Chapter 39
I am a young girl who laughs and sings,
for I am soon to be the bride of spring!
So sang my love, and straightaway my heart
thrilled into a wren, wings quivering:
I too am young, and in these still bare woods
my anthems praise, with tinkling bluebells
and toy-trumpetings of daffodils,
the buds of love that blossom in your eyes!
But even as it sang I saw inside her
something die, and where a warmth had been
there was a winter. If you are wise, she cried,
run from these flames, let their ash grow cold;
for in these eyes the love that you have seen
flowers not for you, but for another.
…Monteverdi *T
…
After I give Saul another welcome home present, where he shows me how much he has missed me. We settle back and talk.
“Saint Louis was not what I would have thought of as big city.” Saul says. He has his arms wrapped around my shoulders and breathes in my hair. I am sprawled across his body with my legs wrapped around one of his. I have my chin tucked into his neck. “Oh I mean there were big buildings and wide streets. But I don’t know I thought there would be more. More people and shops and lights and all the things we don’t have here. it wasn’t like that.”
“Something change. Even more, Saul dearest, I think we have to remember the world your have read about in books is gone. Long gone.” I say and kiss his throat. “We are a new history.”
“A new history. huh. I like that.” he says and rubs his cheek in my hair.
“Yes. Now tell me about the people of Saint Louis? The city is dead but there are still people living there. That could be important.” I prompt him.
“What do you want to know?” he leans away from me so he can look down at my face.
“Tell me a bout the Nightingales? Who are they?” I ask.
“Oh they were Hospital workers and the like. As far as they tell it. Their founders didn’t want to leave those hospital patients alone to evacuate. So the stayed. They were the ones who saw us enter the hospital and knew where to look for equipment. Only much of it needed electrical power to run it. Or was too big to move. They said they would keep looking.”
“You must have made an impression on them.” I smile up at him and brush the stray strains of his hair back.
“I’m not sure it was all me. One of the ladies seemed quite taken with Holliday. I really thought he was going to stay. But when time came he give her kiss on the cheek and climbed into the Hummer like the rest of us. I guess his is not over Annie.” Saul frowns at that thought.
“Well any of us be over Annie?” I mutter to myself. “And now It is my turn.”
“I don’t think we can stay in bed all afternoon.” Saul says as he unwraps his arms and crawls over to the window. He lifts the shade and frowns. “I just got home. And it is like I was never gone.”
“Funny,” I say with an impish grin and add. “I just got home and nothing is the same. I wonder which of us has had the better journey?” My amusement fades as I remember for me nothing is even close to the same.
“You did,” He laughs at me then breaks off as he sees my face. “Oh love, I see now, I got to go back home.” Saul returns to me and puts his arms around me again. I pull him into a tight embrace.
“It is all right Saul.” I murmur into his shoulder. “I am fine. Now we should unpack your stuff.” I say and release him from my hug.
Saul sighs and lets me go but not before letting his hands linger on my face as he takes on last kiss.
“Unpack?” He looks doubtful at the idea.
“Sure, You are home, you get to unpack.” I say in a chipper tone.
…
We spend the afternoon talking and packing and unpacking. Repacking. Saul wants me to have the herbs even though I keep telling him I have no idea how to use most of them. He admires the new clothes that Godiva made for me. As we are close to the evening meal there is a knock on the door.
“Yes, who is there?” Saul calls out.
“Diva.” She answers and pushed the door open.
“I brought Nev. She said that Nimrod is to look at her.”
I had completely forgot about Nev. Thankfully Saul is unfazed by her arrival and invites them in.
“Saul dear, you didn’t really get a chance to meet her before, but this is Nev. One of our new girls,” Diva beams at Nev.
“How do you do, Nev?” he politely shakes her hand. Her eyes go wide with awe, as she is overwhelmed by his chivalry.
“Nimrod is not back from the council meeting,” I tell Godiva.
“He was right behind me,” Godiva says, looking smug at being the first to know when Nimrod is coming home.
“Tea then,” Saul says in that robust tone of something to do.
“Tea would be fine,” She smiles him and puts Nev in one of the chairs at the table.
I hear singing, a man’s tenor. Nimrod is home. Saul gives me a startled look, then smiles too. The two of us are beaming like idiots. Godiva giggles into her hand.
“I will make some room,” I say as I start to remove the packing production that is spread out over all the chairs and the table.
“And thank you for the new outfits, Godiva. They are marvelous.”
“Oh you’re very welcome, my dear,” she lights up even more. “You’re easy to work with.”
I am crossing to the bedroom with my hands full of packing, when the door opens. Nimrod enters still singing. He slows down when he see Godiva and Nev but doesn’t stop. I dump the stuff in my hands by the doorway.
“What have you got there?” Godiva asks, drawing my attention to the plant he is carrying.
“What, Diva, just something I got from Jekyll,” He says absentmindedly and places it on the table. I have to find out what it is.
“Who have we here?” he asks Godiva
I ignore them to look at the plant on the table. It has shiny dark green leaves and thorns. At the top is a pale red bud. A rose. Nimrod brought us a rose.
Saul notices that I an enthralled by the flower. “Nosis, Love what’s wrong with the plant?”
“A rose, I have not see a rose in a long time,” My voice chokes ups. Saul comes around the table and enfolds me in a hug.
“All the things in the world for you to be denied let it not be the beauty of a rose.”
We seem to have stopped the rest of the conversation.
“Nosis?” Nimrod looks over at us.
“I think she likes the rose, Nim,” Saul says brightly, as he rocks me in his arms.
“Well Nev, shall we ask the two love birds to leave so we can get on with your exam?” Nimrod asks her.
Nev giggles.
“I’ll stay here with you dear,” Godiva reassures the girl.
“Kicked out of my own house by a teenaged girl.” Saul jokes into my ear.
“You could, go plant the rose?” Nimrod suggests.
“I would love to do that,” is my enthusiastic reply.
We plant the little bush on the east side to the house by the bedroom window. When we get back the three of them are drinking tea at the table. There are not enough chairs, so Saul insists that I sit on his lap.
“And so how is our young Nev?” Saul asks once we are situated.
“She is fine, a little malnutrition, no broken bones and she is not pregnant.” Nimrod gives us the run down.
“But, Nosis, didn’t you say-” Saul starts.
“Nimrod checks healing not me, Saul dearest.” I jab in him in is stomach. “I kick ass and you dear crazy man, are a hero.” His arms tighten around me, as I remind every one of Saul’s actions with the Saint Louis folks.
“Yes Saul, she is right,” Nimrod agrees. “And please don’t ever do anything like that again.” His voice is gentle but underneath there is upset and heart ache.
“But it was the right-” Saul start to defend himself.
“But is was incredibly dumb.” I have to turn around to face him. “I could not be more proud of you.” I kiss his nose and make my way slowly down to his waiting mouth.
“And I lost a year’s worth of age, that I can ill afford.” Nimrod lets us hear his worry this time.
“You sounded so brave,” Nev says in quiet voice.
“Well, I said you have a head on your shoulder, Saul, you just go ahead and use those smarts,” Godiva offers this cheerful thought to us.
“Now it is time for us to head home, Nev dear, Evening dinner needs to be looked after,” she gives us a nod and stands, pulling Nev with her is out the door in no time flat.
We look at one another and bust in to laughter. I slip out of Saul lap on over to Nimrod.
“We are such a trial to you,” I hug him close.
“You keep me on my toes,” he chuckles under his breath.
“Godiva is right, it is almost time for an evening meal, would you like me to cook?” Saul breaks in.
“Yes please,” we both say. Not that Nimrod’s cooking is bad, it is just that Saul is better.
“Fine,” he sighs with at dramatic flare. “Hero one day. Cook the next.”
“But you will be the best damn cook there ever was.” Nimrod tells him.
“Fine, now get out of my kitchen.”
We scramble up.
“Now You can help me with My packing.” I request Nimrods aid in the deed in a lively tone.
“Joy,” His gives me a long suffering sigh. Saul giggles at our antics.
With packing done and our meal complete. The three of us sit in comfortable silence. I wonder if we should head into the back and have another round of our threesome. But something stops me from making that move. Instead, I look over at the window and see that it is full dark outside. I jump up.
“Oh I forgot.” I wave the men back to their seat. “I have to go. You stay, do your thing, I will see you later.” I finish as I rush out the door. there is no stopping me. I run between buildings. I have to giggle at my silly actions, but I know in the long run, it will be worth it.
…
** Translated by Charles Marshall
