The Strangest Love of All - The Sequel - Part Four

“Dinner was great, mom. I haven’t had a meal like this since…”

“Since you left for college and took that job. Seven years, Bobby. Really, seven years? You should come home more often without me prodding you.”

“Oh, Helen, leave the boy be. He’s a grown man and has a life of his own. Besides, he knows where we live and knows he is always welcome here.”

She stood, clearing away the plates and shook her head. “Men! You always have to be so—so macho about everything.”

Bobby and his father laughed.

“I don’t think it’s that funny at all, Clifford. Mark my words, one day, there will come a time when you will want to see him and then it may be too late.” With that, plates in hand, she turned and went to the kitchen to put the plates in the dishwasher.

“Tell me, Bobby, this project you’re working on, are you making any headway? Getting results?”

“Actually, I am, dad. There is something I have to explain to you and mom. And it isn’t going to be easy, either.”

“What isn’t going to be easy,” said his mom returning. “You sound as if the end of the world is coming to a halt or something.” She sat down at the table, picked up her coffee and took a sip. “So what is this dire secret you are going to share with us?”

And that was where Bobby brought back the meeting with Elyse fourteen years ago.

About that day and how his clothes looked so dirty. How he fell in love. How he was going to be with her. And how they would never see him again.

“This is something I have longed for all this time, and now the chance is finally here. If I don’t do this, I will never be at peace with myself. I hope you two can understand this.”

There was a minute of silence after he finished before his father spoke up.

“Well, hell’s bells and puppy dog tails. If you weren’t my son, I would say you are crazy as hell or on drugs. But you are my son and I have watched you grow up to be smart and honest. Truth be told, and this may sound weird to you Helen, but I believe him.”

“It all sounds like fantasy to me. What with you working on so many secret things you can never tell us about. And now this? So, you would have me believe this Elyse comes from another world and you kissed each other through a piece of glass and bingo-bango, you had a child together? Unless I am missing something here, to have a baby, that requires sex, not a piece of glass.”

“Mom, it’s called a Glass Shading, and according to Elyse, it holds some sort of mystical power even I can’t explain. By Elyse’s words it only appears when two people are destined to be together, and I’m going to follow my destiny.”

Helen started to cry.

“I know, Bobby. Sorry,” she sniffled and wiped away the tears. “It’s—just that if this is true and you go away, I will never see you again or ever see this Elyse or our grandbaby. This is frightening to me. I hope you can understand that.”

“I’m sure he does, Helen. But he’s a man that has to do what’s right in his heart.” Turning to Bobby, he said, “What if it doesn’t work out for you? I don’t mean her, but the getting there? What happens then? Do you try again or give up on the idea?”

“Dad, ah— there is the possibility the atoms in my body would dissolve if caught in a loop continuum.”

“What’s that?” asked his mom.

“It’s like a portal within a portal within a portal. My atoms would be caught up in something sort of like a fan. They would spin out of control, separate and without oxygen, they would simply dissolve. It would be quick, too. I would maybe feel a sudden sharpness of acute pain but in less than a second it would be over.”

“And you are willing to risk your life for a girl you haven’t seen since you were fourteen? That isn’t risky, that’s foolish.”

“Then I’m foolish, mom. I love her, I always have. I never dated going through school because I love her.”

His mother stood away from the table and went to Bobby’s side and gave him a deep hug and a kiss on the cheek. “You know, I often wondered about that. Your father and I had thought that maybe you might have been gay or something.”

Bobby shot a surprised glance at both his parents.

“But, whatever you do, when you get there, you call us to make sure you are okay.”

“I don’t think I’ll be able to do that, mom.”

“Like your dad said, you are a smart man. You’ll figure out something. And if they have Facebook, we can definitely stay in touch.”

This caused all three to break into laughter.

When the night ended and Bobby headed to his car to drive back to his place, Helen had her arm around Clifford’s waist.

“We won’t see him again, will we Cliff?”

She turned her head into his chest and sobbed.

Clifford couldn’t offer any words to ease back her tears.