So they had packed up and caught the next available flight back to Edmonton, which meant leaving from Gatwick, instead, and a four hour wait in Minnesota for the connecting flight. It also meant an end to his peaceful, romantic time with Judy.
Latt turned away from the bleak view and walked back to his desk. He sat down. There, spread out in a jumble that would be incomprehensible to anyone but himself, were his notes on reactor design, gravity induction, laser generation, N-beam theory and a hundred other, lesser but essential ingredients to their defence plan.
What I need is to figure out why these supposedly brilliant earth-bound technicians can’t make even a simple ‘Crall’. And I really caused a sensation down at that tiny space base in Florida! Imagine, no one else could take their astronaut tests on the day of their arrival and pass them all, without problem! Latt laughed almost silently. Knowledge of his four years of experience performing maintenance under low and zero gravity conditions – an unforgiving environment where, unlike NASA, he did not have the luxury of seemingly endless practice sessions before having to step out into the potentially, and very often more than potentially, deadly vacuum of space – would have convinced them that their tests were unnecessary, but security meant that he could not mention his superior qualifications for the task. He marvelled again about the primitive equipment that they were using. Had to check the weather before clearing for launch! And what a waste of power! He was still astounded by the solid fuel boosters. Once they’re lit… He shuddered at the thought of being so helpless.
Latt read the reports on the components he had manufactured while in orbit. Everything was great, but somehow the scientists had managed to confuse it all when they had assembled the unit in the Nevada desert. He expected to be asked to go there next week, if the problem still eluded them.
It had been a week since he had flown back from the heat of Florida to the near-arctic conditions of Northern Alberta. The storm had started the previous day, and according to the weather forecast, it would last well into the night before tapering off. Latt scratched at his healthy brown hair and twisted the little mirror so he could see himself. Beside it, he had mounted a photo taken on the day of his first arrival at the Cold Lake base. He shook his head, still amazed at the contrast. The thin, grey face beneath patchy grey hair was so different to the rounded shape his features had since taken on, that he now thought of that person as someone else, from whom he had been transformed, almost as from a chrysalis.
He had not seen Judy at all since his return; he had worked late into the night three or four times, and the other nights he had been unaccountably reluctant to call her.
I don’t really know why. She had been asked to fill in elsewhere when someone had become sick during Latt’s stay in Florida, and Latt had not needed an assistant on his return, as his work had been entirely on paper. The feelings he had experienced – mostly at Niagara – seemed more and more like a dream, and the enormity of the project he was working on was engulfing his every waking moment, and demanding his complete attention.
Despite this, he smiled to himself as he recalled the conversations they had engaged in on technical matters, just days before the tourist trip, things that he and Judy seemed to be intrinsically comfortable around, more so, so much more so, than people. She’s the perfect person to have for advice on the Inducers. She knows them almost as well as I do, now.
Latt recalled the early days of their relationship, when he had been unaware that she liked him, and unaware that he was even capable of liking anyone as he now knew he liked her. She just seemed to understand me better than anyone else could. Latt got up and walked over to the couch. A glance out the window showed that the snow was coming down at the same oblique angle, but that the visibility had improved a little. I must let her know the reason why I can’t see her. She’ll understand the importance of it all. He hesitated for a moment as he picked up the phone, then dialled her number.
“Hello,” a voice he barely recognised muttered, dully.
“Judy?” Latt almost stared at the handset.
“Hello! How are you? Did you get sick down in Florida? How was your flight? What do you think about the shuttle? That’s a special one, you know, it had been a secret, after the rest of them had been retired – they brought it out of hiding especially for the mission!” She paused a moment to catch her breath. “Are you working–”
“No, I’m not exactly working today,” he interrupted, feeling almost off-balanced by her sudden enthusiasm. “I’m sorry I haven’t called. I’ve been very busy with reports. But that isn’t really why I… Judy. I wondered if you might come around tonight. I need to talk to you.”
Judy took a deep breath, worried by his tone. “Sure, I’d like that. I’ll bring some food, too!” She tried to get a response with the fail-safe joke, but Latt just agreed. Before she knew it, he had said goodbye and hung up.
***
Judy stepped nervously into the front entrance of the Hardy’s apartment building and followed Isaac down the long corridor. “Thanks for letting me come ‘round,” she said, as he ushered her into their quite well-appointed place and took her coat.
“After our Thanksgiving meal, you should know you are like family to us,” Isaac responded warmly as if to shut out the memory of the howling wind. “You’re always welcome here.”
Judy stood uncertainly in the hall between the kitchen and the bedrooms.
“Ruth is in the living room; I’m afraid I have some reports to read, so I’ll be in the office.” Isaac pointed at the second bedroom, which he had equipped with every electronic convenience. “Pop your head in and say goodbye before you leave, okay?”
Judy nodded, relieved by his news and aware, in the back of her mind, that he was just making it easy for her. She walked into the large living room and saw Ruth knitting in her recliner. She was wearing sweats and a hand-knitted top with a vee neck and a zigzag pattern that gave a subtle emphasis to her figure. Even her feet were clad in thick woollen slippers.
“Come on in. Make yourself comfortable.” Ruth put down her wool and stretched her fingers. “This will probably bring on arthritis, but I find it relaxing.” She looked at the younger girl’s outfit and nodded her approval. “I love your skirt; it really suits you. Thanks for changing into it!”
“I hadn’t worn it for a while – almost forgot I had it!”
“That would never do.” Mrs. Hardy noted the silky top, deciding that it was too bold for such cold weather, but waiting for a later, more opportune moment to bring it up. “I’m ready for your question. And remember our Thanksgiving meal.”
“I do! It was great. That’s where it all started.” Judy smiled. “You probably don’t know about what’s happened,” she began hesitantly.
“Know? I invented ‘know’, didn’t you know?” Ruth shook her curls emphatically. “I know you and Latt are in love.”
Judy swallowed hard, not prepared for such a definitive statement.
“Sorry, my dear, but it’s pretty obvious, so obvious that a lot of other people have noticed, too.” Ruth grinned and shook out her curly brown hair again, her sparkling blue eyes smiling, too. “Isn’t that better? I didn’t want you to have to build up to a big revelation, and find that you had spent hours doing it.”
“Right.” Judy rubbed her hands together, suddenly even tenser than she had been a moment before. “Thanks.” She cleared her throat. “You see, I didn’t really know how I felt until we went to Europe together, or actually, it was Niagara Falls where it all became clear to me. Then I realised he was exactly what I wanted.” She started to relax a little, and the words came quicker. “He doesn’t have the expectations that most men have. He understands me. He even likes my silly little ways. It just that, since we came back, we’ve hardly seen each other. And since he went down to Florida, I haven’t seen him at all.”
Ruth just sat there and smiled patiently.
“I wanted to see him, but he always seemed so busy. Then, just a few minutes
ago, he called. He sounded different, and he said he wanted to talk to me. Tonight.” She swallowed, and blinked to clear her eyes. “I think he wants to tell me it’s over.”
Ruth passed her a tissue. “And you don’t know why.”
Judy nodded, dabbing her face, watching the slightly older woman desperately. “I think it has something to do with Rhaal. What do you think?”
“Undoubtedly it does.” Ruth nodded. “What are you going to do?”
Judy looked startled, as if she had only expected Ruth to advise her, not just pass the buck back.
“I was going to take some nice food, maybe Chinese; he liked the stuff we had in Soho so much, and that’s about as close as I’ll get here. Then, I was going to talk.”
“If you were just a few yards from those Falls again, what would you do?”
“I’d take him back out there.” Judy grinned. “In a few minutes he would soften up in the damp!”
“Yes, atmosphere…” Ruth chuckled. “Do you like old movies?”
“Ye-es…” Judy sounded a little confused at the question.
“No, really, do you like the old ones from the forties? Even the black and white ones?”
“I liked ‘Now Voyager’, and ‘White Christmas’, of course.”
“‘We have the stars!’“ Ruth tried to quote it right, but wasn’t sure.
“Don’t let’s ask for the Moon!” Judy nodded as she smiled, recalling the moment. “And that ‘White Charger’ Bing’s character sort of fell off…!” Judy nodded some more. “That’s about all I’ve ever seen. Oh, and ‘The Best Years of Our Lives’, I loved that one.”
“I may have to get Terry to watch that,” Ruth muttered. “His arm seems to have given him the perfect excuse to drop out of the social scene.”
Judy wondered what this had to do with her.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Ruth giggled, which made her seem much younger than Judy had always imagined her to be, as the wife of a professor. “I’ll tell you a ‘secret’, then you’ll understand my plan. Terry was my ‘first love’. He asked me to marry him, but although I did love him, sort-of, his request came about three months too late. I had met Isaac, and beside him Terry looked like a good friend, but nothing more. Since that day, I have tried to get Terry matched up with someone better for him than I would have been. You might say I feel responsible. It’s part of my heritage.”
Judy sat on the edge of the couch, quite amazed by the revelation.
“So, I’ll tell you what you could do. You could go around and listen to your man tell you that he must concentrate on the work he is doing. Maybe you could talk him out of it. Maybe if you jumped him and kissed him to death, he might change his mind.”
“But you don’t think so.”
Ruth shook her head. “You need to approach it so he doesn’t see it coming. Then he won’t fight it off.” She got up rather abruptly and went over to the phone.
Judy sat and stared out the window as Ruth spoke in low tones into the handset.
“Okay, they have it reserved. It’s even on DVD – I thought there was no DVD available yet, but they have it there, and I hadn’t been able to find one. I would have just lent you my own copy if I’d realised, but no matter! Just tell them I sent you.” Ruth handed her a note with the title scribbled on it, and the address of the video store. “Latt has seen a couple of war movies, so he will have enough background to understand it. Once you’ve seen it with him, I think you’ll not have a need to say much.” She got up and pulled the curtains, shutting out the cold.
“Thanks!” Brisson sounded genuinely grateful, although clearly she had no conception of how this would effect the change she so much desired.
“There’s one other thing,” Ruth continued a little hesitantly.
“Something not quite right about the choice?” Judy looked worried again.
“Yes. No!” She reached down the side of her recliner and pulled out a Christmas gift bag, with bold red tissue paper stuffed in the top. “I wanted to give this to you for Christmas, but I didn’t quite finish it in time.”
“I didn’t think you…”
“Well, not exactly, but I’d never let that stop me from giving presents!” She handed over the bag. “I hope you don’t mind the suggestion.”
Judy took the bag, thanking her friend sincerely.
“You should look now, and see if you like it.”
Judy saw Mrs. Hardy meant it, so she pulled out the paper and reached in. Something exceedingly soft met her touch, and she gently pulled it out, intrigued. There, in her hands, was the kind of sweater she had worn when she was ten. Fluffy, fuzzy, she didn’t know what exactly to call it, but instinctively she held it up and pressed it against her front.
“I always loved these. Thought I was too old though.” She put it back in the bag and started to get up.
“Try it on!”
Judy sat back down, tipped her head to one side, confused.
“There’s a reason…” Ruth shook her curls again, her eyes dancing.
“Now? Here?”
“Sure. It may make all the difference. Isaac’s very busy, he won’t come in!”
Ruth glanced down the hall, and started unbuttoning her silk blouse. In a moment she was slipping out of it, exposing her cream-coloured bra and feeling a sudden shiver. She pulled the ‘fuzzy’ over her head and adjusted her hair. The fit was close, but comfortable, and it reached down several inches over the top of the skirt, so she knew she would stay warm.
“Try this mirror here.” Ruth stood up and pointed to one mounted on the wall by the bathroom.
Judy smiled as she stood. She smiled even more when she looked at herself, as directed.
“Come around again.” Ruth gave her a hug. “Now you’re unstoppable! I love making beautiful things – knitted by hand and knitted by heart! Bring your husband next time, okay?”
“I think I understand what you are doing.” Judy smiled as she popped her blouse back in the Christmas bag. “And you’re right, it will work. I haven’t ever seen the movie though.”
“All the better. You’ll remember that you first viewed it together.” Ruth gave her back her coat and ushered her out of the door.
“Oh, say goodbye to Isaac for me,” Judy whispered, before she hurried down the long corridor of the apartment building.
***
Judy walked up to Latt’s apartment door; the DVD was carefully stored in her inside jacket pocket, and the Chinese food was still steaming inside the double bags in which the little chef had packed it. Fancy that video store not taking any money! She shook her head. Ruth is such a great friend.
Latt opened the door and ushered her in. He breathed deeply. “That smells great!” He let her put the food on the kitchen table and helped her out of her coat.
Judy stood nervously for a moment, hoping he would kiss her, then she started unpacking the food when it became obvious he would not.
“There’s not a minute to waste; we can’t let this get cold.”
The meal went very well, though conversation lagged a little and Judy found her hands were shaking as she broke open her fortune cookie. ‘A long life and many children’, the tiny slip of paper declared. She put it in her pocket hastily.
“Did you get anything?” she asked. “My cookie doesn’t have anything in it.” She made a show of displaying the now-empty treat.
Latt passed her his slip of paper.
“‘Never mow the lawn in a snow storm!’” Judy read it out loud and laughed. “Now, before anything else, I want to show you a movie. It’s only a couple of hours, and I understand it’s really good.”
Latt hesitated, obviously concerned that he would have to postpone their serious conversation, then agreed as he realised the hour was still relatively early.
Judy went to work quickly, sliding the disk into the machine and pressing start before she sat down. After the disk started to rotate, she switched on the television and reached down subtly at the side of the couch to disco
nnect the telephone, determined that there would be no distractions.
After the usual, interminably long lead in, selection of no-subtitles, checking it was in English (Latt’s language was not on the list!), during which she managed to get Latt to sit beside her on the couch, the title came up: ‘Random Harvest’.
***
A bit more than two hours later, Judy pressed the remote and turned off the television, though she could no longer see it clearly. She turned to face Latt, and found that his face was as streaked with tears as was hers.
“Judy, I wanted to tell you something tonight,” he began. He touched her now shoulder-length brown hair with one hand as he rested the other on her shoulder, his fingers sinking into the fluffy sweater. “But much like the hero of that story, I think I have been blind to something. Something about me and you. I can’t deny it; I love you.”
Judy could not hold back any longer; she almost dived into his arms. It was several minutes before either of them was capable of coherent speech again.
“Will… will you marry me?” he began as he held her in his arms and stared into her eyes. “I know I will probably be too different all my life – I’m not like the guys from around here – but I don’t think I could live and be happy if I couldn’t have you near me.”
“I love you because you are different.” Judy snuggled up to him, feeling extremely cosy under his arm. “I think you were sent here for me.”
“Ssent?” Latt smiled as he recalled a previous conversation about religion. “Is this the girl who told me she didn’t believe in a purpose to life?”
“I have ‘Someone’ looking out for me… I know it now!” Judy grinned back, pressing herself closer and loving the way his hands kept stroking her ‘fuzzy’ back. “Everyone makes mistakes sometimes!”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Passage Page 37
