I manage to get shakily to my feet, and notice that David is just picking up his head. I smile down at him. "Come on," I say softly. I help him to his feet before checking my watch and see that the day is over. I look down and see that I am in the same clothes as before. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow..."

"Hey, wait!"

I turn, almost surprised at hearing his desperate tone. "What?"

"I just think we should have a talk. We need to talk about your apparent feelings for me. It's the mature thing to do here..."

"I'm not in a mature mood," I reply.

"Please, don't be that way..."

"I've got to go," I say before running off into the distance. I get to the parking lot and am surprised to see my mother waiting outside of her Volvo.
"Hey!" she says, waving to me. She throws her arms around me. "Did you and David just get back from...there?" she asks.
I nod at her. "Yes."
"I recognized the hair," she says, fiddling with it. "Where is David, anyhow?" she asks me, peering around me and looking for him. "I thought that he would have been all over you or something..."
I shake my head. "I made it so he doesn't remember anything."
"He doesn't remember where you were?" she asks in shock as she turns around and unlocks the car.
I shake my head as I open the passenger door slowly. "No," I say softly to her in means of a reply. "He does remember where we went, but not all the love and the love... making," I say in my most quiet voice.
Her head snaps to attention. "You two...?"
"Twice," I whisper.
She sighs, knowing that she should be concerned about the situation, but she was a teenager once, too... "Wow..."
I shrug. "It didn't mean anything," I urge her as she sticks her keys into the ignition and pulls out of the parking space.
"But you love him, sweetheart," she says, pulling into the line of traffic forming at the exit of the parking lot.
"It doesn't matter."
"It does matter," she replies. We drive in silence for the next few minutes. "I need to stop at the store. I thought I'd make your favorite chicken tonight. Oh, and Luke's invited Elizabeth over for dinner."
"Whoa, whoa, hold up for just a second, please," I say as we pull into the grocery store's parking lot. "What about the practice?"
My mother smiles as she pulls carefully into a parking space. "Your dad and I never went to med school, Lily."
"You called me 'Lily'," I whisper.
"Well, you did wish for that, didn't you?" she asks with a smile. "Your name back in 1982 was Rose, but the real Rose told us when you were born to name you Lily. She said that you wanted it that way."
"Rose?" I ask. "Where is she?"
"Oh, she and James will be coming over for dinner as usual," she says casually as the two of us walk out into the parking lot. "They'll more than likely be bringing Chris and the twins, Poppy and Iris."
"Rose isn't on Death Row?" I ask.
My mother stops walking, shocked at my question. "No, but she's sure had a few clients that have ended up there. James too," she continues, grabbing a shopping cart. "They own Machiavelli Law downtown."
"James's last name is Machiavelli?" I ask.
My mother nods. "It is." She puts various fruits into the cart, as well as a bag of salad before walking over to the meat department. While she is looking over the packs of chicken breasts, two other women approach us.
"Marnie?" asks one of them.
She looks up. "Roxy?!" she cries.
"I haven't seen you since high school, before the band!" she cries. "This is my daughter, Amber. Amber, you go to school with Lily here, don't you?"
Amber is clearly in awe of me, not something I am used to or entirely prepared for. "Yes," she says. "Wow Lily, I am your biggest fan!"
"Thank you," I say awkwardly. "And what is it I do again?"
She giggles. "You and your mother are, like, one of the most popular singers in the world, with your family band, Radcliffe Fever," says Amber.
"Okay, Amber," interrupts Roxy politely with a smile. "Why don't the pair of us continue with our shopping now? I presume Mrs. Radcliffe and Lily have things to do."
"Good to see you," Mom tosses over her shoulder as we walk away.
"Radcliffe Fever?" I ask.
"Your father picked the name," she admits to me as we go down the frozen food aisle. "The plus side is we only tour once a year, in the summer. This summer we're going to Europe! Isn't that exciting?"
"Yeah, exciting," I say, putting my favorite ice cream—caramel cone—into the cart. "So, you and dad—you're really not doctors?"

. . .

We return home at afternoon and pass by the garage, where Dad, Axel, and Dex are jamming together—I am surprised that they are still there, even though they tried to kill me. My mother kisses Dad as we walk through, and Dad grins and gives me a one-armed hug before getting back to his guitar. I'm surprised that we can still afford the same house we were living in before, now that neither of my parents are making their hefty doctor's salary, but decide not to question it in front of anyone.
I help my mother unpack the groceries, making a bit of small talk before going upstairs to my bedroom to do my homework.

"Change into something nice for dinner," she calls after me as I leave the kitchen as I snag a cup of yogurt from the fridge.

I go upstairs and into my bedroom, setting down the yogurt cup and going through my cherry wood wardrobe. I find a white ruffled blouse and a knee-length pink skirt and put those on. I run a brush briefly through my hair—which is just the way it was styled at the salon, the honey blonde streaks still intact—and stare at myself in the mirror. I put on a little blush and some lip gloss and a bit of mascara, but for the rest, leave my face a blank canvas. Almost as if I know that I have years and years to put makeup on my face, I don't want to even begin to waste my time with it now.
I find that I cannot get into my European history, and soon discover that I'm bored. I cut corners a little and wish that all my homework is finished with at least ninety-five percent of the answers correct. I don't want to seem too brilliant all of a sudden, just because I had some 1980's experience.

I log on to my computer,and absentmindedly go to the social networking website and onto David's profile.He has recently posted something along the lines of confusion, and hisrelationship status has gone from "single" to "it's complicated" in the lasthour. I sigh, gazing at that profile picture of his for a moment and allowmyself to dream...
I push that from my mind and type another essayalong the lines of wanting what we can't have, just to have it, really. It issort of a rough copy of what my final essay is going to be, and I am very proudof it. I hear a knock at my door and look up to see Elizabeth standing there. Isqueal and start to get up, but she comes to sit beside me on my bed, so that Iam free to throw my arms around her in my utter happiness at seeing her.
"Wow, I'm seriously thinking fortnightsyndrome," she says mockingly. "It's only been a few hours. What's the deal?"
I shrug. "I don't know. I just missed you."
She smiles. "Why, thank you."
"Anytime," I reply.
She looks around my room a bit, almost as if she'ssome kind of sleuth or conspirator of some kind. "What do you say that just thetwo of us take out the S60 before we eat?"
I pull back completely. "Beg pardon?" I ask,confused. "S60? Silly Lizzie, what can you be talking about?"
"Your car?" she says, standing up slowly. Shenods to the set of hooks on my bedroom wall, where a shiny set of silver keysare hanging. "Why don't you grab those, and I'll go tell Luke that we're goingout for a hot minute?" she asks, walking towards my bedroom door and out intothe hallway.
I follow her out into the hallway. "Luke'shere?" I ask.
Elizabeth makes a face, almost as if I am slowlybut surely coming down with a case of incompetence. "Well, of course he's here—whereelse would he be?" she says. "Your brother may go to the University ofWashington, Lily, but he's not involved in the whole frat house crowd, but youknew that. Ever since everyone in the frat house he pledged got alcoholpoisoning, he moved back in six months ago."
"And...law school?" I ask.
She grins, an indulgent look entering her eyes."Well, at least that hasn't changed. He's still going to be my little Lukeylawyer."
"I heard that!" Luke says from down the hall.
She rolls her eyes. "Until I return," she saysin a voice hinting at potential naughty behavior before walking gaily down thehall to Luke's bedroom, just a few feet away.
I get up and grab my keys and go downstairs,just to see if my mother needs any help with the cooking for the night ahead. Itell her that Elizabeth has suggested a quick drive before we eat, and shesmiles in approval. She says that we have about a half an hour before theevening meal is ready, and that Rose won't be there for at least anotherfifteen minutes. I nod and go out the side door of the kitchen and down thestone path of the garden. I go out the back gate where I see the S60 parked andwaiting for me.
I look down at my keys and smile. I click theautomatic unlock button and hear the sweet sound of the car opening for me. Igrin at the leather interior and open the door and sit behind the wheel. Istick the keys into the ignition without turning them and put my hands firmlyon the steering wheel. I adjust the mirrors and put on my seatbelt whenElizabeth comes out the back gate and grins and waves at me.
She gets in through the passenger door and shutsit behind her. She puts on her seatbelt and claps her hands. "Ready," she says.
I roll my eyes and grab ahold of my keys andturn them to the right. I turn off the emergency break and adjust the gearshift out of park and into first gear. I lightly press the gas pedal down withone foot and keep the other foot close to the break, just in case. I go downthe street and turn the corner and keep on driving until I get to where Davidand I slept together at the now gone hotel.
I stop the car in the abandoned lot just next toit and take my keys out of the ignition, thus turning off the car completely.
"Why did we stop here?" Elizabeth asks.
I sigh. "Because I have to tell you something."
"What?" she asks.
I turn and look at her; two tears—one for eachcheek—going down my face, and shake my head, knowing that I have to tellsomeone. "I need you to promise not to be judgmental and to really believeevery word that I'm about to tell you. Okay?"
Elizabeth nods; although slightly perplexed, Iknow full well that she will give me the benefit of the doubt. "Of course Iwill."
I push back my hair and show her the necklace,still clasped around my neck. "Do you know what this is?" I ask her.
She nods. "Of course I do—it's your necklace,"she replies. "You got it from Rose that Christmas after you turned fourteen. Iremember that she and James were in London on a second honeymoon, and Chris wasstaying with you guys, and she was in labor with Poppy and Iris, and that's whyshe missed your birthday."
I nod, pretending to understand and be fullyaware of this knowledge that I'd previously known nothing about. "Yeah, that'sright," I reply. "There are two things that I have to tell you, though,Elizabeth, and you've got to listen carefully."
"Of course I'll listen."
"This may sound crazy, but touch the necklaceand wish for something, anything." I smile a bit as she hesitates. "Trust me,Elizabeth."
She leans forward and tentatively touches thenecklace. "I wish that Luke and I would get married someday."
I shake my head at her. "Not that kind of wish,"I say. "It will come true, but that whole 'someday' bit won't work. Let me showyou." I touch the jewel in the center of my necklace myself, and it is thenthat I remember that it is still attached by the Cleopatra gold collar from thedance. I banish the thought from my mind and keep my hand firmly on the jewel."I wish that I had a real jade bracelet."
Just then, a pale green, real jade, braceletappears on my left arm.
Elizabeth pulls back, her eyes widening with asudden moment of terror and shock. "I mean... I don't know. Wow," she gasps. "Ilove jade."
"I know," I say, slipping it off my arm andhanding it over to her. "Why do you think that I was so specific?"
She takes the bracelet and slips it carefully ontoher right wrist. "So...that necklace of yours, grants wishes?"
I nod. "Yes. And there's one wish in particularthat I wished for just earlier this afternoon that I have to tell you about."
"What did you wish for?" she asks.
I sigh, lowering my eyes. "Well, I wanted tomeet my parents before they got all wrapped up in their work."
"So...what happened?"
"Well, David and I went back to 1982."
"Are you kidding me?" she demands, and peek upat her, noticing that her eyes are slightly hurt at what I've said and done."You took David but not me?"
"That was an accident," I say quietly inimmediate defense mode. "But I made it so the poor guy doesn't rememberspecific things that happened between us during the trip."
"What specific things?" asks Elizabeth.
I sigh. "Do you ever remember a Best WesternPlus being here?"
"Yeah, like a long time ago. Why?"
"Because that's where one of the specific thingshappened."
"You sleptwith David?!"
I grit my teeth uncomfortably and look away."Yes."
Elizabeth squeals and throws her arms around me,cheering mightily. "I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!" she chants.
I cross my arms. "Yeah, yeah, yeah..."
"You lovehim!"
I look away. "Yes..."
She squeals again and claps her hands. "You lovemy brother!"
I roll my eyes. "Look who's talking, Elizabeth."
Elizabeth is still raving about it when wearrive back at my house. I tell her to put a sock in it and to go get Luke. Ienter the living room and see Rose and James sitting there, talking with mymother. I grin and wait to be noticed, because I know full well not tointerrupt.
"Lily!" Rose cries when she sees me, standing upand running across the room towards me, her eyes bright and her smile exuberant.She throws her arms around me. "It's only a few hours for you, I know," shesays softly. "Your mom was just telling me that it was today that you went backand fixed things."
I grin at her and pull back to get a good lookat James. "Hey, James," I say, and allow him to hug me. "Was I right aboutRose?" I ask.
"Well, yes. But at first you wanted me to waituntil now to call her."
"Oh, I love that story!" Rose says, giggling.
"I think we're all here now," I say.
"Not yet," my mother says. "There are three moreto come."
"Who?" I ask. "Dad and Axel and Dex?"
"No," my mother says, as three sets of feet comedown the stairs.
I turn and look to see Luke coming in withElizabeth, and a boy version of me coming into the room. "Leo?" I say, knowingwhat my name was to have been, had I been a boy.
Leo grins. "Hey, little sis," he says, puttingan arm casually around my shoulder and kissing me on the forehead. "I know I'msix minutes older than you, but the awestruck reaction when I enter the room isgetting really old." He turns to our mother and grins at her. "Mom, I'm really starvinghere. Are we going to eat anytime soon?" he asks, going into the dining room,with our mother following in his wake.
"He may be six minutes older than you, Lily, butyou still skipped sophomore year," Rose says with a chuckle, before steppingtowards her husband. "James, why don't you call the kids? Last I saw of them,they were in the backyard."
"Will do, Counselor," he says, leaning down tokiss her.
Rose returns the kiss, before stepping back, onehand still on his cheek in a moment of pure and unadulterated tenderness. "Thankyou, Counselor," she replies, watching him walk out of the room for a momentbefore she turns to me and smiles, her face flushed. "Without those long hoursat the office, the added stress of not conceiving right off the bat seemed toincrease the miracle twofold."
"So...I'm a twin?" I ask.
Rose nods. "You are a twin."
"Leo Radcliffe," I say, nodding.
"Well, technically Leonardo Paul Radcliffe,"Rose clarifies.
"Why doesn't he have a car?" I ask.
"Your parents don't think that he's matureenough," she replies, waving it away with a perfectly manicured hand. "He takesthe bus, but I think he's going to succeed in begging them for a motorcyclesometime soon..."
I nod. "Who else are we waiting for?" I ask her.
"Just Amber and David," she replies, walkinginto the dining room.
"David?" I think, shivering again.
Elizabeth comes back in and grins at me. "Davidjust texted, and he and Amber should be here any minute." She gives me a hug,and I think I can hear her whispering something, but I'm sure that I'mimagining things. The doorbell rings and I move to answer it while Elizabethgoes back into the dining room, where Luke is more than likely waiting for her.