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Both lost track of time, not that there was any urgency to finish. This was simply too good to have it end too soon. Candice would have been happy to have it go on forever. Jesse felt little different. There was an unspoken message that each of them heard but didn't yet understand. For Jesse, this was a revelation. He had never understood just what making love was truly like until this past few hours. Now, he understood the difference between this and sex.
It couldn't go on forever and at some point, Jesse felt the urge for completion upon him. He rolled Candice over and kissed her. "I'm almost done," he said, kissing her lips.
"I know. I can feel it in you. It was amazing," she whispered, smiling up at her lover.
He hated for it to end, but nature dictated things over which he had no control. However the immense feeling of satisfaction wouldn't go away for some time to come. Whatever Candice and he had discovered about each other was unique and revealing. Each of them now knew what they wanted from their partner. It was like the ads on TV said: "accept no substitute."
Later, as they shared a late breakfast, they finally spoke about it.
"Jesse, I don't know how to explain it, but last night ... and this morning ... it was something I'd never experienced before. It was magic for me," she said, a serious look about her.
Jesse nodded. "I know. I felt the same. I guess I've heard of this kind of thing happening, but you don't know what anyone is talking about until it happens to you. You're right ... it was magic."
"So, what does it mean?" she asked, still serious.
"I don't know. It's all new to me ... to both of us. What do you want it to mean?"
She was silent for a while before she spoke. "I want more of what we have together. Was last night and this morning just a fluke, or did it mean something?"
"I want more too," he admitted. "I think it's worth finding out about us."
Candice smiled. "Good. Then let's see where it takes us. No promises ... yet. But I have a good feeling about you, Jesse. It's not just about the sex. That was incredible, but ... I feel very good being with you."
Jesse smiled. "Then it's settled. We'll date and see how it goes from here."
She smiled at him, then looked at her watch. "What time is your ballgame ... two o'clock?"
"Yup. Plenty of time for me to get a shower and my gear. I'll pick you up and we can go to the ballgame together. Okay?"
"Yeah ... very okay."
Chapter 22 Exposure
Tuesday, June 12, 2012 4:15pm
The tall, slim, older man entered Norwood Books and approached the owner.
"Hello, I'm Norm Carson. I called you yesterday about a book I've been looking for. It's called Selected Tales of Guy De Maupassant."
"Yes, I remember," Grant Norwood said. "I do have a 1950 edition in good condition. That would be the second printing. Would that do?"
"Yes, it would. Thank you," the man smiled.
"Jesse, would you come here for a moment?" Grant called to that back of the store.
Within a second Jesse appeared from the back and smiled at the customer. What can I do for you?"
"Can you get this book for me," Grant asked, pointing at the screen.
"Yup. Be right back," he smiled again, and turned once again to the back of the store.
He failed to see the look on the customer's face. It was one of shock and bewilderment.
"Who was that?" the man asked Grant.
"Oh, that was Jesse Peterson, my assistant. He'll have that book for you in no time at all," Grant smiled.
"Are you certain his name is Jesse Peterson?" the man asked.
"Yes ... I saw his personal identification when I hired him. Why?"
"I think I'm having a moment. He looks exactly like the Jesse Peterson I went to school with over fifty years ago," the man said, looking confused.
"Well, I hardly think that's possible," Grant said warily.
The man was about to say something when Jesse reappeared with a book in his hand. "Here you are, Sir. I believe this is the book you were looking for."
The man stared at Jesse, not even looking at the book Jesse had handed him.
"Your name is Jesse Peterson?" he asked.
"Yes, that's right."
"Did you go to high school in West Vancouver?" the man asked.
Jesse felt his chest tighten. His worst fears were about to be realized. Someone had recognized him.
"Uhhm ... yes," he answered cautiously.
"Are you related to another Jesse Peterson?"
Jesse shook his head, knowing where this was heading. "No, Sir."
The man turned to Grant. "I went to school with Jesse Peterson in West Vancouver. This boy is his exact double. I don't know how it's possible, but he is identical to my old schoolmate."
"Is it possible he's the grandson of this other Jesse?" Grant asked.
The man was shaking his head. "No ... Jesse died the summer after his graduation. I attended his funeral. He had an older sister, but no brothers."
In the meantime, Jesse was trying to become invisible. He tried to move to the back of the store, but Grant took his arm and held him.
"Can you explain this, Jesse?" he asked.
"No," he lied.
"What is your name, Sir?" Grant asked.
"Norman Carson. Jesse and I played baseball together on the school team. We were good friends. I may be old, but I'm not senile. I'd know that face anywhere. Your Jesse Peterson is the exact double for my dead friend."
Jesse was frozen in place. He now recognized the older version of his good friend and third baseman, Norm "Kit" Carson.
"I guess you can see that's not possible, Sir," Jesse said cautiously.
"I know that, Jesse, but this is all too coincidental to ignore," Carson said. "There must be some connection between you and the original Jesse Peterson."
"None that I know about, Kit," Jesse said, immediately realizing his mistake.
"What did you say?" Carson asked. "What did you just call me?"
"Uhhm ... I don't remember. Sorry, my mistake," Jesse tried.
"Don't lie, Boy. You called me Kit. I haven't had that nickname since I was twenty. Now, I want to know who you are and how you knew my nickname," he stated emphatically.
"Look, this doesn't sound like the kind of discussion you want to have here. Jesse, why don't you take the rest of the day off and meet with Mr. Carson. Maybe you can straighten this out between the two of you."
Jesse sighed, "Yeah ... okay. There's a coffee shop down the street," he said resignedly. "We can meet there, Mr. Carson."
The man paid for his book and walked out of the store with Jesse, neither of them saying another word to each other.
They each ordered a coffee at the counter and found a seat off to one corner of the store.
"Okay, Jesse, what's going on?" Carson demanded.
Jesse sighed. "You won't believe me, but I guess lying to you isn't going to work. I'll tell you the truth, but you have to swear that you won't tell anyone else."
"Why not? What's so secret that you can't tell me who you are?"
"I am Jesse Peterson ... the Jesse you knew in high school. We played baseball together. You were third base and I was second. Paul Mantell played short. We had a solid infield and two winning years in a row. My number was 12, same as Gil McDougald, and I had a signature glove of his. Satisfied?"
Carson sat stupefied as Jesse recited the information. "I can't believe what I'm hearing. How do you know all this?"
"Because I was there!" Jesse snapped. "That's what I'm trying to tell you. I am Jesse Peterson. By some fluke no one can explain, I moved fifty years into the future that summer of 1961. I got sick at the post-graduation dance and went home. After that, it was in bed for several days before they shipped me off to the hospital. According to the hospital records, I died there. But when I awoke last July in that hospital, I was told I was found on a bus stop bench wearing only my pyjamas."
"But who was in the coffin that I saw at your funeral?"
Jesse was shaking his head. "I don't know. It might be me and I'm just a copy, but I have all the memories of being the Jesse you knew. I'm not crazy, Norm. I'm living with a psychiatrist and she's done every known test on me to make sure I'm in my right mind. Now, I have to find a way to make a life for myself in a world where I have a fifty-year gap in information."
"But ... this isn't possible," Carson said, shaking his head in disbelief.
"It isn't, of course, but here I am and my sister Roberta says it's me. You know I could never contradict Roberta," he said, offering a weak smile.
The older man sat back in his chair, staring at Jesse, his mind whirling at this improbable meeting.
"You said I couldn't tell anyone else about this. Why?"
"Think about it, Kit. I'd be a sideshow freak. If someone wasn't trying to make money off me, the government would want to dissect me and find out how it all happened. Or ... they could just declare me insane and lock me away in Essondale."
"There is no Essondale any more," Carson said as he continued to stare at Jesse. "I guess I can accept that you're probably right. Your life would be very complicated if this all came to light. Am I the first person to recognize you?"
"No. Roberta is living in Arizona and she recognized me immediately too. I was lucky enough that she had lots of pictures of us from school and at home, so I at least had some souvenirs of Mom and Dad and my grandparents. I've got a couple of pictures of us, too. So far, you're the only other person from my past who's spotted me."
"Jesse, we should get together and I can at least tell you about what happened after you died and where a lot of our old pals are today. We'll have to do this alone, but I'm retired and have time on my hands. Why don't we plan to get together when you have the time?"
"Okay, Norm. Let's do that. There's a lot I don't know about the missing fifty years, but I would like to hear about our friends. Do you have a cell phone?"
Norm Carson chuckled, "Doesn't everyone?"
Jesse dialled the phone number Norm gave him and it was immediately stored in both phones. It was one of those handy instructions that Mica had shown him.
"I'm taking some summer night school courses trying to catch up and qualify for university. A hell of a lot has changed in the courses we studied. I'll catch up to you later this week. I play baseball on Wednesday and Sunday for the Kitsilano Blues. This weekend we're in New Westminster for a two o'clock game on Sunday. If you can make it, I'd like to see you again. Where do you live?"
"South Burnaby, so it's not far from my home. I come downtown now and then and this book is why I was here today. I take the Skytrain to avoid parking problems, not to mention the cost. Where do you live?"
"Not far from here near False Creek. I'm living with the psychiatrist who took me in when I had nothing. She's a great lady and I'm lucky as hell she took pity on me. I had no I.D. or money or anything when I awoke in hospital. You can guess the kind of problems we had getting all that for someone who was supposed to be dead," Jesse chuckled.
Carson was nodding. "I'll bet. So, you're doing okay now? You got a place to live, a job, and you're going to school still. Any girlfriends?"
"Yeah. Come to the ballgame on Sunday and you'll meet her. Don't say anything about my situation, please. She doesn't know anything about my past."
"Who does know?"
"Eve, my psychiatrist friend, my sister Roberta, Kirsten Gustafson, a neighbour, and Eve's father. He's a scientist-inventor and he and Eve's mother live in San Diego. Those ... besides you ... are the only people who know."
"What about that fellow at the book store? He must have overheard our conversation."
"Good point, Norm. I trust Grant, so I may have to let him in on the secret if he gets too curious. The fewer people who know, the better it will be."
Norm Carson nodded understanding. They rose, shook hands, and left the store together. Norm headed for the bus to the Skytrain station while Jesse walked back to Grant's. A glance at his watch told him it was past five o'clock and he needed to see if Grant wanted to ask him about Norm Carson's visit.
~*~
"So, that's the story, Grant. I'm sorry I didn't take you into my confidence earlier. I guess I should have expected someone would recognize me sooner or later. You've met Eve, so you know she can vouch for me. I sure don't want to lose this job, so I'm hoping you'll understand just what a difficult situation I'm in."
Grant Norwood sat impassively as Jesse relayed his story. It might have been dismissed as fanciful except that Norman Carson had virtually verified it right in front of him. He shook his head.
"I won't discuss this with anyone else without your permission, Jesse. I don't know what to make of it to be honest. It's like something out of the Twilight Zone. But ... you've been a good employee and I haven't had a moment of concern about you in the months you've been here, so I guess I can go along with your deception. But I have to warn you that sooner of later ... with the larger circle of people that know about you ... something will get out. It's inevitable. You should prepare yourself for that eventuality."
Jesse nodded. "I know. Today was just the tip of the iceberg. There were over three hundred kids in our graduating class, and probably just as many who were a grade or two behind me who might remember me. I hate lying to people, but you know what the consequences of my being discovered might be. I have no way back, Grant. I'm trapped here. If I could go back to where I was I would do it in a heartbeat. But ... as far as I can tell ... that isn't going to happen."
Grant felt badly for his friend Jesse. He was in a situation not of his own making. While his story was bizarre ... the evidence said it was true. Theoretically impossible, but true. Together they closed up the shop and went their separate way homeward. Tomorrow would be another day.
~*~
"I didn't have any choice, Eve. Norm recognized me and Grant overheard the conversation. Now there are two more people who know my secret. Grant said the bigger the circle the more likely the secret will be revealed to others. I'm sure he's right, but I don't know how to control it. I can deny it, of course, but I'm having trouble making up a story that will deflect all the questions. I have a very unpleasant feeling about my future."
Eve had listened intently that evening to Jesse recounting of the meeting between him and Norman "Kit" Carson and the subsequent discussion with Grant Norwood. She too had a feeling of impending trouble on the horizon, but what to do about it?
"The number of people who know about you has now expanded to six," Eve noted. "That's not too large a number ... yet. How credible will any one of those who know be if they attempt to tell others about you? I think it would be difficult for any of them to convince someone that you had moved fifty years into the future. There are plenty of fiction stories about time travelers, but no known actual circumstances to prove it ever happened. That may be your best protection."
"I hope you're right, Eve. I really do," Jesse said with a sigh.
Wednesday, June 14, 2012 10:30am
Jesse's cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He plucked it out and answered.
"Hello?"
"Hi hot stuff, how are you?" came the sexy female voice.
"Hey, Candice, I'm good. How are you?"
"Horny and lonely. When am I going to see you?"
"Friday night?"
"That's two more days. Do I have to wait that long?"
"Am I worth the wait?" Jesse said with a verbal grin.
"Yeah ... you are," she giggled. "Are you playing ball tonight?"
"Yep. Seven o'clock at our home field. Why don't you come along? Maybe we can think of something to do afterwards," he suggested.
"Oh ... I can think of something alright," she said. "I'll meet you at the park ... don't be late."
"You know me, Candice. I'm always on time."
"Yeah ... I noticed. See you tonight, Jesse."
Jesse shut off the phone and smiled. Candice sounded as eager to be with him as she was before their last Saturday date. He reminded himself to let Eve know he might be late tonight. Tomorrow was a work and a school day, so he couldn't stay all night, but that wasn't going to stop him from enjoying another evening with his voluptuous new girlfriend.
He'd had some second thoughts about Sunday morning. They'd had sex without the protection of a condom. That might be dangerous, although Candice assured him she was taking birth control pills and that she had not been with anyone for some time. Jesse was reasonably confident he was safe, but a discussion with Eve some months ago was on his mind. Sexually transmitted diseases, or STD's, was the new label for "the clap," and it was almost epidemic among careless young people. He wanted no part of that, so condoms were the order of the day ... usually. Sunday morning had been an exception that he only realized later. He promised himself that he would be more careful in future.
~*~
Wednesday was always a bit of a rush when baseball season was in progress. He would leave the shop promptly at six, cycle to the apartment, change into his game clothes, grab a quick cold dinner Eve had prepared for him, then get his equipment and cycle to the park. Unless it was raining, he had enough time to make it with some to spare. This Wednesday in mid-June was quite pleasant with scattered cloud and plenty of sun to keep temperatures near 70º. He still wasn't used to Centigrade values and was constantly mentally converting back to the old values.
Candice arrived almost as he did and he waited for her to park her car and join him near the dugout. Her father had gifted her with a very nice Ford Focus sedan on her eighteenth birthday. Jesse was sure her father was quite willing to spoil his only daughter, but she didn't take advantage of him from what he could tell. She was just the lucky recipient of his generosity and she seemed fully appreciative of it.
"Hi, Jesse," she smiled broadly as she approached him and gave him a warm kiss.
"Hi, yourself. You look great as always," he smiled, admiring her snug cotton top and shorts.
"Thank you," she curtsied with a giggle.
"What's new?" he asked.
"Nothing much today. The job is kind of boring, but it keeps me busy and provides pocket money, so I shouldn't complain. It's all part of learning more about our family business. Next year I'll be going to computer school to learn about the diagnostic equipment that all repair shops have to have. Cars are so much more complicated than they used to be."
"No kidding. I looked under the hood of a bunch of new cars in a dealer showroom and I could barely make out what I was looking at. I prefer the old days when they still used carburetors and had rear wheel drive. At least I could tell what I was looking at."
"Yeah, you told me about your dad's Healey. I'd love to have one of those," she said wistfully.
"Someday," he said, staring off into the distance, hoping he could make it come true.
"Let's go, Jess," Chunky called as the team took the field to begin the game.
"Good luck," Candice called as he picked up his glove and headed from the dugout.
"Thanks. I think we'll need it tonight," he replied with a smile.
Jesse's instincts about the game were all wrong. The "Tides" had a bad night, both in the field and at the plate. The "Blues" rolled over them 8-3 and hardly broke a sweat doing it. Jesse, as usual, fielded his position flawlessly, and added a single, a double, and a triple at the plate, almost hitting for "the cycle."
"You had quite a night," Candice smiled as she wrapped her arm through his.
"Yeah ... that didn't go anything like we thought it would. It was fun for us, but not much fun for Richmond. That's the way it goes sometimes. Even the best teams can have a bad night."
"Are you coming back to the apartment?" she asked, hugging his arm enticingly into her breast.
