Hello Everyone!
My mother is a writer, but she only writes in Portuguese because we are from Brazil, but now I am translating one of her novels to English!
It is not ready yet, but here is a first look.
I hope you all enjoy!
This is the second chapter of "Morganwish-Walker" (title for the book in both English and Portuguese).
"Hello!" yelled Morganwish. "Anyone home?"
The smoke, seen from far away, was still leaving the chimney – indicating that someone was inside the house or nearby.
Morganwish insisted:
"Hello! There's anyone home?"
Some barking noises were heard. No other sound. No movement.
Raising even more the tone of her voice, she tried again.
More barking. No movement by the door or nearby the windows.
However, hurried steps came from the other side of the trees.
"I'm coming!" shouted a male voice.
Sarah Morganwish was divided between relief and concern.
Searching for an escape route in case it was necessary to run, she looked around. In case needed for self-defense, she also looked for anything that could help her.
She had barely glimpsed some wooden slats, when the man approached.
Seeming to be in his early thirties, the owner of the house introduced himself:
"I'm Andrew Walker. How may I help you?" he said, extending his hand to greet her.
The kind tone of voice – along with a look that showed the same kindness – caused Morganwish to breathe easier while relaxing.
"It's a relief to find you, Mr. Walker" she confessed, while shaking his hand. "I'm Sarah Morganwish, columnist of the Essential Observatory Magazine."
"Please, come in" already opening the door, he said. "I don't know what a columnist of the EO would want with me, but it must be something serious, otherwise you wouldn't have come in such a bad weather."
It wasn't the first time that Sarah Louise Morganwish used her position in the magazine to get some kind of privilege.
My press badge, sometimes, can be just like the psychic paper from "Doctor Who": it opens the most unlike doors; she liked to say mentally to herself.
In that moment, aside from opening the door to the wooden cabin where lived Andrew Walker, her job could also serve as a protective shield.
In most cases, people with "bad intentions", do all they can to not catch the attention of the press and, consequently, of the police department; she thought.
The old beagle dog, lying near the lit fireplace, gently wagged his tail, but gave up on getting up.
"This is Owen" introduced Walker. "It has been my mate for a long time now, but it is already more tired than the both of us put together."
Morganwish smiled.
"I heard the barking, but I found odd that no dog came near the door or windows."
"All he wants from life now is warm up by the fire and a good plate of food" confirmed the man, petting his canine friend. And returning his glance towards Morganwish, he asked: "Speaking of warming up… May I offer you some tea?"
"That would be nice, thank you."
Andrew Walker appeared to be a truly kind man, especially for the zeal he had his little pet, which made Morganwish observe him better.
Walker possessed a masculine beauty, with strong and well defined features. The contrast between the fair skin and the brown hair, instantly caught attention. And there was also the well traced lip and the eyes, of a light greyish blue tone, framed by eyelashes and eyebrows of the same tone as the hair. Without a doubt, a very attractive man – something that not even Sarah could deny it –. But what was a young and physically interesting man doing in a wooden cabin in the middle of nowhere?
"So, Ms. Morganwish," he began, while serving tea and cake "to what do I owe the visit?"
Protect yourself somehow, Sarah Louise Morganwish, she thought.
"I'm doing a few researches for my next article. Actually, I have an interview scheduled with Mrs. Ivy Gwiwdyr, that doesn't live far from here. We are going to discuss memories of the Second Great War, regarding before and after war periods. To broaden even more the perspective, I discussed with my editor the possibility of interviewing some other people lived through that period or that felt more deeply the effects of a world war."
"My impressions about wars are not so interesting, Ms. Morganwish" he said in a gloomy tone. "I do wish to sound impolite, but I believe you might have wasted you trip."
Sarah Morganwish was used to interpreting people, studying them word by word.
She knew she had only said half the truth to Andrew Walker, but it was clear that his words and his emotions clashed completely. Her experience told her that behind that man at least one great story was hidden.
"Forgive me if I seemed too intrusive, Mr. Walker. It wasn't my intention" Morganwish said, trying to redeem herself before him. "I'm not a journalist. I don't investigate or write about the life of one person in particular. I'm an anthropologist. I interview people so that I can understand History and to try and establish a bridge between our costumes and the costumes of other people, especially the old ones. I know that I should have contacted you before coming here, but I decided to take advantage of the trip I was already making."
"No, I'm the one that should apologize. I didn't mean to sound rude. Where are my manners?" he said playfully and his smile reached his eyes. "Your things, your car, are they near? Night will soon fall…"
"Well… I have a reservation for a B&B in Llanymynech, near Mrs. Gwiwdyr's property, and I had the intention of only coming by during my return…" she said, once again only saying half the truth "but my car broke down on the way."
"Since it is already quite late, this is what we will do: I will go to your car and get your baggage. You spend the night here and tomorrow we see what the problem was. How about it?"
Without having any other option, Morganwish agreed.
She gave her car keys to Andrew Walker and then sat down beside Owen, which demonstrated to already like the new company.
Slowly, she glanced around the leaving room, trying to understand more about her host through the details hidden in the decoration.
Despite the good furniture, everything in there was simple, aimed only to the comfort, coziness and welfare of its users.
No portrait at sight. Nothing that indicated the existence of a family, girlfriend or boyfriend.
All the scenery indicated that house to be the house of a hermit.
Handsome, hot, kind and lonely: who wouldn't want to take home a man like that?, Sarah Morganwish thought, laughing to herself.
However, although recognizing the undeniable charm of Andrew Walker, Morganwish knew, from personal experience, that when a being decides to be isolated from the world, they would hardly give it up their own "personal world" to share it with someone.
Owen had every reason to want to stay there, near the fireplace. The climate was definitively better.
Not only because of the heat produced by the flames, but because of the energy that she felt in that corner of the house. Definitely affectionate.
"You sure are a very lucky dog, Mr. Owen. And I am a very lucky person for being here beside you."
I should probably have a pet too, she thought. These little creatures do a great good to those who live with them.
"So, Mr. Owen, what do you think about me getting a puppy or a kitten? Although I should confess for me to have someone to take care of…"
"You would get used to it" said Walker, haven already returned.
Morganwish turned towards the door and contemplated, without meaning too, the natural beauty of the man before her. In seconds, she regained reason.
"Mr. Owen and I were talking. We didn't even hear the door open…"
"Owen heard, but knew it was me." And smiling, he added: "Are you always so formal?"
"My parents are very formal. I'm an only daughter. We could say that I was raised in a very old fashioned way."
"I understand, although I should warn you: Owen doesn't like so much formality. It doesn't have many friends. In fact, it only has me and a squirrel that lives in a nearby tree."
"A hound dog that is friends with a squirrel?" she said playfully.
"Lessons that age grants: why keep a feud that isn't even yours, if you can create bonds of friendship?"
Sarah Morganwish's smile reached her eyes. And Walker liked what he saw.
Perhaps because of the luminosity tempered by the flames, or for feelings much more at ease than when she arrived, Morganwish made herself noticed in details.
The well designed body, even in completely unsexy clothes, made a desire to arise to the mind of that man.
Her face was beautiful, with delicate features, brown eyes and a tempting mouth.
The hair, in a reddish-brown tone, fell over her shoulders going towards her breasts that are proportional to her biotype. The slightly peaked strands of hair conferred to her a beautiful frame that once again made the mouth the main focus.
Trying to deviate from the sudden urge to kiss her, Walker focused on the light freckles that contrasted with her fair skin.
Freckles in the middle of so much formality? There is a mischievous girl living inside you, Sarah Morganwish; he thought, smiling on the inside.
"This is a cabin" he said, breaking the silence. "Owen and I don't usually have guests. Ok… This is what we are going to do: you will sleep in my bedroom and I will stay here, by the fireplace with my old friend."
"That wouldn't be fair. If you don't mind, I prefer staying here."
"Yes, I do mind. I would never let a guest sleep uncomfortably while I sleep peacefully in a warm and cozy bed" he said firmly. "Follow me, Ms. Morganwish. Let's accommodate your luggage."
Exiting the living room, they entered a small hallway that which had a door for the kitchen, on the left, and for the bathroom, on the right. Going forward, there was the door for Walker's bedroom.
Once they entered the room, Morganwish found herself facing a big and cozy bed – visibly comfortable –, a small three doors wardrobe, a commode and an old but well preserved armchair.
Following the glance of his guest, Walker commented:
"It belonged to my parents."
"Excuse me?" Morganwish said, not having understood.
"The armchair. It belonged to my parents. I brought it with me when I came to live in the cabin" he revealed, leaving her baggage over the bed and walking towards the bedroom's fireplace, to lit it. "I don't usually go to sleep early. I only lit the bedroom's fireplace later. But perhaps you wish to get rest, take a bath, get changed… In less than fifteen minutes this place will be just as cozy as the living room."
Sarah Morganwish felt extremely grateful.
"Leaving the bedroom, the bathroom is on your left. While you get settled in, I will be in the kitchen cooking something good for us" he said, leaving her comfortable.
Andrew Walker, who are you?, she thought, increasingly puzzled.
The smell that was coming from the kitchen was extremely inviting and Morganwish didn't shy away from invading this place even more.
"Do you mind? The smell is amazing. What are you cooking?"
"What does every British likes to eat?"
"Fish and chips!"
"Exactly! Since I didn't know what you liked, I opted for the traditional" he said, casually, while cooking.
"I'm probably quite hungry" she said playfully, "but that is not the only reason why this scent seems so amazing. There is something else; this can't be just fish and chips…"
"Fish and chips, yes. I'm just preparing an extra sauce, to give more flavor to the meal." He said taking a small spoon with the sauce and carrying it towards Morganwish's mouth. "Do you like it?"
"My goodness… so good! What did you put in?"
"A generous dosage of butter, a bit of rosemary, lemon zest and the surprising ingredient: a little piece of vanilla bean" he revealed, as a legitimate and proud chef.
"Vanilla bean in a sauce for fish? No one would ever think of doing that!"
Walker laughed.
"I enjoy inventing, mixing… I have all the time in the world to create."
"You should set up a restaurant."
"I live well, Ms. Morganwish. I don't feel the need to have more than I already have."
"Please call me Sarah."
He liked what he heard.
"Then please call me Andie."
She also liked what she heard.
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
"The plates are in the cupboard behind you, and the cutlery is in this drawer over here." And returning his glance towards Morganwish, he asked: "Do you drink wine?"
"A little" she answered, while she grabbed the plates.
"Then the wine glasses are on the door beside where the plates are."
Together they took the tableware and the food to the dinner table, which was facing the fireplace, in the small living room.
"This one is for you, buddy" Walker said to Owen, leaving beside the dog a plate of dog food.
"That's odd…" Morganwish thought out loud.
"What is odd, Sarah?" he wanted to know, already sitting by the table.
"Your world contrasts with what most people dream to achieve but what you have here is simply perfect."
"You refer to real estate, power and stuff like that?"
"More or less…"
"Do you also want those things?"
"Have you looked at my feet?" she asked smiling.
"The dolphin slippers? I saw it on the instant that you walked into the kitchen" he smiled back.
"Let's just say that I'm not the most usual human being…"
"So your objectives differ from the ones of most of the people?"
Sarah Morganwish turned her gaze towards the flames in the fireplace.
"I think that everyone should live in the way which suits them best. I am twenty five years old, and I am wearing a hoody with sweatpants and a childish slipper." Returning her glance to Walker, she continued: "You must be in your early thirties but you like a hermit in a wooden cabin hidden by trees."
"Birchwood."
"Birchwood?"
"The trees out there: birches… Birch Trees. The same wood used in the construction of this cabin, named Birchwood."
"The Tree of Wisdom" she contemplated. "Many cultures gave the Birch Tree this title."
"I know. It is exactly why I live here" he let scape.
Their eyes found each other for a period longer than the natural.
Walker broke the silence.
"How is you fish and chips?"
"What fish and chips?" Morganwish joked, before taking another bite.
Both of them laughed, drank wine and remained focused on supper. At least for one hour, no other subject came to scene.
Repeating the path between the kitchen and the living room, this time going the opposite direction, Morganwish and Walker took the tableware and cleaned everything for the next day.
Back in the living room, they sat beside Owen so that they could better enjoy the heat of the fire.
"How old is it?" questioned the lady.
"Fourteen."
"And is that a lot for a beagle?" asked innocently.
"If you want to know if it is really, really, really old, then the answer is yes" he said, with sadness in his eyes.
"It's only the two of you for how long?" Morganwish wanted, very much, to understand this man.
"It has only been me and Owen for around ten years."
"Why?" she dared to ask.
"For the same reason why you wear dolphin slippers."
"Because you prefer it like this…"
"Because there is no space for someone else in your life" he said, looking her in the eyes.
Morganwish gulped.
In that same instant, she remembered the video that she began to record as soon as her car broke on the road.
She remembered what she said about herself and the promise that she made to life:
To let someone in.
But she still didn't feel ready for it.
"Talking about life… I have no idea how to resolve this impasse of mine: do you think you could maybe fix my car? It is quite old. Well, it is really old." And confessed: "It is very important for me to have the chance to talk with Mrs. Gwiwdyr tomorrow."
"Since it is so important to you, Sarah, then I promise that if it happens that I can't fix your car, not because it's old" he joked, "the Owen and I will take you in my car to Mrs. Gwiwdyr's house."
"Promise?" Sarah said excited.
"I promise. Now tell me, what made you become an anthropologist?"
"I grew up with the dream of becoming an archeologist, probably influenced by the dream of my own father, Terence. However, when I concluded Sixth Form and left Langford, where I was born and raised, I found out that my look towards the past was more focused on the cultural aspect of people that crossed history. I loved establishing a connection between the past and the present" she explained. "When I finished my postgraduate studies, I didn't want to pull away from what I wanted to do; I decided that I would work on this bridge between times."
"And that's how you came to be a columnist for the EO?"
"My father's cousin was childhood friend with my Mr. Nownlie, my editor. He saw my credentials from the university and the recommendation letters from professors so he decided to give me a chance" her countenance fell. "Unfortunately, my age doesn't help much."
"What do you mean?"
"Mr. Nownlie believes that a true anthropologist is made by his life experience."
"Which it's true…"
"I know. But how can I have the wisdom of who has fifty, seventy year, when only being twenty five years old?"
"Where are you now, Sarah?"
"With you and Owen, in your living room" answered automatically.
"Ok. And where are we?"
"Lost somewhere in the West Midlands" she joked.
Walker laughed heartily.
Delicately holding the head of his guest with both hands, and bringing their faces closer, completed:
"Birchwood, Sarah Morganwish! Birchwood!"
She imitated his gesture.
"If you are scolding me, then you need to say my full name: Sarah Louise Morganwish!"
"Louise?" he asked, changing his tone.
"My mother is called Lynda, so my parents wanted me to have a name beginning with L."
"Lauren, Leah, Lillian, Lucy, Lydia… With so many names starting with L, did it have to be Louise?!"
"By your reaction, I suppose there was a Louise at some point of your life?" she deduced. "So, back to what you were saying. How can Birchwood give me the wisdom of who lived longer?"
Walker wanted to explain his reaction to the name Louise, but didn't feel ready to talk about the past.
"You said it yourself that ancient cultures gave to the Birch Tree the tittle of Tree of Wisdom, correct?"
"Correct."
"Fate wanted you to pass through here before going to Llanymynech. In fact, no one uses that road anymore. How did you find it?"
"My mind was connected with two possibilities for getting to Llanymynech: follow the A458 or take the A5. Since the snow was delaying my travel, which should last about half an hour at normal circumstances, I thought that if I were to find an alternative road between those two routes, then I would arrive faster."
"And you found. Only thing is that it's a route almost in disuse. Few go through it. And no one does it during such a rough winter."
"How was I supposed to know that?"
"Are you coming from Birmingham?"
"I live in Coventry. I left home in the morning and went by the headquarters of the magazine, which is in Birmingham, checked a few details with my editor and, after lunch, took the road." And vented: "Although quite old, my car had let me down like this…"
"Maybe it was not the car itself. Maybe something, or someone, wanted you to come here first" suggested Walker.
"The hand of fate" Morganwish blurted.
"Or something greater. What do you believe in? Do you have any spiritual devotion?"
"My father's family is Anglican. And part of my mother's family is Catholic. My parents raised me as Anglican, but I can't find myself within a dogmatic concept" she admitted.
"Even studying cultures that always had a direct connection with spirituality?" he insisted.
"Even so" she stressed. "As an anthropologist I respect all paths of faith, all forms of devotion, all ritualistic manifestations… In the end…"
"The woman, Sarah Louise, diverges from the anthropologist."
"I am completely in love with the human mind. Dogmas generate taboos, and taboos restrict, control, limit."
"We all have our limitations…"
"Personal inherent limitations, yes, we all have. And I believe that one of the great purposes of life is the overcome of these limitations. At least of some of them" declared. "What I dislike are the limitations generated by fear, by ignorance, or by taboos born from dogmas. The human race is explorer by nature, curious by nature… We started living in caves, and look at where we are now!"
"In a wooden cabin lost somewhere in the West Midlands."
Both smiled and focused their glance on the flames.
"Yes, we are curious, explorers… But certain things never change. Or we wouldn't both be sitting here before the fire" commented Walker, before looking into Morganwish's eyes.
"Yes, certain things never change" agreed, returning the look.
The strong noise of the wind crossing the trees surrounding the cabin caused them to return their attention to the doorway.
"Do you think it would handle a storm?" she asked, concerned.
"Believe me, Sarah, Birchwood, even if made of wood, it's a very secure residence. Anyway, I think it's time for us to go to sleep. Unless we have a blizzard during the night, there's a road waiting for you tomorrow."
"Or for the three of us, if my car fails."
"Or for the three of us, if your car fails."
Silently, Morganwish walked into the bedroom, while Walker adjusted himself on the couch.
They thought of each other, and of the sudden changes that life brings.
Thoughts that, perhaps, a good night of sleep could push away.
Still, only Owen was able to sleep.