Sunday, Dec 22, 2021
Dad had tried to be super casual about having a secret storage space but he also wanted to keep it secret, Sofie and I were not to say a word about it to Mom.
“It’s a surprise,” he said. He was probably right, it would’ve been a surprise all right, a real shock even.
The next morning, I headed straight back to Kim’s Basement. I had no time to lose, I needed to bring in the heavy artillery. A mixtape. Pete needed to give a mixtape to Sofie, and it had better be a good one.
Saturday, December 21, 2021
The first leg of our Christmas movie marathon went without incidents, mostly because nobody came to it. Which was not a surprise, considering that most people who knew about the marathon worked at Atlas.
A bigger setback for me was that Rexi had taken a liking to Pete and insisted that he stay in the projection booth with him and since Rexi was the king of the booth, Pete stayed there. I noticed it halfway through the movie when I sent Sofie into the theatre to watch the movie with Pete. Or so I thought.
“Don’t you want to see Gremlins? Go on, I can stand here,” I told her.
“There’s nobody in there. This is stupid,” Sofie said, and scrolled down the page on her phone.
“Well, you and Pete can watch it together,” I said, casually moving some coffee cups on the side table.
“He’s upstairs with that … man,” Sofie said.
“Still?”
Saturday, December 21, 2021
Rexi stormed into the projection booth and when he saw me, spread his arms and dashed to the projector.
“Did you touch it?” he asked me.
“N-no. Of course not, I-I’d never,” I said. I was surprised to hear my voice shaking. Even after all these years of working together – “together” – Rexi still made me shake in my boots.
“Who’s the kid? Why’s he here? And why are you here, the first show isn’t until 6.30, right?” he demanded.
“Pete, he’s my … friend’s son. He’s going help us out a little. You know, during the Christmas movie marathon,” I replied and pretended to be looking for something on a shelf.
“The what?” Rexi asked me.
Saturday, December 21, 2021
I had just shown Pete how to flip the record and play Side B when Sara called my name from the top of the stairs.
“Peter, a phone call for you! It’s Tina!” she shouted.
I walked up the stairs humming Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy” and wondered what Pete thought about the records.
Saturday, December 21, 2021
Sara was surprised to hear I had offered jobs to Sofie and Pete, but she didn’t protest. While I had lied about hiring someone being Sara’s idea, I had not lied about us needing some help.
“That was a great idea, Peter,” she said. “It’ll be nice to have a cool young woman to work with.”
She looked at me with a mischievous smile on her face.
“None taken,” I said, and returned the grin. Everything was going perfectly according to my plan. I played with Einie for a few minutes and at exactly noon, there was a knock on the side door.
“Got it,” I shouted to Sara. “It’s Pete.”
Saturday, December 21, 2021
My Black Casio (digital) watch told me I had about an hour before Pete would come to Atlas. That left me with plenty of time to get to work on the second part of my plan.
Sofie, that is.
Mom was surprised to see me back at their house so soon after I left.
“Are you still hungry?” she asked me. “Let me make you a sandwich.”
“Is Sofie up yet?” I asked her and without waiting for a reply, skipped up the stairs. The first thing I saw when I got to Tina’s old room was a was her old “Do NOT disturb” sign on the closed door. I knocked carefully.
“Sofie, are you up?” I said. “I have an idea. Knock on my door when you’re redy for breakfast.”
Saturday, December 21, 2021
It had been years since I had had an epiphany like that. I had laser like focus, I could see my mission clearly. Pete and Sofie were Jennifer and me back in the 1980s, and if nothing pushed them off the course they (we) were on, they’d end up being friends, then losing touch due to distance between and then they’d spend the rest of their lives wondering what might’ve been.
I’d have to go back in time. Again. And I’d play the part of Cyrano.
But this time, I’d have to be very, very careful so that I wouldn’t interfere with the original 1980s and mess up the space-time continuum.
Saturday, December 21, 2021
Mom was in the kitchen when I walked down. She was surprised to see me.
“I didn’t hear you get in,” she said, “let me make you a sandwich.”
I didn’t want to tell her that she hadn’t heard me get in because I had snuck in in the middle of the night. I had the keys, and it was my room and my stuff … but it was still their home.
“Where’s Dad?” I asked.
“He’s in his office. Liking stuff, I think,” Mom said. “Sofie’s still sleeping, in case you’re wondering. (I wasn’t).
Saturday, December 21, 2021
Now, Pete wasn’t my kid and neither was Sofie, but I knew what Doc meant. Something I had said at Burgerland had been bothering me.
“Pete’s Mom used to live in Paris,” I had said to Sofie, while defending Kumpunotko. And while it wasn’t exactly true because while Jennifer had moved to France to go to an art school, it hadn’t been Paris. In fact, Granville had been the Kumpunotko of France, she had told me.
But the simple fact is that Kumpunotko, the one in Finland, did get between us.
Now, don’t get me wrong. When I say that I cherished the friendship with Jennifer, I mean it, and I wouldn’t change it for the world. Not anymore. What I have with Sara is absolutely wonderful, and she’s the woman I needed, even though I didn’t know it when I was a teenager. I didn’t even know it when I went back in time to look for Jennifer.
Friday, December 20, 2021
Pete came walking down the corridor, his face almost completely hidden behind all the flowers he had got. I hadn’t thought of buying any, which now seemed like a good decision. I waited for Jennifer to give her son a big hug before extending my hand, and offering Pete a firm handshake.
“Well done, Pete, very well done,” I told him.
“Thank you. It was fun,” he said, and glanced at his mother. Then he glanced to his left and noticed Sofie, and did a double-take. I don’t know if Sofie noticed it, but if she did, she didn’t say anything.
