Me Without You

by Rona Go

  Jonah caught a glimpse of the window. Her eyes were huge and rounded. She couldn't quite believe that dusk had already settled in. It seemed like minutes ago that she was dragged out of her bed and it was almost night time. Time really did stand still in the world behind the double door.

  Without giving Jonah the chance to reply, Aunt Judith said, "How did the meeting with the coroner go?"

  "Jane is fine by the way," Jervais continued to address Jonah. Sighing heavily and without acknowledging Aunt Judith, she added, "The coroner is ruling the death of your mother as self-inflicted. According to the report Rebecca Blood had full knowledge of the poison she was taking in. They were quite positive about it. The fingerprints they took from the vials containing the poison were your mother's. They will be preparing the toxicology reports and other document to close the investigation earlier than expected."

  "I can't believe it!" Aunt Judith remarked. She placed her fingers on her temple as if she had developed a sudden headache. "This is rarely done by a healer. It can't be!" She rocked a little on her heels that Jonah was thinking she was going to collapse.

  Jervais, on the other hand, continued to ignore Aunt Judith and linked her arms on Jonah's arms. She pulled Jonah, who kept on turning back to see how Aunt Judith was. But Jervais kept on chattering all the way to the stairs.

  "Let's get you dressed and bring you to your boyfriend! He has been looking for you the whole day too," Jervais said. "He says it's urgent! He said something about the habak. Although, he sounded more concerned about not finding where you were when I told him you were quite fine!"

  "X called?" Jonah asked.

  "No silly, the back-up!" Jervais answered. "Isn't he your new boyfriend?"

  "You mean Hugh! But he's not—" Jonah stopped speaking. She could not continue her sentence without explaining things to Jervais and to herself. Maybe, it was easier if she just allowed people to think what they thought about her and Hugh or her and Xavier.

  "Jonah!" Aunt Judith called out in a clear voice which made the sisters stopped walking. As she connected with Jonah's eyes, she held them long enough to search her face. With small hurried steps towards the sisters and her finger pointing at Jonah, she said, "It's you! You are the new one!"

  "Oh, please, Aunt Judith!" Jervais cried out. She looked more annoyed than she sounded."Here we go again. I just told you it was self-inflicted. Jonah couldn't be the new healer because she did not kill Rebecca Blood. The witch hunt is over. And we might as well start another rumor this time. There is no new healer. Rebecca Blood took her own life and the stupid power in her grave." She pulled on to Jonah's sleeve and prodded her to continue towards the stairs. In hushed tone, she whispered, "Will you please hurry and let's get out of here!"

  However, Jonah felt different. Since the hunt for the next greatest healer had begun and she witnessed bizarre things happening, it was the first time she felt the certainty that she was it. And she had never felt more comfortable about the reality of being the greatest healer than she did at the moment.

  The only dilemma she was facing was about sealing it. Will she or will she not?

  Chapter 35

  The Tale of Two Sisters

  As if the experience Jonah had that day was not enough of a shock to last her a lifetime, the moment she stepped out of Jervais' car at the Lively's mansion, more surprises came her way.

  Hugh was almost leaping out of the front porch steps meeting Jonah and Jervais. "Why are you here?" Hugh demanded. "You shouldn't be here."

  "Wow, nice to see you too!" Jervais said, her eyes narrowing on Hugh. "When you were so annoying and calling me about Jonah every other minute, I thought you wanted us here."

  "No!" Hugh said. "I thought I said she has the belly chain and knew you were faking it!"

  "Oh!" Jervais replied simply. "So, let's go back home, Jonah!"

  "There's no need to hurry home!" It was Xavier. He was leaning at the door, his hands to his pockets and he was sporting out a brilliant smile on his face. He looked fresh and fit.

  "X," Jonah cried out pleasantly and ran up to him. But she stopped just a foot away from him. She extended her hand towards Xavier, who also put out his hand to meet hers. With just a fraction of a millimeter separating their fingertips, they resumed to just stare at each other. Jonah felt both hurt and glad at the same time, she was on the brink of tears. Even Xavier's eyes were misty.

  Jonah pushed her fingers forward a little until they were both connecting. Xavier jerked back hesitantly, but Jonah told him, "It's okay! I can handle it." She stepped a little closer towards him. With just both their fingertips touching, she closed her eyes, took in some air through her nose and blew him a breath of happiness.

  Xavier had also closed his eyes and took in Jonah's warm breath. He could hear his own laughter deep inside. As if he were made of light, he felt his body expanding and feeling weightless. It was like he was being carried by the air and floating with joy. A tear he was holding back, ran down his cheek. He had never felt so happy before.

  Jonah withdrew her fingers and caressed her stomach up and down, feeling the slight discomfort and rumbling. She could hear Xavier laughing from the inside and seeing his smiling face from within her head. She also smiled a little.

  Hugh and Jervais came up from behind them. It was Jervais who first broke the magical stillness, "You okay, Jonah?" she asked.

  "I will be," Jonah said and pressed on stroking her tummy.

  In front of everyone else, Hugh took Jonah's hand. He pressed each of her fingers and her palm. And as much as Jonah was already feeling relieved, she was also feeling conscious of Hugh's hand and Xavier watching them both.

  "I feel much better now!" Jonah announced snatching her hand away from Hugh and tucking them on the back pockets of her jeans.

  "Good!" Xavier said joyfully. "Stay for dinner, both of you. We are having a celebration!"

  "But X!" Hugh hesitated.

  "It'll be okay! I don't think Aunt Gilda will ruin this for me!" Xavier insisted. He clapped Hugh by the shoulder and opened the door to let all of them in.

  "Why do I get the feeling, we've been through this just last night?" Jervais told Jonah.

  "Yeah, it's so déjà vuish kind of thing!" Jonah replied.

  With Dr. Christopher Lively, already seated in the round table of the dining hall, Helen Lively greeted Jonah and Jervais. Helen was trying her best to appear joyous in front of everybody else even if she was still feeling a little tension between her and Jonah. She was even quick to avert Jonah's eyes every time their eyes locked.

  Eyeing the food, the wine, the table arrangement, the flowers and candles, Jervais couldn't help but recalled the same instance the night before when Jane had narrowly escaped food poisoning. She muttered under her breath, "I don't feel like having dinner at all! Will it be an insult to run out the door now?"

  "I have been thinking the same thing," Jonah whispered back. "If Gilda Byrne joins us, it will be time to give an excuse."

  Even before the words were out of Jonah's mouth, the menthol scent was already wafting through the air announcing Gilda's presence.

  Trying not to appear agitated, Jervais suddenly took out her phone and looked at the time and calmly declared, "My, I just remembered that we have an unfinished business to attend to with Aunt Judith as soon as possible!"

  "Now? You can just eat and run along in a while," Xavier insisted.

  "But my dear, if Jonah and —" Helen started to say, looking pointedly at Jervais.

  "Jervais," Jervais supplied for Helen.

  "—Jervais are needed at home, they can always drop by to visit you some other time," Helen uttered.

  "Yeah, that's right!" Jervais said. She crossed her fingers behind her back and added."You know Aunt Judith. She can be so demanding. I guess she has really something VERY important to discuss with us that can't wait until later." She gave a convincing pout and Jonah almost gave in to her desire to laugh right at the moment.

  "Oh, well!" Xavier sai
d disappointingly. "If you put it that way—"

  "We will be back to see you tomorrow," Jonah said quickly and did an about-face towards the front door.

  Jonah and Jervais hurriedly dashed for the door with Xavier and Hugh behind them who had volunteered to escort them out. But they were not quick enough to avoid Gilda, whom they still met on their way out.

  With just one look coming from Gilda, the four of them stopped in their tracks. The old woman checked Jonah out from under her eyes as she tilted her chin up. A small smirk spread through her lips. Then, her eyes rested on Xavier.

  "My dear boy, Xavier! Let me bless you," Gilda said. Xavier obediently stepped forward. Then, she reached out her hands and ran them from the top of his head to his chest, mumbling something to herself. When she was done with Xavier, she looked from behind him and said, "Are your friends not staying for the celebration?"

  "They—" Xavier started to say but the ringing of the door bell interrupted him.

  Hugh ran across the hall and opened the door.

  To everybody's surprise and must to the dismay of Jonah and Jervais, Aunt Judith was standing right outside the door.

  Nobody spoke. Gilda turned and proceeded to the study. Aunt Judith entered the house uninvited. With one look at Jonah, who caught on to follow, Jervais held on to Jonah's arm tightly.

  "Don't be silly!" Aunt Judith told Jervais on her way to the study.

  "It's okay," Jonah reassured Jervais and followed the two older women past the dining hall to the corridor leading to Gilda's study.

  "I've come to discuss about the new one," Aunt Judith was already saying when Jonah entered the room and closed the door behind her. Seeing that the two old women did not take a seat, Jonah remained on her spot by the door. Gilda was standing near the window with her back against Aunt Judith who stood by the table putting one hand on top of it supporting her weight.

  "What do I care?" Gilda said. "She is already healing my dear boy, Xavier, anyway. That's all I need from her."

  "Oh, for God's sake, Gilda! When are you going to let go off your obsession for the boy! If it were not for Rebecca—" Aunt Judith said harshly.

  "If it were not for Rebecca, this family would not have gone through hell," Gilda said.

  "When are you going to realize that Rebecca has nothing to do with the boy getting sick? He is plain and simple plagued with the disease no matter how unfortunate it is. Rebecca had nothing to do with it. It's just your anger blinding you from the truth and taking it upon you to heal the boy at all cost—when you can't!" Aunt Judith said.

  "Oh, yes! But the new one can!" Gilda answered.

  "And it's that all there is to it?" Aunt Judith asked. "We used to love being healers and healing others, what happened to that?"

  "Used to," Gilda replied. "Don't ask me what happened when you and Rebecca had betrayed the cause."

  "I simply did not want to take sides. And when you can't see that and branded me as a traitor as well, where else can I turn to? We came from the same blood—a healer's blood. I just hope that you can remember how it was when we were starting out. How delightful it was to touch and heal. How that nourished us as well," Aunt Judith said. "Here is the new one. Young, foolish, naïve. She won't stand a chance without our help."

  Jonah winced at Aunt Judith's words. But she felt herself relaxed and comforted. She had never thought things would turn out this way. Although, she had always been suspicious about the two old women, thinking that they were on her side after all made her feel wicked and powerful she could almost grin. And she liked it very much.

  However, Jonah's happiness was short-lived. Gilda had remained silent and standing by the window without looking at Aunt Judith, who was giving up on her sister and turning to leave. Jonah opened her mouth to speak but closed it again for nothing better to say.

  "How can you be sure it's her?" Gilda said stopping Aunt Gilda from taking another step. She had turned around and was facing Aunt Judith's back. Jonah's ears jazzed up and held her breathing.

  Aunt Judith faced Gilda again and replied, "Rebecca killed herself. And this foolish girl had been spying on her mother without realizing she was allowing her to die by not intervening."

  "Good God! Why in the world would Rebecca do such a thing?" Gilda gasped disbelievingly, covering her mouth with one hand. "It has rarely happened!"

  "I know!" Aunt Judith said. Without looking back, she reached out from behind her and took hold of Jonah's arm. She pulled Jonah towards the light. From her pocket, she also took out something. Slowly, she spread half of the belly chain with both hands.

  It was Jonah's turn to draw a lot of air in amazement.

  Gilda stepped closer to the table, turned in a lock on the topmost drawer and drew in her hand the other half of the habak. She went around the table and met Aunt Judith. They joined the belly chain together and for the first time, Jonah saw both women shared a genuine and satisfied smile with each other.

  Gilda and Aunt Judith looked at Jonah for a moment, then Gilda took the habak and wrapped it around Jonah's waist.

  "This will be part of your daily uniform, dear girl!" Gilda announced. "Guard it and use it well!"

  It seemed that Jonah was instantly engulfed into a vortex of light with different colors, she almost lost her balance. But just as quickly as the vortex swirled around her, then it went away. And when Jonah looked around her, she couldn't see things the same way. All she could see were shapes outlined with different hues and shades. She tilted her head and attempted to look from beneath her eyelids. Still, nothing has changed. Putting both her arms up to keep her balance, she took one hesitant step and almost fell.

  Both Gilda and Aunt Judith laughed out loud. They began talking to each other excitedly as if Jonah was not in the room and having difficulty at all.

  "Oh, I could remember the first time it happened to me!" Gilda said joyfully. "I almost did not want to go out of my room for fear of breaking anything!"

  "And I remember I learned to use my ears more when I had the sight," Aunt Judith said excitedly. "I could hear almost everything the neighbors were saying and doing. And I waited to listen when everyone's asleep because the juicy things happened when the fires were put off!"

  "Aunt Judith," Jonah interrupted the two. "When will this go away?"

  "Give it a month, dear girl!" It was Gilda who answered. "By then, your vision will clear."

  While the two women were having fun bursting out giggling together like children, Jonah was left annoyed and unable to take another step.

  Chapter 36

  Unmasked

  After stumbling a few steps and feeling like she just lost her eyesight, a hearty dinner and pretending nothing was amiss, Jonah sat huddled together with Xavier on the front porch steps while everybody else were inside chatting the night away and enjoying coffee.

  "So, it's you, huh!" Xavier said.

  Jonah looked at Xavier from the corner of her eye. Although, she had only been doing it for a couple of hours, it seemed seeing from beneath or from the corner of her eyes or using her ears more often were quickly becoming a habit of hers.

  "I guess so! That's what the goddesses of yin and yang told me," Jonah giggled. She was sounding more like Jervais than herself, naming people through their eccentricities.

  "You still have to seal it though, right?" Xavier asked.

  "Yeah!" Jonah replied. "Aunt Judith said she will have to teach me first how to use the belly chain. Then, teach me some of basic healing techniques. Your Aunt Gilda also offered to teach me how to make some herbs and potions. And I don't know how they will go about it. They were just so glad to reconcile with each other again, they have not settled things yet."

  "But you're giving it a thought, right?" Xavier said.

  "X, I would like to help you get well," Jonah said. She turned to face Xavier. But all she could see was a white mass with gray mixed with a broken yellow outline. "If I need to seal it—"

  "You don't have to, Jonah!" Xavier cut in. "They
have decided to continue my chemo after a few findings in my blood. And I have decided to take it. There's also a bone marrow transplant once Dad has found the right donor. I will be doing it this way. I will fight this. Unlike before, I have a reason to fear dying. And yes to love life. It's you, Jonah! You are my reason. You made me feel again."

  "Sealing it is not just about you, X! It has gone beyond that," Jonah said.

  "Don't tell me you've become like them," Xavier said looking towards the house and referring to the two sisters. "They are not happy, Jonah. Look at them—"

  "Please, X!" Jonah said. "Let's not talk about this anymore. Not now anyway. Besides, I have not exactly thought about it yet. How about we talk about us?"

  "I—" Xavier shifted in his spot uncomfortably. Then, the door opened and Jervais came out with Hugh closely following behind her.

  "Hey, you!" Jervais called out. "Say your goodbyes now! Aunt Judith wants to go home. I will be taking her car and going to the hospital to check on our patients. Hugh can drive you and Aunt Judith home."

  "I am coming!" Xavier said.

  Aunt Judith and Gilda shared a few hushed words together. Then, she motioned for them to get going. And in a few minutes, they were on the way to the Blood mansion, with Jonah and Xavier sitting at the back and Hugh with Aunt Judith in front.

  "Just don't tell me anything now," Xavier whispered in Jonah's ear.

  "I don't understand," Jonah whispered back. But Xavier had already remained quiet for the remainder of the trip.

  When they finally arrived at the mansion, Aunt Judith turned to Jonah and asked, "Can you manage it from here?" It was the first note of assistance Aunt Judith gave Jonah her way, which almost made the younger woman laughed out loud.

  "I will find my way," Jonah assured her, unable to hide the sarcastic smile that ran through her face.

  "Well, you better. You're not treading a mountain anyway," Aunt Judith snorted and went ahead of Jonah inside the house.