Chapter 2 - Where does Timetraveling take you?

Chapter 2

I awoke with a start, sitting up straightaway. My fingers ran over my face and touched my head. Nothing. Only a bad dream. Breathing a sigh of relief, I lay down again, covering my face with my hands before I opened my eyes again, throwing a look around. I was at home. Slowly I let my gaze travel over the pictures on the walls again. I lay in my own bed under the stairs that leaded upwards into my tiny study under the roof of the little maisonette I had rented during my time at university. Carefully I sat up, walking over into the open kitchen nearby.

My legs were shaking, hell, what a dream! I rubbed my face with my hands, grabbing the door of the closet next to me to take a cup and put it under my coffee machine, stopping halfway. The machine was gone. Confused I threw another gaze around the kitchen. The stupid old yellow onion-pot was standing in the spot where only yesterday my very much beloved and expensive bean to cup coffee maker had been placed.

With my empty cup in my hands I sat down on one of the high kitchen chairs by the bar, staring at the pot. Riku had broken it over a year ago, it came to my mind and suddenly I felt numb. What the hell was going on? Starting to bite my nails, I jumped up from my chair, rushing over to the bed again to find my mobile on the nightstand. Something was very wrong here and I need to figure out why. Flipping through my address book again and again I felt cold sweat burning under my armpits. It wasn’t there, his number wasn’t there. Neither was any number of any of the lads, not even Juliane’s! Wrapping my arms around my shivering body I sank down on the bed.

Maybe I had simply jumped from one bad dream into another. Covering my body and head with the blanket, I closed my eyes. Go back to sleep, I told myself. As soon as you’ll wake up, everything’s gonna be just fine!

Unexpectedly the mobile next to my bed started to ring and I grabbed it from the floor, flipping it open. Martha. My friend and one of the editors of the magazine I worked for. Fighting with the bed covers for a second, I picked up.

“Hey.” I managed to mumble and heard a small giggle from the other end of the line. “Are you alright?” she asked, making me sit up straight and rub my face again. My heart was still beating in my throat but I tried my best to sound normal.

“Sure, I… just woke up, that’s all.”

“You know what day it is today?” she suddenly sang without responding to my words.

“Actually…” pressing my fingertips to my eyes I fell silent again, making her giggle once more.

“Elena, my friend, get your camera ready, the press ID’s just arrived and yours includes backstage and interview. Carl expects some decent pictures, well, not decent of course, try crazy. You are on at four, the concert starts at eight. Thank me tomorrow, I expect 1200 words for next week’s issue and a full report among friends on Monday!”

“Where am I… what… what concert?” God, my head hurt! What the hell was going on with me?

Again Martha only laughed. “Hun, just make some coffee, charge your camera and get to the concert hall at half past three, you are on the list for Sunrise Avenue.” She smacked a kiss over to me and hung up with another giggle.

Totally dumbfounded I stared at the mobile in my hand. On the list for Sunrise Avenue. Burying my face in the palms of my hands, I took a deep breath. What the fuck was happening? I had only been accredited for one Sunrise Avenue-concert in my life in June 2009. The big gig in Frankfurt. The day I had met them for the first time.

Feeling sick all of a sudden, I rushed over into the bathroom, turning the cold water on to squirt it into my face. There was only one way to find out the correct date right now. With wet and still shivering hands I walked over into my living room, switching on the TV set.

I still sat in front of my TV a few minutes later, unable to get up from the floor. It actually was the 24^th of June. And it definitely was 2009. Whichever way I looked at it, it didn’t make sense whatsoever. But anyway I sliced it, it was the 24^th of June 2009 and I was about to meet my husband for the very first time today. A husband that had told me that he had cheated on me. A man that had told me that he had cheated on me with his friend’s girlfriend because he had had commitment issues.

The thoughts were racing on my mind. What if…? What if – only hypothetically – some higher power gave me a little window for revenge with this? It was 2009 again, I wasn’t married, and obviously I had never met Riku before. Maybe this was my chance to undo some mistakes…

Giving my choices and opportunities a good think, I lay down on the wooden floor after a while.

Variation 1: I simply wouldn’t go. Variation 2: I could go. But without falling for Riku. Variation 3: Total revenge. Meet him, make him fall for me and kick his ass.

Hm…

I had chosen Variation 3 when I left my apartment at two o’clock. Remembering the dark jeans and a pink tank top that I had worn all those years ago, I had decided differentially, right now walking down the hallway with my favourite brown high heel sandals and a short green dress that I had once bought for a friend’s wedding. Since I knew that Riku was mad about my hair, I had washed it and pinned it back elaborately to make it fall over my naked shoulders. He would pay for it, pay for his mistake and the pain he had caused.

Smiling evilly, I put on my sunglasses, strutting past a surprised Mrs Linz from two floors below. Outside on the street, I decided to get some iced coffee before heading off to the concert hall. I couldn’t wait to finally start my little revenge-plan.

Checking my mobile, I didn’t pay attention for a second and ran into someone on the sidewalk. He grabbed my arm to prevent me from falling and I looked up into a pair of friendly brown eyes, surrounded by deep wrinkles. “I’m so sorry, are you alright?” he asked concerned and I put my sunglasses into my hair, nodding.

“Of course, I’m really sorry for bumping into you, Father…”

“Bergner.” He smiled and took my hand to shake it. “Totally fine, neither of us is hurt, right?”

“I guess you’re right.” I couldn’t help smiling back and looked at the old man in front of me. The idea came out of the blue but I didn’t hesitate when I asked him. “Father, this might sound strange, but… do you maybe have a minute? I was just about to grab some coffee, but there… there is something I would really like to talk about.”

“Of course.” He checked his wristwatch. “I have an appointment at four but there is still a bit of time left.” Cocking his head he pointed along the crowded street. “If you want, I would be pleased to offer you a cup of tea at the presbytery. We are not too far away. My housekeeper also makes a very fine iced tea.”

I nodded relieved. “That would be very nice, thank you!”

When we were sitting together in his small office, looking over the backyard of the presbytery, I suddenly realised that I was greatly relieved that I had met him. Even though I actually had no idea how to tell him about the weird things that were happening in my life.

“So,” he pointed at me with his glass. “What did you want to talk about?”

Not really knowing how to begin, I stared down into my own glass. “My husband cheated on me.” I heard my own voice all of a sudden and I looked up at the old man opposite me. He sat up at once, his facial expression changing from friendly and relaxed to serious. Compassionately he looked at me, clicking his tongue. “Go on.” He encouraged me to keep talking.

“We… we have been dating for three years, our wedding was only a year ago. But he… right after we got together, he slept with another woman. It was his friend’s girlfriend and he… only yesterday he told me about it and…” I fell silent again, not knowing how to continue.

The priest nodded and leaned forward. “And you are not sure what to do? You don’t know how to forgive him?”

“Actually…” stirring my tea with the yellow straw, I slowly shook my head. “Do you believe in destiny, father? In faith?”

“Of course I do.” He smiled and raised his hands. “What else can you believe in?”

“And do you think that it is possible that our faith sometimes… well reveals itself in odd ways?”

“So you think that there is a sign from God in this whole situation?”

“Maybe.” Again I feel silent for a few seconds and threw a look around the study. “Father I… Can I ask you… everything I am about to say must be under the seal of confession.”

“Of course, dear!” he nodded reassuring. “Just talk, I will listen, alright? Not a single word will leave this room.”

“If… if you ever had the chance to undo a mistake, would you?”

“Hypothetically? Yes. But I trust in God and for me there are no mistakes. There are events, sometimes series of events, influencing people and actions yet to come. But if…”

“In my world, Father,” I interrupted, looking at him straight. “In my world it was the 14^th of September 2013 only yesterday and… that was the day my husband told me, that he had cheated on me. We had an accident with our car because we were fighting while he was driving and… and this morning I woke up in my apartment, not hurt in any way but deep inside my heart, and the only thing on my mind right now is revenge. Today is the day I had met my husband for the first time.” I threw a quick look at the wooden clock right above the door. “In only one hour I am gonna meet my husband for the very first time but all I can think of is the way he lied to me and how much it hurt me. The thought of him with another woman and… It is so hard to know all this! I… I can’t go there and meet him with a smile, I… I only want to hurt him back for what he is going to do to me.” Letting out a shaky laughter, I shook my head. “God, I sound crazy!”

The priest had been silent for the last few moments, but now he cleared his throat. “Why would you wanna revenge something that has not taken place just yet?” he suddenly asked, bending forward. “If this is a chance for you, and I believe it is, why are you not there to prevent him from betraying you and his friend? He is your husband, or maybe he will be. You married him and surely you loved him, why would you throw this chance away for simple revenge? Revenge is only painful and it will hurt you as well as him.”

Totally astonished I looked at the old Father again, cocking my head. “I… I am telling you that I come from a distant future and you… you believe me?”

He shrugged with a smile, pointing at me with his straw. “Why would you lie to me? It does not really make sense, does it?” Bending forward in my direction again, he put his elbows on his knees. “Take this chance. Maybe God wants to tell you something. Maybe there is a possibility to undo some mistakes or at least give it a fresh start. Now go!” with a smile he shooed me outside. “Go and meet this husband of yours and live a happy life! And don’t forget to come back every once in a while and tell me about it.”

My thoughts were in a total whirlwind when I thanked the priest and left the church and the presbytery behind, walking back to my apartment like a sleepwalker. ‘Revenge is only painful and it will hurt you as well as him.’ The words from the old Father came to my mind and I knew deep inside that he was right. What was I thinking? In a weird way I had become part of a wonder and I seriously thought about wasting it.

Taking a deep breath I pulled the dress over my head, slipping into the pink tank top and my favourite jeans and a pair of flip-flops. Maybe this was my chance to change something. Throwing a quick gaze into the mirror, I nodded at myself. I was me again and my mind was all of a sudden crystal clear. I would fight for my life and damn it, I would fight for my man.