(I've Known You) A Life and A Day

It All Comes Back

  “Mark, I know I’ve said it before, but I really suggest you see a licensed psychiatrist.”

  The man in question groaned as he lifted his head up from where he had it rested on the counselor’s desk. Menachem was sitting across from him in the office chair, the actual counselor off in the staff room eating lunch. It was now Friday, and after enduring a week of silence due to his cousin being sick, Mark was eager to spill to Menachem about what had happened after his date with Michael.

  “But he remembers! He might deny it, but he does! I just...I need to find out how to help him remember!”

  Menachem sighed and jotted a couple quick notes down, trying to take Mark seriously despite his uneasiness. “I think this would be a conversation you’d need to take slowly...and if this is actually real, and not something in your head, you might want to try to find something that can help him jog his memory. Something tangible and real.”

  Mark nodded along and went through his mind of something that could help. “Thanks. Hey, do you want to come over on Saturday?”

  “Oh, um...actually, Trinity and I are going to that new art museum that opened up across town.”

  “...You finally asked her out?” Mark asked, smiling just a little.

  “Well, she really asked me out. I-I was going to, but I got choked up and she sorta filled in the blank.”

  Mark chuckled and got up when the bell rang, ready to face the rest of the school day with Michael.

**

  The naturally cool air of autumn was beginning to grow a bit colder, now to the point that Mark needed a long sleeved shirt and a jacket as he walked to Jason’s house from school to spend time with him and reminisce a bit more. It was the short amount of time he never knew he needed to distract himself and also remind himself of this life he missed so damn much. As he walked, he thought about what it would’ve been like to watch Jason grow up, graduate high school, go to college, get a degree, get married. Live a life he always wanted his son to have.

  He walked up the driveway to the old house and knocked on the door, expecting Jason to answer. Instead, a boy around the age of eleven answered instead. “...Who are you?” The boy asked, tilting his head in a way Jason always did as a child.

  “Uh, Mark. Is Jason here?” he asked, the confusion clear in his voice.

  “Dad, some guy’s at the door asking for you!”

  Holy shit.

  Jason was a father. He had a kid.

  The man in question walked up to the door as the kid ran back off. “Ah, Mark. I almost thought you had abandoned me today,” he said with a slight chuckle, gesturing for Mark to come in. Suddenly, he heard a thud coming from another place in the house and called out, “What are you three getting up to?”

  Correction: Jason didn’t have a kid. He had kids .

  The children all ran into the room together, two boys who looked to be around the same age and a girl who seemed about eight or nine. “We were just playing. Who’s this?” one of the boys asked, pointing at Mark.

  “This is Mark. He’s a friend. Mark, these are my kids. Marvin, Mendel, and Carlotta.”

  Mark felt like he died again. Jason named one of his kids after him. His pride as a parent extended all expectation.

  The kids soon left again to go play and Jason brought Mark a can of soda. “Sorry I hadn’t mentioned them. I rarely even see them. My ex wife Heather has sole custody of them. I’m lucky to get weekends with them.”