Playing with Chronos
t h r e e
“We don’t have time to do any further alterations before your wedding,” the assistant said as Zoe continued to try to squeeze into her wedding dress.
“How can I possibly put on that much weight in a couple of weeks?” Zoe exclaimed with annoyance. “You must have written down the wrong measurements! This is insane!” Her perfect white gown was too tight around her hips and the fabric was not allowing for any give. Seeing that Zoe was on the brink of tears, Michaela rushed to her side and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
“We’ll figure something out,” she said sympathetically before giving a glare at the assistant. “What options are there?” The assistant sheepishly raised her shoulders.
“Not many. We make every dress for the woman who wears it, and only have a few sample dresses to try on. You could take one of those, but your dress is unique, as you know,” the assistant explained and Zoe looked down at all of the stunning sequins and lace that covered her dress. She wanted this dress, and this one only.
“Give us a minute,” Zoe ordered and the assistant bustled out of the room, needing some time to think herself. Once the door was closed, Zoe shuffled across the room to her handbag and Michaela smiled.
“This is actually a fair reason to use it,” she remarked as Zoe pulled out the Chronos.
“I have to have a perfect wedding,” she declared with determination as she held out the machine. “Let’s see if she made a mistake.” Michaela placed her hand on the Chronos and Zoe hit the hourglass button, transporting them back in time in a whirl of shades of white. They found themselves in the exact same room, with past Zoe talking from the changing room and past Michaela sitting on the couch with Aubree and London. Wedding dresses were hung everywhere, the assistant running out of options to give to Zoe, but as Zoe tucked the Chronos into her pocket she knew that the dress she was putting on now would be the one.
“This is different,” Michaela stated uneasily, drawing Zoe’s attention from the changing room door. She turned to see memory Michaela chatting pleasantly with London.
“Of course it is. We made them friendlier towards you, remember?”
“Yes, but… I don’t recall talking to her, not like that,” Michaela continued in a worried tone. “I thought you said that you’re supposed to remember both timelines.”
“That’s what I was told,” Zoe nodded. “I remember both, for this day. I can see you sitting on the edge of the couch looking slightly uncomfortable, and I also remember you engrossed in a conversation with London instead of looking at my dress.” Michaela winced, Zoe’s words bringing back a reminder of Zoe getting frustrated that she wasn’t paying attention, but the image was hazy and couldn’t quite be formed in her mind.
“That rings a bell,” Michaela smiled weakly just as the past Zoe stepped out of the changing room.
“This is it!” she called as she gave a twirl, the three girls jumping up to fuss over how beautiful she looked. After it became official that Zoe wanted that style, with a few adjustments, the assistant stepped in to take her measurements. Zoe and Michaela moved in closer, paying attention to where the assistant was measuring and what she wrote down. Everything was fine until she measured the hips. As the woman went to write the number, another assistant knocked and entered the room, asking for assistance at the till. The assistant nodded politely and then wrote the wrong number, off by a small margin.
“I knew it,” Zoe grumbled as she quickly fiddled with the Chronos. Just in time, she was able to zap the assistant with the command to repeat her last action.
“Sorry, I’ll just redo that measurement before I pop out for a moment, if that’s okay,” the woman said smoothly and past Zoe accepted. The assistant then checked the number she had written and corrected it. “I had a funny feeling I made a mistake! I’ll be back shortly!” Zoe looked down and saw her too small wedding dress shift by itself. It wrapped around her properly and had a perfect fit.
“Well that was amazing,” Michaela said with awe, staring at the bodice of the dress that she had just seen move as if by magic. Both women hurried to touch the Chronos and return to the present, eager to confirm that it had worked. Zoe’s dress remained well fitting and hung off her hips nicely instead of being uncomfortably stretched around them. The assistant entered the room as Michaela shared a stunned but happy look with Zoe.
“So how is everything? Are you happy with the dress?” she asked. Zoe twirled before the mirror. The tears that had formed in her eyes were now dried and a toothy grin had formed.
“It’s perfect,” she beamed.
“How can I possibly put on that much weight in a couple of weeks?” Zoe exclaimed with annoyance. “You must have written down the wrong measurements! This is insane!” Her perfect white gown was too tight around her hips and the fabric was not allowing for any give. Seeing that Zoe was on the brink of tears, Michaela rushed to her side and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
“We’ll figure something out,” she said sympathetically before giving a glare at the assistant. “What options are there?” The assistant sheepishly raised her shoulders.
“Not many. We make every dress for the woman who wears it, and only have a few sample dresses to try on. You could take one of those, but your dress is unique, as you know,” the assistant explained and Zoe looked down at all of the stunning sequins and lace that covered her dress. She wanted this dress, and this one only.
“Give us a minute,” Zoe ordered and the assistant bustled out of the room, needing some time to think herself. Once the door was closed, Zoe shuffled across the room to her handbag and Michaela smiled.
“This is actually a fair reason to use it,” she remarked as Zoe pulled out the Chronos.
“I have to have a perfect wedding,” she declared with determination as she held out the machine. “Let’s see if she made a mistake.” Michaela placed her hand on the Chronos and Zoe hit the hourglass button, transporting them back in time in a whirl of shades of white. They found themselves in the exact same room, with past Zoe talking from the changing room and past Michaela sitting on the couch with Aubree and London. Wedding dresses were hung everywhere, the assistant running out of options to give to Zoe, but as Zoe tucked the Chronos into her pocket she knew that the dress she was putting on now would be the one.
“This is different,” Michaela stated uneasily, drawing Zoe’s attention from the changing room door. She turned to see memory Michaela chatting pleasantly with London.
“Of course it is. We made them friendlier towards you, remember?”
“Yes, but… I don’t recall talking to her, not like that,” Michaela continued in a worried tone. “I thought you said that you’re supposed to remember both timelines.”
“That’s what I was told,” Zoe nodded. “I remember both, for this day. I can see you sitting on the edge of the couch looking slightly uncomfortable, and I also remember you engrossed in a conversation with London instead of looking at my dress.” Michaela winced, Zoe’s words bringing back a reminder of Zoe getting frustrated that she wasn’t paying attention, but the image was hazy and couldn’t quite be formed in her mind.
“That rings a bell,” Michaela smiled weakly just as the past Zoe stepped out of the changing room.
“This is it!” she called as she gave a twirl, the three girls jumping up to fuss over how beautiful she looked. After it became official that Zoe wanted that style, with a few adjustments, the assistant stepped in to take her measurements. Zoe and Michaela moved in closer, paying attention to where the assistant was measuring and what she wrote down. Everything was fine until she measured the hips. As the woman went to write the number, another assistant knocked and entered the room, asking for assistance at the till. The assistant nodded politely and then wrote the wrong number, off by a small margin.
“I knew it,” Zoe grumbled as she quickly fiddled with the Chronos. Just in time, she was able to zap the assistant with the command to repeat her last action.
“Sorry, I’ll just redo that measurement before I pop out for a moment, if that’s okay,” the woman said smoothly and past Zoe accepted. The assistant then checked the number she had written and corrected it. “I had a funny feeling I made a mistake! I’ll be back shortly!” Zoe looked down and saw her too small wedding dress shift by itself. It wrapped around her properly and had a perfect fit.
“Well that was amazing,” Michaela said with awe, staring at the bodice of the dress that she had just seen move as if by magic. Both women hurried to touch the Chronos and return to the present, eager to confirm that it had worked. Zoe’s dress remained well fitting and hung off her hips nicely instead of being uncomfortably stretched around them. The assistant entered the room as Michaela shared a stunned but happy look with Zoe.
“So how is everything? Are you happy with the dress?” she asked. Zoe twirled before the mirror. The tears that had formed in her eyes were now dried and a toothy grin had formed.
“It’s perfect,” she beamed.