A Window to the Past – Chapter 9
New York
Dylan and Brenda get off the subway and head to the street. They come up to the street and walk down 4th until they hit the park. They enter the park and start to walk down the path toward the arch.
A crowd of people were gathered around several tables and Brenda moves to see what is going on.
She sees several people playing chess and a whole bunch of people just watching. She turns and smiles at Dylan as they continue to walk into the park.
'See, I told you this park would be alive,' she says. 'Look at all these people!'
'Yeah, yeah,' he says, admitting defeat.
They make it to the arch and Brenda stops in her tracks. She stares at the marble structure and immediately sees images of the Arc de Triomphe in her mind.
'Wow,' she says, 'it's alot smaller than I thought it would be,' she says to Dylan.
He nods in agreement and gets a little closer to be able to read the inscription at the top of the arch.
'Let us raise a standard to which the wise and the honest can repair. The event is in the hand of God,' he reads aloud.
Brenda moves from his side to inspect the beautiful marble of the arch itself.
Dylan stares at the words inscribed on the arch and says them over and over again in his head. Something clicks inside his brain, but he can't quite figure out how it all fits together.
'Dylan? Did you hear me?' Brenda says walking back over to him.
'Huh?' he says, slowly turning his head from the inscription down to her face.
'Wow, I thought I lost you there for a second,' she says with a smile.
'Oh, sorry,' he says, 'what were you saying?'
'I think I'm ready to go back to the hotel. I'm getting kind of tired,' she says.
'Okay, Bren,' he says and starts to walk toward the subway station. She puts her arm around his back and he reaches to pull her closer as they walk together.
Washington D.C.
Brandon comes into the living room with a glass of water for Kelly. He hands it to her and sits down next to her on the floor. He turns his head to see Steve and Donna sitting up on the couch with their heads leaning back, completely asleep.
'I guess the wine really got to them,' he whispers to her.
She smiles at him and nods her head. He gets up and offers his hand to her to help her off of the floor. She takes it and he leads her into the kitchen so that they can talk.
'Do you miss being at school, Brandon?' she asks him.
'A little bit. I really miss you guys, but I am enjoying my job. It's great experience and the guy I work with, George, is a really good guy,' he tells her.
'That's great. Well, we miss you too. It's not the same without you there,' she says softly.
Brandon smiles and then drops his head.
'What's the matter Brandon? Something's been bothering you since after dinner,' she says.
He nods his head slowly and finally looks up at her.
'Ah, it's probably nothing,' he brushes off.
She puts her hand on top of his and rubs his fingers with hers.
'Come on, Brandon, you can't hide from me,' she says.
He watches her fingers move on top of his and immediately feels warm and safe at her touch.
'It's just something that Amy said tonight. She said something about a brother. When we talked about our families, she was fascinated with the fact that I was a twin and that Brenda and I were pretty close,' he says and then pauses.
He looks up at Kelly and meets her eyes. 'Kel, she told me she was an only child and I know it doesn't seem like a big deal, but why would she lie about something like that and,' he voice trails off.
'And what else might she be lying about,' Kelly finishes for him.
'Yeah,' he says with a hint of sadness in his voice.
'It'll be alright, Brandon. These things have a way of working themselves out,' Kelly says. She feels a pang of jealously in her chest and tries not to let it show on her face.
'I don't know, Kelly. Something about her just doesn't feel right now,' he says.
New York – the next morning
Dylan wakes when he hears movement in the bathroom. Brenda comes out of the bathroom fully dressed with a piece of paper in her hand.
'Good morning,' she says to him.
'Hey, what's going on?'
'I was just checking to see what time I had to be down at the theatre. I'm supposed to get my measurements done for the costumes and then a read through with the cast,' she says.
Dylan nods his head and doesn't move from the bed.
'Bren?' he says softly.
'Hmmm,' she says still looking at the schedule.
'We really have to talk. I can't sit in this hotel room forever,' he says.
Brenda nods her head. 'Listen, I won't be at the theatre for very long today, only a few hours. After I get back, we'll shut the phone off and lock ourselves in, okay?'
Dylan stares back at her for at least ten seconds before sighing out loud and saying, 'Okay.'
She gives him a weak smile and leaves the room.
Dylan gets out of bed and takes a shower. He changes his clothes and sits on one of the couches in the room.
He wanted their conversation to be productive and he didn't want to waste a lot of time on things that didn't matter. He grabs a piece of paper and a pen from the desk and starts to write down the things that were most important to him.
Washington D.C.
Brandon calls George in the morning and tells him that his friends are in town and asks if it's okay if he takes the day off. George tells him to have fun with them and not to worry about work.
Brandon takes Kelly, Donna, and Steve to the National Zoo and they spend half of the morning walking around.
'The pandas are so cute,' Donna says with excitement. 'I never thought I'd see a real panda up close.'
'Really? Haven't you ever been to the San Diego Zoo?' Steve asks her.
'No, Steve, I've never been,' she says.
'Me either,' Kelly says.
'Okay, next road trip, we're going to the zoo,' Steve decides. 'It's one of the most awesome places on Earth.'
Brandon laughs at Steve's enthusiasm and continues to walk toward the exit.
'Let's get going, the Smithsonian awaits,' Brandon says and dramatically lunges forward.
They all laugh and follow him to the Metro Rail.
They spend the rest of the day walking through the various Smithsonian Museums. They lose Donna for about thirty minutes in the Natural History Museum. When they finally find her she's staring with her mouth open at the Hope Diamond.
'Come on, Donna, time to go see the moon rock!' Steve says.
The three of them work together to tear her away from the Hope Diamond and move along to the Air and Space Museum.
'What's the big deal with the moon rock? That diamond is much more important,' Donna scoffs.
Kelly starts to laugh. 'Donna, you can touch the moon rock. You can't touch the Hope Diamond,' she says.
'Yeah, yeah, alright, but I bet the moon rock doesn't sparkle,' she says and follows them to get in line.
After enjoying the Smithsonian, they stop at a diner to get something to eat and then go back to Brandon's apartment.
They all slump onto the couches and close their eyes at the same time.
'What a great day,' Brandon says without opening his eyes.
'Totally,' Steve says.
Donna finally motivates herself to move off of the couch. She reaches into her purse and grabs her phone.
'Brenda didn't call us back,' she pouts.
Donna searches her address book and finds Brenda's cell phone number and hits send.
'Hello?' she hears Brenda yell into the phone after the third ring.
'Brenda!' Donna shouts, startling Steve, Kelly, and Brandon.
'Hey, Donna! Did you make it to D.C. okay? Was Brandon surprised?'
'Yeah, we got here fine and he was totally surprised. Why are you yelling?'
'Oh, I'm out on the street in front of the theatre. You called at the perfect time, we're on a break and I just needed some air,' she says.
'Well, we just had an awesome day, Bren. Brandon took off from work and we went to the National Zoo and saw the panda bears and then we went to the Smithsonian and my eyes almost popped out of my head at the sight of the biggest diamond I have ever seen. It was absolutely amazing, Bren, you have to see it! So, are you all settled in? When can we come and see you? How is it being in the Big Apple?' Donna asks quickly.
'Whoa, whoa, Donna, calm down,' Brenda says laughing into the phone. 'Everything is fine. I'm all settled in at the hotel until I find an apartment. I have rehearsals for a few hours a day right now, but the nights are free for the next few weeks. I love New York and I can't wait to get out and see everything,' Brenda tells her.
'We want to come and visit you too. Do you think you'll be able to put us up for a day?' Donna asks her.
'Do you guys really have time for that? I thought you were just going to stay down there with Brandon?' Brenda says.
'Well, we were, but you're so close! Even if we come up for the day and come back down here at night, it would be worth it,' she says.
'Whatever you want, just let me know when you're coming and I'll do what I can to get some free time,' Brenda says. 'Look, Donna, I have to go back in now, I'll talk to you soon, okay?'
'Okay, Bren, we miss you,' Donna says.
'I miss you too. Bye,' she says and hangs up the phone. Brenda walks back into the theatre and wonders if Dylan would still be around and how she would explain that if they decided to come and visit her.
'So, what do you guys think of a short day trip to New York to visit Brenda? She said that she has rehearsal during the day for a few hours, but the rest of the time is free,' Donna tells them.
'Donna, we have to leave in three days to go back to California,' Steve says.
'I know, I was just hoping that we could fit it all in, that's all,' she says.
'Donna,' Brandon says, getting up off of the couch and standing next to her, 'you know how Brenda gets when she's involved in a show. I'm pretty sure that she wouldn't be that much fun to be around anyway.'
'Yeah, maybe you're right,' Donna says.
New York
Dylan paces the length of the hotel room trying to reassure himself of his decision. After making a list of talking points that he definitely wanted to cover with Brenda when she returned, he had to get up and start walking around. He thought at one point that he might actually throw up with the mounting nervous feeling in his chest and stomach. As he paces he passes by the desk and accidently kicks the leg and hears the phone chime as the desk rattles.
He stares at the phone for a few seconds and then picks it up quickly. He dials a number and prays that someone picks up the other end.
'Hello?'
'Mom, I need some help,' he says desperately into the phone.
'Dylan, what's the matter?' Iris gets serious.
'I need to ask you something and you have to swear that you'll be honest with me when you answer,' he tells her.
'Okay, Dylan, what is it? I don't like the sound of your voice,' Iris says.
'I have so much going on in my head right now that I can't think clearly at all. I need you to help me get through this and find an answer,' he says.
'What is it, Dylan?'
'Mom,' he says, pausing for a few seconds, 'do you think that Brenda and I are meant for each other?'
Iris smiles to herself and sits down in her rocking chair.
'Dylan, sweetheart, I believe with everything that I know to be true, that you are Brenda are and always will be connected to each other,' Iris begins.
'What the hell does that mean? I need some real advice here, Mom, not some vague opinion,' he says, annoyed.
Iris takes a deep breath and waits a few seconds for Dylan to calm down. She decides that maybe it's time he knew what she knew. Having more information might make his decision easier.
'I really didn't want to have to tell you this, but it sounds as if you are about to fall apart, so I'm going to tell you,' she says.
'Tell me what?' Dylan asks her calmly.
'I am kind of afraid of how you will react, so I need to you sit down and listen to everything I have to say with an open mind,' Iris instructs him.
Dylan sinks down onto the couch and takes a deep breath.
'Toni showed me something when I was communicating with her that night in Marchette's study,' Iris says.
Dylan leans forward and almost stops breathing as he waits for Iris to continue.
'She let me into her world for just a brief second and let me see what she could see. As soon as I saw it, I understood right away why Brenda was brought into the entire situation,' she says.
'What was it?' Dylan says softly.
'She showed me your spirit, Dylan, and Brenda's spirit. The two were so intricately intertwined with each other that I couldn't really tell where one ended and other one began. There is no possible way that I know of for you two to not be in each other's lives in some way,' Iris says.
Dylan doesn't say a word, trying to comprehend what Iris was saying. He waits for her to continue.
'I don't honestly know whether that means that you are meant for each other in that sense of the word, but what it means to me is that no matter what you are doing or what she is doing, somehow, some way, those decisions that the two of you make affect the other one, always.'
Dylan sits and stares out the floor with his mouth open as his mother talks to him.
'Now with that being said, do not over think this situation and assume that you need to find a way to sustain a relationship with Brenda. All this means is that you are meant to influence one another in this life as you do in the spiritual life. I don't know what the interlacing of the spirits translates to in the real world, but it's got be something significant,' she says.
Dylan stays silent for another few seconds. He tries to process everything he just heard, but has a hard time connecting his thoughts.
'Thank you for telling me about that, Mom. That helps me more than you know,' he says.
'Dylan, remember, use this as a guideline, not a rule,' Iris warns.
'I understand, thank you for clearing things up,' he says sincerely. 'Mom?'
'Yes?'
'What does 'Let us raise a standard to which the wise and the honest can repair. The event is in the hand of God' mean to you?' he asks her.
'Hmmm, let me think about that,' Iris says and takes a minute to digest the quote.
'Well, I think it means having the courage to embark on a blind endeavor, but having the knowledge that the path isn't entirely set in stone. If you are wise and honest, you will find a way to prevail over any situation,' she says.
Dylan smiles into the phone and nods his head. 'That's exactly what I thought,' he tells her.
'Thank you for your help, Mom,' he says.
'You're welcome, sweetheart. I know you'll make the right decision,' she says.
'Yeah, I feel much better about this than I did ten minutes ago,' he says and hangs up the phone.
Dylan moves to the bed and sits down. He leans over and puts his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. He begins to cry at the thought of Toni seeing his spirit intertwined with someone else and how she must have felt.
'There's a reason for all of this. I know there is.'
Brenda leaves the theatre and starts walking back to the hotel. She looks straight ahead of her as she walks, knowing that Dylan was just waiting in the room for her to return so that they could have their talk.
She begins to really think about him and everything they had been through together. She begins to feel her body remember the night they made love before leaving London for New York. She smiles remembering his touch, his lips, and his body against hers.
She definitely wanted that part of him. They connected so completely every time they had sex and thinking about it scared her a little bit. She was a little lost without him when she returned to London from California. She remembers feeling lonely and the apartment seemed so big and empty.
They had grown up quite a bit since the last time they were a couple and she tries to figure out how being with him now would be different. She finds herself wondering whether the fear of falling so hard for him again has been keeping her from letting her feelings out.
She stands in front of the hotel and stares at it for a few seconds before going in. She promised herself that she would be honest with him throughout this entire conversation. She wanted so much to straighten this situation out so that she could stop worrying about it and focus on performing.
She stands in front of the door to her room and takes a deep breath before slowly putting the key in the lock.
She opens the door slowly and looks around the suite for him, only to find him hunched over on the bed with his head in his hands, crying.
She runs to him quickly and kneels in front of him so that she could see his face. She doesn't say anything, but puts her hands on his knees and tries to get him to look at her.
Dylan slowly opens his eyes and lifts his head. He scans her worried face and stops when he reaches her eyes.
He feels the energy from her body flow into him as he looks down at her hands. He takes a quick breath as an overwhelming jolt of emotion runs through his body like electricity. She searches his eyes for a clue, but does not find one.
He lowers his hands slowly and puts them on the sides of her face. Brenda subconsciously licks her lips as soon as he touches her and when he sees her open her mouth he drops his head quickly to kiss her.
She moves with him and is a little shocked when she does not feel the slightest bit of hesitation. She was so used to a part of her body trying to recoil itself when he touched her and when it doesn't she puts her arms around his neck.
He lifts her up off of her knees and she moves quickly to follow as he lays her down onto the bed next to him.
They lose themselves for a second and all at once the tension in Brenda's shoulders disappears and the uneasiness in Dylan's chest and stomach fade away.
Brenda struggles to get closer to him as he holds onto her body tightly. They undress each other slowly, moving together with a passion and a purpose they had never felt before. They make love to each other and as they do, Dylan feels everything fall into place.
Brenda lies in his arms with her eyes closed thinking how wonderful she felt at that very moment. He tightens his grip on her body and kisses her on the side of the head.
Brenda smiles and nestles closer to him. 'This was a very productive talk, don't you think?' she says.
Dylan starts to laugh as Brenda turns her head to look at him. She smiles and he leans down to kiss her.
'Dylan, seriously,' she says, 'I am really happy and grateful that you are here with me right now. I know that this hasn't been easy for you. I was a little scared and hesitant to get back together with you, but every day that you are near me convinces me more and more that this was meant to be,' she says.
'I wasn't so sure myself, Bren, but after walking around the city, reading the inscription on the arch in Washington Square Park, and talking to Iris, I've gained some perspective. We're not perfect and we may not know what's in store for us down the road, but I have a feeling that together, we can deal with whatever gets thrown at us,' he says.
'You talked to Iris?' Brenda asks him with confusion.
'Let's save that for another day,' he says with a smile. He pulls her on top of him and tries to tickle her to get her attention away from Iris.
She starts to laugh and tries to push his hands away from her. 'Dylan! That's unfair!' she squeals.
He watches her wriggle to get away from him and smiles. He pulls her down onto his chest and takes her face in his hands.
'You are so beautiful right now,' he says.