Time Leap by Steve Howrie Read Free Book Online

then I met Junior. Boy, was that a
shock! Instantly recognisable – she really did look like a much
younger version of my beloved.
    “ Hi Niki,” I
greeted her, as she was watching Steve being led away by her future
self. “Can I have a word?” Then she turned to look at
me.
    “ Who’s that
with Steve… and who are you? How do you know my name?” I gave her
the Uncle Sam story, and explained that the woman leading Steve
away was her long–lost aunt from Shanghai.
    “ You can meet
her later,” I said. “I know she wants to meet you.”
    “ I have to go
home… ma will worry,” she replied.
    “ No problem…
can I walk with you?”
    “ Okay.”
    As we walked back to the
tube station, I told her that we were worried about Steve… that his
parents were putting him under a lot of pressure over his school
work, and didn’t want him to see Niki. They thought she was a
distraction to his studies, and his father (being very
traditional), didn’t see any future for Steve with a Chinese
girl.
    “ I don’t
believe you,” she said, clearly irritated by my interference. “And
anyway, Steve is strong… he’ll stand up to his parents. I think you
should leave us alone.”
    She marched off towards
the tube station entrance, and I called after her, “He’s going to
kill himself.” Plan B was looming. She turned on her
heels.
    “ What?”
    I casually walked towards
her, my hands in my pockets. “I’m sorry Niki, but it’s true. He’s
threatened to kill himself – I heard it myself. And I think he’ll
do it.”
    “ Steve would
never do that – you know nothing…” She started to walk away again,
and I grabbed her by the wrist.
    “ He will – I
know he will. I can give you the date, the time and the
place.”
    “ How can you
possibly know that?”
    “ I just know…
we’re family.”
    “ You’re crazy!
Leave me alone!” she shouted and stormed off down the underground
station stairs.
    ***
    I tried to call my Niki
on her mobile, but of course her number was not in existence in
1996. I guessed she’d gone with Steve to his home, and I walked in
that direction. I didn’t have to look far – I found the two of them
sitting on a bench in a small park.
    “ Hi,” I said
to Steve.
    “ Who’s he?” he
asked Niki. I couldn’t very well tell Steve I was his Uncle Sam… I
think he would have seen through that one.
    “ I’m a friend
of Wendy’s,” I said. He nodded and looked down at the
floor.
    “ It’s true,”
he said to Niki, “everyone’s against us being together… my mum and
dad, the teachers at her school… Niki’s parents.” I gave Nik a
quizzical look and she nodded. Steve continued. “Even at my school,
I get laughed at for having a Chinese girlfriend. They’re always
calling me names and making faces.” Then he looked up at Niki. “You
look so much like her… like you’re an older version. I knew you
must be a relative when I saw you. The kids at school say you all
look the same, but that’s stupid crap. Y’know, sometimes I think we
should do what they did in China when they were in love and no–one
would let them be together…”
    “ No no!”
interrupted Niki, knowing exactly what Steve meant. “Don’t even
think about it Steve. No–one does that anymore.”
    “ Niki’s so
beautiful, and so different… I can’t bear to be without
her.”
    Niki and I looked at each
other. Then I said, “Steve, you mustn’t think like this. It’s only
going to end badly if you do…”
    “ Oh, and what
do you know?” he snarled at me. “Who are you anyway? I’ve got to go
now – mum will be worried.” He got up to go, and then turned to
Nik. “It was really nice to meet you. Can we talk again? I feel I
know you already.” She nodded and Steve made his way home, without
looking at me.
    “ Wow, he likes
you, Mr Prince Charming.” Nik said to me.
    “ Hey, you’re
Chinese – you don’t do sarcasm.”
    “ Got it from
you,” she replied.
    “ But he
clearly does