Fused

Chapter 8: Cars, Coffee and Freedom

I walked slowly into the meadow.  A breeze loosened the hair around my face from my braid and caused my white flowing skirt to cling to the backs of my legs. The sun glinted high above the horizon and snow-white clouds decorated the brilliant blue sky.  Tall grass carpeted the meadow, and along the perimeter, where the grass was shorter, yellow and white lilies waved to me as they danced in the wind.  A tree line of symmetrical pines made a solid wall around the open space making me feel as if I was standing in room with no ceiling.

I ventured far out into the meadow to where the grass tickled my thighs and found a perfect spot to settle down.  I sat and peered out over the grass.  It rippled and pulsed like waves on an ocean and created a nice mattress beneath me when I laid down upon it.  I was enclosed in a soft and fragrant cradle.  I shut my eyes and let myself drift listening to the gentle whoosh of the tree tops swaying and the flitting sound of the grass heads flapping.  I was invisible to the rest of the world.  It was just me and the meadow and my thoughts of Will.  I felt closest to him in this place.  I could have laid there forever.

"Josie...Josie where are you?"  Ruth called for me spoiling the moment.  I opened my eyes but did not sit up, just stared at the crisp blue sky.  Maybe if I stayed right here, didn't move and didn't answer she would go away.  Not likely.  Her calls were getting closer; it wouldn't take much longer now for her to find me.  It wasn't that I didn't want to see her; I just didn't want to see her right now.  I was quite content spending time in my own thoughts.  But she would sense me soon, find me, and then wonder why I didn't answer.  I felt her getting close enough to uncover my hidden nest in the grass, so I gave myself up.

"Here Ruthie...I'm over here."  I called out to her.

She made her way over to me. "Josie," she leaned over and pressed her palms on her knees and took a deep breath; her long golden hair fell in waves down around her shoulders shielding her face from my view.  Apparently, she had been running to find me.  "Josie, what are you doing all the way out here?" She panted.

I sighed.  "I don't know....  just waiting I guess... I like it out here.  It's one of his favorite places you know.  And I thought being out here may help..." I trailed off and gazed around the meadow not quite ready to be pulled back into reality yet.  "I thought being in the meadow might allow me to connect to him again."  I looked up and noticed something was moving through the grass.  I could see the tall blades shifting back and forth as something wound its way toward me.  I knew instantly who it was.

"Shadow, you're back."  The black cat appeared out of the brush purring and pressed her forehead affectionately into my knee.  I scratched her head and ran my hand down her back giving her a few more scratches just in front of her tail.  That was her favorite spot. "How was your journey?" I asked her.

  She hopped up into my lap and pressed her head into my chest and sent me images of her most recent life.  She was sick for almost her entire lifetime.  It wasn't because she had not been cared for well.  She was loved dearly by a woman and her son but she suffered from an illness her body acquired on her arrival.  She sent images to me of the people who loved her and I could tell she loved them back.  She succumbed to her illness leaving the little boy very sad.  "Don't worry Shadow, they'll see you soon."

"Oh Jos, so you can say that to a cat but not to yourself. What are doing with that cat anyways?"

"Shadow," I emphasized, "was just telling me about her life."

"Telling you about her life?"

"Yes, that's what I said.  At least someone wants to tell me what it's like there."