Shell shocked and still uncertain over the decision he had made David waited for Bill to get him clean clothes. After a few moments Bill comes to him and says, “You know what screw it, let me introduce you to the family. You can use a shower as well, and then we will dress you up for the occasion. What do you say?”

David isn’t comfortable with this but nevertheless agrees to it. Bill hands him a collar type device and says, “Put this around your neck, it’s a face and voice changer, we must protect your real identity to avoid complications!” he wears the collar and Bill stands in front of him and shows him his face through his phone’s front camera. David adjusts the collar and then selects his preferred face and changes his voice according to his appearance.

Before they enter the house through the front door David stops and looks at his clothes which obviously look like shit and says, “How should I introduce myself...like what should I tell about myself?” Bill looks at him with a slight concern and replies, “You know what...leave all that to me. I’ll make something up. You just stay silent and nod...Ready?” he nods and Bill opens the front door of the house.

As soon as they enter the house and move towards the living room, David feels like someone is behind him, and as he turns around, a little girl of about 6 years old screams, “Rawr!” David startles a bit as the little girl runs past him and hugs Bill’s legs from behind. Bill plays along, “Oh no! The Loch Ness monster is holding my legs, I think I’ll drown, someone help!”

It’s his youngest daughter Aria and they both seem in a jolly mood. Bill turns around and takes her in his arms, swings her around and she giggles. His wife Elena comes from upstairs and watching them both play smiles at them, but her smile turns into a frown as she sees David with suspicion.

“Good morning love!” she says to Bill and soon after that asks, “Who is our friend there? You didn’t tell me we were expecting a guest today!” Aria looks at David and says, “Daddy your friend’s face looks funny and his clothes are dirty too…” Elena hears this and cuts off Aria quickly, “Aria...that was not a very good thing to say, apologize to Mister...what was your name again?” she says looking at David.

Bill replies to her, “His name is Ronald, but I call him Ronny. He…just moved to Hawkesbay looking for work and guess what happened, the cab driver dropped him to the opposite side of the woods, some thugs attacked him and took his luggage and wallet. I’d kill them if I see them again.

Anyways he was lucky I was passing by and saw him lying on the side of the road.” Hearing this Aria looks at him with concern and says, “Oh poor Ronny! Sit down on the sofa. I’ll get a first aid kit and some medicines. You’ll be okay in no time. I know those thugs laid a bad impression on you, but believe me. Hawkesbay is full of good and caring people!”

Bill puts Aria down and asks her to give her mother a hand while he sits on the sofa with David. He says in a low voice, “My wife is too nice and positive, just keep smiling at the things she says and you will be fine!” Elena makes a warm cup of coffee and brings some painkillers for David. He looks at the coffee and then at Bill, “Drink a little coffee; I know you are full but please and you won’t die if you eat a tablet of painkillers again!” Bill says in a low voice.

After a few moments, Bill calls Elena and says, “Honey, Ronny would like to take a bath and he’ll borrow some of my clothes too. We are going to meet some friends at Grab-a-Grub and after that, I’ll help Ronny settle in. So I’ll come back home a little late.” Elena shouts from upstairs, “Okay, be careful on the streets, and good luck to Ronny!” he takes David to his room and he showers to freshen up, he turns off the face changer and looks at his real face in the mirror, slowly asks himself, “What are you doing David?”

He takes a deep breath and wears the new clothes. He looks at his real face for a brief moment and then turns on the face changer. Bill and David sit inside the car and Bill starts driving to Grab-a-Grub. He tells him that the place is a very old diner with the best food in town. “The food is very delicious and the people we are about to meet are extra nice as well. A word of caution though David, don’t get confused or scared when you meet them. If you got fucked up when you heard my story, this meeting is going to be on a whole another level for you. I’ll tell you the reason for this meeting in the end. So just wait patiently!”

David interlocks his hands and starts playing with his thumbs nervously and just nods to what Bill told him. They both reach Grab-a-Grub and enter the diner. It is a neat looking place with a few people sitting inside, enjoying their meals. The whole place has a positive vibe to it and David feels a little comfortable as they both sit at a table and wait for the people they have to meet to arrive.

Bill orders a glass of water for both of them and a cup of orange juice for himself. David waits anxiously looking at the door, again and again, any minute now they will arrive. Finally, the door opens and a beautiful girl enters the diner and starts moving towards the table where they are seated. She smiles at David and he is overwhelmed by her beauty.

He looks at her smile, her face, and her eyes and is mesmerized by her beauty. This feeling...this fluctuation in his heartbeat, this sudden surge of dopamine in his body...it’s called love right? Bill snaps him out of his daydream as he clears his throat.

“This is Anna and Anna this is my old friend Ronny! He just moved here looking for a fresh start. I just thought that I could introduce him to you guys, so where is David? Did he not come?” hearing this David looks at him with disbelief.

Anna replies, “He was just parking the car and told me to go on ahead, he’ll be here soon.” as she says this, a man enters the diner and David keeps staring at him. It’s the David of this universe and he sits beside Anna. He kisses her on her cheek as she smiles and then calls the waiter to order food. Bill introduces Ronny to David and asks him to introduce themselves properly to Ronny.

“Well, this girl sitting next to me is the reason I am alive. My mother died when I was very young and I had nowhere to go. I just had to trust the system and pray that they send me to a good foster home. I was very lucky because they sent me to the house of Mary Maximus. There I met a friend who is like a brother to me and the love of my life.”

“Anna has helped me through the worst days of my life, she helped me set up my business, and here I am today a respectable member of the community. All this is because of her!” hearing him she blushes and replies shyly, “Oh come on now babe, I just showed you the way. It was all your hard work and dedication which made you what you are today!”

They both hold their hands and keep smiling at each other. Ronny looks at them and gives a faint smile. He looks at the ceiling as he raises the glass to drink water and as he lowers the glass he sees a very familiar man enter the diner.

“Oh fuck!” he whispers to himself. Bill is looking carefully at his expressions and observes silently. As the man sits beside Anna, Bill says, “Ah Reed! So you took out a little time to meet your friends and family!”

Ronny starts playing with his thumbs and seems very anxious. Bill kicks his leg and gestures him to calm down to which he nods and then, turns his face back to Reed.

“Yes, I am terribly sorry Bill. The new story is taking a lot of time...it’s simply too complex and sometimes I just cannot seem to find the correct words to describe what I want to tell!”

David replies, “You’ll write an amazing story in the end Reed, everyone here knows what you are capable of!” Anna adds her opinion saying, “Yup, I mean you do have less intellect than me but I know you’ll write yet another masterpiece!”

This meeting is just too overwhelming for Ronny and he starts getting uncomfortable. He covers his face and breathes heavily which draws concern from Anna, David, and Reed. Bill shakes him and he says to him, “I want to go home...please I don’t feel good!” Bill picks him up from his arm and excuses the rest of the gang.

“Sorry guys...he is new and well...the food and water of Hawkesbay upset him. He’ll be fine...it was nice meeting all of you after so long, but please excuse me!” The three wave both of them goodbye as they leave the diner. “What a strange man...hardly said anything at all...maybe he was feeling sick all this time. Hope he gets well soon!” says David.

They both sit inside the car and Bill takes him back to his house. Once they reach there, he takes him to the room in the basement and locks it up. David sits on a chair and starts breathing heavily, “It seems so unreal...when the people you know are not what they should be...what was the meaning of this meeting?” he asks.

Bill grabs a chair and sits in front of him; he clears his throat and says, “The purpose of this meeting was to show you that time is not cruel to you everywhere. I read your objectives from the dossier and guess what Reed wanted you to do? He wanted you to strip Anna of this future. He wanted you to kill all desire inside the Reed of this universe to be the man he is today. He wanted you to kill Mary Maximus of this universe and then manipulate her son to rise to power and achieve time travel.”

“Look what you did instead, you met with the family and look how happy they are, all this was to show you that you must not fuck with time to find your happiness, but to live on, and eventually, happiness will come to you one day. I did this because the Overseer wants you to join our cause without any pressure and of your own will.”

“Tomorrow we meet with him in the woods and then you can ask him all the questions you have in your mind. I have shown and told you all that was asked and I have nothing to show to you anymore. Wait till we meet him tonight, and he will then tell us what to do next!”