Dan fcked up: Time Skip Unknown - May 15th, 1998
Damn it. Damn it. No. DAMN IT. Not again.
Once again, Adelaide’s head spun, her heart raced, and a cold sweat overtook her body, accompanied by an irresistible urge to vomit. It was automatic – reaching for the nearest support to steady herself. When was this torment going to end? This… whatever it was. If this was death, it felt like a never-ending torture. Yet, deep down, Addie couldn’t convince herself that it was. It made no sense why she kept reliving her memories, only to have the power to alter them. Her mind felt scrambled – she didn’t even know where she was this time. All she knew was that it had happened again. It was disorienting, to say the least. Whatever this was, this memory, this time travel – if that was even a thing, maybe it was. Why? Addie didn’t know. She didn’t understand why she kept jumping timelines, seeing Leo, creating a family with him. It was always centered around Leonardo, and Addie couldn’t fathom why. None of it made sense, and as sad as it was, Addie had surrendered to the painful fate.
She had the gist of what to do now when this happened:
- Step 1: Take a deep breath and don’t throw up.
- Step 2: Orient herself
In the present moment, Addie found herself blinking repeatedly as she opened her eyes. The intense brightness caused her to squint, gradually allowing the sounds and people around her to take shape. She realized she was outside, with the sun casting a warm glow on her skin and a brisk wind sweeping over her body. Standing before her was a formidable, bulky man. Her hand remained pressed against the wall, a likely anchor during the dizzying episode.
Addie didn’t really have a moment to contemplate her surroundings before the man in front of her spoke, visibly annoyed. “Move aside, ma’am,” . It took Addie a second glance to comprehend where she was. Pushing away from her spot at the front of the line, Adelaide slowly walked backwards until the entire gallery came into view. That’s where she was, outside an art gallery—specifically, the one where she had officially met Leonardo Azure for the first time.
Addie’s heart ached once more at the thought of Leo. It wasn’t her first time grappling with these emotions over the last few… days… months? Time seemed to blur in this inexplicable loop she found herself in. All she knew was that her mind was incessantly consumed by thoughts of Leo. Every action, every decision seemed inexorably entwined with him, leading to a trail of pain. Addie had broken him, and the weight of that realization hit her recently. Witnessing the happiness they could have shared if she hadn’t been so foolish was a painful reminder. She had seen it—the two of them with three kids, pursuing the careers they both wanted, with Leo by her side. If she had a choice, as terrible and selfish as it might be for her other kids, she would have stayed in that idyllic vision.
But instead: here she was. Standing in front of the art gallery where she first met Leonardo Azure. It was where she first pretended to be his girlfriend… where he first asked her out… where their love story begin. But this time… this time her heart ached at the thought of doing it again. Addie’s heart broke thinking about putting Leo through eventual heartache that she, herself, couldn’t control with this… time mess she was in. She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t…
While lost in her thoughts, the sound of a car pulling up behind her jolted Addie, freezing her in place. She knew this moment—knew exactly what was about to unfold. As if on cue, a familiar man walked past her towards the gallery, effortlessly skipping the line. This was the part where she was supposed to play her role, pretend he was her boyfriend, sneak in, and inevitably fall for this boy she didn’t really know. But she couldn’t. Instead, Adelaide Pier… Parker found her feet glued to the cement below her. No, not this time. This time, he wouldn’t have to deal with her. This time, in this life, Leo deserved better than for her to ruin everything.
Addie watched him go, entering the party without anyone stopping him. For a moment, she just stood there, staring after him, realizing that the choice she made meant they would never meet. And for some inexplicable reason, that tore her apart. It killed her inside that he wouldn’t know who she was, wouldn’t share her memories, her laughter, her pain. Yet, she wouldn’t subject him to that this time. If this was her last round of skipping through her life, it would be the one where she spared him from the heartache.
Honestly, Addie couldn’t tell you how long she spent there. All she knew was she had to pull herself away, find a place to sit and think. In that regard, she was fortunate—the Art Gallery happened to be across the street from Addie’s favorite diner in Beryl. It was a quaint, small mom-and-pop-owned establishment. The reason she loved it, though? it probably had the best coffee in town.
“Hey honey, table for one?”
A smile met Addie’s lips seeing Dorothea, a women she had seen often during her time in Beryl. She was a sweet lady in her 30s who had taken over the joint from her parents. And get this; fallen in love with the bust boy who worked for her parents. BUT ALSO; Addie had gotten the real story out of her husband, the only reason her husband had wanted to work there in the first place was because he had the biggest crush on Dora. So - not only did this place have the best coffee, but the one of the best love stories too so… Addie couldn’t complain.
"That would be perfect, Dora. Could I get the table in the corner? And the newspaper please?
There was a hint of surprise in Dora’s expression, likely from Addie’s casual tone, but it quickly transformed into a warm smile as she led Addie to the corner table.
“The newspaper delivery boy hasn’t arrived yet but when he does - I’ll get that paper to you. What can I get you started on in the meantime?”
“Oh… damn. Do you have anything I could read back there then?”
“I can bring you yesterday’s copy?”
“That works. And… could I also get a large black coffee with a teaspoon of lavender and honey annddd… maybe just a basket of fries? I would absolutly fall in love if you put your famous gravy on the fries too.”
“Coming right up, sweetheart.”
Addie maintained her smile as Dora left, letting it fade only when she was alone. The booth offered a clear line of sight to the art gallery, prompting Addie’s mind to wander back to the first time she was here. How she talked with Leo for hours, laughed about paintings, made him guess what each one was about, and then concocted stories for the hell of it. How he had guessed her name as Jessica… Anna… the two names she later named her daughters. It hurt… thinking about it all.
But this felt right…
Maybe, this time, Addie was meant to steer clear of Leo, to ensure they never crossed paths, allowing him to live a life free from the pain she caused. It made sense— if she couldn’t control these skips in her life, she couldn’t risk it. The old Addie, the one she once was, would inevitably hurt Leo again. Perhaps, this was the punishment she deserved—having to relive her life without him. Maybe, just maybe.
This was good… Addie had done pretty well diverting her thoughts from the fact that she was altering her life course and had also come to terms with the fact that she was once again finding herself at a different point of her time. Which yes… maybe shouldn’t have been as easy to come to terms with but… she’d been through this so many times at this point that she had given up.
She had enjoyed her fries, and coffee - which were absolutely divine by the way. Adelaide had forgotten how much she missed this place. She had a looooong conversation with Dora which lasted upwards of 40 minutes: They discussed Addie’s life in general and how she just arrived from London (which was ironically hard to remember details about), and she also extracted information from Dora about her upcoming anniversary with her husband, all while skillfully avoiding questions about why a “beautiful girl like her” was dining alone. Addie had also finished the crossword from yesterday’s newspaper and now she was onto today’s issue after the newspaper boy finally delivered the store their copies.
It was a productive distraction.
Plus - Addie was hoping Justin would be done soon so that she could go get a ride home from him. She definitely… definitely wasn’t watching for Leo also… wondering when he’d leave… or trying to catch a glimpse of him. Definitely not. Nope. But just in case anyone was curious, his car was still parked out front. So, he was still inside. Still there. And… and this crossword was proving challenging. Right, back to the crossword. That’s what’s important, Addie—focus on the bloody crossword.
Fck.
Addie couldn’t concentrate anymore. Her eyes kept involuntarily glancing over at Leo’s car. Taking a deep breath, Addie put the crossword down and walked up to the counter with a smile, hoping the brief walk would provide a much-needed break. “Dora, I’m going to go to the loo really quickly, but do you mind getting me another cup of coffee? To-go this time—I think my brother will be done soon.”
Addie waited for the nod before walking to the bathroom, finding herself, for the first time, staring at her younger version in the mirror. She appeared to be around 17—youthful, bright-eyed, excited for what life had in store. It was strange, looking at a younger version of herself. Yet, there was a sadness in her eyes, one that didn’t belong to this 17-year-old. It belonged to her, the version of Addie who had come back and was altering this girl’s life. And for that, Addie was truly sorry.
Splashing cold water on her face, Addie looked in the mirror again for a second. After the moment passed, she went back outside, hearing someone call out her “lavender with honey coffee.” Mindlessly, she grabbed the large coffee waiting on the counter and headed back to her table.
Back to the crossword - god why was this crossword proving to be so hard? She had done it before. Taking a sip of her coffee; Addie reveled in the taste before focusing on the puzzle again.
Okay 2 across: Doom in 10 letters.
Armageddon right?
“I believe that’s my coffee you have there.”
The voice interrupted her thoughts, but more than that, it sent her into a state of shock. She recognized that voice… Addie loved that voice. Adelaide Parker had made love to that voice… she knew that voice like the back of her hand. She had heard that voice in her dreams, more than once. Not to mention hearing that voice in her past few… time… jumps. Her eyes stayed on the newspaper, her body frozen, as she realized a few things.
- Leonardo Azure was somehow talking to her
- There was a reason why this damn coffee shop was so familiar to her—Leo had introduced her to it, and she had conveniently forgotten that part.
What the heck was she supposed to do? Taking a few deep breaths, her mind racing, Addie tried really hard to make her movements seem natural—almost as if she was engrossed in her crossword.
With one last deep breath, Addie finally looked up at him—and there he was: Leonardo Azure. A faint smile graced his lips, sending butterflies to her stomach. But it was more than that. The way she looked at him conveyed so much more than a person meeting a stranger for the first time. No—Addie loved him, and it was so hard to hide that fact.
Looking back down at what she initially believed was her coffee, a sense of realization hit her as she saw “Leonardo” written on the cup.
Of course, with her luck, this would happen. Never mind that… no… Addie made a deal with herself, and she intended to keep it. In this life, they would remain strangers. Addie continued looking away from him this time, aware that her eyes gave away more than her words. “I guess we have the same order. Mine should be out in a bit, and you can grab that.”
With that, Addie directed all her focus back to the crossword, hoping, mentally praying he would walk away. Even though her heart was pounding in her ears and the desire to wrap her arms around the man and kiss him filled her body. No. She wouldn’t… give in to that.
Perhaps she was hoping for too much?
Spoiler alert: she was.
“You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone have the same order as me”
“It’s a good order.”
Addie was making every attempt to portray herself as a girl who was trying to ignore him—was it working? No… it didn’t seem like it.
“Do you mind?”
If her heart was racing before, it doubled when he sat down next to her. Feeling the heat of his body, all of Adelaide’s attention went to focusing on that. While she was looking at the crossword… she wasn’t looking at the crossword anymore. No… nope fck. All her attention was now on his proximity to her.
“2 across is Armageddon”
"I knew that”
Excuse you Leo - SHE DID. With that, she looked at him with a slightly annoyed expression; out of pure instinct. But trust her; that was a mistake. Because looking up at him once again made her eyes soften. Though realizing what she did - she frowned; attempting to once again push the “leave me alone” persona.
“It didn’t look like you. If you did, you would’ve filled it in.”
Oh oH no you did not LEO.
"Or, perhaps darling, I was waiting before filling it in so I knew it was right and I didn’t waste time erasing my work.”
Valid excuse if you ask her.
“Maybe you should’ve trusted yourself in your answer, instead of expecting that you would make the wrong choice”
“Perhaps I’m prone to making wrong choice”
There was a defiance in her eyes as she looked back at him… attempting to ignore how close they were to one another.
“Maybe that’s because you aren’t trusting yourself to make the right ones”
“If this is a flirting tactic, you’re doing terrible. Insulting a girl isn’t going to get you anywhere. Not that you and I are going anywhere anyways. But I just want you to know for when you go hit on the next one”
Was she trying to push him away? Yes… yes she was.
“Who says I’m insulting anyone? I’m not the one doubting anyone’s abilities or choices. That would be you, doubting yourself. I’m just saying that maybe you should trust yourself more”
God damn it Leo… why do you have to be so… URGH. You know what. Addie has one better…
“If you don’t mind… Leo is it? I’d prefer to be left alone. And, I don’t think my fiancé would appreciate you flirting with me””
She knew Leo - and she knew he was good at reading people. Perhaps she couldn’t hide things from him; but what if what she was saying was the truth? Mostly the truth…
“I don’t think your fiancé would appreciate you not wearing a ring. And if I had to take a guess, you’ve never had a ring on that finger”
Fck. He wasn’t wrong. He also wasn’t right - Addie… future addie had many rings on that finger. One… from the man sitting beside her.
“What do you want from me Leo? My drink will probably be called out any minute and you can have it as a replacement for me drinking yours. Do you want me to pay for a another drink? a pastry perhaps? Because honestly if it’ll get you to leave, I’m happy to do so.”
Addie finally looked down - unable to meet his gaze anymore.
“Couldn’t I just be curious about the girl who apparently has the same coffee order I do?”
“Have I fulfilled your curiosity yet? Because trust me, I have no curiosities about you”
“Are you sure about that? Is there really nothing you could be curious to know?”
It was with those words that Addie looked back up at him. There was a sincerity in her features as she said the next words.
"I know everything I need to know about you, Leo.” "
And it was true - she did. She knew what kind of man he was. She loved that man. She would always love that man - so yes, she knew everything she needed to know about him. It wasn’t a lie… not… technically. And she knew that confused him. She could see it on his face.
They were both looking at each other for a moment; but thankfully… thankfully her order was finally called out serving as a peak distraction for the man.
“And that’s your cue to leave, darling”
He stayed for a second - Addie could sense it: The daring nature in his eyes, wondering if he should leave or stay. But after a moment, he got up - and hesitantly walked towards the counter. And… well… Addie took that as her moment to leave. Placing the money for her food on the counter: Adelaide Parker made a swift exit outside… attempting, at all costs, to avoid talking to him again.
Adelaide quickly stood near the road - where she had seen more Taxi’s and she stood there looking. Fcking praying that one would come by. Her eyes kept glancing at the diner, and then back at the road, and then back at the diner - hoping she could just… race off soon.
OH THERE.
Addie saw one - and immediately placed her hand out; attempting to call it over. “TAXIII” she screamed; however, to no avail. Instead, she heard a familiar voice behind her for the second time.
“I hate to break this to you, but you’ll be hard pressed to get a taxi here without calling one yourself… which can take upwards of an hour during this time of day. But my car’s right over there and I can drive you wherever you need to go.”
"Leo, in what world did our conversation in that diner tell you that I wanted to get inside your car?” because… she didn’t. She didn’t want to get inside his car. COME ON LEO get with the program - she was going to ignore you this time around. That was the plan… and she had to follow the plan…
Addie hadn’t turned back to look at him - but maybe if she had, she would have seen the smirk on his face; the one he gets when he knows he’s winning in a conversation or a game.
"“Maybe that you wanted to go home? I mean, you did kind of run out of that diner really fast a second ago. ”
“I rather call for a cab”
" Perfect. I"ll wait with you. I can finish your coffee, and maybe help you finish that crossword? Since clearly, you were in such a hurry to leave that you didn’t get around to doing it.”"
“So you’re practically threatening me?”
“With good company? Sure. Or maybe I just want to make sure you get home safe. Either way - that means an hour in that diner or the… what… 10 to 20 minutes it takes me to just drive you to where ever you need to go””
“You’re not going to relent are you? Fine, Leo. Let’s go.”
And with that - she knew he had, indeed, won. Though, she would never admit it. Fcking hell Leo. Turning back towards him, Addie gave him a huff; knowing it was a lose lose situation for. And with that; she found herself walking towards his car without guidance - waiting for the man to open the door so she could sit inside.
Whatever plan Addie had to avoid him… well… clearly for some reason… it wasn’t working.
What the fck was she supposed to do?
pt 1
Time Skip Post - Rewind: