The Children of Wisdom Trilogy Page 7

  “Just get to work, okay? I should go rescue Cody from the kids. Keep in touch. And come for dinner on Sunday. That’s not a request. Cedric can bring you.” She looks sternly at her brother, who nods and holds up his hands in surrender.

  “We’ll be there,” he says. She hugs her brother goodbye, and I watch her leave, not sure how I feel about seeing her go. She became important to me in the short time we’ve known each other. I don’t relish the idea of being apart from her, but I’m not even supposed to be part of her life. I’m a Fate, and for all I know, my actions here will have a ripple effect. One that will now affect Cedric.

  Once Aida’s gone, her brother turns to face me. He doesn’t look much like her. Where Aida’s hair is dark brown, his is black, parted down the center, falling just below his ears; where her face is long and slender, his is more round; and they are totally different heights. But they share the same gray, almond-shaped eyes.

  His navy suit is tailored to fit him almost perfectly, but I spot a few places where it could be better. I’m not sure how I know this, having not spent much time around either humans or their clothing, but it just looks off to me.

  Cedric sees me looking at his suit and pulls on one sleeve. “Do you like this suit? I had it made for me by a new guy down the street. I like to support local businesses, but I’m not convinced. It’s nice, but a little overpriced if you ask me.”

  I hold out my hand. “Do you mind?”

  It takes a moment for Cedric to understand what I want, but he eventually takes off his jacket and hands it to me. But once I have it, I’m not sure how to make the changes it needs. I scan the room for a needle, thread, scissors, and other basics.

  “What are you looking for?” Cedric asks.

  “Needle and thread.”

  “I don’t…” He hesitates, but then changes his mind. “You know what, let’s see what you can do. Right this way.”

  He leads me over to my new workstation, complete with a sewing machine, an array of needles, thread spools, pins, fabric swatches, tape measurers, scissors, seam rippers, and other odds and ends I will need. Glancing at again the length of Cedric’s arm, I get to work.

  “Aren’t you going to measure?” he asks, but I don’t answer.

  “This might take me a few minutes, if you have something else you’d like to do,” I suggest, but he stands still, apparently entranced by the movements of my hands.

  It takes me more than a few minutes; in fact, it takes a few hours. After a while, Cedric pulls up a chair and sits beside me, completely mesmerized. I fumble a little, not fully understanding the unfamiliar fabric, but once I get used to the tools and the materials, I see the solution and work toward it.

  “I think that should do it,” I finally say, holding up the coat for Cedric.

  Giving me a skeptical look, Cedric puts one arm into the jacket, and then the other. I smooth the shoulders and back, knowing that the fit is now perfect.

  We walk to the closest full-length mirror, and Cedric takes in the effect of my work. “Sorry that took me so long,” I say. “Sewing isn’t really my forte. Spinning is.”

  “Spinning?” Cedric asks without looking at me. He is too busy admiring himself in the mirror.

  “I think you would call it fabric making? Weaving? Creating.” I can’t hide the smile on my face as I think of how much I enjoyed making that silly little hat for Kareena’s doll.

  “Spinning, huh?” He turns a bit and looks over his shoulder at his back in the mirror. “I don’t know. You’re pretty good at tailoring, if you ask me. In fact, I’m not sure how much I can teach you. I didn’t even realize this wasn’t a good fit.” He says it under his breath, almost to himself, and I smile, pleased to have made this man happy.

  He clears his throat and glances down at his watch. “All right, well, it’s nearly closing time. Tell you what. Take what you need and spin something for me tonight. Play around. Your apartment is upstairs, fully furnished and ready for you. Here’s the key.” He hands me a small key ring with an “I Heart NY” keychain on it. “If you need anything at all, I’m sure one of your neighbors will be happy to help. I didn’t intend to spend my entire afternoon with you, so now I need to play some catch up.” He steals a glance at his reflection one more time, taking in the craftsmanship of the coat.

  “Highly overpriced, that man,” he says as he turns and leaves.

  Looking around the shop, I revel in the fact that he’s given me the freedom to spin anything I want. Not a specific person, not a specific garment. Anything. But, being that I’m in a bridal shop, I figure a dress might be most useful for Cedric.

  I’m not sure I can prepare an entire dress in one night, especially considering I’ve never made anything larger than a doily slash hat. But I hope having the right materials on hand will ensure my success. Happy to have a purpose for the night ahead instead of lying around pretending to sleep, I settle in to my workstation, letting the movement of my hands take me away.

  I don’t notice the others coming and going. Occasionally, someone stops to watch me for a bit, but they never speak. Somehow, they know not to interrupt me. I’m in a zone of creation, and I don’t pour less of myself into my work just because I’m making a dress, not a person.

  I never make it up to my apartment that night. Instead, I spend the twilight hours bent over my work, crafting the lace, adding beads, and sewing it together to make the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen. I picture Kismet wearing it as she walks down the aisle toward… her true love. Not me, but her true love. I shake my head as I make some adjustments. The lace bodice has capped sleeves, and there are scalloped edges along the bottom of the gown. The patterns in the lace create the appearance of galaxies similar to those I spent my life admiring from my bedroom window in the heavens. Swirls of fabric and beads create a beautiful universe contained in a single dress. I arrange the piece on a dress form and walk around it, pausing now and again to add some finishing touches.

  A few people start to arrive for the day, and they stop and gasp as soon as they see the dress. “Were you here all night?” someone asks, but so many people have gathered around my masterpiece that I can’t tell who spoke.

  “What’s the hold up here?” Cedric shouts from the back of the group. “I’m trying to get through.”

  When he sees the dress hanging on one of their older mannequins, his breath catches. “Where did this come from?”

  I can’t read his tone. Is he upset? I’m crouched around behind the form, fixing the hem on the back of the dress, when Cedric approaches, and I debate staying there to assess his reaction. But I stand slowly instead, deciding to be brave.

  Cedric stares at me in disbelief, then his eyes naturally return to the dress. “How is this possible? You said you weren’t good at sewing. Where did this fabric even come from?”

  Someone in the back clears his throat. “We don’t carry this fabric.”

  I start looking for the source of the voice, but my search is cut short by Cedric. “So, did you get it somewhere else on short notice, Penn? How could you have created something like this in a little over twelve hours?”

  I feel somewhat sheepish, like I’ve done something wrong. The longer I’m on Earth, the more I’m discovering that I don’t face the same limitations humans do. Making the dress in a single night wasn’t much of a stretch for me. In fact, I feel energized by it.

  “I made the fabric, sir. I told you I was better at spinning than sewing.”

  “But this…” He trails off as he circles the dress. “It’s a work of art.” He folds his arms over his chest for a moment, and then says, “What do you plan to do with this dress, Penn?”

  “You asked me to spin something for you, so I did.” I think of Kismet wearing it, but then I make myself say, “I made it with your materials. You do with it as you see fit.”

  Cedric smiles. “The possibilities…” He trails off again, and I can see his mind working as his eyes dart back and forth over the dress. “Penn, I’m go
ing to set up a team meeting this afternoon to see how much of our resources we can devote to you. And if this is indicative of the kind of work you do, I’ll increase your salary substantially. You’re no apprentice, my friend. You’re a master. This is going to be big. Thank you.”

  I can’t believe my ears. “No, thank you. This opportunity means a lot to me. I don’t want to let you down. Ever.” I think again of my mistake with the short, brown thread. But it won’t be possible for me to mess up like that here. There just isn’t as much riding on bridal fashion.

  Cedric claps me on the back and shakes my hand. “This is going to be a beautiful friendship, I think.”

  He smiles as he walks away, and for a moment, I’m feeling pretty good about my future on Earth. Then I spot someone lingering behind.

  The bottom falls out of my stomach as he approaches. I recognize him immediately. He has dark, straight hair cropped short on the sides and combed over, thick, black eyebrows accentuating dark eyes, and a lean but strong build. Even though I didn’t get a clear picture of him on that fateful day, I know in the depths of my broken soul that this is Kismet’s true love.

  8.

  He approaches casually, his dark eyes full of curiosity and excitement. He’s plenty attractive in a boy-next-door kind of way, but I know he isn’t a player. He’s loyal—a quality that makes him even more appealing to women.

  At first, I bristle. I don’t want to know him. I want to stay as far away from him as possible. But I inserted myself into their lives. Since I went out of my way to meet Kismet, it makes sense that I have put myself in his path too.

  As I battle internally with myself, he gazes at the dress, temporarily forgotten by me.

  “It really is lovely. Well done…” He trails off as he holds his hand out for me to shake, hoping I will fill in my name.

  I stick out my hand, trying to hide my disappointment and irritation. “Penn.” In an instant, I see his whole life up until that point. I take a deep breath, trying to bring myself back to what he’s saying, but I’m distracted. He’s had tragedy in his life, and it hurts me. Recent tragedy. His parents died in a car accident less than a decade ago. He was in college.

  “Andrew,” he says. I try to push down the pain I feel for his loss and focus on the present moment. He doesn’t seem to be hurting too much anymore, at least not actively, so I shouldn’t either. “I work in accounting,” he adds. “It’s going to be my job to see how much money we can get to you for things like materials and marketing. I’ve seen that look on Cedric’s face before. He’s going to want to push you, just to see how far you can go.”

  I really want to dislike Andrew, but dang it, he’s friendly. Of course he’s friendly. I made him that way. I didn’t want some jerk fawning after Kismet. No, her true love has to be just as charming and full of light as she is.

  “I don’t really know what to say to that,” I say. And that’s the truth. It’s all a lot to take in. Becoming a golden boy again after falling so far—literally—is a bit much for me to absorb at the moment.

  Andrew smiles, and the expression lights up his face, making me want to see it again. A small part of me hates him for it. Kismet will love him immediately. I know it.

  A dark thought creeps into my mind as I stand there with Andrew. If Kismet never meets Andrew, she’ll never fall in love with him. She can still be mine.

  The disgust that boils up in my stomach leaves a horrible taste in the back of my mouth. I’ve never had such an actively destructive thought before in my life. Not only would I be interfering directly with Kismet’s fate, but I would be stealing Andrew’s real purpose. I spun him to complement her in every way. Preventing them from meeting is against everything I represent. And yet, the thought still lurks in my mind.

  “Well, nice work, Penn. Very nice work. I look forward to seeing you this afternoon,” Andrew says as he sticks out his hand for me to shake again.

  I watch him go, and for the first time since my banishment, I wonder if my punishment wasn’t harsh enough.

  The afternoon is a whirlwind of meetings, numbers, suppliers, and catalogues, all tailored to me. I’m not interested in any of it. All I want to do is create. Well, that and be with Kismet. By the end of the day, I’m cranky, and Cedric can tell.

  In our last meeting, he announces, “I’m going to take all of you to dinner tonight, to say thank you and to celebrate this exciting prospect. How does that sound?” Cedric puts his arm around me as he says it, and everyone cheers. A few of my new coworkers get out their phones to send texts to their loved ones, but most just seem excited.

  As, well, fate would have it, Andrew sits himself next to me at dinner. Most of our coworkers are women—who’ve taken to looking at me like I’m a piece of meat—and I assume he’s looking for some camaraderie. I wish he would just stay away. It’s easier to hate him that way. But I’m a Fate, a heavenly being. Despite my disagreements with Webber, I’m not built for hate. And Andrew isn’t a soul who’s easily hated.

  At dinner, we chat, laugh, and basically hit it off. I can’t help but be happy to have made a real friend.

  Andrew invites me to all sorts of things in the days that follow—bars, Frisbee tournaments, the movies, and over to his house to watch various sporting events on TV.

  Before I know it, nearly two weeks have passed. I’ve had dinner with Aida and her family twice. Cedric is helping me get my paperwork pushed through the system, although I’m not sure all of it is on the up and up. Then again, without a birth certificate or any other form of identification, I don’t know how we would accomplish it legally. At least this way, I’ll have what I need to make a life here on Earth. I’ll be here for quite some time, after all.

  Things at work are going great. I made five more dresses for the shop, and each sold almost immediately. Cedric claims the shop’s the most profitable it’s ever been.

  The only dress we don’t sell is Kismet’s, though that’s not for a lack of customers. After stewing over it for a day or two, I asked Cedric to keep it for display, as an example of what I can do. The truth is, I’m determined never to duplicate it. I can’t bear to think about anyone other than Kismet wearing it, although I don’t share that detail with Cedric. Thankfully, he agrees without question, and I frequently pause to look at the masterpiece and think of Kismet.

  Her play is two days away, and I’m still warring with myself about keeping Andrew away from her. So what if I don’t invite him to this play? There will be others. Or so I tell myself. I don’t know for sure when they’re supposed to meet, but it’s probably not at this play. Andrew isn’t even into plays.

  Deep down, in a place I want to ignore, I know the first step off track is always the hardest. After that, it gets easier and easier to sacrifice the right course of action for what feels good in the moment. Anyway, if I don’t invite him to the play, what kind of friend would I be, after everything he has done to make me feel welcome in this new city? When they hit it off as they’re intended to do, shouldn’t I be happy for them?

  Andrew stops by my workstation as I’m considering my options. “Hey, I’m just heading out to get some lunch. Do you want something?”

  “Yeah, I’ll go with you,” I say, still not sure what to do. I know what I should do, but can I cast aside my own desires to do what’s right? I’ve never wanted anything this much before.

  Andrew chats about a TV show we both like as we walk, but I’m not really listening. Television is fascinating to me. It’s almost like watching a thread in the weaving room, so it has a nice familiarity to it, plus the plotlines are amazing. No one’s life is that dramatic all the time.

  Finally, Andrew stops talking. “Something up, Penn? You seem a bit distracted.”

  I watch our reflections in the shop windows as we continue walk. We can’t be more opposite. Although we’re almost identical in height, I’m the light to Andrew’s dark. Light isn’t what Kismet needs. I made Andrew to fulfill her needs in every way. I’m just not built for that, and
wishing it were otherwise won’t make it so.

  “Andrew, there’s a play I’m going to on Friday night. I think you should go with me.” I keep my eyes on my feet as we walk, not wanting to look at him.

  “I’m not super into plays, Penn. But thanks?” Andrew says. His tone tells me that he realizes something else is going on here. As he tries to puzzle it out, something seems to occur to him.

  “Are you asking me out?”

  I stop walking and consider my options. Despite my inner turmoil, I can’t pass up the opportunity to tease my new friend. It’s too good. “So what if I am?” I say seriously, looking straight into Andrew’s eyes with as much sincerity as I can muster.

  “Oh jeez, man, I’m sorry, but you’ve gotten the wrong impression,” Andrew sputters. “I’m not, I mean, I have no problem with it, if you are, but I just…” He trails off, jamming his hands into his pockets and looking at his feet. “Listen, I was just trying to be friendly. All the people in the shop are mostly women, so when Cedric hired another guy, I was excited to have a new friend. That’s all. I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong idea.” The more he says, the faster he talks, until soon, there aren’t any words left.

  “Well, this is awkward,” I say, not quite ready to let him off the hook.

  Andrew shrugs and looks a way, then gives me a half smile, attempting to reassure me that we’re still okay. He starts to reach up to touch me on the shoulder, but thinks better of it and lets his arm fall back to his side.

  I watch it all unfold, barely able to contain myself. Finally, I can’t take it any more—my friend’s attempt to comfort me in spite of his own discomfort pushes me over the edge. I burst out laughing, thoroughly startling Andrew.

  “What?” Andrew asks. At first, he’s genuinely confused, but I know he’s caught on when he smacks me on the arm. “You played me?” I can tell he isn’t really mad. I can hear the laugh in his voice, just barely held back.