by C J Murphy
Aggie had been her balance and voice of reason. Noeul missed those gentle admonishments that enough was enough. No extra hour granted, Aggie would give her enough time to save everything and then bodily remove Noeul from her chair. At work, their labs were not close in proximity by any stretch, yet Noeul would look up to find a jar of Nutella and graham crackers, along with a mug of warm coffee. Aggie made it a priority, and Noeul had enjoyed the rewards of her nurturing. She felt Kelly pat her shoulders and kiss her head again.
“Are you at a place you can go for a run with Miranda and Kyo? She sent me in to ask.” Kelly picked up the empty plate and left the half-full tea glass.
Noeul stretched and rubbed her face. “I really want to read a bit more and get those things ordered. I may even make some inquiries from some old colleagues. It’s been a while since I’ve checked in up at Ithaca. I’ll bet it’s been close to eight years now. I’m not even sure anyone up there would know who the hell I am anymore.”
“Ok, I’ll leave you alone for now. You’ll be a mess if you sit there in front of that computer too much longer. That’s one part of my old job I don’t miss. I’d rather be in the kitchen or out in the garden. I’ll call you when dinner’s ready. If you’re still on that thing, I’m pulling the power cord.” Kelly was in the doorway of the office and only turned her head as she emphasized the last statement.
“Okay, Mom, I hear you.” Noeul opened her email program and looked through her contact list for her former associate professor, Alice Timmons. She began a how-are-you email and asked if she remembered Jordan and her research. After placing an order on her favorite agriculture-supply website, she emerged from the office to find Kelly kneading bread at her butcher block island.
“Why don’t you go take a walk, clear out all that data and computer work from your system? I’ve decided on japchae in your honor instead of the parmigiana. I got an order in of those sweet potato noodles you love so much. I’ve already marinated the beef and cut the vegetables by the time you get back, dinner should be ready."
Noeul’s disposition brightened in anticipation. “Oh, that sounds wonderful!”
“Go already, get out of my kitchen.”
Noeul grabbed a matchstick carrot and was met with a swipe of Kelly’s dishtowel. “I’m going, I’m going.” She pushed through the kitchen door and out to the yard. She chose a path that led down to the creek and slowly let her mind clear. Sitting down beside the brook, she listened to the water roll across the rocks and drop down into the deeper pools. She rolled a small pebble in her fingers, before she dropped it into the water, watching the ripples reach out in ever widening circles.
“You never know how far those ripples reach or when one will return.”
Noeul glanced around, knowing she wouldn’t see the face. The voice was unmistakable. “Why are you reaching out now? All these years alone, I’ve begged to hear your voice one more time.” Noeul kept her breathing as even as possible, as she fought the despair. “I’ve missed you so much.”
“The sorrow is not yours alone. I watch over you constantly. I can only speak to you now because your life is about to change chuisle mo chroí.”
Noeul grew angry. “I remember the first time I called you that. We were in New Orleans. How can I be the pulse of your heart when you’re not here? When I can’t feel you near me? I want you here!”
“In the annals of time, our lives are merely a blink of the eye, my love, some even shorter. If I could have stayed, I would have. All I can say is your life is not over. There is one who seeks much from you. Be willing to use all your gifts, my love. You have much to offer, and the one coming deserves all you can give.”
Noeul rose to her feet and spread her arms. “I don’t know that I can, Aggie. Love like ours comes once in a lifetime. How do I go beyond the perfect love we had?”
“Please be open to the possibility and let yourself take a chance when the opportunity arises.”
“Will I lose you again?”
The voice grew fainter and sounded as if it was high above her. “I will always be with you, inside. You need to know a seeker’s heart is destined to find you.”
Noeul hugged her sides and let the tears fall for a love alive only in memory and the possibility of one yet to materialize. She started back toward the house, mentally and emotionally exhausted, unable to analyze all that Aggie had said. Her heart felt the loss, while her head argued adamantly about her sanity.
Each step closer to the house seemed harder and harder to take. Her need to be reassured that she wasn’t losing her mind kept her lifting one cement shoe after the other until she’d reached the porch. Miranda and Kyo were returning from their run, and the dog sprinted to her side, vying for her attention with excited wiggles. Reaching down, she ran her fingers into the soft coat and bent to scratch behind her ears. Noeul accepted Kyo’s warm tongue bath to wash away the tears, until she was laughing more than she was crying. “You always know how to chase away the shadows, Kyo.” She kissed her head and faced Miranda.
“You okay, Noeul?” Miranda wiped sweat off the side of her face.
Noeul freed her long, black hair. She gathered the escaped strands and placed the silver cuff back in its traditional spot at the base of her neck. “I will be. After a plate of japchae and a glass of your good bourbon, I’ll be right as rain. Good run?”
Miranda bent at the waist and stretched. “Kyo and I should both sleep good tonight. She’s good for me, doesn’t let me slack at all. Takes after her momma and Aunt Kelly.”
“Somebody has to keep you in line. How about we go in and see if I can at least help by setting the table while you shower?”
“Sounds good. The taskmaster in there will have a fit if I come to the dinner table with all this mud on me. I’ll take Kyo and wipe down her fur too. We’ll join you two in about fifteen minutes.” Miranda patted her side and called for Kyo as they went through the side door of the house and headed up the stairs.
Noeul detoured to the office to see if there was any reply from her Cornell contact. She was pleased to find an email from Alice waiting on her.
Noeul,
It’s wonderful to hear from you. What’s it been, close to eight years now? Well, even one year is too long. I’ve missed you. How are you and what have you been up to?
Yes, I’m familiar with Professor Armstrong’s research. She’s a rising star around here. I checked with a few of our former colleagues, who tell me she’s on the cusp of a major breakthrough along the same research lines you were working on during your tenure. She’s well published, and I’ve included some contact information in this email, if you are interested in reaching out to her.
You inspired many during your years here, my friend, and you still do. Your name continues to carry weight here, and you are dearly missed. I do hope you come back and visit some time. We could call together a group of the old guard and meet up for dinner and drinks.
Let me know if you are interested, and I’ll be more than happy to set it all up.
Love, Alice
Noeul closed the email program and wondered if she could emotionally handle the trip. She hadn’t been back to Ithaca since she’d packed everything up, sold the house, and moved to West Virginia. Going back would surely stir painful memories along with the pleasurable ones. It’s worth considering. For tonight, I’ll let it simmer and enjoy a night with my family.
***
Jordan sat at a small café in the French Quarter, enjoying a very good local microbrew with her lunch. The humidity made her shirt stick to her skin. She’d never been much for air conditioning. If it was tolerable, she’d choose to sit outside every time. The sights and sounds of New Orleans were unlike any she’d ever seen. In almost every direction, she could hear some kind of blues or jazz. Unique improvs and highly addictive riffs resonated from the buskers’ brass instruments. Jordan caught herself bobbing her head to the sound of a slide trombone and tapping her foot with a snare drum pulsing out the heartbeat of the city. Th
e carnival atmosphere continues, even though Mardi Gras has long since come and gone.
Anxious to share what she’d learned with Dava, she had waited for the time her sister had texted, when she’d be out of her morning meeting. The phone didn’t ring more than once before she heard her sister’s customary greeting and answered in kind.
“So spill, Sherlock,” Dava implored, “I’m not getting any younger and neither are you”.
Jordan put her head back and turned her face to the sun. “Okay, okay. First let me tell you that the place where I’m staying is infamous for paranormal activity. Last night, while I was leaving to go across the street to have a nightcap, I distinctly heard someone say I looked thirsty. I swear Dava, there wasn’t a soul in the hallway with me. More than once, I’ve caught a glimpse of an apparition."
“You’re kidding me. How cool.”
“Lately, that’s turning out to be more of a norm than you can imagine. Anyway, turns out the Blacksmith Bar is pretty awesome, as was the woman tending bar last night.”
“Oh, do tell.”
A chuckle rose from Jordan’s belly. “Not that way, goof. Well on second thought, she was pretty hot. However, that’s not the interesting part.” Jordan could hear Dava laughing on the phone.
“Okay, okay. What was so interesting?”
Jordan proceeded to relay all the strange coincidences and experiences of the night before. She shook her own head to clear the cold chill she felt at the totality of it all.
“JJ, this gets weirder by the minute. You know I believe in the paranormal. Even for me, this is pretty wacko.”
“I know, Sis. That’s why I’m sure I’m going to find Noeul. Something is leading me, putting me where I’m supposed to be. I would never have found that memorial at Moose Lake, never. Now, you want to hear the kicker to this whole story?”
“There’s more? You’ve got to be kidding me?”
The waiter came by, and Jordan ordered another beer. She shifted restlessly in her chair; the prickle of her phoenix tattoo grew, the more she told Dava. She’d noticed that she felt the tingling anytime she started talking about the quest.
“Oh yeah. According to Joëlle, she hasn’t worked in the bar for over a year. In her real life, she’s a civil engineer working on the levees for the Army Corps of Engineers. She was there because the bar owner desperately needed help and begged her to cover for a few days. Now tell me that’s a coincidence, and I’ll run a marathon pushing you in a wheelbarrow.”
Dava’s deep laugh rang through loud and clear. “Well, I’m not much of a believer in coincidence, so I’d say she was put into your path on purpose. The probabilities of you running into someone, in a city that size, who would have met the woman you are looking for, are astronomical. You’ve got a better chance of being struck by lightning—twice.”
Jordan sipped the microbrew that held hints of chocolate and coffee. She looked around her and down at her watch. Close to two. She needed to call Grand-mère Montieu. “Don’t I know it, which is another reason I’m sure I’m being guided or led. I’ve got to call that Santeria priestess and see if she’ll meet with me. Joëlle said she’d take me if the priestess agreed.”
“Well, get off the phone, chug that beer, and make the call. I’ll expect a full report tonight.”
“Copy that, Watson. We’ve got work to do. I love you. Don’t forget to look at your schedule, because I wasn’t kidding about making a run to see you and Mom.”
“Will do, Sherlock. Be careful. From what I’ve read, the Santeria religion is nothing to take lightly. Make sure you give it due respect.”
Jordan thought about what Joëlle had said when she’d inadvertently referred to it as voodoo. “I promise. Now go decrypt some deep, dark secret until I have the next clue. I’ll call you.”
They signed off, and Jordan called for the check. She pulled up the number she’d stored in her phone and tapped the contact to make the call. After a few rings, a thick Creole accent announced she’d reached Grand-mère Montieu’s phone, but Jordan was unsure if she was speaking directly to the priestess herself. After explaining who she was and how she’d come to have the number, she inquired about an appointment.
“You think I can lead you to what you seek?”
Jordan felt the tingle again and ran her hand across her side. “I presume I’m speaking with Grand-mère Montieu?”
“‘Das correct.”
The street noise faded into the background, and Jordan leaned over, her elbows on her knees. “I can assure you that my purpose for looking for Agnus James’ memorial is honorable. I wish to take nothing from it except for the knowledge of where I am to look next for Noeul. My quest to locate her is in the hope that I can join our knowledge into a solution for an age-old problem. If we can, it may be possible to eliminate something that has plagued mankind for centuries. Hunger.”
“Your purpose may be honorable, like you say. I more concerned about you heart. If you have dis number, you must have been in contact with my Joëlle. Come to me, seeker, and we see what will be. Joëlle will bring you."
“Do you think you can help me?”
“So many questions, tis good you are a professor. To be a good teacher, you must be a better student. Joëlle is my pitit fi. You come, we talk.”
***
Noeul sat back, a steaming cup of tea in her hands, as she listened to Kelly strum her guitar and Miranda played the harmonica. Listening to her talented friends play music in complete harmony was pure joy. Once or twice a year, they would all go camping at a makeshift site they’d cut out between their two houses. They would cook over an open fire and enjoy friendship in the great outdoors. The evening air would be filled with the sounds of their wonderful music.
Noeul loved being with her friends. The house they owned was as comfortable to her as her own. The walls were lined with overflowing bookshelves in place of a TV. They’d carved out a simpler life for themselves in this isolated community and hadn’t looked back. Noeul sunk into the soft, leather couch and closed her eyes. Even with her two closest friends right in the room with her, she felt alone. Kyo sat curled up on her feet, her paws twitching at some dream.
“You okay, Noeul?” Kelly reached out and stroked the top of Noeul’s head over the arm of the couch.
“I am…relaxed and very full. You know how I love it when you make Korean food. Given my mother’s isn’t an option, yours is always exceptional.” Noeul reached up and clasped her friend’s hand, holding it to her cheek and kissing the backside of it. The fire crackled in the corner, throwing off flickering amber light that warmed the room even more.
Miranda spoke up. “That’s why I love having you come down the mountain. Kelly makes special dinners. I’m worried she might be ready to boot me out the door and have you move in, so she’ll have someone to impress.” Miranda laughed and playfully scooted away from Kelly’s flailing arm.
“Keep that up and you can make yourself comfortable on this couch when Noeul vacates it, smart ass.” Kelly leaned over and kissed Miranda.
“You’d miss me. Who would you put your cold feet up against at night?” Miranda traced the side of Kelly’s face with a finger.
“You two kill me. So, in love after all these years. It’s sickeningly sweet. I love both of you.” Noeul opened her eyes to watch the antics of the people closest to her heart. She sipped her tea again and rubbed her eyes. “I got an email back from one of my colleagues, about my former student. Seems she’s a rising star in my old field and on the cusp of a major breakthrough. Alice asked if I was planning on a visit and offered me some contact information on Jordan. “
Miranda’s eyes brightened. “Are you thinking about going? We could send Leo up to watch your place for you. He loves going up there.”
“Slow down there a bit. I haven’t even really thought about going back there. Honestly, I don’t know if I can. The memories of Aggie might be overwhelming. I don’t know that I could take all the trips down memory lane my old friends would
want to travel. I think I’ll stick to doing some information searches on Professor Jordan Armstrong and her research. I may even try to make contact with her. We’ll see. I’m a long way from going back to New York.”
Kelly softly strummed her guitar and the sound floated through the air. “Only you know what you can and cannot endure. We’ll help you no matter what you decide.”
“In other news, I’ve been thinking about something I’d like to try with you guys. The reality is, with no phone or internet service up at the house, I need to think about a communication system, so we could at least send messages when needed. One of my magazines had an article on homing pigeons. I was thinking we could raise a set trained to roost at your place and another for mine. We could occasionally use the pigeons instead of the travel time to actually ride up or down. It’s something to think about anyway. Something new to develop.” Noeul sipped at her tea, thinking about the logistics of pigeon post.
Miranda walked over and stood with her back to the fire, arms crossed behind her. “I’d be game. They wouldn’t be very reliable until we got them accepting our places as home. Doesn’t mean it’s not something to consider, given you’re never going to have a telephone up there.”
Noeul’s eyes were growing heavy, and she rubbed at them while yawning out her next thought. “It would take a good bit of research first. I’ll start working on some information and we’ll see where it goes. For now, I think I need to make my way to bed.” She pulled herself off the couch, rousing Kyo, who leapt down to be let out one more time before retiring. Noeul walked over to kiss Kelly and turned to meet Miranda’s open arms. She melted into the embrace and absorbed some warmth from her friend. “I’ll see you two for breakfast. If I get up first, I’ll start the coffee and biscuits.”