Time and Again

It was a gift from her mother--the beta version of her invention, The Redux 3000. Her mom had spent a lifetime researching time travel and The Redux bracelet was the result. Cassie was one of several test subjects asked to test the new technology.

She did test it, once, right after her wedding. She set the save feature to remember that as the best day in her life. The next morning, she pressed the sequence of stones triggering a time warp to the day before. It was fun but she couldn’t see using the feature on a regular basis. Still, no one was hurt.

She could think of a dozen things she would do over now. Like not having children so soon, and agreeing so readily to be the stay-at-home parent. She adored her children, but still, the monotony of the day today routine of cleaning dirty faces and changing diapers was something she was willing to do without.

‘Maybe now is a good time to try the bracelet again. It wouldn’t hurt anyone just change the timing. I would still have my babies just not now.’

The gurgling, coming through the baby monitor, told her the twins were awake. Cassie looked longingly at the bracelet before slipping it back in the box. Tim and Tasha clapped in glee when their mom entered nursery. Cassie loved how she was the center of their universe but at the same time, being the center of anyone’s universe implied a lot of responsibility.

"Hey, guys, its time to dress for daddy. We can’t let him think we run around here in our underwear all day." Cassie’s motherly affection warmed her voice and her smile.

As her routine was to wear sweats during the day and change for dinner, she did the same with the toddlers. During the day, they wore cotton t-shirts and diapers, but they dressed for their daddy. It was part of the deal they made when she agreed to stay home. The day was hers to do with as she saw fit, but the nights were Kevin’s, and he liked his family to dine together in all the formality he experienced growing up.

The twins were adorable with round innocent faces and downy soft red curls atop their heads. Both had Kevin’s brown eyes but the freckles and hair came from her. Cassie smiled as she dressed them, then she sat Tim down on the floor. He was off like a flash with his black dress shoes clamoring across the tile floors. Tasha was more content to hold two of Cassie’s fingers and walk with her to the kitchen.

Dinner was ready, the kids were dressed, where was Kevin? By seven, the twins grew cranky from hunger and Cassie’s attempts to keep them clean and muss-free. Cassie went to the kitchen and called up Kevin’s extension on the monitor. She was not surprised when his recorded image came on and asked her to leave a message. Lately, she had talked to the recording more than she had the man.

He was plain by most standards, but to her, he was a dream with dark brown eyes and his clean-cut looks. He was refreshing in his imperfections against the likes of the beauty kings she once dated. Plastic surgery made beautiful too common for her tastes.

Cassie left a quick message and signed off. She berated herself for worrying. This was the third time this week that he had come home late without calling. She turned on the entertainment system, and chose a jaunty song by a pair of talking dogs. The children giggled and clapped their hands. Cassie put them in their highchairs and served up dinner.