Giddeon (Silver Strand Series) (2 page)

“An asteroid?” asked the therapist.

“
Yep… commonly known as a planet killer
,” said Giddeon.
 
He gave the coordinates and Dr. Jennifer Evans wrote them down… even though the session was being recorded.
 
“
I don’t know why I didn’t just spit those out first thing… it’s kind of like I’m hypnotized, too, I guess.
 
When you asked about me, I just felt compelled to tell you who I was and about my history
.”

The therapist said, “I suppose that’s possible.”
 

Giddeon continued,
“Anyway… it will hit in 3 years 8 months and 14 days if nothing is done to deflect it.
 
All of the futures have changed over here… most of them, anyway, and show it plowing into the Earth and taking out nearly all of the life, just like the last time
.
”

“The last time?”

“65 million years ago.”

“I thought you’ve been to the future many times, and everything was… okay.”

“Things change.”

“Even the future?”

“Especially the future.”

The therapist scribbled down something on her pad, then said, “I can see why you wanted to talk to us… this is very important information.”

“It’s right up there with who’s doing who in
Hollywood
.”

“Yes…” she answered, a bit flustered.
 
Jennifer Evans wasn’t used to Gid’s sense of humor, apparently.

“The only thing is… we’ve got to keep the source of this hidden.
 
We have to bring those coordinates to an astronomer… I’ve got one all picked out… just like I picked out you.
 
Let him claim it was his discovery
.
”

“Why?”

“Because, I’ve got lots more to tell you… and, if word gets out where the info is coming from, Greg and Melody will be in quite a bit of danger
.
”

“Danger?
 
From who?”

Giddeon smiled, using my muscles of facial expression.
 
“From the keepers of the secrets, of course
.
”

He, or rather, I, looked right in the camera and said,
“Mia says ‘hello’, Melody
.
”
 
Giddeon then gave the name and address of the astronomer… a Kevin Ho at the observatory in
Hawaii
.

After that, the session was over and I was back, blinking and looking confused.

*****

We booked a flight to
Hawaii
.
 
I had never been to our 50
^th
state and was excited about seeing the islands for the first time.
 
Of course, knowing a potentially Earth-shattering asteroid was headed our way took some of the fun out of it, but, I figured there must be a way to remedy the situation or Giddeon wouldn’t have told us about it.
 
He would have just let us live out as many of our last days in marital bliss as was possible.
 

*****

I looked out the window, and I could periodically see the
Pacific Ocean
below us through the clouds.
 
Little Gid was asleep between me and Melody.
 
He hadn’t even fussed or cried like so many young ones do during take off and ascent.
 
I suppose he must have figured out how to pop his ears on his own… he was, after all, a smart little bugger.
 
Took after his mom, in that regard.
 
A flight attendant came by; we ordered iced tea for ourselves and milk for Giddy.

I saw the stewardess looking at us, trying to figure out where she had seen us, before.
 
Melody had her hair up and I was scruffy from not having shaved for three or four days, so maybe it was hard to tell who we were.
 
It had been a while since we had been on television but, still, we were occasionally recognized from time to time.
 

After the attendant left, Melody reached her hand over and scratched me on the neck at my hairline.
 
Of all the things she does, I think that is my favorite.
 
Just little touches, so comfortable and natural.
 
Her long, elegant fingers and clear keratin tips worked back and forth in a ritual as old as all of primate history.
 
It was at the same time both calming and exciting to my central nervous system.
 

I looked down at our progeny between us.
 
I don’t know how a kid could be any cuter.
 
His skin was flawless and his hair was getting so long that it curled up in little rivulets of tarnished gold around his face and ears.
 
His eyelashes were ridiculously thick and slightly darker than his locks.
 
They had his green eyes covered over for the moment.
 
When he opened them, his orbs would be like astonished windows, taking in the world around him with wonder… so much like his mother in that respect that it made my heart ache with love.
 
Melody saw me looking at him, and she smiled and ran her fingers through my hair, some more.
 
I didn’t know what I did to deserve those two, but, whatever it was, I wasn’t going to question it.

*****

We dropped through the clouds, and the islands were below us like some type of forgotten world.
 
They resembled pearls of dark green strung loosely together in the blue Pacific waters.
 
As we got closer to our destination, the sands of ‘The Big Island’ could be seen, with hotels standing like sentinels behind the silicon border.
 
Giddy, who for part of the flight had been awake in my lap and looking out of the window with obvious fascination, strained to see from his middle seat.
 
He would alternate between sucking his fingers and pointing to the window with wet digits.
 
Melody smiled at his curiosity and attempted to adjust his curls, which pretty much had a mind of their own.

*****

The plane touched down so lightly that it was almost hard to tell when we were connected with the earth, again.
 
We taxied to our proper terminal, and, after some time, made our way into the concourse.
 
A pretty Hawaiian greeter put a plastic, yellow
lais
around
Giddy’s
neck and he took to inspecting it with a fascinated grin on his chubby little face.
 
I snapped a picture of him and showed it to Melody; she said that maybe she would make a painting from it when we got back.

The air outside was warm and more humid than we were accustomed to in
San Diego
.
 
I could smell the water, even though we were quite a distance from the beach.
 
My olfactory sense had stayed on the enhanced side since the coma.
 
That was great when it came to restaurants.
 
Not so great when it came to changing diapers.
 
I thanked goodness that that part of our son’s training was almost complete.
 
I still don’t know how such a little creature can have such a tremendous output.
 
It seemed like more came out than went in.
 
Maybe he raided the refrigerator when we were asleep… even though he could barely walk at the time, I wouldn’t have put it past him… he was born smart.
 

*****

When I said I’d never been to our 50th state, before, I meant during my normal, waking life.
 
Big Gid and I had been to all of the islands because he loves Blue Hawaiian’s and the local seafood.
 
Plus, he loves to surf.
 
I even got proficient enough to tackle some of the curls on the
North
Shore
when the waves weren’t crazy big.
 

Melody and I loaded our bags into the rental car and Giddy into the car seat, which was already in place in the back.
 
He began to smile and babble, then laugh and point at nothing in particular.
 
That was normal behavior for him… God only knows what he was seeing or hearing.
 
Probably my Gid or his own ‘Gid’, or maybe Mia.
 
I suspected he had his own crew of babysitters.
 
Maybe that’s why he hardly ever cried or fussed when he was little.

 
He was never alone.

Sometimes, back then, I got the feeling that he could see the ‘other worlds’ as clearly as I could when I was in my coma.
 
That’s probably why he and the cats got along so well… you know,
birds of a feather
.
 
Or, maybe, I should say
felines of a fur
, or,
cats of a coat
.

Whenever we had visitors, and they would pick up Giddy and hold him, he would look them over with interest.
 
Our son would shift his focus to the right or the left of the person involved, and would reach out into the air and finger the empty space beside them.
 
Then, he would move his hand over to touch the solid person before him.
 
Sometimes, I swear that he would look to the cats for confirmation that what he was seeing was actually there.
 
Invariably, he would smile and gurgle and shake his head back and forth in glee… almost giddy with happiness.
 
So, you see… his name really fit.
 
Sort of a double meaning… or a supposition of meanings.

Kind of like quantum physics : )

*****

I know Giddeon says everything is in the same place, but it sure is nice when it doesn’t look that way.
 
Watching Melody walk towards me from the water in her turquoise one-piece swimsuit was one of those occasions that was exceptionally nice.
 
As she perfectly traversed the three dimensions in feminine slow motion, it really made me appreciate time and distance.
 
With the backdrop of the
Pacific Ocean
and the sapphire sky against her skin, she looked like a beautiful illusion against an excellent reality.
 
Momentarily, I wished for a camera, but then realized that I didn’t need one.
 
There was no way that image would ever leave my soul.
 
It will always be a part of me… just like she is… forever entwined.
 

Sometimes, I don’t even know where I end and she begins.

*****

Melody tells me she feels the same way, and I hope that that’s true… but, sometimes, I don’t think it’s possible when I look in the mirror and see her part of this equation.
 
All I know is that I’m hopelessly in love.
 
It just gets worse and worse each day.
 
Or, maybe, I should say, better and better.
 

Yes, she’s beautiful, but sometimes I don’t really see that.
 
Sometimes I just see a gliding light that comes in my direction, takes me by the hand and kisses me on the cheek, lips or forehead.
 
I always want to throw myself into that light and be surrounded by it.
 
Be surrounded by it and enveloped in its brilliance.
 

Enveloped in her illumination, forever and ever.

I am still the moth to her flame, but the flame is warm and soft and nurturing… it doesn’t burn at all.
 

*****

Even if it did burn, I don’t think I would mind.
 
I’ve felt the worst pain there is, and it’s not that bad when you know what’s on the other side.

This.

Her.
 
These moments are forever… it’s pain that’s temporary and alone.

If I’ve learned one thing from Giddeon, it’s that reality isn’t real unless you have someone to help make it real.
 
You see, that’s when reality truly gains permanence… when someone is with you.
 
Observation makes the electron go through one slit or the other.
 
Love makes the heart also choose a path.
 
And, I’ve found that the path with her is everywhere the same…
 

Together.
 

She and I flow in concert like a wave, hand in hand, and the universe opens softly around us.
 
And, always, there is eternal beauty and symmetry as far as the eye can see… as far as the eye can see, and, beyond.
 
To the ends of space and time and on out into forever.
 

It’s amazing, and I can perceive it all because I focus through the immortal lens of her essence.

*****