The Only

The Glitch

Because of the immediate shock of the information received, "Wowser" was the only word that escaped her lips. She just met a future version of her daughter and was left stunned and without the proper way to express how she was feeling. Standing face to face with the gangly blonde with short-cropped hair and a streak of red that clearly symbolized her rebellious nature, Max recognized the girl's slumped posture and knew it mirrored her own when she was that age.

"I'm sorry for spying on you," the teenager softly admitted, breaking the awkward silence. "I just... I dunno... I have a lot of questions." Max noticed the girl wasn't making eye contact and assumed she inherited the same anxious and self-doubting energy that plagued her during those younger years.

"Hey, it's okay, Destiny." The brunette took a step forward and tenderly placed her hand on the girl's shoulder with her head tilted upward looking into beautiful sapphire eyes that matched her own. "Take a deep breath and find a calm spot in your mind. That's what helped me when I was your age." Most people with kids are afforded the opportunity to slowly watch their children grow up and somehow figure out how to communicate with them along the way. Max had been thrown into a conversation with a girl she loved with every beat of her heart but didn't really know. Communication would have to be learned quickly and on the fly.

Without hesitation, the teenager stepped forward and wrapped her long arms around her mother's neck. Max felt her body slightly shaking and could feel the pulse under her skin thumping rapidly. Something about the embrace and raw emotion compelled the brunette to lower her eyelids and an immediate adoring and heartfelt warmth surged through her body. She released the hug and looked up at her daughter's face. She was smiling and her confidence was building.

"Will you come with me? I'm sure Chloe is worried sick right about now. Let's go back to our place and talk." She stretched out her arm, palm facing the sky, in hopes of building a mutual trust.

"Sure," the blonde hesitantly responded as she took hold of her mother's hand. "I prefer 'Des'."

"What?" Max asked, a little confused.

"I... I haven't heard you say my full first name in years," the younger girl stuttered. "Most people call me 'Des' now. Is that okay with you?" Her voice trembled a bit but had a thin, sharp edge to it.

"Yeah, of course. Whatever you want." It felt weird to shorten her daughter's name, but the adult was trying to be as careful as she could to not scare Des away. The girl had clearly traveled through time to be there, and frightening her off was the last thing Max wanted.

After sharing marginal smiles, the girls slowly twisted around and began walking back towards the festival where the toddler and her mom were waiting. Following the first few steps, Max's cellphone vibrated from her back jeans pocket, and she knew it was her wife attempting to reach her. She retrieved the device and confirmed it was her soulmate's message, replying with a mere thumbs-up emoji. Years ago, her best friend hated that she sent emojis all the time but they slowly grew on her. Chloe even began to use them herself after realizing their usefulness to convey thoughts and emotions quickly without having to type full sentences.

The mother-daughter pair didn't speak except once when Max asked Des if she wanted a bite to eat. The girl shook her head and they continued walking. As they approached the bench, before making their way past the brick half-wall that separated the road from the sidewalk, she spotted Chloe's extended arm in the air waving back and forth in their direction obviously relieved to see her. Her hand movement slowed and her eyes narrowed, and Max could almost hear her wife's gears turning, wondering about their new teenage companion.

"New friend, Maxter?" The taller of the three stood and greeted them with one palm against her hip and the other hand holding the toddler's. "She's hella cute; look at those beautiful freckles." A strange spired tickle of unseen energy swirled amongst the group. All four felt the rush including the toddler, who began to giggle at the sensation. It only lasted several seconds and then died down as quickly as it began.