Fast Forward (27 page)

A minute or two later I was the proud owner of a domain name. As for the website itself, I’d figure that out later, at least for now I’d got the ball rolling.

Oh damn! While I was in the future why didn’t I think to check on Foogle for other important things that had occurred between my twenty-fifth and fiftieth birthdays? Like, winning lotto numbers, fashion trends, Oscar winners—apart from Selena—and whether anyone else had been to the moon. Maybe there was a hotel on the moon. Or a prison. Oh, I can’t believe I didn’t check! Oh well, too late now.

I went to close the laptop but hesitated. There was one more thing I wanted to do. I opened Facebook and searched for a profile. As expected, there was only one William McSnelly. I clicked on his profile and giggled at his picture. I’d become used to seeing him as a fifty-year-old man yet here he was, a twenty-five-year-old with a soft, sexy smile on his face, gentle eyes, cropped brown hair—much better than the wavy disaster he’d had in high school—and a simple blue shirt. Unassuming, but from what I’d discovered, completely, totally and utterly irresistible.

I hovered the cursor over ‘add friend’, then moved it away. This wasn’t the way to go about reconnecting with him. I knew exactly how I would do it, but today was about my birthday, my friends and my family. Will could wait a little longer. I was saving the best for last.

“Right, I’ve got the wood, newspaper and matches for the campfire, anything else we need?”

“Hello to you too, Kasey.” I chuckled as I opened the door of my apartment to my sister.

“Oops, sorry. Hi, and happy birthday … again. Now, what about a picnic rug?”

“Oh yes, hang on.” I dashed to the linen cupboard and withdrew my non-tartan rug, which I had to order online. Did you know how difficult it was to find a non-tartan picnic rug?

“Okay, let’s go,” I said.

“Wait, let me give you your birthday present now.” Kasey smiled as she handed me the large slim package she had tucked under her arm.

“Okay, thanks! Here, let’s swap.” I handed her the picnic rug and accepted the gift. I placed the package on the dining table and tore off the paper, realising how cool it was that I’d got to experience two birthdays. Shame I wasn’t able to bring back the gifts I’d received from the future, I’d have to wait another twenty five years to get my hands on that magical vacuum cleaner!

“Oh Kasey,” I said, eyeing the artist’s quality sketch book, drawing pencils, empty portfolio and a selection of inspiring home magazines. “This is perfect.” A shimmer of anticipation rose up inside and appreciation for my sister who knew what mattered to me. “Thank you so much, I can’t wait to get started with all this!”

“And I can’t wait to see what you come up with.”

“Thanks,” I said again, wrapping my arms around her and pecking her cheek.

“So, let’s get this party started!”

Fifteen minutes later, we were spreading out the picnic rug by Kasey’s awesome campfire on North Beach. I looked up to find Selena approaching and flung my arms around her.

“It’s so good to see you!” I almost apologised for missing her call yesterday during the meeting but bit my tongue.

She smiled curiously. “I only saw you last night, but I’ll accept your compliment anyway.” She greeted Kasey then handed me a small gift.

I un-wrapped it and held the garnet teardrop earrings up to my ears. “They’re beautiful,” I exclaimed. “Thanks Selena, I’ll put them on now.” I took my silver hoops off and replaced them with my new earrings. Selena snapped a photo with her phone while I flashed my best model pose.

Then Selena sidled up close to me. “So, when’s Grant getting here, are you ready for his proposal?” She nudged me in the ribs.

“Ah, actually, he’s not coming.”

“What?” Selena and Kasey said in unison.

“We broke up.”

“What?” they said again, mouths gaping.

“Are you okay? What happened?” Selena asked.

“I’m fine, it was my decision. It’s a long story, but it’s for the best,” I replied.

“But I thought he was going to propose. Did he propose?” Selena asked.

“No, he didn’t. When you saw him walk out of DSJ, it was because he’d bought me a bracelet. It was beautiful, but I gave it back to him.”

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I was sure he must have bought an engagement ring!” Selena covered her mouth.

“It doesn’t matter, I would have assumed the same.”

“How did he react?” Kasey asked.

“Well, things got a little heated, but to be honest, I think he was more upset by my decision to change career than my decision to end the relationship.”

“What? What’s happened to your modelling contract?” I thought I might have to call an ambulance for Selena soon if she didn’t stop gasping.

“I’ve still got it, but I’m going to start working on a design business. Homewares that bring more beauty to people’s living environments.”

“Really? I didn’t know you worked on art in your spare time.”

“I don’t. Well, I used to, years ago and it’s time I got back into it,” I said.

“Oh Kel, so much is changing, are you sure everything’s alright?” Selena asked.

I nodded. “Absolutely.”

“Then in that case, promise me you’ll design some kind of multi-purpose jewellery holder that attaches to the wall so I can free up space in my bedroom?”

“What a great idea!” I got out my phone.

‘What are you doing?” she asked.

“Adding it to my ideas list. I already have an idea for an automatic decorative tissue dispenser.”

Kasey and Selena laughed and agreed to test the prototype once it was manufactured.

I threw another stick on the fire and noticed Kasey gulping as she looked behind me. I turned to see Max Sheldon walking towards us, his loose white shirt hanging half out of his jeans and unbuttoned at the top revealing chiselled pecs. He was gorgeous, but funnily enough, we’d never had any spark between us. I saw him as a friend, or a brother and in the future, no doubt he’d become my brother-in-law. I held back a knowing chuckle at Kasey’s nerves. If only she knew.

“Max is here, oh my God,” she whispered, wringing her hands and clearing her throat.

“Happy birthday, beautiful,” he said, kissing both of my cheeks and handing me a huge bunch of exotic flowers, along with a bottle of Moėt.

“Thanks Max, the flowers are gorgeous and I’m sure we can make use of this.” I held up the bottle and winked.

He smiled, but his eyes held an edge of sadness. “I don’t think we’ve officially met. You’re Kelli’s sister?” He held out a hand to Kasey.

“I’m Kasey. Nice to meet you, Max,” she replied, shaking his hand and offering her best smile. I could practically hear her heart pounding in her chest and worried it might leap right out and knock Max to the ground.

Max kissed both of Kasey’s cheeks, then did the same to Selena, but his usual charming demeanour seemed subdued as his eyes kept falling to the ground.

“Are you alright, Max?” Selena had noticed too. Kasey hadn’t, she was still beaming from her face having made contact with an underwear model’s lips.

“Yeah, fine. It’s nothing.” He shooed a hand towards us.

“It must be something,” I said.

“Ah, don’t worry. It’s your birthday, time to celebrate.” He rubbed his hands together and glanced around.

Okay, now I was worried. Max had never shown any emotion except happiness and complete confidence, but his eyes lacked their usual sparkle and his body appeared tense with apprehension. “Max, it’s okay, if something’s on your mind, you can share it with us.”

He wandered over to the campfire and warmed his hands, then sat down on the picnic rug which Kasey had ensured was close enough to the fire but not too close as to be a fire hazard. Sensing an important revelation was imminent, I sat next to him as Selena and Kasey joined us.

“I have to go to hospital on Monday,” he said. “I’ve been diagnosed with skin cancer. Melanoma.”

Holy crap. Stunned faces stared at Max and he tossed a stray stick onto the fire.

“Max, oh my God.” My hand covered my mouth, then rested on top of his forearm.

“Do you need us to come with you?” Selena asked and Kasey nodded, her radiant glow replaced with fierce concern.

“Thanks, but I’ll be fine. I’m having surgery and they’ll check if any of my lymph nodes are affected. Most likely I’ll need radiotherapy or chemotherapy, or both.” He ran a hand over his short hair. “Ah well, at least I won’t have much hair to lose, eh?” He attempted a laugh, but the mood remained sombre.

“If you don’t mind my asking, where is the actual melanoma?” Kasey asked and I shot her a “Kasey!” glance.

Max slipped off his left shoe and lifted his foot, exposing a small black lump on the underside, between his toes. “Can you believe it? Too much time lying on my back in the midday sun. Who thinks to put sunscreen on the soles of their feet, huh?”

Gosh. I never did. But I’d start, even if it did make my shoes all squelchy.

“It started to get itchy and that’s when I noticed it. I thought I had something stuck to my foot, but it wouldn’t come off, so I went to the doctor.”

“Max, I’m so sorry. If there’s anything I can do…”

“Thanks, Kel. I’ll take it one day at a time, but I’m sure I’ll be right.” He stared at the flickering fire. “I have to be.”

“You will.” Kasey placed her hand on his other arm and he sent her a gentle smile.

“Anyway,” Max said. “Enough of this, I’ll have plenty of time to think about it later, for now I just want to enjoy the night. So, is anyone else coming to the party?”

I glanced at my watch. My other friends were either late or not coming. I felt a slight pang of disappointment but then dismissed it. The only friends that really mattered to me were right here. It would be a small party, so what? Last night’s adventure was enough excitement to last another twenty five years anyway. “Um, looks like it might just be us.”

“Okay, let’s get some fish and chips, hey? Probably be the last time for a while I’ll get to indulge,” Max said, standing. “I’ll duck across the road and get it. My shout.”

“I’ll go with you,” Kasey said and they wandered up the hill and over the road, as Selena and I shared a concerned glance.

“I can’t believe it,” Selena said. “Max always seemed so … so … perfect. Like he was invincible.”

“Yeah, I know.”

Selena crossed her arms and chewed on her bottom lip. “Kelli, what if he doesn’t make it? What if the treatment doesn’t work?”

I slid an arm around her shoulder. “Hey, worrying won’t do any good. I have a strong feeling he’s going to get through this just fine.” It finally made sense, what Kasey had mentioned in the future about her husband being involved in a skin cancer campaign. He wasn’t a scientist, he was an ambassador. “Who knows, maybe something positive will come of this. With him being in the public eye, he might be able to encourage young people to better protect themselves in the sun.”

“You’re right. Wow, Kelli, you’re so positive today with everything that’s happened. It feels like …”

“Like what?”

“Like you’ve, I dunno, matured a few years overnight or something.”

If she only knew the half of it. “Are you saying I was
immature
before?” I spiced my words with sarcasm.

“Haha, no,” she replied. “Actually …” She brought a curved finger to her lips, squinting her eyes as though in deep thought, before laughing.

“Hey, you!” I gave her a friendly slap on the arm, then blew a raspberry in her direction. “Is that immature enough for you?”

“I can do better.” Selena inhaled sharply and released a raspberry of epic proportions, her fringe flying up from her forehead before slapping back against it.

I burst out laughing, tears streaming down my face. “You know, if you really want to get serious, a burping competition would be even more immature.”

Selena tried and failed to summon a burp. “If I was a guy I could do it. What is it with men? They can summon a burp at a moment’s notice!”

“I know, it’s crazy. I think they must store them up or something, keep them in a reservoir in their Adam’s apple until required.”

“Oh, Kel, you crack me up.” Selena doubled over with giggles.

I pulled my friend close. “Selena, promise me we’ll always stay close?”

“Of course.”

“I mean,
really
promise me. When your career takes you around the world and little old me is left behind, let’s not lose contact with each other. In fact, let’s make a pact.”

“A pact?”

I stood in front of her and held onto her shoulders. “Yeah. Let’s make a pact that no matter where life takes us, we won’t let a year go by without seeing each other.”

Selena nodded. “Okay.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.” She crossed her heart with her finger. “Even though right now we hardly go a day without seeing each other, I promise to see you at least once every year.”

“Good.” I smiled. “And if you ever get a personal assistant, make sure you tell her to always put my calls through to you, without needing any special pass code or anything.”

Selena tilted her head and cocked an eyebrow. “O-kaaay.”

“Oh, and when you’re a famous Hollywood starlet, don’t succumb to the pressures of cosmetic surgery, okay?”

“Surgery?”

“Yeah, you know we will get wrinkles at some stage. But promise me you’ll let nature take its course? You’ll be much happier for it.”

“If it’s that important to you, then okay. But, c’mon, a little Botox never hurt anyone, I’d consider at least getting that.”

I put my palm out in front of her. “No. None, you hear me?”

“Okay, okay,” she said. “And hang on a minute, what makes you think I’m going to be a Hollywood starlet?” She placed her hands on her hips, angling her chin towards me.

Oops. “Um, I don’t know, I was just getting carried away. But you would make a great actress.”

Selena laughed. “It’s funny you say that, because I’ve actually been thinking of taking acting classes. I was going to ask you tonight what you thought about it, but then Max brought up the whole cancer thing and it didn’t seem important.”

“I think it is important. If it’s something you think you’d enjoy doing, then go for it, I say.”