It’s a general notion that the past can’t be rewritten, that one can not turn back the hands of time. However, that it’s ‘general’ doesn’t make it expressly true, and what is true one day can be false the next.
From pouring three and a half decades of his life into research and laboratory works, Dr. L.O.Lambo has been able to come up with a way for humans to go back in time, and right wrongs, mistakes, regrets, disappointments, but on one condition—that life picks and continues from where one intends effecting the change.
Kyle Glover had had it boring most of his life: a loner, no social life, no friend, no enemy. He often wondered if anyone would miss him when he is gone. Perhaps his mother. The poor woman had lived all her life for him, she’d be finally rid of him and free to go for whatever life she’d always wanted.
Seated at the laboratory of Dr. L.O.Lambo with small metal discs alongside thin wires attached to different points on his scalp to send signals to a computer, he felt fresh hope for life arose from within as a gentle flow of electricity went through him.
“Stay with me all through the session, talking when there is need to. Once you get to the point where you want life to begin again for you, call for the portion,” instructed Dr. L.O.Lambo, referring to the green mixture he’d prepared in a beaker to be drank, “Am I clear?”
“Yes.”
“Close your eyes.”
“What do you see?” asked Dr. L.O.Lambo after a moment's pause.
“Nothing. You told me to close my eyes.”
“Mr. Glover,”
“Yes.”
“I thought you said you are a college undergraduate?”
“Yes.”
“I advise you to seize this opportunity to go back to the basics. Any fool should know I meant the eyes of your mind. I asked you to close the outer one for maximum concentration. Okay?”
“Okay.”
“Close your eyes. Focus your mind this time. What do you see?”
At first, it was all dark. Suddenly, white light flooded his within. He could see a vision that went from blurry to being clear.
“I see myself walking through a narrow pathway.”
“Okay. Continue.”
“I just stepped into a house with a woman looking like my mother, rocking a baby that looks like me.”
“You are doing well. Continue, ” said Dr. L.O.Lambo, taking a quick glance at the brain wave pattern displayed on the computer screen.
Kyle smiled broadly.
“What's funny? Should I bring the portion?”
“No. It’s me sucking.”
“Going back a suckling wouldn’t be a bad idea. You may have some unfinished business at your mama's bosom. Let’s get back on track mister.”
“I am crawling, tottering over to lean by a couch, I fell, rose. Mother holding my hands to walk.”
As though a camera rolled over, he could see himself running about the living room, feeding himself, singing nursery rhymes to his mother. She supervised him while he wrote out alphabets and figures. At another roll over, a tall man walked in at dusk. He couldn’t see the face clearly. His head was covered in a fedora over a knee-length jacket.
Suddenly, Kyle's countenance went squeezy and cringy, his face flushed red.
“Mr. Glover, what is the matter?”
He wanted to get words out but couldn’t. His hands jerked off the arm rest.
“Mr. Glover!”
“Mr. Glover!”
A red light was triggered with continuous beeping sound. The wave pattern on the screen fell drastically and was about hitting the horizontal bar.
“Damn!” Dr L.O.Lambo let out, dashed for the plug and yanked it off the switch.
“Stay with me! Mr. Glover! Mr. Glover!” he shook Kyle’s pale and frozen body over and over again, but there was no response. He wasn't going to quit. With a more violent move, Kyle blinked opened his eyes, letting down streams of tears.
“Thank goodness!” muttered the doctor, passing a trembling hand over his hair many times as though he wanted to rub off the scanty remains of his eroded head.
“Mr. Glover, what was that shit all about? I told you to keep on the communication flow between us. You were a breath away to being stuck in the past for all time. Your mind would be there roaming helplessly everywhere you have been like a wandering spirit, while your body would remain here in a vegetative state; not growing, not aging, not dying. I wouldn’t have been able to bring you back.”
“I am sorry for the trouble I put you through,” said Kyle in a faint, shaky voice, “I saw him.”
“Who?”
“My Father.”
“And what about him?”
“All I ever had were pictures of him and stories about him. I saw him for the first time.”
“Something good came out of the experience then.”
“Mother says he is a top government secret agent. That the government will release him to come home someday. So I responded whenever my class teachers asked of him. I became a laughing stock amongst peers with the tag ‘Bastard'. I grew learning to keep to myself to avoid being called that. I learnt the truth a while ago. ‘We didn’t plan to have a child. I told you to get rid of him while you could, but you were bent on keeping him. Didn’t I tell you you’d take sole responsibility for your mistake?’ He said to my mother. ‘You did. But I just lost my job. Only lend me some money for his upkeep. I’ll return it when I get another job. ‘Sorry woman. Running two families is not part of my budget, goodbye' he said and worked out the door.” Kyle broke down in tears soon after.
“Mr. Glover, put yourself together. I thought changing that ugly past is what we are here for, and not to form pity party.”
“That’s way beyond me. My conception was the mistake.”
“Oh, I see.” With knitted brows and squinted eyes, Dr. L.O.Lambo went still as though he’d been caught up in a trance.
“Yes! That’s it!” He ejaculated all of a sudden, pumped a fist in the air, “though your past cannot be remedied, something can still be done.”
Kyle brightened up, wondering what the genius scientist was up to this time.
“By the same process, I’ll teleport you into the future. It’s a chance to create it, fit it into whatever you desire it to be.”
That sounded interesting to Kyle, he was eager to get on with it.
“Are you ready?”
He nodded in response.
Dr. L.O.Lambo refixed the plug.
“Close your eyes. Focus what you’d like to see, be or have.”
“Have you brought up something?” asked the doctor after a moment's pause.
“Yes.”
“What?”
“Belinda.”
“Alright. Who is Belinda?”
“The new girl in my area. Her family just moved into the neighborhood.”
“Alright. Continue.”
“I see her way off, walking along the sidewalk… I have caught up with her.”
Kyle was beaming with smile. Dr. L.O.Lambo could tell he was having a nice time. He kept quiet, just observing. He didn’t want to ruin his happy moment.
Suddenly, his face went dull. The Doctor saw him winced, he went for the plug as fast as he could.
“Mr. Glover, what is it this time?”
“I was in the middle of a lovely poem when She slapped me,” said Kyle, rubbing his cheek as though he’d been struck so hard he could feel the impact in the present, “I have always known she is out of my league, ” he added.
“What do you mean? Is she married?”
“No.”
“Then what?
“Doc, you need to see this girl. Asides her intelligence, she is one stunning beauty. Her alluring smile, her lovely shape, her…”
“Spare me all that, save it for Belinda. That’s if you ever get to be with her.”
“Could be that my lines were poor.”
“It’d nothing to do with that. What I perceive is Belinda just doesn’t hang out with pessimistic, losers like you. If not that I have called it quits I’d have rivalled you cowering idiot to it. Will you wipe out that preconceived losers' mentality, get back in there and sweep Belinda off her feet!”
A while later, Kyle was all smiley again, bright as a diamond and gay as petals. At a point, he gently drew forward, with stretching neck and longing, puckered lips. The switch went off. Kyle opened his eyes and there before him was Dr. L.O.Lambo’s white, wrinkling face.
“Ohhhh, Doc, why did you bring me back?” shrieked Kyle like a petulant child. “We were less than an inch to locking lips. You should have let me remain stuck in the future.”
“Sorry, Mr. Glover. You can’t be stuck in a place you haven’t been bodily. Henceforth, never forget that whatever you can make to happen in your mind, you can make happen in reality. I think we are done here. The future is in your mind, you should take it!”.
That evening, Mrs. Glover was back from issuing receipt at a glossary store till 2, nursing an aged, bedridden woman till 6, and was at the kitchen preparing dinner as usual. By impulse, she looked sideways and saw Kyle.
“Didn’t notice when you walked in. How was school?” she asked, focusing the eggs she was turning over in a pan. Throwing a glance at him, she said,
“Son, don’t just hang at the doorway, get over here and plant a peck on your old woman's cheeks. When Kyle remained rooted to the spot like a mast, she knew something was wrong.
“I found out about Father today. He isn’t coming back, right?”
“How? Who said that?”
“That doesn’t matter. I know he has his own family somewhere. Mother, I’ll be twenty in three months time, were you ever going to tell me the truth?"
Mrs. Glover stared blankly into the air, her eyes turning teary gradually.
“I was afraid of hurting you.” Few drops escaped the corners of her eyes, accompanying her word.
Kyle took quick steps over and locked her in his embrace, he could feel her trembling body.
“I am sorry, Son,” she managed through quivering lips.
“I am sorry as well. Still, you are the best mother who ever walked the earth. I love you to the moon and back.”
Mrs. Glover was lost for words.
“I’ll be in my room. Please holla at me once dinner is ready.”
She watched as he strode out of the kitchen. His tall, lanky height, facial resemblance even to his deep brown eyes, round head merging into a strong jawline were perfect reminder of her estranged lover. She felt lightened, glad to be finally rid of the many years of lies. She’d guarded her past as though she’d been sworn to secrecy.
How did he know?
Kyle sank in the center of his bed, staring at the white ceiling, lost in thought. He saw his father scream at his mother. She held onto his arm as he was about leaving, pleading. He jerked her off him and she hit the floor with a thud. He couldn’t imagine how much she’d borne because of him. He was going over his experience at Dr. L.O.Lambo’s laboratory, when Belinda suddenly came to mind. He sat up, went for a note and pen, and began writing.
The night of that Friday seemed longer. When dawn finally arrived, Kyle freshened up, wore his tracksuit, and went jogging. At quarter of 7, he was through and should have headed back home, but decided to hang around Belinda's house, hoping the sun would shine on him. He seized the time to pore over the lines he’d composed for her, turning them over and over again in his head. At a point, he glanced at his wristwatch and couldn’t believe he’d been waiting for almost 3hours. He gave up the chase for another day and was heading home when the wind suddenly blew in his way. His nostrils caught a sweet, fruity scent. The cologne could be no others' but Belinda's. He turned and there she was few distance away from him, clad in a white top and a black ankle pant. As she was about stepping onto the sidewalk, she threw her head gently to the side and her long dark hair followed suit. Eyes widening, jaw-dropping, he stood still, admiring this rare beauty. Right there and then, he’d have given up on her.
Whatever you can make to happen in your mind, you can make happen in reality
He repeated the phrase many times, psyching up himself. After a deep breath, he ran up to her.
“Hello,”
“Hi,”
“I am Kyle.”
“I know you, ” said Belinda, sealing her words with a smile that got her red lips parting slightly. “You are the guy who rides to the college on a bicycle.”
“Yes, I am.”
Kyle’s heart backflipped twice before settling in its chamber.
So she’d also been noticing me, I’d better not mess this up.
“Can I get five minutes of your time?”
“I am sorry you can’t. My father sent me on an errand,” said Belinda. She peeked at her wristwatch. “Alright, I can spare 3. Your time starts now.”
Kyle willed for words, but all that poured out of his mouth was warm air. All he’d memorized were gone, gone with the wind. He’d never been that close to her. They were staring at each other face-to-face, eye-to-eye. His faculty seemed to be shutting down. At a point, he closed his eyes. That moment, words began flowing. First, it came out slowly and with a stutter. Gradually, it gained momentum, flowing as though his larynx had been greased.
There is a stirring from my depth, A strong kindle that begs for words. There is a feeling in my heart, A burning passion that seeks expression. Dark was my world till you came in and illuminated with your sparkling beauty—your bright brown eyes that ushers in each dawn, your radiant smile; reassuring as the Rainbow, your lovely shape; a pathway to treasures untapped. Words may fail in conveying the extent of my love for you, but never this heart that pines for you, that beats by your love. Should it fail, then it had been laid to rest.
Kyle opened his eyes slightly to see if he was making the expected impression, but saw no one except few passersby. He looked around and sighted Belinda way off down the road. He wondered how long he'd been left to himself, displaying what must have appeared to be insanity.
Things we do for love.
He thought, smiled and leaped home triumphantly.
At 2pm on Monday, Belinda was leaving the college and heading home. Her lectures were over for the day. She hadn’t taken much steps off the building when a bicycle rode up to her side.
“Care for a ride?”
“What! Are you stalking me?”
“You left me no other choice since you came into town?”
“That's an offense punishable by law?”
“What law punishes you for filling a person's head till he can think of no other but you?”
“That’s not funny. So, how much information have you gathered?”
“Enough to run with, till I can get you to go out with me.”
“And you were going to do that from a blind position?”
“That was the most comfortable position at the time. You must have heard the saying ‘Love is blind'.”
That got Belinda laughing out loud. Kyle was glad he scored a point with her. Confidence swelled from within like dough.
They both exchanged interests, values, hobbies and the likes. Though they didn’t scratch beyond the surface, it was like what they did daily. Kyle was riding at Belinda’s pace. At a point, he got carried away with the conversation and only realized at the last minute that he’d come too close to the street light. It was too late.
Boom!
He hit the ground and his bicycle tumbled over his left leg.
“Kyle!”
Belinda rushed over, lifted off the bicycle.
“Kyle! Are you alright?” asked Belinda, agitation telling in her voice.
Alright? that’d be a miracle.
“I am fine,” he responded, ignoring the pain that ran through the left side of his body.
Perhaps if the soft, soothing hands of this angelic creature that held onto his arm as she helped him up would hang on some more, they’d have a near miraculous experience.
“Can you now see that love is blind?”
They both bust out laughing.
He was about asking her out when an ash highlander pulled over by their side. It honked twice and waited.
“See you some other time,” Belinda said hurriedly and hopped in.
Kyle watched as the car sped away. He had seen the man behind the wheel on two occasions. He could tell he was her father.
At school the following day, Belinda told Kyle her father asked her to invite him over for dinner. That was beyond his wildest imagination.
By 6 P.M. that Friday, Kyle was at the entrance to the Houstons' home, a neatly constructed Bungalow. Belinda had obviously been awaiting his arrival. At the first ring of the doorbell, she opened and let him in. Her beauty added color to the plain cream gown she wore. Kyle handed her the small tray of pie his mother sent over. He was seated comfortably admiring the outlook of the building. As he saw Mr. Houston walked into the living room, he rose to his feet.
“Pleased to have you here Mr. Glover.”
“The pleasure is all mine.”
They exchanged a handshake and moved over to the dining nearby. The table was set for four. Kyle wondered who the fourth person was. A young boy of not more than fourteen soon raced down the staircase and joined in. Belinda introduced him as Steve, her younger brother. The hearty, sumptuous meal of Beefy stuffed sweet potato steered them on to conversing. Mr. Houston was a principled man. He had kept a watchful eye on Belinda since they moved into town. He knew Kyle had been on her tail of recent and could tell emotion was beginning to stir between the duo. He asked a couple of questions about him and his parents. He didn’t dwell much on those. He was more particular about the future. Being a retired pilot, the conversation changed gear when he learnt Kyle was in the process of becoming an aeronautical engineering. Kyle took his questions like a piece of cake, oozing confidence and intelligence. Belinda like a spectator sat quietly, watching as words flew here and there. She stole glances intermittently at Kyle. Steve raised the earplugs around his neck over his ears. He was obviously less interested in whatever was being discussed. As soon as he was through with his meal, he asked to be excused, directing his request at his father. Mr. Houston replied with a hand gesture, he didn't want to be distracted.
Steve raced up the stairs in the same way he had descended. He had his father’s triangular face and dark brown hair. Kyle concluded Belinda's beauty and black hair must have come from her mother. He later learnt the woman past on about three years ago.
Kyle was a fine young man with a promising future. Though Mr. Houston was trying not to appear overprotective of Belinda, he still wouldn’t give consent to their relationship till he had confirmed one or two things Kyle said about himself. He hoped he wouldn’t be disappointed.
At quarter of nine the following day, as though returning the visit, Mr. Houston located Kyle’s house. Mrs. Glover was tending some flowers in her garden.
“Good morning ma'am,
“Good morning,”
“Does Mr. Kyle Glover live here?”
“Yes, but he is not in.”
“I guess you are his mother.”
“You guessed right.”
“I am Michael Houston, Belinda's father. The pies you sent us yesterday were delicious,” he was saying when Mrs. Glover interrupted.
“Wait a minute, Mike!”
Mr. Houston took a closer look.
“Laura!”
Though its been 22years since they last saw, Mrs. Glover still couldn’t have mistaken Mr. Houston for another, he was her first love.
Memories of their high school days came cascading over them. She asked him in and they relived sweet, old memories. Mike was in the school’s baseball team while Laura was one of the cheerleaders. They were one inseparable couple that year.
He was leaving when Kyle returned. Kyle was so overwhelmed Mr. Houston could come by to see him, he wished he had been around to receive him.
Kyle returned from college one evening and didn’t meet his mother at home. This was unusual. He was thinking of checking her at her workplace when a woman walked in. She was dressed in a wine gown, with complimenting accessories.
“Mama, is that you?”
Kyle couldn’t believe his eyes. He had never seen his mother that radiant and beautiful. She was all smiles. Though in her early forties, she looked 10years younger.
“You didn’t tell me you had an appointment.”
“I am sorry it slipped my mind. In the last two weeks, Mike had asked me out on a date three times but I wasn’t chanced. I had even forgotten I gave him my word for today till he called at noon. I couldn’t turn him down again.”
“Mr. Houston?”
“Yes.”
“How was it?” asked Kyle after a brief silence.
“It was fine. He asked of you.”
“That was kind of him,” said Kyle coldly and left for his room.
Within a while, Kyle had observed some connections between his mother and Mr. Houston, but thought it was only in the spirit of good neighborliness. He never imagined it could generate into a date.
Mother also deserves to be happy.
Belinda and Kyle saw each other daily at the college. Of recent, she noticed he was kind of withdrawn. His words were short and curt. At times, they didn’t go beyond exchanging ‘Hi’. She asked him if anything was wrong but got no reasonable response. She didn't want to press him for words. She hoped he’d come around.
Kyle was at the laundry washing his clothes one Saturday afternoon. He didn’t get the slightest hint he was in for a shocker. His mother returned from an outing with ‘Mr. Lover boy' to inform him he proposed marriage.
Everywhere fell silent like a minute was being observed for the dead. Kyle went dumb and numb.
“Kyle,” his mother called but got no response. She called again, louder this time.
“Yes.”
“I told him it all depends on you.”
“Why say that mother? You know I will always support whatever makes you happy.”
“Thanks, Son. I am so tired I need to get some rest.”
Kyle could hear the creaking sound of her heels as it faded off the passage to her bedroom. When he couldn’t tell the clothes he’d washed from the ones he’d rinsed, he decided to take a break.
What did I just say? Did these two consider I and Belinda at all? How can I become a step to the only girl I ever loved?
In the course of the following week, it was easy for Mrs. Glover to sense that something had gone wrong around the house. Kyle had become more like a squatter. Unlike days when they talked into the night, he spent most of the time locked up in his room.
She called him after dinner one evening and sat him down for discussion.
“Son, you have been strangely cold of late. What is the matter?”
“Nothing.”
“You know you can always tell your old woman anything. Right?”
“Is it about the proposal? I thought you’d always wanted a father figure. It’s rejected already if you are not okay with it.”
There was no response. She probed further.
“Is it because Belinda is leaving town?”
He took on an alarmed countenance
“Don’t tell me you don’t know. Then what do you two talk about?”
She would have informed him, but Kyle had virtually cut all communications since the proposal.
“Belinda's home was one of the many that suffered the recent terrorist invasion on the Eastern region. Many establishments and businesses have been on standstill. Both her parents serve in the Army. Her father; a general, and her mother, a senior nurse. Mike was a family friend who also lived in the region. Belinda's parents entrusted her into his care when they learnt he was relocating. They adopted the little change of identity for her safety. Mike liaised with the college management to get her admitted so she could keep learning pending the time of the upheaval. Normalcy has now been restored. It will shock you to know Belinda is returning tonight. In fact, if she is not already at the airport, she should be preparing to leave the house.”
Kyle hung still, lost and speechless.
“Will you just sit down there gawking and moping?”
He dashed out at his mother’s words, raced down to the Houstons' residence. Steve was the only one at home.
“Hi, what of Belinda?”
“She is not in. She left for your place a while ago.”
“Thanks.”
Kyle launched into a race again, breezing through the air as though he was running for his dear life.
Belinda was leaving when he arrived the compound. When she sighted him from afar, she ran up to him, hugged and kissed him.
All she had time to say was ‘goodbye'.
Kyle had come to dislike the word ‘goodbye’. It was the last his father said and was seen no more
He couldn’t get himself to see her off. He stood watching till she was out of sight.
As Kyle walked into the house, his mother handed him a small heart-shaped envelope. He opened it and found a paper that read:
Hi Kyle,
You made my stay in Virginia fun and memorable. Uncle Mike is a good man, I have told him to transfer the fatherly love and care he showed me to you.
Don’t let me miss your voice, call me:- +201-555-0123
Don’t let me miss your face for long, call on me:- Block 6, Orchard Avenue, Brooklyn, New York.
I hope to visit during Summer.
Love you,
Belinda Jacobs.
©2020
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