Second Time Around by Nancy Moser Read Free Book Online

things in our present. If someone goes back and decides not to have children in her Alternity, her children in the here and now will not suddenly disappear. So don’t worry. Each Alternity is separate and distinct, a world within itself.”
    Ray shook his head. “I still don’t understand how that works. How can something in the past not affect the future?”
    David did not want to discuss it now. It was hard not to shush the older man. Instead he put a hand on Ray’s knee. “They’re going to draw the names now.”
    Ray patted his hand. “Good luck, David.”
    “Thanks.”
    The man on TV led a stunning blond back to the revolving globe, which was twice their height. When the globe stopped its spin, David felt his heart stop, too. This was it. His one chance to find happiness in the arms of his true love. His Millie.
    A small door was at the woman’s eye level, the pieces of paper plastered to the globe’s interior. The man opened it only enough for her to extract three tickets. She held them protectively against her chest.
    “May I?” she asked.
    The man extended a hand, giving his permission. Together they moved to the edge of the stage.
    David forced himself to breathe.
    “Ouch!” Ray said.
    David realized he’d squeezed the old man’s hand too tightly. He released it and let his hand do damage to its mate against his chest.
    The blond smiled at the cameras and took a breath. “The first winner of the Time Lottery is… David Stancowsky, number 285937840.”
    David stared at the ticket. Had he heard—?
    Ray slapped him on the back. “That’s you, David! Will you look at that, you won!”
    David began to sob.

    Peachtree City, Georgia
    “Hand me the seam cutter,” Vanessa said from the ladder. “I think it’s on the floor next to the water tray.”
    Dudley complied and Vanessa trimmed the wallpaper at the ceiling, then climbed down and surveyed the dining room. “I hope I have enough paper. If only I hadn’t made that mistake above the door. I really would like to finish before Daddy comes to dinner Friday. He never has liked our old wallpaper so I’m hoping he likes—”
    Dudley stood directly in front of her and made a time-out T with his hands. “Break time.”
    Vanessa picked up a roll of paper. “I can’t. If we stop, it won’t get done and—”
    Dudley tossed his arms in the air. “You are a piece of work, Vanessa Caldwell. I’ve played along, taking an extra day off work because I thought you might need me to help you deal with your mother’s will and the letters. But I did not want to spend the time wallpapering a room that was perfectly fine simply because you feel some need to be an overachiever.”
    “The wallpaper was eight years old. It was time for a change.”
    He sighed, dismissing her lie for what it was. “Actually, I stayed home because of something else that’s happening today.” He checked his watch. “Happening now, in fact.”
    Vanessa found the tape measure under a pile of scraps. “Was the measurement for a full strip ninety-six or ninety-eight?”
    “Who cares?” Dudley drilled a finger on his watch. “The Time Lottery announcement is on. Don’t tell me you didn’t know that, didn’t remember—” He watched her a moment, then nodded. “Ah, you did know . You did remember. You’re chicken.”
    If the shoe fits... “I don’t see any reason to watch when the chances of me winning are worse than the chances of me being crowned Miss America.”
    He took the tape measure from her. “Suit yourself. I was just thinking of you.”
    As usual. Dudley was good at thinking about Vanessa, being the essence of polite, doing all the right things. Suddenly, she thought of something. “Are you happy, Dudley?”
    “What?”
    “Are you completely satisfied with your life? Our life?”
    He snapped the metal tape measure into its holder, pulled it out, and let it snap back again. “We have a good life. Sure, there are things I’d like to change,