Chapter 2 The Past 2
Jenny Kane.
She looked exactly as she did in the photograph, only… alive.
Her dark hair, shiny and thick, bounced as she walked. Her eyes, a warm, intelligent brown, sparkled with an inner vivacity. She wore a simple, floral-patterned dress that seemed to glow against the dull classroom backdrop. She carried a stack of books, clutching them to her chest, a faint flush on her cheeks. She was radiant, full of the unburdened hope of youth. And she was twenty years younger.
Rick felt a profound tremor run through him, a mix of overwhelming joy and agonizing sorrow. He wanted to run to her, to hold her, to tell her everything. But he couldn't. Not yet. He had to play this carefully.
Jenny spotted Arthur and smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "Arthur! Sorry I'm late, the library was a madhouse." She then glanced at Rick, her smile softening, a hint of concern in her gaze. "Rick? Are you alright? You look a little… pale."
Rick managed a weak smile. "Jenny. Yeah, I'm fine. Just… feeling a bit under the weather." He studied her, drinking in every detail, the way her nose crinkled when she smiled, the faint freckles dusting her cheeks. He wanted to memorize her again, commit every living detail to his consciousness.
"Are you sure?" she pressed, stepping closer, her hand reaching out tentatively, then pulling back. "You were out late last night, weren't you? I saw your light on in the dorm until past two."
"Just, uh, working on a new idea," Rick mumbled, desperately trying to conjure up a reason for his supposed exhaustion. He cleared his throat. "So, Arthur mentioned you guys were reviewing for the political science midterm?" He tried to sound normal, casual, like the carefree university student he was supposed to be.
"That's right," Arthur interjected, pulling out his notebook. "Professor Albright's exam is notorious. Jenny's the only one who takes proper notes. She's saving my skin, as usual."
Jenny laughed, a clear, melodious sound that sent a pang through Rick's heart. "Hardly, Arthur. You just prefer to 'absorb' knowledge through osmosis, don't you?" She winked at Rick. "Unlike some of us who actually have to put in the effort."
"Hey!" Rick feigned indignation, a ghost of his younger self's playful charm flickering. "I put in effort! Just… my effort looks different. More conceptual. Less… rote." He paused, then, on a sudden impulse, decided to dive in, cautiously. "Speaking of effort, Jenny, what are your plans after graduation? Still thinking about that business degree?"
Jenny's brow furrowed slightly, a thoughtful expression replacing her easy smile. "Oh, definitely the business degree. I really want to get into something entrepreneurial. Maybe help my sister Joana with her baking. She's got a real knack for it, you know? She dreams of opening a small bakery, and I think I could help with the management side." She looked at him, her eyes bright with enthusiasm. "What about you, Rick? Still planning to conquer the world with your 'generalist' skills?"
Rick chuckled, a genuine, if painful, sound. "Something like that." He leaned back, trying to appear nonchalant. "But I've been thinking a lot about the future lately. About what really makes a venture successful. It's not just about the product, is it? It's about the market, the timing, the long-term vision. And, well, sometimes, it's about having a solid financial buffer. A safety net." He watched her carefully, hoping she'd pick up on the subtle hints.
Arthur, oblivious, chimed in. "Safety net? Rick, you're usually all about calculated risks! What's gotten into you? Did you read some dreary economic forecast?"
"Maybe," Rick parried, glancing at Arthur. "Or maybe I just had a very… informative dream." He turned back to Jenny. "But seriously, a bakery sounds good, but what about a restaurant? Think bigger. The culinary scene in Bee City… it's going to explode in the coming years. There's so much potential for growth, for chains, for something truly iconic."
Jenny's eyes widened slightly. "A restaurant? That's… a much bigger undertaking than a bakery. Joana and I have talked about it, of course, as a distant dream. But the capital, the logistics… it feels overwhelming."
"It's not just about the capital," Rick insisted, warming to his topic, the words spilling out, born of years of hard-won experience. "It's about understanding the demographic shifts. Bee City is going to grow, rapidly. People will have more disposable income, they'll want experiences, diverse cuisines. A well-managed restaurant, with a focus on quality ingredients and an inviting atmosphere, could become a cornerstone of the community. Think about the land near the old textile mill. It's cheap now, but in five, ten years, that whole area will be prime real estate. Perfect for a flagship location." He was dangerously close to revealing too much, but he couldn't help himself. This was their legacy, the one Jenny had built. He wanted to help her build it better, safer.
A few other students had started to gather around, drawn by Rick's sudden, uncharacteristic passion. Marcus Thorne, a lanky, cynical economics major, scoffed. "Rick, are you still on about your grand schemes? Textile mill land? That's a swamp, man. Nobody's building anything there. And 'exploding culinary scene'? Please. We're in Bee City, not the capital."
"Exactly!" a bubbly young woman named Elara Vance, always quick to agree with Rick, chirped. "Bee City is charming, but it's not exactly a hub of innovation."
Rick ignored them, focusing solely on Jenny. "No, listen. It's a long-term play. And the key isn't just good food, it's about efficiency. Supply chain management, staff training, consistent quality. And diversification. Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Maybe start with the bakery, sure, but keep the restaurant idea on the back burner. Research it. Plan it out. Even consider investing in other, seemingly unrelated, sectors. Real estate, for instance. Even small parcels. It sounds crazy now, but believe me, land values in this city are going to skyrocket."
Jenny listened intently, a thoughtful frown on her face. "Investing in real estate… that's a big leap from baking bread, Rick. And what do you know about demographics and market explosions? You're in general studies, not urban planning." There was affection, not malice, in her tease.
"I… I read a lot," Rick stammered, pulling himself back from the precipice of full disclosure. "And I have… instincts. Strong ones. Jenny, you have incredible instincts too. Your sister's bakery idea, it's good. But imagine combining it with a larger vision. A place that's not just a bakery, but a community hub. A restaurant that offers something unique, something that becomes the place to go."
"And how would we fund such an undertaking, oh visionary?" Marcus scoffed again, crossing his arms. "Do you have a secret vault of gold coins, Lane?"
"No," Rick said, shaking his head. "But I know people. And there are always ways to secure capital if you have a compelling business plan and a clear vision. Partnerships. Small loans. Gradually expanding. The trick is to start small, but think big. And always, always prioritize a safety net. For the unexpected." His voice lowered, almost a whisper, as he looked at Jenny. "Because life… life throws curveballs you never see coming."
The bell for class rang, startling Rick. Professor Albright, a severe-looking man with spectacles perched on his nose, strode into the classroom, his gaze sweeping over the lingering students. "Alright, everyone! Settle down! We have a lot to cover before the midterm!"
Students scattered to their desks. Rick remained frozen for a moment, still looking at Jenny, who was now gathering her notes. She caught his eye and gave him a faint, puzzled smile before hurrying to her seat a few rows ahead.
Arthur nudged him. "Come on, Rick. Don't want to be on Albright's bad side today. He's already cranky about the low attendance at his optional review session."
Rick sank into his seat, his mind a whirlwind. He had seen her. He had spoken to her. He had even tried to plant seeds of foresight. But could he really change the future with this? Could he truly divert the course of fate? Who knows if this is just one of his weird dreams as of late.
But the vividness of everything that is happening around him has already thrown away the logic in his head. All he could think about is Jenny.
Professor Albright's lecture began, a dry discourse on the economic theories of the Kingdom of Poh. Rick, a man who had built an empire, found the elementary concepts painfully simplistic, yet he forced himself to listen, to absorb the present reality. He stole glances at Jenny's back, her dark hair glinting under the harsh classroom lights. She was diligently taking notes, her head bent in concentration.
During a lull in the lecture, as Albright scribbled on the blackboard, Rick leaned over to Arthur. "Hey, Arthur. Do you remember what year this is, exactly?" He tried to make it sound like a half-joke.
Arthur looked at him like he had grown a second head. "What? You really did pull an all-nighter, didn't you? It's 1997, Rick. April 15th. You okay, buddy?"
1997. Rick's heart pounded. Jenny's accident had been in the late 2010s. Suddenly, he couldn't think straight anymore as the desire to save Jenny was planted in his heart.
He had roughly two decades. Two decades to change everything. To save her. The timeline was long enough, but also terrifyingly finite.
But before he could focus on what was happening, realization woke him… This is just a dream.