The Smallest Parallel

Epilogue

Geoffrey sat alone in the corner of the café, nursing a warm cup of coffee. A few months ago, he and Marguerite met here. He wondered what his future would look like. He supposed that the possibilities were endless. He didn't understand how the future could seem so full of potential and distant when the future was in the next minute, or even the next second.

            He waited there, hoping for some direction or some sort of sign... not that he believed in signs. He'd been called to this spot for a meeting or sorts, or a discussion. He couldn't be sure.

            She came through the door suddenly, dancing on her tiptoes and breezing past the barista with an envelope in her hand. Her hair was pulled back and her eyes seemed to smile. She looked radiant as she arrived at his table.

            She pulled the chair across from his and sat gracefully, smiling as she did so.

            "I'm so sorry I'm late, Geoffrey," she said, "But I realized that everything I had to say couldn't be verbalized."

            She handed him the envelope, which was much thicker than it had looked.

            "It's alright, Marguerite," he said, "Punctuality was never the basis of this friendship anyways."

            She laughed. She looked different than she had a few months ago. She was wearing make-up, which he found quite odd.

            "I know that you're puzzled about my sudden calling. We haven't seen each other in three months. Of course you're puzzled. But... Geoffrey, there are a few things we need to discuss."

            She held up her left hand, and he saw the ring. It was quite large, and it reflected the light coming in from the window into both of his eyes. He threw a hand up.

            "Oh! I'm sorry, Geoff." She blushed. She moved her hand to her hairline, pushing back her hair to reveal the scalp underneath. It was a wig.

            "It's alright, Geoffrey," she said. "Don't look so frightened. The chemo is actually working as it should. My chances are looking great. I'll explain the wedding ring as well. It's actually an interesting story. I hope you have time."

            "I have all the time in the world," he said, "It's actually frozen here."

            She laughed at him.

            It was then that she told Geoffrey the abridged version of everything that happened. Yes, she spared him the confusion that I've put you through. She left out the parallel universe and instead told him about what she had been doing in this reality. She hadn't seen Geoffrey since they'd bumped into each other a few days prior to her diagnosis.

            The story she told was the story of a girl who was faced with the uncertainty of life. She had been given this second chance, one she wasn't sure what to do with. She'd made some friends along the way, but she knew that something was missing from this life. She knew that there was somebody out there who needed a second chance as well. Of course, it had been her childhood best friend Geoffrey.

            Marguerite explained that everything became clear to her in those final days before the wedding. She could use this second chance to inspire those around her. She couldn't allow Geoffrey to live passively; he needed to choose life.

            During this strange story, Geoffrey began to realize those monumental changes that had taken place within Marguerite. She'd become a woman who lived as she chose and made decisions for herself. She was no longer chasing fantasies and escaping into imagined far off worlds. She was present, and she was herself.

            "So," Geoffrey said as Marguerite finished speaking, "You married a stranger."

            "Yes," she said, "But he's actually a great friend of mine. We've chosen to view this as a chance to get to know one another. If we don't want to be involved, we'll just view this as a legal agreement."

            Geoffrey looked at her. Even though she had changed, he still fell short of understanding her decisions and her mentality. However, that was unimportant.

            "And what happened to your friend Saraiya?" he asked.

            She lowered her head, allowing Geoffrey to make an assumption.

            "It was a beautiful funeral," she said, "It was exactly as we had planned it."

            "I'm sorry," Geoffrey said.

            "It's alright, Geoff. Sometimes life is cut short. She did everything she was meant to do. Some of us get to do that before we leave. That's actually what I came to talk to you about."

            Geoffrey was confused once again, but Marguerite quickly fixed that.

            "In the envelop, you'll find three letters. Two of them are addressed to you, one to your mother. The first one details what's going to happen from here on out."

            "So you've decided my future for me," he said, inquisitive as ever.

            "Sort of," she said, "You're going to be a wonderful detective. The second and third letter go together. You and your mother are meant to read those together. It's going to be difficult, but I think that they will offer a lot of closure. There may even be a chance for reconciliation."

            Geoffrey looked at the envelope that occupied the middle of their table. He thought it strange that some of his future was just inside, waiting to be opened. Of course he was going to be a detective. That was the answer he'd been searching for, the goal he'd lost sight of now coming back to him in the roundabout way.

            "I do hope you'll take my advice," Marguerite said, "I have to go now. I'm running late."

            She giggled as she checked her watch and stood from the table.

            "I'll see you again soon," she said, turning to leave.

            She was out the door before Geoffrey could respond, but he knew what he needed to do next. Everything suddenly seemed much clearer. Geoffrey stood from the table, grabbing his coat and the envelope that contained things that were currently, but temporarily, unknown. He couldn't help but feel excited.

            He walked outside into the dreary day. Perhaps he should have rethought his attire; the rain was arriving soon. Though the rain was like most things he supposed. It arrived suddenly and left just the same, leaving many things in its wake. Whatever was to come, he was completely unprepared for. Though I suppose that's where the excitement lies, in the unknown.

The End...