Chapter 45 Cam
45 Cam
Taste and smell are ancient senses. They’re processed differently from sight and sound. When we smell something, signals go to the parts of the brain involved in memory and emotion. A subtle aroma in a beer, for example, may conjure up pleasant memories from years gone by, contributing to the drinker’s enjoyment of it, even if they’re not entirely conscious of that. I once had a cinnamon bun stout, and I know if I drank one of those now, it would evoke different memories than it did before.
Because of Noelle.
Neither of us will ever fully understand the details of what happened. How were there two different versions of me, one stuck on June 20 and one experiencing time as normal?
But it seems logical that food was a trigger, that taste and smell were involved.
The main thing that drew me to beer wasn’t the science, but the way it could bring people together, yet that degree of mine did make some things easier to understand.
Looking back, I think I might have even felt something change in my brain before I tasted the dumpling, just from the aroma, but perhaps I’m mistaken. The whole experience was just so odd.
I wish my grandmother were here so I could ask her questions. I’m not convinced I’d get many answers, but I wish I could see her reaction to my words. Maybe get some hint of whether she knew Noelle was right for me from the moment she saw her. I assume that was the case, and my grandma simply did what she could to ensure we didn’t miss each other.
Most of all, I just wish she were here .
Unfortunately, that’s not something I can change, but her bringing Noelle and me together was a beautiful final gift. I will hold on to what I do have—and my many memories—with everything I can.
I remember sitting with my grandma at the hospital on Boxing Day. She was asleep much of the time, but at one point, she woke up and mumbled in a language I don’t speak. Then she bounced between Mandarin and English. Her voice was weak, and I still couldn’t follow what she was saying. It was something about time, and she was upset. I tried to soothe her, but I didn’t know what to say.
I now assume her words were related to Noelle and the time loop, as were some things she said back in September.
I hope, somewhere, she knows that it all worked out in the end.