted by the weird man in the park in ninth grade. She had gotten away unharmed, but it had shaken her up for a long time. Without having to say it, they both knew they were going to be best friends for life. If this was his chance, he’d do anything he could to save her.

“Are you okay Doug,” Kate asked. “Is something wrong?”

Doug realized he had been staring. “Ah, no, nothing. Let’s drink some beer.”

“We’ve already started,” Kate replied. “You have to catch up.”

Doug took a beer and sat at the picnic table next to Dave. He took a sip of beer and remembered how grown-up drinking had seemed to them back in school. It was something forbidden and exciting, lurching them forward into the adulthood they yearned to achieve. If they had only known then that being an adult, with all its responsibilities, isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, they would have tried to avoid it as long as they could.

He listened to the group’s idle chatter without participating, hearing long-forgotten facts that had seemed so important to them at the time. Kate was looking at him strangely; he was sure she knew something was off with him. Of all the people in the world, Kate knew him better than anyone, including his parents. He ignored her probing eyes and tried to participate more in the conversation, although he sensed his effort was falling flat. If so, Kate seemed to be the only one to notice.

All too quickly the beer was gone, and darkness enveloped them. The mild day had turned into a chilly night. Yet they seemed reluctant to part, standing around holding empty beer cans as if wishing would make them full again and give them an excuse to stay longer.

Suddenly Kate jumped up. “Let’s cross the train trestle.”

“NO!”

Everyone stared. Doug swallowed. He hadn’t meant to yell that loudly.

“Look, we never cross at night,” Ernie said.

“That’s why it will be fun,” Kate countered. “Let’s do something different for a change.”

“That’s the beer talking,” Doug answered. “I said no, we’re not crossing the bridge at night.”

Kate looked at him and he saw the stubborn streak building up in her. She didn’t like being told what to do and often did things just because she wasn’t supposed to. If he was going to save her, this wasn’t the way.

“OK Kate, you win. We’ll cross the trestle.”

Kate smirked while the others in the group looked at him quizzically. They hadn’t expected him to cave so quickly.

“But first I need to talk to you, Kate. I have something important to tell you.”

Kate took a step towards the trestle. “You can tell me later.”

Doug stood up. “The bridge isn’t going anywhere. This is very important. I need to tell you now.”

He looked at Kate trying to draw on every bit of their friendship as he silently communicated with her. He had to make her understand that she needed to come with him. After hesitating a minute, she turned around, walked back over, and stood in front of Doug.

“OK, what’s so important that you have to tell me right now?”

“Not here,” he replied. He gently took her arm and was relieved when she didn’t resist as he guided her on the path that led down to the creek. But she jerked her arm away as soon as they were away from the prying eyes of his friends.

“What’s up with you Doug? You’re acting strange.”

He didn’t answer and kept walking. Kate glared at him but followed him until the path ended near the water. They were directly underneath the bridge now.

Kate plopped herself on a rock. “I’m listening.”

Doug took a deep breath. He hadn’t thought this far ahead. He knew he couldn’t tell her the truth. She’d think he was pranking her, and she’d be up on the bridge within a minute. Kate shifted on the rock; she was getting restless.

“If you’ve got something to say, say it. Otherwise…” Kate stood up.

He had to think of something fast, Kate’s patience was about up.

In the end, Doug didn’t try and concoct a wild story or plead with her to trust him. He just spoke from the heart. If this was the last time, he would ever talk with her, he wanted her to know exactly how he felt. “Kate, we’ve been friends since first grade. Remember how we used to break all the crayons in the box, and the time we put glue all over the scissors so they wouldn’t open?”

“Yeah, so?” Kate clearly wasn’t impressed with where this was going.

“Well…I just wanted to say that your friendship means everything to me. I only want what’s best for you, you know that don’t you?”

Kate nodded. “I know. But what’s up with you, you’re acting really weird tonight?”

“Nothing, I’m OK. I just want you to be careful. You’re my best friend, and I don’t know what I’d do if you weren’t here.”

Kate stared at him with an unreadable expression on her face.

Doug flushed. “I…I just wanted you to know that.”

Kate continued to stare. Doug held her gaze.

A whistle broke their concentration, soon followed by the clanging of the crossing gate where the train crossed Emerson Street.

The train was early.

The sound grew like thunder until the train was above them, rumbling across the trestle. The noise was so loud it felt like they had fallen into the gates of hell.

Kate looked up, her body trembling and her eyes wide with fear. Doug could tell immediately what was going through her mind. Kate shivered and folded her arms around herself. Instinctively Doug reached out wrapped his arms around Kate and pulled her close. She dug her fingers into his back, and he heard a faint sob escape her lips. The train had passed, but they continued to hold on to each other. Slowly her trembling stopped, and Kate stepped back. She shared a look with Doug that cemented their bond. It was a moment they’d remember for the rest of their lives.

Doug woke up with a start. He’d had a strange dream, a nightmare. Kate had died when they were in middle school, and he could have prevented it but he hadn’t. But then he’d gone back in time and fixed it. Doug shivered; the dream had seemed so real. As he looked around the room he remembered where he was, the Holiday Inn Express, and it was the day of his tenth high school reunion. He took a deep breath, none of the things in his dream had really happened.

After climbing out of bed he combed his light brown hair, put on his jogging clothes, and took the elevator down to the breakfast buffet.

Doug looked around the room as he ate his scrambled eggs and sausage. On the far side of the room, an older couple sat by the window. The man held a newspaper in front of his face, ignoring the woman next to him who was absently cutting her waffle into minuscule pieces. There was a young couple next to him, an attractive redhead and a man dressed in shorts and a wrinkled t-shirt. The child with them tugged on their tablecloth. His mother gently pried his fingers away. Frustrated, the young boy went over to the buffet and started playing with the containers of butter and syrup, trying to make a pyramid.

The scene was eerily familiar. The child’s name is Frederick, and the man is Charles. The couple are about to fight.

“No Frederick, those aren’t our things, leave them alone.”

She went over to retrieve their son and looked at her husband in frustration as he paid no attention to the scene.

“Honestly, Charles, why don’t you discipline your son sometimes?”

“Why is he only my son when he’s misbehaving? You’re doing a good job of managing our child.”

Charles’ eyes drifted back to the TV, which was showing the results from last night’s games.

How did I know that was going to happen?

Now the boy is going to start fooling around with the salt and pepper and then try ripping open the sugar packets.

Frederick reached over and picked up the saltshaker. He flipped it around, and some salt spilled on the table. The redhead took the saltshaker away, but before she had set it on the table Frederick had picked up the pepper. The mother managed to pry that out of the child’s hands before any spilled on the table, but now Frederick was eyeing the sugar packets.

It's happening just as I expected. The way it had in the dream. Am I going crazy?

Doug discovered that he was able to predict everything that was going to happen in the breakfast nook. He felt like he was living a scene from ‘Groundhog Day.’ He loved the movie, but that was just fiction. Right? These things happening in front of him were real. Predicting the future wasn’t possible. There had to be a logical explanation for all this.

A chill went down his spine as he remembered his unsettling dream. But it had only been a dream, those things couldn’t have happened. Time travel, seeing the future, that wasn’t possible. Yet it felt like he had already lived this day, and so far, nothing had changed. He thought ahead to what else was in store for him. Was fate so cruel, so unyielding that he couldn’t make things right again in this alternative timeline? Was he about to go through the same heartache of losing Kate again?

He no longer felt hungry and tossed the rest of his breakfast in the trash. He walked outside and crossed the street to the bike path. He jogged every day, this wasn’t fate, it was his routine. Or was there no difference? When he got to the bike path he went left instead of right, jogging past the sports fields and picnic areas instead of the woods. There, that was different. If he could change that, maybe he could change other things as well.

He went back to his room, turned on the TV, and started watching the football game. As the game unfolded, he realized he knew every play before it happened.

Here’s where the tailback drops an easy screen pass.

The running back had an open field in front of him but lost his concentration on the ball and it slipped through his fingers. As he walked back to the huddle, he slapped his helmet in frustration.

The long touchdown pass is coming up soon.

After two successful running plays, the quarterback faked a handoff and dropped back. The receiver had two steps on the defender and caught a 55-yard touchdown pass. Doug wasn’t a betting man, but he wished he had put money on the game. Doug turned off the TV and left his room. He already knew who was going to win the game.

He walked three blocks down Main Street and turned into a residential neighborhood. Doug wandered around aimlessly. The neighborhood was middle-class, with well-kept yards and three-bedroom houses. A few people were in their yards, mowing the lawn or puttering around in their gardens. Most gave him a friendly wave. He saw a teenage girl sitting on her porch looking at her cell phone. She didn’t even notice Doug’s presence. A block down someone was hosting a cook-out. Smoke swirled from the grill and Doug smelled the aroma of cooking burgers as laughter broke out from the people gathered in the yard.

Doug turned around and headed back towards the Holiday Inn. He hadn’t gone on a walk in his dream. Now two things were different. That proved the events he had envisioned could be changed. At least he hoped so.

He thought about calling Kate. He wanted to be sure his disturbing premonition had been nothing more than a bad dream. And if it had been a premonition, he had fixed it, right? Kate hadn’t been on the bridge when the train passed. She was alive, she had to be. But if he was wrong, he didn’t want to know yet. He needed a few more hours of believing Kate was alive, just for his own sanity.

Soon it was time to shower and dress for the reunion. He wished he had something else to wear besides his khaki pants and dark sports jacket. Even wearing a different tie would have felt more reassuring, but he had only brought one.

Doug pulled into the parking lot at the Hilton, deliberately choosing a different parking spot. He checked his hair in the visor mirror. He was relieved that for once his light brown hair was behaving. He noticed his tie had come loose and he straightened it and flipped the visor back up.

He walked into the lobby of the Hilton and immediately saw the large sign perched on the easel. Glenwood High Reunion with an arrow pointing to the right. He walked down the short corridor, and he heard soft music and murmuring voices behind the open doors to the banquet room. He stepped through the door. He remembered feeling dizzy before, but now he felt fine. Still, he lingered in the doorway for a moment as he glanced around the room. One of the women at the reception table was staring at him, and he smiled sheepishly as he stepped forward.

The woman looked him over and then smiled. “Doug…Doug Malone, right?”

Doug smiled. He didn’t have to glance at her nametag to know it was Sue Schwartz. She had done a lot of work on their class floats for homecoming, and she had also been on the prom committee. And here she was again helping organize the reunion.

Sue handed him his nametag and Doug smiled at her. “Thank you, Sue. I appreciate all the work you did organizing the reunion.”

Sue smiled back. “It wasn’t just me. But thank you, I expect I’ll be helping with them until we’re all using walkers.”

As he stepped into the room Doug immediately ran into Steve Cox, his lab partner in chemistry class. One friend led to another, and he found himself talking to longtime friends as well as some classmates he hadn’t known too well. But this scene felt too familiar to him. Events were happening exactly as they had before, and he felt ill at ease.

He glanced across the room and saw Desiree Hanson talking with some of the other cheerleaders. He couldn’t believe that in another life he had dated her when in reality he had barely mustered up the courage to say ‘hi’ to her when they passed in the hall. He was sure that part of the dream had just been a projection of his fantasy about her.

Instead of heading to the bar, he scanned the room. He knew in real life Desiree wouldn’t be seeking him out, and Doug wanted to keep that part of the dream real as long as he could. He was sure Desiree would ignore him tonight, just as she had in high school.

The first thing he noticed as he scanned the room was that most of the cliques had disappeared. He saw cheerleaders chatting with people they would never have associated with in high school Science nerds were talking to jocks, drama club members spoke with members of the riding club, etc. Differences that had seemed so important when they were younger were trivial now. Everyone shared the bond of spending four years together at Glenwood High School.

And then he saw her! Kate was standing across the room talking with Gary Groves, their senior-year class president. Her dark hair had a shag cut that rested on her shoulders, a far cry from the unkempt hair of her tomboy days in middle school. She wore eyeliner that accentuated her brown eyes and a stylish blue dress that stopped an inch above the knees. Doug’s heart skipped a beat at the sight of his best friend, and he hurried across the room before she vanished like a mirage in the desert. She smiled as he approached, and he gave her a bear hug. Kate stepped back and they shared a look. Their eyes said more than words ever could.

He’d done it, he had saved her! Somehow, he had changed history and made things right. He had never felt more relief in his life.

“I’ve saved a place for you at my table. Put your jacket on your chair so no one takes it.”

Kate led him over to her table where a chair was tilted up. When he noticed it was table number four his heart froze. He forced himself to relax. This was just a coincidence, it had to be. He tilted the chair back down and slipped his sports coat over the back.

Doug noticed the seat on the other side of Kate was open. “Darren couldn’t make it tonight?”

“No, he promised to take Kirk camping this weekend. Can you believe he’s five now?”

“Camping? You hate camping.”

“Yeah, I guess I missed the trip,” Kate grinned mischievously. “I convinced Darren it would be a good chance for father/ son bonding instead of getting a sitter and coming to the reunion where he wouldn’t know anyone.”

Doug smiled, he had met Darren, and he was a good guy, but he was a bit of an introvert. After chatting for a while, Kate excused herself to speak to some of the members of the science club who had just arrived.

“See you at dinner,” she winked at Doug as she walked away.

He glanced across the room and saw that Desiree had moved on and was talking to Sherry Caldwell, who had played Evita Peron in the spring play their senior year. As he watched Desiree, he felt a pang of regret that he wasn’t going to wind up with his high school crush as he had in the alternative timeline, but that feeling quickly faded. Kate was back and that was all that mattered. Things were back the way they were supposed to be.

Doug headed towards the bar and ordered a Sam Adams. As the bartender was rummaging around in the cooler, someone came up behind him. He immediately knew who it was from the smell of her perfume.

“Hi Doug,” Desiree said sweetly. “I was hoping you’d be here.”

What? This conversation isn’t supposed to be happening. In a panic, Doug looked across the room for Kate. There she was, talking with her friends from the science club. He breathed a sigh of relief.

“Er, good to see you too Desiree.”

“We were in history class together, remember?”

Remember? How could he ever forget! He had spent more time looking and dreaming about her than he had his homework. But he was shocked that she had even noticed him.

“Yeah, I remember you.” Doug did his best not to stammer and willed his knees not to buckle.

“I always thought you were so smart. I had hoped we would get assigned to a project together, but we never were. Maybe if we’d been sitting on the same side of the room.” There was a tinge of regret in her voice.

Really? It had been enough that she remembered his name, but she thought he was smart!

She stood there looking into his eyes, and they shared an awkward silence.

“Er, can I get you something to drink?” He took a deep breath. “Maybe an Aperol spritz?”

Desiree’s eyes went wide, and then a coy smile appeared on her face. “Perfect.”

Doug paid for their drinks, and Desiree guided them towards an open corner. She swirled her drink and took a sip. She appeared nervous and glanced at the floor. Doug took a quick peek at her left hand. No rings, that surprised him.

“I’m surprised you and Randy aren’t married yet. You two were inseparable our senior year.”

Desiree looked up at him. “Randy and I broke up right after high school. It turns out we were good at high school, but we didn’t have much else in common.”

Doug frowned. “I’m not sure I understand.”

“Don’t misunderstand, my senior year was great. I guess you could say we were the ‘it’ couple and I loved it. I was homecoming queen, he was all-district quarterback, and we were king and queen of the prom. I think it would have been hard for us not to be together. But after we graduated, I realized there is more to life than proms and football games. Randy is a great guy, but he’s not the person I want to spend the rest of my life with.

This was a side of Desiree he didn’t know existed. It made him even more attracted to her. “Er, is there anyone special in your life right now?”

“I’ve dated a lot. I was engaged once for two months. But I called it off. Something was missing between us. It’s hard to explain, it’s either there or it’s not. I haven’t found it yet and I’m not willing to settle.”

Strangely he knew exactly what she was talking about. He was looking for what Kate and he had emotionally, only with hot sex thrown in.

He was about to say something else when Desiree’s eyes met his. Deep green eyes he could drown in. But now when he looked at her, he saw more than just the sex goddess he had dreamed about.

“Do you have a table yet? If not, we could sit together… make up for the study group we were never in?” Desiree’s cheeks got red, and she took a quick breath.

“I’m sitting at table four with Kate and--”

“Oh, I don’t mean to interrupt, I know how close you two are and--”

“No, you wouldn’t interrupt anything. I was about to say there are plenty of extra seats at our table. Kate and I talk all the time, and we both want to see as many people tonight as we can. I’d love for you to join us.” He tried to give his most sincere smile and hoped he was looking suave.

“Then I’d love to.”

He put his hand on the small of her back and they walked over to table four. Even though his touch was light it still sent tingles through his body.

Desiree put her purse on the open seat next to his. “I’m going to catch up with a few more friends, see you at dinner.” The smile she gave him sent chills through his body.

Kate and Doug were at the table first, soon joined by Nikki Forest, who had been in the science club with Kate, and Ernie and his wife, a petite brunette named Sarah. There were two open spaces. Desiree’s purse was still on the seat next to him.

“Do you know who’s sitting there?” Kate asked.

“Er, Desiree Hanson.”

Kate laughed; she knew all about Doug’s crush on Desiree. She whispered so only Doug could hear, “You liar. You wish, but this isn’t Fantasy Island.”

Doug looked over at Desiree who was still circulating the room. It seemed like she knew everyone. Maybe Kate was right. Desiree had just parked her purse in a safe place and was going to end up sitting somewhere else.

The waiter took their drink order, and on the off chance he was wrong, he ordered an Aperol spritz for Desiree.

Kate gave him a look. “Thirsty tonight, are we?”

Doug didn’t reply. Almost everyone was seated, but he noted Desiree was still chatting with a couple of her friends. He didn’t recognize them. At last, they broke up and Desiree walked away. It looked like she was heading their way, but then she stopped to talk with someone at another table. It was Randy Johnson, her boyfriend from high school. There was an open seat next to him and Doug’s heart dropped as she sat down. He watched as she chatted animatedly with him and leaned in to hug him. Then to Doug’s surprise, she stood up and resumed walking toward their table.

She slide into the seat next to Doug. “I’m sorry I’m late…There are so many people I haven’t seen since graduation.”

Doug smiled. “No worries. Kate, you know Desiree Hanson, don’t you?”

Kate’s jaw almost dropped off, but she quickly recovered. “Yes, you were the best dancer on the cheerleading squad.”

Desiree smiled at that. She saw the Aperol spritz. “For me?”

Doug nodded and Desiree flashed him a smile that melted his heart.

The conversation never lagged during dinner. There were memories to be shared: favorite teachers, big games, the spring play, senior week, etc. And things they hadn’t known, like who had been caught selling pot behind the football shed, what the real reason had been for the big fight after school their junior year, etc.

They shared their experiences after high school too: where they had gone to college, what they were doing now, as well as their dreams for the future. Doug learned more about Desiree in an hour than he had in four years of high school. She was very down-to-earth and was easy to talk to, but she also had a clear idea of what she wanted out of life.

Desiree loved animals, especially cats, and hated cruelty of any kind, especially to helpless animals. She had volunteered at the local animal shelter while in high school, and now owned two cats. Desiree enjoyed cooking and dreamed of owning a restaurant one day. She was taking cooking classes and regularly putting away money every paycheck.

They had just finished their chocolate mousse when the DJ started spinning tunes.

Kate had a mischievous look on her face as she stood up. “We have the best dancer in the school right here. Let’s go!”

Desiree needed no further urging and Doug followed them to the dance floor. Doug and Kate had first danced together in middle school, and they had always saved a couple of dances for each other at every high school dance, even when they were dating other people.

Kate was a good dancer, and Doug could hold his own, but Desiree was in a different league from both of them, moving her body sensually in perfect time with the music. Doug felt a bit awkward dancing next to such a pro, but then he relaxed as he realized no one was watching him. If anyone was watching, they would be looking at Desiree, not him.

Several guys came up and tried to pry Desiree away from the trio. She would dance with them for a moment but always glided back to Doug and Kate. After the third song, Kate said she needed a break, but Desiree was still ready to go, and Doug stayed with her. He was having the time of his life dancing with his crush, even if it was for only one night.

Even though they were dancing as a couple, Tony Malzone came over and inserted himself between Doug and Desiree. He remembered Tony as being a big jerk. Tony had thought of himself as a ladies’ man and Doug remembered he had always been hitting on guys’ girlfriends. Most of the girls had turned down his offers, but there also had been a few one-night stands and ruined relationships. Now that Desiree was no longer dating a football player Tony seemed intent on adding her to his list.

He was inching Desiree away from him, and Doug fumed. His first instinct was to punch Tony out, but did he really want to start a fight at their tenth reunion? Desiree solved the problem for him. She took Tony’s hand and let him spin her around. Doug stopped dancing and was ready to leave the dance floor. She had made her choice.

However, Desiree spun herself around again, deftly moving so she was right next to Doug again. She arched her back and put her right hand behind Doug’s head while snuggling her body next to his. Tony scowled and inched forward looking to make Desiree the ‘meat’ in a sandwich between them. Tony thrust his hips forward, attempting to grind her. However, just as he made his move, Desiree spun Doug around. Now Tony was grinding on Doug’s ass.

“Tony, I didn’t know you liked me this much. You should have asked me to prom.”

The people around them laughed, and Desiree smirked.

“Asshole,” Tony growled as he turned away and stomped off the dance floor. There were more chuckles from those who had been watching the show.

Now that Tony was gone Doug expected Desiree to break away and go back to the way they had been dancing, but she kept her arm around his neck while swaying in front of him. She wasn’t grinding him, but their bodies still touched, which jolts of electricity through Doug. It was clear they were together, at least on the dance floor, and no one tried to interrupt them again.

The first slow song of the night came on, “Unchained Melody.” Without any hesitation, Desiree moved in front of Doug and put her arms around him. After a brief hesitation, Doug embraced her, and she melted into him. Her body felt good against his, and he felt tingles all over, but he didn’t get aroused. After what he learned tonight Desiree was more than just an object of his lust, she was a unique person full of interesting thoughts, as well as her own personal dreams and fears.

After the song ended, Desiree whispered in Doug’s ear, “I need a break.”

He took her hand and led them back to their table. Doug felt nature calling and excused himself to use the restroom. With all the alcohol flowing he wasn’t the only one, and he enjoyed the friendly banter with his male classmates as they stood in line and reminisced about hall passes and which bathroom had been the safest to smoke in.

As he returned, he was relieved to see Desiree was still at the table talking with Kate. He had been half afraid somebody would have used his absence to try and swoop in on her, but he guessed guys had gotten the message from her earlier display or she had turned them down.

Doug danced with Desiree again, including another slow song. Again, she moved close to him, and he gripped her more firmly, knowing that she didn’t object to his touch. Kate and Doug also danced together again, and they closed out the night on the dance floor. The last song was a slow one, and Kate stepped close to Doug. They looked into each other’s eyes, secure in their friendship. They had shared their first slow dance during their sophomore year in high school. Over the years they had developed a closeness that others could only dream of, but without any sexual tension.

Kate leaned closer and whispered in Doug’s ear. “You know she likes you, don’t you?”

“Desiree? Yeah, like a friend. Who knew she’d be friends with a regular guy like me?”

Kate’s gaze turned solemn. “More than just a friend.”

It was Doug’s turn to give her a long look. “I know we danced close and everything, but that was just dancing. I’ve seen girls do that all the time with guys they don’t even know, and then leave with someone else.”

“Desiree’s not like that. Yeah, she danced like that with Randy in high school. But he was her boyfriend. I guarantee you she wouldn’t have danced that way with anyone else here tonight. You saw the way she shut Tony down.”

“Yeah, but Tony’s an ass.”

“And you aren’t,” Kate said firmly. “I can tell the difference, and so can Desiree.”

Doug pondered this for a moment as they swayed together. “Why are you so sure of this? Did she say something to you?”

Kate laughed. “Not a word. But I can tell, trust me. Walk her to her car tonight, you’ll see.”

Trust her. He had trusted Kate all his life. Could she be right about this? He resolved to walk Desiree to her car if only to prove Kate wrong.

The song was winding down. Kate pulled closer. “Best friends forever.”

“Forever.”

The reunion was winding down. The DJ was packing his equipment, waiters were clearing tables, and half of their classmates had left. There was still a big crowd by the bar, and several large clusters of people talking together, not wanting to let the evening go. It was hard to crowd four years of memories into five short hours.

Nicki, Ernie, and his wife Sarah were already gone, but Kate and Desiree still sat next to him at their table, neither showing any interest in leaving. A waiter came by and gave them a long look as he noisily started to clear the plates on the other side of the table.

“I suppose it’s time I should get going,” Desiree said.

Kate kicked Doug under the table. He glared at Kate. It was completely unnecessary. He had already decided to walk Desiree to her car.

He stood up and addressed Desiree. “May I walk you to your car?”

“I’m staying here at the Hilton, but I wouldn’t mind an escort to my room.”

He ignored Kate’s smirk and followed Desiree to the elevator.

“I’m on seven,” she said. Doug played the part of the elevator operator and pushed button seven. There were several other people on the elevator, none of them their classmates.

The elevator stopped on floor seven and Doug was glad no one else got out.

“This way,” Desiree pointed to the left.

They walked halfway down the hall, and Desiree stopped at 717. “This is me.” Instead of inserting her key, she turned back to Doug. “I had a nice time tonight.”

It almost sounded like they had been on a date. Or maybe that was overthinking things.

“I did too,” Doug said sincerely.

Desiree slid her card into the slot and opened the door. However, instead of stepping inside her room, she turned back to Doug. She looked nervous once again. Was she expecting a goodbye hug or maybe a kiss?

“You live in Monroe, right?”

Doug nodded.

How did she know that? Kate must have told her.

“I’m in Elmdale, not that far away,” Desiree stated.

“Really,” Doug was surprised she lived that close to him. “That’s about 45 minutes from me.”

Desiree’s green eyes met his. “I was wondering if you’d like to come over for dinner sometime. I’m learning a lot of new recipes in my classes. I could make something special for us.”

As she looked at Doug her hands tightened around her purse.

Doug didn’t hesitate. “I’d like that very much.”

Desiree gave him a winning smile. “How about next Saturday?”

Wow, she’s all business. Five hours ago, I didn’t think she knew I existed, and now I’ve got a date with her next week.

Doug matched her smile. “That would be perfect.”

“What’s your cell phone number?”

Doug blinked, then gave her his number. Desiree pulled her cell out of her purse and quickly dialed the number. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. After one buzz it stopped.

“Now we have each other’s number. I’ll text directions.”

“You know, it probably was a shame we didn’t get to work on a project together in high school,” Doug smiled thinking back on the alternate timeline.

Surprisingly Desiree shook her head. “No, I’ve changed my mind on that.”

Doug went very still.

Desiree continued. “In high school, I wasn’t ready for you. I was more into parties and the social scene. It wouldn’t have worked, at least not long-term. Things happen for a reason.”

With that, she stepped forward and kissed Doug on the cheek. “It was great getting to know you. I’m looking forward to next week.”

She stepped into her room, smiled, and winked at him before slowly closing the door.