You are here! Why did you come so late? It’s Sabbath.
I am very sorry. I didn’t know. I can come back tomorrow, sorry, not tomorrow, I mean Sunday, or Monday.
You are already here. And I will be away for a few days. Please come in.
I didn’t mean to intrude; but I didn’t want to wait too long to see you.
Can I offer you something to drink, tea, water. Or would you prefer your father’s drink?
What was that?
The first time I offered him tea or water or rum, he said why not all four?
All four?
I’ll leave you to figure out the fourth one. Do have a seat while I put the kettle on.
Can I come with you.
Strange. That’s exactly what he said the first time he visited, and I went to the kitchen.
Your kitchen is huge. It’s like a kitchen and bedroom. Almost. Sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.
Some of the multicolored beads of partition were in front of him, some behind, and a few of the severed, vertical strands almost covered his shoulders.
It’s the truth. He wanted it this way after a few years. Let me take these off. They are well worn, and the strings are stretched and weak.
Do they remind you of him?
I planned to cut them down. No need for them anymore. Hardly anyone comes by.
Removing the beads from his shoulder, a few dropped to the floor. He stooped to pick them up. She stooped to brush them away. In their movements, his hands brushed against hers. She took the beads from him, was trying with some difficulty to get back up, and so he held her by her arms and helped her up.
Some soft strong arms you have young man. From playing the violin, I guess.
Not sure. I don’t practice enough. His thoughts went from her, “Some soft strong arms you have young man”, to, “The better to devour you, My Dear”
Same thing he said. But he didn’t have to.
With his mind on the run, it ran zigzag from around his devouring wolf, her “Same thing he said”, and her seductive, “But he didn’t have to”, to thinking that it must mean she turned the bedtime story upside down and Little Red Riding Hood did the lupine devouring of his father.
She slowly removed the roof of the kettle, carefully piped the water in like drops from a bad leak, closed the cover, lit the stove with sudden strike of a match and put the kettle on. She offered him a seat, waited for him to sit and then she sat down, on a different chair, he noted.
I am sorry you couldn’t make it to the funeral. This dreaded Covid. And your final exams.
Can we not talk about the funeral? I heard so many stories since I arrived, I will need some time to hear your part, the real part; but this visit is just to say I am here, and I will come back at a more convenient time.
Suit yourself. Your father left very strict instructions.
About what?
I don’t know about his lands and property other than this one. The rest is being handled officially and legally.
What were his instructions to you about me?
He said I should show you everything.
Everything?
Every, single thing. Finally; their minds met