I Forgot My Jacket

"What do you mean, 'Zane is dead?'" Becky asked. "He was here five minutes ago!"

"When you went back for your coat, we waited here for you," William explained through tears. "If we didn't wait, he wouldn't have crossed the street. That cyclist would have been further down the road."

"I was only inside for sixty seconds!" Becky's eyes started to well.

"Yeah, well, you ever see that movie 'Butterfly Effect'?" William sounded angry. Accusatory even.

Becky turned her palms up. "That one with Ashton Kutcher and the bad ending?"

"Yes. That one," he snapped.

"What about it?" Becky looked confused.

William pointed at the scene across the street. "The cyclist! He wouldn't have been there to almost hit Zane, which means Zane wouldn't have fallen into the street, and the car wouldn't have slammed on its brakes. Then the bus hit the car, which pushed it over Zane. And I wouldn't be surprised if that lady and her kid need therapy after what just happened."

Becky was so horrified that she stopped crying. "Oh my God, William... this is my fault!"

"Yeah, sort of."

"You mean this happened…" Becky shook her head. "All because I forgot my jacket."