Want You to Stay

"Was that a cat?" he asked in a low, almost sinister voice which made the whole thing even more frightening. We were standing in the middle of the dark corridor since I didn't turn on the lights, so as not to wake up anyone. Especially him. The only light was provided by the flashlight of my phone to light my way to the room.

"What, sir? I slowly turned around and pretended like I didn't hear anything.

"That sound just now."

"I don't know, sir. I didn't hear anything."

"Really?" He was eyeing me suspiciously. I thought he was going to let me off the hook but unfortunately, he noticed the cup of milk in my hand.

"What is that?"

"Milk, sir. I couldn't sleep and I thought it might help if I drink some."

"I see. Be careful not to spill it," he said and returned to his room. I waited until he closed the door behind him, then went straight to his son's room and went in.

He was quite a peaceful drunkard, at least now. He was lying quietly on his bed with the cat on his lap. As I got closer, I noticed that there were some grass stains on the knee of his black jeans. It must have gotten dirty when he knelt on the ground to get the cat out of the bushes. He didn't seem like he would move any time soon, so I put the cup of milk on the bed instead of the floor. At last, he picked up the cat and put it next to the cup. As it turned out, the poor thing must have been really hungry as it gobbled down the milk in a hurry.

"You can sit down," he said suddenly while gesturing to the bed.

"I don't think that would be appropriate."

"So, are you going to stand there all night?"

"You are right. I'm leaving." I said in a hurry, while feeling a little embarrassed all of a sudden, though I could not fathom why.

"No, you won't. At least not until you are honest with me and tell me the reason why you are here," he said and I couldn't help but feel a bit hurt after basically being called a liar, even if it's a stranger doing so. I turned back to the bed and as I bent over, I stroked the fluffy fur of the cat in a slow and gentle manner, all the while feeling his gaze on me.

"You wouldn't believe me even if I told you."

"You know, I'm pretty sure I was all alone in the living room that night. And yet, you were suddenly there, sweeping me off my feet. Are you telling me you got into the house through closed doors and windows? It's more like you appeared out of thin air. And you say I won't believe you?" His voice became sad and reproachful. With that sad expression on his face, he reached out his hands to stroke the cat and I just managed to pull back my hand in time as his hand brushed past mine. I felt a hint of embarrassment and I had the urge to scratch my fingers where they tingled from the touch.

"Alright." I gave in and put my hands in my pockets. "The truth is, I don't know. No, really," I added as I saw him opening his mouth in an attempt to disagree. "I was at home with my parents. After dinner, I went up to my room. I wanted to take a photo of the watch they gave me. The next thing I knew, I was here.

"We didn't kidnap you," he said in all seriousness.

"I know. I came from the future." He only stared at me for a few seconds in utter disbelief, then burst out laughing.

"Ssh! You might wake up someone," I said, worried that his father would storm in angrily and see the cat and of course would hold me responsible for it.

"You know, I was the one, who drank and you're speaking nonsense."

"I thought it was bullshit too, but I know what I lived through and experienced in the last ten years. They weren't just a dream. Even some of the shops are different in the mall, my favorite café hasn't been opened yet and I've seen movies that haven't even been produced yet."

"At least according to what you say," he said calmly and took the cat in his arms again. He looked lonely and...

"If you don't believe me that's fine. But I'm still going to figure out what the hell is going on here. My life was going down a certain path, you know. At least I had an idea where I was heading and now I'm not even sure what the next day may bring me...

"If it's true, it really is unfair to you," to my surprise, he agreed with me. "I mean I can't even imagine what it must feel like to leave everything and everyone behind for the sake of the unknown."

"I had no choice in doing this."

"I know. But still."

I have looked at him properly for the first time since I found myself here. He is tall with a slender yet manly figure, exactly the type my younger self would go for if he saw him. 

"And now what?" he asked and I had absolutely no idea what he was referring to.

"Huh?" I looked at him puzzled.

"What're you gonna do? I suppose you're not planning to stay here, are you?"

"Definitely not."

"Then you are going back. Do you even know how to?"

" I have a rough idea. But before giving it a try, I want to figure something out."

"And that is...?"

"I want to know why me and why here?"

"You mean someone deliberately...," he didn't finish his sentence but there was no need to and he knew it. He carefully put the cat down and looked at me with an alert expression.

"It might be the case. Otherwise, there really is no sense in all of this." I said and sat down beside the bed. "I mean what use is there in me being here? Besides earning more money than previously."

"So it's all about money," he said matter-of-factly.

"Not necessarily. Do you have a better idea?"

"No."

"Me neither. But sooner or later I will find out. And when that time comes, I'll leave. So you have until then to find a new assistant." He didn't speak for a while, then raised his head and looked straight into my eyes.

"What if I want you to stay? What if I can't find another assistant and want you to stay?"

"That won't happen. You'll just need to offer a higher salary. Everything can be solved with money."

"But my previous assistant left because he wasn't willing to work here anymore, remember?"

"Oh, you mean you fear you have a bad reputation now and no one would want to work for you? Then I'm afraid I have to spread the rumor of you being a most generous and understanding employer and coax someone to take my place," I told him with a grin on my face but he didn't seem to find this funny.

"So, you are a liar after all."

"No, I'm not. What is even wrong with you? You surely cannot expect me to just leave my family behind, grow old here without ever seeing them again, and die ten years earlier than I was supposed to."

He couldn't argue with that so just looked at the blanket in silence.

"Fine. If that's what you want, I'll help you."

His unexpected reply surprised me. I wasn't expecting anything like this at all. But after all, this whole situation is surreal in itself. Nothing can surprise me now. No, actually, if his father would suddenly start to act all kind and lovely like parents should that would surprise me.

I retract my words. It would frighten me.