Village

Village Part 6

Celeste entered a room that was spotless. The colors matched. The counters wiped down. Everything put away. The kitchen/living room that she entered first was ready for the real estate market. Immaculate. Except there was a shattered lamp next to a recliner on the far side of the room. She looked back to the lady she had followed in, searching for signs of abuse, bruises, scratches, or scars from past disagreements. There were none. So he had taken his frustration out on the lamp and not her. That much was promising.

"I'm Celeste." She extended her hand and the woman eagerly took it and shook.

"I'm Louisa," the woman said, eyes still red from tears.

"Celeste," she repeated, reaching for the man who stood silent with arms crossed. She would force him out into the open, slowly. There would be less chance of surprises if everyone had their cards on the table. She wanted to look at the child and then go. Go back to her flat and wait until noon, then head to the funeral and jet.

For a second, she thought the man was not going to move, just stare at her. After a few awkward moments, the man reluctantly shook her hand. He did not offer a name.

"Fernando," said Louisa with a slight of hand toward her husband. "He has no manners today."

Louisa seemed a little surer of herself with Celeste present. But Celeste did not want to make this seem like two women ganging up on one guy. She addressed Fernando, in the back of her mind finding it strange that the dark skinned people before her had Indian accents. They did not seem typical for the village. She hoped that in addressing him and not the woman that she would be acknowledging that he was in charge. She could already tell that any decision making would be his.

"Your child is sick?" asked Celeste.

Fernando seemed to be searching for something to say. Then he blurted out, "I have seen them! I have seen them after. Twice. I know it is real. I do not doubt these things. I have seen them with my own eyes!"

Celeste was unsure of how to respond. A person's first response in a confrontation or argument is to either agree and dissolve the point of contention, or disagree and state your point of view. Celeste found herself unable to do either. Louisa saved her by jumping in.

"Baby, I believe. I tell you I believe. I believe I tell him," she said to her husband and then to Celeste. "There is no reason to bother the Elders with this. It doesn't take babies! It doesn't take children! Tell him, please. It is only fever."

"Has she seen the doctor?"

"Doctors are gone early," Fernando stated. "The ones who should be leaving last, they are gone already."

Celeste thought about Gavin, the Runner, standing outside. She could send him. It was early still, but the man was probably right. She had witnessed half the village leaving while she had sipped coffee at the café window with Father Darvey. And some always left the day before, if the one had been chosen. Today was different, but this was not something she wanted to see drug out. Louisa was correct as far as she knew. It had never chosen a child.

"Well, I'm here. Do you mind if I look at her. I'm not a doctor yet, but training to be."

This received a look of surprise from both. They almost seemed to disbelieve, especially the man.

"I'm Elsa's daughter."

She didn't know why she said this, she just did. Searching for some form of validation. After all, who could look at this little twenty-something, from the Meadows, and believe she would be a doctor in a few years?

"The funeral today?" asked Louisa. Small village. It worked.

"Yes . . . at 2:00."

"We're sorry for your loss."