Page 63 of Fast Forward

I missed them already. How could I have become so connected to them in only one day? I ached to see them again, but knew there was only one way that would happen. I had to make things right. I had to change the course of my life before destiny slipped through my fingers into the ether of lost possibilities.

I pinched the screen on my phone and then shook my head at my stupidity. No holographic phones here yet. I made a quick phone call to the restaurant my party was to be held in, then pressed the screen for a new message option to appear, adding multiple numbers from my contacts before typing a text message:

Hi guys, change of plans. Have cancelled restaurant for tonight, feel like something different. Meet at 8pm on North Beach for fish & chips ~ K

Selena replied instantly. Selena!

Okay then, but why? Oh, and happy birthday hon ;)

I replied back:

I already told you why. Feel like something different. And thanks xo

Soon after, Kasey replied too:

Oh right, change plans at the last minute to suit yourself, typical!

Bugger, Kasey was still mad at me. A few seconds later another text from Kasey came through:

Anyway, it is your birthday, so… happy birthday I guess.

I replied back telling her thanks and that I was sorry and couldn’t wait to see her tonight. I thought my other friends would reply too but the phone stayed silent. I guess I would just see them all tonight.

I slid my hands across my flat stomach again. Oh, how I’ve missed you! Then I sighed in relief at not having to try and get out of the support underwear. I’d been saved! I’d never buy one of those in the future – ever, not even version 2.0 with the expandable release valve, uh-uh.

I opened the web browser on my phone and summoned the Foogle, I mean, Google page and typed in a search, and on finding the website I was after made a phone call.

“Hi, I’d like to book in with your best personal trainer,” I said into the phone. Five minutes later I was scheduled in to see Roxanne at 9am Monday.

Now, for something more important… I opened my contacts page and pressed C in the surname list. As I was about to select Malcolm Crawford, a text message came in:

Happy birthday sweetheart. Thought you might be sleeping in so I didn’t want to call and wake you. Have a great day, call you later ~ Dad.

Warmth crept through my eyes and I blinked away tears. Dad was still here and there was no way I’d be going through this day without seeing him to set things right with him and Kasey.

Thanks Dad, and by the way, can you meet me for lunch at Parkside Cafe at 12 noon? I know you’re probably busy, but it’s very important.

Dad replied:

If it’s important, then I’ll be there for sure. See you then.

I sent the same request to Kasey, not mentioning the fact that Dad would be there. I knew she would have just found out he wasn’t her real father. She said she’d come but probably couldn’t get there till 12.15 pm, which was fine with me as I wanted to see Dad alone first.

I looked at my text messages again and noticed one from Grant that I’d missed:

Happy birthday gorgeous, dying to give you your present, wanna meet earlier today? How about 10am in the park, at our usual spot? ~ G xoxo

Crap. The proposal. He wants to propose to me in… I glanced at the time on my phone… one hour and fifteen minutes. I typed a reply:

Actually, that would be good because we need to talk.

After showering and putting on a floaty purple winged top over slim black pants and wedge heels – no curved coral hems for me today – I strode down to the park. I paused for a moment, spotting Grant sitting on the bench opposite the fountain, his leg tapping up and down. Black sunglasses covered his eyes and his hair looked tidily messy, the sight triggering a slight yearning for him again. Swallowing the lump that had wedged in my throat, I pushed on, reminding myself of what I was doing and trying to keep the fifty-year-old image of him hand-in-hand with what’s-her-name at the front of my mind.

“Hey, gorgeous,” he said, standing to kiss me on the lips which I accepted but subtly pulled away from before it lingered and before I changed my mind and threw my arms around him, telling him how much I missed him. “The big twenty-five today, huh?”

“Yeah, guess so,” I replied, finding it extremely difficult to maintain eye contact.

“Look, Grant… I–”

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