Читать книгу Forbidden Graces, Book One: Beginnings - Carol Inc. Bridges - Страница 24

Cardinal found EC, delivered Sycamore's message to her and quickly turned back to spend the day as usual responding to the call of her loved one. EC headed back toward home to tell George about the two humans showing up and devise a plan.

"Look," said Roan, "Two cardinals outside our window. I love to see them. They remind me of friendship and loyalty. You know, it has been too long since I have seen Yaro. We would often sit together in meditation, then share a salad and bread. He always felt like the brother I never had.

"Growing up I felt isolated, living so far from the city. And at school I was considered odd because I did not want to learn to hunt nor to wrestle or play football. Other boys liked the rough things. I took refuge in the garden and with the cows in the barn. I never minded caring for them. They seemed to lead a humble, relaxed life.

"In high school, I met Yaro. He was just sitting in the hall one day staring off into space. When I walked by, he said, "Look outside." I looked but didn't notice anything unusual. "Thank you," he said. "I was just testing my ability to take command. Most people ignore me."

"He seemed serious. I said, "What do you see?" He said, "Life is calling me to come and take part, but I am just sitting here feeling trapped."

"Let's go," I said on a whim. And we both left school in the middle of the day. It did feel good to take charge of ourselves. We were 14, full of energy, dying to explore the big world, see if our wit and muscle could tackle the adventure.

"We ran without talking. We seemed to communicate telepathically, knowing exactly when to stop and what to do next. It was almost as if Yaro were a mirror of myself. I think he felt the same. After climbing trees, fording streams, and falling exhausted in the field, we laid there a long time.

"I didn't know what to call it then, but now I would say it was love. I fell in love with him. We did nothing to express it. Just lay there thinking, then not thinking. After that day, we were like the cardinals, always looking out for each other, keeping each other in our awareness.

"His family moved after senior year and I felt a great loss. He did return from time to time and we would talk and walk and share about our lives. His family wanted him to be educated back east where his father went to school, a prestigious college so that his degree would entitle him to a professional career and a high class lifestyle. He hated it. Drank a lot, smoked pot, dated, but never loved exactly.

“Perhaps, I shouldn’t put it that way. I am sure he did love, just not in the way the girls wanted him to. Most were into the class and status thing, he told me. He tried to date all kinds, he said, and had some pretty wild stories.

“He told me once of Chau, who invited him up to her room and showed him photographs of herself in all sorts of pornographic poses. He was shocked, as she had seemed demure, quiet, sensitive, maybe even shy. She wanted him to find her beautiful, which, of course, he did, but the photos scared him, he said. He knew he would be getting into an emotional relationship that he might not understand if he slept with this person.

“I asked him, of course, what he did do. He said he praised the photos for their artistic qualities, inquired about the photographer’s training and suggested that she might model for the art classes. Then he told her he had to study for a test and got the heck out of there.

“When he met Saffi, he called me to say, “This time it is real. She actually loves me, and I know her in the way I knew you.” I almost cried when he said that. I wasn’t sure if I was happy or sad. It is just that all of a sudden I felt again the depth of our love for each other, and I did not want the feeling to leave me. Of course, I congratulated him. Then I went to my room and cried for a long time.

“Sweet Roan, you have come a long way in learning to express your feelings. I cherish the stories you share with me. Perhaps it is time to call Yaro. He and Saffi can stay with us for awhile, and you and Yaro can spend time alone while Saffi and I go on an outing to paint or sketch. I am sure the feelings you once shared are still there. Now, you can savor them even more consciously."

“Thank you, Keara. I will.”