Just In Time

Her eyes weren’t the same. They weren’t the vibrant blue that they once were. They seemed duller, different. But she hadn’t really changed. She was the beautiful girl Nash had fell in love with. Nash held her hand as she lay still on the bed. The room was silent besides the noise of the EKG. Nash squirmed in the chair as he tried to get comfortable, but it was no use.

The funny thing about time travel is that sometimes it controls you. You don’t always control it. Doctors say it’s a birth defect although Nash has no idea how something like this can be a birth defect. It’s harder than it sounds. Getting to where you actually want to go.

Nash awoke the next morning in there bed. The clock read 6:34am. The spot next to him were Kay usually slept was vacant. He grabbed his phone and dialed Kay’s number. One ring. Two. Three. Four. “Hello.” He heard her voice answer on the other end.

“Kay? You’re all right. Where are you?”

“Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be? I’m at work I told you I had to work the morning shift.” Kay said.

“Right I forgot. I’m sorry.”

“Are you okay?” She asked.

“Yeah I’m fine. I’ll see you when you get home. I love you.” He said before hanging up.

Nash sighed and lay back in bed. It was his day off. He never knew what to do on his days off. Nash got up and made himself a cup of coffee. Kay always asked him how he could drink black coffee. She couldn’t stand it. He sat on the couch flipping through television channels. He did expect anything to be on. It was almost 7 in the morning. Photos of Nash, Kay and their families were scattered around the house. They had only been married a year, but have been dating since high school. No one approved of them getting married at such a young age. Nash was 22 and Kay 21, but they wanted it.

Kay called a few hours later.

“Hello?”

“Hey I’m on my way home, but I’m stopping at the store to pick up dinner. Do you want anything?” Kay said.

“No. I’m good.”

“Okay I’ll see you in a few. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

It had been a while since Kay had called, but Nash wasn’t worried. Kay often got held up. She would run into someone from high school or she didn’t know which kind of oatmeal to buy so she had to debate than after half an hour she decided to get both. It was then that he received a call that would change his life.

“Hello?” Nash answered.

“Hello is this Nash McAlister?”

“Yes. Who is this?”

“Are you the husband of a Mrs. Kay Youngblood-McAlister?”

“Yes. Who is this?” Nash repeated.

“I’m calling from the Whittmore Memorial Hospital. Your wife was in an accident.”

“What?” Was all Nash could say.

“I’ll explain more when you get here.”

Nash was at the hospital in less than five minutes and it was a ten minute or so drive from their house.

“Mr. McAlister?”

“Yes?”

“This way please.” A doctor led him to Kay’s room. She was lying unconscious on a hospital bed. He watched the lines of the EKG move up and down.