The story continues...
Gulls screamed noisily overhead in the midafternoon sun as a brackish breeze teased his nostrils and fawned playfully through his hair, yet Vordak Gef noticed none of it. Instead, he intently studied the address that was scrawled across the slip of paper in his hand and then the small cottage that abutted the bay. The numbers matched and it was the last house on the road, he thought. This must be the place. He squared his shoulders, opened the wrought iron gate to the small yard and walked in. Please let someone be home.
Lily Jehan Fall was busy pruning the abundance of yellow summer roses that sprawled like saffron ivy up the side of her and Dylan's cottage when she heard the crunch of footsteps on gravel. She did not pause though, deciding whomever it was would be known soon enough. It was when she heard those footsteps clatter upon the porch steps that she peeked over the hedge and called out, "Can I help you?"
In the process of straightening his T-shirt and jacket before knocking upon the door, Gef jumped at the unexpected voice and turned to find a woman with garden gloves and a nipper in hand, peering at him across the width of a sculptured hedge. He quickly cleared his throat as he turned toward her. "Uh, Hello. I'm looking for Lily, uh, Lily Fall."
"You are, hmm?" She pushed a lock of curly, damp hair back from her forehead and took a closer look at the untimely interloper.
Gef nodded his head and held up the piece of paper upon which was scrawled the name and address.
Curious, she studied him with an enigmatic smile poised on her lips. "What do you want with Miss Lily?"
"Well, I need to speak to her. It's very important." He replied earnestly and then yanked at the collar of his t-shirt. It was hot in the sun with a coat on.
Lily gave a little chuckle, plucked a dead head off a stem and tossed it to the ground before answering. "Nothing's important in life except death and taxes." She had heard that somewhere and it sounded good at the moment.
"Well," Vordak started then paused to gather his thoughts. "It's kinda 'bout life and death, sorta. But it is important. Are you her, er she, er Lily?"
"Life and death you say?" A fine, raven brow of hers flew skyward in question. "Why don't you just tell me who you are and why you're here and maybe I'll give Lily a message for you."
"Okay." He sucked in a deep breath. "My Name is Vordak Gef. I'm trying to find my gir... uh, a friend named Annie. I believe she can help me. Uh, that Lily can help me ... uh, find Annie that is." He wished that he could just write everything down and hand it to her. Writing was easier for him. He was never much good at speaking to most folks ... most folks except for Annie.
A sharp look from Lilly's beetle-black eyes cut through the bright sunlight and flashed upon him like a falcon's unwavering gaze tracked its fleeing prey. She well knew that name and now had a face to affix it to. But Mr. Gef would not so easily find what answers he sought. She toyed with him. "Annie doesn't live here anymore, Sahib."
Gef blinked, wondering for an instant who Sahib was, then grasp at the straw. "Anymore?? Then she's not dead. I knew it!" He gushed gleefully then turned all questions. "Where is she? Is she alright? How can I find her?"
Lily made a deliberate display of slicing the head off the next rose before drawing the straw back. "I didn't say she wasn't dead. I just said she didn't live here anymore."
As patient as an anxious six year-old the day before Christmas, Gef shoved his hand into a pocket and pulled out Annie's unsigned letter. "She's not. She wrote me, see?" he said defiantly and showed his proof.
"She wrote you?" Lilly muttered under her breath as she snatched the envelope from him. Annie always was an impetuous sort and didn't think before acting. Now our secret is about to be exposed, she grumbled mentally.
"She wrote about the daisy," Vordak pointed out. "Only she knew about the daisy. And you bought her store," he added, having rightly decided that she was indeed the Lily he sought.
She noticed that the envelope was worn and much folded as though the letter had been viewed many times. But after a quick glance at it's contents, she merely handed it back with, "That could mean anything."
He took it back and with careful reverance, refolded and put it away. Then he turned his gaze directly into hers and stated, "Lady, my Annie is alive!"
"Your Annie?" Lily quiered quickly, softly smiling at his obvious though unintended statement of affection. She watched him carefully, his every movement, breath, nuance as he blinked and blushed in the light of her open scrutiny. "Well, uh, eh .... "
Gef's stammering was cut short by the squeak of the screendoor as Lily's husband stepped from the cottage. Dylan's expression clouded with concern then turned protective when he saw the oddly dressed stranger there with his wife. Lily knew that look though and waved to assure him that all was well. Dylan then relaxed a trifle, leaned against a porch post and slipped an unlit a cheroot between his lips. He nodded to them both but kept careful watch despite her assurance.
Gef glanced at the large, serious looking man watching him then continued, almost pleading, "Look, please, I gotta find her. She didn't write me for nothing. I don't care what's happened, or why she ... left. I just need to find her to talk to her."
As Dylan lowered himself into a rocker and puffed on the unlit cigar, Lily turned her attention back to Gef and gave him her trademark bright, white smile. "Sahib, perhaps Annie doesn't want to be found."
Gef's hopeful expression faded a bit, but he was still undeterred. "And maybe she does want me to find her. One doesn't disappear, for all intents and purposes leaving the world to think her dead, and then write! He pressed on. "She wanted to make sure that I knew she was alive."
"And if she were? Alive that is?" She asked as she snipped off a rose and handed it to him.
Gef took the flower without thinking. "Then I'll find her, whatever it takes, however long it takes. 'Cause I know she lives." He idly turned the rose stem between his fingers, looking down at it's beauty and thinking of Annie's face. His other hand rose and gently caressed the petals as he softly whispered, "I need to find her."
Lily cast a sidelong glance to Dylan on the porch. "I understand. Go home, Mister Gef." She turned with a smile and headed up the walk toward the porch and her husband.
Gef's mouth dropped open as she moved away. Suddenly the day was no longer bright and warm.
As he made his way back down the path and through the gate, Lily draped herself over Dylan with a deep sigh. "Do you think he's sincere?"
"About what dear? I coudn't hear what you two were saying ... could only observe. But I will say he seemed harmless enough."
"The yard isn't that big." She playfully poked him in the chest. "I know you heard."
He paused and listened for a car to start up, but none did. Instead, he saw Gef walking up the road. Dylan pulled Lily firmly into the famliar nest of his lap and made his observation. "It must be important for him to have walked all the way here, dear."
She looked into his face, then favored him with a tender kiss. A long sigh again flowed from her -- partly in contentment at being surrounded by the strong arms of her husband and partly because of the decision she had to make.
Dylan knew that sigh and simply held her as she mulled it all over.
---
Dejected but not depressed, Gef walked up the narrow sand road away from the solitary cottage. He'd hoped Lily Fall would tell him where Annie was, but that was not the case. Instead, she'd steered him away from the very idea that Annie was still alive yet her own reactions had betrayed her. He'd noticed how she'd become irritated when he'd said Annie'd written him.
Gef decided that Lily was a part of it as was her husband. It being whatever plan had been concocted by Annie to disappear for whatever reason. And the letter to him had not been a part of that plan. Annie'd had to let him know she still lived. And now, he had to find her.
He paused in the middle of the road and looked back. The next step was Lily's. But what would she do? What should he do? What was Annie doing?
He fingered the sliver of stone in his pocket, the temptation to use it once again coming to the fore of his thoughts. But then he withdrew his hand. he would not circumvent Fate this time around. If it was to be, it would be without other worldly intervention.
Vordak sighed, for of all the worlds and all the times he could have picked to visit, he'd find the one that would cause him to lose his heart.
A collaboration.
Copyright, the authors.
July, 2003
Lily Jehan Fall was busy pruning the abundance of yellow summer roses that sprawled like saffron ivy up the side of her and Dylan's cottage when she heard the crunch of footsteps on gravel. She did not pause though, deciding whomever it was would be known soon enough. It was when she heard those footsteps clatter upon the porch steps that she peeked over the hedge and called out, "Can I help you?"
In the process of straightening his T-shirt and jacket before knocking upon the door, Gef jumped at the unexpected voice and turned to find a woman with garden gloves and a nipper in hand, peering at him across the width of a sculptured hedge. He quickly cleared his throat as he turned toward her. "Uh, Hello. I'm looking for Lily, uh, Lily Fall."
"You are, hmm?" She pushed a lock of curly, damp hair back from her forehead and took a closer look at the untimely interloper.
Gef nodded his head and held up the piece of paper upon which was scrawled the name and address.
Curious, she studied him with an enigmatic smile poised on her lips. "What do you want with Miss Lily?"
"Well, I need to speak to her. It's very important." He replied earnestly and then yanked at the collar of his t-shirt. It was hot in the sun with a coat on.
Lily gave a little chuckle, plucked a dead head off a stem and tossed it to the ground before answering. "Nothing's important in life except death and taxes." She had heard that somewhere and it sounded good at the moment.
"Well," Vordak started then paused to gather his thoughts. "It's kinda 'bout life and death, sorta. But it is important. Are you her, er she, er Lily?"
"Life and death you say?" A fine, raven brow of hers flew skyward in question. "Why don't you just tell me who you are and why you're here and maybe I'll give Lily a message for you."
"Okay." He sucked in a deep breath. "My Name is Vordak Gef. I'm trying to find my gir... uh, a friend named Annie. I believe she can help me. Uh, that Lily can help me ... uh, find Annie that is." He wished that he could just write everything down and hand it to her. Writing was easier for him. He was never much good at speaking to most folks ... most folks except for Annie.
A sharp look from Lilly's beetle-black eyes cut through the bright sunlight and flashed upon him like a falcon's unwavering gaze tracked its fleeing prey. She well knew that name and now had a face to affix it to. But Mr. Gef would not so easily find what answers he sought. She toyed with him. "Annie doesn't live here anymore, Sahib."
Gef blinked, wondering for an instant who Sahib was, then grasp at the straw. "Anymore?? Then she's not dead. I knew it!" He gushed gleefully then turned all questions. "Where is she? Is she alright? How can I find her?"
Lily made a deliberate display of slicing the head off the next rose before drawing the straw back. "I didn't say she wasn't dead. I just said she didn't live here anymore."
As patient as an anxious six year-old the day before Christmas, Gef shoved his hand into a pocket and pulled out Annie's unsigned letter. "She's not. She wrote me, see?" he said defiantly and showed his proof.
"She wrote you?" Lilly muttered under her breath as she snatched the envelope from him. Annie always was an impetuous sort and didn't think before acting. Now our secret is about to be exposed, she grumbled mentally.
"She wrote about the daisy," Vordak pointed out. "Only she knew about the daisy. And you bought her store," he added, having rightly decided that she was indeed the Lily he sought.
She noticed that the envelope was worn and much folded as though the letter had been viewed many times. But after a quick glance at it's contents, she merely handed it back with, "That could mean anything."
He took it back and with careful reverance, refolded and put it away. Then he turned his gaze directly into hers and stated, "Lady, my Annie is alive!"
"Your Annie?" Lily quiered quickly, softly smiling at his obvious though unintended statement of affection. She watched him carefully, his every movement, breath, nuance as he blinked and blushed in the light of her open scrutiny. "Well, uh, eh .... "
Gef's stammering was cut short by the squeak of the screendoor as Lily's husband stepped from the cottage. Dylan's expression clouded with concern then turned protective when he saw the oddly dressed stranger there with his wife. Lily knew that look though and waved to assure him that all was well. Dylan then relaxed a trifle, leaned against a porch post and slipped an unlit a cheroot between his lips. He nodded to them both but kept careful watch despite her assurance.
Gef glanced at the large, serious looking man watching him then continued, almost pleading, "Look, please, I gotta find her. She didn't write me for nothing. I don't care what's happened, or why she ... left. I just need to find her to talk to her."
As Dylan lowered himself into a rocker and puffed on the unlit cigar, Lily turned her attention back to Gef and gave him her trademark bright, white smile. "Sahib, perhaps Annie doesn't want to be found."
Gef's hopeful expression faded a bit, but he was still undeterred. "And maybe she does want me to find her. One doesn't disappear, for all intents and purposes leaving the world to think her dead, and then write! He pressed on. "She wanted to make sure that I knew she was alive."
"And if she were? Alive that is?" She asked as she snipped off a rose and handed it to him.
Gef took the flower without thinking. "Then I'll find her, whatever it takes, however long it takes. 'Cause I know she lives." He idly turned the rose stem between his fingers, looking down at it's beauty and thinking of Annie's face. His other hand rose and gently caressed the petals as he softly whispered, "I need to find her."
Lily cast a sidelong glance to Dylan on the porch. "I understand. Go home, Mister Gef." She turned with a smile and headed up the walk toward the porch and her husband.
Gef's mouth dropped open as she moved away. Suddenly the day was no longer bright and warm.
As he made his way back down the path and through the gate, Lily draped herself over Dylan with a deep sigh. "Do you think he's sincere?"
"About what dear? I coudn't hear what you two were saying ... could only observe. But I will say he seemed harmless enough."
"The yard isn't that big." She playfully poked him in the chest. "I know you heard."
He paused and listened for a car to start up, but none did. Instead, he saw Gef walking up the road. Dylan pulled Lily firmly into the famliar nest of his lap and made his observation. "It must be important for him to have walked all the way here, dear."
She looked into his face, then favored him with a tender kiss. A long sigh again flowed from her -- partly in contentment at being surrounded by the strong arms of her husband and partly because of the decision she had to make.
Dylan knew that sigh and simply held her as she mulled it all over.
---
Dejected but not depressed, Gef walked up the narrow sand road away from the solitary cottage. He'd hoped Lily Fall would tell him where Annie was, but that was not the case. Instead, she'd steered him away from the very idea that Annie was still alive yet her own reactions had betrayed her. He'd noticed how she'd become irritated when he'd said Annie'd written him.
Gef decided that Lily was a part of it as was her husband. It being whatever plan had been concocted by Annie to disappear for whatever reason. And the letter to him had not been a part of that plan. Annie'd had to let him know she still lived. And now, he had to find her.
He paused in the middle of the road and looked back. The next step was Lily's. But what would she do? What should he do? What was Annie doing?
He fingered the sliver of stone in his pocket, the temptation to use it once again coming to the fore of his thoughts. But then he withdrew his hand. he would not circumvent Fate this time around. If it was to be, it would be without other worldly intervention.
Vordak sighed, for of all the worlds and all the times he could have picked to visit, he'd find the one that would cause him to lose his heart.
A collaboration.
Copyright, the authors.
July, 2003