Read Online Time Leap by Steve Howrie - Free Book Online Page A

introduced
himself as Ed, then said “Oh, just a sec…” and went to a desk
drawer, searching through a stack of papers. “I know it’s here
somewhere…” After a few minutes, he found a dirty looking
handwritten A4 sheet, which could well have been the paper Joe2
gave him several years ago. “This is it,” he said handing me the
sheet. I took it from Ed, making a mental note to disinfect my
hands later.
    I thanked the man, wished
him well, and began walking down the stairs towards the ground
floor. But a few steps down, a thought struck me – right out of the
blue.
    “ Ed, if you could turn back time, what would you do
differently?” He said, without hesitation, “I wouldn’t have run
that red light.”
    *
    It was just a short walk
for Niki from Hyde Park to her parents’ home. She had hoped for
three things: first that they were still alive and well; second,
they hadn’t moved from the family home; and third, at least one of
them was home.
    She rang the bell with
some trepidation. She was acutely aware that she was ten years
younger, and her parents ten years older, and that could be
difficult to explain. And what if Niki2 was with them? How would
Gloria deal with two Nikis? Fortunately, Niki wasn’t there – but
she was in for another shock.
    “ Hello? Can I
help you?” Niki’s father, Tang, opened the door, but clearly didn’t
recognise her. Had she changed so much in all these
years?
    “ It’s me, Ling
Ling, Baba.”
    He looked very puzzled.
“Do I know you?” he asked.
    Just then, she heard
Gloria’s voice from behind the door. “It’s okay Tang, it’s Ling
Ling – our daughter, remember… come in dear.”
    Niki entered the house
and was hugged by her mother. “I’m sorry, but he’s not getting any
better. I shouldn’t be surprised, it’s exactly what the doctors
said would happen. But it’s hard to take. At least he still
recognises me. Anyway, come and sit down – I’ll make some tea.”
Niki took a seat in the lounge and looked around. Everything was
much the same as it was ten years before, except older looking. And
then came the second big shock. “I guess Joe’s looking after the
baby?”
    Niki looked quickly
around the room, and saw a lot more pictures of Joe and herself –
and a baby girl! ‘Oh–my–god!’ she whispered. ‘She’s
beautiful!’
    Gloria brought in a pot
of green tea and two cups. “Her birthday can’t be far away,” she
said.
    “ No, that’s
right,” she bluffed. “Not long to go now.”
    “ Are you
managing okay?” Gloria asked, pouring the tea. “I can always take
her for you.”
    “ Thanks,” Niki
said, picking up her cup. And then Gloria saw her clearly for the
first time since she arrived.
    “ Ling Ling –
you look wonderful… years younger! What have you been doing?” In
contrast, Gloria looked several years older.
    “ Oh, you know,
that’s motherhood for you… and a new diet. And Joe treated me to a
weekend at a new health spa in Hampstead.”
    “ Well, it’s
worked wonders… you must give me the address.”
    Somehow, Niki had to find
out where Niki and Joe were living now – and Gloria had just given
her an idea.
    “ Sure… in
fact, if you give me your address book, ma, I’ll write it down for
you.”
    Gloria went over to a
desk and pulled out a black ring–bound book and handed it to Niki
with a smile. “And don’t forget the phone number,” she said. As
Niki opened the book, she managed to knock over her tea.
    “ Oh, I’m
sorry!”
    Gloria immediately leapt
up, and went to the kitchen to get a cloth, giving Niki time to
search the book for her future address. She ripped out the relevant
page, stuffing it into her pocket. “So clumsy of me, ma, thank
you,” she said as Gloria mopped up the tea from the
floor.
    “ Not to worry,
dear – it happens.” Niki finished writing down a fictitious address
and phone number in Hampstead and handed the book back to her
mother. “Thank you – I’ll phone them