2024-10-22 “If You Want To” for Addison (born 2002)

As Addison sat in her dressing room getting ready for her performance, her thoughts reviewed all of the recent events among her time-traveler friends. Kent had suggested maybe they were duplicates of each other. Shay (born 1857) had visited Shay-2001’s house and found where she had carved her name on the inside of a door leading to the attic.

Things, she thought, were complicated. Different versions of each person living, it seemed, at different points on the same timeline seemed no more impossible than swapping places to different timelines.

Watching how Merritt and the two different Hannahs got along seemed to support Kent’s duplicate version idea. And as far as Addison was concerned, the Hannah that had shifted from the past into the normal Hannah’s place and Merritt were more affectionate publically than the Hannah that belonged in 2024.

It all, Addison thought, was very confusing.

However, there was one gaping hole in Kent’s “duplicate versions” theory. The Addison living in 1880 was a man; anything but a duplicate. She thought she’d not mention that immediately as people were trying to make sense of things.

Another variation was in the Devons and Jacobs, though as far as Addison was concerned, less telling. Devon from 1880 was black—Devon from 2024 was white. And the reverse was true for the two Jacobs.

The Jacob Brown who was born in Vicksburg, MS in 2002 had stepped into the theater having recognized a picture of Emma on the marquee. Addision had found him smart and interesting right from the start.

She told herself being the weird theater kid once more might be okay. She sent a Snap: “Can I call?”

He said yes.

“Hey, Jacob… What time do you get off?”

“Tonight? 8:00… why?”

“My show’s over at 9:00. I thought you might meet me and walk me home… we can grab a coffee on the way… hang out…”

Jacob laughed. “Walk you from the theater all the way upstairs to your apartment? You’re cute…”

Addison was happy with his reply.

Jacob went on. “Sure… decaf or regular?”

“Regular… I want to be fully awake!”