I point to the door. “I’m visiting.” He shrugs and waves his knife at the door, then goes back to carving.
I knock.
“Coming,” Mads calls. She pulls back the sheer curtain over the side window. Excitement brightens her face. Right behind her, I hear little feet running over to us.
“Daddy!”
I open my arms. “Hey, Sugar Muffin.”
I look over at Mads. “I can only stay a minute, but I wanted to see you both.”
She tries to smile, but I can tell it’s hard for her. She has dark circles under her eyes.
“I’m such a nervous wreck, Nathan. Why did I have to have such a brave brother and then marry a man just as brave?”
I put an arm around her in a side hug.
“Can you sit for just a minute?” She motions to the couch.
I shake my head. “I wish I could, but there’s not enough time.”
“Maybe we can make some,” she says. “Where is that time machine of yours?” she calls out to Natalie. “You can show your Daddy what you’ve been up to.”
Natalie runs off down the hallway. “I’ll go get it.”
“She’s been working on it every day since she’s been here. She has the design all drafted out and wanted to show you.”
“I promised her we’ll work on it together.”
Natalie runs back and shows me the notebook paper. Sure enough, it’s a time machine. One that looks very similar to H.G. Wells’s time machine. A gold-framed sled with a seat in the center and a large circular rotating disc in the back.
“Nice! You did a very good job. I can’t wait to ride it with you one day.”
“I have all the parts we need in my room. I just need the battery. One that will make it go.”
I laugh. “We’ll find one.”
“Now I’m scared,” Maddie says. “With both of you working on it, that means we’re going to have a time machine around here soon.” She gives me a serious look. “You know you’re not allowed to go anywhere else ever again, right?”
“I promise I’m here for good.” I glance at my watch. “Two forty-five. I’ve got to go.”
Before we say goodbye, I remember the reason I wanted to see her today.
“Remember how I told you about the dream I had with Crystal and how it turned out to be a true memory?” I ask.
She nods.
“I wanted to tell you about my other recurring dream,” I say.
Curious, she raises her brows.
“I’m with this little girl with freckles. A tiny little thing with a sassy mouth who’s as stubborn as nails.”
“That sounds like me.” She laughs.
“And this was the dream… She was taking her first dive into the ocean.Pete’s Dragonwas stamped on her swimsuit. Her favorite movie.”
Her eyes widen. “The dragon’s name is Elliott.”
