Encompassing

by Richard Lord

  “Actually, I hadn’t considered that possibility until you mentioned it. Perhaps.” Renfield responds.

  “Of course! No mystery there. What are you concerned about?” asks Solstice in a flippant and sarcastic manner.

  Illumna again nudges her sister to stop.

  “Well, she moved from the place she had lived in her entire life. She called me one night and that was the last I ever heard from her. I was quite aware of her past. Although I think she thought she was hiding it, but wanted to be with me because she knew I knew and accepted it. She had wealth. I suspect she even knew I knew her father. However, she was a rebel to an extent. She came to me for help and then when she thought I was hers alone she proposed and…well, girls, you two wouldn’t be here had I accepted, now would you,? So get those judgmental looks off of your faces and let’s track down what happened to, let’s call her Nina.”

  Illumna speaks up and mentions, “OK, but her name is Nancy and we’d both have already existed by then.”

  Solstice laughs as Renfield struggles for a response and with nothing coming to mind he does his horrid English accent and respond, “KK, Cheerio and all that! March on lil soldiers and let’s find us some clues.”

  Solstice looks at Illumna and Illumna looks back and they think to each other, “So is he planning on cheating on your Mom or mine?” They both pause and realize, “Neither.” They both conclude, “He just wants to play a game today.”

  Solstice thinks to Illumna, “Ok, so what do we have? She was a prized possession, according to his thoughts, by many. We also know her surname, but that does us no good since she divorced her husband for Dad and he didn’t accept the gesture as expected. We know she was at least part Asian since she spoke Mandarin fluently. Which reminds me, what ever became of the Peruvian girl who spoke nine languages fluently?”

  Renfield turned and looked back at his daughters, “Which reminds me, we need to find Tara too!”

  Illumna looks slightly concerned and states, “Her name was Teresa, Dad. We can hear you too!”

  Solstice looks at Illumna and they think together. “Is he damaged or is this a really poor attempt at subterfuge?”

  Solstice concludes to Illumna in thought, “We saw only glimpses of what he saw in there. The worst of it had to be facing himself, broken. I suspect this is his mental repair mechanism?”

  Illumna thinks back, “That makes sense. He does love the girls and I can tell it’s hard on him to have two. You and I, not my Mom and our Grandmother. Although that has to be confusing too. However, I think he’s following a thread and at the end of it we’ll find the spool he weaves from.”

  Solstice considers her sisters words and after a few moments replies in thought, “Or he simply went mad in there, as we expected would happen if he survived it.”

  Illumna raises her chin and looks directly at Solstice. “Don’t lose your faith so easily.”

  Solstice considers her older sister’s words, but wonders why she has so much faith in a man Solstice has known her whole life and Illumna has known…Solstice begins to ruminate and realizes. He father was always raising her and it’s pellucid that he was always with Illumna too. She looks at the man she calls Dad as he turns and says, “Are you girls done? We have much to do and all the time in the world, but we have to do it quickly!” Then he grins at his daughters and they both try not to grin back. However, both of them concede the point. Time is confusing to those who don’t traverse it. It is barely understood by most who do.

  CHAPTER 51

  “Dying makes life seem as if it was in black in white before.” -- from the book of Solstice

  Renfield had been sleeping more and more lately and the girls were happy to see him relax into sleep. In the morning, Solstice woke with a fresh outlook and a smile on her face. The she looked over at Renfield’s bunk. It was empty.

  “Asshole!” She screamed! She literally began trembling with anger. “You asshole! No way did you do this today! You’re an asshole!” She screamed at the empty bunk.

  Illumna woke and watched her sister have a fit at the empty bunk. She didn’t try to read her or hear her. She just left her alone to whatever that was about. Then as Solstice was one yelling out all of her energy she put a hand on her back. “Maybe he’s just out getting us donuts?”

  Solstice turned to Illumna, “Do you hear him? He’s not nearby, he’s gone!”

  Illumna thought out her response, but was cautious to give it, “Well…” She stopped at that.

  “Today! That asshole! I’ve followed him through all of this shit and this is my reward?” It turned out Solstice had reserve anger locked and loaded.

  Suddenly Illumna realized what the day was and she softly sang the song everyone gets sued over. She didn’t think there were lawyers just waiting around to slap a bust on her for singing to her younger sister.

  Solstice reached out and hugged Illumna close and cried. She couldn’t think of anything else to do, so she cried even more.

  Then Renfield appeared and coldly announced, “Solstice, you’re doubled now.” Then without control over his emotions he reached over and pulled her into him and hugged her tightly and tears formed in his eyes as he said, “You were beautiful today and you’re beautiful today. I can’t…” At that Renfield just stopped talking and hugged his daughter as tightly as possible without smothering her. Then he disappeared for a moment and was back with a cake full of sparklers but warned, “I wouldn’t recommend actually eating that unless you’re low on magnesium.” Then he grinned and Solstice hugged him again.

  The corner of his eye went to Illumna and he thought very directly to Illumna so that Solstice wouldn’t hear, “Come join in, it’s a family event. I know you feel it’s all about Solstice and today it is, but not every day. One day your mother will explain to you what you mean to me too.”

  Illumna thought back, also focused so that Solstice would not hear, “I already know, I’m not jealous. I just wish she could have a real birthday party like I had when I was a kid.”

  Renfield went rigid and pushed his daughter to arm’s length and stared at Solstice. “I’m sorry dear. But we’d be bored if this life wasn’t interesting.” Adam hugged her again and then again looked won at the girl in his arms, “I suspect you agree?”

  Solstice pushed herself back into the hug and said, “True, but I wouldn’t mind a boyfriend.”

  Renfield and Illumna laughed and Renfield replied, “While I’m not a fan of the concept, I accept the reality. However, do you really want a Dad like me setting you up with someone?”

  They all laughed. Renfield disappeared and reappeared a moment later as he was popping the cork of a huge bottle of champagne. “To my daughters and the hell of a lot of joy they’ve brought to my life!”

  None of the three really drank, so the first sip was awkward. After that they put on music and danced. Then there was the pounding at the door. “Boss says it’s too early for this noise. I’m sorry.” Then another knock as they hear the man at the door ask, “What’s the occasion?” Receiving no response as the three of them giggled to each other in the room the man at the door continues, “Doesn’t really matter.” He opens the door, “I have to shut you all dowwwwww”. He goes slack jawed and Solstice sees him too.

  Renfield hears the thoughts going back and forth and screams in his mind to Illumna, “Let’s go now!”

  Illumna jumps, checks to make sure she has her essentials and then walks out of the door with her father. “So, you’re going to leave that alone?”

  “I’m going to show you MoMa!” Renfield replies. “To me it’s kind of boring, to you, well you’ll dig it.”

  “Why don’t we work on the case of Nina?” Asks Illumna.

  “Not that pressing. She knows how to contact me anyway. Clearly Nancy has moved on in her life. I’m happy for her. Plus you know that was simply a distraction. Now, we concentrate on other distractions.” Renfield puts more speed in his stride and simply looks ahead.

  “Then why a
re you taking me to a place you were at with another?” inquires Illumna

  Renfield stops and turns and speaks as plainly as he possibly can. “If every place I took some woman, some time, were off limits, I wouldn’t be able to go anywhere.”

  Illumna stifles a giggle, but responds seriously, “So why are we here?”

  Renfield stops cold as if he has been stung in the back by the largest hornet in the history of mankind, “Look, first off, turn off your sister.” He orders, then adds, “Except for distress calls.” Then he considers that statement, “Just tune her out period!”

  “But you’re not!” Illumna rejoinders.

  Renfield stops turns and kneels before his own daughter. I’m trying like hell to. Believe me, I am. Just like you, she’s my daughter and I worry. Let’s go do something and not think about her and…what was his name anyway?” Renfield asks.

  “I don’t know. I don’t think he mentioned his name, he was kind of drooling at Solstice and vice versa. We’ll call him Chip”

  “Better yet, let’s not think about him or Solstice, let’s talk about you. By the way, while we walk to the great and amazing MoMa! Yes, it bores me, but I’m pretty sure you’ll love it.” Renfield replies. He looks at Illumna and then clicks out and back. “I know iPods are so 90’s, but here.” She puts the earbuds in and listens then he grabs her and she sees Central Park for the first time. She loves the music, but she’s not sure if he chose it or if it’s just random. She can’t help but dance to it. Renfield lies down in the grass and stares at the sun. A young man approaches Illumna, fascinated by her dance. She pulls out one side of the earbuds and sticks it in his ear. They dance together.

  Renfield clicks out.

  “You’re here.” Renfield_2 states.

  “Yes, I suppose I am.” Renfield_1 replies.

  “How goes the mission?” Renfield_2 asks.

  “It’s complicated.” Renfield_1 explains.

  Renfield_2 begins listening to Renfield_1. After a few moments he mutters, “Oh”.

  “You know”, says Renfield_1, “We should have had sons, it would be a lot less complicated.” Renfield_2 laughs uncomfortably.

  “If we had, they wouldn’t be Illumna and Solstice. They are women. It’s not like we ever figured out women. However, they are women and…”

  The two of them think to each other through many thoughts. Then it occurs to Renfield_1 this is the most time he has spent in nowhere.

  Renfield_2 hearing the thought says, “Well, so far I can definitely report this is nowhere. As far as I have seen there is nothing. I have been playing with time since there is nothing in this space, but that doesn’t seem to matter here. I can move forward or backward and I’m still in the same nowhere I was.”

  Renfield_1 laughs and says, “Curiouser and curiouser. How puzzling all these changes are! I’m never sure what I’m, going to be from one minute to another.”

  Renfield_2 quips back, “I knew who I was this morning, but I’ve changed a few times since then.”

  Renfield_1 retorts, “I can’t go back to yesterday because I was a different person then.”

  Very seriously Renfiled_2 quotes, “How long is forever?”

  Evening the tone Renfield_1 responds, “Sometimes, just one second.”

  They both sigh and look out at nothing while contemplating the amazing work of Lewis Carrol’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’. Renfield_1 sits up and states, “Alicia cognovit tempus lepus”

  Renfield_2 responds, “Indeed. As have we.”

  Renfiled_1 then asks, “Are we getting old?”

  Renfield_2 considers the question, then asks his own, “By what measure? Our daughters are grown, the women we’ve known don’t look the way they did when we met them, there is a bustle to the world that seems insane and our health is no longer stellar. Other than that, I would answer, no. We still get shit done.”

  Renfield_1 laughs and says, “Ever the alter-ego Ren!”

  Renfield_2 responds, “It’s boring here, Adam, but I get the point of why you wanted us to do this. So in that scintillate, I humbly request you go back.”

  Renfield_1 replies, “It’s nice here, but I guess one wouldn’t want to move in?”

  Renfield_2 excogitates, then answers, “I suppose not. Go back. You choose when, but don’t change the basic timeline. This one is working. When you return, be easy on them. They are women and they are mostly human.”

  Renfield_1 braces himself. He knows all of this. What he doesn’t know is how to deal with his daughters as women. To him they are still his girls. He knows he has to grow past that, but it’s difficult for him to conceive. At that thought he has another and is instantly back in Central Park. He lays down under the same shade tree, and stares at the sun a little while longer.

  “Hey Dad. Where’ve you been?” asks Illumna as she walks up holding the hand of her guy friend.

  “I’ve been here and I’ve been there and, I’ve been in between.”, replies Renfield.

  Illumna with a look that was half confidence, half embarrassment looks back at her guy friend and then at Renfield and says, “Dad! Did you just quote ‘Epitaph’, by King Crimson?”

  Renfield sits up, “Ok, don’t play it off like I was gone. What’s your name, kid?”

  Her guy friend looks puzzled, in a very fake way, then gestures his hand to his chest. “Me?”

  Renfield stands, “Yeah, you!” Renfield is starting to become agitated.

  “I’m Joseph, sir.” The guy friend is wise enough to know he’s better off just answering questions than to make another attempt at avoidance. “Joseph Johnson, sir.” He then trips over himself with more words, “I met your daughter here, but she’s lovely, sir. I, we listened to some music together. We umm, went for a walk?”

  “Is that a question Joe or did you take my daughter for a walk?” Renfield glares at him imposingly.

  “I, we, well, yes, but you know.” Joe responds. Illumna feels his unease and laughs to him and pulls him closer.

  “He’s a good guy, Dad. I’ve got his number, he has mine. We’re going to go out proper-like soon. Okay?” Illumna ends with a question that is definitely a statement.

  Renfield reaches down and picks a daisy root and all and hands it to Joseph. “Daisies are easy to grow. Keep that alive until the next time I see you. If I ever see you and that daisy is dead…” he trails off.

  Joseph looks at Illumna perplexed. She comforts his spinning mind by saying, “Well, he’s my Dad. Every daughter has one Joseph. He’s different, but he’s mine. Understand?”

  Joseph calms and speaks in a much slower and less panicked tone. “I do understand. Tomorrow night? I don’t have much money.” Then he added, “Yet!” To which Renfield grinned, “But if you don’t mind hanging out with a candle and me in a fast food place, I’m your guy.” Then he pulled Illumna to him and kissed her goodbye. Renfield turned his head. Joseph let go and looked back twice as he ran to grab the stuff he had left.

  “Ok Dad, so now what?” Illumna asked Renfield.

  “Well, I think you won’t be as wowed by MoMa now, so let’s go get your sister. What was that guy’s name?”

  “Joseph?”

  “No the one we left your sister with.”

  “Oh, strangely, I don’t remember you giving him as much pressure as you gave Joseph.” Illumna recounts.

  Renfield stops and turns to Illumna, “That kid fell in love at first sight. There was no question about it and Solstice felt the same back. You heard it too. Joseph, I wasn’t so sure about, but he wasn’t lying about wanting to take you out for a night of fine dining.”

  Illumna laughed. Then she asked, “Why are you always more protective of me than you are of Solstice?”

  Renfield starts to deny the claim, but stops himself. His mind scatters in a hundred directions to find the way to answer Illumna. Unable to find a good answer he just settles on one and states, “Solstice may be younger than you, but I already know she’ll kill in the face of a perceived threat. You
take after your mother, and my thinking side.” Reconsidering his answer he adds, “It’s not a bad thing Illumna. It’s what makes you uniquely you and I love you for it.” He stops and turns again to Illumna, “OK, that speech sucked! Just listen.” Renfield opens his mind and seconds later his daughter looks at him funny.

  “I get it.” Illumna says. “Thank you for finally explaining.”

  Renfield, in mode, thinks to her, “This has bothered you a long time.”

  Illumna stares at him and says out loud, “Of course it has! But now, I understand. It’s been a good day!” After a while she pulls at Renfield’s hand and he stops and turns to her. “So where did you go? I saw you disappear.”

  “Nowhere.” Renfield replied.

  CHAPTER 52

  “She actually listened to a lot of music. But she felt it strongly, so she rarely did it around others.” -- from the book of Illumna

  Solstice was laying in her bunk smiling to herself as they entered. She quickly responded to the question that wasn’t asked, “His name is Robert Johnson.”

  Illumna gave a strange look at Renfield and Renfield looked back at Solstice. So his surname and your sister’s new ‘hookup’ are the same?”

  Solstice stares at him. “Way to ruin a good day, Dad.”

  “Well it’s ironic, not to mention…”

  Illumna cuts in, “Robert Johnson is the name of the guy who writes ‘Crossroads’. He has to decide which way to go. He hopes for a ride, but no one notices him. His song ends with him feeling like he’s going to give up. Later the story is recanted in the form that suggested he sold his soul to the Devil, but that is actually nowhere in the song. It was his style to express his feelings at the time. They ended up calling it the Blues.”

  “Thanks Miss Encyclopedia! Anyway, Dad, we’re going out tomorrow night. Can we stay this time, just for at least one more day?”

  Renfield looks at Illumna who also wants the same answer. Then he gazes over at Solstice. Then he asks them both, “Are you happy?”

  In unison they answer, “YES!”