Touchdown

by Yael Levy

  Goldie shrugged. “He wasn’t that bad when I was busy with other things.”

  “So you were prepared to live a life keeping yourself busy?”

  “I had people to take care of, Charlie. Not everybody is as smug as you are.”

  Charlie was silent, and then he smiled and shook his head. “Oh, your sacrifices are heartbreaking.”

  “So what—did you ever make a sacrifice for anyone you cared about?” Goldie was frustrated. What was Charlie getting at?

  Charlie nodded and stared at Goldie. “Yes,” he said. “Yes, I did.”

  “Who?” Goldie wanted to know. “Tell me about it!”

  Charlie shook his head. “Maybe some other time.”

  Goldie put her head on his shoulder and sighed. “Can we go somewhere?” she finally said.

  Charlie shrugged. “If you choose,” he said. “Where to? It’s not like I can take you out to dinner.”

  Goldie agreed. “So now I’m a cheap date. If we were alive, you’d never have a chance with me.”

  Charlie laughed. “Isn’t that the truth.”

  “What? Do you think it’s wrong of me to be going out with you?”

  “The question is, do you think it’s wrong? Wouldn’t Avner care if—”

  “I see your point,” Goldie said glumly. Then she turned to Charlie. “I am worried, you know. About Chumie’s spell on Avner . . . ”

  “Goldie,” Charlie said, and grabbed her hand. “Do you really want to go there? It’s good to let these things go.”

  Goldie nodded. “I know that. Especially after seeing those ghosts—I am ready to move on . . . But take me back? Just for one last peek?”

  Charlie nodded. “Okay, sweetheart.”

  Goldie turned and held on to his shoulders. “I’m scared of what I’ll see,” she said.

  “I know,” Charlie said and held her close. “I’ll be with you all the way.”

  • • •

  Avner finished reading the book of poetry to Mindy’s students. They were sitting around him, listening to his every word. He looked up and his gaze caught Mindy’s as their eyes locked.

  The school bell rang. “And that’s time for lunch!” Mindy said, and all of the students ran to their cubbies and brought their lunch boxes to the table.

  Lunch mothers came in to assist, and Mindy grabbed her coat and walked out of her classroom with Avner.

  “Thanks so much for coming by and reading to the children. You can see how much they enjoyed it!”

  Avner walked with Mindy through the school hallway. “As did I,” he said. “And thanks for agreeing to have lunch with me. I hate eating every meal alone.”

  Mindy smiled. “And I thought you wanted feedback on your book of poems.”

  Avner glanced at Mindy as they made their way to the school exit. “That too.”

  “Well I have to say, I think your writing is really beautiful. You get it. You get to the truth and you don’t waste time on how things should look.”

  “Thank you,” he said. “Well after that kind of compliment, I’ll have to think of something nice to say to you.”

  Mindy shrugged. “You might have to work hard at that.”

  Avner laughed. “Not really. For one, you’re really great with kids,” Avner nodded his head toward the classroom they’d just exited. “You’ll make a great mother.”

  Mindy stopped suddenly. “Thank you, Avner, but I don’t think that’s going to happen for me.”

  “Really?” Avner said as he stopped and turned to face Mindy. “Why is that?”

  Mindy shrugged. “I’m not the marrying kind, I guess.”

  Avner’s eyes widened. “Really? You wouldn’t want to ever settle down?”

  “No!” Mindy tried to explain. “Of course I would! It’s just that I can’t imagine who would be interested in me—”

  Mindy tried to look away, but Avner caught her gaze and looked her square in the eye. “Why not? You’re caring, you’re kind, refined—”

  Mindy pointed to the unsightly scar on her face, which stretched from her lip up to her nose. “And this?”

  Avner shook his head in confusion. “What about it?”

  “You don’t think this makes me ugly?”

  “No,” Avner said. “It gives your face a unique look. It makes you beautiful. You’re . . . very beautiful.” Nervously, he changed the subject. “So how about we go eat lunch? We don’t have much time before work.”

  Mindy shrugged as Avner nodded toward the café on the corner.

  • • •

  Goldie turned to Charlie. “Look at that! Avner thinks Mindy is attractive!”

  As Goldie turned her attention back to Avner and Mindy, she noticed Chumie standing by her shop window, watching Avner and Mindy as they walked together. Suddenly, the clouds darkened and a heavy rain started pouring down on the ground.

  Mindy and Avner got drenched by the rain and started running toward the cafe. Mindy tripped and Avner bent down to help her up.

  Goldie nudged Charlie in the ribs. “You don’t think Chumie had anything to do with that, do you?”

  Charlie was about to answer, when suddenly a puppy ran over toward where Mindy was sitting and started licking her.

  Goldie’s eyes widened.

  Three larger dogs started barking playfully near Mindy.

  Goldie turned her gaze to Chumie, who stood in the window, a twisted smile plastered on her face.

  When six big dogs appeared, barking loudly at Mindy, Avner shielded her from them and led her into the cafe.

  A sick feeling bubbled in Goldie’s gut. “It wasn’t an accident, was it?” she said, turning to Charlie.

  Charlie shook his head sadly. “I told you it would be difficult to see.”

  Goldie started to cry. “She killed me, didn’t she? She somehow used some trick—some mind game—to play with my head. She got those dogs to follow me.”

  Charlie swallowed. “I tried to warn you—”

  Tears streamed down her face. “So she caused the accident. She got me killed. That’s not fair!”

  “No, it’s not,” Charlie agreed and held her in his arms.

  Goldie looked up at him, suddenly very afraid. “If she killed me . . . what will she do to Avner?” She blanched. “And Mindy?”

  • • •

  As the train continued its way up north, Clay awoke with a jolt.

  “Clay!” Goldie yelled. “She’s going to kill them!”

  Clay held his head with his hands. Great, he thought. She was back in his head. What a way to start the morning.

  “Who, Goldie? And could you please tone it down?” Clay noticed that the sun was just rising as he looked out the window.

  “The witch! She murdered me, Clay!”

  Clay immediately jolted up. “You serious?”

  “Yes! And she’s going to hurt Mindy! My baby sister!”

  Clay shook his head. “No, she won’t. We won’t let her.”

  “Hurry up, then! Call the police! You must stop her!

  “Goldie, how can I call the cops? Tell them what? A witch wants to put a spell on a dybbuk’s sister?”

  “I don’t know,” Goldie said. “Can’t you just go to the police station and tell them she killed me?”

  “Do you have the murder weapon?”

  “No, she played with my mind.”

  Clay shook his head. “Doubt there’s much they could do—and besides, I’m a wanted man back where I’m from.”

  A little girl across the aisle pointed to Clay and looked at her mother. A few other passengers gave Clay a funny look as the train conductor shook his head. Clay sighed. It was going to be a long day.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  As Clay rested in the train, Goldie saw her mother approaching.

  “Mama? What are you doing here?” she asked. “The tribunal gave me extra time on earth. I still have work to do!”

  “Yes, Goldie, I know. I came here to warn you.”

  Here we go again. Goldie tried
hard not to roll her eyes. “Warn me about what?”

  “Charlie.”

  “Charlie’s my guardian angel, Ma. And he’s wonderful,” Goldie gushed. “Handsome and well-dressed and—”

  “Goldie, I hate to break this to you, but Charlie’s not a guardian angel.”

  “Ma, you’re mistaken . . . ”

  “Goldie, I’m an angel. I get my orders from higher up.” She stared at the heavens. “Much higher up.”

  “But Charlie said—”

  “Charlie’s a human soul who went AWOL, Goldie.”

  “Human soul who went AWOL? Ma, he’s my angel!”

  “Goldie, I really can’t tell you more, but he’s currently under investigation.”

  “What? You sent me a renegade angel?”

  “Goldie, I didn’t send him. He certainly was not under my auspices.”

  “So why on earth did he tell me he was?”

  Judy faced her daughter. “Probably for love, Goldie.” She looked away before continuing. “So if Charlie is your ‘angel,’ what about Avner—”

  “I’m trying to help him!”

  “Yes, Goldie. But are you really helping him?”

  “I’m trying to get rid of Chumie! It’s a lot of work!”

  “That’s part of your work. Do you think that’s all?

  “No, I’m helping Mindy and Daddy, too.” Goldie thought for a minute. “Um, maybe I’m supposed to get new shoes for the tribunal? There’s a great patent leather pump at Bloomingdales I’ve had my eye on. It comes in white, beige, navy blue, and—”

  “Goldie . . . ” Judy said sternly.

  “Mother, I’ve done work my whole life. Your work! You were supposed to be there for Mindy and Daddy. You were supposed to be there for me!”

  “I’m sorry, Goldie. I hope you learn your true work on earth before you must go. You don’t have much time left. Someone will come get you for the tribunal.”

  And with that, Judy was gone.

  As soon as Judy left, Charlie appeared.

  Goldie slowly exhaled. “Charlie, there you are. What’s this nonsense my mother says about you not being my guardian angel?”

  Charlie nodded, though his eyes seemed to be full of pain.

  “Charlie, you usually have an answer for everything. Why aren’t you talking?”

  Charlie grabbed her hand and she stepped back with the dizzying intensity of his touch.

  “Listen,” he said. “I don’t have much time left.”

  “What are they investigating you for?”

  “Because I broke ranks. I shouldn’t have come . . . ”

  “So why did you?”

  Charlie looked at her sadly. “You still don’t know? Have you forgotten everything?”

  “What, Charlie, forgot what?”

  “The dreams. About us. From another time . . . ” He gently placed his fingertips on her eyes and instantly, she was in another time, another place.

  “Charlie!” she cried, as the contractions grew so intense she felt like she would explode. She was strapped to the delivery bed and the doctor shone a bright light at her, helping her ease the baby out.

  “Charlie!” she cried again, as her mother gently stroked her forehead. “He’s here, isn’t he?”

  “Push!” yelled the doctor. “You’re almost there . . . easy . . . ”

  “Charlie! Where are you? Have you come for me?” she called out again with all of her strength as she tried to push their baby out into the world. He was there, wasn’t he? Why wasn’t he coming to be with her?

  “Push!”

  A pause, and then the sound of a crying baby.

  “Congratulations,” said the doctor. “It’s a girl.”

  Goldie cried as her mother covered her up and the nurses cleaned the baby so they could show her off to Goldie’s husband.

  “A little girl!” he said, and smiled at the baby. “We’ll name her for my mother, she should rest in peace,” said Alfred. “Congratulations,” he said to Goldie. “Good job. We’ll name her Mindy.”

  Goldie opened her eyes. She stared at Charlie, lounging beside her, as he straightened his lapel on his white suit.

  “Mindy. We named the baby Mindy? The same name as my sister?”

  Charlie shrugged. “I always thought ‘Charlie’ would’ve been a better name.”

  Goldie shook her head. “I don’t understand these dreams. First I dream about you—”

  Charlie nodded. “Well, that’s understandable. I know you find me dreamy.”

  Goldie rolled her eyes. “And then I dream I’m this beautiful woman who is in love with you—”

  “What’s not to love?”

  “Oh, plenty. And now this sad woman finally has a baby and marries that creepy but generous man and they give her the same name as my sister Mindy?”

  “That about sums it up,” Charlie said, and played with her errant curl. “Though you forgot the part about how broken-hearted she was to have lost her true love.”

  “Charlie,” Goldie said, “is there more to this dream than you’re letting on? I mean, it all feels so real.”

  “More?” Charlie stared at Goldie. “What do you think?”

  Goldie shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. Did this woman ever see her Charlie again?”

  “How?” Charlie said and stood close to her. “If he was MIA?”

  Goldie stared at Charlie. “Maybe he didn’t die? Maybe he found his way back to her?”

  Charlie stared at Goldie and a dark memory haunted his eyes. “Or maybe he’d been brutalized by his captors and managed to escape. Maybe he did manage to get back to her . . . only she’d broken her promise to him and didn’t wait—”

  “I couldn’t wait!” Goldie snapped. She and Charlie stared at each other. Then she stepped back. “Oh my God, Charlie, what does this mean? Who am I? Who was she?”

  Charlie said nothing and just waited for Goldie to get her bearings. “I couldn’t wait—because I was her? I am her?”

  Charlie slowly nodded.

  “So these aren’t dreams I’ve been having, are they?”

  “No.” Charlie shook his head. “They’re your memories. From before . . . ”

  Goldie started to cry. “So we were in love—before this life? Real love? True love?”

  “Yes.”

  “And what happened?”

  “You didn’t wait for me.”

  Goldie shook her head. “I remember now, Charlie—” Tears streaked down Goldie’s face. “I couldn’t wait, I had to protect the baby. I had to care for my baby—our baby. Mindy.”

  “I know.” Charlie nodded. “You chose security over love.”

  Goldie stared at him quizzically. “But you were dead. Weren’t you?”

  Charlie came close to her and held her, and whispered in her ear. “Maybe I’d already died. And maybe I hadn’t.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Maybe I’d been held in captivity, and by the grace of God I escaped and made my way back to you.”

  Goldie shook her head. “No,” she wailed. Then looked up at him. “That was you at the hospital, wasn’t it? I called out to you, but they told me—”

  He grabbed her close. “Shh, it’s okay. I’m here now.”

  “So why didn’t you contact me?” she asked, as she stared into his eyes.

  “You’d already married that other man. The rabbi told me it was forbidden to be with you after you married someone else and I couldn’t hurt you like that. I couldn’t torment you knowing how much I loved you but never being able to hold you again . . . when I realized I could never be with you, I couldn’t bear it. I reenlisted. Got shot down six weeks later.”

  Goldie stroked his face, and nestled her head in the crook of his neck. “I am so, so sorry.”

  Charlie shook his head. “Me too.”

  “So now what?” she asked. “We can spend eternity together, can’t we?”

  “Can’t we?” Goldie asked again.

  Charlie raised his eyebrow. “That dep
ends on what the tribunal says, if you complete your mission in time. Do you know what it is, Goldie?”

  “Why does everybody keep questioning my mission?” she shouted. “I’m helping my family and helping Avner stay away from that witch! Isn’t that enough?” She gazed at Charlie. “Charlie? What is it? What do I need to do?”

  Charlie shrugged. “It’s not for me to say. And if you haven’t yet figured it out after all this time—” Charlie closed his eyes. “I have to go now, Goldie. I love you,” he said. “I always will, forever. I must go.”

  “No! Charlie!”

  He held out his hand to her as she watched him dissipate into thin air. Goldie cried as she wailed. “Charlie! Don’t go! I love you, too!”

  She sobbed as she heard his last words before he was gone. “I’ll love you forever,” he’d said.

  Goldie stood there, alone for a while, overwhelmed by all of her feelings. “Forever is not so long,” she responded, finally.

  But there was nobody left to hear her.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  Clay was wide-awake as the train pulled into Penn Station in New York. “All right, Goldie. Where to?”

  “We have to stop that witch,” she said. “Where else? To Brenda’s Boutique.”

  Before Clay had the chance to respond, his cell rang. “Carolyn” he said, surprised. “How are you?”

  “Clay, I’m not trying to get back with you, or anything . . . but just wanted to let you know, I heard my dad say that—despite that crazy game—you’re a top pick from the team for the pros.”

  “He did, did he?” Clay exited the train, and then got on the bus toward Central Avenue. “But we won’t find out till the draft in April, right?”

  “Uh huh. But I’m willing to take the chance. Anyway, there’s this party at Austin’s tomorrow night and everybody is going . . . So I want to go, too. I have the best outfit to wear to the party—but Pierre wouldn’t fit with the guys, you know? He’s French.”

  “Uh huh.” Where was this going?

  “And like that’s all he speaks.”

  “So how do you communicate with him?”

  “Oh, we don’t. That’s why we get along so well.”

  Clay laughed as he continued on his journey toward Brenda’s Boutique.

  Carolyn continued. “So I was just wondering if you’d meet me at the party? We could, like, just pretend to be together?”