Rachel

Holding onto a note from the future, Rachel stood in utter shock. An obituary note stated her demise. And of all the places, she retrieved it from Ethan's coat pocket. Her mind wandered if he was ever going to tell her about it? Or was it The Secret which he wanted to retain?

Questions about the reason for the note, the events of the future flooded her. She flipped the piece of paper a couple of times. The engraved date, two years from now, got etched in her memory as she frantically paced around.

In two years, Rachel would die. Unable to process this magnanimous information about her impending death, she fell on the floor, holding onto the sheet of paper in her hands as tears roll down her face. The feeling of a rock placed on her chest amplified as her eyelids grew heavy. It wasn't that Rachel was immune to the idea of death but she never fathomed it to be so soon. Knowing the exact date felt like an ominous sensation that crept in.

She tried pacifying herself. 'Maybe it was a joke. Maybe it was Ethan's way of checking if I sort through his belongings. Maybe, just maybe!'

As the washroom door rattled, a towel clad Ethan stood at the entrance of her bedroom. She stood up, wiping away a rogue tear and clutching the note in her hand.

She assumed there was a proper explanation for this. No more trust falls, she convinced herself. Ethan needed to come clean about this entire situation.

A concerned voice floated across, "Baby.. are you okay? You didn't join me in their" he gestured towards the washroom before walking in and donning on his attire. Once finished setting his hair, he turned around towards Rachel, walking casually as if he wasn't the one carrying her death note.

Ethan saw the clutched paper in her hand, his reaction became intense. "No. no. no.. Where did you find this Rachel?"

In an instance, he flipped his coat to check if it was the same note. Rachel's suspicion was confirmed by his reaction. It wasn't put in accidentally and it's definitely wasn't a prank.

Knowing that she had spare two year's span to live, warm tears streamed down her face as she placed herself on the bed. Unable to breathe or utter a word, she gasped for air. Ethan darted, grabbed a paper bag, helping her with the breathing technique. By his actions it was clear that he'd helped her quite a few times too.

Once Rachel felt the air rush into my lungs, she inhaled properly before taking away the bag. She looked at Ethan who showed distressed emotions. Holding onto the crumpled paper in her hand, Rachel asked, "What is this Ethan?"

Before she could even state anything further, Ethan sat beside her, patting her back and ensured her comfort.

A wave of agitation roared inside of her when she took his hand and tossed it aside before rising up. Although it broke her heart to do this to him, the one who had been nothing but kind and gently with her; she seemed to be thinking and doing things from a totally different perspective.

His face fell for a miniscule of a second before he nodded and inhaled deep, patting the bed side where she sat before, he begging her to join back. With ragged breath, she spoke, "I need ... l need answers.."

He patted the side of the bed again, looking at her, "And I will give it to you. But please come and sit besides me.."

Reluctantly Rachel agreed and sat, waiting for him to narrate. Ethan looked at her with kindness in his eyes. She wanted to give him the benefit of doubt. 'Maybe, just maybe, he might know what she felt at that moment.'

"It all started an year ago" his voice was soft and low, coming out as a whisper. His face fell with every passing word. "You dated Marc from the present.."

Those words resonated in her mind. Rachel and Marc were already pretty serious. It shouldn't have come as a surprise that they ended up dating, but it still did.

Ethan continued,  "You were..serious.." his throat bobbled as he conjured words up with difficulty. Placing her hand on his lap, she conveyed her support. "Serious to the point that you both were going to get married"

By now Rachel wasn't merely informed about the note but also about the events proceeding. She was unable to fathom that Marc and her were serious enough to plan a marriage. She tried fitting the thought of marrying Ethan somewhere, it didn't.

Although Rachel wanted to rattle up Ethan to speak after, divulge quicker, the information wasn't something which could be heard slowly but for Ethan's sake, she let him take his time.

"Marc met with an accident and...passed away. You.. you.. took the blow pretty hard.."

There was sadness in his eyes and voice. He got off the bed, rubbing his face and looking out the window. His back faced her. All she could do at that moment was walk towards him and hold his hand as she herself processed the future events.

'Marc dies in an accident. We were getting married.' Her mind retold those statements, which was hard to understand.

Standing in the present as the future story unfolded, she looked at things from a current perspective. Knowing that someone dear to her would pass away in the future, what would she do? Her thoughts wandered yet again. 'Will I let it happen or do something about it.' What posed as another question was the future with Ethan in it.

"Then?" wanting to know how they both ended up being together Rachel prodded further.

"During this time, I date a series of woman who all are nothing but a phase for me after Miley. You leave your job and eventually take up teaching. We meet again when I was a guest speaker at the college you teach.."

Gaining some respite, Ethan walked her back to the bed where he intertwined their fingers and gazed in her doe eyes. "I know it's all too much for you to process."

She nodded knowing that he meant every word. By now, Rachel was good at reading and interpreting Ethan's words and reactions. "How do we?"

He understood what she wanted to ask as a smile appeared on his face, replacing the sadness. "We start talking after we meet and then eventually start dating. Over an years' time, I propose for marriage.." another sigh before he continued. Ethan had seen the future but now, reliving through words was hard on him too. "We were married for a year. But .."

"But what ?"

Tears floated in his eyes as he composed himself for the next words. "You never really got over Marc's death. Eventually you slide into depression and one night you pack your bags and leave me."

He heaved into her lap and she held back her own tears. The future seemed bleak to her. There seemed to be only sadness and tears there. Whatever she had planned with her life wasn't how it actually turned out. It was the total opposite of it.

Yet, Ethan needed her to understand his situation. She was a strong girl to do so. Patting and calming him, she pulled him up. "Hey.."

He looked away, unable to face the reality of losing her again. It was clear. He had travelled to the past before and in all the timelines, she had died. She remembered Ethan telling her about various timelines. Death loomed in all of them.

Rachel held him in her embrace. Although there wasn't much she could do about the current situation, she had always known and felt the power of a hug. Holding onto Ethan and playing with his hair, circling his back, she let him empty his sorrows onto her.

She contemplated that an year back she too would have fallen a victim to someone crying in front of her. A year could change a lot. A year could make a lot of difference.

Pulling up Ethan's face, she spoke with determination, "What happened to me?"

He nodded, wiping his tears. "We don't know. Almost an year of no contact with you; everyone presumed you were dead. Hence the funeral." With ragged breath and sighs which followed, he narrated further. "It was arranged by Anna for getting me closure."

Although Ethan's sobs continued, he somehow managed to speak between them, "I am sorry. I should have told you the reason for my arrival. I thought I could've changed a few things but .. I was ... selfis .."

He drew a deep breath and channeled his tears into determination. "I can understand if you don't want to see me again. But knowing that you are here in the past and there is still a version of you who I can see and talk to, I came.."

Ethan was right. He could have told her the truth but would she have taken things the way she was taking it now? Rachel's heart knew the truth. Ethan was right in holding back the real reason for his visit. She would have done the same, had she been in his position.

The things one does for people they love.

"Ethan.. you were right in your own way.." embracing again, she comforted him about his decision.

But now that she knew what happened in this timeline and the future, with things in their current proceedings; she was determined about one thing.

This future wouldn't take place.

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Hope you liked this chapter..