GROUNDHOG DAY mixed with SIXTEEN CANDLES and a splash of DOCTOR WHO. A boy forever reincarnated as himself meets his soulmate for the 200th time, but can she solve the puzzle and break the curse to make herself his last?
*****
Martha Beckett's life...
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March 29, 1995
Martha grabbed the maroon hooded sweatshirt from her closet. The mornings were still cold, though nothing like the bleak, painful winter which had somehow lasted five oppressive months. Then last week came and spring overtook winter. Gray and brown turned blue and green. Life killed death.
It was unlike anything Martha had witnessed. Southern California's seasons were blurred and flat, like a psych patient on too many mood stabilizers. This was pure joy out of crippling despair.
She left her bedroom for the bathroom and brushed her teeth. Then she fished through her plastic makeup drawer and found her mahogany lipstick to match the sweatshirt.
As a senior, James was able to forego a study hall and start the day an hour late, so it was rare for him to drive her to school. Martha didn't understand why he kept his first period open. He supposedly woke up at 5 a.m. each morning without an alarm. She would love to ride to school with her boyfriend instead of on the bus with the broken heater and blown out shocks. But starting the day on unique paths was important, or so he said. For whatever reason, today was different.
The doorbell rang. She grabbed her backpack and walked downstairs to answer.
He smiled and said, "Good morning, Martha Beckett."
She nodded. "James Quinn."
"Okay if I come in?"
"Sure..." she said slowly. Her father had left a half an hour ago and the house was empty but for the pair of teenagers.
James walked past her and into the kitchen. She followed. He turned to face her, leaned against the counter and said, "You hate surprises."
"Yes... I... Wait, is this your freaky way of telling me you have a surprise?"
He cracked a smile and nodded. "We are not going to school today."
"Wha..." Her shock forced out a laugh. "No. No, I'm going... What do you..."
"Take a breath," he said. "Calm down. It's the perfect day for it. You don't have any tests or anything significant to turn in. Two of your classes will have substitutes. It's nothing you'll miss."
"I don't know..." Martha had never ditched school and had no plans to. She did her best to stay out of trouble and had, thus far, succeeded. "I don't think we should-" "It's already happening, Martha."
"What does that mean?"
"I've already called the office for you."
"How? No. You... You can't just do that without asking me!"
"I know, I know." He approached her, lay his hands on her shoulders, and halved her anxiety. "But I already have asked you. And you say yes. But then you don't get any sleep the night before. And..." He altered his cadence and inflection. "My impression of your father always creeps you out, Marty."
