Bridge of Mist and Fog (10 page)

“And was she successful?”

“I think so, but the future is always reshaping itself. At least the corrupt people who were ruining things were banished.”

“Except for your brother,” Airy said before clapping a hand over her mouth. They didn’t need to divulge all this to her grandfather.

“You have a brother?”

“Half-brother,” Fehin said, waving his hands in the air.

Hank seemed lost in thought for a moment and then he said, “Your grandmother can’t wait to see you, Airy. Did you know we have three dogs now? Yes, the old Irish wolfhounds and now a mutt that looks like a hound dog. His name is Mutt.” Hank let out a guffaw. “And all your uncles and aunts and cousins will be at the house tomorrow. It should be wild.”

Airy turned, her thankful gaze meeting Fehin’s across the seatback. He smiled and stuck his thumb in the air, a gesture she didn’t understand.

She watched the familiar scenery go by as they grew closer to the farmhouse, excitement making it hard to sit still. Houses were further apart up here, forests more plentiful. Wide fields were empty now, harrowed and ready for planting in the spring. Silos dotted the landscape, silver towers glinting in the winter sunshine. But then she noticed the lack of cows and sheep that were normally grazing in the fields. And when she looked closer she noticed that the bare trees were actually dead and most of the houses were empty and falling down. Unease went through her and she turned around to look at Fehin who raised his eyebrows in question.

A few minutes later her grandfather pulled the vintage station wagon into the driveway and cut the motor. “One thing I have to tell you, Airy. The foxes and the rabbits and a lot of the bird population are gone.”

“Why?”

“Hard to say. Could be pesticides from the farms around here, could be they’ve moved on. Monsanto bought Charlie’s place across the way and planted some kind of seeds that have to be replaced every year. I heard they have the insecticide right inside the seed. Saves on pesticides, I suppose. I’ve also seen them spraying from the air. Could be that’s killed off some wildlife. We used to collect our seeds but now everything’s changed. And there isn’t much good water anymore after the fracking that’s polluted a lot of wells. Good thing we got rid of our sheep and horses before all this happened. Your grandmother and I don’t talk about it much since it upsets her. Try not to mention it, okay?”

Airy nodded, memories of the cavorting baby foxes and rabbits running through her mind. They’d been her friends as much as the trees. Tears filled her eyes but then she saw her grandmother appear on the porch. She jumped out of the car and ran up the porch steps feeling six years old again.

“Airy! You’ve grown so! You look like a young woman now. But what’s happened to your beautiful long hair?”

Airy smiled as her grandmother’s arms came round her and pulled her close. “This style is more modern,” she answered.

“And who is this?” her grandmother asked, releasing Airy as Fehin came up the steps carrying their packs.

Fehin held out his hand. “I’m Fehin.”

“Welcome, Fehin,” she said, pulling him in for a hug. “You can call me Grace.”

“So where are we sleeping?” Airy asked, heading inside.

“I’ve put you in the blue room where you normally stay, Airy. Fehin is in the one at the end of the hall. Do you need some help?”

“No, thanks, we’ve got it.” Airy pulled her pack behind her as she climbed the stairs. “C’mon Fehin. I’ll show you where your room is.”

Airy put her pack down on the bench at the foot of the mahogany four-poster bed and turned to Fehin. “Aren’t they great?”

“Pretty cool for grandparents,” he answered.

“I love this room,” she said, gazing around at the blue flowered wallpaper, the matching curtains on either side of the dormer windows and the fireplace in the corner. An eighteenth century desk sat against the wall, one that she had used many times in the past. She pulled open the top draw, examining her scribbling that no one had thought to throw away.

When she turned Fehin was staring out the window. “Follow me. I’ll show you where you’re sleeping.”

In the hall they heard scrabbling and whining and in the next second two enormous dogs bounded in, one of them jumping up on Airy to lick her face. “Oh, look at you, Lorna Doone! You got a bath! And Rufus, you sweetie.” Airy bent down to greet the dogs, burying her face in their fur.

“They say they like you,” she said, raising her head to peer up at Fehin.

“Did they really or did you just make that up?”

Airy laughed and stood up. “No, they really did communicate something like that. Maybe it was a little less exuberant.”

“You mean like, ‘who is this dufus?’”

Airy frowned. “What’s a dufus?”

“It means someone who is sort of stupid or out of touch. Haven’t you learned anything at school?”

Airy giggled. “Is it like dork or geek?”

“Somewhat. Where did you hear those words?”

“Never mind. Let’s go to your room. It has a great view over the meadow.”

The Fitzhughs owned several acres of land, most of which was visible from the room Fehin was staying in. Airy pointed out the woods where she played when she was little, the meadow where she rode her pony and the tree house that was now in disrepair. In the distance there was a sheen indicating a pond. “I love it here, Fehin!” she cried, dancing around the room, her gaze going to all the familiar pieces of furniture as she breathed in the smells of lemony furniture polish and old wood. “I have to go talk to my favorite tree. I’ll introduce you. He was my first one. And tomorrow you’ll get to meet all seven of my cousins,” she added, laughing. Their eyes met and then before she could stop herself she moved close and kissed him.

And they were still kissing when Grace walked through the door.

17

Fehin pulled away first, his embarrassed gaze going to Airy’s grandmother. “I…we…I’m sorry….”

Grace waved her hand in the air. “Don’t apologize Fehin. I was young once, believe it or not.”

Fehin had no trouble believing it since he could still see the girl in her with her bright blue eyes and slight form. Aside from the color of her long hair she hardly looked old enough to have a sixteen-year-old granddaughter.

“Grandma, Fehin and I like each other.”

Grace laughed, a tinkling sound. “That is glaringly obvious, sweet one. Now what I came to say was that there are extra boots, hats, gloves and coats downstairs. You two don’t seem at all prepared for the weather up here. Didn’t your parents send you with proper clothing for the cold weather? There’s a forecast for snow this weekend.”

“I guess they thought we’d buy these things on our own. Weather in the Otherworld is fairly temperate.”

“The island never gets cold, unless…” Fehin noticed Airy’s subtle head shake and broke off in mid-sentence.

“Well, maybe while you’re here we can go into Halston to the general store and buy you some proper winter clothes and shoes,” Grace said with a glance toward the flimsy sneakers on Airy’s feet. “Come down when you’re settled,” she said, turning to go. “I need some help with the pies,” she added, winking.

Once the door closed Airy let out a long sigh. “That was awkward,” she said.

Fehin noticed the flush that even now infused her cheeks with bright color. For his part he was still in the throes of what he’d felt when she pressed herself against him. “Your grandmother seemed okay with it.”

Airy looked worried. “But if she tells Grandpa he’ll tell my parents. I don’t want them to know about this, Fehin. You’re Brandubh’s son. They’ll never approve.”

“Didn’t you tell me that the goddess of prophecy mentioned me and the island? How can they disapprove if this is our destiny?”

Airy shook her head looking down. “She didn’t mention you by name and my parents have so much animosity toward your father. We’re like Romeo and Juliet.”

“Who are they?”

Airy smiled. “You need to take a literature class. They’re characters from a play of the same name by Shakespeare--two lovers from warring families. It’s a tragic story.”

“I don’t think I’d like it.” Fehin’s gaze went to the window where a swirl of white blinded him for a moment. The snow reminded him of Wolf and the freezing cold weather his brother had brought down on Far Isle before Fehin moved everyone to the island. It had been a bleak time with many deaths. And in

that moment he saw himself lying ill in a hospital bed. A feeling of helplessness washed over him. This was not a premonition he cared to share.

In the meantime Airy was also staring out the window. When she turned she said, “I’m scared. Things have changed since I was here last. What if my tree is dead like the ones we passed?”

“Is that what you were trying to say in the car?”

“The farms are gone, Fehin. I remember the families that lived in those houses that are all falling down. You heard what Grandpa said about water and pesticides and what’s happened to the animals. I know this is connected to our destiny.”

Fehin pulled her close. “I’m sorry, Airy. I know how hard it is to see things change for the worse. I went through the same thing in Fell after Wolf destroyed it all.”

“And what did you do?”

Fehin grimaced. “I created an island and moved everybody.”

Airy stared at him. “Can you move everyone from here?”

“I don’t think it’s possible.”

“What are we going to do?”

Fehin kissed the top of her head, breathing in the clean smell of her hair. “Right now we’re going to go downstairs and have a pleasant conversation with your grandparents and try to enjoy the rest of Thanksgiving weekend.”

18

‘Now listen to me, Airy! You can’t involve yourself with this boy!”

Airy’s heart sank. Her grandmother had told her grandfather and now her parents knew about Fehin. She pressed the phone to her ear trying not to cry. “But Mum, he’s…”

“Not another word. Now promise me.”

“I don’t think I can.” She heard her mother say something about talking sense into her and then her father’s voice came on the line.

“Airy, the entire reason you’re there is to learn about the world outside the Otherworld and to discover your destiny. This does not include hanging around with someone who can’t be trusted. Please take this to heart and think about it. Your mother and I are worried.”

“If you’re so worried why haven’t you called or come to see me?” Airy cried, wiping away tears. She glanced toward Fehin sitting at the dining room table.

There was silence for a moment and then her father said, “We’ve had some things going on here…”

“Obviously more important than me. Goodbye, Dad.” Airy handed the phone to her grandmother who looked concerned as she took it.

“Harold? What did you say to the girl?”

But Airy didn’t hear the rest of the conversation as she fled from the room. She opened the front door and ran outside, slamming it hard behind her. It was Thanksgiving morning and all her excitement about seeing her relatives had disappeared with a single phone call.

She ran through the snow in her sneakers, hardly feeling the wet cold that seeped through the light canvas as she crossed the meadow. Once she reached the ancient oak tree she climbed up as she’d done so many times in the past, huddling in the crook of perfectly placed branches.

The tears were warm where they tracked down her cheeks and for a moment or two she concentrated on the warmth and the comfort that came from the tree. In her mind she heard the oak sending her a message but in her distraught state it took a moment to tune in. And then it was clear. It wasn’t in words but the gist of it resonated inside her and she knew she was right about Fehin and that her parents were wrong.

“Airy!”

Airy reluctantly climbed down when she heard her grandmother’s lilting call. She didn’t know what to expect now that her grandparents knew about Fehin’s father and every other horrible detail of the past. If she lost their support too she wasn’t sure how she would manage.

At the house she climbed the steps slowly and then shed her soaked shoes and jacket before opening the door. But instead of stern faces, her grandparents and Fehin were sitting together at the breakfast table calmly talking.

“Come have breakfast, darling,” her grandmother invited, pointing to the empty chair beside hers. ”Fehin’s been filling us in on his history. And it’s really quite fascinating. He’s a special boy, this friend of yours.”

When Airy’s gaze met Fehin’s she breathed a sigh of relief and sank into her chair.

Once the rest of the family arrived the day turned into a blur of joyful greetings, wet dogs tracking in mud, snowball fights and snowman building, followed by a turkey dinner with all the trimmings. When it was time for dinner the younger generation trooped in, shedding wet gloves, hats, boots and coats in a pile at the front door. They found seats at the long trestle-style table, all of them red-faced from the cold.

Fehin got along well with Airy’s relatives, fitting in as though he’d known them his entire life. Airy watched in fascination as he conversed with them on subjects she didn’t know he knew anything about. His knowledge of building, growing vegetables and animal husbandry were the most surprising.

He’d be the perfect person to be stranded with on a desert island, she thought, her mind going to the television shows like Survivor and The Bachelor she’d watched since arriving at the college in Milltown. The student union had a wide-screened one of these devices and some nights were devoted to the student’s favorite shows. Airy had picked up a lot of slang from watching, as well as some swear words that she tried hard not to use.

A stab of pure happiness went through her as she gazed around at her cousins. With four sets of aunts and uncles the children ranged in age from six to twenty-two years old. The only people missing were her parents, making her wonder why they weren’t here. It would have been the perfect time for them to see everyone. And then she thought about the phone conversation and had a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. They didn’t trust her. She’d never thought she would have such negative feelings about her parents. Right now she didn’t care if she ever saw them again.