Blue - 3. Chapter 3

I’m not sure what I was expecting, maybe the old movie “Sunset Boulevard” crossed by mind. An aging star caught in the past, but…

 

Serena Storm had not been in a picture in ten years. I was fairly sure she retired by choice? Show business is hard on older women, isn’t it? In the movies her hair was always red. She had been long and slender and had moved at times like she had the curves of a wicked… smile. But here is the kicker, she didn’t look old at all, even with all that white hair. She looked youthful, mature but young. A woman in the prime of her life.

 

“Will you join me for a drink Oliver.” With the wave of a graceful arm, Serena pointed to a serving cart and with a small smile she added, ”Ty, go see what Minerva has prepared for lunch.” When neither of us moved she clapped her hands… “Don’t stand there like the cat got your tongue… either of you. Ty, ask Minerva to serve lunch out here on the terrace. Oliver, come over here and greet me. You look just like your father.”

 

Only Grams called me Oliver, I latched onto that to steady my surprise. “Uh, Grams, do you know her?” I was having trouble getting past hearing my name, Oliver, the one only Grams used. The one no one else used and the one no one outside family knew. I was reaching for explanations again. My father’s name.

 

“Come sit, Oliver, and I will pour you some ice tea.” With pitcher in hand Serena poured and gave me another look over her shoulder.

 

Sit, I couldn‘t move. I couldn‘t think. “Uh, I think I should be going now.” But I was stuck in that spot, I wasn’t going anywhere until I had answers. And I was beginning to feel strange all over.

 

“I called Tallulah before I called you. As a courtesy of course. I have been very patient all these years.” Carrying two tall glasses with citrus slices sticking up out of them, Serena was now standing in front of me with one glass extended.

 

“Grams knows I am here? She knows you?”

 

“But of course, I am your aunt, your father’s sister.”

 

I felt funny, not just the news was unexpected and bewildering. I felt I was splitting into. It was new, this awareness. I was watching, apparently, my aunt and at the same time I felt myself move away a step and when I did I saw… connections. It was my first time being omnicompetent. I know that sounds pompous and I really don’t like that but it sounds better to me than say omnificent. And believe me, I am not omnipotent. I can see connections and I can work with them to a degree. All of this available in that moment, knowledge and choices. The past, present, future… well they are all illusions of reality which is mostly pretend stuff in a way. I know I sound crazy. But that is what is happening to me at the moment. I am standing with my Aunt, I know this is true. I am sitting in my office months later with Ty who I could… never mind I wouldn’t. And I could move back into the moment again and be in one mind again. But I am trying to find my way and I have been exploring this development ever since that day I meet my Aunt and she mentioned by father. A man that was never mentioned to me except in a very limited acknowledgement that I did have a father, once.

 

And apparently I passed out. Apparently my head has a bump. Apparently I was put to bed naked. And not alone. And apparently I am hungry from the sounds of my stomach. And Blue is here, asleep between me and Ty in the biggest bed I have ever seen.

 

“Would you tell your dog to stop growling at me? I am not going to harm you.” Grouch grouch. Should I tell him it’s not Blue growling but me, well my stomach. How long was I out?

 

“And it’s about bloody time you woke up.” Mumble mumble… I think that is what Ty said as he turned over to face me. This guy was just too good to be true. And at this moment in time he could of sold me chicken livers and I hate chicken livers. But.

 

“You sure know how to put on a show. First, you fall back head first like you are dead. Then, this blue tornado howls in like that Tasmanian devil cartoon character. Then, your car goes off like a maniacal, alarm clock with sirens, whistles, bells, blinking lights and clouds of exhaust smoke. Then, this crazy woman pops in like a devil without a bloom stick. Followed then by another woman who pops in like she’s mother nature or something… And then Minerva calmly tells everyone to shut up and would anyone care for lunch, it was ready.” Ty cocked his eyebrow, I wished I could do that and now I can cock eyebrows with the best of them.

 

“I am feeling rather hungry now that you mention it.” What could I say? I wanted to say where is my underwear ?

 

Complications. This is why I don’t live at home anymore. Not that I got that far. I live in a building that Grams owes. It’s called the Domino. My office is the ground floor and my apartment is the next two floors. The rest of the Domino is space, empty space, but that is Grams story to tell not mine. The building is in the historic district, I think it is the only building in the historic district. It is the only building that has survived earthquake, fire, flood and progress. The façade is composed of black granite and black brick and some kind of black metal. It’s covered in subtle art nouveau patterns. Picture a domino standing on its short end. It stands in a “Y” shaped corner, so the front and two sides are very visible.

 

That is where I am now in the present.

 

“So, is this for me?” Ty was dressed in a long sleeve shirt and slacks and loafers… even socks. I think it was the most clothes I have ever seen him wearing.

 

“What?” I was back in my office. It was the present again or what passed for the present in this future.

 

“This card you just wrote on and slid across your desk?” Ty reached for the card.

 

I reached for the card too and got there first and read a name, an address, a time and a phone number.

 

Maybe, I should start at the beginning again.