Jacob woke with a start. He opened his eyes. It was still dark everywhere. He knew something had disturbed his sleep. In the silence, the sound of Mea crying penetrated the fog in his brain. He waited, wondering if her crying would escalate. Within minutes, she settled. He let out a sigh of relief. Beside him Cathy slept soundly. The rhythm and cadence of her breathing reassured him. He sensed that her dreams were taking her to interesting places. He hoped she would remember. There were no identical ways in which people remembered and realized their dreams. Jacob looked forward to hearing Cathy's own interpretation of the visions now swirling through her subconscious.
Jacob rolled onto his back. Keeping his eyes open, he looked at the ceiling, then the wall across the room. It was dark but shadows lurked. Spirits inhabited this world between midnight and sunrise. They were neither evil nor mean. Much of the time they hoped for an audience with a sensitive being who would understand their message. Jacob searched the swirling energy around him. He felt the warmth of a kindred spirit and offered himself as a channel for its release.
'My Grandson. I am proud of you. What you choose to do will benefit many.'
'Coralee', he mouthed into the silence.
'No path is easy. Stay the course for me and others like me.'
The drift of energy away saddened Jacob. His deepest wish was to engage these spirits of his past. There was so much to learn. He also understood that the aperture in his aura, which made communication possible, had its limits.
The weekend had opened his eyes to a need. There were so many startling discoveries in the Community of the Giants and Pater's chambers, his mind could hardly grasp what should have been similar to his own experience. He was after all a child of the tunnels. From his earliest times, Narcissa would talk of them with great fear. They had been all but forgotten until the need arose to return to Pater's chambers.
Now they were almost gone. Phister and one other remained to keep watch. Somehow Jacob would have to make them productive. Cathy's suggestion, to give them designated tasks, had been a good one. However their language and way of being was as foreign to the outside world as the tunnel world is to outsiders. A combination of supervised work and keeping guard might be the best he could hope for. Sadness overwhelmed him at the loss of their unique contribution to the 'underworld'.
Jacob had listened carefully to their unique interaction. It was imperative that he and others could communicate with them. Bits and pieces of their words made sense. Moses, the deceased leader defined himself as Mijn moeder Mozes eerst. Phister was Mijn moeder niet Mozes vuist. Jacob thought it was like a right hand man or a phony mister. Neither seemed to mind Jacob's interpretation. When Phister fell under the influence of the drugs and Jacob did the reprogramming he received an incredible story about their origins.
The Giants were descendants of the late 19th century, second wave of Dutch who came to New York to make a new life. Moses and Phister were from the same grandparents, cousins it seemed. There were two other families, who had been forced underground by the lack of money and resources prevailing everywhere at the turn of the century. 'Moeder', the acknowledged female elder who gave up so much to be in America, had 10 sons and two daughters. She did her best to make something of the cramped underground space which provided shelter and safety but longevity did not extend to her entire family. The females seemed to fare less well in the tunnel. The girls and women, from all three families were dead by the middle of the 20th century, leaving the men to fend for themselves.
Phister and Moses were the oldest of the third generation. Jacob assumed that interbreeding created a community of Giants who lacked the mental resources to survive outside of the tunnels. That they lived this long was amazing. It was sad that two thugs, should be responsible for wiping out the small colony . Whatever was necessary, Jacob would ensure the survival of the remaining two until nature took its course.
As he stared at the walls, Jacob wondered how many other pockets of families existed in the vast underground. Now he was about to start another.
If Jacob had planned to do anything with his life, it was not to recreate the path chosen by his grandfather, Jacob Wells Sr. Still, his desire to capture his mother's sacrifice and commitment to justice, to channel his father's strength effectively, and to honour the history of his family while still being true to himself, drew him in the direction of the tunnels. Time and time again he saw a need to protect and support women and children, lost in a society which did not value the role of Mother. For the motherless child he had been, it was a dream from the heart.
Shutting off the incessant circle of questions, and wondering if a true insanity could run in his family, he smiled at the thought before allowing his mind and body to drift back into sleep. Any analysis of his future actions depended a great deal on selling the idea first to his father and mother. He was so sure of considerable opposition. Jacob also sensed an unreadiness on his part to defend a plan not yet perfected. There were still many issues to consider. Meanwhile, another work week dawned.
'Jacob, I was lucky to get an appointment. You know your Father can't go with me. Would you?'
'Of course Mama. What time?'
'3:15. I'll take a taxi and meet you there.'
Catherine hung up the phone. Her hand rested on the cradle for a long time. Thoughts ran to Terry. She knew that a conversation with her best friend would alleviate some of the concern she felt. Terry had that ability to sort any mess into a concrete plan. This situation with Mea wasn't a mess but Catherine was becoming concerned. The infant looked more and more yellow every day. No matter how many good things are available to Mea now, what if the first weeks of her life had been so devoid of any basic necessities of life that it set her on a path of ill health?
'Did you speak with Jacob?' Vincent's soft and reassuring voice broke her reverie.
'Yes. I did. He will meet me there.'
'Catherine, I know you are worried. Are you sure you don't want me to be nearby?'
Catherine's hand left the uncertainty of the phone's receiver. She raised her eyes to reassure Vincent that his safety was as much of a concern as Mea's health.
'We will find ways to be together if I need you. I know that.'
Vincent came towards his wife, enfolding her in his arms.
'Remember when you came to see Daddy?' she whispered into his shoulder. 'I think that hearing your voice and listening to your reassurances of our love, helped him to die peacefully. You were there when I needed you.'
'Yes, I remember Catherine. Let's not look too far ahead,' he cautioned. 'Whatever is wrong, I hope it won't require hospital care.'
'I do admit to being afraid for her. I want her to grow well and strong and I want us to be there to see her thrive and do well.'
'Catherine, my love, your heart is ever young but I sense age coming on me. I look at our son and see the years that have passed. His maturing signals my aging.'
'You will never grow old Vincent. I look at you today and see the same man, I last saw just a short time ago and yet so many years have passed. I wonder what I would have thought on waking up and seeing you as much older? As it was, nothing seemed to have changed.'
'Nothing did Catherine. I am the same man inside and out. If I look the same and it helped you feel comfortable at our reunion then it was just another blessing for us.'
'I didn't think about that until now. I knew I looked different and yet it didn't matter how I looked. Were you surprised Vincent? At me, I mean….'
'What did I see Catherine? The love of my life restored to me. You were bathed in a light so bright and so magnificent. All I could see was the brightness. There was a halo around you. You were an angel coming to life again. Nothing else mattered.'
Vincent and Catherine held each other tightly, each aware of their love blending into one another. The telephone ring shattered the moment of intimacy. Catherine reluctantly let go of her husband, but not his hand, as she reached for the receiver. She had no moment to prepare herself for a call to Terry. The object of her earlier thought, was on the line.
'Terry, I am so glad that you called.'
'It seems I have to, if I want to spend time with you Catherine. I wish we could talk more often.'
'I do too. I know that I have been very hesitant about calling.'
'Oh Vladimir is a big boy now, eating well and living on a slight routine. It has been easier to find time for other things.'
'It wasn't you Terry. It was me. I had something I wanted to share with you but I thought you might not like it. I didn't want to upset you.'
'Catherine, I am your friend, not your keeper. I hope you would always be able to tell me anything.'
'This is different!'
Catherine shooed Vincent on his way and sat down to relate the story of Mea and Cilla. She spoke with confidence.
'It is imperative that these girls be given a chance in life. I have had so many opportunities for renewal. I wanted to give back.'
'Catherine, I am so proud of you. I can tell you that having a child is not easy. I know you have help, just as I do but still, it is a handful. As long as you can manage without stressing yourself, this is a wonderful way to 'pay it forward' as the saying goes.'
'Thank you Terry. Thank you. Your support means the world to me.'
'Call me after you see the Doctor. Let me know what is happening. If I can help in any way, I will.'
Catherine hung up the phone again, feeling as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Terry understood. Why didn't I trust her?, Catherine thought. It was a feeling she would explore but Mea was waking up. She had to be fed, washed and prepared for her visit with the pediatrician.
Jacob worked at super speed to finish up his assignments for the day. He had a lot on his mind. This break in his day, to support his mother, meant bringing forward other plans. He sent a message to Cathy on his phone. As he looked at the small computer in his hand, he wondered how he had managed before. The amazing instrument could do more than just keep him in touch with his fiancee.
The long list of tasks he set for himself came up easily on his small screen. At the top of the list was an issue causing much consternation. Jacob felt hampered. His intellect was strong but his knowledge of pop culture was limited. There were few people in the world above who understood the restrictions imposed on him. Asking simple questions left him vulnerable to ridicule. There were few people who were trustworthy enough to keep the secrets of the tunnel community and know that a brilliant young man could lack the ability to access the obvious and normal. Jacob fingers did a quick search, found the number he needed and dialed.
'Eric, how are you? It's Jacob Wells calling.'
'Jacob. This is a surprise. I'm good. How are you?'
Jacob was deeply indebted to Eric, Senator Maxwell's capable assistant for his exceptional help in finding the Brownstone for his parents. Before that he had organized the trip out west. He was efficient and discreet. Jacob was sorry they could not be better friends. Distance made it impossible and he suspected that Eric felt more for him than just friendship. He kept his tone light.
'It is a new day every day. My parents are thriving and that is what matters most to me.'
'They certainly are remarkable. Please give them my best. How can I help you?'
Jacob went on to outline his needs. Eric listened as patiently as he always did.
'I can email all that information to you and send a few links that might serve you better.'
'Thanks Eric. I am indebted to you once again.'
''Hey listen….since your mother's return, my boss has been a different person, for the better too. I should be grateful to you.'
Jacob laughed and rang off. Under other circumstances, Eric would have made a terrific older brother.
With his desk cleared, Jacob grabbed his jacket and made his way to Cathy's desk. She wasn't there but he left a note with a hastily drawn cartoon. He hoped it would make her laugh.
True to his word, he was waiting for his mother when the taxi pulled up outside the medical office building. Mea stayed quiet while Jacob booked her in. They didn't have to wait long for the Doctor. A short rotund man, probably closer to his parents age, showed them into an opulent office. The walls were lined with degrees and certificates. This man was well educated. Clearly he knew his job. Jacob felt Mea was in good hands.
