Chapter Seventeen

Jessie woke late, after troubled dreams, only to find Rowan had gone.  She felt head achy and groggy, so she jumped in the shower.  With the water pounding down on her head, she began to remember her dreams.  A huge woman had wakened her.  No, not a woman--that angel.  Illianna!  Had she really been here?  Jessie tried to pull the dream back, but it evaporated as quickly as the steam from her shower.

She had promised Rowan that she’d try the stained glass today, so she pulled on her favorite house dress, all sunshine yellow and cool greens, and headed to the studio.  The early morning sun poured through the patio doors, making paths of golden dust motes. 
The panes of glass lay spread on the workbench, mostly purples and blues with a tantalizing piece of bubbly hand-blown clear.  Jessie held the richest blue in the sunlight to watch the shards of sky dance on her wall.  Then, getting down to business, she pulled on her gloves and began cutting.

She and Rowan had sketched a design on the workbench last night.  She smiled as she followed the sensuous curve, picturing him earnestly drawing as he described her hips.  He’d been so serious, talking as though her hips curved any differently than anyone else.  At first Jessie had been offended.  Was she so round, then?  But Rowan clearly loved whatever he held in his mind’s eye, so she couldn’t object.  Instead, she poked him in the ribs, tickling, and the drawing was never finished.
The stained glass soon lay in perfectly cut pieces on the template below.  Jessie stretched and rubbed her lower back. 

The light had changed while she was so absorbed; it was past noon and she was hungry.  She put some Wyndham Hill guitar on the CD and went to scrounge in the kitchen.  Rowan had put the leftovers from last nights feast all together for her, so she pulled out the cold chicken and fruit salad. Carrying her lunch, she went out on the patio to eat.  The late fall sun felt gentle on her skin, with a slight breeze to keep it cool. The maple in her neighbors yard was turning red, and the aspens on the hill were nearly bare.
She propped her feet on the chaise lounge and leaned back to rest.  It had been a wonderful morning.  How could she have gone so long without creating?  She almost nodded off when she saw something move near the hedge.  Straightening, she watched, hoping for another sight.  Soon, she saw a small man, much like the little people she’d seen with Hattie.  He watched her closely, moving nearer slowly, darting from bush to bush toward the patio.

Despite his obvious hesitation to approach her, he finally reached the flowerbed at the foot of the patio.  Peering from behind the mums, he spoke quickly. “Rowan ‘ere?”  His voice carried on the breeze like notes from a reed pipe, high, clear and elusive.

“No he left, sorry.”  At this news the brownie crumpled into a ball on the ground and wailed.  Jessie watched in alarm as his distressed cries rang out, then finally stilled.

“Where…where’s he gone ta?” he managed.

“He left this morning before I woke up…is there anything I can do?”

The brownie watched her sadly with his large, hope-filled eyes.  Finally, he shook his head, and slunk away, careless of being seen. 

Jessie shook herself, feeling as though she’d just awakened. What was that all about?  Is Rowan in danger?  She had to know, to see him; she’d go to his shop. Taking her lunch dishes, she went into change.  Jeans and a purple t-shirt were the quickest, and she added her running shoes and a sweater, just in case. Clutching her purse, she walked to the bus stop.  She saw no fairies at play in the park today, nor did she see any Otherlings at any of the bus stops.  The city had an eerily quiet feel to it; almost as though the world was holding it’s breathe, waiting.

Why didn’t I notice this earlier?  It was odd that he left without a goodbye, why wasn’t I worried then?  Jessie remembered her dream of Illianna.  Had she come for Rowan?  The bus was stalled in slow downtown traffic and the pace was driving her crazy.  Grabbing her purse, she walked to the front. “I’ll get off here,” she told the driver.

“I can’t let you out until we reach a designated bus stop.”  He slumped wearily in his seat, never turning to acknowledge her.

“Just let me out!  Please.  I’m in a hurry.”

The bus driver shrugged and then opened the door.  “Whatever.”

Jessie hardly heard him as she jumped from the steps onto the street.  Weaving her way between cars, she reached the sidewalk just in time to see a giant of a man push Hattie down onto the curb. “Leave her alone!” she yelled.

The giant turned to see who spoke.  Without a word he stalked away, his long legs carrying him quickly out of sight.

“Hattie, are you alright?” Jessie bent over the disheveled old woman. Hattie was obviously rattled, and couldn’t answer her for several minutes, so Jessie just put her arms around her and let her cry.

Stuttering, she tried to explain.  “The little people!  Hannah, somethin’s happened to the little people.”

“Hattie, calm down, okay.  I’m right here.  I’m not going anywhere.  Take your time.”  At this, a fresh torrent of tears took her and she sobbed on Jessie’s arm as though her heart would break.  Slowly the weeping quieted, and Hattie raised her head.

“I tried to ask ‘im.  I know ‘e’s seen ‘em too.  But ‘e didn’t want to tell me.”

“Who Hattie?”

“The giant!  Didn’t ya see ‘im?  I know ‘e knows!  I seen ‘im wit ‘em afore.”

“The man who assaulted you?  Where did you see him before Hattie?”

“Well, ‘twas the first time I saw ‘em!  ‘E was carryin’ one o’ the little people, don’t ya know?  There was a terrible booming, like an earthquake, so I was runnin’, and he was runnin’ too, ‘cept he went back.”

None of this ranting made the slightest sense to Jessie. “Hattie, why do you think something has happened to the little people?”
Hattie wailed in response.  “’Cause they won’t come ta me!  An the one I saw, he squealed and runned when ‘e saw me!”

After watching the Otherlings with Hattie two days ago, Jessie knew this was different; something had scared them.  “Hattie, I’m sure everything is alright.  I’ll go see a friend who knows your little people, just in case, but don’t you worry, okay?  Try to take it easy.  Why don’t you go to one of the shelters tonight, get some rest.  I’ll find you tomorrow and let you know what my friend said, ok?”

“No, no, I’ll be awright here.  It’s bein’ outside what rests me, don’t ya know.” Hattie answered Jessie distractedly, plucking at her skirts and watching the street.

Jessie hurried on toward Rowan’s shop, all the while watching for Otherlings, but the streets were peopled only by humans.  The magic was gone.  The breeze from the bay brought only damp, salty and cold; usually refreshed by the sea, today Jessie was bone-chilled.  Pulling her coat more tightly around her, she turned into the warehouse district desperately seeking the warmth of Rowan’s embrace, certain his reassurance would put things right.

Before she realized it she was past the shop.  How had that happened?  She turned west again, into the breeze.  The shop was right here…somewhere.  Jessie felt a sense of panic rising.  Where was she?  Why couldn’t she find Rowan?  She walked slowly back to the beginning of the block.  It wasn’t there.  Had she turned on the wrong street?  Surely not, but where was it?  Once again she walked slowly down the length of the block, studying every doorway, every alleyway, every dusty window.  An entire shop can’t just disappear!

Turning north Jessie moved her search to the next block.  This street was more abandoned buildings, more lots filled with junk and derelict cars.  She walked the block slowly, studying each place carefully, as though a clue must surely appear.  As she reached the end of the block she felt a wave of dizziness threaten to overwhelm her, so she sat on the edge of the sidewalk.
Her chest hurt with her efforts to breath, and the junkyard before her pulsed and faded until she closed her eyes.  “Take slow, deep breathes,” she told herself.  Moments passed before she felt safe to look again.  The world had ceased spinning, and a gray evening haze was dulling the grimy buildings.

Jessie considered her options.  She could keep looking for Rowan’s shop, but for how long?  It had to be on the last street, but it wasn’t.  This train of thought started her chest hurting again, so she stopped.
She needed to go home.  Rowan would know where to find her, and he would come there, eventually.  Surely he would come.  Finally she rose from the curb and turned back toward the metro stop.  This was not a good neighborhood to be alone in at night.  She walked quickly, starting at every sound.  As she passed the street where the shop should have been, she hesitated and looked toward it, hoping to see the welcoming spill of light from the window, but all was dark.
Suddenly she saw Hattie’s giant.  It was as though he just materialized from the shadows and dust.  Grabbing her last bit of courage, she followed him.

“Excuse me. Sir?  I don’t know your name, but I think you know a friend of mine.”  The giant kept walking, forcing Jessie to run to keep up.  “Please, can you help me?  I’m looking for Rowan.”  At that, the man wheeled, and Jessie ran right into his arms.  He grabbed her arms and pushed her from him, and a scowl of fury lit his face.

“You!  You are no friend of Rowan’s!  You are not welcome here!  Go home, woman!”  Then  Krohn pushed the startled Jessie, who fell hard into the gutter. He stood over her, and his fury faded as he saw how helpless she was.  “Oh, Finbat scat!  Now I’ve done it.”  Bending over Jessie he offered his arm, and she batted it away.  Kneeling beside her he waited, wondering what to do now.  “Hey, you okay?”

“No I’m not okay, you hoodlum!  Just stay away from me!”

Krohn could see that she’d hurt her ankle as she went off the curb.  “Listen, I’m sorry.  You’re going to need help to get home.  I’ll get you a cab, how about it?”

Jessie’s fit of tears was slowing and she considered him quietly.  “Will you answer my question?”

Krohn sat back on his heels.  This lady was more persistent than he’d expected.  “Nobody knows where he is.  He’s closed the shop and disappeared.  I’ve been looking for him all afternoon.”

“But why?  He was fine last night.  Did I do something?”

“Look, lady, I can’t answer that.  All I know is he’s gone.”  Krohn was dismayed to see Jessie crying again.  “Ah cat’s eyes!  Let me help you get home.  Please; come on, get up.  I can’t leave you here.”

“Just leave me alone.  I can take care of myself.”  Jessie pushed herself up and took a step, but the pain in her ankle brought her down – into Krohn’s arms.  He picked her up easily and began walking toward the metro stop.

“I’ll just help you get home, okay?” Krohn said.  Jessie nodded her okay and relaxed into his gentle, safe arms.  In a very short time they were back at Jessie’s, and Krohn carried her in and sat her on the couch.

“You going to be okay now?” he asked as he backed toward the door, obviously anxious to leave.

“Sure, I’ll be fine.  Thanks for helping me.”  Jessie could see now that they were in her house that her rescuer, Hattie’s “giant”, was no ordinary man.  He was, in his own way, as singular as the fairies she’d watched playing in the park.  The moment she said thanks he was out the door.  His exit was so quick that she had difficulty remembering he’d been there.  Jessie closed her eyes, glad to be home safely, and fell instantly asleep.