The Future Falls Read Online Free PDF Page A

through.’”
    â€œReally?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œOkay, then. This is where we turn.” Gary pointed west at the barely visible sign for a public parking lot. “You’re . . .”
    â€œStill heading north.” She could feel trees on the other side of the big brick church. “Best of luck following the dream.” As there’d been enough beer and music for hugs, Charlie took the opportunity to trace a charm on the bouzouki case, protecting the instrument within from rough handling, sudden changes in the weather, and cat urine.
    â€œIf we’re in Calgary . . .” Gary grinned, all of them aware of how unlikely that would be. “. . . we’ll be sure to . . .”
    â€œBrush Up Your Shakespeare”
rang out from Charlie’s pocket. “It was gangster Shakespeare or Katy Perry,” she explained, pulling out the phone.
    Gary laughed. “Good choice.” They waved as she unlocked it, Gary’s arm around Sheryl’s shoulders as they walked away.
    Charlie half expected the overture from
Man of La Mancha
to follow them down the street, but when the silence remained unbroken except for a squeal of tires from the passing cab, she turned her attention to her phone. “Katie?”
    Katie sighed with enough force Charlie almost felt it. “You hung up on Allie.”
    â€œI was . . .”
    â€œDon’t care. Every stoplight in Calgary has been red for the last four hours.”
    Charlie checked her watch—2:15 AM EST—and rounded back. “It’s 11 PM in Calgary.”
    â€œYes, and four hours ago it was 7 PM and traffic’s been a complete bitch. I’m only grateful you waited until after the evening commute. Do you know why all the stoplights have been red for the last four hours? Why I’ve been here instead of spending the evening in the park with David? Because you hung up on Allie.”
    â€œGraham . . .”
    â€œGraham got threatened with an ice cream scoop, decided discretion was the better part of valor, and spent the evening down in the store.”
    â€œAn ice cream scoop?”
    â€œShe couldn’t find the melon baller; not the point. The point is, you hung up on her.”
    â€œAbout four hours ago. Why’d it take you so long to call?”
    â€œWe tried. What did you do to your phone?”
    â€œNothing.”
    â€œI don’t believe you.”
    â€œWhy would I lie about that? Trust me, if I actually figured out a way to block calls, I’d tell you all about it.” But her phone hadn’t rung once while she was in O’Connell’s or while she was walking with Gary and Sheryl, at least not until it was time for them to separate. In the last four hours, Charlie hadn’t considered flushing her phone down a toilet, tossing it through the open window of a passing cab, or mailing it to Argentina to get a temporary reprieve from family.
    She watched Gary and Sheryl turn into the parking lot. Someone or something had really wanted her to spend that time with them. If Charlie ever found out who or what it was, she’d have to thank them. “Is Allie okay?”
    â€œWhat part of all the lights have been red for four hours sounds like okay to you?”
    â€œI’m on my way.”
    â€œOn your way where?”
    Okay, maybe she deserved that. “Home.”
    â€œAim for yesterday.”
    She couldn’t make yesterday, but it sounded like Allie’s reaction had beenstrong enough Charlie could have followed it back to the moment right after she’d hung up. “It won’t change anything. The lights will still be red, and you’ll still be pissed off when you call.”
    â€œFucking Schrödinger’s future,” Katie muttered.
    â€œYou’re the one who opened the box.” Because the past had already happened, Charlie couldn’t know what she was trying to change. If