EMIT (THE EMIT SAGA) Page 4
Floating on my back, I glanced at the house and saw Grammy watching me from the kitchen window. Ever since Lily and I were little, Grammy felt very uncomfortable unless there was a grown-up outside while we swam. One of Grammy’s friends died in a tragic pool accident and Grammy had been scared ever since. Even as we got older, she still lurked nearby pretending to garden whenever Lily and I were in the pool. I smiled and waved. When she disappeared from the window, I presumed that Mom had coaxed her away. A few moments later, Grammy came outside with a towel, magazines and a bottle of water.
“I brought you some things.”
“Thanks so much, Grammy.” She put everything on the table and went back inside. For a second, I’d thought she was going to stay and lifeguard.
Tired, I got out and sat on the chaise daydreaming.
Mom walked out of the house. “We’re going to Southold to visit one of Grammy’s friend.”
“Okay, have fun.”
“I’m not sure about that. You remember Eileen?” I nodded. “She hit a deer yesterday.”
“Is she okay?”
“She’s fine, just pretty banged up. Her car is totaled, though.”
“Wow.”
“We should be back in an hour.”
As I zoned out, I looked around the property and wondered why I’d never drawn or painted it. On the ground floor were Grammy’s bedroom, a guestroom, two bathrooms, kitchen, living room, den and dining room. Upstairs, there were three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Lily and I shared a bedroom upstairs and our parents had the other two rooms.
Grammy’s Christmas present from Mom and Aunt Cecile, an interior decorator, was a makeover of the ground floor and the three of them had fun decorating together. The walls in the living room were painted sandy beige. There were pale blue couches with white and yellow pillows. Hurricane vases were scattered around the room filled with sand, shells and candles in case of a power outage during a storm.
The kitchen was painted a pale yellow with sea green cabinets. All the fabrics used on the ground floor were yellow, blue, green and/or white. On a yard sale run, Mom found big green and amber glass bottles and had them converted into lamps. The bedrooms upstairs were all painted linen white and the splashes of color came from the bedding and the curtains.
My favorite place was the outside stone patio, which was covered by a long sand-colored retractable awning. There was a large square aluminum table and chairs that seated twelve. On the side there was a long wicker couch and large wicker chairs for relaxing. Even in the rain, we were able to enjoy the outdoors.
Around the pool, there were ten lounge chairs and six huge tan market umbrellas. In one corner, there was a large round teak table.
Lavender bordered all the gardens and sitting on the patio, the scent was unbelievable.
Lilacs, roses, Montauk daisies, blue hydrangeas, lilies, peonies were just some of the flowers that grew in her garden. The neighbors were amazed because their plants didn’t grow half as well.
Grammy’s house was on Horseshoe Cove Beach facing Little Peconic Bay. The area was called Nassau Point and Albert Einstein had rented a cottage here in the summers of 1938 and 1939. He said that it was "the most beautiful sailing ground I ever experienced.”
I loved being at Grammy’s, but it wasn’t perfect unless Lily was there too. We were more like sisters than cousins and like sisters; we’ve had some crazy fights over the years. One dispute over a yellow crayon will live on in infamy. Now, we reminisce about all the silliness and realize every memory good or bad made up our history together.
I glanced up at my bedroom window and saw a dark shape swoosh behind the curtains. It really looked like someone was up there. Amber was inside and if a stranger was there, she would’ve been barking like crazy. Looking through the patio glass doors, I saw Amber enter the kitchen from the front foyer and flop on her dog pillow with not a care in the world. I glanced through the side gate and Mom’s car wasn’t in the driveway. The apparition must have been the light or my imagination.
I jumped back in the pool to do some laps.
As I turned to head the other way, I saw Mom and Grammy standing by the edge.
Grammy looked angry. "You know that you’re not allowed to swim if you’re home alone.”
“I’m so sorry. I forgot." Grammy was visibly upset and without saying anything, she turned and walked away. Years ago, a friend of Grammy's had a horrible pool accident in her home and since then Grammy has been vigilante that no one swims alone.
Mom shook her head and said, “Come on. You’re not two. You know that’s her one rule."
“I’m really sorry,” I repeated. No longer in the mood to swim, I got out and watched as Mom caught up to Grammy.
Frustrated, I grabbed Amber's leash and walked down the beach to get away from them.
Amber had webbed paws and she loved the water. As I walked, she swam alongside. Eventually tiring, she’d walk on the sand in front of me. After each brief respite, she’d jump back in. All of a sudden, she charged out of the water. I looked down the beach and spotted a yellow lab approaching. For a good ten minutes, they chased each other around making sand storms. They were panting loudly so I took my water bottle and filled my cupped hand. They slobbered all over me and just as I began to wonder where the owner was; a man whistled and the dog took off. Amber tried to follow. I grabbed her collar, put her leash on and headed home. I toweled her off, changed my clothes and went for a jog.
Later, we watched a movie and when it was done, Mom asked me to take Amber out. The beach was desolate and up ahead, I saw a person near the trees and I nervously turned around.
The next morning, we had breakfast at the Cutchogue Diner. When we got back, Mom and Grammy started looking through cookbooks for menus and recipes for the weekend barbeques. I was so happy to be here. If I went to London, my parents would’ve been here without me.
“Sweetie, we’re going food shopping. Call the farm and see about riding. If you can ride today, schedule it for later.”
“Okay,” I said and called Meadow Hill Farms. I was able to get a hack for today, which was riding without an instructor and was only allowed for experienced riders.
My obsession with horses started when I was six years old on the drive to Grammy’s house. As we passed several horse farms, I saw kids riding and saw a sign that said ‘Pony Camp.’ I pestered my parents until they signed me up and I’ve been riding ever since.
After that summer camp, I took lessons in the city at the Claremont Riding Academy. When the facility closed, I was heartbroken. Luckily, my horse trainer moved to Westchester and I continued riding there.
I texted Mom the time of my ride and then found my riding clothes in a laundry basket in the closet. As I sat on the window seat, I glanced out and saw the boats from the New Suffolk sailing club heading towards Robins Island. I grabbed my camera and took some photos. When I was done, I put the camera in the case and threw it on my bed. As I put on my sports bra, I noticed a guy jogging barefoot on the beach heading towards our house. In a few moments, he was right in front of the house and it looked like the guy in the park. How was that possible? I ran to my bed, grabbed the camera and tried to zoom him into view, but only his back was visible.
I threw my shorts back on and raced to the beach. I looked all around and spotted him walking on Fleets Neck Beach. He must have swum across the channel since there was no other way to get over there.
When I turned to go home, I stepped on a shell and felt pain on my heel. Looking down, I saw my pink and black colored zebra-striped knee-high riding socks and realized how ridiculous I must look. Besides the socks, I was wearing a yellow sports bra and red shorts. Shaking my head, at the wacko I’d become, I quickly ran inside before anyone saw me.
When Mom and Grammy got back from shopping, I got my saddle out of the garage.
“Mom, can I drive over? I have to practice.”
She handed me the keys and crossed herself.
“I was just fooling around.” I wasn’t sure if I believed her.
We made it to the barn with Mom screaming less than usual, so I thought it was a good drive. Mom got into the driver seat. “Have fun. I’ll be back in an hour.”
I ran in with carrots, excited to see Milton, a gray, part quarter horse and thoroughbred. After leasing him for a couple of summers, we had a special bond.
“Milton,” I called out and he stuck his head out of the stall. “Hi. I’ve missed you.” I rubbed his nose and he nudged my arm for the carrots.
I brushed him down and since Carlos and Julio, the grooms, were busy with a hay delivery, I got Milton ready myself.
We walked outside and Sara, the riding instructor, was giving a group lesson in the school ring, so I headed for the far riding ring, which was empty.
“Hey stranger,” Sara called out as I passed. “Nice to see you.”
“You too. I’ve missed this place and Milton,” I added.
“I’m sure he missed you as well.”
I had a great time trotting, cantering and galloping. Flying through the air was exhilarating.
Afterwards, I washed Milton in the outside shower stall and got soaked in the process, but it felt good. Suddenly, two black sedans speed by and I was really surprised. There were signs all along the driveway warning drivers to slow down because the horses could get spooked and buck off the riders. The cars disappeared, but I knew they’d be back since there was no exit over there. Sure enough, they raced by faster than before.
I put Milton in one of the pastures and went to watch Sara teach.
As I sat on the fence, Sara called out, “Can you help me with the poles?”
“Sure,” I said and jumped down.
“Did you see those cars before?” Sara asked, as we each grabbed an end.
“Yeah, I did. I couldn’t believe how fast they were driving.”
“I know. I screamed slowdown, but they didn’t,” Sara said angrily. “I yelled for the kids to get off their horses. When they went behind the property, I called the police and waited in the road. They came out and drove on the grass around me.”
“It was probably a car service and they thought this was a winery.” Some people hired cars when they went winetasting.
I saw Mom driving up the driveway and ran inside to grab my bag and saddle.
As we exited the farm, the two black cars were parked across the street and a police officer was talking to one of the drivers. Why were those cars still around almost thirty minutes later?
I felt so gross and sticky that I ran up to shower. There was horsehair all over my arms and face. As I walked out of the bathroom, someone screamed, “Boo.”
I jumped for dear life and there stood Lily laughing. “Wow, you were really scared!”
“You almost gave me a heart attack. Don’t do that.”
“Why did you shower?” Lily asked, as she put on her bathing suit. “I want to go swimming.”
“I went riding. Why are you here? Weren’t you catching the bus with our dads tonight?”
“The office didn’t need me today, so I came out with Mom.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I wanted to surprise you.”
I wanted to tell Lily about my possible sighting of him, but decided to wait till later.
After we got out of the pool and Lily was wrapping herself up in a towel, I said, “Lily, I saw that blond guy from the park jogging on our beach this morning.”
Lily sighed and sat down on a chaise. “Give me a break. That’s impossible.”
“It looked just like him. I swear. I know it sounds crazy, but I’m pretty sure it was him.”
“There’s no way. You’re hallucinating.”
“But it’s possible it was him,” I insisted.
“I’m 99.999% sure it wasn’t him. Want to bet ten dollars?”
I didn’t, but said, “Sure.” It wasn’t like we would ever know anyway.
Lily put on her ear buds and closed her eyes. She was done talking about imaginary people.
I checked Facebook and texted some friends. When that got dull, I decided to start my school reading since I found one of the books. The first poem on the list was written by John Keats called ‘To A Lady Seen for a Few Moments at Vauxhall.’
SONNET TO A LADY SEEN FOR A FEW MOMENTS AT VAUXHALL
Time's sea hath been five years at its slow ebb,
Long hours have to and fro let creep the sand,
Since I was tangled in thy beauty's web,
And snared by the ungloving of thine hand.
And yet I never look on midnight sky,
But I behold thine eyes' well memory'd light;
I cannot look upon the rose's dye,
But to thy cheek my soul doth take its flight.
I cannot look on any budding flower,
But my fond ear, in fancy at thy lips
And hearkening for a love-sound, doth devour
Its sweets in the wrong sense: - Thou dost eclipse
Every delight with sweet remembering,
And grief unto my darling joys dost bring.
Time normally makes memories fade, however, that wasn’t the case here and I felt a little less foolish fantasizing about a stranger. The words “sweet remembering’ explained that perfectly since my reaction to the boy in the park was comparable.
“How come you look so miserable? Stop reading that stuff and let’s do something.”
“Sure, what do you want to do?” I asked, snapping out of my doldrums.
“I don’t know, but I need some exercise. How about tennis?” Lily rose from the chaise.
We went inside to ask one of our moms for a ride and they wanted to join us.
“If the courts are full we’ll play doubles,” Mom suggested.
“Otherwise, we’ll play singles,” Lily countered.
When we arrived, there was one court available so Lily and I had to play with our moms.
As we were leaving the park, I noticed two cars idling in the parking lot with dark tinted windows. It looked like those same two cars from the morning.
Back home, Lily and I were doing laps when both dads appeared.
That night, there was a new moon and it was eerily dark on the beach when Lily and I took Amber for a walk. Apart from the intermittent house lights, the only illumination came from the boats in the bay.
“It’s really eerie out here when it’s this dark,” Lily said.
“I know. The other night I got scared being out here alone and turned around.”
There was a boat that had its lights on and as we passed, it went completely dark. From the light of a nearby boat, I saw that someone was standing on the deck.
Lily and I woke up and smelled baked goods all the way upstairs. In the kitchen, we found everyone preparing a birthday breakfast for Grammy.
“Happy Birthday, Grammy!” Lily and I yelled out together and kissed her.
Mom was scooping scrambled eggs into a bowl and Aunt Cecile was making a fruit salad. Uncle Ian, who hated to cook, was preparing the coffee and tea. Dad was flipping pancakes and making a terrible mess. Grammy looked upset and sat down at the table.
As Mom put the eggs on the table, she whispered, “Don’t worry, I’ll clean it up.”
“Paige, are you riding today?” asked Lily while reaching for a blueberry muffin.
“Yeah, I have a lesson. Want to come?” I asked, knowing what she’d say.
“No way. Never again.”
I laughed. One summer, Lily was bored waiting for me to come home every day, so Aunt Cecile signed her up for a two-week session.
The first day she had a lot of fun, but that wasn’t the case on her second. Lily was told to clean a horse stall and she adamantly refused to do it. When a girl began mucking my stall, I got upset and Lily thought I was insane. “Why do you care if someone picks up the horse poop?”
“I want
to do it myself,” I whined.
“Are you crazy?” Lily stared at me in utter disbelief.
After camp, Lily ran to her Mom and shrieked, “Did you know that you paid for me to clean stalls?” Lily was convinced that the pony camp was just a ruse and that parents were paying for their kids to do child labor. That was the end of Lily’s equestrian life and she never went back.
After breakfast, I drove to my riding lesson.
Sara set up the gates and I was thrilled to jump the rails. Towards the end of my lesson, something spooked Milton and I saw a man in a suit walking behind the bushes.
Sara saw him too and called out, “You can’t be over there. This is private property.”
Without saying a word, the man walked down the hill towards the street.
As Mom and I left the farm, a dark car was blocking the driveway. This was so weird.
“What are they doing? Beep the horn.”
Before I did, the car pulled away.
The rest of the day Lily and I hung out by the pool. When Lily started playing her guitar, I read some more poetry.
A poem called ‘When I Have Fears That I May Cease To Be’ was really depressing.
WHEN I HAVE FEARS THAT I MAY CEASE TO BE
When I have fears that I may cease to be
Before my pen has glean'd my teeming brain,
Before high-piled books, in charactery,
Hold like rich garners the full ripen'd grain;
When I behold, upon the night's starr'd face,
Huge cloudy symbols of a high romance,
And think that I may never live to trace
Their shadows, with the magic hand of chance;
And when I feel, fair creature of an hour,
That I shall never look upon thee more,
Never have relish in the faery power
Of unreflecting love;--then on the shore
Of the wide world I stand alone, and think
Till love and fame to nothingness do sink.
Since his parents, grandmother and brother died, Keats was cognizant of his own mortality or he wrote this poem when he was ill. Keats died when he was twenty-five. Time was the theme of the poem and it alluded to fulfilling dreams of fame and love. In the end, Keats knew that he would “stand alone” since dying was a solitary journey.