Things that bind us together- The cliff

PART-XXII( JOURNEY)

  Happy halloween 🎃

Thought
'Who am I among these historians, just a period(.)'

Issabelle's P. O. V.               
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Two hours on the road, less travelled by in this time of the morning. Half the world sleeping and the other trying. Trying to be better, trying to get a job, better grades, slim waist, hard chest, food and shelter for mere survival, planning for revenge, online, off the line, basically doing what the have to or want to.

I from the lucky lot am doing what I want to, following my heart. I am going on and on and on. Where? Don't ask. Relaxed breathing in the car is wrestling with mine, energised with a cup of caffeine. A big smile on my face because today's special.  It is one of those days that makes me calmer, steadier bringing me back to my roots.

After some unnoted time and empty road ahead I stop with the red right flashing in front, A car on my right side does the same. In it a woman on the driver seat busy on phone and a boy of seven on the passenger. He waves towards me and I return it with the same energy, caffeine. Towards my left I see a tent made of poster,torn from the side , dim lighted. An old man sitting outside with two middle aged, man and a woman looking directly towards me as if finding something in my eyes.

The three faces turn to the other side of the road as the green light flashes towards me and red on the other. I wonder for a moment what they wanted to see in my eyes, Hope or Disgust.

3 more hours hence and a 5 minute left to where am going. The roads come to life with cars all around. Still what I hear is relaxed breathing against my energised ones.

After exactly five minutes I get out , stretching my back, Taking out everything I require. The relaxed breathing gets deeper and deeper, maybe its the wind. I walk for sometime. Savouring every second of it. I've come here so many times but every time  I find something new. This time It is empty soda cans and waste packets of chips.

All of these look clean and new meaning somebody was here not quite long before. Maybe some high school friends who camped or mothers who brought their kids on picnic just like we used to do.

I walked for some seconds more with weight in my hand and I reached the edge. The edge of the cliff. I put the weight down. Keeping it at a safe distance so that nothing happens. I think about it one more time , pushing further back I look in front.

Everything flashes in front of me in a millisecond. Half of my life. The one with bad end.  The one where Elliot left us. Yet somehow he feels alive in this place. As does my mother, buried deep in the water.

We had a blood connection but every time its Elliot who comes first in my thoughts when I think of the cliff. Strange? Or it isn't?

I sit down looking down into the water. I think about the thing I brought here with me for the first time. I looked back once again. Safe. I looked down with a deep breath. The water underneath had flowers in it. To be specific white lilies which don't grow in this area. The symbolism of innocence. The symbolism of Ellie.

Again, he came before me. He always does. But i kinda like it that way. Anthony always has to come first. He deserves to be the first one. After that I come to pay my respects and then Geremy who always comes late at night. You might be thinking how do I know this when we have never talked since graduating high school?

It's because I saw Anthony once near the waters with lilies in hand but to afraid to talk i hid behind the trees till he was at a safe distance to notice anything at all. And as for Geremy I follow his page on Instagram. The one for animal care and related awareness. He posts the same picture every year with his back towards the camera on the same spot, arms in air like a snow angel.

It was , it is and it will always be you and after you this cliff that binds us all three together. Before you were gone you would never let us fight or remain upset and now is cliff is the only link that we have with each other. Elliot,I want you to know I fulfil my promise to come here every year on your birthday not because I'm bound to but because I want to.

Looking around I remember we were so young when we used to come here with my mom. So naive , so fragile. Good old days. It makes me wonder what age you would be now. 33 or 34. Maybe in between.

Time flies by so fast. So much has changed. There are more buildings around here when there was nothing but trees around here,our schools teachers have changed, every one we knew in our school is not there anymore, I have  also changed yet been the same.

My book 'The man of dignity" is doing so good in the market. Dad is so happy that I wrote about him.He says I made him alive forever as a writer's words never die. That no one or nothing could ever describe his life better. Looking once again at the lilies floating Anthony comes to my mind.

Anthony shined in the football league during his university. He plays now in the national team,due to lack of knowledge about football I dont know the name . He has come out to his parents and is also married now. Six months ago he had a pretty big wedding at Lake Como , Italy with an economics professor named Jonnathan. They look so beautiful together. I am so happy for him even if it is from distance.

Geremy on the other hand works in marketing industry. He is the advertising head of A.I.M. Ltd. He also volunteers for animal care work. The one's page I follow on instagram. I don't know if he is still practicing music but I hope he does. He has a beautiful wife and a twin boys of two, Berlin and Peru. The first twin names I've heard that don't rhyme.

Thomas, your mom, dad still miss you but they are better than past. They are travelling up north this month for summer. Thomas calls me occasionally. I am always pleased to talk to him. He knows so much. It is always a great conversation.

As for my family. Dad is still the same. He doesn't like admitting that he's getting old. Though He has retired from hospital, he mentors students about new technologies in surgical department. Cardio perfusion technology, his most favourite to talk about. The twins are trying to figure what to do next to build their lives and career. They turned out so much better looking than me.  Everytime I visit them they talk about their boyfriend and girlfriend, never forgetting the fact that someone new is there for me every proceeding time to talk about.

Then it's me. I don't look the same beautiful high school cheerleader but I look pretty good for the women of my age. I've written two books , the latest one " The man of dignity" critically acknowledged and the other just getting benefit from that. Don't judge me, okay, it was my first book.

And then there's Jodie, my Jodie. He makes me the happiest women in the world. He taught me what real love is which is respecting, supporting and felling immensely proud seeing the other one grow. I can't believe we are together for the last 6years. After the most important person in my life, maybe Even more than Jodie. My own-

Muffled humming turned off my thoughts and made me look back.It came from the baby pram a feet away with my baby in it . My Ellie. Elenor.

I picked up once a relaxed breathing child turned into into a crying monster. She silenced after some unharmonised singing and patting.

" Ellie its time to say goodbye to your uncle and grandma. Dad must be waiting for us. letzss gu" I said rubbing my nose to hers. Smiles on both of our faces.

I took a last look at the waters. Vigorous Scratching on my face commanded me to go home.

Or maybe not just yet.

Caramel custard at Sam and sons bakery it is.

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Thank you.
PEACE✌🏻!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!