Anticipation Day

The next thing Present Day MaryAnne saw was her family seated around a table in the ship’s buffet area. Her mom and dad were laughing at something her brother James said.

“My god, this is amazing,” Present Day MaryAnne thought. She was still getting used to watching this day play out. She couldn’t control anything, but she felt herself move, and when she spoke, her mouth definitely moved, but she couldn’t change anything. It really was just like watching a movie play out, but in first person. This was definitely a trip.

Seeing her dad smile and laugh warmed her heart, though she couldn’t tell whether her feelings were from that moment or her current self. It hardly mattered; she hadn’t seen her dad laugh like that in years since his diagnosis. He had the greatest laugh. If you heard it from the next room, you knew it was him.

While Present Day MaryAnne longed to hear that laugh again, she knew it was unrealistic at this point. These memories would have to do, which was okay; this was why she had chosen this day.

Her gaze shifted to her mom. “Aww, my poor mom,” Present Day MaryAnne thought, instantly noting how the years of caring for her dad had worn on her. This version of her mom looked so different from the one awaiting her next weekend.

She looked… happy.

Seeing James was good too. He was always so much fun to hang out with, especially on a family vacation, with his big blue eyes shining bright this morning. Her nieces and nephews had grown so much since the cruise. Aly was almost in college, Lilly had just gotten her driver’s permit, and Joey was ten and playing football.

Here, in this world, Aly was 11, Lilly was nine, and Joey was four. They were eating eggs, pancakes, waffles, chicken fingers, and fruit. Aly, with her curly brown hair and warm brown eyes, had just joined her school’s band back in 2026. Lilly had curly blonde hair and was always looking for her next fun adventure at this age. Joey was so tiny and cute here, with his thick brown hair trying to hide his big, brown eyes.

James’ wife, Gaby, was not there. MaryAnne Present Day remembered she was getting a massage of her own this morning.

Robby and his family were missing too. MaryAnne figured they were at the pool, on the waterslide, or playing somewhere on the ship. Her aunt and uncle were also not there; she imagined they were reading somewhere on the ship, away from all the craziness.

Her mom turned to MaryAnne and Kevin. “So, what time did you two crazy kids stay out until last night?”

“Oh jeez, what was it, 1:45, 2 a.m.?” Kevin asked MaryAnne while shoveling scrambled eggs into his mouth.

“I don’t remember much past midnight, to be honest,” MaryAnne said with a laugh, her mouth full of pancakes. After swallowing, she added, “I just can’t drink like that anymore. Maybe in college, but definitely not now.”

“Cheers to that,” Kevin interjected, buttering a bagel.

MaryAnne sighed. “All I know is that on Monday, it will be back to the real world and starting this crazy project that I can’t tell anyone about.”

“I can’t believe they’re making you spend so much time in D.C.,” her dad said as he took a break from playing with Joey.

“Yeah, I saw this coming. It should only be for a few months, but it’s all hands-on deck. Since the President prioritized this for his campaign, we knew this would fall on our shoulders if he got elected.

It’s exciting, Dad. I get to deal with some of the biggest national security challenges since 9/11, you know? This time though, we’re trying to be more proactive in figuring out what we know and what we don’t. Since China backed out of the International AI Agreement in March, they’re now investing billions in advancing their capabilities. So, we have to be prepared to identify and respond to the advancements they are making. I’m actually looking forward to it.” She paused to finish her pancakes.

Her dad stared at her, then chuckled. “You know, I remember watching Terminator when I was younger and thinking how crazy it was to think robots could take over the world. But now, it’s only a matter of time before that happens.”

“Dad, do you mind? The kids don’t need to hear this,” James said.

“Sorry…” her dad whispered. “They probably know more about this crap than you and I combined. If not, I’m sure they will soon. They’re teaching all about artificial intelligence in high school, so they should be aware of it.”

“I know they are aware, but it’s our last day. Let’s enjoy it without focusing on robots taking over the world, okay?” James said, laughing as he helped Joey finish his waffles.

Her dad glanced at MaryAnne before continuing. “Well, either way, I’ll call you daily to see if I need to get into my safe room. If I don’t hear from you after a few days, I will have no choice but to assume we’re under attack and World War 3 is about to begin. So you better call me back everyday.”

“Dad, you’re ridiculous,” MaryAnne said, cracking up. “If you don’t hear from me, it’s probably because I blocked you, and I’m just communicating with Mom.”

“Well, whatever. I think it’s amazing you’re working on this, and I’m proud of you for being involved at this level.” Her dad tapped her on her shoulder. “I always knew, since you were young, that you’d do something amazing. Just don’t fuck it up.”

“Allen!” MaryAnne’s mom scolded, giving him a gentle smack on the shoulder. “Language!”

“What? Oh, I’m just kidding, kids. You know I’m proud of Aunt MaryAnne’s career and what she’s accomplished. I just want her to be careful, that’s all. The government can’t be trusted, no matter your clearance level. All I am asking is that if she hears anything about the end of the world, I’d appreciate a little heads-up. I’d like to spend my last days enjoying myself with your mother.” He kissed her mom’s hand with a smile.

That was what MaryAnne loved most about her dad. Even if he was rough around the edges, deep down, he was a sweetheart, and it always showed at the perfect time, especially with her mom.