Can You Hear Me Now?

6 September

Jack's birthday was in a few days and while we would certainly celebrate when we got home, I wanted to do something nice for him while we were here. Virgin Mobile sponsors a two-day music festival very similar to Austin's and since we both enjoy that, it would be the perfect way to spend the day. We only had today as the rest of our time would be caught up in Eastbourne business but, one day was better than nothing and Jack was very enthusiastic about going. I had to admit, though, I wasn't sharing his sentiments. Looking over the lineup there were only one or two artists that I recognized and it made me feel very un-cool. When did this happen? I toyed with the idea of calling one of my kids to get a clue but, the incessant teasing that would follow made me decide against it. Jack stood in the doorway of the bedroom for the second time in ten minutes. He didn't say anything. He would just look at his watch and then at me with a frown.

"Jack, why don't you go down and secure a taxi?"

"Will you be ready?!?"

"I just need to find my jean jacket that I brought to wear with this skirt.

"Are you sure you're going to need it?"

"We're going to be there all day, Jack. It's not as hot here as in Austin and I'll need it by tonight."

"Okay, fine. I'll see you in the lobby in five minutes, Hilly."
"Okay."

"That's real time, not Hilly time."

"I said okay! And it's only noon! It's a short cab ride and they won't be opening the gates at Island Park until one!"

We, of course, had plenty of time to spare even with the ferry ride, and ended up just milling around with everyone else. There was something about Jack's disposition today that was contradictory, considering our plans. I knew he was excited about going to this event and I certainly didn't expect him to be jumping for joy like a four-year old. Still, though, Jack seemed... introspective. I opted to let it go. This wasn't the venue to try to have any serious discussion anyway. Whatever was on his mind I knew I'd eventually hear about. Promptly, at one, the gates opened. We grabbed the schedule and a map and planned a course of action to see as many performances as possible. Even though the musicians were spread out pretty far apart it was still a noisy, crowded, festival no different than Austin. We bought some bottled water and settled in to hear the Arctic Monkeys, an indie rock band from the UK, that reminded us of The Clash. And really, after our jaunt in Malaysia, how could we pass them up? Just as the band was rocking out Jack turned and I thought he was trying to ask me a question. Now, anyone who has ever attended any type of concert knows that trying to have any conversation is next to impossible. You basically try to get your point across with hand gestures. I couldn't make out what he was saying at all and turned and shouted at him.

"WHAT?"

With equal volume Jack tried again but, the Arctic Monkeys were drowning him out. I thought I heard something about... business? Was Jack trying to discuss his new career now? Here? I shrugged my shoulders and shook my head, hopefully indicating I had no idea what the hell he was talking about. As the first song was ending he grabbed me by the shoulders, pulled me towards him and yelled into my ear. 

"SO I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS JACOB AND LILLY BUSINESS."

I was stunned! For weeks now I had been trying to get him to talk about, "the Jacob and Lilly business", but he kept putting me off saying we'd talk about it later. Why he picked now as being later was beyond me. This was the most improbable location to have any discussion, let alone that kind. The glower I sent his way, the hands on my hips and my tapping foot, should have given Jack a clue as to what I thought of his timing. Amazingly, he was undeterred and looked at me hopefully. I wriggled from his grasp and turned my attention back to the Monkeys as they geared up for the next song. Jack tapped my shoulder, which I swatted away without turning around. The next thing I knew he had taken me by the hand and was leading me away. 

"Jack, have you lost your mind? Where are we going?"

"We need to talk!"

"Now? We need to talk now?!?"

"Yes!"

That's all he said until we were far enough away from the music and the crowd and I saw that we were heading for a picnic table in an open area, surrounded by trees. Jack let go and parked himself on the table and set his feet on the bench. I may have been rendered speechless by his actions but he had plenty to say.

"Babe, I'm just not sure. I mean yes, we're their descendants, but... them! It's just too fantastic."

"You weren't at Rosewood, Jack!"

"I know."

"Then you can't just dismiss it. I know what I felt!"

"You were tired and... stressed. When Diane showed you her research, well... well it... it played on your subconscious, that's all."

"Di showed me the research after, Jack. She had no idea about what I was feeling. Well, maybe she had an inkling, that I wasn't myself. But it wasn't until we were at Rosewood that she gave me our completed trees."

"Speaking of those. Did you notice something? Something is off about them. I can't explain it, but..."

"So, you do notice a connection. I think you're trying to convince yourself, not me, that this is too unbelievable to be true. Deep down you know this is possible."

I sat down next to him on the table and took his hand in mine. I saw in his face the conflict and remembered my own confusion.

"You're right though, Jack, about our trees. I don't know... but someone is missing."

"Someone? What do you mean? Someone!"

"No... something."

"No, Babe, you said someone."

"I did?"

"You did!"

"I have no idea where that came from."

Jack put his arm around my waist and I leaned in against him, resting my head on his chest. What had I meant? I wasn't too sure anymore, about anything.

"I guess, though, this explains why you despised Colin at first."

"What you are talking about, Hilly?"

"You didn't like Colin when you first met him."

"Uh, yea! Wasn't exactly a secret. But what does that, have to do with this?"

"You probably thought of him as Alexander, the lowly servant."

Jack started laughing and pulled me closer.

"No, Babe. I most definitely thought of him as Colin, the horny actor."

"But over time... that opinion changed."

Jack sighed deeply. He took his other arm and slipped it around my waist, giving me a hug. He sighed again and rested his chin on the top of my head.

"True, my opinion changed."

"You two are good friends, now."

"Yes, we are."

"Cause you finally recognized that bond they have."

"Again, true."

"Just like us."

"Yea, Babe, just like us."

Without having to say it we both knew the festival was over for us today.

"I remember you saying once, Babe, when you were trying to explain to me about Colin and Diane, that we weren't suppose to have any memories of the past. That each new life we lived was a blank slate."

"But there are those Deja Vu glimpses, Jack."

"This is more than a glimpse, Babe."

"I'm no expert here, Jack, I don't have all the answers."

We stayed sitting on that table, holding onto each other. Each of us trying to make our own sense of a theory that has been debated over the ages with no straightforward answer; yet that satisfied everyone. Jack released me from his embrace and hopped off the table. He helped me down, took my face in his hands and kissed me oh so lovingly on the lips. 

"Let's go back to the hotel, Hilly. Make some memories for our next lifetime."

As we laid together on the bed, and before Jack's passionate caresses rendered intellectual thought impossible, it occurred to me that maybe this was for Jack and I to sort out for ourselves. Maybe that was the answer, after all. For the two of us to find our own answer to the question of what constitutes a "lifetime".