Chapter 15 - You Can Speed Up Your Life if You Want to, That's Easy.Winding Down Is What's Hard

December 17^th 1996

I woke up the next morning to Danielle being gone from the bed. I pulled on some fresh clothing and headed downstairs. As I had told my sisters, it was raining, and it was a heavy downfall. I found my backpack in the Livingroom where I had left it, and grabbed it before noticing Danielle on the couch, feeding our son. I walked over to her and gave her a kiss on the forehead before heading to the bathroom and doing the usual morning stuff. I returned to the Livingroom dressed in my workout gear.

“You’re still going running in the rain?” She asked.

“Yeah, gotta get in shape for the future. I’d invite you with, but with Joel.” I started but trailed off.

“Yeah, just don’t catch a cold out there.” Danielle said.

I headed out, intending on jogging my way around the block a few times. As I did, I thought back about the past couple of days. It had been a long haul so far. Meagan and Chloe were on my side. They had created Danielle as my twin sister, who knew the whole story, and I now had a son. All things that had never existed the first time around. Even if I couldn’t change the future for any of my other sisters, or family, I was happy with the results, at least for now.

The next big event I had to watch out for was going back to school. The first time around during this year, Heidy had broken up with me, not the other way around. I would more than likely have to answer for that. The first time, after a couple weeks of me not caring, because I didn’t, she had approached me, thrown me into a bear hug and refused to let me go until I agreed to take her back. This time, I’d have to be ready for that. Before any of that though, I had to make it thru the holidays unscathed. I couldn’t remember how those days went. It was a bit of a blur. I knew my mother and sisters had left me alone while they did things together, but I couldn’t remember what.

As I tried to remember, I ended up at the rental property as Mother and my sisters were heading out.

“Josh! You’re soaked.” Chloe said, as she ran up to me when she spotted me.

“Yeah, well, exersize.” I said.

“Where’s Danielle?” Chloe asked.

“At her house with the baby.” I said. “You couldn’t expect her to come out with him in this, or leave him home alone.”

“Okay, I’ll get mom to drive you back so you can get changed. She’s taking us to Sea World.” Chloe said.

I remembered that day.

“Hard pass.” I said.

“What?” She asked.

“Because of the rain, there will be no live attractions, so it will be the equivalent of going to a shitty aquarium. So nothing to see but an empty park.” I pointed out.

“Oh.” Chloe said.

“Come on Chloe! We’re gonna miss the shows!” Fawn said.

“Give me a minute!” Chloe yelled back. “You know, that has to suck, knowing how things will turn out.” Chloe said.

“A little.” I pointed out.

“You never mentioned what happens with Danielle. Meagan and I were talking about it last night.” Chloe said.

“Oh? I didn’t?” I said before giving her a big grin and turning back the way I came.

I jogged off, not sure of what to tell them. Do I tell them that until last night she wasn’t my twin sister? Or that she didn’t even exist until my birthday? I decided against any actions like that for now. When I made it back to Danielle’s house, I was soaked, and I headed inside. I took a hot shower and then joined Danielle on the couch. We spent the rest of the day watching movies, just the three of us, until her parents came home. During the time of watching movies, I got to practice my skills in burping and changing diapers. Something I hadn’t done since my nephews had been born. After dinner, and we put Joel to bed, I was taken back to the rental by Danielle and Uncle Robert. They dropped me off and I headed inside. Just two days left, now and then I’d be back in New York. I got showered and changed up, only to come out of the bathroom to Mother and the girls arriving back.

“Well, how was your day?” Mother asked.

“It was fine.” I said.

“And how’s that Harlot of a twin sister?” She asked.

I wanted to snap at her. I wanted to tell her off. But I didn’t. I played it as cool as I could.

“What do you mean?” I asked without looking at her.

“I mean how’s she doing? Shouldn’t I care about my daughter who runs off and gets pregnant with some random asshole and keeps the bastard son?” She asked.

I felt angry, I had known Danielle for 2 days, but thanks to Guri, I had a real attachment to her. She was the mother of my child and my twin sister. I cared about her. I’d rather be with her than dealing with my mother. Would life be so hard if I just stayed here? Stayed with Danielle? Left the girls to live the lives they should’ve? No, probably not, but that would only make life stay the same. I’d still be the introvert I had been in my first life.