Anil finds himself in his childhood kitchen, but the woman presiding over the two children at the table is not his Ma. She gives a start, but coolly enough sets a place for him. “Come,” she says, “eat”.

 

Bewildered, he looks at himself in the mirror on the wall opposite him. He is tall, maybe as tall as Papa, and there is a tuft of hair sticking out of the top of his t-shirt. Despite the children watching, he has an urge to check whether he has grown there also.

 

“Anil,” the woman says. She has moved closer to him, touching him. “Eat. You need fuel after your jump.”

 

One of the children, a boy, about five, tousle-headed, with chocolate eyes, stares at him. “Where have you been?” he asks. “Did you remember to get my Lego?”

 

“Siddhi,” the woman says. “Remember I said his memories would take time to load? Just eat your dinner, no more questions.”

 

The boy quietens, and continues eating, looking up at Anil every now and then. Anil, unsure what else to do, moves to the table, sits and eats. He is ravenous.

 

“Good to see you again, darling,” she says. She wipes her eyes.

 

“Dad, was it painful?” Siddhi asks. “Ow!” the boy says, at a kick from the girl, maybe ten, solemn and thin. The woman doesn’t intervene this time.

 

“Was what painful, son?” Anil says. It’s automatic, he knows to call Siddhi that. Knows that there is a deep bond between them.

 

“The jump.”

 

“I… I don’t know,” Anil says.

 

“What about the treatment?” Siddhi says.

 

“Siddhi!” his sister hisses.

 

“It’s okay, Purnima,” he knows her name. Just like he knows she detests broccoli but will eat any amount of pumpkin. “I think it was,” he says, as his stomach cramps like a memory.

 

Purnima nods. “It was awful to watch.”

 

“I’m sorry,” Anil offers weakly.

 

“We sold Mum’s wedding diamonds, Dad. She said you were worth more than any jewel.” Siddhi pipes up.

 

Anil looks at the woman. Sandhya. “Is it true?”

 

“We wanted you back, and the Temporal Authority said they’d be able to pluck you from your childhood timeline. It wasn’t your time to go.” She shrugs, matter of fact. She clears the dishes away.

 

Anil thinks for a minute, then, eyebrows furrowed – “But the time paradox?”

 

Sandhya drops her gaze and says, “Do you remember that time you fell unconscious when you were ten?”

 

Anil’s eyes light up, then he frowns, “But I was only unconscious for… ”

 

His wife still can’t look at him. It’s Purnima who finally says, “We only have you for a day, Dad. Those were the rules.”

 

Siddhi says, “Great! Lots of time to build the Lego set!”

 

Anil gathers himself, hugs his wife, and smiles at his children. He says, “All the time in the world, son.”