The Longwood Bible Part 2 [Nostalgia]

The Longwood Bible

Part 1: Nostalgia

Longwood looked just as it had when I sleepily stumbled out of the house that dreary evening. In main town, shops and houses were lined up side by side, each of them made from an old fashioned wood design to keep up it’s appearance as a ‘Tourist’ town.

According to my paper, the one the lawyer had given me, Papa and Nell’s house was nestled somewhere in between Longwood First Baptist and Ruthie’s Bakery. I remember it as a large estate, probably one of the largest in the town, as Papa was a business man (Although he did a lot more on his trips than just sell products, if you know what I mean…) and that’s about it.

I gaited down the street in my navy blue wind baker and jeans- the best choice, I figured, for such a desolate November afternoon. The clouds had blocked out every last one of the sun’s rays, causing a dark shadow to be cast about the town. Nobody was out, bustling and meeting their neighbors as I remember it. The road I walked on was so empty I expected a tumbleweed to float in front of me at any given moment.

Suddenly, I heard the steady approach of footsteps behind me. I froze, ten years of living in Brooklyn having taught me that being alone on a dark street with someone walking directly behind you was usually not a good thing.

“October Delaney?” A voice piped up, male. His words were like a dull crack of thunder- and I stopped, trying to decide whether or not to turn around and face the figure behind me “…You don’t remember me do you?” Still facing away, I shook my head. I had no idea who this man was, or what he wanted. My eyes were focused on the gray horizon in front of me “Jonah Rent. Ring a bell?”

Jonah.

Jonah Rent?

Damn straight it rang a bell!

I turned around and at once recognized him. His features were soft, eyes a gentle shade of green. Wispy ebony hair framed Jonah’s face as he gave me a brash half smile, a small chuckle falling from his pale lips as he saw the stunned look on my face.

“What? To astounded to give an old friend a hug?” I didn’t need any more incentive than that. Instantly, I launched myself into him, wrapping my arms around his neck as he instinctively put his around my waist and hoisted me up a bit, as to avoid toppling over completely.

After a few minutes of simply standing there, reconnecting without verbal consent, he let me down and I shrugged away a bit, looking up to face Jonah with a broad smile.

Okay, reader, I should probably explain the relationship between he and I, before you get anymore confused than you already probably are.

His mom and mine had been good friends since they met in the hospital waiting room, June was in labor with me and Aunt Kate was about to have Jonah.

Yes, even before we had been introduce into this world, me and him were friends. Or supposed to be, at least.

Another distinct memory was that of sitting in The First Baptist, writing notes to each other in the bible when we were ten. Giggling and laughing as Father Brandon chased us out and all the way done to Mulston creek, where we sat for hours, eating the blackberries that grew wild there.

“I can’t believe you’re back, Toby.” He said disbelievingly, pulling me into yet another chaste embrace “I thought you’d gone for good. Jesus, I missed you.”

“I’m surprised you even remember me!” I giggled, shaking away a few tresses of unruly brown hair that fell into my line of vision “It’s been ten years.”

“And we’ve been friends for twelve. How could I?”

“I take it you heard about dad’s death.”

“Yes, it’s too bad.” Jonah said with downcast features, shoving his hands deeply into the pockets of his black pea jacket and burrowing deeper into his green scarf as a particularly frigid gust of wind passed by. “He was-”

“He was a *bunny*.” I said sharply, beginning to walk and gesturing with my head for him to follow. “He cheated on mom, and drove me and her away.”

“I s’pose you’re right.” He nodded his head decisively.

“I am right. So please, let’s get off the topic- how have things been in Longwood?”

“Nothing much has changed- oh! Old Woman Meiserschmitt finaly kicked the bucket!”

“You mean the old widow who supposedly killed her husband, Old Man Meiserschmitt, because he wouldn’t feed the cat, and would chase us with a mahogany chair leg whenever we came in five feet of her property?”

“The very same.”

“Amazing! I though she was immortal.” I laughed, my head tossing back to face the muggy sky. “Anything else?”

“You heard about Nell?”

“Huh? Oh yes, she called me.” 3 years ago, Nell had gotten married to a boy by the name of Isaac Denver. I had tried to catch a bus down to the reception, but not only did my shifts at the Brooklyn Library not allow, I didn’t exactly have enough money to pay for fare.

I got another call just about three months ago from Nell yet again announcing her pregnancy, and how happy she was.

“Here we are.” Jonah announced as we arrived at the front of a large, two story wooden building. I turned to him with a quizzical expression on my face.

“Are you coming in with me?” I questioned, raising an eyebrow and gesturing with my torso that he should enter.

“Sure.”

Our foyer was rather modest, with a few pictures by Monet hanging by the wall, but as I entered, it became more vast. Directly to the left, there was a staircase that lead up to where me and Nell used to sleep (We had about 3 guest bedrooms, also) and after the stairs there was a large living room with a couch, a loveseat and a small TV. A window was set right behind the tartan couch.

To my right, there was a doorway that me and Jonah entered through to find a kitchen. An oak island was settled right in the middle, the entire far wall was lined with counters, and the left side had a fridge set against it. Another threshold was held on the right wall.

“Through there is Charles’s office.” My companion said “Nell is in there.” I nodded to him, ignoring the wave of sudden nostalgia that hit me like a title wave.

Nostalgia was such an alien emotion for me- I didn’t feel happy, or sad. I felt like I was walking through a memory, my stomach tightening and my heart slowing down to a moderate pace.

It felt like home.

Papa’s office was a small space lined with file drawers and papers stacked almost to the ceiling. Boxes with old drawings and papers from my and Nell’s grade school days were shoved to the corner.

In the very middle sat Nell, six month pregnant stomach swollen slightly. A box of time-worn sepia pictures was between her spread legs, some of the photographs were scattered about her.

“Nell?” I murmured. Her head snapped up from where she had been closely examining a picture, soft brown curls bobbing lightly.

Ever since I was a young child, I had always envied Nell’s curls. Her’s were manageable and beautiful ringlets- mine was an unruly mass of coils atop my head.

“Toby!” She exclaimed, dropping the picture. As she did this I got a better look at it- it was me and her in around third grade, in out matching denim jumpers and purple leggings.

Nell waddled over and threw her arms around me, giggling as she did so “It’s so great to see you again, sis!”

“Good to see you too.” We pulled away and I knelt by her stomach, simpering broadly as I spoke. “Nice to see you, Clyde.”

“It’s a girl.”

“Bonnie, then.” I said with a laugh, rubbing her stomach. She simply rolled her eyes and went back to gather the photos she had scattered about.

“Isaac is at work in Millsford. He’ll be back around six.” She commented nonchalantly, bending over awkwardly. "You don't have to wait here, Toby. Why don't you have Jonah go out and re connect you with the town?"

"I've still got some packing to do-"

"Isaac will help you unpack later. Go. Have fun. See some of our old friends again. Go on. Git."

"Pushy, pushy!" I admonished, laughing "What do you think, Jonah?"

"I think it sounds like a plan."