A Scent of a Woman
by Shaolin Kitten
Part 3
The next day Laura rose to find the left side of the sleeper couch empty. It had been an unexpected night for both of them. Nightmares had plagued Kwai Chang's sleep and Laura also found herself lying next to him for comfort. When she woke, she discovered he had risen early, and Laura found him sitting out on the balcony; his back toward her. He sat with his legs crossed and he was playing an old bamboo flute. The sun was just coming up and the birds were beginning their morning song, matching the notes that rose in the morning air. They spoke a greeting and yet they also had a sadness about them. Laura could almost voice the feeling it invoked. Regret?
Laura pulled on a robe and went to the kitchen. She put on a pot of hot water for tea. Caine continued to sit and play his flute. Laura found she liked the sound. It reminded her of her childhood when her mother played the flute during church services. The memory threatened to bring more tears, but this time, Laura steeled herself inside and continued to prepare breakfast. It wasn't until she realized that Caine had stopped playing that she notice that the teapot was whistling its own greeting. Laura put some loose tea in each defuser, placed them each in a mug, and poured the water. She let the tea steep for ten minutes, removed the defusers, and carried the cups out to the balcony. She placed them on the table and watched briefly as Caine still sat on the balcony's floor, this time in meditation. Laura returned to the small kitchen and came out with a bowl of fresh fruit and some rolls. Caine continued to sit with his eyes closed.
'How does he do that?' she thought to herself. Laura sat down and just watched him. She could see his chest move up and down with every intake of breath and release. There was a simple beauty there that drew her. The feeling of dejavu struck her and she remembered the words she'd said to her friends the day of the rally. She thought of last night and the many things they had talked about and shared. With other men, there had not been conversations regarding philosophy, family life, and dreams of the future. Her last date had been more interested in watching the basketball games and getting drunk or high on weed. He had even tried to get her to try it, but she'd refused. After that, she had ended up walking home. Caine was a mystery to her and yet, he felt familiar in a way that she could not describe. Then Caine turned toward her and stared back in that penetrating way that said much without uttering a single word. Suddenly, a look of shame and sadness came over him and he turned away, his eyes cast down. Laura became alarmed.
"What's the matter?"
"I must apologize for last night. It was not my intention to take advantage of you in your grief."
"Oh please, you don't have to apologize. Nothing happened. You were having nightmares. I was just there. Besides, did you ever think that it may have been me who took advantage of you? I mean, I don't go around asking strange men to stay the night in my apartment, but if the man is attractive . . ."
Caine turned toward her, surprise clearly showing on his face. Then he saw a twinkle of humor in Laura's eyes and a smile spread across his features. He liked this person, more than he cared to admit. Even in her grief she seemed to find small ways to bring humor to a situation. He also found she had a strength about her that no other woman he met seemed to have. It saddened him to think that, although they were each journeying to the same place, his road would lead him to another path where he would not be staying. After the festival, he would continue to wander and help those he would meet along the way. Still, he smiled in spite of what he was feeling.
"That's better," she said. "You do not have to be ashamed about last night. We both probably needed it. Sometimes having someone close, just touching, helps to comfort us. It reminds us of when our parents use to do the same thing when we were children. There was a time when my parents lost my little sister to pneumonia. I cried for weeks and, when I got sick, I had nightmares and thought I was going to die. My mother would come into my room and lay beside me until the nightmares stopped."
Laura could feel the ache in her heart from mentioning the memory. Caine looked toward her, his slight smile fading, and deep concern could be seen in his eyes. Laura did not want to go down that path again right now so she steeled herself for the second time.
"Well. Let's forget about it and have some breakfast. I made some tea."
Caine rose and sat next to Laura and picked up the cup of steaming tea. He took one sip and was surprised at what he found there. He had not tasted such tea in many years. Laura could see the question that was within his face and she answered him before he even asked it.
"It's green tea. I had a friend that introduced it to me after she had visited Hong Kong. Now, I have it every morning. There's a small shop not far from here that sells it. After breakfast, I want to check your side. The doctor told me I should change the bandages and keep the wound bathed."
"That will not be necessary."
Laura shot Caine a look that said she would have no argument. Caine sighed and gave in. He was surprised at how he was beginning to recognize that look whenever he was being stubborn. The look caused his heart to melt and he found he could not help but give in to this woman. There was something about her that drew him like a moth to a flame. Maybe it was her caring nature. There had been very few instances where someone had cared for him and he found that he liked that and even missed it. It had been many years since his father had been there and the woman who left him, though kind, he realized there had not been that spark that drew two people together.
"Let me take a look at that side." Laura said, her voice insistent. Kwai Chang unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it aside. The bandage of herbs that he made had been removed that morning and even the stitching was gone. The scar had diminished in its size and looked nearly healed. Laura was surprised at what she found. "I don't understand. This was barely healed yesterday. The stitches would not have been ready to come out for at least a week. How could it heal so quickly?"
"The mind can control the body's healing process when the chi is strong. Certain herbs help in achieving this. The trick is believing you are not hurt, then you can heal quickly."
"Well, since it looks like you're healing faster than I thought, maybe today you can help me pack." Laura hoped he would agree. In reality she simply did not want him to leave. "I thought, since you were heading to Braniff as well, we might go together. It would also save you a lot of shoe leather and you can be there early. And I can have the company. In truth, I really don't want to face my parents' house alone. Once I get there, I'll have to make arrangements to have my parents' ashes interred at the Unitarian Church there."
"Unitarian?" Caine was curious. The word sounded so familiar as if he had heard it some time in his past.
"Yeah, Unitarians believe in the dignity of each person and allowing each to find their own path. I grew up in the church, too. I found out I'm actually a Taoist at heart, but I don't practice. I knew about the temple from my religious education classes and wanted to find out more, but my parents discouraged me from attending. They said the temple wasn't open to the public."
"The temple is open to all who come in peace. If you wish to learn, all you have to do is ask, but I have not seen women at the temple. I do not believe they have the facilities."
"I was only thinking of some kind of Sunday services, like the rest of the churches in the area."
"We have devotions every day. If you wish to come to the temple for that, I do not see why you cannot."
"Maybe I will. Well, I better get dressed and we should get started on getting the rest of my apartment packed."
End of Part 3
