I knew the Sun was now very near me, and although I thought at times I should stand up, as when receiving a customer, something else suggested I would steal less privacy – and be less likely to cause annoyance – if I remained seated. So I aligned my own shape as closely as I could with that of the foldaway chair and waited. The Sun’s shafts became more pronounced, and more orange, and I even thought these shafts might be causing pieces of hay to come loose from their blocks and float into the air, for there were now many more drifting particles in front of me.
Then the thought came to me that if I was correct, and the Sun was now passing through Mr McBain’s barn on his way to his real resting place, I couldn’t afford to be overly polite. I’d have to seize my chance boldly, or all my efforts – and Rick’s help – would come to nothing. So I gathered my thoughts and began to speak. I didn’t actually say the words out loud, for I knew the Sun had no need of words as such. But I wished to be as clear as possible, so I formed the words, or something close to them, quickly and quietly in my mind.
‘Please make Josie better. Just as you did Beggar Man.’
I raised my head a little and saw, alongside the fragments of farming tools and blocks of hay, a section of a traffic signal, and part of the wing from one of Rick’s drone birds, and I remembered Manager’s voice saying, ‘That’s not going to be possible,’ and Boy AF Rex saying, ‘You’re so selfish, Klara.’ And I said:
‘But Josie’s still a child and she’s done nothing unkind.’
And I remembered the Mother’s eyes scrutinizing me across the picnic bench at Morgan’s Falls, and the bull, staring angrily, as though I’d no right to be passing before his field, and I realized I may have angered the Sun by intruding in this way, just when he was needing his rest. I formed an apology in my mind, but the shadows were now even longer, so that were I to spread my fingers out before me, I knew their shadows would reach right the way back to the entrance of the barn. And it was clear the Sun was unwilling to make any promise about Josie, because for all his kindness, he wasn’t yet able to see Josie separately from the other humans, some of whom had angered him very much on account of their Pollution and inconsideration, and I suddenly felt foolish to have come to this place to make such a request. The barn filled even more intensely with orange light, and I saw again Rosa, on the hard ground wearing an expression of pain, reaching forward to touch her outstretched leg. I bowed my head right down and curled myself into the smallest shape I could within the shape of the foldaway chair, but then remembered again how any chance to make an appeal would be fleeting, and so, finding courage, I said in almost-words, forcing them through my mind in a split moment:
‘I understand how forward and rude I’ve been to come here. The Sun has every right to be angry, and I fully understand your refusal even to consider my request. Even so, because of your great kindness, I thought I might ask you to delay your journey for one more instant. To listen to one more proposal. Supposing I could do something special to please you. Something to make you particularly happy. If I could achieve such a thing, then would you consider, in return, showing special kindness to Josie? Just as you did that time for Beggar Man and his dog?’
As these words moved through my mind, something distinctly changed around me. The red glow inside the barn was still dense, but now had an almost gentle aspect – so much so that the various segments into which my surroundings were still partitioned appeared to be drifting amidst the Sun’s last rays. I spotted the lower half of the Glass Display Trolley – I recognized its castors – rising slowly until it became obscured behind a neighboring segment, and though I raised my head and looked all around me, I could no longer see any trace at all of the terrible bull. I knew then that I’d gained a vital advantage, but couldn’t waste even a tiny moment, and so pressed on, no longer forming half-words, for I knew I didn’t have the time.
‘I know how much the Sun dislikes Pollution. How much it saddens and angers you. Well, I’ve seen and identified the machine that creates it. Supposing I were able somehow to find this machine and destroy it. To put an end to its Pollution. Would you then consider, in return, giving your special help to Josie?’
The inside of the barn was getting darker, but it was a friendly darkness, and soon the segments had gone, leaving the interior no longer partitioned. I knew the Sun had moved on, and rising from the foldaway chair, I walked for the first time over to the back opening of Mr McBain’s barn. I saw then how the field continued into the mid-distance until it met a line of trees – a kind of soft fence – and behind it, the Sun, tired and no longer intense, was sinking into the ground. The sky was turning into night, with stars visible, and I could tell that the Sun was smiling towards me kindly as he went down for his rest.
Out of gratitude and respect, I continued to stand at the back opening until his last glow had vanished into the ground. Then I walked through the dark interior of Mr McBain’s barn, leaving the same way I’d come.
* * *
—
The tall grass moved gently around me as I re-entered it. Getting across the fields in the darkness was a daunting prospect, but I was so encouraged by what had just occurred, I felt hardly any fear. Even so, with the unevenness of the ground reminding me of the dangers in front of me, I was pleased to hear suddenly Rick’s voice somewhere close by.
‘Is that you, Klara?’
‘Where are you?’
‘Over this way. To your right. I ignored your advice about going straight home.’
I moved towards the voice, the grass fell away and I found myself in a clearing. It was as though a vacuum cleaner had created it – a small circular area in which the grass was again shoe height and the night sky above had a curving slice of the moon. Rick was sitting there, apparently on the ground, but when I came nearer, I saw he was seated on a large stone that was mostly submerged into the earth. He looked calm and smiled at me.
‘Thank you for waiting,’ I said.
‘Just self-interest. Suppose you’d got stuck out here all night and got damaged. I’d be in deep shit then for bringing you out here.’
‘I think Rick waited out of kindness. I’m very grateful.’
‘Did you find what you went in there for?’
‘Oh yes. At least, I believe so. And I believe there’s now reason for hope. Hope for Josie. Hope that she’ll get better. But first I must perform a task.’
‘What kind of task? Perhaps I can help with it.’
‘I’m sorry, I’m not able to discuss this matter with Rick. Tonight I believe an understanding was achieved. A contract, if you like. But it might be jeopardized if I speak about it freely.’
‘Okay. I don’t want to put anything at risk. Still, if there’s anything you think I could do…’
‘If I may speak frankly. The most important thing Rick can do is to try hard to go to the Atlas Brookings college. Then Josie and Rick can remain side by side and the wishes expressed in the kind picture will remain possible.’
‘God, Klara, it’s obvious Mum’s been working on you. She makes it sound so easy. But you’ve no idea what it takes for someone like me to get into a place like that. And even if I did, what happens to Mum? I just leave her out here on her own?’
‘Miss Helen may be stronger than Rick supposes. And even if Rick isn’t lifted, he has special talents. If he tried very hard, I believe he could be accepted by the Atlas Brookings college. Besides, Miss Helen has said she has a secret weapon to assist him.’
‘Her secret weapon? Some creep she knows who helps run that place. An old flame of hers. I don’t want any part of it. Look, Klara, we should be getting back.’
‘You’re right. We’ve been out a long time. Miss Helen might be concerned. And if I could return before Josie’s mother comes in, that would avoid awkward questions.’
* * *
—
The next day, when the doorbell
rang towards the middle of the morning, Josie seemed to guess who it was and, leaving her bed, hurried out onto the landing. I followed her, and as Rick stepped past Melania Housekeeper into the hall, Josie turned to me with an excited smile. But then she made her expression completely blank as she went to the top of the staircase.
‘Hey, Melania,’ she called down. ‘Do you know who this weird guy is?’
‘Hello, Josie.’ Rick, looking up at us, had on a cautious smile. ‘I heard this rumor we might be friends again.’
Josie seated herself on the top step, and though I was behind her, I knew she now had on her kindest smile.
‘Oh really? That’s strange. Wonder who put that out there.’
Rick’s own smile became more confident. ‘Just gossip, I suppose. By the way, I really liked that picture. I put it in a frame last night.’
‘Yeah? One of those frames you make yourself?’
‘To be honest, I used one of Mum’s old ones. There are so many lying around. I took out a picture of a zebra and put yours in there instead.’
‘Great swap.’
Melania Housekeeper had walked away into the kitchen, and Rick and Josie went on grinning at each other from either end of the staircase. Then Josie must have given a signal, for they both moved quickly at once, she rising to her feet, he reaching for the banister.
As they went together into the bedroom, I remembered Melania Housekeeper’s instruction from before and followed them in. And for a while after that, it was like the old days, with me on the Button Couch facing the rear window, Rick and Josie behind me, laughing about silly things. At one point I heard Josie say:
‘Hey Rick. I’m wondering if this is the correct way you hold one of these.’ In the reflection I saw her holding up a table knife left behind from breakfast. ‘Or is it more like this?’
‘How would I know?’
‘I thought you might, being English and all. My chemistry professor said you should hold it this way. But what does she know?’
‘What would I know either? And why do you keep saying I’m English? I’ve never actually lived there, you know that.’
‘It was you yourself, Rick. Two, three years ago? You kept insisting how English you were.’
‘I did? Must have been a phase.’
‘Oh yeah, went on for months. You were like, pray this, pardon me that. That’s why I thought you might know about the knife thing.’
‘But why would an English person know any more than anyone else?’
A few minutes later, I heard Rick moving around the bedroom, and he said:
‘You know one reason I like this room so much? The place smells of you, Josie.’
‘What? I can’t believe you said that!’
‘I meant in an entirely nice way.’
‘Rick, that’s so not what you can say to a girl!’
‘I wouldn’t say it to any girl. I’m just saying it to you.’
‘Excuse me? So I’m not a girl any more?’
‘Well, not any girl. What I’m trying to say, all I’m saying, is that I haven’t been here for a while, and so I’ve forgotten some things about this room. The way it looks, the way it smells.’
‘Jesus, that’s so offensive, Rick.’
But there was laughter in her voice, and after a quiet moment, Rick said:
‘At least we’re not cross with each other any more. I’m glad about that.’
There was further quiet, then Josie said: ‘Me too. I’m glad too.’ Then she added: ‘I’m sorry I kept saying stuff, about your mom and all. She’s a good person and I didn’t mean any of that. And I’m sorry about being sick all the time. Making you worry.’
I saw Rick, in the glass, take a step closer to Josie and put an arm around her. Then after a second, he put his other arm around her too. Josie let herself be held, though she didn’t raise her own arms up in return, the way she did to the Mother when they said goodbye.
‘This so you can smell me better?’ she asked after a while.
Rick didn’t reply to this, but he said: ‘Klara? Are you there?’
When I turned, they’d pulled apart slightly and were both looking at me.
‘Yes?’
‘Maybe you should, you know. Give privacy, as you always say.’
‘Oh yes.’
They watched as I came off the Button Couch and went past them. At the door, I turned and said:
‘I always wanted to give privacy. It’s just that there was concern about hanky-panky.’ They both looked puzzled, so I went on: ‘I was instructed to ensure against hanky-panky. That’s why I always remained in the room, even during the bubble game.’
‘Klara,’ Josie said, ‘Rick and I are not about to engage in sex, okay? We’ve got a few things to say to each other, that’s all.’
‘Yes, of course. Then I’ll leave you.’
With that I walked out onto the landing, closing the door behind me.
* * *
—
Over the days that followed, I often thought about the Cootings Machine and how I might be able to find and destroy it. I experimented in my mind with various pretexts on which I could accompany the Mother into the city, and once there, be left to my own devices for a sufficient period, but none of these seemed at all convincing. Josie, noticing my frequent inattentiveness, would say something like: ‘Klara, you’re zoning out again. Maybe you’re low on solar.’ I even considered taking the Mother into my confidence, but rejected this option not only because of the danger of angering the Sun, but also because I felt the Mother would neither understand nor believe in the agreement I’d entered into. But then an opportunity presented itself without any initiative on my part.
One evening, an hour after the Sun had gone to rest, I was standing in the kitchen beside the refrigerator, listening to its comforting sounds. The ceiling lights hadn’t been switched on, so I was there in the semi-light coming from the hallway. The Mother had returned late from her office not long before, and I’d come down to the kitchen to allow her privacy with Josie up in the bedroom. After a time, her footsteps came down the staircase, then towards the kitchen. Her silhouette appeared in the doorway, making the kitchen even darker, and she said:
‘Klara, I wanted to give you a heads up. After all, this involves you.’
‘Yes?’
‘Next Thursday, I’ve taken time off work. I’m going to drive Josie into town and we’ll be staying overnight. We were just talking about it. Josie has an appointment.’
‘An appointment?’
‘As you know, Josie was in the process of getting her portrait done. The times she came by your store, that’s why we were in town. There’s been a long break on account of her health, but she’s stronger now and so I want her to go in for another sitting. Mr Capaldi’s been very patient and kept everything on hold.’
‘I see. So will Josie be required to sit still for a long time?’
‘Mr Capaldi’s good at not tiring her. He’s able to take photographs and work from those. Even so, he needs her to come in from time to time. I’m telling you this because I want you to accompany Josie on this trip. I think she’d like you with her.’
‘Oh yes. I’d like that very much.’
The Mother stepped further into the kitchen and now I could see just one edge of her face illuminated by the hall light.
‘I want you, Klara, to be with her when she goes in to see Mr Capaldi. In fact, Mr Capaldi is keen to meet you. He takes a special interest in AFs. You could call it his passion. That okay with you?’
‘Of course. I’ll look forward to meeting Mr Capaldi.’
‘He may have a few questions for you. To do with his research. Because as I say, he’s fascinated by AFs. You won’t mind that?’
‘No, of course not. And I believe a trip into the city would be good for Josie now
she’s a little stronger.’
‘Good. Oh and we may well have passengers. In the car I mean. Our neighbors are needing a ride.’
‘Rick and Miss Helen?’
‘They have some business of their own in town and she doesn’t drive any more. Don’t worry, there’s room enough for us all. You won’t have to travel in the trunk.’
I heard more about this trip the following Sunday when not only Rick but his mother visited the house during the early part of the afternoon. I’d once more stepped onto the landing to give Rick and Josie privacy in the bedroom. Standing beside the banister rail, gazing down onto the hallway, I could hear the Mother’s and Miss Helen’s laughter coming from the kitchen. I couldn’t hear their words well, except when one or the other exclaimed something loudly. Once, Miss Helen called out, ‘Oh Chrissie, that’s quite outrageous!’ and laughed. A little later, I heard the Mother, also with laughter, say loudly: ‘It’s true, it’s true, it’s absolutely true!’
Because I couldn’t hear many words, or see the Mother’s expressions, I wasn’t able to make a reliable estimate, but my impression was that the Mother was at that moment the most lacking in tension I’d witnessed since my arrival. I was trying to listen more closely when the bedroom door opened and Rick came out.
‘Josie’s in the bathroom,’ he said, coming over to me. ‘Thought it only good manners to come out here in the meantime.’
‘Yes, that’s considerate.’
He followed my gaze over the rail, then nodded down towards the adults’ voices.
‘They’ve always got on,’ he said. ‘A shame Mrs Arthur isn’t around more. It’s so good for Mum, having someone to talk to like that. She always cheers up around Mrs Arthur. I do my best. But I can never get her to laugh that way. I suppose, me being her son, it’s hard to relax.’
Klara and the Sun Page 16