Wise Woman Homage

by Elaine Gugin Maddex

  They arrived in Waterford in less than an hour’s time. They had booked a B&B 10 minutes out from the far side of the city. It was a working dairy farm with a lovely 18th century home. Their hosts graciously greeted them, got them settled in and gave them a quick tour. When they finished, it was close to lunch so Tessy and Marshall drove back to Waterford for a bite and some sightseeing. Tomorrow they would tour the famous Waterford Crystal Factory. Today, they would see as many of the other attractions as they could. This would be the last of their sightseeing for a few days as their next stop would be Keenan and Mary’s place – Tessy’s original homestead. She was so looking forward to going home!

  As they ate lunch, not far from the ancient Reginald’s Tower, Tessy shared some of her fondest memories of home.

  “Aye, I remember going down to the stables with Da early in the mornin’ ‘for anyone else was up. ‘Twould often be misty. I’d have me wellies and rain jacket on and Da would take me wee hand and away off we’d go. Oh my, me Da and his brothers had grand horses. Some of the finest in the land.”

  “So now Keenan has taken over and runs the stables?”

  “Aye, he and our cousin, Wil. He never got it out of his system. Not even when we were shipped off to Canada. That’s why he came back the very second he could. He’s been here ever since.”

  “Well, I’m sure looking forward to visiting the farm.” Marshall laughed. “However,” he added, “I’m assuming that’s where we’ll be doing this handfasting thing!”

  “Aye, probably. But really, love, t’won’t be much to it, I’m sure.” Tessy gingerly glanced up at him.

  “I’m sure.” Marshall smirked.

  They finished lunch and wandered the Viking Triangle, which is the Cultural and Heritage quarter of Waterford. Tessy found the perfect chain to complement the amulet. She gave it a quick cleansing and proudly placed it around her neck.

  By the time they returned to the B&B it was fairly late. Marshall read a couple of chapters in his book, while Tessy wrote of their day’s adventures. When she was done, she retrieved her dream journal and placed it on the nightstand beside her, just in case. She then tucked the little protective pouch under her pillow, turned out the light, crawled in beside her husband and drifted off. When she woke in the morning all she could remember dreaming about was herbs! Hmmmm…interesting, she thought. She jotted it down even though she wasn’t sure it was relevant.

  After a wholesome breakfast, they were off to the Waterford Crystal Factory tour. It was an incredible experience. They were walked through every stage of the process from blowing the molten glass to placing it in the moulds of all shapes and sizes to the etching and cutting of the crystal.

  “And to think,” said Tessy as she and Marshall watched the artisans, “this all started with a magical grain of sand.”

  The tour ended in the elegant show room lit with beautiful cut crystal chandeliers. Tessy picked out a lovely perfume bottle as a memorable keepsake to house her homemade perfume and Marshall spied a pair of cut crystal glasses that would make any liqueur taste exquisite. The purchases were paid for and intricately boxed to ensure their unscathed trip home to Canada.

  As they had time, they decided to take in the Museum of Treasures. The artefacts were a magnificent display of Waterford’s Viking heritage. They wandered for hours reading historical plaques and taking pictures. It was late afternoon when they finally stopped for something to eat and a pint before returning to the B&B.

  Tessy immediately brought out her journal and wrote of their fully packed day. Marshall watched her and thought to when he’d bought that journal. He’d surprised her with it, along with the riddle that accompanied it. Thinking back, it was this exact moment he had imagined. He chuckled. Tessy looked up from her scripting.

  “And what is it ye find so funny, Dr. Tayse?”

  “I was just thinking of when I gave you that journal.”

  “Oh…such a scalawag ye were with all ye’re riddles and such!”

  Marshall laughed again, “Let me see if I can remember the riddle that went with that one?” He glanced off into the distance and began to recite…

  One week from now I’ll be in your arms

  Enjoying your laughter and all your charms

  This Christmas will be one of joy

  I will use every trick and every ploy

  To watch you pen in this journal your dreams,

  Your thoughts and all of your Irish schemes.

  They both laughed at the memory. Tessy laid her pen down on the open journal, walked over to Marshall, and sat on his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. She could finish writing the remaining account of that day in the morning.

  It was around midnight when Tessy started tossing and turning. In her dream, she and Keenan were at their parents’ funeral. They were in the church. It was just as she remembered, all the sadness, the music, the flowers and the mourning. Tessy was looking around at their family and friends when she saw her…the strange lady with the evil smile. She sat at the back of the church and when their eyes met the lady threw her head back and laughed. She could feel the malice in her bones and she immediately woke up. She quietly retrieved her dream notebook and wrote down as much as she could remember.

  Who in St. Paddy’s name is this woman and why is she in my dreams? Tessy wondered. Now, more than ever, she was looking forward to seeing Keenan tomorrow. Hopefully, he can shed some light on this peculiar woman, she thought as she crawled back into bed and snuggled up to Marshall.

  9

  Sharing Old Haunts

  Their journey to Keenan and Mary’s was a bit further than any of their other stops. The family farm was down around Bandon in County Cork. Along the way, Marshall marvelled at all the castle ruins dotted throughout the countryside. They were just sitting in farmers’ fields surrounded by grazing sheep and cows. They passed the city of Cork, as their plan was to return and take in the sights one afternoon.

  With every passing km, Tessy became increasingly excited. She repeated some of the tales her grandmother had told her as a child. Marshall had never heard the story of how Tessy’s great, great, great grandparents, on her mother’s side, Liam and Maggie Haggerty, had met and fell in love. This helped pass the time and before they knew it Tessy was looking for the turn off close to the farm.

  “There! There it is, love. The next one.”

  Marshall slowed, made the turn then looked over at his bride. She was glowing. He smiled, picked up her hand and kissed it.

  “Just over the next glen, love,” she beamed.

  They reached the gates leading to the lane way. There was a large sign:

  O’Connor’s Stud Farm – Established 1902

  They pulled in. All along the lane on both sides was pasture with regal horses lazily grazing on the sweet grasses.

  “Wow!” Marshall sighed. “There are some real beauties.”

  “Aye. Some fetching fillies, to be sure.”

  They pulled up to the main house and Mary came, all but flying out the door with Keenan not far behind. Their border-collie, Jake, was barking and wildly running around the car.

  “Jake, hush now!” Mary ordered. “Oooh, here ye are, then!” She grabbed Tessy as she got out of the car.

  “Aye, Mary! So good to see ye, dear,” and the two ladies hugged. Keenan walked around the car, stretched out his hand to welcome Marshall. He then turned, smiled at this twin and pulled her in for a hug.

  “Welcome home sister, dear.”

  “Oh, thank ye. ‘Tis a wonderful feelin’, to be sure.” Tessy wiped a tear before she reached down to scratch the dog’s ears. “How are ye, Jake? Good boy!”

  “Aye, we’re so happy to finally have ye home.” Mary sighed, with her hand over her heart.

  “Aye, for sure. Mary has ‘bout put a hole in the floor in front of the windows pacing back and forth!” Keenan laughed.

  Mary waved her hand in the air, “Agh Keenan, go on with ye now and stop with yer
blarney.” She turned to Tessy and Marshall, “Come. Come. I’m sure ye’re ready for a bite. Keenan, help Marshall with the bags,” she ordered as she and Tessy walked to the house.

  “Welcome to me life!” Keenan shook his head.

  Marshall let out a hearty laugh as he stepped around to the back of the car and opened the trunk.

  Though it had only been a few weeks since they had last seen one another at Tessy and Marshall’s wedding, there was plenty of catching up to do. When the topic of their handfasting finally came up, Marshall raised his eyebrows and looked at his bride. “Oh yes! I was wondering when we were going to get around to this subject?”

  “Now, love. It won’t be much of a fuss, I’m sure. Right Mary, dear?”

  Mary sheepishly looked at Tessy then at Marshall. Keenan cleared his throat then let out a loud “Baah…”

  “Keenan O’Connor! Ye just never mind givin’ yer two cents.” Mary barked then tenderly looked over to her guests once more, “Tessy, love. Marshall. ‘Tis just that we haven’t had a handfasting here at the farm in quite some time. The cousins, nieces and nephews are all excited. So, ye see, they’ve been cooking and baking up a storm for weeks. Ye wouldn’t want to be disappointin’ them, now, would ye?”

  Marshall covered his face with his hand, lowered his head and shook it. Tessy reached for his other hand and patted it. When he brought his head back up she was relieved to see a quirky smile on it.

  “Well, darling,” he sighed. “Looks like we’re having a rather substantial handfasting!”

  “Bless yer heart, dear. I do love ye, so I do.” Tessy leaned over and kissed her husband flashing a wink at Mary.

  They had finished their supper and were sitting outside when Marshall asked Keenan if he would take him on a tour of the stables.

  “Aye. Be more than happy to, lad.” As they got up to leave he leaned in close to Marshall and quietly added, “We’ll leave the girls to their gabbin’ ‘bout the merrymaking.”

  Marshall laughed then called over his shoulder to Tessy, “Be back in a bit, dear.”

  Tessy was anxious to visit the stables, as well, but she would save it for the morning when all was quiet and she could privately re-live those precious moments with her Da. While down at the stables Keenan asked Marshall how Tessy was really holding up regarding the translated note.

  “Well, truthfully, much better now. She’s been having nightmares about your parents, but she’s been dealing with them quite methodically lately.

  “Aye. Nightmares, ye say. Truth be told, I’ve been havin’ some odd dreams meself.”

  “Really? Well, when we get back maybe you and Tess should spend some time alone together and compare notes.”

  “Aye. I’m thinkin’ the same.”

  When they got back to the house, Keenan suggested he and Tess take a walk around some of their old haunts.

  Tessy laughed and said she’d love to. She got up, hooked her arm under Keenan’s and they were off. They re-visited their childhood spots. They reminisced, laughed and re-lived shared moments of their youth. Keenan became quiet.

  “Keenan, dear. What is it?”

  “I understand ye have been havin’ dreams of our earlier years.” Keenan lowered his head.

  “Aye. Marshall has mentioned them to ye, then?”

  “Aye. Well, I’ve been havin’ some of me own.”

  “Keenan! You too?”

  “Aye.”

  They were near a couple of large boulders they’d sat on as children pretending they were rulers of the land. They each reclaimed their appointed thrones and proceeded to share their mysterious, prophetic apparitions. As it turned out, their dreams were bizarrely similar, right down to the peculiar woman!

  Keenan was particularly distressed. He usually did not partake in any doings of the Craft he was genetically gifted with. And, this certainly seemed like one of those occasions. Tessy reminded him of what their godmother, Auntie Shannon, use to say to him: “Keenan, if ye’d just stop fightin’ it every step of the way, it would certainly come a mite easier!”

  Keenan laughed, “Aye. What a grand lady she was. Far wiser than I ever gave her credit for.”

  “Aye, she was. And now would be a grand time to start listenin’! “Tis goin’ to take the pair of us to figure this all out. I’m thinkin’ that’s why the instructions that only you and I were to be together when we opened the wee packages. This all has to do with us somehow. We are to see this to the end. I feel it in me bones.”

  “I was afraid ye were going to get on about that. I, too, am feeling the tug.”

  Tessy laughed, “Well then, looks like we have a wee mystery to solve.”

  “Aye.” Keenan agreed, scowling and shaking his head. He pulled his sister off the boulder and they trekked along the trails back to the house with their new understanding.

  10

  Time Spent with Mam and Da

  As Tessy readied for bed she glanced over at her husband and smiled. He was propped up in bed in a now familiar pose, intently reading his book with has glasses perched low on his nose. She finished rubbing cream into her hands, pulled back the covers and snuggled in close. He laid the book on his lap and removed his glasses to gaze at his lovely wife. She reached up and sweetly kissed him.

  “Hmmm, what was that for?” he purred.

  “No particular reason other than I love ye and I’m feelin’ very blessed at this moment.”

  “Good enough for me, my lady,” Marshall responded by dropping his book on the floor, clumsily placing his glasses on the nightstand, and enveloping Tessy into his arms.

  Two hours later they were both deep in sleep. Tessy began to gently twitch. She was walking down a long corridor of some sort. A hospital. She stepped into one of the rooms and there was her mother just as she had been the last time Tessy and Keenan had seen her. She lay motionless, hooked up to numerous machines. Tessy went over and kissed her forehead. Her mother never opened her eyes when she and Keenan had to say their goodbyes years ago. But tonight, in her dream, she smiled up at her daughter. Tessy smiled back.

  “Mam, what is it ye have been trying to tell me?” Her mother smiled and Tessy could hear her voice in her head.

  “I’m so happy my children are together again. I know you’ll help bring this long-standing torment to an end.”

  Tessy closed her eyes for a moment and then her mother was gone. Tessy was now in the hallway. She heard some moaning from down the hall and entered another room to find the strange woman strapped to the bed. She frowned and hissed when Tessy came in the room. Tessy stayed and stared deep into her soul. It was black. Tessy did not pull away this time. Instead she surrounded herself with a protective white light that soon encompassed the entire room. The woman’s evil glare transformed to a look of fear as she closed her eyes and whipped her head in the other direction. Tessy held her bathed in a brilliant white light until the woman vanished. Tessy woke. She was sure she wouldn’t forget one minute of this apparition, but got up anyway and wrote everything down. She couldn’t wait to talk to Keenan in the morning!”

  A few hours later, Tessy smiled as she heard the familiar childhood sound of the morning shrill of a rooster. Oh, ‘tis been many years, she chuckled to herself, as she stretched awake.

  “You have got to be kidding me!” Marshall groaned. “What time is it?”

  Tessy laughed and whispered, “‘Tis early, love. Go back to sleep. I’m going to get up and head out on a wee walk-a-bout.” She kissed her groggy husband, crawled out of bed and got dressed. She retrieved some crystals out of her bag and skipped down the stairs. A stray working jacket hung in the hall. She put it on and dashed out the door into the cool, misty morning. Jake was in the porch to greet her. Tessy took in a deep breath and welcomed the faeries to join the two of them. They rambled over the moors and re-discovered more of her old haunts before heading to the stables. As she reached the barn she closed her eyes and smiled. Familiar smells hit her senses. The scent of sweet hay and horse musk to
ok her back to the glorious days of her childhood. She walked through the stable and stopped at every stall to pat and gently stroke each horse. Tessy pulled them close and whispered sweet secrets in their ears. They nuzzled and snorted with delight as the loving energy radiated from Tessy into them. With Jake at her feet, she sat down on a hay bale and told each, and every, horse how special they were. She could feel her father’s presence. These were things she witnessed her Da would do every morning before his busy day began. It taught her loving respect for all living creatures. Three little barn cats emerged. They jumped up, climbed on Tessy’s lap and wrestled each other for her attention. Jake sat up to sniff and lick at their tiny faces. Tessy laughed as she played with them and tickled their ears. She nestled the runt under her chin and gave it a soft kiss before she got up to leave. The farmhands were slowly making their way into the stables one by one and she greeted each as they did so.

  Tessy decided to head down the path that lead through the thick forest and into the sacred clearing. This clearing was where her mother taught her how to cast a circle, call in nature’s deities and listen to what the forest, the wee folk and, especially, the tree people had to say. As she approached, she noticed it had grown in some. It didn’t matter, she could still feel it’s hallowed reverence. She stepped into the centre of the clearing, closed her eyes and listened. She sensed the eyes of the wee folk upon her and could hear the trees whispering. How glad they were to see her return, her growth, her love and compassion for all living things. Tessy smiled as she felt their strength and wisdom. As she opened her eyes she caught a glimpse of something purple behind a tree. Bewildered, she stepped closer to investigate but found nothing. She dug in her pocket, pulled out the crystals and laid them at the base of the largest Ash tree to show her respect and gratitude. As she left she turned to take one more look to immerse herself in the feel of this most sacred spot. She was grateful for having been blessed with such a privileged upbringing by such a Gifted, loving wise woman.