Mending the Past

by Avery June Ligon

  Luisa didn’t hear a word about moving the telescope. She’d put her eye to the eyepiece, and there, looking back at her, was a single eye. Her body fell into a slack pile on the floor.

  Mrs. Mae turned to look at Luisa, but as she turned, she found herself face to face with a man. She let out a scream that grew into a growl before turning into the word “You!”

  Steward smiled.

  “What are you doing outside of my window?”

  “Waiting for you to let me in.”

  She opened a window in a way that seemed a lot like slamming a door. Steward climbed in. He stood before her, and pulled the goggles off his face, so they hung around his neck and released his hair.

  “What were you doing outside of my window?”

  “I came to see how you are. To see what’s new. Also, I heard you’d spotted me, and were scared. I didn’t want you to be scared.”

  “Didn’t want me to be scared? You scared me about half way to death, and look at Luisa. Oh, I can’t believe it. My brother-in-law lurking around on the walls of my home-”

  “Our home.”

  Mrs. Mae ignored him. “Except for seeing you, I’m just fine.” She crossed her arms.

  “I thought you’d be more worried than that.”

  “About what?”

  “How’s Ed?” Steward asked.

  “Fine. I’m sure.”

  Luisa moaned.

  “Oh, get out. Get out before Luisa sees you and I have to explain, you, your presence, my life. Get out.”

  “She won’t look up,” Steward said and he climbed to the top of the wall where he waited while Mrs. Mae helped Luisa to her feet, told her reassuring things, sent her back to her room, and told her she could start late tomorrow.

  Steward climbed back down.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked again.

  “I told you. To stop you from being scared-”

  “Brilliant.”

  “-and to say hello. See how you’re doing.”

  “Why are you wearing that ridiculous outfit?” Eileen Mae asked, unable to stop herself from smiling.

  “Ridiculous? I don’t know what you’re talking about, and I’m practicing climbing with it. I’ve decided I should practice until I’m comfortable.”

  “To what end?” she asked.

  “Fulfilling what I see to be my obligations to the family, of course.”

  “Since when have you had any obligations?”

  “I was raised to take my place in this family, just as Efrem was.”

  “I’ve never heard about it.”

  “I don’t know why you would have. Efrem had his own job to train for, which by the way you’ve been handling nicely. Maybe better than your husband,” Steward said.

  “We won’t speak of him,” she said, turning away.

  “Maybe you won’t, but he’s my brother. I’ll talk of him, and to him. Eileen, it’s been more than twenty-five years since he left. Don’t you think it’d be healthy to move on?”

  Eileen looked toward the ocean. “How would I do that?” she asked softly of the horizon.

  “Marry me,” Steward said, throwing his arms open wide. Eileen felt herself blush. Her husband had left her for Steward’s girlfriend over twenty five years ago. She’d imagined herself inferior to that woman ever since, and always assumed that Steward dreamt of Melissa. Eileen remembered the attention Steward paid to her in college. She remembered their eyes meeting as she walked down the isle toward Efrem, and the years Steward had spent living with her and her son. She pictured Steward and Eddie reading together and a smile crept onto her face.

  Steward saw Eileen blush and smile and taking this as encouragement took two big strides toward Eileen and wrapped his arms around her.

  “Steward, get your hands off me.”

  Steward’s face fell. Then he smiled. “I can’t.”

  Eileen flashed him an exasperated look and tried to peel his hands from her waist. Her hand stuck to his.

  She narrowed her eyes. “How long will we be stuck like this for?”

  Steward shrugged.

  Eileen stood in Steward’s embrace, holding his hand, and tried to decide what sort of etiquette should be applied to the situation. She could smell Steward’s skin and hair. She was tired. She wanted to lay her head against his chest. Instead, she stiffened and asked him again, “How long will we be stuck?”

  “I really don’t know. I’ve never touched cloth or skin with this suit before,” Steward said.

  “This isn’t proper. I’m a married woman.”

  “About that, Eileen, admit your husband is alive, divorce him, and then,” he smiled, “marry me.”

  Eileen said nothing.

  “Really, Eileen, you need to tell Ed that his father is alive. If you’d like to pretend Ef is dead that’s... strange and unhealthy,” Steward could feel Eileen’s body tense in his arms; she’d never been able to take criticism, “but you really need to tell Ed.”

  “I have,” she said. “But I don’t see why you think you have a right to tell me-”

  “Don’t try to tell me that I have no right. Think about all of the time I was around while Ed grew up. Birthdays, weekends, playtime after school, dinners, whenever you allowed me. I love Ed like he’s my child, or at least, I think I do. And I miss him. It’s been ten years since you told me you never wanted to see me again-”

  “Well, you sure don’t listen very well.”

  Steward sighed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t come here to upset you. I’m glad you told Ed his dad is alive. Why didn’t you tell me? I could have come back and seen Ed graduate and marry and have a baby.”

  “I just told him. Today.”

  “Today? When did you talk to him?”

  “Fine. I didn’t tell him. I packed his father’s letters into his suitcase.”

  “Without any explanation?”

  She shook her head and pressed her face against his chest to dry her tears. Steward bent his head down and nudged Eileen’s forehead with his nose. She allowed her face to be tilted up toward his and he kissed the corner of one eye and then the other. He kissed her forehead and she raised her mouth toward his.

  Steward had worked for years to make Eileen happy, to get her to love him, and his joy on feeling her move to kiss him, overwhelmed him. He forgot every bit of the plan he’d been formulating, and moved his hand. Eileen felt the hand move up her back. She allowed herself to feel her lips against Steward’s lower lip before she pushed back from him and said, “Liar.” A guilty smile spread over Steward’s face. He peeled his hands off of Eileen. She took a couple of steps back, and pointing to the window, said, “Out of my room.”

  “Fine. Fine, I’m going, but, if you don’t mind, I’ll just walk to my room.”

  Eileen waited to see him turn and go, but he stayed a few feet from her. He stood still. She waited, expecting him to say something. Then she gasped and averted her eyes. Steward’s suit had expanded, fallen slack, and hung from his hands. She heard him pulling his hands free of the gloves and the suit falling around his feet. She heard him pulling the feet of his suit off and peeked at him. Tie-dye underwear, Eileen thought as she fought back a smile. Only Steward would wear a black suit and tie-dye underwear. She looked away before he had a chance to notice her. Steward ignored the elevator and went instead to the top of the stairs. As he walked down, he called back, “See you at breakfast.”

  When Steward arrived in the south tower he took down the Holbein, Rubens, and Van Dyck, and pulled the light-blocking fabric from the window frames. Then he rehung the portraits and sat down at his desk.

  From the north tower Eileen watched three lights appear in the south tower wall. Part of her had always known it was wrong to tell Ed his father was dead, but she’d first made that claim when her shock and anger were fresh. Ed had been so young. The import of her words hadn’t registered, until she found her little Eddie curled up in a corner, crying. Unable to admit fault, she had blamed Efrem. After all, she never wou
ld’ve broken Eddie’s heart, if Efrem hadn’t broken hers. Her anger increased and she directed it at Efrem. Insisting that Efrem had died was a large enough schism with reality that she began avoiding people who knew her husband. She became reclusive, guarded, and the misery of her situation made her angry. Again, she blamed Efrem. Though she didn’t know it, Steward had watched her personality whither. He’d also watched his nephew suffer at the understood death of his father, and the emotional retreat of his mother. Steward responded by pouring his time and love into Ed. He had watched with pride as Ed grew into a well adjusted young man.

  During the years spent raising Ed, Steward had shared a home with the beautiful shell of the woman he’d once pursued. The earnest, hardworking woman with the altruistic nature and innocent outlook seemed to have all but died. Still, now and then, the Eileen who Steward had fallen for in college, could be seen in her eyes when she smiled. Steward would try to hold onto that moment, to draw Eileen out, but it never lasted. She never stayed. In her angry state, she had eventually banished Steward from her life as well, which had meant her son’s life too. Steward suspected he should have stayed. Told Ed the truth. But then he wasn’t sure it was his place, and had never given up hope of Eileen falling for him. Of holding her at night, and holding the father’s place in the house.

  Now, Eileen lay in her bed knowing that the opposite tower held Steward. She felt closer to him than she had to anyone in years. She looked at the light in the south tower and wondered what breakfast would bring.

  She woke in the morning a little earlier than usual and far more excited. She dressed and checked herself in the mirror. How does he expect to just walk into the dining room and be served breakfast? He’ll seem a strange man in the house. They’ll kick him out.

  When Eileen entered the sun room where she took breakfast, Steward was already sitting at the table drinking a cup of coffee and looking over some papers. Pilar was hovering around looking very uncomfortable. Her discomfort increased when she saw Mrs. Mae.

  Eileen sat down with Steward. He put down his papers. “You look lovely this morning. As usual.”

  Eileen blushed. “Good morning, Steward,” she said, and then cleared an awkward pause with, “Why have you returned now?” She regretted having asked this the moment it left her lips.

  Pilar shuffled around behind them.

  “Business,” Steward answered.

  “Oh, of course, that’s what you said last night, but Steward, I’m still not sure what that means to you.”

  “I was raised to do just exactly what my, rather unglamorous, name suggests. I manage everything the rest of the family doesn’t. I was also raised to watch over and manage the collection, and this is, by far, my favorite duty.”

  Pilar stood dead still. Eileen was unsure what to say and didn’t appreciate Steward implying that she left tasks unfinished. She skipped over that point and told Steward, “I’ve never paid much attention to the family’s collection. I know it’s there, but I didn’t realize there was much to do with it. Other than keep it.”

  “There’s so much to do. Part of it rotates through museums. I decide what should go where, and when, and why. There’s so much to learn about every piece too. I also add to the collection, and occasionally I subtract.”

  “Subtract?”

  “I think an example would be best. I’ll tell you about the first change that I made to the collection.”

  Eileen nodded and began to nibble at her breakfast while Steward began his story. When he was finished, Eileen asked with a disgusted and horrified look, “You mean to tell me that you had the family cat mummified and that she’s sitting in the display case of some university?”

  “I waited until she was dead.”

  “And no one has noticed?”

  “Who’d notice?”

  “I don’t know. An egyptologist.”

  “I had the replica made by the very best.”

  “Do you mean to tell me that there’s a market for mummified cats.”

  “And fantastically pedantic replicas of ancient Egyptian art, of course.”

  “And the original?”

  “I did what I promised. I put her back. It took me a couple of years to find the right tomb.”

  “What a bizarre waste of time and money,” Eileen said, pushing her plate to the side.

  “Waste? I’m mending the wrongs of the past.”

  Eileen said nothing.

  “Come now, you can’t believe that the cat was anything but stolen, can you?” Steward asked.

  Eileen continued to stare.

  “Anything taken from a tomb was clearly stolen.”

  “Steward, you replaced a valuable piece of the family art collection with the family’s dead cat wrapped in cloth scraps.”

  “You make it sound so crude. It was beautifully done, really....”

  “What else have you taken?” Eileen tried to suppress some of her anger.

  “I was hoping we could talk about this with a different tone. I don’t see how we can have a healthy marriage, if we aren’t comfortable being honest with each other.”

  Pilar left the room.

  “Marriage? Who said anything about marriage?”

  “I did,” Steward said. “Then you kissed me. Now that you mention it, I guess that isn’t exactly saying ‘yes’.”

  Eileen stared Steward down. He looked concerned. His hair was bobbing around as he thought. He had his thick rimmed black glasses on again. She imagined him in that ridiculous suit and wearing those goggles. She almost laughed, but then, in that instant, she realized. “You.... What else have you replaced?”

  “Lots.”

  “Tell me what you’re working on now.”

  Steward shifted in his chair. “There was a linga gifted to an Indian temple in the early 1000’s. The King gave this precious stone to Shiva for allowing him to reach his hundredth birthday.” Steward sipped some coffee and studied Eileen over the rim. Her face reveled no emotions. “ In the mid 1500’s the emerald disappeared. In an inventory of the family collection, taken in the 1570’s, it appears between the horn of a unicorn, narwhal of course, and a mummified cat.”

  “You’re talking about my paperweight, aren’t you?” said Eileen, narrowing her eyes.

  “I certainly do not mean your paperweight. A linga is not a paperweight. It’s an object of worship.”

  “Don’t play with me. Where did you steal it from?”

  “I didn’t steal anything. This house is half mine and the emerald was passed to me when dad died.”

  “What room did you steal it from?”

  Steward was silent, but his brows were furrowed and Eileen could tell he was trying to decide if he should keep answering her questions.

  “Your room,” he said.

  “Emerald?”

  “Yes.”

  “What do I have now? So much for perfect replicas. I knew it felt different.”

  “I never said perfect. I said there was attention paid to detail. And it’s synthetic. Grown in a laboratory.”

  “Synthetic?”

  “Yes, and if you ask me, that still seems like an extravagant material for a paperweight.”

  Eileen could think of nothing to say.

  “I shouldn’t have told you what it was,” Steward said, shaking his head.

  “You stole an emerald from me,” Eileen said. “And you plan on doing what with it?”

  “I’m going to put it back in the temple. People still worship there. I’ll return it to its altar in the inner sanctum, where it belongs. Or I should say, I’ll have it put back. This particular temple doesn’t allow non-Hindus past the outer gate.”

  “Who will put it back? Where is it now?”

  “My apprentice and, I hope, it’ll be given to her soon.”

  “Apprentice? How can you trust anyone with a jewel like that? You’d have to pay them more than it’s worth?”

  “I trust my family.” Steward eyed Eileen. “Most of my family.”

 
; “We don’t have any Hindus in the family.”

  “Sure we do, well, not practicing, but certainly more Hindu than me. Part Indian anyway, and depending on who’s writing the definition, that might be Hindu enough to enter the temple.”

  Eileen was quiet while she made a list of living relatives. “Either you mean that Efrem has taken a second wife, or that Jet is part Indian. And, now that I think about it, you’re forbidden to talk to me on either subject.” Eileen had regained her composure and she waved her hand at him. “I really think you should leave my house before I call the police and have you arrested.”

  “Really, Eileen, be reasonable. This is half my house and only yours through Efrem. Call the police if you must. Cause a scene. Ed isn’t here to suffer it. If you must know, I’ve been living here for just over ten years.”

  Eileen felt her eyes widen. “I told you once to leave and never come near me or my son again.”

  “Eileen, it’s never been your place to dismiss me. This is my home. The art is mine. The emerald is mine.”

  Eileen was quiet.

  “That’s the first time you’ve said your husband’s name in years. And, I never would have thought you capable of guessing, but he has taken a second wife. They live in a little house by the beach. He fishes and she cooks, and they keep a garden, and shop at a little open air market. He doesn’t even own a comb. Really, it’s incredible.”

  “And Melissa?”

  “They spent a month together in an all inclusive hotel in Puerto Vallarta. Tasteless, I think. Nearly broke my heart. Took me more than a year to forgive either of them.”

  “You forgave them?”

  “Well, Ef’s a lot more handsome than I am,” Steward said and smiled. “And he is my brother. Besides, I was in love with his wife while I was with Melissa, so I understand what it means for a heart to be unfaithful.”

  “Are you insane?” Eileen asked.

  “No, you’re beautiful, though maddeningly cold, but every once in a while you smile or giggle and I can see that if you just let me in-”

  “No. I mean– Why not return the emerald to the earth from whence it was first stolen?”