Chapter 10: Meeting Jocelyn
Well, the bus ride to Ithaca goes pretty smoothly and once we arrive, we rent bikes right away because the boys are itching to get home to the commune and they say we can drive the van back tomorrow and check out the town. It's a long way by bicycle to the commune from town but thankfully we're all in impressive shape so it goes by fairly quickly. Now I get why Jace insisted we travel light!
We arrive onto sprawling acreage and see some typical farm-esque sights. The entire place is off the grid so they have everything from livestock to crops to wind turbines and solar power, bio-fuels etc. Everything is recycled, nothing is wasted. There are sheds and storage barns and there is art everywhere. Sculptures and other pieces made from recycled materials decorate every nook and cranny. It may be eccentric but it is also the third most beautiful place I have ever laid eyes on (first and second being Idris and the gardens at the Institute of course).
"Ooh, I love it!" Izzy exclaims. I am so speechless I can only nod.
"Yeah, it's pretty fun here." Jace tries to downplay it but I can tell that that is an understatement.
"By the way, don't expect a fanfare. We only let her know this morning that we were coming." Jonathan cautions. "We didn't want her asking too many questions over the phone. I'd like her to meet you girls and get acquainted first, okay?"
"Oh, you mean I actually get to visit with my mother whom I never knew before I alienate her forever? That's awesome!" I am partially kidding but I'm so frickin' nervous my knees are shaking.
"Nah, she's gonna love you Babe! She'll love both of our girls. She loves everyone. It's kinda like the meaning of life for them around here. Like the Beatles song; all you need is love." Jace quirks one of his adorable smiles at us.
And it looks like we're about to find out how right he is, because a woman with hair as red as mine has just spotted us and is running out of a yurt. At least I think that's what those little buildings are called.
My heart stops. She sees me. She's standing in front of me. She's really here! I should say something. What do you say to the mother you've never known?
"Clarissa? Oh my goodness! Come here, I wanna get a look at you! God you're beautiful and so grown up! They told me you were sixteen now? You don't look sixteen! Oh, you must have an old soul! Look at her eyes! Such depth, such clarity! That must be why they call you Clary. Oh and this must be Isabelle! Goodness, you look just like your mother! Well, enough jibber jabber, let's get these lovely ladies in out of the wind, you must want to sit down after all that exertion! To think that you biked all the way up here from Ithaca! And judging by the time, you didn't even get to stop and see the town? My boys must've had you on a forced march hey? Oh well, no matter. Tomorrow the boys can take you into town with the van and give you the grand tour. Oh, I'm so happy you're here!"
By this point she's taken time to hug each of us and practically squeezed the life out of us. We are sitting in what appears to be a yurt home for one person.
"Do I smell Genmaicha?" Jace asks. I look at him quizzically. He leans in and whispers, "That's Japanese for brown rice tea. It's really good."
"Yes, hunny. I just steeped it. Want some?" We all nod emphatically at the thought of anything nourishing after the ride. "There are some organic, non-GMO, chocolate chunk cookies on the table too, that you may help yourselves to.
Wow, cookies and tea? She may be a hippie but she's obviously an authentic mom too. "Wow, thanks… I'm sorry, I should ask, what would you like me to call you?" I almost said mom but maybe it's too soon for that.
"Well, the boys call me Jocelyn most of the time, or Mama when they want something, but sweetie, you call me whatever you want. I'm just thrilled you're here!" She's all lit up like a Christmas tree and her enthusiasm is definitely catching. I'm starting to forget why I was so nervous in the first place.
"Okay, Jocelyn it is. Thank you, these are very good cookies! If it's alright with you, I think Isabelle and I might like to freshen up after our ride, where should we take our things?" This was my hopefully subtle way of trying to find out where we're going to be sleeping, since it's obviously not in this yurt.
"Ahh yes. That's a very good question. The boys have their own yurt and I wasn't sure if you girls would need a separate space or what the arrangement was, I would have asked but I didn't want to pry." She winks subtly. Are we really that obvious? It seems we don't even have to tell her, she's already got us figured out!
"We'll take you to our place and get you settled in, and then we can come back and snag some more cookies." Jonathan saved the day by speaking before the awkward silence takes over. "We'll be back shortly."
"Oh my gosh, she knows. How does she know? How does everybody know?" I'm trying not to panic but I'm also not succeeding very well. Jace comes over and starts to rub my shoulders.
"Clary, it's okay. Maybe she knows but did you see how she was totally cool about it? Try to remember you are at a hippie commune right now. Believe it or not, we aren't the most controversial people here. She sees a lot weirder stuff every day. There is a 90 year old woman living three yurts down from her who never wears clothes, Clary. There used to be an old guy named Benjamin here who married his dog, okay? His frickin' dog, Clary! We're the normal ones here, so the sooner you grasp that, the more you can peace out and enjoy our time here. Just, focus on your Chi or something. I can teach you some deep breathing if you'd like. Anyway, the point is, just relax okay Babe?"
"You're right, Jace, you're totally right. I was worried for nothing. We don't have to hide here, we can just be ourselves. I think this is the first time we've ever been totally, completely, free to do exactly that. It's quite liberating!"