To say that Nix is not used to me being quiet is an understatement. They park next to the Wormwood Apartments sign—apparently, my ripples never reached the building’s crappy name—and then fix me a serious look. “Are you okay or not?”

So I unload it all. I sound manic, but I can’t stop. And Nix doesn’t ask me to, never says “slow down, tiger,” or tells me I need help. Nix just lets me go on and on and on. Until, finally, they say I should go in and see Mom.

“Is that all you’re going to say?”

Nix considers the right response, settles on a friendly dig. “It’s a whole new level. You’ve somehow even made the space-time continuum about you.”

They laugh as if hoping that’s enough. Nope.

“But do you believe me?”

Nix cocks an eyebrow. “Um, the details are killer … so … can I leave it at ‘I’m open to it’ for now?”

“ ‘I’m open to it’ will be on your tombstone.”

“What tombstone? If you can time travel, I’m going to be immortal.”

I’m a little sad. I’d like everyone to react like Ms. Silverthorn, but I guess the world hasn’t changed enough that time travel is the sort of thing you drop on a friend in the middle of the afternoon. Nix drives away, and I head inside for an audience I’m pretty sure will be an easier sell.

Mom is waiting at the door, clearly tipped off by Ms. Silverthorn. She’s a sopping wet tear-delivery system, but I let her squeeze me. “It’s really you,” she says, again and again. “It always was.”

It’s All Ours

It’s All Ours

The doorbell rings, and I think it’s Nix, but it’s one of those food courier guys, carrying a Frosty for each of us and a big bag of French fries. “The Cure!”

Mom doesn’t so much eat her food as play with the fries while she talks. “Your time at First Secondary was huge in my life, especially once I understood it. When I got pregnant, I insisted we name you Luis, ironically enough, after yourself—though of course, I didn’t know yet that you were you …” She starts to laugh. “There is no way to talk about it that doesn’t sound absurd!”

“How did you get Gordo to agree to the name? He hated me in 1985!”

A sigh escapes. “He would do anything for me in those days. He was so happy when we got back together after all those years and when he had a chance to have a family. I could have asked him to name you Frosty, and he’d have said yes.”

“That doesn’t sound like him.”