Sand Glass (8 page)

‘Well, then….
Of course I would say hello. Find out how you’re doing… that sort
of thing.’

‘And Christmas.
What about Christmas?’

‘It comes once
a year?’ I was blinking quickly again, feeling nervous in quite a
different way.

‘I mean if we
were both invited to someone’s house over the holidays. Would you
come if you knew I was going to be there?’

‘I would. After
all it would be silly not to. My friends are very important to
me.’

‘Yes. Violette
said something like that.’

‘Oh.’ I
shrugged and started to get twitchy, the kitchen clock in this
place said twenty-past Eight. Bus had just gone.

‘Davey?’

‘Yes?’

‘Would you ever
consider perhaps stretching those rules a bit… just a little, and
perhaps meeting me for coffee when we both happen to be in the
city.’

‘You mean at
lunch time? Near the University palisade?’

‘There’s a pub
I think you know… isn’t there? They have coffee.’

‘Yes they do.
It’s very good. More than can be said for the beer they serve.’

‘So I gathered.
Your friend Alex filled me in.’

‘Alex? What is
he up to?’

‘He invited me
to his and Violette’s Reading group. French poetry next month; I
studied it at college. I thought I could do something that was a
bit creative…’

‘Alex is very
creative!’ I laughed, and quickly stopped myself, ‘sorry, a bit
over the top. He’s rubbing off on me already.’

‘Why, how long
have you known him?’

‘Two years.
Ever since I started at Blue Sky.’

‘That’s what
it’s called. Really odd name.’

‘It is. I
agree. Especially considering the kind of weather we have had.’

‘I like it. It
made me think of a summer sky. Gazing into the endless blue. Laying
back and chewing on grass and looking up.’

‘Sounds
great.’

She coloured up
then; ‘I’ll make us some tea… or coffee. What’s you brew?’

‘Janey. Please
come here.’

She just stared
at me bewildered. She took a couple of small steps towards me: ‘I
keep having strange dreams,’ she said, ‘I did before. I saw you
before in a dream. I can’t believe it’s real. But I suppose it must
be, mustn’t it?’

She half turned
back to the kettle.

‘Janey…. I
wanted to say something. But I’ve not been able to find the words.
I don’t know….’ I bit my lip, ‘I don’t know how I will feel when we
get back. I don’t want to muddle you up in something that is
already about as muddled as it ever really ought to get. And I just
wanted to say…’

‘That you won’t
see me…’

‘No! I mean no,
I wasn’t going to say that! I do want to see you. I want to see you
right now. But you’re hair keeps hiding your face and it’s hard to
hear what you’re saying.’

She turned
towards me then, lips parted, with quite a different expression. A
complicated sequence of emotions flitted across her face. She put
her head on one side slightly enquiring, and took a step towards
the table.

‘I have a
timetable on here somewhere.’ She put her hand on a small stack of
papers on the corner. ‘They are my lecture schedules for the new
year. I haven’t anything after. Perhaps we could me then?’

‘Perhaps. But a
better idea, might be next week after my trip.’

‘You make it
sound as if you’re going away on business.’

‘I am. It’s
everyone’s business I’m poking my nose into. But most of them won’t
know it afterwards.’

‘Will I?’

‘I think you
will. Some people remember everything; some nothing. And there is
every shade in between.’

‘I think I will
too.’

She smiled and
took another step to me. She was at arm’s length but not inside my
personal space.

‘Janey?’ I said
quite gruffly, trying to avoid her eyes; ‘what are you doing?’

‘Something I
have to do.’ She said evenly.

‘What?’

‘This….’ She
said and stepped right up to me, reached her hands round my neck
and pulled me down towards her.

Her proximity
was so alarming; I actually forgot I was in her house.

‘Perhaps you
ought to leave?’ I said breathlessly.

‘Not a chance.’
She replied sweetly.

She pulled my
lips against hers and softly brushed them together.

I was nose to
nose with her. I was terrified I might do something wrong and spoil
everything. I felt myself trembling uncontrollably.

‘Janey…please.
I’m a bit… err….Janey?’

She kissed me
then. It was how I remembered. I was falling through space and I
didn’t want to stop. She was kissing me and I was drowning. I was
falling faster, and further. I was kissing her back then and
stroking her hair away from her face with one hand. I felt
completely defenceless. She was drowning me deeply this time. I was
crying, and laughing at the same time.

She pulled away
shocked by the chain reaction she had started and indicated I sit
down on the comfy settee. We sat there staring at each other. Each
had their own thoughts of the complex situation that this
experiment had brought about. Perhaps it’s all science; just
chemistry. I wanted her, but I needed to get this under
control.

Her Fate and
Jared’s fate might depend on what we did in the next few days. It
could be bruised and crushed by one wrong move. Something so
concentrated in its intensity; these confused feelings that I had;
were they just the illusion of a life that would end up not being
chosen? Inside I felt cold and creepy as I looked at her again.
Kissing her had been too much. I felt my mind was being shattered
apart.

‘I’m sorry.’
she said, ‘I didn’t realise. She really got to you didn’t she?’

‘Yes.’

‘I hope you
don’t think that I was being too err…. Forward.’

‘No….I don’t
know. Yes, perhaps.’

‘So perhaps I’m
using you?’

‘Well, perhaps
you are, but I’ll just have to accept it won’t I?’

She looked at
me very oddly then, ‘You really are no fake. You actually want to
go back and find Jared?’

‘Yes. I really
do’

She stood
suddenly and went to the models on the table and picked one up, a
flapping bird.

‘I was playing
with you. I apologise….you are seeing someone who is cold as ice
really.’ She smiled at the irony of it, and then picked up a folded
flower, ‘I’m really not her you know. I wasn’t doing anything
except finding out if you really were ready to find Jared. You
haven’t changed your mind have you?’

‘No.’

‘You’re going
tomorrow. I will be at the Base by ten o’clock myself.’

‘You took the
offer?’

‘You are
surprized?’ she asked me, ‘My curiosity overcame any other scruples
I have in fact got, that you so ridiculously may be unaware
exist.’

‘I see. So you
won’t get in the way of our plan?’

‘I would have
to know what it is to make sure I didn’t do that, now wouldn’t
I?’

‘Not likely
dear Harriet.’

‘Don’t call me
that.’

‘What shall I
call you?’

‘Janey Arden. I
suppose that is going to be fine if this time line doesn’t explode
from the accidental similarity of the second names.’

‘I may see you
there then.’ I was being cagey now.

‘As you
wish.’

‘I’d like it if
you didn’t try to stop us.’ I said firmly.

‘I wouldn’t
dream of it.’

‘I will find
Jared and bring him back. I made a promise out there. And I need to
keep an appointment…’

‘An appointment
with destiny?’

‘Yes…. Actually
yes.’ I straightened up, ‘I just hope I know what I have to do when
I get there.’

She stared at
me with a curious mixture of alarmed contempt and admiration. She
picked up a another model. ‘Do you know what this is?’ she
asked.

‘I have no
idea.’

‘It a locking
puzzle box.’ She said lightly, ‘once it is folded you cannot unfold
it.’

‘You don’t
say!’

‘I would help
if you were a little more compliant.’

‘I’m sure it
would.’

‘I mean; I
might be able to do something for you.’

‘You might? I
mean, you will?’

‘Perhaps.’ She
touched the box lightly with one finger, ‘on one condition….’

‘No
conditions,’ I said, ‘No agenda either.’

‘Tricky. I
might have to persuade you some more.’ She stepped towards me
again.’

‘No.’

‘No?’

‘I’m serious…..
this is serious. No tricks.’

‘You really
mean it. I mean….. you really…..well this is truly bizarre!’

‘About going to
find Jared. And going back to Cloud Field. Yes. It’s all true.’

She turned
away. And stared into nothingness for nearly a minute.

‘Very well,’
she said, ‘If this is genuine. I will not get in the way.’

‘Right.’

‘Yes. I will do
what I can to help you. Just name it.’

‘Okay.’ I said
with a tired little sigh. Now she wanted to help. I really wished
she hadn’t kissed me though. I wasn’t prepared for that. Janey got
up and left the room. I put my hands over my face. I didn’t stand a
chance. I had one thing that was stronger than this desire for this
double-existing woman; to save Jared from that other place. What
the hell! I really wished at this moment that I’d never gone on the
expedition. One letter. That was all it took. I heaved myself
upright, just as she came back in. ‘It’s time to go back to yours.’
she said. She had her coat on and her micro rucksack and car key in
one hand. I got up and followed her out.

We arrived back
at my place to find Alex rummaging in the Land rover.

‘Hi kids! I’m
just getting the indoor camping kit inside before it gets any
later.’

We helped Alex
lug a couple of camp beds inside. Five minutes later I was hugging
a much needed tea and sitting in the debris of the popcorn and
nibble fest from earlier. The two girls had vanished upstairs to
talk while taking over the bathroom.

‘Where’s the
other john?’ Alex was smirking.

‘What’s the
gag?’ I asked a very relaxed Jules.

‘Oh? Yeah. You
look like you’ve got carpet burn on your face. I mean you a flushed
and flustered looking. A bit like the cat that’s been in the
whiskey cream on New Year’s eve.’

‘Cat’s like
whiskey? I mean, you what?’

‘I know..’
Jules stretched, ‘Alex was telling us stories. Violette is great.
And I’m loving it. Being here. You’re a great friend. Thanks for
the…. hospitality.’

‘You’ve been
imbibing the beer haven’t you?’

‘Yeah. Alex
reckons it will help the time go past slower.’

‘And does
it?’

‘No idea. I’m
having too good a time to notice.’ He squinted at me, ‘You really
have been got at haven’t you?’

‘Yes.’ I
admitted.

‘Tough.’ Jules
sat up then, ‘Tomorrow is going to be on call time for the Doc
then. Comforting the lovelorn; soothing the frail mind.’ he seemed
perplexed, and then said: ‘Honestly I’m am a bit concerned… you and
Marcia doing all this.’

I saw the way
it was going and hoped Violette would be back soon from the outer
limits of the bathroom and my spare bedroom. She wasn’t long in
coming back.

‘Janey’s in
your second bedroom. I hope that’s ok.’

‘Yes it is. I
said you and err… you both could take my room.’

‘Let’s go
Flower.’ said Jules taking Violette’s hand. She looked down at him.
‘Are you sure you are comfortable there?’ she said.

Jules got up
suddenly and stumbled out of the room with Violette. I heard them
giggling as they went upstairs.

‘Don’t worry.’
said Alex, who had just come back in with another beer each for him
and me, ‘they’re too intoxicated for that.’

‘I wasn’t
thinking about Jules and Violette.’

‘Ah! The
unfathomable Janey. I would love to dip my wick in that pond of
deliciousness.’

‘If I wasn’t
your friend I’d take offence.’

‘I was joking!
My… have you got it bad. I see that I will have all on comforting
the poor little thing. Don’t worry,’ he said, seeing the look I
gave him, ‘if she is that into you, I’m surprised you haven’t
smuggled her along on the trip.’

‘What did you
say?’

‘About
what?’

‘Janey.’

‘Take her with
you?’

‘She has
already taken the job.’ I said.

‘Really?’ Alex
gave me a calculating look, ‘Not to want to dent your bright shiny
thing; but that is really going to muck it up. A lot.
Probably.’

I shrugged,
‘It’s her choice.’

‘Got her eye on
the prize has she?’

‘It’s not going
to be in the public realm, if that’s what you’re driving at.’

Suddenly I felt
a surge of illumination. A bright light inside something I could
grasp in my mind. She could help us. Perhaps the people who ran
this were susceptible to some sort of distraction, or persuasion.
Janey at base with full access could really swing things in our
favour. But then I didn’t know how she had started out. This was
that moment fast approaching. I had to wait.

‘She wants a
payment for her favour.’ Alex said.

‘That’s not
true.’

‘Yeah, it is.’
He replied, ‘Same mistake you always make…’

‘What’s
that?’

‘Underestimate
the opposition.’

‘Janey?’

‘Quite. The
unexploded bomb. Just waiting for the lighting of the fuse.’

‘Do you mean
she is the answer to all this?’

‘She’s volatile
and hard to predict. Why would anyone want someone like that
around?’

‘Good
question.’

‘What would
anyone be doing, wanting to listen to what she says? But I suppose
the sexy curves really do make you want to hang on her every word;
even if you have no idea what she is actually saying.’

‘Alex, you’re a
genius!’ I said