Chapter 11 - The Straw the Broke the Camel’s Back
Although she was moved by what Marilyn had said to her, Claire still believed she should not go back and change things. She went back home to continue her research. Auggie was doing some marketing research of his own on the computer. “Sorry, baby, my hard drive is defragging, so I had to use your computer. I’ll be off in about an hour, I expect. Hey, why don’t you look for that photo album for your mother?”
“What?” Claire was still shaken.
“Remember, you were supposed to look for those photos for your mom?”
“Oh, right, I forgot.”
“I know, she called this afternoon to remind you.”
“O.K., I’ll be in the attic.” With that, Claire put down her purse and headed to the attic. She tried to put the last few hours out of her mind by searching through old boxes. After a few minutes, she found the box her mom wanted. It said “SHOES” on top just as her mother had said. Claire sat down on the attic floor and opened it. There were several baby shoes tied together on the top. Claire chuckled as she pulled out a string of shoes, held them up and put them on the floor.
Underneath was a photo album that was labeled “Mexico, 1986.” “Ah, this is it. The Mexico trip. Jeez, I was only sixteen. Let’s see what we have here,” Claire whispered to herself. She opened up the book and proceeded to check out part of her family’s history. Claire giggled at photos of her sixteen-year-old counterpart posing for photos by sticking her tongue out or pulling a hat over her eyes. Claire laughed out loud. “Oh no, mom and her family portraits. This must be the one she’s talking about.” She laughed again, but then took a double take. “Wait a second, where’s Matthew?”
Claire took another scan of the photo, but didn’t find her oldest brother anywhere. “That’s weird.” Claire proceeded to flip the pages of the photo album. Her eyes grew more worrisome with every passing page. “He’s not in any of these photos.” She sped up her scan, going through the entire photo album twice more. She finally sat it on her lap and closed the cover with a concerned look on her face. “Maybe he was just camera shy,” she reassured herself.
Claire grabbed the photo album and put the shoes back in the box. She took one last look at the attic, smiled and headed back downstairs. Finding Auggie still hard at work on the computer, he asked; “Did you find it?”
“Yeah, I did, but Matthew isn’t in the family portrait that she wanted.”
“Ah, that’s too bad,” Auggie said in a melancholy tone. “You’d better let her know.”
Claire picked up the phone and called her mother. “Hello?”
“Hi mom.”
“Oh, hi Claire, did you find the pictures?”
“Yeah I found them. Are you sure you were looking for the Mexico trip group photo?”
“Yeah, that’s the one. What’s wrong, it didn’t get wet did it?” The roof sometimes leaked into the attic.
“No, it’s fine, but it doesn’t have Matthew in it.”
“What?”
Thinking her mother didn’t hear her, Claire spoke up, “I said it’s fine, but Matthew isn’t in any of the pictures.”
“Well, of course he wasn’t, dear.”
“What do you mean? Was he camera shy on that trip or something?” Claire asked, even though she distinctly remembered Matthew posing for several pictures on that trip.
“No, Claire, think about it.”
“Well I’ve thought about it mom and I don’t get it, so why don’t you tell me.”
“We took that trip in 1986, Claire.”
“Yes...and...so?”
“Are you going to make me say it, Claire?”
“Say what? I don’t understand mom. What is the big deal, if Matt didn’t want to pose for some pictures, so what? I was just curious.”
“Claire, we went to Mexico in 1986!” Claire’s mom raised her voice.
“Yes...and...” Claire was getting annoyed herself.
“For God’s sake, Claire, your brother died in 1984, that’s why he didn’t go to Mexico in 1986. What the hell is wrong with you? Are you just trying to upset me?” Claire dropped the phone. At the sound of the thud, Auggie turned around to see his wife as white as a ghost.
“What’s wrong, Claire?”
“Oh, my God. What did I do?” Realizing she was scaring her husband and probably just made her mother mad as a hatter, Claire quickly picked the phone back up. “Mom, sorry, I dropped the phone. I’m sorry. I have to go. I’ll give you the picture. I’m sorry I upset you. I have to go. Sorry. Bye. Love you.” Claire slammed the phone down, not waiting for a reply. She starred at Auggie in stunned silence.
“Claire, what’s wrong?” Auggie’s concern was growing.
“Auggie, I need to ask you some questions. I need you to answer them without asking why I’m asking. O.K.? Can you just humor me for a minute?”
“Uh, I suppose so.” Auggie was visibly shaken, not knowing what his wife was talking about.
“My brother...Matthew...what happened to him? How did he die?”
“Claire?”
“Auggie you said you’d answer without questioning me, just please tell me how he died.”
“He died in the Saudi-Iraqi War when you were fourteen,” Auggie answered matter-of-factly. Claire gasped. “Claire you’re starting to freak me out here, what the hell is going on?” Claire remained silent, her eyes filling with tears.
“Oh my God, does this have anything to do with your trip? Oh, no, I knew it! I knew it! Your run in with your grandparents had broader effects than you thought, didn’t it? Didn’t it, Claire?!” Auggie was now shouting. “God, what is it? Did Matthew go to Mexico with you in 1986? That’s it, isn’t it? That’s why you’re freaking out, am I right? Oh God, did your chat with your grandfather cause him to encourage his grandson to enlist in the Army or something? That’s it, isn’t it? Claire? Claire?! Dammit, answer me!” Auggie knelt next to Claire and grabbed her hand. “Claire you have to tell me, it’s not too late to fix it.”
“Fix it” Claire said dreamily, remembering what Marilyn had told her. She was beginning to shake.
“Yes, we can still fix it. You just have to tell me what it is. Am I right, Claire? Did Matt not join the Army in the previous timeline?”
“It’s worse than that,” Claire started to come out of her funk.
“Oh, God, what? What, Claire?! Tell me!”
Claire looked up at Auggie. His eyes were angry and confused, but still loving. She couldn’t believe she could still see the love in them despite his anger. She was trying to shake off her shock. “There was no Saudi-Iraqi War in the previous timeline.” Auggie fell from his knees to his buttocks, starring in disbelief.
“No. No. This can’t be. I don’t understand. How can one conversation with your grandfather have led to a new war? That’s not possible. I know you think a lot of your grandfather, Claire, but come on.” Claire tried to look away, so Auggie couldn’t see the guilt in her eyes. “Oh, my God, what else did you do back there? You have to tell me, Claire.”
“O.K. I’m going to tell you. I’ll tell you everything.” As Auggie sat on the floor in front of her, Claire spilled the beans about everything. She told Auggie how she had deceived him, how saving Marilyn was her plan all along. She told him about every aspect of her trip and it’s after effects on the new timeline. Then she told him about her conversation with Marilyn a few hours before. Auggie was speechless.