Page 79 of Time for You
“Was that enough time with your family?”
“It wasn’t, but it also was,” Henry said wistfully. “They understood why I left, at least. And it was my best chance to get back to you.”
Daphne threw her arms around his neck and hugged him, what he’d given up washing over her. “Thank you.”
Daphne left her bedroom at the sound of the doorknob. Brittany strode in, looking around. “You said you weren’t hurt, but I assume you like, need help moving something large?”
“If that were what she needed, she’d just have called me,” Vibol said from behind her.
“No, she would have called me, dummy. I’m her roommate.” Ellie toed her shoes off and cocked her head as she looked around, puzzled.
“Hey, don’t call himdummy. Only I get to do that,” Michelle chided. “Is it another IKEA bookcase?”
“That would be an egregious misuse of a 911 text,” Brittany pointed out.
Vibol was already rummaging through their cupboard of snacks. “Did you get the popcorn from Costco, El?”
“Bottom shelf, on the left,” she replied. “But seriously, Daph, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong—”
“You better not be switching specialties again,” Vibol said, opening the popcorn and handing it over to Ellie.
“Yeah, you’re really happy where you are. It’s a good fit,” Ellie added.
“I don’t mean like that—I mean I can’t take her changing programs again.”
“It literally has nothing to do with you,” Michelle argued.
“Does anyone want to hear what my news is, or are you just going to roast me for a while?”
“They’re going to roast you for a bit, yeah,” Brittany said. She boosted herself up to sit on the edge of the counter and reached over to grab a handful of popcorn from Ellie.
“Maybe this will give you guys something else to argue about,” Henry said, emerging from Daphne’s room in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt that fit so perfectly that Daphne abruptly wanted her friends to all leave immediately.
Everyone else’s reactions were just as drastic, if slightly less horny. Ellie dropped the popcorn on the ground while Vibol yelled and started choking, which made Michelle rush to his side to pat his back while also saying “No way no way noFuckingway” over and over again. Only Brittany managed to swing herself down and run to hug him, squealing loudly the whole way.
“How the fuck did this happen?” Vibol finally said, chugging a glass of water.
“I time-traveled,” Henry said with a grin.
“Obviously. But we thought there wasn’t a way to manage that for another seven years?”
“That’s because we were looking at direct ones from here to Edinburgh, not from somewhere else in Britain to anywhere on the North American continent,” Henry replied. “My mother and sister managed to find one from Manchester to Miami, thanks to Ellie’s equation.”
“How’d you get from Miami to here, though?” Michelle asked.
“I found a lovely woman who was willing to spot me the bus fare, so long as I agreed to pay her back eventually.”
“It helps to have a face like that,” Ellie said.
“Don’t I know it,” Vibol added. “How long are you here for?”
Henry reached for Daphne and threaded his fingers through hers. “For good. If she’ll have me.”
“Oh, she’ll have you, all right,” Ellie muttered.
“She’s been pining after you. We were getting worried,” Brittany added.
