Free Once Upon a List by Robin Gold

address, since she wasn’t yet certain where she’d be lodging during her temporary stay in Chicago. Then she informed The Beer King of Boston that she was going to take him up on his generous offer of an extended sabbatical after all, packed a few suitcases, and by the first of December was back in River Pointe. Back on a mission that even she herself thought was crazy. She just hoped it might be crazy enough to work. So far, nothing else had, and now Clara feared that her future, if she had one, hinged on it: her time capsule from the past.
    On her first day in town, Clara woke groggy and discombobulated after the long drive from Boston. She hadn’t a clue where she was. Sitting up in bed, glancing around, Patrick Swayze soon set the record straight.
    Well , this is it , Clara thought to herself, stretching as she considered her time capsule list. According to Leo’s hypothesis, having a distinct purpose would help her heal, and her list provided her with just that: a purpose. Clara peered at the alarm clock on her bedside table, which read 9:30 a.m., reminding her that time was ticking and she best get started straight away. After all, she had a lot to accomplish in a matter of just nine months. She had a sneaking suspicion September would be here before she knew it.
    Yawning, Clara slid out of bed. She removed a copy of her time capsule list from her pocketbook (the original, along with several extra copies, remained safely tucked away inside the capsule in her suitcase), unfolded it, and gave it a quick review:
    Things to Do before I’m 35
    â€¢ Have a pet dog (who cares if it sheds! BESIDES LIBBY!)
    â€¢ Replace Lincoln’s mom’s beautiful vase I broke
    â€¢ Serve on a real live court jury (awesome!!!)
    â€¢ Visit the Wisconsin Dells
    â€¢ Dig up Leo’s recorder from the backyard & apologize for burying it (& letting him stay punished for losing it!)
    â€¢ Become a teacher
    â€¢ Become the President of the United States
    â€¢ Attend the Ice Capades
    â€¢ Learn Morse code
    â€¢ Eat at America’s largest buffet
    â€¢ Ride in a hot air balloon
    â€¢ Run a race (10K like Dad used to run? Find out what a K is!)
    â€¢ Donate blood
    â€¢ Swim with dolphins
    â€¢ Build a gingerbread house from scratch (no dumb farty kits allowed!) (and who cares if it’s messy! BESIDES LIBBY!)
    â€¢ Sleep in a real tent
    â€¢ Eat sugar cereal & McDonald’s during the week (not just on weekends!)
    â€¢ Apologize to Stella for stealing her Twirly Curls Barbie & give it back to her
    â€¢ Grow my own garden with an avocado tree
    â€¢ Apologize to Stella for stealing her Chia Pet (and accidentally killing it)
    â€¢ Beat Leo at Memory
    â€¢ Help others through charity like Libby (donate time if I’m poor when I’m old)
    â€¢ Find a cure for heart attacks
    â€¢ Kiss Billy Warrington (Clara + Billy = TRUE LOVE FOREVER!)
    Â 
    Then, ready to get to work, she made her way downstairs in search of Libby.
    A pleasant melody floated from the music room, leading her straight to her target. Before entering the space, she paused in the polished oak, domed archway. Debussy’s “Clair de Lune” had always been one of Libby’s favorite tunes, and Clara could recall being soothed by it as a young child while drifting off to sleep at night. Watching her mother’s balletic hand gestures from behind, she considered how comfortable, how inexplicably right Libby appeared sitting on that red velvet piano bench, swaying ever so gently, her head tilted to the side. Somehow, her mother had found her purpose. She’d identified precisely where she belonged, like a cat that fit perfectly in a windowsill. Wondering if she too might someday discover her “inexplicably right” place in this world, Clara exhaled a dreamy sigh.
    â€œHOLY CHRIST !” shrieked Libby, glancing over her shoulder and jumping. “I had no idea you were there!