CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE – LITTLE WILLIAM
“You’ve made a very good impression with Professor Lorenz, Aggie. He wrote to me about your visit and your thoughts on certain aspects of nuclear theoretics. Thanks for mentioning my, our, university – seems you have lifted our profile before you had even joined us – I feel we are going in the right direction. Did you enjoy your time in France and Switzerland?”
“Oh it was great and Aunt Edna was the best possible person to go with, we later teamed up with Megan who had a bit of bad luck in Amsterdam – she was mugged, so aunt insisted that she come and join us for the rest of the trip. She’s like a sister to me. We got a rental car and toured France, that’s how come we ended up checking out the LHC and I actually met Professor Lorenz in the Visitors Centre there. He was interested in my theory of Quark dissipation He personally gave me a tour of the facility – quite an awesome place. I must admit that he got a bit excited when I rattled off some equations and he broke the lead in his pencil a few times trying to write everything down. That’s when I realized that perhaps he should contact the university before I passed him any more information. I thought that perhaps the UO may need to know of our communications – you know, loyalty and royalty.”
“I see we’re eye to eye about kudos, good on you. So it’s a path in sub-atomic physics for you Aggie – the world’s youngest physicist?”
“Only for a while Miss Conaghan – I have an experiment in mind and to fully see it through, I will need to go back to Geneva. In the meantime, I know I have papers to write, people to get onside (I’ll have to tease Professor Lorenz to get his co-operation), get access to a smaller particle accelerator (the one in Los Alamos should do) and look after my dogs back home. All that should be done by my eleventh birthday – doesn’t time fly sometimes Miss?”
“And after you reach the grand old age of eleven?”
“I shall be reborn. I intend to study the health of our planet and its inhabitants – global warming, energy, radiation and ozone depletion – all things which may damage our mother earth – then come up with suitable solutions – it’s a path I seem destined to follow.”
“Aggie, I don’t doubt you for a minute and such a noble cause. Now come and I’ll show you that book with the picture of the Flammarion wood engraving – by the way, I’m wearing my red bracelet – I took your advice – accept, don’t dissect.”
“Glad you’ve finally made peace with your parents Miss. As a matter of fact, I’m calling in to visit my grandparents in Fort Lauderdale, on the way back to Vermont. I heard grandmother is ailing. By the way, Miss Conaghan, as soon as I get approval for my research here, I will be asking for an assistant – you must admit, at my age, I need a chaperone and scribe – and I just happen to know someone suitable – she lives in Frederick.”
“Justification will have to be reflected in your efforts Aggie.”
“That is quite a drawing Miss Conaghan. It’s simplistic yet intricate. Did you ever really look closely at the detail, I mean the background details – the little township with its church and the river behind it. If you’ve ever looked at Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night, you will see the exact same village, it’s Arles in France. This book was thought to be published in France in 1888. Vincent painted Starry Night in 1898 – allegedly from memory.”
“So what else do you see Aggie?”
“I see the traveller looking through the curtain of the Earth’s Aura, into a place of encryptions and mystification. In this drawing, the wheel within a wheel can mean different things to different people – and I can understand how your belief arises from it. May I not also argue that it’s symbolic of an atom, the motion of the electrons being the outer rims, and the nucleus in the centre and the spokes that support the whole structure are ions, particles and other sub-atomic matter. Look at the left and right border frames, don’t you think they look like rocket-ships? – look closer, you can even see a person inside each. Look at the nose cones, they are sharp and spark as they move through the astral world. Isn’t it also interesting that no one has found out just how and where this wood engraving actually came from - I would love to know the circumstances of its inspiration – but I guess that’s research for another time. I see the Department has about twenty other works by Camille Flammarion – quite an impressive collection.”
“We do our best Aggie, now let’s get to and see if we can get the best from you.”
-oOo-
He knew he would be two hours early in meeting her flight from Oklahoma City, but his eagerness saw him drive to Fort Lauderdale for this well overdue reunion with his granddaughter. Grandfather Lofting waved happily as Aggie came through the turnstiles – his heart was bursting with happiness – he needed a short break from the sorrow and pain back home. His wife – Aggie’s grandmother was dying and this unexpected visit by their estranged Aggie was a true delight and lit up Gladys’s face when she heard of it.
“I have so much to tell you grandad – many wonderful things have happened since I last saw you. I’ve never forgotten you or grandma; it’s just that in the last year, my world has been upside down and hectic. I’ll try my best to explain the situation and I know you’ll have a hard time understanding. Anyway the important thing now is to cheer grandma up – right?”
Aggie spent the next two days with the Reverend Lofting and an ailing Gladys. Aggie told them of her miraculous recovery, her life and adventures with Aunt Edna, her trip to France, all about her dogs and the beauty of Putney. She described the culture and her father’s background and how she participated in the rites of his funeral. She discussed her remarkable ability of gaining and retaining knowledge and her academic achievements – her acceptance into the UO as an associate in the sphere of theoretical physics.
This little girl was nowhere near the little girl they last knew, but the elderly Loftings accepted her with loving and open arms.
It had taken them many months to come to the realization that perhaps Kay was not all that innocent in her relationship with Robert, and it was only pride (and dirty laundry), that kept them from seeking to gain any form of custody of Aggie.
“Aunt Edna, I won’t be back till next week, I would like to stay with Grandma and Grandpa for a few more days – Grandma is very sick and we fear the worst.”
Two days later, Gladys passed away, peacefully. Her last words were, “thank you for blessing our lives Aggie, God bless you.” Once again Aggie sat down in the front row of a chapel, a participant in yet another family funeral.
At the gravesite, she asked if she might say something after grandmother’s coffin was lowered. “That would be lovely darling, I’m sure grandma will be looking down on all of this with love in her heart.” Aggie stepped forward next to the minister.
“Lakamigwezo - I am Aggie Kellor, daughter of Robert and Kay, granddaughter of Gladys – all are now my ancestors. I would like to offer an ancestral medicine poem, which has been passed to me through my father’s and our nation. He told me that after death, a person’s soul will leave the body and find its place of belonging. This then, is the message from the departed spirits.”
She raised her head and arms skywards and began:
I Am Not Here
Don't stand by my grave and weep
For I'm not there, I do not sleep
I am a thousand winds that blow
I am the diamonds glint on snow
I am the sunlight on ripened grain
I am the gentle autumn rain
When you awaken in mornings hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circle flight
I am the soft stars that shine at night
Do not stand at my grave and cry
I am not there, I did not die
Grandfather Lofting saw Aggie off to catch her plane back to Vermont – she was becoming quite the frequent flyer. “Yes Aggie, I’ll be fine, I have my congregation as my support group – promise you’ll visit me often child?”
“Of course I will grandpa; as a matter of fact you might like to come to my graduation at the university as soon as I finish up on some papers.”
“It’s a date honey. By the by Aggie; that poem, I’ve heard or seen it before and can’t seem to place it.”
“It just came to me at the time grandpa. Somehow I felt it and I knew it came through my daddy. Sometimes when I am sad, he comes to me and helps me ease my pain. I hope my references to the Nations and the spirits, didn’t upset the protocol of the service.”
“Not at all Aggie, I thought it was very appropriate and you melted my heart when you delivered those words...and it eased my pain as well.”
Aggie waved him farewell as she walked to the departure lounge. On the plane she opened her laptop and began keying vigorously. She was a little annoyed at the thought of Mrs damn Emily Hughes from next door, giving much more support to reverend granddad than was obviously necessary, especially when grandma was still alive. Oh well, at least I have all of grandma’s jewellery and trinkets aboard, that’s something she won’t get her hands on.
Edna did have a little concern about Aggie’s visit to those people, but she accepted the fact that Aggie was a free spirit and would always do the right thing. “So glad to see you again sweetheart, sorry to hear about your grandmother - for a young girl you’ve seen far too many sad departures.”
Aggie spent long hours behind Edna’s computer, the amount of printing had dropped remarkably and Edna could see just how much Aggie was actually learning – hopefully not involving Dwarg whom she knew had a reliance on printed matter. Edna preferred that if Aggie was to achieve a tertiary qualification or even a doctorate, she do it without using the resources of a very clever Dwarg. Dwarg agreed.
The date set for Dwarg’s departure from the physical was planned for July thirteenth. Aggie must be in Geneva and be in a position where she could direct the interaction of quantum treatment upon an atomic evacuation - by blowing Dwarg back into his Aura.
-oOo-
When poets write of Mother Nature, revitalising, refreshing and reawakening the earth from a sleep, they are thinking of Spring. Spring in Vermont is even more apparent and invigorating. The melting of stubborn little patches of snow, the rivulets of icy water, the drip-drop sounds of moisture falling off new growth, the reflection of the sunrays off shimmering leaves high in the tall trees, and the chirps and whistles of birds overhead are more endearing to the observer then the best efforts of the poet. Lisa’s baby was due – and what better time and place for a birth, than Spring, in Vermont.
Doctor Rixon’s practice was attached to his large house. It was right next door to the town’s attorney, Tony Lee – both loved fishing in the waters of the Connecticut River not far away. Tony had a nice skiff and the pair would regularly look at their appointments for the following day, hoping to see if they might be able to squeeze in some huntin time. “Nope, not tomorrow Tony, got a youngen to deliver, young Lisa’s due.” The next morning, just as she got into the car for her appointment, Lisa had begun her contractions. She had phoned Doctor Rixon earlier and he said that the Putney Birthing Suite was ready - and it was a good day to become a mother.
“Edna, this be Scott ere, I’m wit da Doc and Lisa is a asking for ye. Could ye spare da time? Sometin be amiss.”
Edna slammed the phone down, grabbed Aggie by the hand, nearly sending the keyboard flying and quickly explained the phone call.
The speed of the pick-up raised the dust of the Turner Trial in its rush to town. “Please don’t have anything going wrong, oh I hope it’s not serious, oh dear.” Doctor Rixon and Edna had an arm’s length respect for each other, he thought of her as a bit of a backyard witch-doctor who was harmless yet unexplainable lucky; she thought of him as a close-minded bone setter but his medical talents appeared to be adequate.
“This way Edna” said Carolyn, the doctor’s wife, receptionist and nurse. “the baby’s having a few problems – afraid you can’t come in lass – Lisa is calling for you.” Aggie followed them in anyway. Scott was at Lisa’s side holding her hand; tears were streaming down his face. Doctor Rixon was holding his stethoscope to the baby’s chest. The baby was dying, he had a not too small hole in his heart and the tiny heartbeats were very slow and irregular
“It’s his little heart Edna, he’s going fast – I’ve already called for a chopper – but I fear it’s all too late.”
“Oh this can’t be, after all these ordeals – this will shatter them. Edna turned to Aggie. “Aggie? Aggie?”
Aggie was already summoning Dwarg, but he did not want to communicate. She tensed her jaw and shook her head – for the first time in their relationship she insisted that he make immediate contact. “Dwarg get your ass here or I’ll damn well chew ice blocks and go to rock concerts forever!”- Aggie’s outburst was a little louder than she wished and the doctor looked around to see who she was shouting at. “You damn-well did it for me and for Butch and aunt Edna, so do it for this little baby! – I’ve had a gutful of funerals - no I don’t want to hear about your warnings – just do it!”
“Whoa there young lady, what do you think you’re doing – move away” said a confused doctor as he tried to pull Aggie’s head from the baby’s, “he doesn’t need mouth to mouth, I’ve got all that gear here.” Truth was that Aggie had stuck her tongue into its mouth, and then she promptly collapsed to the floor.
“Let her be where she is Doug, she often faints in panic situations, she’ll come around soon.”
“Never told me that before Edna – we’ll see to that later. Carolyn prepare for an injection of Epinephrine – that’s all I can do – maybe an embolism? - he’s turning blue. Just let me listen again...wait....again..please let it be a physiologic murmur.. Edna, just lift the baby and hold him straight up..good,...gooood..better. Wrap him, must keep him warm...better...better - his heart is beating a little better...and stronger...c’mon kid, be strong - his colour is coming back - look he’s just opened his eyes. Pray to God that he holds on.”
The noise of the medical evacuation helicopter reverberated through the town - Doctor Rixon provided details to the paramedics and Lisa and the baby were airlifted to the Paediatric Emergency centre in Hanover. “I’ll ring the centre and tell them you guys are also on the way – and you, young lady, I want to see you later.”
The trauma centre at Hanover was across the border in New Hampshire. Edna left the pick-up at the medical centre and they would make the trip with Scott driving Lisa’s car. Aggie’s head was hurting and she was very weak, but insisted on coming with them. “Scott, everything will fine – the baby had a close call but his heart is getting stronger. The people at the trauma centre are the best – you can ease up, the worst is over now, so it’s OK to slow down to the speed limit.”
The ultra-sound scanner was pushed into a corner – another one was needed, these images were just too weird. “Well have a look at the photos if you don’t believe me, see it looks like there’s some sort of gauze or tissue over the septum. It seems to be straddling a ventricular septal defect – everything else is fine. Maybe we’ll get a better image with this machine.” The new image was indeed better, and showed absolutely nothing out of the ordinary - no embolism – no holes. The baby’s heart, all the vital signs, blood and respiration were normal – and Lisa, for the first time, heard the baby cry.
Only Scott was permitted to enter the Emergency Room. Sitting on the couch in the waiting room, Edna held Aggie “tighter please aunt – I don’t know how long I can keep awake, I’m so tired and empty.” They could hear the loud cries of the baby from there. Hours later and many more scans later, the attending physicians decided to release Lisa and the baby; both were healthy.
The trauma specialists were looking and comparing the photo-scans - “the first plate definitely shows this piece of what looks like flat cotton wool. The next shows it is now half the original size. Now the next few show absolutely nothing – it’s gone. Too much for me.
I think I’ll email these images to Mic Noble – he was a colleague of mine in Miami – a top cardiologist - he’ll solve this puzzle.”
A proud Scott came out holding his new son.
“Looken this ere fine specimen of a budden logger – easn louder dan a paddock come and git it holler ‘n whoop.”
“He’s beautiful Scott, and Lisa – what a voice.”
“Looken ere wee William, ere be Aggie. Whoa youngster, yar tryen to fly?”
Scott lowered little William to Aggie’s height. His arms and legs began flaying vigorously and Aggie noticed his little tongue darting in and out like a little lizard’s – he was definitely communicating – Dwarg wanted out. Aggie kissed him on his little lips and immediately William stopped crying and calmed down.
Aggie was a little nauseous but her inner strength was returning. “Edna and Aggie, we would be honoured if you would both consent to be William’s godmothers.”
Edna noticed that Aggie was snoozing with a smile on her face. She quietly hummed the Abenaki Birth Song – all the way home to Turner Trail, Putney, Vermont.
In a fashion, Dwarg had also come home.