Chapter 16
The Reunification and Battle
Jordi spoke quickly, “I was looking for you, I found your note with your secret writing, oh, and Aurelio! And I was coming to look for you, but then the rain started and the matrade wouldn’t let me leave, but then I left when the sun came out, but that was just the eye of the storm, so I got swept away and ended up her. And here you are.”
“You were looking for me? For me?”
“Of course I was!”
“Why?”
“I love you! And you’re my wife.”
“But I was horrible to you. I left you so meanly.”
Jordy held her uninjured hand between his, “I know. I know all about why you ran. Rafiq and Dalia told me all about it. I know it wasn’t me that you were trying to get away from.”
“I was afraid of you.”
“Afraid of me, or what you thought I’d be like?”
“She stopped and looked at him as the rusty logic gears in her brain were put back into use. “I don’t know. I think that could be right—what I feared, not you.”
“Damn sure its right!” he smiled. “We can talk about this more, but first we need to get you to the emergency room, and maybe get you cleaned up a little first. Step over here.” Jordi lifted her over to the water pouring down from the gargoyle, which was the cleanest water around. He picked the twigs out of her hair and rubbed at the stained spots. “ I think the rain is letting up now, and there’s just this big puddle before we’re on higher ground.”
“But the closest hospital is down by the piers.”
“That’s sure to be flooded, we need to go inland.”
Jordi wrapped his arm around her waist, and pulled her arm over his shoulder. It was a walk that would normally take 40 minutes, but in the flood and with her hobbling along it took over an hour. They were silent most of the way as they carefully considered every step around the flotsam.
As they sat in the waiting room, both of them now wrapped in blankets, she asked, “Aurelio? Earlier, did you say Aurelio?”
Jordi spun in his seat to face her, “Yes. That’s who you’ve been with, hasn’t it?”
She started to sob, shaking with fear, anger, and shame.
Jordi pulled her hunched form close to him, “I’m here now. He can’t get you anymore.”
“I’m such a bad person. You don’t understand. I don’t deserve you, and this,” she waved to indicate the hospital and the entirety of everything.
“Don’t say that.”
“You don’t know what I did. I have to tell you. I won’t ever be able to look at you if I don’t tell you.”
“What?”
She told him her story from the time she ran until this moment in the hospital. Her voice was calm, almost monotone as she gave him the details. Cecelia told him everything, all their conversations, all the men, her journey into the abandoned subway station. He listened patiently, holding her hand and looking into her face. When her head bowed in shame, he leaned over to keep in contact with her eyes. He wanted to see her, to see into her and know if what she said was true. He knew everything about Aurelio was true, but not everything about her was true.
“I killed all those men. I trapped them, and,” she looked at him, then down at her knees that were shaking in and out, “I was his prostitute—there’s no other way to call it. He made me go out and hunt men, and made me think it was for their own good, and then he ate them. It’s all my fault, all these men are dead because of me. And you are here, and I don’t deserve that.”
He saw that she wasn’t being totally truthful. Jordi lifted her chin so that she looked at him, but her eyes still looked down. “Look at me,” he commanded. She reluctantly looked up and he continued, “First of all , you are my wife. We did both say, ‘I do’. I meant that. I am committed to you just as I promised on that altar. Secondly, you can only own what’s yours, and for that part I forgive you. But you are owning way more that what belongs to you, and you cannot carry Aurelio’s guilt. He is a manipulative son of a thousand whores.”
“I don’t understand how you can be like this? How can you be so understanding?”
“I think,” he gave her a half smile, “That Dalia, Rafiq, and Zain and their love for you has something to do with it. I loved you already, a small seedling of love, and they watered it.”
“I’m damaged goods now.”
“You are not the hurts that have been done to you. And I will not let Aurelio ruin another thing for me. I am done with him hurting me, and hurting the ones that I love. He does not have the power to damage you and make me not love you. I do not give him that power or the right to do that to you, to me, or to us!” Jordi had stood up in this rant and was practically yelling for everyone to hear. “Did you tell him that you were my wife?”
“Yes, he asked me for names. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but when I mentioned you he stopped asking for a while. Then later he asked me a lot about you, and told me that you certainly couldn’t love me after all I had done.”
“Liar, son of lies!” Jordi paced in a circle.
“I know that now. I was figuring it out, and now, after today, there is no doubt about how evil he is. He must be stopped! I have to go stop him!”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on. That’s my line! I have to go stop him. He’s been my enemy for decades, and I wish I had done it sooner. My father kept hoping that he was misunderstood, but then he killed and ate my dog, and it was obvious. He ran before we could kill him, and he’s been lost until now. And now I can go kill him.”
“I can’t just sit by, in the bleachers,” she shook her head, “I have to, I can’t not, I’m not going to let you do this alone.”
“Alright. What was he doing when you left?”
“He was asleep. I left the windows open to cool the place down and make him drowsy.”
“Smart!”
“But it’s starting to warm up now. He doesn’t go anywhere. He’s afraid to go out and get killed because people are afraid of him. He’s either in the apartment or down in the abandoned subway station.”
“Ok good, so long as we know where he is, and he’s not leaving we have time to plan.”
Cecelia finally had her turn with the doctor. She had deep bruising on her ankle, that with getting wrapped up with ice felt much better. The back of her hand required 15 stitches in an “L” shape, but the doctor was pleased to hear that Jordi had washed her off so quickly and wasn’t too concerned about infection. They did douse it with orange iodine, antibiotic ointment, and wrapped it up with a large gauze bandage. Her hand was stiff and tender, but still usable.
“Where’s your ring?” Jordi asked, realizing it was missing as they wrapped her hand.
“Aurelio ate it. He asked me to see it, and then swallowed it.”
Jordi shook his head in disbelief, “Seriously. He must have recognized it from my mother’s hand. There was no need for him to ask you about me after he saw that.” As they were checked out he said, “I have an apartment nearby, we can go there tonight.”
“You do?” she cocked her head in surprise, “Why?”
“To make looking for you easier, I’ll tell you about it back there.”
They walked slowly and silently, with Jordi holding her hand for support. Cecelia was totally exhausted, and upon sitting on the sofa fell instantly to sleep. Jordi gently pulled her legs up, and moved her head to a pillow before covering her with a blanket. Then he sat in the chair opposite her, and after staring at her for some time, his head fell to one side and fell asleep himself.
Cecelia woke about dinner time and said, “I’m hungry.”
Jordi startled awake, “I’m so sorry I didn’t ask. When was the last time you ate?”
“I don’t know,” she squeezed her eyes together then opened one at a time trying to wake up, “I guess breakfast.”
“I don’t have much, but I can make you bread with tomatoes.”
“That sounds weird, but sure. I’ll eat anything.”
They sat across from each other at the little table and watched each other eat. There was peace at the table, and they found contentment in this simple shared meal.
“We need to plan, and then go back quickly before he goes away again.”
They talked into the evening, but their plan was cohesive and easily agreed upon. Exhaustion was still knocking them about, so they put aside the planning.
“Where should I sleep,” Cecelia asked.
“In the bed?” Jordi shrugged.
“I know we’re married and all, but it still feels weird.”
“Yes, it does. And we’re not ready yet. Tonight we just sleep,” then he paused and saw the anxiety in her face, “and we will be ready when you’re ready. I will wait for you.”
Cecelia lay down in bed, sleeping on her side. Jordi lay next to her on top of the sheets and stared into her sleeping face. He picked up a few hairs and moved them out of her face, then lightly stroked her cheek. Cecelia startled and flung her arm out in defense, but then quickly settled back into the deep sleep of someone whose body has taken over from the mind.
The next morning, after a simple breakfast, they headed out to Materials World for spray paint, and then to the Roca Ganiveterîa Knife Store.
“I have been coming to this plaça looking for you so many times, and would just stare at the knives in this store. There was something in me that wanted this one so badly,” he held up a long curved knife, “but I didn’t know what for. Now I know.”
“Here?” Cecelia was startled, “I have spent so much time here, and we didn’t see each other.”
“It’s been too long, but we’re here now! And it ends today.”
“Yes, and when I can stay awake you will tell me your side of the story.”
“That I will,” he said grabbing her uninjured hand in his, and walking off with her with a bit of a skip.
Cecelia led him down the alley that he was expecting, but through a door that seemed nothing more than bits of wood cobbled together. One piece lifted up, which released a latch and let them into the courtyard. They stopped and looked at each other, simultaneously sighed, and then Cecelia walked into the apartment alone. She did not notice the web the Aurelio had built during the night. It was nearly invisible as it stretched over the floor and up the walls. The thread was not sticky, but it was taught like a stretched bow ready with an arrow.
Cecelia walked slowly, looking carefully for Aurelio. He couldn’t be seen, but she noticed that the windows were now closed. She called for him. There was no response, so she moved in further, and looked at her marionettes and found her book. She piled them together on the side table, then called out to Aurelio again.
“Is that you, Mona?” Aurelio called back weakly.
“I’m back. I got caught in the flood and swept away. I had to go to the hospital.”
Aurelio emerged from his doorway, stepping slowing putting each paw into the middle of the stone pavers. He approached Cecelia with his body low and unthreatening. “I was so worried about you,” he lied, and she knew it was a lie.
“I know. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to make you worry. The water was coming into our house and when I went to investigate I,” she choked back a sob, “I almost drowned.”
“Oh, my poor dear,” he swooned and flourished his front leg, “I’m so glad you’re back home again. That we’re reunited again. And you are safe now. Were you hurt?”
“Yes, my hand,” she moved closer to him, holding her bandaged hand out, other hand behind her back. “See.”
They were close enough to touch, closer than even he could see clearly. Quickly she pulled out her other hand and started spraying his face with a loud yelp. She had chosen granite spray paint for it’s thickness, and was spraying it back and forth across his eyes. He jumped back and tried wiping his eyes with his pedipalps, but the paint made a sticky mess on these sensitive appendages, and just smeared over his eyes.
While he was still distracted, she jumped toward him and started spraying again. There was a good thick coating on his eyes, and he was pulling his sticky pedipalps apart. Jordi came through the door and signaled to Cecelia with a whistle so that she knew to move off.
“Who’s there?” called Aurelio.
“Just me,” said Cecelia.
He turned toward her voice, dragging his front feet along instead of picking them up. Then he stopped and was silent.
Jordi recognized this hunting tactic and also stopped. He waved to Cecelia and clapped his fingers together to indicate, ‘keep talking’.
“Aurelio,” she said sweetly, “Do you know why I came back?”
He hissed at her, “You are not my friend anymore. This is not how friends behave. You said I could trust you, that you would never leave me, and now this! How can you betray me like this?”
“I have been a friend to you, but have you really been a friend to me? You manipulate and lie,” she moved around Aurelio so that the spider was now between her and Jordi, “You have twisted me up, and spit me out.”
Jordi went to leap onto Aurelio’s back, but Aurelio felt his movement and turned instantly into Jordi’s face.
“I smelled you,” Aurelio whispered, “And I sensed you.”
Jordi looked down and saw the faint shimmer of webbing along the floor. “We’re in a web! Cecelia, its web everywhere. Quick spray his feet.”
Cecelia from behind started spraying Aurelio’s hairy paws, but they were moving and flailing. So she just sprayed everywhere. Noticing the footprints thought the wet paint she started to coat the floor, covering the web and hoping Aurelio would step into the paint. He did with some of his feet, which slowed his ability to feel their movements.
While Cecelia was spraying, Jordi was jabbing at Aurelio’s face and eyes. He needed Aurelio to follow him outside, where a rope was waiting to catch Aurelio.
“Attercop, attercop,” he taunted Aurelio.
“I don’t know why you think that bothers me,” scoffed Aurelio.
“I read it somewhere, but that matters little. What ever I say, and what ever you say to me, we will always be enemies,” he backed up towards the door.
Cecelia stayed still until they passed through the entrance into the sunlight. Then she hopped along as fast as she could.
The web was also in the garden, and back outside they could see faint glimmers reflecting off of it in the sunlight. But it was too late for Jordi to notice this before Aurelio was on top of him, wrapping his legs in sticky web. Jordi couldn’t kick, but he slashed his knife back and forth into Aurelio’s jaw.
“Pull his leg!” yelled Jordi.
Cecelia knew which one, having noticed Aurelio dragging it behind. She grabbed and yanked hard. It had little effect.
“Ha! My dear,” Aurelio mocked, “I can barely feel that leg after your precious Jordi injured it years ago.”
“Fool!” she laughed, and quickly grabbed the other leg and yanked even harder. “You shouldn’t have told me that.”
Aurelio gave out a cry, and with his painted feet he slipped down, one fang getting cut off as Jordi thrust his knife up. Aurelio jumped back into the corner of the garden. He was becoming disoriented, and was waving his 4 front legs back and forth wildly to ward them off.
This gave Jordi the chance to cut himself free, while rolling his legs in the dirt to take away the stickiness of the web. He peeled off the web, leaving the sticky inside while holding on to the dirty outside. Aurelio’s legs were waving wide, leaving his face vulnerable, and in that opening Jordi moved in and threw the web over Aurelio’s mouth. Aurelio’s other fang was caught and stuck down.
“Enough of your lying tongue,” Jordi spouted in anger.
“I don ha a ton,” Aurelio tired to reply.
“Tongue or no tongue, I’m done listening to you,” Cecelia announced.
She grabbed the end of the rope, pulling the lasso end tight around three of Aurelio’s legs. They both pulled and hauled up Aurelio sideways. His other legs, now suspended, wave ineffectively in the air. Jordi tied off the end of the rope around a tree trunk and walked around to Aurelio.
“Hold his legs, my heart,” Jordi said to Cecelia. “We’ll make quick work of this. I won’t be cruel like him, no matter how cruel he’s been.”
Cecelia pulled his legs down, while Jordi stepped around to Aurelio’s neck. In one steady slice, Aurelio’s head was on the ground. Cecelia collapsed to the ground also, overcome by adrenaline and relief. She sat there shaking as her nerves released her fears. Jordi came over and picking her up, carried her to the bench on the other side.
“You don’t want to be next to him when I do this.” He walked back to the rope and cut it, letting Aurelio’s body fall to the ground, his many legs already curling up under the belly in death spasms. Then he climbed onto the spider’s back, and sawed through the shell down the middle from front to back.
Aurelio, on the verge of molting, sliced open like a clam shell. Each half of Aurelio’s body fell to the side. Jordi jumped back as the spider’s innards liquified and turned to smoke. Jordi breathed in the scent reminiscent of sitting around campfires and evenings by the fireplace at home, and he felt the peace that those memories brought to him.
“He’s finished as finished can be,” Jordi said as he stepped inside the empty shell, and picked up something small. “Hmm, I was wondering where these were.”
There was a bucket in the garden still full of water from the storm, so he went over to it and washed off this item. Then drying it off in the tail of his shirt he walked over to Cecelia and presented her with the ruby rose ring and the simple gold band, and put them back on her finger.
“You’re no longer Cecelia to me now that you see, I’ll call you Corazon. Mi Corazon.”
Cecelia held on to Jordi and wept, then kissed his face, then his lips. They kissed with the tenderness and excitement of one’s very first kiss.
“Hold on,” she said, startling him as she jumped up. Corazon ran into the apartment, and came back with many things in her arms. She showed Jordi her marionettes, “These guys kept me company when I was lonely and confused.” Then she pulled out her astronomy book and handed it to him, “This is for you. This gave me hope when I was out of hope. It’s not much, but it’s the best gift I can give you right now.”
“It’s the best gift that I will ever get,” he held her close, “other than having you in my life.”
“I just have one more thing, and this will give me peace.”
“You don’t have peace with Aurelio gone now?”
“Yes, but no. It’s Zain. I want him to come live with us.”
“He’s already at my castle, and has been since our wedding. He’s an adult, and he threatened to have a fit at the airport in front of everyone if they forced him to go. Your father wasn’t willing to deal with that, though I don’t think your father cared one way or another.”
“He’s been with you this whole time? I was so worried about him, and,” she looked up at Jordi biting her lip and holding her breath in, then she coughed out, “I couldn’t ask for more in a husband.”
Jordi smiled and knew that in her heart they were fully one.