Page 17 of Only You

Washington, D.C.

As Dani got off at the Smithsonian train stop, she became very aware that what she was about to do could be a terrible idea.

Having only talked to Jones twice, both times very briefly, she knew next to nothing about him.

And yet, the moment he offered to go somewhere with her, she couldn’t say yes quickly enough.

She would never have guessed he would ask to meet her at the National Mall but tried to keep an open mind.

She spotted him in front of the lawn of the Smithsonian Institute, typing on his phone. She took a moment to look him over, trying to find anything familiar but there was nothing that reminded her of Damien or triggered thoughts of anyone else. Maybe it really was déjà vu.

Jones looked up from his phone and spotted her on the walkway. He waved his hand, and she returned the gesture as she walked over to him.

‘Nice to see you again,’ he said. ‘You look better.’

‘Turns out naps are miracles,’ she bluffed. ‘How are you?’

‘Good,’ he said, shifting awkwardly. ‘Surprised, honestly. I didn’t expect you to reach out, well, ever.’

‘Me too, but… I’ve just been stuck on this piece for so long and Dr Allen told me a little more about you, so I figured you could help.

Although, I don’t see how a museum can do that.

’ Dani looked around warily. While she’d lived in D.C.

for a few years, she had only been to the area twice and both times were when she first arrived.

‘Well, I would usually suggest travelling for writer’s block, but since you have classes, I figured this was the next best thing.’

‘Do they have a music museum?’

‘No, but it sounds like you don’t need to go to a music museum,’ he said. ‘When’s the last time you enjoyed art for the sake of it just being art?’

Dani thought through the last few months of her life.

There was practice, film night with her friends, a couple of parties for birthdays, concerts for class, trips home for the holiday, more classes, more compositions…

She winced as she realised that grad school had taken over her life much more than she originally thought.

When was the last time she listened to music for fun and not just for noise in the background?

‘Okay, you have a point,’ she relented. ‘So, where are we going?’

He held out his arms wide. ‘Pick a direction.’

‘Like some kind of choose your own adventure?’

‘You do realise that’s literally life, right? Choosing your own adventure and hoping it’s a good one,’ he said.

‘Well, excuse me, Yoda,’ she teased.

‘I’m Obi-Wan at best.’ They both laughed, and she looked around at the nearby buildings. She pointed to the one in front of them, feeling oddly nervous. ‘Ah, throwing out the big guns. Okay, let’s go.’

Jones led the way to the National Museum of Natural History, which thankfully wasn’t filled to the brim with school kids like she imagined.

Not that she had time to really linger on the thought of them as she immediately went wide-eyed.

While she had seen Night at the Museum , it could hardly prepare her for the scale of the building.

The towering, marble entrance and life-sized elephant made her stop and stare.

There were also so many signs for displays, she didn’t know where to go first.

‘Right or left?’

‘Huh?’ She turned to Jones, forgetting he was next to her for a moment. He cracked a smile before pointing in either direction. She looked at the signs for fossils and mammals.

‘Seems like we’re supposed to go right first,’ she said.

‘Cool.’ He started walking towards the stairs in the back. Dani stared at him in confusion before following.

‘Umm, where are you going?’

‘To the top,’ he said as he started up the stairs.

‘Why?’

‘To keep you on your toes. Come on!’ She took one look round the first floor before following him.

He was far enough ahead that she barely caught him turn the corner into the geology exhibit.

She walked a little faster to follow. She stopped short when she entered, trying to spot Jones among the crowd futilely.

She moved carefully, barely glancing at the stones on display.

She wanted to stop and look at the moon rocks but continued, her desire to catch up to Jones stronger.

It wasn’t until she reached the gems and minerals gallery that she slowed down. She looked around the hall before giving up and reaching into her purse to get her phone. If he ditched me, I swear… The thought stopped short as she spotted a ring in one of the displays.

Among the diamond necklaces and rings her eyes landed on a very familiar piece of jewellery.

Her throat tightened as the emerald ring Lamont had gifted her in her dreams glittered under the museum glass display.

It was just as she had remembered and, for a moment, she could almost feel its weight on her finger. She looked at the plaque under it.

Originally a possession of an influential French family, this emerald ring was a wedding gift from Lamont Laurent to his Akan wife, a key connection in the colonisation of the C?te d’Ivoire and the expansion of France’s territory in the late 1800s.

Dani dropped her phone at the sight and pressed her hand to the glass.

This was impossible. The ring shouldn’t be real.

It was a dream. Yes, they’d been getting more vivid lately, but they were illusions.

They had to be. But Dani had never been to the museum before, had never seen the ring or one like it in person. Which meant…

‘I didn’t take you as a jewellery fan.’

Dani flinched and spun around to see Jones waiting for her. The smirk on his face dropped when he saw her expression. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘I… the ring.’ She pointed to the glass. Jones stepped closer to the display, and she swore that she saw his eyes widen too but he stepped back and said, ‘Wow. That’s… really something. I don’t think I’ve seen a ring that big in person.’

His laugh afterwards sounded forced, but she was sure she was just projecting. She had to be. She closed her eyes as she felt her heartbeat quicken.

‘Danielle, are you okay?’ She felt his hand on her shoulder and it centred her enough to slow her mind down.

This is for fun , she reminded herself. You’re fine.

You’re fine. She opened her eyes again, picking up her phone, trying to keep her nerves at bay as she turned away from the display. ‘Are you getting another headache?’

‘No, no,’ she said. ‘I was just… lightheaded for a sec. I probably didn’t drink enough water today.’

‘Then let’s get you some water.’

‘I’m fine,’ she said quickly. ‘We’re supposed to be on an adventure so let’s go.’

‘Dani, if you’re sick—’

‘I’m okay,’ she insisted, looking him in the eye. His gaze was wary and she grabbed his hand, putting it to her forehead. ‘See? No fever or anything.’ Jones stared at her, scrutinising her before seeming to let whatever worries he had go.

‘Okay,’ he relented.

‘But no more hide and seek,’ she said.

‘We’ll take it easy,’ he said. He looked down at where she was still holding his hand. She blushed, not realising she was holding onto him. She was about to pull away when he squeezed her hand.

‘Let’s go.’ He tugged her along and she fell in step beside him.

Next to him, she caught a whiff of his cologne.

It smelled like night and orchids. She couldn’t help but lean closer to him, putting her arm through his, her thoughts beginning to drift to Paris.

No , she thought as he led her to the Ocean Hall. Stay right here.

After walking around the Natural History Museum, Dani had calmed down long enough to actually start paying attention to the displays.

Jones had let her ‘ooh’ and ‘ah’ to her heart’s content before they went to the National Museum of African Art and the Hirshhorn Museum.

Jones asked her if she heard any music from the pieces she lingered on.

Remembering that she was supposed to be experiencing an art block for her composition, she went along with his attempt to get her to make music on the spot.

Sometimes, she would have an answer, explaining what the art piece sounded like to her, sometimes she didn’t and shot the question back at him.

As far as a creative challenge, she didn’t mind it. After hours though, she was tired and ready to head home.

‘I don’t think you could work as a guru,’ Dani declared as they exited their third museum. ‘I feel no closer to my composition being completed than when we first started.’

Jones chuckled as he led her to a bench. ‘You gotta admit it was a good attempt.’

‘Debatable.’ She plopped down, grateful to be off her feet.

‘Stubborn,’ he shot back. She stuck out her tongue in lieu of an answer, getting another laugh out of him. She liked the sound of it.

‘Thanks for today,’ she said. ‘It may not have worked but I had a good time.’ She almost added with you but figured that was too much.

It was their first time hanging out and despite holding hands for a bit, she didn’t want to get too familiar too quickly.

He was still a stranger, no matter how comfortable she felt at the moment.

‘I hope I don’t make terrible company,’ he teased.

Dani smirked, but her eyes were soft. ‘You’re the best company I could ask for,’ she reassured him. He held out his hand. She didn’t hesitate to place her hand in his and let him pull her to her feet.

‘Don’t be afraid to reach out,’ he told her.

‘For guidance?’

He shrugged. ‘Or company.’ She smiled, looking down at her feet as she felt a flutter in her stomach. Sweet and cute? She was doomed.

‘See you around.’ She turned her heel and started to walk towards the train station, feeling like she was practically skipping as she recalled the feel of his hand in hers. Suddenly, she stopped, the giddiness seeping out of her as she remembered his words.

I hope I don’t make terrible company.

Her eyes widened and she retraced her steps. Jones looked at her curiously.

‘Did you forget somet—’

‘You know,’ she said. It was a painfully vague accusation – she barely knew what exactly she was accusing him of – but the way his face dropped was enough of an answer.

It rocked something in her, and she felt unsteady on her feet, but she bore her eyes into him, not daring to look away. ‘You know .’

‘…Yeah,’ he admitted. ‘I know.’

‘How is this happening?’

Jones almost chuckled at Danielle’s question. He had been searching for that answer almost his entire life.

‘I wish I could tell you,’ he said. ‘I was just like you, thinking it was dreams or some movie that I forgot about. One day, the memories got triggered and after a while, I could remember everything perfectly. I don’t know why.’

They sat in a nearby cafe she had suggested.

The coffee shop bustled around them, filling the awkward silence.

Jones saw the way Danielle clutched her paper coffee cup like a lifeline and sympathised with her.

He understood her confusion, the overwhelming questions of if this was real and, if it was, why.

‘Okay, but… are you sure they’re the same people? We could both just be crazy.’

‘That’s one explanation,’ he said. ‘I’m sure dreaming of a love affair between a Black French soldier and a rich mixed Ivorian girl is a new sign of anxiety.’

Danielle scowled at him and took a sip of her coffee. ‘Okay. So, clearly we share that memory. But I have others like—’

‘Sarah, David, Selene, Demir, Shayla, Donovan, Sienna and Devlin,’ he rattled off. ‘I remember them, too.’ Danielle’s jaw dropped before quickly closing, and she turned her attention to the mug of coffee warming her hands.

‘Okay. I— okay…’ Danielle tapped her hands on the table before leaning forward.

‘Let’s say that it’s real. All the memories are real.

That ring—’ He felt a chill run down his spine as he remembered the emerald ring in the display.

Had he known it was there, he would never have led her into that building.

‘I mean, I remember them but it’s like now things are coming into focus. ’

‘That’s how it started for me, too,’ he revealed, leaning towards her. ‘It’ll take some time but eventually everything will come back.’

‘Everything?’ She looked at him in panic and he couldn’t help but place his hands over hers, trying his best to comfort her. She let the touch linger but slipped her hands away as she worried her bottom lip. He sighed, sitting back.

‘Danielle—’

‘Dani,’ she corrected quickly.

‘Dani,’ he repeated. ‘I know you want me to tell you the ins and outs, but this is new to me too. I wasn’t even sure if everything was real until that day I saw you.’

‘And what about me was so familiar?’

Jones’s mind went back to the lecture a couple weeks ago.

He had been instantly attracted to her, wanted to talk to her about music before she bolted out the door.

He was surprised to see her the next day.

He was happy to see she was better and even wondered if he should try visiting Dr Allen’s class again. It was all attraction until…

‘You said you knew me. Something about how you said it… it just made sense.’ Her expression fell, and she looked at the table.

Jones frowned, feeling helpless. He wished he knew the right thing to say to her.

There was a feeling of familiarity but also hesitation.

It was like meeting a friend after years apart – which, in a way, was true.

There was uncertainty, wondering which parts of them were the same, which had changed.

‘Jones,’ she said. ‘Or…’

‘Stephen,’ he filled in. ‘But Jones is fine.’

‘Jones, we can’t do this,’ she said. ‘You know why we can’t do this.’

‘Dani—’

‘It doesn’t end well,’ she interrupted. ‘I may not remember everything, but I do remember that. And I may not remember all the details, but I know, whatever it is, I don’t want a repeat. I’m sorry.’

She stood up quickly and practically ran out the cafe. Jones put his elbows on the table and leaned into his hands. Her reaction was reasonable, and she was right; they couldn’t be together. Several lifetimes had proven that.

It didn’t hurt any less to watch her walk away. And he knew there was no way to tell her he was dying already.