It felt good to be back on campus next day, a week before Thanksgiving―trees bright with turning leaves, each one reminding me of Cindy.
I crossed Queen's Park and saw squirrels forage and students sitting under trees.
It was bright and fresh as October could be...
It was good to be alive.
At Hart House, the aroma of coffee greeted me and baskets of fresh croissants, so I bought several knowing Cindy would drop by...and for her, of course, black raspberry jam.
I was feeling elated as a man does who escaped kidnapping and possibly dying. Yes, the thought sobered me but didn't discourage me, because I was under Cindy's watchful surveillance.
But recalling Abe's cold cases and his unearthing a dozen skeletons did put a damper on my enthusiasm.
I began to slip back into melancholy before glancing up and seeing Cindy. She was walking toward me, smiling, turning heads with her bright hair and black cashmere sweater.
Though I was by no means carefree and secure, seeing her, excited me to a point where I didn't care.
"Hey Prof, for a man who narrowly escaped the Brotherhood, you look chipper today."
"Must be seeing you," I laughed, "because last night was sobering."
She grabbed a croissant and slid into the seat opposite me. "You know I'm going to be seeing Hans Bauer this evening."
My face fell, but she reached out a hand to comfort me, "Don't worry, I'll keep him at arms length."
I nodded, no need to say anything―my face said it all.
"You know, Laird, guys look―I can't stop them, but I don't look back. Jus sayin', in case you're wonderin'." She said it softly in a slight sing song voice she knew always melted me―and as usual, it did.
"I trust you but not this 'guy'. I hate what he represents, the type of lies he spreads―not to mention dozens dead, at least ones we know about."
"I get that," she whispered, "but I also know you're jealous because I've felt that too―in ways you probably couldn't imagine."
She looked at me with huge eyes that I swear looked like pools of pain.
"Do you want to tell me?" I asked.
"I haven't told anybody―I don't know if I can, or if you'll think I'm insane."
"Try me," I said, and this time reached across the table and grasped her trembling hand.
She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, as if picturing something in her mind and sighed, "All right, but don't blame me if you think I'm nuts."
"I won't―really. I want you to let me in."
"Abe and I worked a cold case a while back―the one that made his rep in the department. We got help from Scott Lennox―he teaches History here at the university. Do you know him?"
"I know of him, but don't know him personally."
"Well, he broke my heart, Laird. And here's the weird part, all my life I had dreams of him―he was my soul mate, or so I thought."
"But they were just dreams, Cyn."
"Would you think me insane if I said they were memories?"
I stared at her, not comprehending.
"We shared a life back in the Thirties. I knew Scott then and his wife, Marilyn. Actually, she was my friend."
"You're talking about past lives and you say Scott has recall of this?"
"He does. We were part of a lovers' triangle, but I lost. Funny thing, I still went on searching for my soul mate in that past life and now in this one. So yeah, I know something about jealousy and a lot about loss―but that's also why when I first saw you, I was drawn. Maybe I've been looking for you in two lifetimes, Prof."
I got up, sat beside her and put an arm around her. "Well, now you've got to be extra careful, since it took so long for us to find each other."
The clock tower bell chimed ten―time for my class, but it felt so right with her in my arms, I ignored it, so the moment would last.