And Forever Is A Long Time

And Forever Is A Long Time

By Mike Roop



On December 26th, 2003, they met in a coffee shop.

Seated at a table, alone in a crowded room, Malcolm was hunched over his laptop working on his physics research paper. He wore his black hair in an army-style buzz cut and sported black plastic-framed glasses, both choices of convenience and frugality as opposed to any sense of style. His own coffee was ice cold, untouched for hours. He was only there for the free wi-fi because the campus was closed for the holidays. He had tuned out the noise of the other patrons. In fact, while he worked, he had willed them all out of existence. All but one, that is, as a steaming cup of tea doused him and his computer.

To say that Molly was clumsy would be an understatement. Historically she had a record of dexterous faux pas a mile long. She had so many trips to the emergency room that she was on a first-name basis with most of the staff. Her hair was a wild shock of ginger curls and her eyes could never decide what color they were, grey one day, blue the next, and green that night. She worked in the used book store next to the coffee shop and her boss usually brought her the daily cup of tea, but Molly decided that she was buying for them in a fit of holiday spirit. She had the cups in hand, concentrating with her tongue at the corner of her lips. Perhaps her shoe came untied. Again.

There was a few moments of tense silence as Malcolm watched his computer drown in chamomile and peppermint. He was stunned into silence by the sheer aggravation and idiocy of some stupid, mindless, brainless—

Their eyes met. Today hers were a pale blue-green. His were the same dull brown they always had been, but as Molly looked at them, his pupils grew large and consumed any trace of color. And then, thankful for the hot tea to blame, Malcolm turned scarlet, his cheeks flushing down to his collar.

He stuttered. “I—“

“—am so, so… so sorry,” Molly finished her own apology over top of him. She set down two almost empty cups and reached for the napkin dispenser on the table. And then proceeded to tip Malcolm’s coffee onto the laptop.

And that was how they met.

On March 27th, 2004, they went out on their first official date. Malcolm took Molly to a Bach retrospective at the conservatory. She fell asleep twenty minutes in and they left at intermission to go watch Ben Affleck and Liv Tyler in Jersey Girl at the Cineplex-13. Later that night at the Baskin Robbins Malcolm had an allergic reaction to a spoonful of Molly’s pistachio mint ripple and they spent the next six hours in the emergency room.

Laying on the hospital bed, his eyes almost lost in a sea of swollen face, he looked at her and mumbled around an enlarged tongue. “I—“

“—am so, so… so sorry,” Molly finished her own apology over top of him. She held his hand as they waited for the drugs to work their magic and reduce the swelling.

And that was how their relationship started.

On July 4th, 2004, Molly took Malcolm to her parents for a barbecue. Malcolm spent the day trying to impress Molly’s father and brothers and Molly’s father and brothers spent the day trying to make Malcolm impress them. After a lengthy barbecue and sampling three different pies Molly’s mom made, there was a healthy game of touch football which, miraculously, resulted in no one being whisked to an emergency room.

That night as they were watching fireworks, Molly’s dad had a heart attack. Malcolm spent the night in the hospital with Molly and her family. He dutifully fetched coffees and tried to distract them with magazines and college stories that were never as funny as he hoped they were. In the end, they were just as happy with him sitting quietly with them and he held Molly’s hand and she looked at him and said, “I—“

“—am so, so… so sorry,” Malcolm finished his own apology over top of her.

And that was how their relationship grew.

On December 26th, 2004, they had lunch in the same coffee shop where they had met. Malcolm had an engagement ring tied to the spoon on her saucer when he brought her a cup of tea. It took a third refill of tea before Molly finally noticed the ring. Malcolm got down on one knee to propose properly and as she spun in her seat to face him, she brought the spoon around and cracked him in the mouth, chipping one of his teeth. “I—“

“Nevermind,” he said with a crooked smile. “Will you marry me?”

“I will. And love you forever.”

And that was how they got engaged.

On June 3rd, 2005, Malcolm graduated from college with his bachelor’s degree. During dinner that night, Malcolm went on at length about a doctorate program 2,000 miles away. An argument ensued over long-distance relationships or Molly moving with him. As most fights go, stupid things were said and feelings were hurt. Malcolm broke a plate and two glasses after Molly ran out in tears.

And that was how they broke up.

On June 5th, 2005, Molly woke up at her parent’s house to the sound of a horrible rendition of Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together” being sung through a bullhorn. Luckily, Molly stopped her father from dousing Malcolm with the garden hose before he sang the chorus a third time. Malcolm walked forward and dropped to his knees on the lawn. “I—“

“Nevermind,” she said with tears in her eyes. “Will you still marry me?”

“And love you forever.”

And that was how they got back together.

On December 26th, 2005, Molly and Malcolm stood under a wire trellis laced with white roses inside the coffee shop they met in two years prior. Their families and a few close friends stood around and watched as the minister led them in their vows. They vowed to love each other forever. They were pronounced man and wife and they kissed. Even Molly’s dad cried. There were bowls of M&Ms on all the tables.

And that was how they got married.

On May 10th, 2006, Molly was working at the bookstore stocking shelves when she slipped off the ladder. When she fell her head cracked a bookshelf. Later at the hospital she died during surgery when the surgeon was attempting to relieve the pressure as her brain was swelling. Molly’s dad hugged Malcolm as they cried.

And that’s how Molly died and Malcolm died inside.

On June 6th, 2006, Malcolm finished boxing up the last of the items in the apartment he had shared with Molly. Molly’s dad was encouraging him to go back to college in the fall, but Malcolm was still in an emotional tailspin. He took the last few odds and ends in a milk crate to a thrift shop downtown. As he set it on the ground outside the donations area, he noticed a small stack of paperbacks inside the crate. He pulled them out and tucked them under his arm and walked to the bookstore where Molly worked.

The owner smiled and patted his arm as he set the books down on the counter. “Malcolm, I—“

“Nevermind that,” he said quietly. “She would want these to go to someone who would love them like she did.”

The owner fidgeted nervously with the books, laying them out, side by side. “All right,” she said quietly.

Malcolm looked down one last time at the books before he turned to walk away.

And then he stopped.

He reached out and grabbed one of the paperbacks. A small flicker of hope flared deep inside of him. He smiled, then he laughed. Then he dropped the book back down and rushed from the store. The owner, confused, looked at the paperback he threw down as he ran out. It was a dog-eared copy of HG Wells’ The Time Machine.

And that’s how Malcolm got the idea to go back in time.

On December 26th, 2013, after seven years of research and development, Malcolm entered his private, off-the-books laboratory which was crammed with scientific equipment. A little misappropriation of grants here, some credit fraud there, and a lot of misfiled equipment allocation, but he was finally ready. His years of hard work and barely any sleep aged had him. He looked much older and his beard was greying early.

He spent a few minutes at the computer control console where a faded picture of Molly was taped next to the monitor. With a few final keystrokes he initialized the sequence that powered the device he had worked so hard on.

“I love you, forever,” he said quietly.

And he stepped into the aperture and vanished.

And that was the first time Malcolm went back in time.

On May 10th, 2006, Molly was working at the bookstore stocking shelves when she slipped off the ladder. A bearded man browsing the stacks nearby caught her and broke her fall. After making sure she was okay, he quickly disappeared out the door and into the city crowd. Molly thought he seemed very familiar, but he left so fast she couldn’t be sure.

That night at dinner, Molly told Malcolm about her day.

“I would have loved to meet the man who saved my wife.” He smiled at her and reached over to hold her hand across the table.

“The man who saved your wife,” she smiled and blushed, “and child.”

And that’s when Malcolm learned he was going to be a father.

On July 10th, 2006, an anonymous man collected record bet winnings on the FIFA World Cup and then vanished without a trace.

On October 13th, 2006, Malcolm and Molly welcomed their newborn son Mitchell into their home. Late that night an anonymous envelope was shoved under their door. It contained two rather generous cashier’s checks, one labeled for Mitchell’s college fund.

And that was when Malcolm and Molly never had to worry about money again.

On April 10th, 2008, Malcolm and Molly welcomed their newborn daughter Megan into their home. Late that night an anonymous envelope was shoved under their door. It contained two rather generous cashier’s checks, one labeled for Megan’s college fund.

And that was when Malcolm and Molly had their first fight about money.

On May 10th, 2009, Malcolm sat in a bar, drinking heavily. He and Molly had been fighting more and more lately and they were ready to file for a divorce. On the next bar stool, a man with a thick greying beard, who reminded Malcolm of his father, bent an ear and listened to Malcolm complain and say his peace. The man nodded and talked with him for hours and by the end of the night, Malcolm had been reminded of what truly mattered. The man with the beard just smiled, showing a chipped tooth, clapped him on the back and slipped out the door.

And that was when Malcolm went home and made up with Molly.

On January 1st, 2010, Malcolm and Molly welcomed their newborn twins, Mason and Mary, into their home. Late that night an anonymous envelope was shoved under their door. It contained two rather generous cashier’s checks, labeled for the twins’ college fund.

That was when Malcolm and Molly felt their home was finally complete.

And on December 26th, 2013, this time, no one had a reason to go back in time because Molly had not died.

But on May 10th, 2006, Molly was working at the bookstore stocking shelves when she slipped off the ladder. When she fell her head cracked a bookshelf. Later at the hospital she died during surgery when the surgeon was attempting to relieve the pressure as her brain was swelling. Molly’s dad hugged Malcolm as they cried.

And that’s how Molly died and Malcolm died inside. Again.

And again on December 26th, 2013, after seven years of research and development, Malcolm entered his private, off-the-books laboratory which was crammed with scientific equipment. He spent a few minutes at the computer control console where a faded picture of Molly was taped next to the monitor. With a few final keystrokes he initialized the miniature hadron collider and particle accelerator that powered the device he had worked so hard on. He stepped into the aperture and vanished.

And again, on May 10th, 2006, a bearded man saved Molly from falling off a ladder at the bookstore. Molly and Malcolm went on to have children, to live and love, and fight and make up. Until December 26th, 2013, when again, no one went back in time.

And then, on May 10th, 2006, Molly fell from a ladder and died that night in the hospital. And again, Malcolm created a time travel machine, went back in time and saved her. And then old Malcolm would watch young Malcolm live his life with Molly. Malcolm would never have reason to create a time machine, and again no one would go back in time to save Molly, because she had not died. But because no one went back in time, Molly would die again. And again, Malcolm would create a time machine… and the cycle would repeat. Forever.

And forever is a long time.