Tess and Marie Say Goodbye
“Hello, Marie,” said Tess, pulling the canoe onto the boat landing, where Marie stood in the light of her headlights.
“Hello, Tess.”
“You’re not surprised to see me?”
“I came here because I wanted to see you,” said Marie.
“A first time for everything.”
“Indeed.”
“I know the whole story now,” said Tess.
“None of us know the whole story.”
“I know that I’m not your daughter, not in this universe. I know why you treated me the way you did.”
“I should never have…but I had already mourned Tess. I had buried her and spent a year weeping every night for her loss and then…”
“Then your husband died bringing someone who wasn’t your daughter into your life to remind you every day of that horrible night.”
“She was so small, and pale, and cold,” said Marie.
“In my universe Richard called. In my universe Harry didn’t oil the door.”
“I know.”
“If I’d known,” said Tess. “If I’d known I wasn’t really your daughter, maybe we could have…”
“We couldn’t tell you,” said Marie. “That was the one thing Richard and Vivian and I all agreed on. We were the only ones who knew.”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t be your Tess, that I couldn’t be the daughter you lost.”
“I never should have expected you to be,” said Marie. “I should have had compassion for a child ripped away from her home. If you had been anyone else…”
“I understand,” said Tess.
“I still miss Harry.”
“So do I, every day.”
“He loved you more than anything. More than me, more than science, more than life,” said Marie.
“I guess that’s one thing our two universes have in common,” said Tess with a smile. “I’m happy for you. For you and David.”
“David isn’t Harry,” said Marie. “No one can ever be Harry, just like no one can ever be Tess, not even you.”
“But you love David?”
“I do. He’s a good man, and he makes me happy. I will always love Harry and I will always love Tess, but it’s time I moved on.”
“Would it be all right…all right if I gave you a hug?”
“It would be lovely,” said Marie.
Tess stepped forward and wrapped her arms around the woman who was not her mother. Marie returned the embrace and Tess felt a warmth she had never experienced with this version of Marie. After a moment, Tess eased her grip, but Marie held her tighter, so she returned the pressure.
“I forgive you,” said Tess.
“Are you sure?” said Marie. “There’s an awful lot to forgive.”
“I’m sure,” said Tess.
The embrace ended and the two women stepped apart.
“There’s something I need to give you,” said Marie.
“The pendant,” said Tess.
“Harry told me the only reason I should ever take it off was to give it to you if you needed it. I’ll feel funny without it. But it’s time. And you do need it.”
“I do.”
Marie reached behind her back and lifted the chain over her head. The pendant sparkled in the moonlight as she placed the chain over Tess’s head.
“It’s heavier than I thought,” said Tess, looking at the familiar pendant in its unfamiliar place, lying against the white of her sweatshirt.
“It was getting too heavy for me,” said Marie.
She leaned forward and kissed Tess lightly on the cheek, then turned and headed back toward her car.
Tess felt a sudden surge of affection for this woman she had only previously resented and at times even despised.
This journey had been no easier for Marie than it had been for Tess.
As Marie opened her car door, Tess ran after her and again wrapped her in a tight embrace, surprised to feel tears welling in her eyes.
What a cruel trick that she had found compassion for Marie at the very moment she had to say goodbye forever.
“Be happy,” said Tess.
“You be happy,” said Marie. She got into her car and started the engine as Tess stood and watched. Then Marie rolled down the window and Tess saw her face clearly for the last time. She, too, had tears in her eyes. “Do me a favor,” said Marie.
“Anything,” said Tess.
“Tell Harry I send my love.”
Minutes after Marie left, Valentine 6 arrived.
She handed Tess a bag containing the two books, along with the suitcase and bedding she had taken from Vivian’s house and, on Tess’s instructions, drove away.
Before her taillights had disappeared, Tess had launched the canoe and was headed back to the island.
“I have the pendant and the books. Now all we need is the radio,” said Tess when she stepped out of the canoe.
“And that should be arriving in the next hour or so,” said Richard.
“Yes, but Pilgrim 3 and Montag 5 are arriving with it,” said Vivian.
“Leave Pilgrim 3 to me,” said Tess. “I may be from another universe, but I think I can handle this particular bully.” Sooner than they had expected, they saw another set of headlights bouncing toward the boat landing.
“Would you care to share your plan for dealing with your bully?” said Richard. “Because I believe she has arrived.”
“Good,” said Tess. “Now here’s what we’re going to do.”