Leap

Chapter Thirty One- Fourth of July

Authors note: hello friends. Now that my second year of college has started I'm not going to be updating as much! I don't remember if I said so or not. But I'm gonna be putting 'DROPS' on hiatus for awhile and focus on THIS one, since more people are reading it plus I know everything that's gonna happen and there MIGHT end up being a part three. Thanks for sticking around xx

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The one thing Roy Walker always looked forward to was opening his eyes in the morning and seeing MacKenzie gazing back at him.

"You're so beautiful," he said softly.

MacKenzie yawned and stretched, nuzzled into Roy and smiled.

"Im calling Peaches asap to come over."

"Whys that?"

"We're no longer doing business with that family," MacKenzie replied.

"Understandable..." Roy shrugged, bringing her in close. "What do you wanna do now?"

"Sleep," MacKenzie mumbled.

"No, like income."

"Oh. Yeah. I got some ideas I guess."

Roy sighed. "Right."

And later that morning as Peaches set down her lipstick stained teacup and pursed her lips she also said: "Right."

"I'm sorry," MacKenzie sighed. "We're just not interested in doing business with either of you."

"Shame. I really wanted you there." She turned to Roy. "I'm told the girls just adored you. You'd make a great father. Have you two ever considered children?"

"Yeah maybe," MacKenzie said quickly.

Peaches smiled. "Any particular reason you're terminating our relationship?"

"We don't need a reason," Roy said quietly.

"Actually we're moving!" MacKenzie blurted out.

"What? No we're not..."

MacKenzie elbowed Roy in the arm and smiled.

"Fair enough," Peaches smiled. "Hm. You let me know when you're leaving." She embraced MacKenzie and kissed Roy on the forehead. Gross. "I'd love to say goodbye."

As Peaches grinned and shut the front door Roy looked at MacKenzie in disbelief.

"Kenzie, what's this about moving?"

"I'm really thinking about it. My family needs me and I don't now how much longer my aunt had left."

"The one with cancer."

"And honestly, Roy, this might have something to do with income."

"Where's your family again?"

"Langdon."

"Kay..."

"Come on. After the one year thing. We get the fuck out of this city of pipe dreams. Or you show me Oklahoma. Or we go to New York or something. Or you don't come with me and I go by myself."

"Escaping isn't the answer," Roy said softly.

"It's not escaping, it's moving on."

"You think have an answer for everything."

"You know it's July fourth, right? You wanna light firecrackers and have hammock sex?"

"What?" Roy laughed.

"Or, you know, we can wait here till Alice shows up and do some sort of nice family picnic."

"July 14th."

"Huh?"

"July 14th. That's the uh, one year thing."

"That's right."

"Weird, huh."

"Could be," MacKenzie shrugged.

And Roy had nearly forgotten. He had nearly forgotten that in ten days, the one year thing, as MacKenzie put it, was to happen. July 14th. He hadn't even remembered the date. But she had somehow. Another insignificant date in history. 1915. To most.

After all this time, it went far too fast. His 27th birthday had come and went. This entire time, he had found himself utterly alone, broken and fucking terrified, left the city of pipe dreams he had once fled to for stardom.

He fell back in love with his childhood best friend, overdosed, got punched in the face.

He fled back to the city of pipe dreams, fell back in love with a person who saw right through him and mourned the death of the other.

And all these months after, following her around the city, watching her hair grow, and the unchanging seasons of the coast, hell popping up in his left nostril and lowlifes threatening to slit his throat.

And several times, actually considered what it would be like to have children. If he took that extra step, made her his wife.

None of this. None of this would have happened if he hadn't jumped. And the butterfly effect terrified him.

He felt like he was coming to a crossroads at this point in his life. All that had happened. The library, the diner, Dahlia's death...it had only been one year.

A year ago that day he got out of bed and sped to the studio, practically running inside to do whatever was asked of him. Odd jobs, errands, just another stagehand.

He bothered highly paid people until he was finally given a chance, albeit a hesitant one, Roy liked to call is persistence, and he got what he wished for.

He ran to the movie studio ten days before he would wake up paralyzed in a hospital bed.

A year later he woke up in the bed of a nurse he had only met twice in that suffocating place meant for healing.

Funny how things work out.

Funny how things work out.

"Funny how things work out."

"Huh?"

Roy paid a visit to the bookstore down the road from the library, surprised to see the shelves slowly emptying and boxes filled.

The young girl looked up puzzled and recognized him.

"We're closing."

"Hey I remember you," Roy said.

The girl smiled bashfully. "Yeah. We're closing."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"All books are free," she said quietly.

"I'm sure the library would take them as a donation," Roy suggested.

"How'd that work out for you?"

"Some things just don't work out," Roy said.

"I don't know what to do," the girl frowned.

"Me too," Roy replied.