Belle's Story

Chapter Three

“Did you hear what Belle said as we were leaving?”

“No, sorry.”

“I think she was having a night mare, but I’m not sure. It was a little unsettling.

“She’ll be fine. Joanie said she’d be like that for most of the afternoon. I’m sure she’s used to hearing Belle talk in her sleep by now. We’ll check on her around dinner time.”

I sipped a cup of tea in the hotel room, seated in an overstuffed chaise lounge. I looked out the floor to ceiling wall of glass and gazed at central park below. It was such a green refuge in the heart of so much concrete. I had to have a view of it when we stayed in the City. In the quiet of our room, I had time to absorb the shock. I was having a hard time wrapping my head around things. My grandmother was 93, so I should have been prepared for something like this. But to me she was invincible, a paragon of strength and determination. If anyone carried an immortality gene, it was Belle Kimmelfield. I wanted to call my mother, but I knew that was a mistake, at least for the next day or so.

I looked over at Ben who was sprawled across the king bed, crinkling its hotel-white duvet. “I should stay up here a while.” I told him taking another sip of tea.

“Do you want me to stay with you?”

“No, go on home tomorrow.” I got up and placed my empty tea cup and saucer on a tray in the kitchenette. Someone needs to run the firm and pay the light bills.” I managed a reassuring smile.

“How long do you think you’ll be up here?”

“I don’t know. A week maybe? I need to figure out what’s going on. Then I can come home, but I might need to fly back at some point. Man, I wish Victoria was here.” Victoria lived in the city and would have been a great help, but she had several more months left on a one-year teacher exchange program in Japan.

“I think you’ll feel better once you call your mother. Then, you won’t be carrying this burden all by yourself. And what about your uncle?”

                “Lawrence?”

                “Yeah, doesn’t he need to know? He lives here too.”

                “I suppose he needs to know, but you don’t think he’ll be any comfort or support?”

                “Why not? He is Belle’s son.”

                “Ben, I love you. But this is my family with our skeletons. Trust me on this one. Lawrence will not be any help.” I let out a deep breath. “Still, I do need to call him. I’ll do that as soon as I call Mom.”

                “Ya know, Deb. I get that you want to wait until Belle’s secret is out in the open. But, the longer you go without telling people, the harder this is gonna be for you.”

                “I guess so.” My voice drifted as I struggled to think of a way to change the subject. I took a few more sips of tea. “I just don’t get how she can have cancer. I always thought she’d live forever. Short of that, I guess I thought Belle would be hit by a car or something. But, not cancer. How could another organism possibly penetrate that fortified exterior and take up housekeeping inside such a prickly cactus?

“That’s not a very nice image of your grandmother.” Ben walked over to give me a kiss. I pushed away and looked into his hurt eyes.

“I’m sorry. I’m just one big ball of tension right now. I think I need a walk.”

Ben had trouble keeping up with me as I crossed the street and entered Central Park. My legs propelled my feet over the concrete with bionic fortitude. It was as if the faster I walked, the sooner Belle would recover and life would return to normal. The afternoon sun created elongated shadows of runner’s legs and tree branches, but I barely noticed their eerie effect on the landscape. Before I knew it, I was halfway to Belle’s and the sky had turned a few shades darker.