Date: Tue, 30 Oct 2001 05:34:25 -0500 From: C. E. Jordan Subject: VILLAGE BOY -Part 7 The Village Boy c.e._jordan@mailandnews.com Copyright c.e. Jordan From last episode: "Okay....so go ahead, kiss me...I don't care.," said Jeremy, exaggeratedly puckering his lips and tilting his face up close to mine. His expression was pure mischief. Tempted, my head drifted down towards his waiting lips, but just in time, I noticed beyond his head, Eliza and Arthur the driver, standing by the car gazing with interest at our little display. I released Jer just as a neighbor walked by and nodded a curt good morning. "Well, we'd better go inside...." And turning to the driver I said, "Thanks Arthur, see you later." He waved and drove off. _________________________________________________________ THE VILLAGE BOY - Part 7 On my floor the elevator opens first to a tiny reception room from which one may enter my suite. In that reception area with its one red chair, the ceiling is the normal eight to ten feet high. But on entering my apartment the ceiling immediately zooms up twenty five or thirty feet to a bank of sloping skylights right above my living-room area--courtesy of the building's former life as a factory. This sudden change in scale and the glorious flood of natural light is momentarily disorienting when one isn't expecting it. So now Jeremy and Eliza stood just inside my doorway staring all around with their mouths open. A normal reaction for new visitors. Jer finally emitted a quiet, "Wow!" "'Wow' is an understatement," said Eliza, taking in the expansive space of my living room, "This has got to be the most beautiful apartment I've ever seen in my life." "Well, I'm glad someone besides myself is here to appreciate it. I rarely have any visitors. I keep myself really busy." "And why's that Charles?" Eliza's pale blue eyes were piercing as she stared directly into my brown ones. She had an unnerving habit of snapping into focus just when you thought she was most distracted and vague. "Huh? Why what?" "Why do you stay so busy...obviously you don't need to..." Eliza wavered slightly on her feet and Jeremy was right there guiding her onto the couch. My heart beat faster as I realized how shockingly weak she was. I wondered how much Jer understood about her condition. "Uh.....I.....I guess when I'm busy I don't have to think about this beautiful home with all the nice things...and how empty it really is.......or about how empty my life has been.....at least...until now." I could hardly believe I was spilling out this truth that was almost a secret to myself.....I was saying a lot more than I'd ever said to anyone, but, for some reason, I felt compelled to be honest and open with her. Eliza just nodded, but her eyes had softened. I think she understood. She closed those eyes briefly and settled back into a corner of the big soft buttery leather sofa. And despite the stark contrast between her own delicate good looks and her son's brunette beauty, I was once again aware of that subtle resemblance between them--it was something about the tilt of their heads, something about their lips.... "Put your feet up Eliza," I suggested. She did so, slipping off her sandals. "Thanks Charles, I guess I'm a bit more tired than I thought...." Eliza was already falling asleep. I went over and arranged some pillows around her body to make her more comfortable. As I gently lifted her head to put some support there, my fingers touched a spot at the confluence of her jaw and neck. The area felt hard and looked swollen. I didn't have to be a doctor to know that was one place where lymph nodes are located. This wasn't good, this wasn't good at all. I kneeled there looking at her, now totally asleep. Sunshine reflected from somewhere up above highlighted the gold in her hair. I couldn't help stroking it........ "She's really seriously sick, isn't she Charles?" I spun around startled to find Jeremy gazing down at us. Last time I checked he was off investigating the various nooks and crannies of my apartment, just like Kevin had done the previous night. But now, he was standing there with fear and sadness clouding his face. His young mother lay pale and still on my couch, as lovely as a tragic Ophelia from a romantic old painting. "She....she's not gonna die, is she Charles? Please god.......don't let her die..." Jeremy wasn't crying, at least there were no tears, but I'd never seen him look like this. His face was folded into a mask of apprehension. It was as if he was balanced on the edge of a precipice. One step forward and he would be tumbling into terrifying new emotional territory--one of grief, and loss. It dawned on me then, that I'd underestimated him. I think all along Jer intuitively understood the danger his mom was in, even if he didn't know the specifics about it. The poor kid must have been worrying about it for awhile. No wonder I found him out in the night trying to sell books to help her. I went over to the boy and took him in my arms. I ran my fingers through his hair and stroked his back as he clung to me, "Shhhh....baby, everything will be alright. I've talked to my doctor and he will see your mom first thing tomorrow morning. They'll do everything they can for her, I know it, so don't be upset.....you've got to be brave for her sake, we don't want Eliza to start worrying about you when she should be concentrating on herself, okay baby?" "Okay." Looking over Jer's shoulder, I could see Eliza lying there motionless, and I had an idea. "Hey kiddo, I think I will make a present for you and your mom right now." The boy was instantly curious. I took a small set of pastels and a thick sheet of paper from a side table and began a portrait in colour of Eliza Bell. I didn't want to admit it to myself, but this was a picture I wanted Jeremy to have if anything should happen to his mother. Jeremy watched fascinated as I worked. He practically leaned onto my shoulder emitting soft `ooohs' and `aaahs' as a convincing image of his sleeping mother appeared swiftly on the paper. To enliven the overall tone I added a vase of colourful blossoms in the background near her head. The portrait was all silvery pinks and pale gold light. It was quick, almost impressionistic; still, it caught Eliza's youthfulness. And in contrast to the delicacy of her skin, the flowers echoed the brief red of her lips, lending a subtle vitality to the sleeping figure. I wanted the picture to retain its freshness, so I didn't over-work it. It was all done in about forty-five minutes. "Oh, shit! ...er...I mean, oh WOW! This is sooo neat!" Jeremy practically danced around the apartment with the pastel drawing in his hands. His spirit was totally lifted and I was really glad for that. "Better be careful with it baby. I think I have a nice frame to put it in." He gingerly put the painting down and turned to me bright-eyed and enthusiastic, "Do me! Do me! Do me now Charles....pleeze?" "'DO' you?" I laughed. He hesitated just one beat, then: "Yeah...later," his grin was wicked, "but right now, I want you to draw me." "Oh I will....." Then from the corner of my eye I saw Eliza stir. I wanted to talk to her, preferably alone...so I took Jeremy's arm and guided him away from the area, "Um...have you seen my media room yet?" He looked at me a bit puzzled, but curious. I opened the third door off the main corridor and we entered a darkened room. I turned up the dimmer switch and Jer gasped audibly when he saw the fifty inch video screen. Yes, I certainly had lots of `toys', but they meant nothing special to me. I kept acquiring stuff hoping for distraction. But after awhile, dumb `things' are no fun when there's nobody to share them with. The situation had suddenly changed. "Press that silver button right there Jer." He did and a door slid open to reveal my library of CDs and DVD movies. Jer gasped again. I couldn't help laughing, "If you keep gasping like that you're gonna hyperventilate kiddo." I showed him where the games were, and how to turn on and use the sound system, the computer, and so on. "Can I......may I..?" Jeremy stuttered. "You don't ever have to ask permission to use anything, or do anything here Jer, just put stuff back when you are finished with it. And if anything breaks lemme know. The kitchen is also open for raiding whenever you want something to eat. Same rule, put things back when you're done with them." "You are the best Charles!" The exotic long black hair fanned out and tried to wrap around me as Jer spun into my arms. I got a brief hug. "Oh, Kevy is gonna be so blown away when he sees all this stuff..." Oh yes....Kevin. I almost forgot. I left Jer to explore the media room and went to check on Eliza. **** (to be continued)