Chapter Thirty Six – Millennium

Autumn came, the autumn of that first year. Their first Italian autumn. They were both surprised at how mild it was. The Mediterranean climate meant it was never really cold, and clearly, down here in the low lying districts, snow never came. It was wet though, and the rain often reminded them of Japan. The river Po would swell and flow faster and parts of trees and bushes could be seen moving down in its deep brown swirling water, casualties from some unknown incident on its upper reaches where its tributaries were born in the Alpine foothills. In autumn too the tourists went and the school year started and there were more students in the academies. Shizuku decided she liked this time the best. Of course the summer was wonderful, the heat and the happy crowds of people but in the autumn and winter the city was full of young people, people who had come to learn. And being Cremona that meant the arts – music and the graphic arts particularly. The city took on a whole different character, and instead of feeling like a holiday camp it felt alive. It felt for the first time, to them, like home.

Shizuku turned twenty in November. That Friday evening when she came home from work the apartment was dark and quiet. On the kitchen side was a note. The Fire Escape, it said. They had explored up there when they first moved in. At the back of the appartamento and reached by climbing through the bedroom window, the steel fire escape gave egress for all the apartments down into an alley behind the town houses. But if you went up, just one floor, it led you onto the roof. There was a flat space between two pitched roofs. She went up and found him there. He'd got hold of a small metal folding table from somewhere and two little chairs, garden furniture they looked like. Candles were lit on the table and around the flat roof. There was a bottle of wine and a take away. He wore a suit.

"Come. Sit. I want to play you something."

She did. And he did. And in the dark stillness, with the city bustling below and around them, he took her away for a while to a place only they knew. To a wooden house high on a Tama hillside that once had a magical workshop basement where people used to gather and share things. He played tunes that had been special to her and to them. Tunes that when she closed her eyes brought moments back. Brought back incidents and thoughts, pictures, tears and touches; times of sadness and passion. She remembered that night he had deceived his mother and they had shared the place alone together when she had been sixteen. And then he played things that took her to their wedding, and after that to Shimokita up in Aomori where she heard again the wind and rain moving across the hills and smelled the earth in the wet forest behind that funny little hotel. After he finished, what came next was just incidental; the meal; the wine; the laughter, and even later, in their bed; what happened there. For her that evening was a joining of their situation here to what had come before, to all the things that had brought them to now. At the end as they lay in darkness and sleep was approaching he'd quietly said,

"I'm glad grandpa didn't have many good books."

She lay on her side, his right arm was around her, her head rested on his shoulder, he lay on his back. She looked at his profile.

"When I went to the library I couldn't find the section I wanted. I had to wander about the whole place. The section on music was nowhere near the children's fiction shelves. You know, I have no idea why I was there, I was miles out of my way. The arts and crafts section is upstairs."
"Hm. I know."
"So there I was, in completely the wrong part of the library. I was about to turn around and go back to the main desk and ask for help when I thought I'd look down just one more aisle. So I did."
"The childrens section. Fairy tales."
"Hm. Magic happens in fairy tales. And I looked in between those rows of shelves. And there she was. I looked at her and at first was going to ask for help. But something kept me from speaking. I don't know what. She didn't see me. She just took a few books from the shelf and went the other way, towards the reading tables. So I went up to the place she'd been and looked at the sort of books there, to find out what she liked to read. I think she had washed her hair that morning because there was a faint smell of her shampoo. Just a hint of her lingering in the air. I caught sight of her walking to a seat, her back to me. She was pretty even from a distance, even her back and the back of her head. The way she walked, smoothly and gently like some mystical pure creature from one of the story books she was holding."

He had never ever said this to her. She realized what a romantic he was, what a gentle heart he had. It warmed her deep inside to hear him speak like this. She moved her hand across his skin, across his chest and felt the muscles there.

"I didn't take out any violin books that day. As far as learning about violins went, that day was a complete waste."

He turned his face to her.

"I'm glad I didn't turn round and go ask for help though. The decision of a moment."
"No matter. Even if you had, there would have been other days."
"Shizuku."
"Mm?"
"I haven't wished you a happy birthday have I?"
"Yes you have, you've been doing that all evening."
"Did I? Does that count?"
"Of course. Thank you. It was a lovely evening."
"I want to wish you happy birthday again."

And he turned towards her once more, reached out his hand and laid it on her softness.

-oOo-

Adamo had phoned. He was in his last year at university now. At the end of the year he said there was a lot of fun stuff going on in Firenze, it would be the millennium celebrations, parties in the streets, lots of great nightclubs open, the main piazzas would become huge open air bars. He had his own student apartment now and invited them to come down for a couple of days. Seiji agreed at once, he had a special reason to go back there.

They planned to stay for two days but ended up going down on Christmas Eve and staying over a week. This was their first break from the routine that they had grown into, his first break from the workbench at the school. And it was their first Italian Christmas. Adamo and a few of his friends took them to the Duomo for a Christmas Eve midnight mass. They marveled at it's beautiful octagonal dome. Finished in 1436, Adamo had said. It was the first Christian church service they had ever attended and Shizuku was struck by the amazing decorations in the cathedral, particularly the hundreds of candles. Much of the ceremony and ritual was alien and went way over her head but she did pick up on a sense of community in that place, it was a vast space and there might have been over a thousand people there, but as she tried singing along with the hymns and the carols she felt like they were all one person, something she hadn't picked up before in any Shinto celebration. She felt like she could be a part of that and the thought bounced around in her head for days afterwards. But from the sublime to the ridiculous – their Italian hosts took them next across town to a club and there they danced and drank until they were exhausted. Adamo's apartment was a little bigger than Dio's old one had been and it had two bedrooms so there was no need to sleep on the floor this time.

On Christmas morning Seiji and Shizuku both discovered that the other had bought a secret present. They had agreed not to bother because of the cost but he had bought her a hat, a pretty white one with a wide floppy brim. Perfect for wearing in the hot sun to shade her. And, of course, it had a purple ribbon. She had bought him a shirt. A big baggy loose one of raw linen, collarless. She'd hoped it would fit his new arty style. It was funny. Both of them were cross and yet both were pleased at the same time. Seiji had also bought her a box of chocolates. Only a small box but Belgian ones, very good ones. Shizuku took his hand and led him back to bed, and there under the warm blankets they giggled and ate the lot, feeding them to each other. He would hold one in his teeth and she'd put her mouth to his and part way through the kiss would bite off her half.

Adamo took them out for a Christmas lunch and they met up with his friends. Dio was there, and the other guy – Marco (now Seiji remembered his name!) and a third man but all the girls with them were strangers; Fully and the others were gone, moved on to pastures new. Seiji gave a mental shrug, they lived their lives their way but it wouldn't be his choice. They went to a place called the English Club. Run by some British guys it was supposed to be like an English pub but Seiji and Shizuku had no idea if it really was. It was big and had lots of fake dark wood paneling and fireplaces and big plants standing in pots in corners. But the reason why Adamo and his friends liked it here was because the owners liked students and they aimed their prices at student levels. So it was ridiculously cheap and consequently always busy. Dio was friendly with one of the guys who ran the place and he'd booked a table so the nine of them sat down to a great meal which was supposed to be an English roast dinner but the Japanese couple had no idea if it was or not. It still felt strange to eat with knives and forks, to cut and spear your food but whatever the meal was it was very good, a roast chicken with roasted potatoes and far more vegetables than they could eat. They had European Christmas crackers that popped with a bang when you pulled them and inside were treats and silly hats which they all wore. In the corner of the pub was a band of young kids – not great but they weren't bad either and it was a good day out.

Over the days between Christmas and New Year they would go walking, often with Adamo, and he would show them the hills over the river to the south outside the town and the villages there. They were coming back one afternoon, warm from a vigorous walk,

"No lady at the moment then, Adamo?"
"No, Seiji. I split up with my last girl in November. She was too serious for me. Very clingy. She mentioned marriage once so I was out of there." He beamed.
"It's not like you to not want to commit to someone."
"That was a joke, I assume."
"Is my Italian getting better?"
"Yeah, if you can begin joking in another language you are pretty much there."
"And your answer to my question is?"
"No Seiji, I don't want to commit. I'm having too much fun."
"Have you ever thought how much more fun it would be to be with someone and have that feeling, that sure feeling that no matter what happened, they would always be there?"

He gave Seiji a big grin,

"Nope. Not once. One day perhaps, but not yet."
"Someday she'll turn up," said Shizuku, "one day you'll be doing something, something quite ordinary and dull and you'll see her. And your heart will race and you'll realize your life up until that moment has been a total waste."

Seiji glanced at her,

"You don't go to libraries do you Adamo?"

The Italian gave him a funny look, but Seiji caught Shizuku's smile,

"What? Libraries? No way. Boring old school teachers hang out in those places. Besides, I have the internet."
"But you never know who you are meeting on the net. At least in libraries you can see people. And see what sort of books they are reading, get an idea of what's in their heads."
"I don't need to see inside their heads. Just their knickers."

Seiji laughed.

"Libraries. Is this a Japanese joke, Seiji?"
"Yes, I suppose so. But you know, one day, cupid will shoot his arrow through your heart and you'll find love."
"I've loved loads of girls. I've loved them all."
"No you haven't. Jumping into bed with someone for a season isn't love."
"How would you know? You've only ever known one person."
"And that's my point. Hey, Adamo when you get married I'll mention this at your wedding and then you'll know what I'm going on about."
"But never mind, Adamo," Shizuku added, "you never meet anyone interesting in libraries. Isn't that right, Seiji?"
"Yes. Hardly ever in fact."

He felt Shizuku's small warm hand slip into his and give him one of her special squeezes. Adamo gave him a funny look, like he was the world's most tragic loser not to have loved hundreds of women,

"Seiji, my man. When you get bored and restless, come to me. I'll show you around. I'll show you what love is."
"And have you sneak behind my back and grab Shizuku while I'm away? No sir. No thanks."
"Well, if you do ever get bored, just let me know. Same goes for you Shizuku."
"What, you'll run off with Seiji?"

Adamo rolled his eyes,

"Do I look like I might?"
"You are such a desperate guy, nothing you'd do would surprise me."
"I am not desperate, I'm just enjoying the variety of life."
"That's what I meant!"
"Ha, your Italian is good now too."
"Thanks."
"That was a joke wasn't it?"

She merely smiled at him, and said nothing.

-oOo-

At New Year's eve they went out into the town in the afternoon and joined in the all-day party, with Adamo's friends they toured the bars and clubs and drank far too much. By the time it was close to midnight Shizuku and Seiji had no idea where they were except that they were near the river somewhere in a big old warehouse that was now a restaurant and club. They danced like mad things until almost twelve when there was a mad rush for the doors because the fireworks were due to start. They stood in a group on the old quayside and watched the fireworks which were set off from barges in the river near the Ponte del Vecchio. As they waited, Seiji stood behind her and put his arms around Shizuku's middle and held her. The clocks struck twelve, a cannon fired from one of the old fortifications and the fireworks started. A great cheer went through the crowd, everybody danced, kissed and hugged. And Seiji kissed Shizuku and she hugged him.

"Happy new year."
"The same to you. Let's make it a great one, hm?"
"Yes."
"Seiji?"
"What?"
"I do love you so. Thank you for coming to the library. I don't know what my life would have been like if you hadn't."
"I love you too, Shizuku. I'm going to try really hard the next few years to be the best friend you've ever had."
"You already are."
"It can be better. It should be better. Be with me while we make it better."
"I'd like that."

She kissed him again. A long kiss. The kind that she normally only gave him in their bedroom.

Later they went back to the restaurant club. Seiji found Marco.

"Where's Adamo?"

Marco pointed,

"Do not disturb!" he shouted.

Seiji looked. Adamo was sat at a table in a corner alcove. He was with a girl who was dressed in black.

"Shizuku! Look!"

She saw them. And for some reason she suddenly found herself praying,

"Please, God, let this be the person for him. Let him be the person for her. He needs what we have found. Please let him find it."

And then the thought was gone.

"Seiji, come on, let's dance!"
"Oh, my god, I'm shattered!"
"Come on, there's hours of the night left yet!"

-oOo-

Seiji's watch told him it was gone four o'clock. It hardly seemed worth going to bed, they may as well stay up, it would be dawn in a couple of hours. The restaurant club had closed at three and they had drifted on to yet another bar, one in a street where all night licenses had been allowed. They had been burning so much energy the drunkenness had worn off and now they were hungry again. Seiji knew that towards the bridge there were some food stalls he'd seen yesterday (was it yesterday? Yes, technically it was) that were advertising all night food, so they went that way, walking slowly and dreamily and not very straight because after fourteen hours Shizuku's high heels were killing her. Adamo had given Seiji a spare key to the apartment so they could come back when they wanted. They reached the bridge but the food stalls had all gone. Probably sold out, Shizuku had suggested. And then Seiji realized where they were and that this was the time. His arm round her waist, he led her onto the Ponte del Vecchio. Even at this time of night, on this night of this year people were still about, couples mostly, sitting, wandering drunkenly, a few curled up in corners doing rude things. They stopped by the cage.

"I was wondering when this would happen," she smiled at him.
"When we walked here after Christmas I looked for it."
"So did I."
"Did you see it?"
"Oh, yes. The left corner, near the bottom. It's there."

And it was. When she had locked the red padlock on over three years ago it had been near the top of the bar, lots of padlocks were below it. Now it was very close to the bottom, only four or five up and many others lay on top of it. He looked at it.

"I wonder what happened to all the padlocks that were under it?" he asked
"I hope the lovers are all married now, and have babies."
"Babies?"
"Hm," she grinned at him.
"That's worrying."
"What? Babies?"
"Yeah! First time you've ever mentioned the B-word."
"Didn't know there was a law against it."
"Well, no, there isn't, but…"
"But you don't want to talk about it."
"Do you want babies?"

She looked at him, in a careful and level way.

"Eventually, yes."
"But not yet?"
"Hm, no. I don't think so. I think we need to be better off financially first. It's very expensive."
"That's a very practical answer. Given it some thought have we?"
"Yes, didn't know there was a law against that either."
"There isn't. I'm just surprised. I've not thought about it at all."
"I know, I can tell."
"Oh, yeah. How?"
"You're a guy."

She said this so plainly and so matter-of-factly, much like she might suggest that he'd not think about sanitary towels.

"And I'm a girl. We girls think about babies. It's in our nature. It's what we are made to do after all, when you break it all down to the basic level. I exist to carry on the human race by giving birth. So, yes, I think about it."
"Ooh, that was scary."
"Why?"
"It's just a heavy subject, one I need to be serious for and I'm not in a serious mood."
"Oh, so this doesn't need a serious mood?" she indicated the red padlock with her eyes.
"You know that's not what I meant. For this I am in exactly the right mood. I'd just like to have the family planning discussion another time."

She smiled,

"That's fine. So, then. Padlocks."
"Hm. Padlocks."
"You have a key I think."
"I do."
"And another around your neck."
"I thought you wanted to be serious."
"And I have a padlock."
"And another on the cage."
"This isn't really a serious conversation at all is it?"
"I can make it serious if you want me to."
"Go on then. Although I should warn you that the origin of this ritual is to ensure fertility."
"I know. And I'm sure our marriage will be. But not yet."
"Alright. Not yet."

Seiji stepped close to her. Looking past her, over her shoulder he was aware they had an audience. There was an elderly couple there, well dressed. The man wore an old fashioned suit in 1940s style with a fedora hat, the lady a long coat, the collar fur lined. He thought it odd for such a couple to be out walking at half past four on New Years day. Even odder for them to be waiting here watching the cage of locks. Around him were other people and he guessed they might have quite a small crowd of onlookers but he noticed the elderly couple most.

"The chain around my neck. Can you reach it?"
"Mm, let me see."

She raised her hands. His jacket was done up to the collar against the cold night and she unbuttoned the top two buttons. Very slowly. She didn't take her eyes from his. She couldn't see the chain, it was inside his shirt so she reached in and unbuttoned that as well. One button, then a second. His throat was bare. She let her fingers move inside, she touched him gently and slid her hands around.

"Mmm," he let out a small moan, "your hands are cold."
"Your neck is lovely and warm. Wait a moment."

She put her hands behind his neck, under his long hair and stroked the skin there.

"Ah, no, don't do that."
"Why? Don't you like it?"
"No. The opposite."
"No reason not to then."
"Please stop, or I won't be accountable for my actions."
"I'm just warming my hands is all, honestly there's no pleasing some people."

She found the chain and slid it around through her fingers until she reached the catch. She had trouble with this as it was twisted so she stood on tip toe and put her face close. He took this opportunity to kiss her neck, high up, just under her ear.

"Don't do that or I'll never get it off."

The chain came undone. She carefully drew it out making sure the key did not slide off.

"When I undo your padlock, what do I do with it?"
"You know, I'm really not sure."
"Do I keep it or give it back? Should it stay open or closed?"
"Open I think. And I suppose you keep it and I get your key."
"Mmm, lucky you."
"Be serious."

She stood on her toes again and kissed him.

"Here."

He took the chain and slowly slid the key off. He held it in his hand, flipped it over. Just an ordinary little brass key you could buy in any hardware shop. As it lay in the palm of his hand she bent her head down and kissed it, kissed his hand.

"Go on, open me."

He knelt by the cage. She squatted down next to him.

"What if it's rusty and won't open?"

She grinned at him,

"Just stop worrying."

He reached for the padlock. It was ice cold. He tried to lift it, to slide it up to get a better angle on it but the many locks above it trapped it down. He twisted it and slipped the key in. He was surprised to find the key went in smoothly and even more surprising, as it slid in, a bead of oily yellow fluid was forced out and ran down the outside of the lock. What was this? He was reminded immediately of her and how, when she was ready and moaning, she would leak when he touched her special place. Bizarre. He turned the key and the lock mechanism smoothly clicked and the locking loop of the padlock sprung out and open. He wiggled the padlock away from the others and stood up. She rose with him.

"Look. What's this?"
"It's oil. Adamo put oil on it."
"What? When?"
"A day or two ago. I asked him to."
"You little…"
"What?"
"Well, you fixed it to happen like this."
"Of course. Nothing wrong in that. Wouldn't it have been horrible if it was all rusted up and wouldn't come open?"
"You have a point."
"And you're not going to tell me that sometimes in the past you've not arranged things to work out a certain way."

He smiled and admitted she was right. She took the padlock from his hand.

"Now, we exchange. Give me your key."

They passed one symbol from one hand to the other, then the second one back.

"Now what?" he asked
"This, I think." And she offered him her mouth again. They kissed and held each other. Seiji was aware of their audience again. The man spoke.

"Good morning."

They both turned to look at him.

"Hello."
"Please forgive us for being so rude and intruding."
"That's alright."
"We hope you will be very happy together."
"Thank you. We already are."
"You are married I see."
"Yes, last April."
"May the Lord bless your marriage also."

Shizuku spoke,

"Thank you very much. But excuse me."
"Yes?"
"Can I ask? What are you doing here? At this time of day? It's very late."
"No, it's very early. My name is Enrique and this is my wife Constanta. We have been married twenty eight years. We like to come here and watch the young people, watch them make their promises. And of course last night there were lots, and today there will be more. We came here when we were young and left a padlock. And then on our wedding night we came back to unlock it."
"Oh, that's lovely. You did it properly then?"
"Yes, I suppose you could say that. And it works as well."
"I'm sorry?"
"We have four lovely children, so we know the fertility ritual works."
"Oh, yes, oh that's wonderful."
"We have lived here all our lives and we like to come to the bridge and watch the young people. It is so romantic. And often we pray that they will return and marry. Or at least find happiness. I think we are just sentimental old fools."
"Not at all. I don't think that. I think that is lovely. I'm sure your prayers are heard."

Then Enrique said something that went into her heart and burned there.

"Oh, prayers are always heard. He hears them all. Sometimes though, His answer isn't a 'yes'. But they are all answered and how things turn out depend not on what we want but on His plan. You know, you can always trust in His plan. We don't understand it, but He loves us and the plan is what is best for us, even though it may hurt."
"Thank you. I think I understand that."
"It's alright if you don't, young lady. I am sixty five now and I don't understand it yet. I doubt I ever will."

Seiji spoke,

"I'm sorry but it is very late. We ought to be getting home."
"Of course. We wish you every happiness. Peace be with you."

Seiji led her away.

"What was that all about?"
"You know Seiji, I've had some odd experiences in my life. Apart from the visions, I have had more than one encounter with a spirit, a being. I have an idea who it is but I just don't know. I think that was Him again, or He was speaking through that man."
"Really? Hm, I don't know. He seemed pretty straight to me. A bit odd, but harmless."
"Well if spirits want to talk to you, scaring you wouldn't be a sensible move would it? They'd appear ordinary and get their message across in an ordinary way."

As they walked back he considered this, but he hadn't had the powerful encounters that she'd had and he laid these thoughts aside. He would come back to them but not for a long time.

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24 - 25 January 2007

For author notes about chapter 36 see my forum (click on my pen name)