Chapter 3
1811 Words
I had no leads on finding my father. I was starting to worry that something bad might have happened to my dad. I hoped not but if that was the case then I was going to have to go home empty handed.
My mother was going to be either pissed off at me or disappointed that I could not find her husband. I was at the studio trying to sneak away to work on the machine and get it ready if I could go back home.
And working for Vikki. At least I was getting a steady pay check now thanks to her. And I also enjoyed living with Michael. We were getting really close very fast. I could not stop it if I tried.
I knew he was hoping that I might change my mind and stay. And dump my fake fiancé for him. But it was a little more complicated that that. I had to go back home to my own time. Or things might get worse from there.
I watch as Michael read his lines with Lea today. The mom on the set. He looked nervous. They were really ragging on the poor guy. Making him stumble over his lines that he knew already. They keep yelling cut. Finally, they make us all take a break.
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I walk over to where Michael was seated in his chair reading over his lines. I place my hand on his shoulder. "Mike what is going on?" I ask softly. "Something wrong? You know these lines by heart?" I ask him.
He looks up at me. "I know them. I do. But I can't focus" he mutters.
"Why can't you?" I question. "Maybe I can help you out" I offer.
He looks sad. He shakes his head. "With this Nika you really can't help me" he says in a stern voice.
It was my fault he was losing his focus. He was heartbroken. I could tell it. Just by the look on his face. He did not want me to know though. I feel tears come to me. Little did he know how fast I was falling for him. I really cared for him. And I could not even tell him that I did. It was not fair. I felt so conflicted.
I nod. "I understand Michael" I say as I go to walk away.
"Nika!" he calls after me.
I head over the machine. Trying to use some free minutes' to work on this thing. I read over my father's plans for it. And was getting my tools out. I hear Michael calling me.
He was close by here. s**t. I shove the tools back in the machine. Then cover it up. I go back out of hiding. So, he would not find the machine.
"Michael" I call out. "Here I am"
"Try not to worry okay? I am sorry about that back there. It is true I can't focus because I wish you could stay here. And I can't keep bringing it up. You know how I feel" he states as he glances down at the floor.
I place a hand on his shoulder. "I know that. I am truly sorry" I say softly.
"Michael! We need you back on set" someone demands on speaker.
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He nods then walks away from me.
Tears come to my eyes. I hated to hurt him.
Later on, that night I got home before Michael did. I decided to make him dinner as a treat. I was not much of a cook.
We had been eating way too much take-out food these past few weeks. I decided to make spaghetti, a salad, and garlic bread for Michael to share with me.
I wished so badly that I could tell him sure I can stay here with you. This was really where I wanted to be. But I was not supposed to be here. As I was in his kitchen, I hear him call for me. He was home.
"Nika!!" he calls out. "Come here! I have a surprise for you honey" he says sweetly. "Nika are you home?" he asks again.
"I am Michael! Here I am" I say as I head in the living room. There he stood with my dad! He found him! Michael grins at me joyfully. I was not sure what to say. This was my dad alright. But it was my younger dad from this time. Not the dad from my time who I was looking for. "Dad?" I stammer in shock.
"I wanted to surprise you Nika! I managed to find him. He says he does not have a daughter. Maybe he has been away so long that he forgot you. I will leave you two alone to talk okay?" Michael sweetly tells me.
He leaves the room. My younger dad looks so utterly confused. I feel badly for him. I have him take a seat on the couch next to me. I was not sure where to begin. I knew in the past dad had been working on the time machine for years. So, he would know about it now. I could trust to tell him who I was and where I was from.
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"What did that guy mean by you are my daughter?" he asks me finally, he looks taken by surprise.
"Well that is because I am your daughter. Dad. From the future" I stammer.
His eyes grow wide. He grins happily. "The time machine! I made it! And you used to come back in time!" he exclaims joyfully. "It actually works!" he laughs.
"Dad yes it works. But I had to come back to find you. Not you now. The you in my time" I begin to say. "you have been gone for years. You disappeared in this time. I came here in hopes to find you and bring you home to mom and I" I try my best to explain.
'But it worked!" he laughs.
"Dad, you are lost! Can you help me find you? Bring you back? Mom really misses you" I ramble on. He did not even care. He was over the moon about the time machine working.
"They all laughed at me and said it would never work! Shows that my dreams will pay off" he rambles on.
I grab my dad by the shoulders. "Dad we have to find you. You are lost in the wrong time. And mom needs you back home" I demand sternly. "I have to go back home" I sternly say.
He focuses now. "Who—who is your mother? Hannah? Is it Hannah?" he asks me as he takes a photo of my mother and himself out of his wallet. They were so young and so happy. Mother had this same photo on her dresser to.
I nod. "Yes, dad you marry Hannah. Michael can not know where I am from. No one can. Can you help me find you?" I wonder.
"I can try" he offers. "Can I see the time machine?" he begs to know.
I sigh. "Fine. I will take you later on to see it" I offer.
"Great! I can't wait!" he exclaims joyfully.
Michael comes out with drinks for us on a tray. "Sweet tea anyone? Is this your father?" asks Michael.
I shake my head. "This is my....my cousin. We are related though that was why he had my father's same name" I sigh. More lies. I felt badly. "He might be able to help me locate my father"
We all sit down and have a drink. Then my father leaves. We had made plans to meet up the next day so I could show him the time machine.
I glance out the window of the living room while Michael showed my father out the door. My heart sinks. Would I ever see my father ever again? What happened to him? Had I come out here for nothing? I could not go back home without him with me.
I feel hands on my shoulders. "I am really sorry that was not your dad" Michael says softly. "Yet at the same time I am glad because then you would leave me" he admits.
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I hated to lie to him. I really needed his help to find my father. What harm would it be to tell him where I was from? Then maybe we could find a way to be together. We cared for one another.
"There is something that I need to tell you" I begin to say as he turns me around to face him.
"You can tell me anything Nika" he answers me softly.
His eyes were starting into mine. He was so sweet. So, kind.
I take a deep breath. Here it goes. "I am not getting married. I lied to you before, but I do have to find my dad and bring him back home to my mom"
He blinks looking taken back by that remark. "You lied? You are not getting married? After I asked you to stay for me? You lied?" he says looking hurt.
"Please listen to why. I have my reasons" I plead.
He crosses his arms. He looks tensed up and hurt now. "What is that? I understand you don't want to be with me. You want to go back home. Got it!" he remarks bitterly.
Tears come to me. I shake my head. I touch his arm. "No that is not why. Not at all. I am not who you think I am. I am from the year 2019. I came in a time machine my father was building for the government in my time. And It ended up getting stuck on the movie lot. I came back here to find the last place my father's notes said he was going to. And bring him home to my mom. She misses him. We do not know what happened to him. I have to find him Michael" I pleads.
"Oh, hell that is rich. Even for you to lie about future talk. You expect me to believe that you are from the future?" he laughs bitterly as he shakes his head. "Damn a simple no I do not like you would have been perfectly fine. But this takes the whole cake" he angrily remarks. He looked so hurt. He storms out of there before I can show him my proof. I sit on the couch. I cover my face.
I lost the one person I ever loved. He hated me. He did not trust me. He thought I was nuts. And I did not blame him one little bit. Tears fall. I did not know how to find my father. And repair the damage that I caused poor Michael. Every moment he and I shared comes rushing back to me.
I loved him. I let myself fall in love with him. "I do. I love him. I love you Michael J. Fox" I whisper to myself. "Even if you are going to hate me forever, I love you" I sigh out loud to myself.
I hurt him. I lost him.
For good.
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- Writer
