N.E Heartbreak

Chapter 18

Chapter 18
Michael

1991

With Jacque's due date a few weeks away (31 August), I decided to do something special for her by tracing her entire family tree as far back as I could to put on a big quilt.

As I was doing my research, it struck me as super weird that Jacque and Cassie were born only four months apart in 1967. It was just so unlikely.

So I started a different kind of research. I called Mister Ed— my uncle-in-law— to ask questions about Jacque's parents— his blood sister and brother-in-law. He honestly couldn't give me much. Besides the girls coming to visit during the summer, he hardly had contact with his sister after she moved to New Orleans from Boston. He got the occasional school or holiday picture of the girls but other than that, nothing.

It was weird. So I called around in New Orleans about the different schools and things the girls did. Their high school, Edna Karr, had barely any records on them which confused me farther. Jacque was on the basketball team and she was the first female drum major for their band. Why didn't they have anything on at least her? Dance schools, vocal classes— nothing.

This can't be right. I know my wife. My best friend. She was born and raised in New Orleans and Boston. I've known her my whole life. Or have I?

Naturally, I bought this information to the guys and they could hardly wrap their heads around the fact that our wives and best friends may not exist.

"Mike, I know my wife, okay? Stephanie Ashely Wallace-Gill exists. We couldn't get married— you or Ralph— if they didn't have a social security number. Driver's license, birth certificates, nothing." Johnny tries to argue me down.

"I don't want to believe it either, but can you explain it?" I shrug.  

"Remember when we were first practicing for If It Isn't Love?" Ricky asks.

"And we did the dance battle, yeah. Why?" Ronnie nods. We all think back to that day. The most I remember is Bob being Bob and fighting with Steph over something stupid.

"Well, Steph sang some songs. Parts of songs. Something about sensitivity." Ricky says.

"She said "My, my, my. Sensitivity showing, eh? Are we rubbing you the wrong way?" Those were her exact words." Ralph says quietly as he stares at the wall. I sit up straighter as I think.

"It isn't just a coincidence that Ralph has a song called Sensitivity and Johnny has songs called My My My and Rub You the Right Way. And all of them are written by the girls," I say. I look at Ronnie and Ricky. "And come on, why did Jacque ride so hard on us forming BBD?" They don't answer. I look at Ralph. "Why did Cassie throw a fit when you wanted to shelf your album after her miscarriage?"

Ralph flinches at the word. It still upsets them. "So what? You saying we don't know our wives and best friends?" Ralph snaps. "I know my wife and mother of my kids. I know her."

"And I think I know Jacque. But honestly, do we?" I ask, looking at all of the guys. "They seem to know how our lives are going to go before it happens. Every time something happens, they call it out on us beforehand and it happens."

"So you saying they can tell the future?" Bobby asks, speaking for the first time. He has really cleaned himself up after Steph basically told him he wouldn't be in her life if he didn't.

"I think they don't belong here. In the 1980s or 1990s. I think they're from a different time. From the future." I say and it's quiet for a minute before they all start laughing.