The die landed on four. Mikey closed his eyes. Soon he would be much older. He helt his body and clothes changing. It was going to be great.
When he looked down the first thing he noticed was a wedding band. He felt his chin, a short stubbly beard. He rushed over to the bathroom mirror in shock. He hadn't seen the face in years, but would recognize it anywhere. Gray temples, beard, bump in the nose...
Mrs. Gibson followed Mike into the washroom. "Honey, is everything okay?"
Mike just whispered to himself... "I'm old... not just old, but..." he couldn't finish the sentence.
Mrs. Gibson rubbed his shoulders and kissed him on the cheek. "It's jsut a game, sweetheart. It's just supposed to be fun."
"This isn't very fun for me..." he muttered, unable to take his eyes off the mirror.
Mrs. Gibson - Marissa - kissed him again. Mike, however, was filled with rage. He didn't just get older, but he became someone older. Mikey Gibson Jr. no longer existed. In his place was a man who left his family years ago. Michael Gibson Sr. Mikey had become his own father. The card had changed reality completely.
Mike sat on the toilet and buried his face in his hands. "How many children do we have?" he asked, embarrassed and disturbed.
"Two, sweetie." Marissa told him. "Jon and Zoe... although right now, they are a little mixed up."
Mike looked up at his wife. "What about little Mikey?"
Marissa didn't know what to tell her husband. She gave a long look and kissed him again, even though he attempted to back away. She told him, "I know I wanted a third child years ago, but... you know we never had one." She sniffled.
A single tear fell from Mike's eye. It was because of him - little Mikey - that Mr. Gibson left his family all those years ago. If he'd never been born, the family would still be together.
Mike broke down in to full sobbing. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, mom..." he was muttering somewhat so that she couldn't hear him.
She rubbed his back, and whispered, "It's okay... it's okay."
Mike buried his tearful face in his wife's chest and just sat there. If there was one man he didn't want to be, it was Mike Gibson Sr. But he was going to be a better one than the real Mike Gibson Sr.
He kissed her and whispered in her ear, "I love you. I'll never leave you."
Back at the game board, Karyn took the dice. He rolled his eyes and muttered, "Here we go again..." and rolled.
