Run Home, John Doe Part III - Eyes Across the Dock

    It was Sunday - the only day of rest, and so the most glorious of the week.  It began in a lovely fashion with tea and biscuits, followed by reading the latest work from Thomas Parke D’Invilliers in the sun.  I know of no more pleasant way to start a morning.

    Ashworth, who had joined me on the balcony, desired my attention greatly.  When I looked to see what was so necessary for us to share at that precise moment, I found my sister coming up the walk with her daughter, Elizabeth. 
    “Oh dear,” I thought, “She shall want me to look after her little one on my only day of freedom.”
Reluctantly, I followed Ashworth down to the front door.

    Upon opening it I was greeted by Stephanie’s fist, inches from striking my face. 

    “OH! I am sorry!  How are you brother?”  She appeared rather frantic.
    “Good morning to you.  I am just fine.  Good morning Elizabeth.”  She did not acknowledge me.
Stephanie went on, “I must go into town, can you look after her please?  Reggie was called away again.”
     “I suppose that would be possible.”
Relief washed over her face.  “Oh wonderful!  I’ll see you both later, I shall be back before dark!”

    And with that it was the two of us. 
Elizabeth was tolerable, as far as children go, but I wished I had at least been given fair warning of this new charge to be in my care for the day.

    I knelt down to her level.  “Elizabeth, dear, is there anything that you would like to do today?”
Since she had been born, the young girl had seesawed between shy and exuberant.  She now stood just inside my home, her shoes staring straight back at her.
    “Well…if there is nothing you’d rather do more that stare at the ground, have a good time.  I am going to go out for ice cream.” 
    At the notion of this her blue eyes engaged mine for the first time in recent memory.
Her voice, which was normally nearly inaudible, perked up -  “Oh please Uncle, may I come with?”

    And with this extensive bout of convincing, we were off to Morgan’s corner drugstore.  
Once our journey had begun, she was struck with silence yet again.  I would catch her looking up at me out of the side of her eye.  Unsure of her desires, I fully embraced the silence we existed in.  As we passed the deep gardens, a thought arose in me.  I extended my right hand out, and after a brief moment, I found it fully accepted.  We continued on in silence, but she was now wearing a prominent smile.

    Arriving at Morgan’s, I allowed Elizabeth to enter first, as I knew she would enjoy the bell that rang upon its opening.  Sitting down at the counter, the soda jerk, who appeared to be perhaps a year or two older than Elizabeth, took our orders.  The crack of his voice was the first to penetrate my ears since we had begun our adventure. 

    After the lifetime that it takes for children to make the momentous decisions that will thereafter alter their lives in innumerable ways, she decided on chocolate.  With sprinkles on top.  I had vanilla.  Achieving our ill-gotten gains, (her mother would certainly not approve), I convinced her we should take in the warm summer sun.

    We were enjoying our treat on the bench outside of Morgan’s when I heard a voice cut through the silence once more.  It was not a crack this time, but more akin to a raindrop descending a window pane. 
    “How’s it going?” The boy exclaimed.  I had not noticed his arrival, and he now appeared in front of us, this time with a different companion beside him.
    “This is my friend, Jodie.”

    I took her in with an attempt to show the rising of my eyelids to an unnoticeable degree.  I am quite sure I failed. This young lady that escorted him was absolutely gorgeous.  Long, golden blond hair sensuously curved around her face, catching rays that gave a comforting illumination to her.  Her dress was simple and reserved, but the odd bruises on her neck stood in stark contrast to the ease she appeared to carry with her.  She flashed a smile and sat down.

    With introductions all around, Elizabeth joined the boy, who was already sitting on the sidewalk, and shared her ice cream with him (including sprinkles).  Jodie and I shared the bench.
After a moment, Jodie spoke, “He thinks highly of you, you know,” motioning to the boy.  “He made us come, because he knew you would be here.”
I noted a slight accent that I could not place, but the thought disappeared as she finished her statement.
    “But how could he possibly…”
    “I love to watch over him, we have such fun.”
    “Yes, I imagine you do…tell me, does he have any parents?”
    “Oh yes, they’re lovely people.”
    I was ill prepared for this statement, “Really?  This whole time I thought he was an orphan.  He has never spoken of them once.”
    “I suppose he doesn’t feel the need to around you.”
    “A curious boy indeed...”

    Jodie cocked her head to the side the way Ashworth does when he is attempting to understand the situation before him.  Bringing it back to center upon seeming to answer whatever question it was she had posed to herself, she proclaimed, “You remind me of Nick, you know, from West Egg.” 
I attempted to figure out how to react to this compliment, but decided it futile.
    “Thanks,” was all I could say.  I was not sure it was a compliment after all.  I hoped it meant I was the one constant, able to survive the chaos around me.  But I knew that was not true, and I let it fall away.

    Following that, we engaged in a healthy discussion (which I suppose was actually just Jodie asking questions and mostly answering them herself).  I could not get myself to look away from her eyes.  They were surely attractive, but it was not that - they were not hers - just like the boy.  I enjoyed our conversation none the less - just as I enjoy any time spent around beautiful members of the gender. 
    Besides her eyes, though, I was also distracted by the boy.  It appeared that he had engaged Elizabeth as much as Jodie had me - with the exception that Elizabeth was able to drop herself for the time being and simply exist.  I had done no such thing.

    The boy came over, stood in front of me, and smiled.  It appeared to be a gesture without want.  He said goodbye, and Jodie followed suit.  Elizabeth sat next to me once more.
    “Uncle, I really liked Sa-muel…”  She had accentuated the name, just as he had always done, leaving me uneasy.   “…can we play together again?”
    “Perhaps…I am really not sure.”

    Watching her dispose of her ice cream cup, I realized I had lost track of mine.  Scouting all about the area, it was no where to be found.  I had not even tasted a bite.

    Elizabeth presented her hand to me, and we proceeded to walk home.