Crissa's Mate

Chapter Thirty-Five

"Crissa, I'll message if it's difficult to reach you by phone. I just  . . .need to know something. Because . . . well I miss you already, and . . ."

"It's OK David. I'm here. What do you need to know?"

"If you were totally serious . . . about me moving south. To BC. Being close to you."

Crissa could picture him there in the lonely airport with Brad, Julie and the professor. Waiting to go back to his home which was, as she remembered him telling her, not so comforting."

"David, I promised I would do all I can for you. And yes . . . I miss you too. Already. It's so amazing. I thought about you all the way here from JFK."

"That is so great to hear. I'll call you when I get to Fairbanks. I'm going to work on this, Crissa. I promise. For us to be closer. It's just that  . . . so much is . . . uncertain now with . . ."

"I know, I know. That's what I couldn't stop thinking about, David. That and . . . well . . ."

"And what?"

"That and . . . your arms around me, I guess. Your kisses. I've never felt this way about anyone else. In all my life."

"Honestly, that makes two of us. So please, Crissa. Just be patient. I promise you'll see me soon."

Crissa didn't know how else to respond.

"David, maybe this move will just be too difficult for you. Your mother?"

"No." he said softly but assuredly. "That will actually be the easy part. She'll be OK with me relocating."

"How do you mean, David?"

Have you seen it?"

"Seen what?"

"The moon. Tonight. It's already almost . . . a quarter full. The coming nights will be brighter. And then brighter. No matter where I am, I'll just need . . ."

"I know, David. And you will have it. As much support as I can give. Only I will understand this down here. What you'll have to deal with. The change . . . when it comes again."

"Thank you. I love you Crissa."

"And I . . . I love you, David. Whatever form you take."

She heard the phone click off, then just sat back on the sofa tying to picture David as she had seen him in her best of dreams, when he was at her college. It was an image she wanted to focus on. Seeing him happy there. Waiting for her in the bright sunlight.

Crissa's mother suddenly came out in her pink house-robe with a large piece of chocolate cake on a plate.

"I guess we're just going to have to get used to this, Darling . . . you being away now so much." She said this sadly, though trying to keep a cheerful face.

"Mom, I'll be in Vancouver. Just over on the island. Living in the dorm now will be good for me. And you and Dad, too. It's time you let me grow up. Don't you think?"

"Your father and I know that Crissa. It's just that . . . you being our only child . . . we spent your whole life trying to not let any harm come to you. It's difficult knowing you'll be away so much now."

"But mom," she said, taking the piece of cake graciously but firmly. "You know how much I love it up here . . . in the mountains. The city down there never appealed to me. And it's not like I'm moving away forever. I'll see you each week . . .on the weekends maybe. But sometimes maybe not even that often."

Her mother silently nodded her head. It seems she was about to cry as she sat next to her.

"You know Crissy, a few nights ago, when the moon was full?   Your father and I heard the wolves. Somewhere up there towards Mount Fromme. And it entered both of our minds that you might be . . . in some kind of danger over there in Germany. So far away. We felt so helpless, wanting to help you. You could never understand that feeling, not now, at your age. But when you love someone so much . . ."

"No, Mom. You're wrong. I do understand that feeling. Don't ask me how. But I do feel what you say." 

Crissa bent over and kissed her mother on the cheek. After taking one bite out of the cake she handed her back the plate and stood up. She left her on the sofa, while retiring up to her bedroom.

As she entered the spacious room where she had spent her entire childhood, she didn't turn on the lights but simply walked over in the dark to the large window and pulled back he drapes. There, looking toward the mountains, she could see the moon now just above the peaks. It was indeed nearly a quarter full again. She realized this magical orb would now become an important entity in her life—both measuring the time, and ushering her into places of the heart, mind, and body she had never been.

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