Chapter 54: Seasoned with Time

Saturday, September 17th, 2005:

Josh woke to the warmth of Katie nestled against him, her steady breathing a comforting rhythm. He savored the moment, holding her close before pressing a soft kiss to the back of her head. Careful not to wake her, he slid out of bed, grabbing his work clothes and heading to the bathroom to shower and prepare for the day.

As the hot water cascaded over him, he replayed their conversation from the night before.

Katie had placed a hand on his chest, her expression serious. “I need to tell you something first.”

Josh had tensed, his mind immediately racing through possibilities. His concern turned into a mix of amusement and relief when she continued, “Aunt Flow is in town, so ... no fun for us.”

He had burst out laughing, unable to contain it. Katie, however, had only pouted, crossing her arms in mock indignation. “It’s not funny,” she grumbled.

Still chuckling, Josh had wrapped his arms around her. “I’m sorry, it’s just—of all the timing! You have to admit, it’s at least a little ironic.”

Katie sighed dramatically. “Yeah, I see the irony, but that doesn’t mean I have to be happy about it. I was really looking forward to ... well, you know.”

Josh had kissed her forehead. “I can wait. Just having you here, getting to sleep next to you again after all these years—it’s enough.”

She had smiled, snuggling closer. “I missed this too.”

They had drifted off to sleep soon after, wrapped in each other’s warmth.

Now, as Josh finished getting dressed, he moved into the kitchen, preparing his usual healthy breakfast. Before leaving, he scribbled a quick note and left it on the counter:

Good morning, beautiful. I loved waking up next to you. Enjoy your day, the house is yours. I should be home around 1 or 2 PM. Love, Josh.

After cleaning up his dishes, he headed to the garage, slid into the driver’s seat of his Mazda, and took off for work.

Katie stirred awake some time later, stretching lazily before noticing Josh’s absence. A small sigh escaped her lips as she pushed herself up. After a warm shower, she changed into comfortable lounge clothes she had packed and made her way downstairs.

As she entered the kitchen, her eyes landed on Josh’s note. A smile spread across her face as she read it. “Love you too, dork,” she murmured, folding the note neatly and tucking it aside before looking for breakfast.

Her smile quickly faded as she rummaged through the fridge and cabinets. “Ugh, it’s all health food,” she groaned. No sugary cereals, no pastries—just eggs, protein bars, and an array of organic-looking ingredients she didn’t recognize. Resigning herself to cooking, she cracked a couple of eggs into a pan and toasted some bread.

Sitting down to eat, she took a bite of the toast—and immediately regretted it. “What the hell is this?” she mumbled, grimacing at the dry, flavorless texture. She pushed it aside and searched the kitchen for something—anything—to improve the taste, but came up empty. “He doesn’t even have peanut butter? Seriously?” With a sigh, she abandoned the toast and focused on her eggs instead.

After cleaning up, Katie wandered through the house, taking in her surroundings with fresh eyes. She trailed her fingers over the bookshelves, noting the mixture of martial arts manuals, history books, and a large collection of manga. Peeking into his computer room, she took in the meticulously organized desk. It struck her—how familiar, yet unfamiliar—seeing fragments of the man she had known so well, yet realizing just how much he had changed.

Eventually, boredom crept in, and she settled on the couch, flipping through channels until she landed on something mildly entertaining. She had just started zoning out when a noise at the front door made her sit up, her heart skipping a beat.

Someone was outside.

Katie froze, her mind immediately running through possibilities. Was it Josh coming back early? No, he wouldn’t have needed to knock or come through the front door. Was it a neighbor? A delivery? Or—her stomach twisted—a stranger?

Slowly, she stood up, her bare feet making no sound against the floor. She crept toward the door, heart pounding as she hesitated just beside it. Whoever it was hadn’t knocked again, but she could hear faint shuffling on the other side. Her fingers hovered over the lock, indecision gripping her.

Then, just as she was about to call out, the doorknob rattled.

Her breath caught in her throat.

Whoever was on the other side ... they were trying to get in.

Josh stocked the shelves with practiced efficiency, his mind half-focused on his task and half on what he should cook for dinner. His thoughts drifted to Katie—if she was going to be staying over more often, it would probably be best to stock up on food she actually liked. He smirked to himself, realizing just how much she would hate his health-conscious meal options. He made a mental note to pick up some of her favorites before heading home.

Once he had finished his work, Josh took a moment to chat with Sensei Chang, updating him on the conversation with Katie’s parents and the fact that she would be staying with him for the weekend. Sensei listened thoughtfully, nodding as Josh spoke.

“Sensei nodded knowingly. “You and Katie have been given a rare gift, and I trust that you are both handling it with the wisdom that comes from experience. I am glad for you, Josh—just remember to balance your heart with your mind as you move forward.”

Josh bowed slightly in appreciation. “Thank you, Sensei. I promise, I’m thinking things through carefully.”

After wrapping up his conversation, Josh grabbed a basket and moved through the store, selecting items he knew Katie would appreciate. He picked out some snacks, cereals, and other comfort foods she had enjoyed in their past life, balancing indulgence with practicality. As he reached the register, Mrs. Chang gave him a knowing smile and started bagging his items before he could even pull out his wallet.

“Mrs. Chang, you need to ring those up,” Josh protested.

She waved him off. “Nonsense. You do so much for us, Josh. Let this be a small thank you.”

Josh hesitated but eventually gave in, smiling as he thanked her. He loaded everything into his Mazda before heading to Fisher’s Meats to see if they were still open. To his relief, the open sign was still lit. He stepped inside, debating between spare ribs or the St. Louis cut. After a quick discussion with the butcher, he walked out with four racks of St. Louis-style ribs and a few other cuts of meat they didn’t carry at the mini-mart.

With his groceries secured, Josh stopped for gas before finally heading home. As he pulled into the garage and shut off the engine, he heard voices coming from inside the house. He assumed Katie had just turned the TV up loud and thought nothing of it. Gathering the bags from the trunk, he walked through the back door and called out.

“Hey, Katie! I thought you might like it if I got some food you actually enjoy, since it looks like you’ll be staying over more often.”

As he stepped into the kitchen, he froze. Sitting at the table with Katie was his mother, Dorothy.

Dorothy turned to him, her expression neutral but filled with unspoken thoughts. “I was sitting out on the porch and saw movement inside your house. I knew you weren’t home, so I got worried you were being robbed. When I got closer and saw it was just a small girl, I figured I could take her if it came down to it.” She chuckled, but her eyes remained sharp. “I went back to get my key, knocked, but she didn’t answer. So, I let myself in and scared the living daylights out of her.”

Katie, unfazed, simply smiled. “Well, that was definitely an entrance.”

Dorothy leaned back in her chair. “So, we had some time to talk while you were gone. When were you going to tell me you started dating?”

Josh sighed, setting the bags down. “Hold that thought,” he said before heading back outside to retrieve the rest of the groceries. When he returned, he kissed Katie lightly and began putting things away. “It all started just a week ago,” he explained. “I met her at a football game. I talked with her mom and sister first, then we all went out to eat. It was like love at first sight. We talked for hours that night, and last night, I finally met her dad. After we talked, she asked if she could stay over. I actually planned to invite you over for dinner tonight so you could meet her family, but if that didn’t work, I was going to invite you over for lunch tomorrow.”

Dorothy listened intently, but something was clearly bothering her. Her eyes flicked to Katie, taking in her youthful features. “Josh, I need to ask ... how old is she?”

Josh noticed the worry on his mother’s face. He reached across the table and gently took her hand. “Mom, I understand what you’re thinking, but it’s not what it seems. There’s a lot I need to tell you, but I’m afraid you might not be able to handle it.”

Dorothy frowned, her eyes wide with curiosity. “What do you mean?”

Josh took a deep breath, gathering his courage. “Do you recall when I was ten years old, and it felt like my entire personality underwent a sudden transformation?”

He held her gaze, trying to convey the gravity of his words. “The reason for that change was that my mind was transported back in time to my ten-year-old body. I was sixty-five years old, living in the year 2051, when I had a heart attack. Death presented me with an extraordinary opportunity, and I seized it. It sent me back to 1996, where I found myself in my ten-year-old self once again.”

Dorothy blinked, her mind reeling from the information. “What? Are you serious?”

“I assure you, Mom. In that life, I was married to Katie. She also traveled back in time as well, but only to the year 2005. She’s been back for a few weeks now.”

Dorothy sat back in her chair, her mind struggling to comprehend the entire scenario. “So, you’re telling me that you died in the year 2051, traveled back to 1996, and have been living your life again, and now Katie has done the same, but she’s returned to the year 2005? And she was your wife?”

Josh nodded, his expression grave. “That’s the truth, Mom. I’m afraid this is a lot to take in.”

Dorothy stared at him, searching his face. And then, slowly, it hit her—the small things, the way he had always seemed so mature, the way he had taken on responsibilities beyond his years, the depth in his eyes that no child should have. Her breath hitched as realization dawned.

Her voice quiet but firm. “Danny?”

Josh nodded, his expression hardening. “Yes. I provoked him on purpose because, in my first life, Danny had destroyed our family. He had wormed his way into our family and slowly poisoned us against each other, manipulating you into dependence and driving Joel and William into resentment. While I watched helplessly as our home fractured even more around me, feeling powerless to stop it, I couldn’t let that happen again.”

Dorothy exhaled sharply, shaking her head as she processed this revelation. “I always knew something was off about him, but I never saw it coming. And you lived through all of it?”

Josh nodded again. “Every last bit. That’s why I made sure he didn’t get a chance to this time.”

Dorothy turned her gaze to Katie, studying her carefully. “So, you’re a time traveler too?”

Katie nodded. “Yeah, I died in 2024 and was sent back to 2005. A car accident took my life, and this dummy—” she nudged Josh gently, offering him a sad smile “—keeps blaming himself for it. But it wasn’t his fault. I just wish I’d gotten the chance to meet our child.”

Dorothy’s eyes softened as she reached across the table, covering Katie’s hand with her own. “You were pregnant?”

Katie swallowed hard and nodded. “Yeah. We never got to find out if it was a boy or a girl.” Her voice wavered, and Josh squeezed her other hand in silent support. “It still hurts, but I’ve had to remind myself that this is a second chance. A chance to live our lives differently.”

Dorothy sat back, letting that information settle before asking, “And when did you figure out Josh was a time traveler?”

Katie chuckled, though the memory was still fresh. “At the restaurant after the football game. He got emotional when I tested him by referencing a song that hadn’t been released yet. That’s when I knew.” She glanced at Josh with a teasing smile. “Big tough guy got all misty-eyed in the middle of Pizza King.”

Josh groaned. “You don’t have to remind me.”

Katie grinned. “Oh, I absolutely do. Anyway, when I brought up the song, Josh got emotional and blurted out everything he’d been holding in for years. He apologized, told me how much he regretted everything, and poured his heart out right there in the middle of Pizza King. My mom and Hannah found out that night, and my dad just learned the truth yesterday. Now, my parents are planning to sit down and discuss whether they’ll allow Josh and me to get married when I turn sixteen or if they’ll make us wait until I’m eighteen.”