You, You, You

BLESSINGS AND CURSES

Izzy’s P.O.V.

I approach the cabin in the late evening dusk, just as the wildflowers are beginning to fold up for the night and the deep color of the leaves seems airbrushed before my eyes by the gathering shade.  The windows are glowing with the familiar orange light that I’ve come to expect. Breathing calmly, a serene smile on my lips, I gently push the door open and look for him.

The place looks different to me right away. Instead of the smell of incense and Eddie standing by the fireplace, I am greeted by the sounds of soft piano emanating from the turntable and no one waiting to greet me.  My curiosity is piqued, wondering where he could be this time and why everything seems so changed.  As my eyes scan my surroundings, I recognize Eddie’s hair peeking up from the top of a rocking chair in the corner, facing away from me. He is swaying back and forth in the chair slowly.

I need to see his face.  I glide noiselessly toward him and when I am within arm’s reach I place a hand on the back of his head and caress his locks, coming around to face him.  That’s when I see her.  She is sleeping soundly against his chest, swaddled in white blankets, eyelashes fluttering from a dream.  She looks impossibly tiny and delicate as she takes in little breathes and nestles up tighter against Eddie—they look so sweet and so tranquil.  I see that Eddie’s eyes are closed as well, his hands supporting and protecting her as they both rest.

Our baby…

I woke up suddenly but undisturbed, as I always do from the dream.  Feeling a warm pressure holding me against the bed, I peeked down and saw Eddie looking just like he had in my dream: sound asleep and at peace, only this time with his face on my stomach, one hand resting below my belly button and the other wrapped around my backside.  He was holding me fast in his sleep, stroking his thumb back and forth over my belly periodically.  I had to smile to myself and thank whatever higher power might be out there for this perfect man.

Reaching for his hair and smoothing it down with my fingers, I started to sing to Eddie.  I began quietly at first, but as I saw him start to respond to the sound of my voice, I got a little louder in hopes that he would wake up completely.

“Comes a time when you’re driftin’… comes a time when you settle down,” I sang. “Comes a light, feelings liftin’… Lift that baby right up off the ground.”

Eddie’s eyes fluttered and a contented smile came to his face.  He had heard me.

“Oh this old world keeps spinning ‘round… It’s a wonder tall trees ain’t layin’ down,” I continued with a little more volume.  “There comes a time…”

His eyes were opened by now, and the hand that was resting on my stomach drifted over to my left hand and began to play with the ring he had placed there the night before.

“Keep singing,” he murmured, smiling against my skin and closing his eyes again.  I did as he asked.

“You and I we were captured… We took our souls and we flew away.”  I felt Eddie nod his head slowly as if agreeing with the words of the song.  “We were right, we were giving… That’s how we kept what we gave away.”  

I stopped for a moment and Eddie looked up at me with oceanic calm, finally lifting his cheek from my belly and smiling placidly.  He laced his fingers through mine and was still playing with the ring that represented our love for each other, like he didn’t want to break contact with it.