Eliza's Shadow (39 page)

Tears filled the corners of my eyes as I stared at
her. She crossed the room and tenuously sank into a chair across from me.
Followed by a long look, reading the pain in my eyes before speaking.

“Eliza, you can’t s’pect to have all your mama
back so soon, child, not after where she’s been. It doesn’t work that way.
Nia’s goin’ need time and even then she may never be the person she was before
she left, though I plan to do my best to bring her back.” She said with
determination.

I wiped the tears from my eyes.

“Will she ever remember me?” I asked weakly.

Cora’s head fell to one side and the corners of
her mouth drew down sympathetically.

“Now Eliza, what kind a question is that? Of
course your mama’s goin’ t’ remember you. There’s a part of her that already
does, we know that now, don’t we? Healing takes time, be patient, child.” She
said kindly.

I took a deep breath and reminded myself that just
a couple of days ago, I wasn’t sure I’d ever even find my mother. I was lucky
to have her in my life at all.

Cora patted my hand lightly and cleared her
throat.

“Now, there’s something else, child. I want to
thank you. You know that Nia and I’d had a fallin’ out some years ago and until
yesterday, I never thought I’d lay eyes on her again. I can’t help but believe
this is goin’ a give us another chance.”

Tears gathered in the corners of Cora’s eyes and
she sniffed, a grateful smile stretched from her mouth to her eyes.

“Nia’s my baby, you know, and I love her. Don’t
you worry, I’ll take good care of her.” She said assuredly.

I nodded and smiled shyly. It was still strange to
think of Cora as my grandmother. As much as I cared about her, I didn’t feel
love for her the way I should for a grandparent, at least, not yet.

“I know you will.” I responded.

Then I remembered the question I’d been meaning to
ask Cora since my entrapment at Merepen Hallow. I shifted in my seat feeling
awkward about changing the topic.

“Cora, Ren said you told him that Eudora was
lying. How’d you know all of that?” I asked suspiciously.

Cora pursed her lips and sank back in her seat.

“If you must know, I was Shadow droppin’ on you,
child. You didn’t think I was goin’ let you go off all by yourself now did you?
I couldn’t send all my Shadow with you because then Eudora might trap us both
down there but I could send my eyes and my ears. That’s how I could tell Eudora
was lyin’ t’ya child.” Cora scowled at the memory of Eudora’s wickedness. Her
eyes shifted toward Ren.

“Then this boy showed up just in time. Lord, he
couldn’a picked a better time to come unannounced.” Cora exclaimed patting Ren
tenderly on the arm.

“She told me how to slip past the keepers and
where I might find you once I got inside.” Ren added.

Then he dropped his face to his hands in his lap.

“I didn’t think about how we’d get your mum out of
there but I should have, that is, before throwing fireballs all over the
place.” He said, embarrassed.

“You did what you could, that’s all any of us can
ever do.” Cora said soothingly. “You know, child, when I shrouded Eliza, I made
sure the veil could not be pierced by anyone but one who would be loyal and
true to her. I believe you’ve done quite a good job of that now, don’t you
think?” She said.

Ren blushed deeply and smiled shyly in return.

I took a deep breath and slumped back in my chair,
relaxing a bit.

“I guess none of that really matters now. I’m here
and mother’s home and I didn’t have to give up my powers to Eudora.” I said
conclusively.

Cora squinted at a simple black and white clock
hanging on the kitchen wall.

“Lord, look at the time! Take yourselves on outta
my kitchen, I’ve got a supper to prepare.” She said hastily and laboriously
pulled herself up out her chair.

“Dinner? Cora it’s only eleven o’clock.” I said
confused.

Cora threw her hands up in exasperation.

“Don’t tell me all your time up North’s made you
forget your roots Eliza Gowan.” She scolded.

I glanced helplessly toward Ren, feeling like I
was missing a clue. He just laughed.

“Well, it is New Year’s Eve.” He said with a
twinkle in his eye and a shrug of his shoulders.

“Ahhh, of course.” I responded and without further
prompting tramped out of the kitchen and onto the back porch.

* * *

My mother sat to the left of Cora and watched her
timidly as she spooned a portion from each serving dish onto her plate. I
soaked up the scent of the food remembering years of the very same meal growing
up. I hadn’t eaten a traditional Southern New Year’s Day supper since moving to
Port Rune and the spread made my stomach rumble. I watched Ren’s face as he
politely inspected each dish clearly unable to identify some of the food he was
about to be served.

“Dig in, now. Don’t be shy.” Cora urged as she
scooped a slice of skillet corn bread onto mother’s plate.

“Guests first.” I quipped playfully at Ren,
gesturing toward the serving dishes lining the middle of the table.

He nodded and cleared his throat. “Mmm, smells
delicious.” He said, smiling toward Cora.

“Would you like us to review the menu, sir?” I
asked giggling.

“That would be much appreciated.” Ren said gratefully.

A deep chuckle bubbled up from Cora’s chest.

“I’ll let Eliza provide the history lesson.” She
deferred.

“Here in the South we eat this meal on New Year’s
for a reason. Each food is like an edible good luck charm for the year ahead.”
I began.

“Well, it’s a good thing I’m here this year. I’ve
never eaten a good luck meal on New Year’s before and I could certainly use
one!” He remarked.

“Don’t have to say that twice.” Cora responded
shaking her head.

“This dish here is black-eyed peas.” I said pointing
toward a bowl containing a soupy gray mixture. “Supposedly, after Savannah was
taken during the Civil War the only food the Union soldiers left behind was a
bunch of black-eyed peas. Up North, they only used them to feed animals but
since the soldiers had eaten or taken all the animals, they figured no one
would have any use for the peas. Black-eyed peas are said to be the food that
kept the people from starving to death.” I explained.

Ren made a confused face. “So you eat animal food
to remember that you could starve? How is that supposed to be good luck?” He
asked perplexed.

I wagged my head at him and rolled my eyes.

“We eat black-eyed peas because they’re good for
you and it was our good luck that the Northern soldiers didn’t know how tasty
they could be, especially when you serve them over rice.” I said.

“These,” I said pointing to a bowl of stewed
greens, “Are collard greens. Besides tasting good, they’re green and symbolize
money or prosperity.”

“And, this I’m sure you recognize,” I said
pointing to the meat tray, “ is a ham. Pigs are the only farm animal that walks
forward while eating, so ham is a symbol of progress.” I explained.

Cora nodded approvingly in my direction, pleased
that I hadn’t forgotten the Southern tradition.    

Ren grinned. “Well, as nice as all that is to
know, I’m more interested in finding out if this food tastes as good as it
smells.” He announced.

* * *

After dinner, Cora led my mother into the living
room to show her old family picture albums with the hope they would jog her
memory. Ren and I stepped out into the backyard and sat on a peeling white
bench in the garden. The evening air was chilly with the promise of a cold
night on the way. I tugged the edges of my light jacket around my chest
trapping in the warmth. Ren looked up at the sky and stretched his arms and
legs.

“I have to go home tomorrow. After Nan found out
about our detour, she insisted I return once you were safe and sound. She’s
never grounded me but I think I’m going to find out what that looks like when I
get back.” He said, sounding partially amused.

I gazed up at the stars and tried to imagine going
home myself. It seemed in a matter of days the course of my whole life had
changed. Safe, yes in fact, I was probably safer than I’d been in months but
sound? I wasn’t so sure.

“Will you come with me?” He asked his gaze
trailing from the sky to the side of my face.

I felt the weight of his eyes on me and the deeper
question they held. My mother was home and Cora promised to take care of her.
Certainly, there was no expectation for me to stay in Moco but I was her
daughter. I’d longed for my mother for six years and felt the pain of her
absence. Was I really going to leave her again? Now that my mother was home,
where was mine?

Suddenly, I felt a surge of heat pass up my arm as
Ren’s hand slid over my hand and up to my shoulders. He stretched his arm
around me and pulled me closer to him. I let myself lean into him and laid my
head against his chest. His breath was even and soothing but his heart beat
fast with anticipation.

His hand fell from my shoulders and smoothed the
tension in my back, then slid beneath the seam of my jacket and pressed against
my bare skin. I drew in a breath of surprise. Instinctually, my hand drifted up
his arm to rest against his neck. My body twisted and pressed into him.

His face fell, hovering above my upturned gaze in
the darkness.

“Eliza, I meant what I said the other night about
being more than just your pharos… or your friend.” He said softly. “But… what
do you want?” He asked.

His other hand fell to rest on top of my leg.

With both of Ren’s hands on me and throbbing
energy dashing between our bodies, it was hard for me to think, much less
speak. My fingers spread against his neck and climbed up into his thick hair. I
pulled him closer to me, needing to be closer to him.

My lips parted and I sucked in a breath saturated
with his scent. My heart rattled against my ribcage. I was lost in the
sensation of nearness to him.

Our lips found each other. With delicate urgency
Ren’s arms wrapped around me, pulling me up off the bench, squeezing me closer
to him. Warmth spread from my lips down my neck and quickly coursed through my
middle and limbs.

The burst of electricity that followed knocked the
breath from my lungs. Sparks of light soared like comets behind my closed
eyelids. I felt as light as a leaf in the breeze.

When we finally parted, we sat in silence bathed
in darkness. As I stared up into the dark Southern sky, the answer to Ren’s
question came to me carried on a tide of certainty. I loved my mother and in
time, would grow to love Cora too, of that I was certain but home for me was no
longer Moco. Unlike my mother in her current state, Jane would miss me and I
would miss her. And besides that, I knew, with a deep longing, I needed Ren.

“What time do we leave?” I asked casting my gaze
from the sky to the stars in Ren’s eyes.

27

“We are now ready to board
all passengers traveling to Boston on flight 2435.” The airline attendant
bellowed over the loud speaker.

Ren and I left before dawn on a bus to Atlanta
where we had booked last minute plane tickets home. Following teary goodbyes,
Cora had sent us on our way with a paper bag of pimento cheese sandwiches and a
container of pickled okra for the journey. I promised to make my way south for
a visit during spring break, though, that seemed like an awfully long time away
as I sat watching the other passengers line up at the gate. We filed onto the
plane and flopped down in our seats. Passengers continued to jostle their way
down the aisle as we gazed out the window in silence watching the baggage
handlers load suitcases into the belly of the plane. I memorized the view of
green trees edging the runway, a sight I wasn’t likely to see for several more
months in Port Rune.

Ren broke the silence.

“Well, it’s a new year. I wonder where we’ll be
this time next year.” He mused.

“Me too.” I mumbled.    

A smile spread across Ren’s face and he leaned
back in his chair, closing his eyes with a sigh.

I absentmindedly scanned the faces of the
passengers near us before turning back toward Ren.

“So, notice anyone of interest on this flight?” I
whispered a bit jokingly. It didn’t seem to matter if there was. Our mission
for the Heka Council was accomplished and seeing as we were heading in the
opposite direction of a body of water, I wasn’t too concerned with encountering
a nereid in the near future.

Ren’s brows drew together and he frowned,
concerned.

“There is something or someone here but the signal
is too vague for me to tell if we should care. Do you feel it?” He asked
puzzled, then shrugged dismissively.

I nodded no. The only signal I was picking up was
the rumble of the plane’s engine beneath my feet. Before we could discuss it
further, the flight attendant began loudly rattling off the safety instructions
for the plane. Within moments, we were safely soaring northward without
incident.

Once safely in the air, my thoughts turned to
Jane. She wasn’t expecting me home for another three days and she had no idea
where I’d been for the last two. I hadn’t planned on telling her I’d gone to
Moco but now it was just a matter of time before she found out that my mother
was back, at least, in body. My mother’s return was not something I wanted to
keep a secret but how was I supposed to explain to Jane that she just
reappeared, with amnesia, and was living with Cora, who incidentally was my
long lost grandmother? Not to mention explaining how I obtained all of this
earth shaking information while on vacation in England. While I was mulling
over the dilemma of what to tell Jane, the thin air of the airplane cabin got
to me once again and the next thing I knew Ren was softly shaking my shoulder.