Chapter 9

Richie came down after his shower to find Jon sitting there, his face as white as a sheet, staring at something in his hand. Taking a closer look, he realized that it was his cell phone.

"Stop playing with my phone."

When Jon didn't respond, Richie took the phone from him and looked at the number displayed on it. Puzzled, he put it to his ear.

"Hello?"

No answer.

Closing it, he turned to Jon. "What the hell? Did you just answer my phone? That call was from Jon's cell. Don't tell me you spoke to him."

Richie knew very well what kind of repercussion the two Jons speaking to each other would have.

"It was Romeo."

At that, Richie sat down on a chair across from Jon. "Listen, you need to stop this obsession with Romeo. I told you, he's only four. He barely knows his own number let alone mine. Now stop it."

Jon glanced up at Richie with a haunted look in his eyes. "It was Romeo."

Something about that look told Richie that Jon was not just kidding around. That he was very serious about it, whether he imagined it or........it really happened.

"What did he say?"

"He asked me not to go back yet."

"Then what?"

"Then I heard a girl's voice telling him to stop playing with the phone and it went dead. That was my daughter, wasn't it?"

Richie nodded, "Stephanie."

"What does this all mean, Rich? How did Romeo know your number? But more than that, how did he know that I would answer it?"

"Dumb luck?"

"I don't think so. There's something very weird going on around here."

"And you coming here twenty years from the past is not?"

*****

"Dad! Romeo is playing with your phone, again." Stephanie was holding the toddler's hand leading him out of their father's office.

Jon came up and took the phone from Stephanie and checked the display. "Hey, buddy, you've been calling Uncle Mookie?"

"No, I call daddy."

Confused, Jon bent down and picked up his youngest son. "What do you mean? Daddy's right here."

"No! Daddy went with Uncle Mookie."

Stephanie just shrugged and chalked it up to preschool weirdness, but this statement had Jon worried. He carried Romeo up to his room and settling them both down on the bed, he asked him again, "what do you mean? Daddy's right here, see?"

"No, daddy going back. Daddy going back!" He started to cry, big hiccuping sobs and Jon was helpless to do anything except hug him close and try to comfort him. "Shhh, it's okay, buddy. Don't cry, daddy's right here."

After Romeo had cried himself to sleep, Jon tucked him in and kissing his head, turned out the lights and headed back downstairs.

This incident with Romeo, coupled with the strange events of the past few days troubled Jon. The headaches, while painful, had a strange sensation to them. They were gone now, but the sensation returned from time to time, like last night.

When Dot had asked him to pick a movie, he felt the compelling need to choose The Godfather, over even the recent additions. If this was not puzzling enough, there was the ominous feeling that came over him when Romeo cried for his 'daddy'.

What does this all mean?

*****

"I need to go jogging."

"What? No, Jon, what the hell are you thinking?"

"Why not? It's evening, no one is going to see me. If you're worried, why don't you come with me?"

"No, I'm expecting an important call." Richie could see the pent up energy in Jon and took pity. "Alright, go, but take this phone with you just in case."




He had been jogging for about half an hour when he passed a small park and saw a strange sight. I'll have to ask Rich about that when I get back home.

Further down the road, he was running past a small building where there were several residents sitting outside on the lawn. When he looked closer, he could see that most of them were in wheelchairs. It must be a nursing home or something.

Just as he turned the corner, he saw something coming at him. Someone in a motorized wheelchair was barreling down towards him from the opposite direction.

It was Mrs. Ferguson.

Jon's first instinct was to make a run for it. Would she chase him? He wondered how fast the old biddy's wheelchair could go. He was pretty sure he could outrun her, but with the advance of technology, Jon could never be really sure. The last thing Richie needed to hear was news of some kid running down the street being chased by an old hen in a wheelchair.

Then he remembered the incident at the store and realized he had nothing to worry about.

As she came to a screeching halt in front of him, he gave her one of his million dollar smiles.

"Good evening, Mr. Bongiovi."

The smile faded.

"You recognize me?"

"Of course, I remember all my students. All my students." She had a habit of repeating her words.

He wasn't sure if she was having a lucid moment or not and decided to test her. "But I don't look like this now. I came here from the past."

"I realize that. And I must say that I had lost all hope for you at the time but now I am very glad that you've turned out to be a fine human being. A fine human being. Yes, very glad. I've read all about your endeavors. The charities that benefit from your support and the fine family you raised. You should be very proud that you will grow up to be him. Very proud."

Jon was dumbfounded.

"You mean you actually believe that I came here from the past?"

"But of course! But of course! Isn't that what I've always taught you young people? Always? That everything is relevant? That anything is possible if you understand math?"

"Come, Mr. Bongiovi, come chat with me for a while. For a while."