Jovial Memories

Chapter 22

            Though it seemed like an eternity, the weekend did finally approach, and Mandy grew more and more anxious with each passing second. She longed to get Abby and Dustin together again, hoping that this meeting would change their relationships. Perhaps she could leave Iris and Roy and return back to her old friends. Maybe Abby would introduce to her some of her friends. Maybe Dustin would consider returning to Vermont.
            These thoughts were silly, and Mandy felt a bit guilty about the Roy and Iris idea, but connecting with those in her past altered her thoughts in odd ways.
            On Friday afternoon, she had excitedly chatted with Roy and Iris all about her planned meeting this upcoming weekend and how she'd tell them all about Jessie and they'd all settle their differences. Iris seemed optimistic and celebrated Mandy's achievement. Roy tried his best at congratulating Mandy and wishing her the best of luck, but his skepticism could not be hidden. She knew he still detested the plan, whether he openly admitted it or not.
            Mandy's father picked her up from her mother's house on Friday evening where Mandy quickly gathered her things and shoved them to her father.
            "Bye, Mom!" she shouted from the front door, hoping Saturday afternoon would come soon.
            "Have fun, darling," her mother said, squeezing her tightly. "Give Dustin and Abby my greetings."
            Mandy nodded, though she detected the same bit of disappointment and skepticism in her mother's eyes that she had detected in Roy. Mandy knew she hadn't convinced her mother completely that this would turn out well, while her father meanwhile seemed overjoyed to be hosting a get together at his house.
            Mandy's father lugged her backpack and suitcase out to his small car, smiling happily.
            "Are you excited to have everyone over this weekend?" he asked.
            Mandy nodded vigorously. She knew her father at first did not approve of inviting back guests who had hurt her, but she supposed now he was just happy that Mandy was acting social with other people.
            "Well, I'm sure they'll have a good time," he said as he carefully placed her luggage in his car.
            Mandy took shotgun and watched as her father entered the car. She carefully felt her pocket for the Time Precedent, relieved she had not forgotten it in her drawer. The last thing she needed was to forget the very item that would change Dustin and Abby's mind about her, about everything, really.
            "How are your other friends doing?" her father wondered as his car rolled down the icy and windy road.
            Mandy hadn't really thought about Roy and Iris that much in the past week, not since her old gang was getting back together.
            "They're good," she murmured. She hoped her father wouldn't be too distraught when she left them to return to her old friend group. Roy and Iris had just sort of appeared, and she hadn't been able to rid them. It wasn't as if she saw them as incredibly close friends that would keep in touch with her throughout her life.
            When Mandy did finally arrive to her father's house, the evening passed rather slowly, and when she finally did get to bed, her eyes refused to shut. For hours she lay there, excitement flooding through her veins as she pondered over all the possibilities of the following afternoon.
            At last, her eyelids began to droop, and she fell asleep.

"I've laid out some snacks on the table," her father explained as Mandy rushed around the house, making sure everything was neat and tidy. She wanted to impress Abby and Dustin as best as she could, especially because she knew a chance like this would not be coming again anytime soon.
            "I've got pretzels, chips, sodas, some fruit and veggies," her father continued.
            "That's fine, Dad," Mandy muttered.
            Usually her mother was in charge of handling house guests, so it was only natural for her father to be nervous and buy an entire grocery store for a brief meeting. She had promised Abby a twenty minute meeting, though she hoped that with the explanation, both Dustin and Abby would wish to stay longer. After all, Dustin's plane would be leaving Sunday morning.
            "Dad, we're probably going to meet in my room," Mandy explained as her father carefully placed the trays and bowls of snacks on the living room table.
            "Well, you can grab some plates and take some snacks with you," he offered.
            Mandy sighed, her eyes glued to the clock. It was exactly three o'clock in the afternoon, meaning that Dustin and Abby should be arriving at any minute.
            Mandy paced around the house furiously while her father hovered by the door. As five minutes passed, and later ten, her heart began to quicken. Perhaps it had all been for nothing and none of them were coming. She must've been fooled. Why did she ever believe they would show up?
            Mandy moved toward the window, holding back tears when a taxi pulled up in front of their house from which Dustin emerged. His mother remained inside and waved good-bye. Mandy's heart beat rapidly, and she rushed toward the door, where her father waited.
            Not wanting to open the door too early, Mandy waited until the doorbell rang before opening it. She found Dustin awkwardly standing at her father's doorstep, looking for annoyed and exhausted than pleased to be here.
            "Dustin!" she exclaimed, giving him a quick hug. He grunted and refused to hug her back, to which she saw as a signal to move away. She moved away and cleared her throat, glancing down at the ground.
            "I thought you weren't coming," she admitted.
            "Problem with the taxi driver. Doesn't know where the hell he's going," he muttered.
            "Nice to see you again, Dustin," Mandy's father spoke at last, holding out his hand.
            Dustin awkwardly took his hand and shook it, beginning to move away as Mandy came to the front room where the snacks had been arranged.
            "So wanted an old trip down nostalgia lane?" her father asked Dustin.
            Mandy wanted her father to shut up, but she knew she couldn't. Her mother would've never allowed this visit to occur, and if she became angry with her father now, he might never do anything for her again.
            "Something like that," Dustin replied.
            "Well, Vermont is a beautiful state. I'd never want to leave," her father explained, rambling on.
            Dustin approached Mandy and snatched a few chips from a nearby bowl.
            "Is Abby coming?" he asked.
            "She should be here soon," Mandy said nervously, though it was already twenty minutes past three.
            As soon as these words slipped through her mouth, the doorbell rang once again. Mandy's father left to get it while Mandy awkwardly hovered near her ex-boyfriend, praying, just wishing, he'd say something to her that wasn't rude.
            Hearing conversation between Mandy's father and what sounded like Abby's mom, Abby made her way to the front room, looking just as annoyed as Dustin.
            "Dustin, nice to see you again," she muttered. There was no awkward handshake between the two. They only eyed each other then fell quiet.
            "Well, um, why don't we go to my room?" Mandy suggested.
            "But your friends just got here!" her father exclaimed.
            "Dad," Mandy urged.
            "There's some plastic plates for you to take your snacks on," he said in reply.
            Both Abby and Dustin grabbed nothing, and Mandy awkwardly led them to her small bedroom in her father's house. She had already squeezed in two chairs for Abby and Dustin earlier in the day, and she watched as they awkwardly shut down as she shut the door.
            Mandy, meanwhile, sat on the edge of her bed, facing them. She let out a weak smile, then spoke.
            "So, how have you all been?" she wondered.
            "What the hell is this all about?" Abby asked angrily.
            "Well, we can catch up a little first before--"
            "No," Dustin argued. "I went through hell to get here. You tell us whatever the hell you need to so we can leave."
            "Agreed," Abby replied.
            Mandy sighed, feeling for the Time Precedent in her pocket.
            "Well, it's about Jessie," she began. Both Dustin and Abby stared at her in silence, waiting for her to continue. She suddenly wondered if revealing the truth about the Time Precedent would be a good idea after all. Dustin and Abby had been nothing but rude since their visit.
            But this will change their minds, she told herself. Still, she thought to mention it a little later after checking to see if they'd become interested.
            "What if we could see Jessie again?"
            "We can't. She's dead," Abby replied solemnly.
            "But I have been seeing her again," Mandy argued. "There's this device and--"
            "No," Dustin replied, standing up.
            "What?" Mandy asked. "You didn't even let me finish."
            "I did not come here to hear about your odd hallucinations and visions. It's obvious you were affected the most by her death, Mandy. I mean, just look at you! Three years later and you're still insane and depressed."
            "We've all moved on," Abby agreed.
            "But I'm trying to tell you something important! I can see Jessie again! You have to believe me!"
            "No, you need to move on," Abby spoke firmly, standing up and pointing a finger to Mandy's face. "Jessie is dead. She's not coming back. And you need to move on. I knew this visit was a waste of my time."
            And with that, Abby began moving toward the door, Dustin following behind.
            "Wait! No!" Mandy shouted, rushing toward the door. "There's so much I want to tell you! Once you know this, we can all become friends again!"
            "Really? That's what this was all about?" Dustin asked. "You lured us here just to try to get a friendship started again. It's over, Mandy. None of us are meant to be friendly to each other anymore. You're just not mature enough to see that."
            Mandy fought back tears and was speechless, trying to search for something to say. Instead, she watched her last chance at recovering the past disappear as both Dustin and Abby marched out of her bedroom.