by C J Murphy
Aggie let her fork clatter onto her plate. “We’re on vacation, Noeul, nothing you do right now is going to change what happened. What it will do, is ruin our time together, because you’ll obsess about this, looking for solutions, and you won’t be able to try again until next freaking year.”
“Aggie, I’m responsible for millions of dollars’ worth of research. If I can’t fix the issue, that money won’t be around for as you say ‘next freaking year.’”
“We’ve got a dive scheduled that I went through a lot of trouble to arrange. Doesn’t that count for a damn thing, or as usual, does that research mean more than our down time? One time a damn year, I pull you away from that lab…one time a year, for a week! Seven days isn’t too much to ask to put as much into us as you put into that precious research. It’s seven damn days, Noeul!” Aggie got up from the table and stormed away.
Noeul covered her face. Her whole life had been about research until she’d met Aggie. Her wife had introduced love and laughter to her life. Research was her career, a job. Aggie was her life. She’d grown up striving for excellence. Driven to succeed at everything. None of it meant a thing without Aggie. She signed the check, charging it to their room, and quickly typed out a message to Amy.
Handle it, I’m on vacation until next Monday. Figure it out. –Noeul
She pushed a button on her phone, flashing to the power-off screen. She watched the screen go black, then slipped the phone in her back pocket and took a deep breath. She headed out of the restaurant and in the direction of their room. “Now to fix what I can, something much more valuable than any research I’ll ever do.”
Noeul stroked though the water, coming to rest on some rocks under the waterfalls. She sat with the water beating a massage on her shoulders. The rocks around her were teeming with small layers of algae, moss and lichens, and other simple plant life as abundant as the sea anemone of the cave they dove in. The whole cave had brimmed with vibrant red and purple life. It was one of the most beautiful places she’d ever been. That day, she’d watched complete joy in Aggie’s eyes. The inquisitive, childlike enthusiasm of her wife was full of wonder. Her eyes had sparkled through the scuba mask.
Kyo paddled up beside her and climbed onto the rocks. Noeul stroked her dog’s head before she picked up a stick and tossed it out into the water for her. Kyo dove off the rock, swam over to the stick, clasped it in her teeth, and returned to her. “Good girl, Kyo.” Noeul tossed it to her again, slid down into the water, and swam back to where she’d left her clothes. She dried off with a chamois towel and put her clothes back on. The journal called to her and she pulled it out while she ate half her cucumber and tomato sandwich. Kyo found a spot in the sun and lay down in the soft grass beside her. Noeul shook her head and picked up her pen.
I’d forgotten how much fun we had on that dive in Acadia. Jon, Lynn, and the kids were wonderful. Aggie took such a shine to Jon Jr. I used to call her the biggest kid I knew. Jon Jr. was big into maps, particularly ocean charts. I can remember packaging up some of Aggie’s flea market finds and mailing them off to him. His mom would send us back pictures with them up in his room. I was devastated when I read online that Jon Jr. passed away from a health complication. That would have killed Aggie. Maybe they’re diving together somewhere. I’d like to believe that.
“You know Kyo, sometimes I wish we’d have had kids. Maybe I’d still have a part of her. She wanted them. We’d even talked about it. Just like everything else, somehow we always thought we had time.” Noeul shook her head. “Little did I know, time was one luxury we didn’t have.”
***
It was still dark when Jordan and Sarah stepped onto the dock where Jon’s boat bobbed in the water.
Jordan took the big man’s outstretched hand. “Thanks again for doing this, Jon. I don’t know how to thank you.”
“Let’s get you two outfitted. I’ve got my underwater camera with lights, so we shouldn’t have a problem finding it.”
The trio boarded the boat and took some time to get the right fit for the gear before loading it all up in Jon’s truck for the ten-minute drive. As they reached Schooner Head Overlook, Jon pulled the truck to the side of the road.
“Jordan, I need you to know something. This cave is accessible by foot at low tide. The entrance where the memorial is hidden isn’t accessible until high tide. The height of the cave is pretty substantial, so we use the water to take us to the level where we placed the memorial. It’s a dive you don’t want to miss. I need you to understand, this is considered risky. The tide can push you into the rocky ceiling, so both of you watch yourself and follow my lead. Once we get it, we need to swim back out so you can do whatever it is you need to do.”
Jordan placed her hand on Jon’s shoulder. “Jon, all I need to do is look at the letter and the next set of clues. I promise, everything will stay intact and I won’t take a thing other than what I commit to memory up here.” She pointed to her temple.
“I have to trust you, Jordan. This story is too close to an episode from the Twilight Zone for it not to be true.” He put the truck in drive and took them to the area closest to the cave. The trio dragged the equipment down to the entry point Jon picked out.
Suited up, they entered the water at the top of the cave. Jon switched on his camera with the brightest light Jordan had ever seen. As they entered, the camera’s light beams bounced around the cave. Jon had made them promise one thing before they entered. He wanted them to enjoy fifteen minutes of the dive before they retrieved the memorial. He told them it was a once in a lifetime experience. Jordan felt privileged to experience it with someone who loved it the way their guide did.
Jon pointed out bright, neon-green sea sponges resembling a tie-dyed carpet, while all around them small anemone waved with the current. Hundreds lined the rocks everywhere, in color swatches of magenta, white, red, and green. There was one very small one that reminded her of the children’s tea set her mother had given Dava. The color of the sea life closely matched the milky, light-green of that jadeite.
Watching Sarah’s eyes light up inside her dive mask, Jordan was glad they were experiencing this together and wished Dava was able to do the same. For several more minutes, they floated above the undersea world, letting Jon and the current gently guide their field of vision.
It was all too brief, when Jordan noticed Jon tapping his watch. She reached out and touched Sarah’s arm to get her attention, pointing to their guide. They followed the light deeper into the cave until they reached the back side. High tide completely filled the cave, allowing them to swim to the top where Jon pointed to a small crack in the ceiling. Jordan propelled herself upward, and with a substantial amount of trepidation, reached in until her gloved hand found a smooth cylinder. She closed her eyes and said a small prayer of thanks, showing it to Jon and Sarah. They had a finite amount of time to get out of the cave, open the memorial, and retrieve the clues to the next location.
Using Jon’s light, they swam out and quickly made their way to the dry area they’d prepped. Jordan made quick work of pulling off her mask and the torso section of her suit. She meticulously dried herself and zipped up a fleece jacket and pulled on a skull cap to avoid getting a chill. Sarah had done the same, and Jon sat off to the side reviewing some footage on his video recorder.
Jordan dried the cylinder and began the process of carefully opening it to avoid any damage from residual salt water. Sarah grabbed her arm. “Wait, the light still isn’t good enough to see. Let me get my cellphone out of my dry bag, so we can video what’s inside.”
Jordan felt her heart pounding as she held the cylinder in her hands, waiting for Sarah’s return. With her cellphone aloft, Sarah came close by Jordan’s side and indicated she was ready. Jordan slowly rotated the cylinder until a seam became visible. Each turn revealed more threads, until the two halves could be separated. Ensuring her hands were free of moisture, she pulled the first piece of parchment free and allowed Sarah to slowly film the entire piece as s
he read. After Sarah indicated she had it, Jordan pulled the next piece of paper out. It was the clue list. Several lines of text, numbers, and a few small diagrams filled the page.
Sarah lowered her phone. “I’ve got it, if you do.”
Jordan shook her head up and down, while rubbing a coating of bee’s wax to the threads. She wanted to provide an all-natural coating to ensure the watertight seal would stay intact. This was something she’d done with each of the memorials as an added layer of protection. The last thing she wanted to do was destroy something that Noeul had gone to such great lengths to protect.
“We’ve got it, Jon. Thank you.” She handed the cylinder to him. “Noeul trusted you with her secret, and I’m forever grateful you shared it. I think you should be the one to take it back.”
Jon was visibly moved, and turned slightly away from them as he put his mask back into place and walked back to the cave edge. They watched as his light illuminated the water around him then trailed off. Jordan and Sarah tied the arms of their suits around their waists and gathered their equipment, while waiting for Jon’s return. He surfaced about ten minutes later, and the three made their way back to the truck. They pulled the doors shut as the sun pushed away the shadows of the dawn’s waning moments.
“I never grow tired of the sight,” Jon paused and looked out at the sea. His voice was soft, the cadence perfectly timed. “The sea, full of power and might, releases its lover, the eternal shining light. The rolling waves, a good morning kiss, holding a promise of love’s tender bliss.” The truck grew silent as they watched the light’s ascension.
“I’ve never heard that, Jon. It’s beautiful,” Jordan said softly.
“Lynn wrote it after we moved here. She’s quite the poet. Just one of the thousand things I find amazing about her.” Jon sighed and started the truck. “You guys ready to head back? We only have about two hours before your planned excursion on the boat. We have ten other people joining us, including two children in wheelchairs.”
Jordan nodded, and he turned the truck back onto the main road. Sarah aimlessly rubbed her thumb hard into her right palm. “I wish Dava could have experienced that this morning. It was truly extraordinary, Jon. Thank you, for everything.”
Jon waved off the comment. “Don’t worry about Dava. She’ll get to see everything you guys did today, in high definition. I filmed it all so you could share.”
Sarah’s grin grew wide. Jordan was sure she was thinking about her planned proposal tonight. She leaned over and bumped Sarah’s shoulder, drawing her from her musings. “You’re going to rub a hole in your hand. Relax, she’ll say yes. I have no doubt about it.”
Jon turned his head and looked at them. “What’s the question?”
Jordan snickered. “Blondie here plans to ask my sister to marry her tonight.”
Sarah punched Jordan. “Don’t make fun. I’m nervous enough.”
Jon laughed at them. “You’d think you two were already related the way you go back and forth. God help your sister if she has to put up with both of you.”
The truck tires hummed along the blacktop, taking them back to the dock where they’d met Jon that morning. They helped him return the gear to the boat. Standing on the ramp, Jordan shook Jon’s hand. “Thank you, Jon. We’ll see you in a bit with Mom and Dava. I’ll enjoy watching you make Sarah nervous about revealing her secret.” She winked at him and laughed when Sarah’s face blanched.
Jon patted Sarah’s shoulder. “Relax, I’m in no mood to get tossed off my own boat. Go. I’ll see you in a bit.”
***
Their party enjoyed Jon’s antics as he dove under the boat. The live video fed back onto a big screen at the front of the boat. Mini-Jon helped everyone scale items and creatures he found on the bottom. He brought lobsters and sea cucumbers to the surface so that everyone could have a lesson in marine life. At the end, he released the sea creatures back into the ocean before they headed for the dock. Jordan carried the wheelchair off the boat, while Sarah carried Dava in her arms. The love Jordan saw between the couple was as tangible as what she’d witnessed between her mother and father. She watched as Dalia wiped away a tear.
“She’s okay, Mom. Sarah loves her.”
At the top of the ramp, Sarah gently put Dava into her chair and kissed her briefly before walking behind to push her to the van.
Dalia wrapped an arm around Jordan’s waist. “These are tears of happiness, Jordan. They’re in love, and it’s a glorious thing to see. I only hope Dava won’t push her away.”
Jordan smiled as she leaned over to kiss her mother’s temple, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. “Don’t worry about that. I’ve been grilling Sarah on all Dava’s possible objections.”
Dalia stopped abruptly and looked at Jordan, eyes wide.
Jordan quirked a grin and put her finger to her lips. Dalia’s eyes grew wide and glinted with understanding. The pair joined Dava and Sarah at the vehicle. “How about lunch, ladies?”
Dava spoke up, “I say we grab something then hike up Cadillac Mountain.” She turned to Sarah. “Didn’t you say we have dinner reservations at that place? What’s it called?”
Jordan’s eyes met Sarah’s in the rearview mirror. Jordan almost laughed as Sarah cleared her throat.
“Uh, yeah. Jordan’s Pond House at seven thirty tonight.”
“Well, let’s get a milkshake and a sandwich to go. Then we can make our way to the trailhead.”
After picking up their chosen lunch, they traveled to Cadillac Summit Road. The trail from there was a leisurely path that allowed Dava to use her motorized chair to reach the top. The vista was truly beautiful, and the group talked about making the trip back to see the sunrise. They all felt it would be worth getting to the trailhead around four in the morning to fight the crush of others wanting to do the same. Jordan stepped to the trail edge near the rock barrier. “This place is gorgeous.”
Dalia stepped up beside Jordan and folded into her open arm. “Your dad would have loved this.”
“He would have, no doubt.” They watched as Sarah and Dava traveled ahead of them. “So, going to tell me what Sarah’s up to?”
Jordan pursed her lips and used her fingers to pantomime locking them and throwing away the key.
“Spoilsport.”
“Telling you would be the actual spoilsport part. This is Sarah’s gig. I was merely the sounding board. Trust me, she’ll be fine. It’s what you’ve always wanted for Dava, someone to love her unconditionally.”
Dalia reached up and held Jordan’s hand that was draped over her shoulder. “I want that for you, too, not just Dava.”
“Mom, we’ve been down this route. I’m not in the market for love. I have my research, and right now, this quest to find Professor Scott. I don’t have any time for love.”
“Be careful, my child, love will find you when you least expect it. Just when you’re sure you don’t need it, don’t want it, and have sworn it off, it will bite you in the backside. It’s the universe’s greatest act of defiance. I only want you to be able to recognize it when it presents itself.”
The trail looped back to their vehicle, and everyone wanted to go back to the hotel to look over the clues and the diving video. Jordan had promised herself to be in the moment on this trip, and she was trying to do that. Especially tonight.
***
Condensation ran down the walls of the greenhouse and into a tray that led to a storage tank. The water would be recycled into an irrigation system for the plants. Noeul had been logging data on the growth and heartiness of her plants for almost two hours. Each lot had similar conditions with one or sometimes two variables from Jordan’s research. Disease was always something she had to watch for. She kept conditions as close to optimal as she could with her primitive surroundings. Noeul wondered about upgrading the greenhouse to eliminate more of the unknowns in her research. She closed the fanless computer and secured it in the moisture-free cabinet.
Kyo lay outside, so she joined the d
og on the stoop, running her hands over the sun warmed fur. “What do you think about it, Kyo?” The dog lifted her head and wagged her tail at Noeul.
“If only you could talk back.” Noeul rose and went to her chair where the journal sat. Pen against the paper, she let her thoughts free.
It’s another sunny day here on Topside. The breeze makes the temperatures more than tolerable. Thor and Athena are grazing along with the goats, and Rico and Kyo are laying in the sun soaking it all up. All seems right with the world, except it’s not.
I’m accumulating volumes of data and am even making great progress in the research. Without someone to share it with, it’s little more than busy work. I’m going off the mountain tomorrow, down to the girls for a few days of company. They’re probably getting sick of me invading them. I can’t explain it. The days grow longer, and the nights alone are nearly insufferable. How I’ve done it for this long, I have no idea.
I feel like something inside has been dormant for a long winter’s nap. Now it’s breaking the surface, struggling for air and light. Maybe my heart is finally accepting Aggie’s death in a way well beyond the physical. I don’t have the answers, and I don’t know where to find them. I know I must do something different before I lose what little bit of sanity I have left. The sound of my own voice, and to be honest, the touch of my own hand, isn’t enough anymore.
***
Jordan sat in her room, looking over the clues she’d written out and the video Sarah had given her. She recognized the pigpen cipher and decoded a sort of poem.
most southern of the northern,
most northern of the southern,
most western of the eastern,
most eastern of the western