to her and the bird calls foreign.
Great flashes of color flew in and out of the bushes to her right and above her
in the high branches. After watching the trees above her Jules determined these
were brightly colored, tropical birds she had never seen before except perhaps
at the zoo.
Step by step she approached the calm water
until it lapped at her bare feet. The rocks along the lake shore were small and
smooth; easy to walk on as Jules gingerly waded into the water lifting her
dress. The water felt like silk against her legs and it was warm. Jules had the
sensation she was being loved by its very essence. She pulled her dress over
her head and dropped it on the bank as she slowly walked naked into the lake.
At the other side of the shore Jules could hear rushing water as if there was a
large waterfall nearby. The sun shone high above and felt very hot on her bare
shoulders. Crickets sang in the ferns near the lake shore creating a buzz in
her head.
A man's voice called her name: “Jules!” It
was Sam.
She turned her head to respond but he was
calling to her from some distance away in the forest. She couldn't see where he
was but again he called to her through the trees.
“Jules, you should see this, quick! It's
incredible! Its color is so beautiful.”
Jules startled awake not sure where she was. She sat up
rubbing her temples and looked around the room. The sun dimmed to the west
through the curtains and she remembered what had transpired. She expected to
see Cora but the house was silent. Jules got up to check if she was in the
kitchen but no one was there. Cora had gone. Jules went back to the couch and
sat down with a heavy sigh. A great weight hung on her as if someone had
strapped a huge bag of sand on her chest. She held her head in her hands and
wept again. The note hung on the fridge unseen.
*****
The next day it did not rain but Portland was shrouded
in a thick mist caught on the mountain slopes to the west. With some effort
Jules forced herself to get out of bed. She hadn't slept much and she hadn't
eaten at all. She had buried herself in lecture preparations and grading
instructions for her TA well into the night. She shuffled to the kitchen to
make coffee then she hit the shower. Noting the time, she dressed in a rush and
hurried back to the kitchen to grab a bowl of cereal and gulp down the coffee
which sat waiting. Looking for the milk in the fridge Jules noticed the note
stuck under the magnet. She lifted it out and opened the little piece of paper.
It was from Cora.
Dearest Jules,
I didn't want to wake you. Please know that
I will talk to Sam. I can't imagine anyone better for my little brother than
you. I can see that he is head over heels. You two are perfect for each other.
He will get over this little surprise; don't worry too much.
I hope that someday you can forgive me for
the pain I caused you. Hurting you is something I will regret my whole life.
Thank you for offering your heart to me. I’m a fool & it's my loss.
I want you and Sam to be happy. You both
deserve it and I will not stand in the way. Whatever I can do to help please
know I will be there. The truth is: I love you both.
Always your friend,
Cora
Jules paused at the end and read the lines again. Then
she folded the slip of paper, opened the silverware drawer and pushed it
underneath the tray. She stood for a moment and sighed.
I hope she's right about Sam.
Jules went out the door a little more hopeful. Perhaps
they could clear all this up today. Maybe she could find time to talk to Sam
this afternoon. Encouraged by Cora's note Jules hurried to campus.
But Sam neither showed up for class nor called her cell
all day. In fact, she didn't see Sam all week. Jules tried to ring his phone
several times but he never answered. She struggled through the days with effort
hoping that any moment he might call and release her from this terrible
anxiety. By Friday she was desolate.
The one thing Jules did excel at was
Great flashes of color flew in and out of the bushes to her right and above her
in the high branches. After watching the trees above her Jules determined these
were brightly colored, tropical birds she had never seen before except perhaps
at the zoo.
Step by step she approached the calm water
until it lapped at her bare feet. The rocks along the lake shore were small and
smooth; easy to walk on as Jules gingerly waded into the water lifting her
dress. The water felt like silk against her legs and it was warm. Jules had the
sensation she was being loved by its very essence. She pulled her dress over
her head and dropped it on the bank as she slowly walked naked into the lake.
At the other side of the shore Jules could hear rushing water as if there was a
large waterfall nearby. The sun shone high above and felt very hot on her bare
shoulders. Crickets sang in the ferns near the lake shore creating a buzz in
her head.
A man's voice called her name: “Jules!” It
was Sam.
She turned her head to respond but he was
calling to her from some distance away in the forest. She couldn't see where he
was but again he called to her through the trees.
“Jules, you should see this, quick! It's
incredible! Its color is so beautiful.”
Jules startled awake not sure where she was. She sat up
rubbing her temples and looked around the room. The sun dimmed to the west
through the curtains and she remembered what had transpired. She expected to
see Cora but the house was silent. Jules got up to check if she was in the
kitchen but no one was there. Cora had gone. Jules went back to the couch and
sat down with a heavy sigh. A great weight hung on her as if someone had
strapped a huge bag of sand on her chest. She held her head in her hands and
wept again. The note hung on the fridge unseen.
*****
The next day it did not rain but Portland was shrouded
in a thick mist caught on the mountain slopes to the west. With some effort
Jules forced herself to get out of bed. She hadn't slept much and she hadn't
eaten at all. She had buried herself in lecture preparations and grading
instructions for her TA well into the night. She shuffled to the kitchen to
make coffee then she hit the shower. Noting the time, she dressed in a rush and
hurried back to the kitchen to grab a bowl of cereal and gulp down the coffee
which sat waiting. Looking for the milk in the fridge Jules noticed the note
stuck under the magnet. She lifted it out and opened the little piece of paper.
It was from Cora.
Dearest Jules,
I didn't want to wake you. Please know that
I will talk to Sam. I can't imagine anyone better for my little brother than
you. I can see that he is head over heels. You two are perfect for each other.
He will get over this little surprise; don't worry too much.
I hope that someday you can forgive me for
the pain I caused you. Hurting you is something I will regret my whole life.
Thank you for offering your heart to me. I’m a fool & it's my loss.
I want you and Sam to be happy. You both
deserve it and I will not stand in the way. Whatever I can do to help please
know I will be there. The truth is: I love you both.
Always your friend,
Cora
Jules paused at the end and read the lines again. Then
she folded the slip of paper, opened the silverware drawer and pushed it
underneath the tray. She stood for a moment and sighed.
I hope she's right about Sam.
Jules went out the door a little more hopeful. Perhaps
they could clear all this up today. Maybe she could find time to talk to Sam
this afternoon. Encouraged by Cora's note Jules hurried to campus.
But Sam neither showed up for class nor called her cell
all day. In fact, she didn't see Sam all week. Jules tried to ring his phone
several times but he never answered. She struggled through the days with effort
hoping that any moment he might call and release her from this terrible
anxiety. By Friday she was desolate.
The one thing Jules did excel at was
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