(August, 1992)
“Hello again, Ghaelen. I’m glad to see you. Did you manage to find the testing center? I did try very hard to meet you when you arrived, but I was delayed by a patient with a very ill newborn.”
I looked at the thin woman in front of me; saw the shadows from her brown hair cross her face; noticed how the suns in this age cast a double shadow on everything.
“Yes, I found my way there with the help of a gentleman at the station. Will the baby be alright?”
“We expect no more complications.” We are worried that our methods are inadequate. Something in the medicine no longer takes affect as it should.
I tipped my head as she spoke, then noticed her lips didn’t move. ”What…?” What? “Good. I’m very glad to hear that. Losing a baby must be the worse pain for any parent.”
“Yes. Well,” she shook my hand warmly. ”Let’s have something to eat. You must be hungry.”
I stopped walking and looked around toward the building on our left. I could see it’s bright colors against her warm mauve suit. ”Oh, I’m sorry. I must have misunderstood. Yrs. Solaken didn’t tell you?”
She swung around with hardness in her eyes. A moment later it was gone. ”Tell me what?”
“We are lunching with the committee.”
She stopped and the hardness reappeared. ”That’s today?” Seconds later she smiled softly. ”Of course it is. New applicants always lunch with the committee during the first day. How many of you are in the group?”
I felt the muscles in my brow tighten. ”Well, I don’t actually know. I’m not….”
“Of course not. It was foolish of me to ask you.” She began walking again. ”You will enjoy this. They make a celebration of it.” Take care as I take care and watch how they behave toward you.
I walked as well, noticing we had not turned left. ”Why?
“Pardon me?”
“Why…. a celebration? Um, I mean, we’re only applying for a two week retreat and herbal course.”
The wrinkles around her dark brown eyes began to deepen. Then the corners of her mouth turned up and she smiled more than she wanted to. A second later, that, too was gone. ”Do you know how long a day is in Giloveelay?”
“Ah…” I laughed. ”It is two weeks of Giloveelay time.” I laughed again. ”Oh my. I really have to get used to this.
“You will. Everyone does.” Time enough for you to understand, to see the reality, to remember it.
“Jurel…. What is…?” She turned left and beckoned for me to follow, then stopped. ”Enjoy your lunch. You are coming to the Harvayen fields this afternoon?”
“Ummm…” I looked at the suns, then around for a clock I knew somehow I would not find. ”I don’t know. Jurel, I am sorry, I’m still disoriented.”
At that she laughed. ”Of course you are. You all are. I think I saw your name on the fields list. If not, in the second afternoon as you call it. Turet on Giloveelay. Turan and Turet, the times of sunshine. They’ll explain it again after lunch.” She turned and walked away.
Now I did frown. ”You are not coming?”
Turning back again, she smiled less genuinely. ”No. I was…. uninformed before I took up another engagement.” She looked at the building then back at me. ”Did Grinoreth- Yrs. Solaken – meet you at the station?”
I thought back quickly. ”No… he wasn’t waiting for me. I had been there a little while when we started talking. He noticed I was waiting, and thought I looked like I could use some help.”
“He said that to you?”
“Yes, and then when I told him why I was there, he introduced himself and said he was going my way. I thought I would be late, and I did recognize his name from the packet of materials you had sent me.”
She frowned again and suddenly nodded rapidly. ”Oh yes, of course. He was the assistant field technician at the time. Forgive me, I did try very hard to meet you.”
“I am certain you did, but a sick baby takes priority. Jurel, I mean it. It is quite all right.”
“Yes, yes, of course.” Nodding again, she then shook her head and rubbed her brow briefly but hard. ”You’d better go before you miss the introduction. It is informative and enjoyable to hear.” Again she smiled, and again she walked away.
I watched her for a second, then moved toward the colorful door I knew led to the dining hall. She was right, I was hungry, and whatever they were cooking smelled very good. As I reached the door I glanced back toward her departing figure. She walked in long strides, covering a lot of ground with each step, confident or angry.
Second afternoon. We will know in the second afternoon. You can see then.