The moment I entered the room labeled Accept Ellen Studying Accounting, my starting point was one month after Ellen had begun working at an accounting firm.
She left for work so early every morning that I never even saw her leave, and she didn’t come home until eleven at night.
Sophia missed the daycare bus again that morning.
She had stayed up late waiting for her mother and ended up oversleeping.
Packing her backpack, preparing her snacks, and getting her ready for the day had become entirely my responsibility.
Did I think it was unfair?
Not at all.
Because of it, I was there to witness so many of Sophia’s first moments.
When she was five months old, I was feeding her milk when she suddenly looked at me and babbled,
“Pa…
Pa…
Pa…”
As she reached for her bottle, tears welled up in my eyes.
When she was nine months old, she was playing with her toys across the room when she suddenly called out,
“Daddy!
Daddy!”
The instant I looked over, Sophia pushed herself to her feet and took her very first steps toward me.
Once again, my eyes filled with tears.
Watching a child grow makes you realize just how quickly time slips away.
Christmas Eve.
Only six days remained before the New Year, the year Sophia would turn six.
“Daddy.”
“My present.”
I smiled.
“All right, Sophia.
What do you want?
Daddy will call Santa Claus and tell him exactly what you want for Christmas.”
“A Barbie doll.” Read this novel at g.com for the best experience.
“Okay.
Give me a second.”
I pulled out my phone and pretended to make a call.
“Hello, Santa Claus?
This is Sophia’s daddy.
Sophia says she’d really like a Barbie doll for Christmas this year.
Could you make sure she gets one?”
“…Really?
You will?”
“Thank you.”
I put my phone away and looked at Sophia.
“Did you hear that?
Santa promised he’ll bring you a Barbie doll this Christmas, so you don’t have to worry anymore.”
“Okay!”
“Then let’s go to the department store and see which Barbie doll Santa might bring you.”
“Okay!”
Sophia happily grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the door.
We headed downtown to Nordstrom to buy her Christmas present.
As always during the holiday season, the entire first floor had been transformed into a giant Christmas gift display.
Parents and children filled every aisle, making it difficult to walk.
As Sophia and I made our way toward the toy section, one couple immediately caught my attention.
They were far more affectionate than everyone else around them, and the woman’s loud laughter echoed across the floor.
“Mommy!”
Sophia suddenly let go of my hand and ran toward them.
It was Ellen.
…was Ralph.
The same Ralph I’d shot and killed in the scenario where I’d lived with Naomi.
Why were those two together?
My eyes remained fixed on Ellen.
When our gazes met, her face froze.
At that moment…
I knew.
Our relationship was over.
Everything around me suddenly collapsed.
The next thing I knew, I was standing once again inside the Room of Choices.
“Huh?”
“Why am I back here?”
“Shouldn’t I have woken up?”
This time, however, two doors stood before me.
Return to Before Meeting Ellen
Keep My Current Life
Beneath them, a single sentence glowed.
This choice cannot be undone.
A completely different kind of choice had appeared.
This was no longer a decision made inside a dream.
It was a choice between two realities.
Which one should I choose?
Erase the present…
or continue living it?
I stood there, facing the crossroads.