"it's more than a feeling of deja vu. things are repeating. but this time ... i know how to stop them."
[ sequel to THE MANDELA EFFECT ]
au
ft. jason patric, the corey's, etc
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MONDAY, DECEMBER 22nd 1987
"oh, speaking of the devil!" aunt maggie announces as i descend from the staircase. "my niece, kennedy." she raises the glass of wine in her hand.
she has a friend over, a woman who looks close to her age and wears the same style of clothes as she does.
"kennedy, this is roxanne."
"you can just call me roxy." the brunette woman smiles.
"hi." i say, before looking to my aunt. "aunt maggie, you mind if i take your car out? corey called, asked me to pick him up from set."
she nods her head, digging through her purse to find her car keys.
"you're in movies aren't you?" roxy asks me. "maggie tells me all about them and-"
the car keys clang against the tile floor as aunt maggie drops them.
"sorry. here you go, kennedy."
"thanks." i take them from her. "nice meeting you, roxy! sorry, gotta go."
and with that i'm heading towards the front door. i see through the windows that it's drizzling rain outside, so i grab a jacket from the coat closet.
"why do you refuse to let that poor girl know how much you love her and are proud of her?" the faint whisper of roxy's voice makes me slow my movements of putting on a windbreaker.
"she's always running off doing her own thing." i hear my aunt say. "and so am i. off with old friends or spending the night at a guys' house i just met. how successful kennedy is is no thanks to me. it's all in that little girl."
"you can't be so hard on yourself. you've done an amazing job raising her after her parents' accident."
there's a pause in their words and i worry they've caught me eavesdropping from down the hall.
"when i found out what happened to her, when that sleazy director took advantage of her and she was hooked on liquor and pills, it almost killed me. let me tell you."
"bye, aunt maggie!" i yell, stepping out from around the corner. "had to grab a jacket, it's raining."
she and roxanne look startled realizing i was still here.
"love you!"
"i-i love you too, kennedy!"
i turn on my heels and head out the front door. she doesn't think i heard any of that, but i'm happy i did.
=
the set of license to drive is quiet. no one is on it. it seems as if they've all gone home.
"hey!" corey's voice draws my attention to the door that is slightly cracked open.
