Coming To Terms With Life’s And Love’s Complicated Eddies
Derrick Magnolia continues his journey of discovery
“Are you bringing my parents back together?” Lillian Lancaster asked me. She turned her head to the dance floor and could see her parents in a slow dance. “Are my father and mother getting back together?”
“You know I told you, I can’t tell you about everything. It’s a single yes or no question. I’m contributing a significant amount of emotional energy toward bringing them together, but I can see both of them are frightened. Like I told you before, I can’t make people love one another.”
“Will they come together?” she repeated.
“Yes,” I answered. “That’s what I do. I bring people together.”
“You do more than that. You saved my life.” She hesitated. “I heard Mr. Fox has died. Why didn’t prevent that from happening?”
“I am not God. I’m not omnipotent. I can’t prevent everything,” he answered.
“It’s not right that someone like him should die,” she asserted.
“Can you keep a secret?” Jonathan asked her.
“It depends on the secret,” she responded.
“Great answer. Whatever you hear on the news about Nigel is a lie. Mr. Fox did not die. He’s in hiding until a time when he can safely return.”
“So where is this all going, Jonathan? Who does Derrick choose in the end?”
“I’ve given him four beautiful, compassionate, intelligent women from which to choose.”
“What about the others? They’ll certainly be disappointed.”
“I have other plans whoever Derrick chooses. This is what I do. I can’t help myself.” He paused. “It’s about to happen.”
“Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.”
The two women began to scream and wrestle on the ground.
“What are you going to do about it?”
“I’m not here in this room. Its 2001, if you remember when this fight happened, ten years ago, for me. They were interlopers, not on the invitation list of former classmates of Derrick’s and who snuck in thinking they could get a meeting with him.”
Two women security officers from his father’s business separated the women and escorted them off the property.
“Everything’s under control,” Derrick’s father announced. “There’s nothing to be concerned about. There’s more coming.”
His father seemed to be in his stride. He was enjoying his party.
I, Jonathan was laughing with the others.
“I’m sorry,” I told her. “Those two women want to become congresswomen. That is what they do here. They went on to become congresswomen. That is what they do here in 2011.”
“You’re not joking with me.”
“I don’t joke with these things. Things are much worse in 2011 at every level; wars, the Taliban and ISIS, everything is worse in 2011.”
“But not my Jonathan. You have more abilities in 2011 and are much stronger and can speak to me.”
“How do you know that?” I responded”
“How long can you stay with me this time?”
“I plan a few minutes more, then I have to lie down. It takes a lot out of me to do this. But I love talking to you in 2001 before things got much worse for everyone. It is better you don’t know everything yet.”
I was still trying to protect her from what was coming every day.
“I have to go now. Please enjoy the rest of the party. I have been looking for a husband for your sister Bridget.”
“Are you going to stop interfering like this? Let Bridget find her husband. She’s got plenty of time to find a husband.”
‘I’ve already found husbands for three thousand seven hundred and sixty two young women. It’s not like I haven’t done it before. Remember, things seem to be going well with you and Edward Matheson. I did that.”
“Oh, you’re incorrigible,” Lillian responded.
“I’m not incorrigible. I just enjoy helping people become friends, there’s never enough friendship in this world. Gotta go now! Oiktirmia.” He disappeared.
Lillian sighed and took a deep breath.
“Oiktirmia,” she repeated.
Her attention turned to her parents who were still dancing.
“Do you think there’s any chance of them getting back together?” Allison asked her sister.
“I don’t know,” Lillian answered. “I just don’t know about anything anymore.”
“Why don’t you dance, Big Sister? Just go out there and dance,” Allison told her.
“I have no one to dance with” Lillian responded. “Edward is in Pittsburgh and I’m alone.”
Suddenly I, Jonathan, reappeared.
“You’re never alone.” I paused a moment. “I forgot something. Too many to keep track of. I’m sending someone to you, to take care of you for me. He’s a mess. But I’m sure you can fix him.”
“I don’t like the word “fix.” You fix clocks, you heal people,” she explained.
“The clocks were also broken with the people,” he responded.
“What is this man’s name?” she asked.
“I never said he was a man.”
“I didn’t think it was a woman. You seem to be sending all the women to Derrick.”
“He doesn’t think he’s worthy of someone like you. Show him compassion and mercy. You’ll recognize him immediately by how he dresses. He’s wearing work clothes.””
“When can I expect him?” she asked.
“He’ll be at the party. Fifteen minutes from now fifteen seconds either way. Your mother looks happy.”
“Will I see you again tonight?”
“Not tonight. You’re my best friend, Lily. Always will be for as long as we’re alive.”
Maggie was singing, “You’ve Got a Friend.”
“Goodbye, My Friend. Thank you for being my friend,” she told me.
I disappeared a second time. She turned and it was Edward, wearing work clothes. She was happy that Edward had come to the party.
“They sent a limousine for me. I’ve been on the road for six hours. They told me I couldn’t change out of my clothes. This is the invitation they sent me.”
He handed it to her.
“The Make Derrick Happy Party.” The invitation read in bold letters.
“You realize how much it would cost to send a limousine for me. It’s crazy, crazier than any crazy in any institution in this country. But I’m here finally in ‘The Make Derrick Happy Party.’ Even the limo driver has an invitation. It reminds me of the excesses of the Borgias. The people were starving and the Borgias were living like kings.”
“They were kings,” she responded. “No one is starving because of this party. It’s good to see you, Edward. I could call you ‘Eddie.’”
“Don’t call me ‘Eddie,’ I don’t like it.”
“Alright Edward,” she responded. “Welcome to the party. This makes me very happy.”
One of the caterers came toward him with what looked like a tuxedo in a plastic carrier
“Are you Mr. Matheson?” he asked.
“Yes, I am.”
“We have a Tuxedo for the party,” the caterer told him.
“You see what I said about the excesses of the wealthy,” he told her.
“It’s a party,” Lily told him. “Let’s enjoy it.”
Edward reluctantly took the tuxedo and went upstairs to change into it.
Derrick also went back upstairs to his room. He returned to his closet and began to look through the notebooks again. It took another fifteen minutes for him to find the notebook with the dream about Beverly.
He was walking back to the party when another woman from his past named Evangelia Delgado confronted him.
“You’re here too,” he responded.
“Don’t sound so disappointed. Yes, I was invited.”
“When were these invitations sent?”
“Three weeks ago.”
“Was it a postcard?” he asked.
“No. I got an invitation. Do you want to see it?” she told him.
“Sure.”
She handed it to him.
“It tells me to come upstairs to find you. I don’t know how anyone could know you’d be upstairs at this time. But I’m here. How are you, Derrick? It’s been a long time.” At the top right corner of the card was a number five in a circle. At the bottom left corner was an Omega.
She showed him the invitation to “The Make Derrick Happy Party.”
“Are you married?” He asked her.
“What an impertinent question! But yes, and he died,” she responded.
“I’m sorry. I don’t want to question you concerning your tragedy.”
“It was a great marriage. He died of lung cancer three years ago. I haven’t thought about you in years.”
“Then why did you come?” he asked.
“Because I loved you once, and when you think about how brief our fragile life is, you realize that it’s important to nourish it wherever it springs up. I gave myself one hundred reasons why it didn’t make any sense to come here.”
“That many?” he asked.
“But then I remembered something you told me once. You said that love was like a maple tree. Maple seeds lay dormant in the ground for years but suddenly without warning they germinate and produce some of the largest trees. Squirrels love maple trees. I have three of those trees in my backyard. I lost count of how many squirrels I have. They are happy in my trees.”
“I hope you don’t mind. I have to go back to my room upstairs. It shouldn’t take but a couple of minutes.”
He returned to the closet and retrieved another of his notebooks. When he returned to the hallway Beverly was patiently waiting for him.
“I’m sorry to have stepped away but I have something to show you a little later.” He paused. “How are you? What has your life been like? I didn’t think I would see you again. Welcome to my party. I hope you don’t mind all the intelligent, beautiful women. My father wants me married soon.”
“This didn’t come from your father?” she explained.
“What is it you do?” He asked her.
“For a living or my life?” he answered.
“Great question,” he responded. “We need to know what we want,” he paused again.
“I’m a painter. I mean a real painter in museums and I sing, in fact, I’ve been asked to sing for you.” She removed a folded piece of music and unfolded it.
“It appears someone has written a song for you and I’ve been asked to sing this song for you at twelve o’clock exactly. I hope it makes you happy.”
“What a strange day,” Derrick told her. “I’m sorry my father sent you away. You didn’t deserve to be treated that way. He didn’t think you were worthy of me. I should have come after you, had the backbone to tell him to go to hell. Thank you for coming. I look forward to the song.”
“It’s good to see you again, Derrick. We had great times together. I thought you were the love of my life. You broke my heart when you were gone.”
“My father was an ass. I loved you. I never got over what he did to us. But then that was my Dad and there was nothing I could do about it.” He paused. “If only I could turn back the clock and fix it all. Thank you for coming, Beverly. I know how hard this must be for you, coming back into the house.”
“This house is beautiful now,” she responded. “I’m very happy to be here. We had a great blessing once, a beautiful friendship, great memories. I came because I wanted to see you again and pay honour to those memories.” She paused. “So I’ll be singing my song for you at midnight. I hope it makes you happy.”
“It’s great to see you again, Beverly. I look forward to your song. I’d love to sit down and talk to you about everything.” He held his breath a moment. “Thank you for coming to my party. One last thing. I want to read you something from my journal about a dream I had on April 18th of 1967.”
He opened the notebook and began to read.
“Woke up from a dream about a woman named Beverly who my father treated horribly. His usual nasty way. I could see her crying. I prayed to God to give her peace and joy. My father shouldn’t be mean. I will not be like my father.’”
“I wrote these words about you. I look forward to your song. Thank you, Beverly.”
Derrick returned to the party. He realized he didn’t have a decision about these women immediately. It was his decision and no one else’s. This realization made the evening much easier for him. He was worried about Amanda. He thought a moment about his predicament. If he had to make a choice that evening he would choose Amanda because their friendship had developed gradually. I knew the outcome of all their decisions but I had decided to take my own advice not to intervene and let Derrick make up his own mind at his own pace.
Derrick returned to his father. “So Dad you’ve been a horse race connoisseur my whole life. I never cared for the races. I hate to see even animals lose. If you were handicapping this race who do you think is going to win?”
“I already told you that I know the answer to that. I know who you end up with. It’s your life, son. Make whatever decision makes you happy. I’ve decided to step back. Imagine the Great Edward Magnolia, the Colonel stepping back. This is the happiest day of my life.”
Derrick knew he had to find a way to stay in Kentucky, a way to help his friend Amanda, and a way to make his decision about whom he would spend the rest of his life with. He resolved to sit down with Amanda no matter what the others thought. He realized something about himself. He had been unhappy for so long, he didn’t know how to be happy. He knew Amanda needed someone to help her be happy. No matter who he ended up with in the end, he resolved his friendship with Amanda would be preserved. She wanted him.
The band began to play his favourite song, “Layla” and when the piano solo began midway he was crying. He never thought a song could touch him so much.
I was sitting quietly in my room. My father had turned on the radio and music was playing.
“Would you like some ice cream,” he asked me.
“Strawberry?” I answered.
The caterers were clearing the tables and beginning to serve the dessert, strawberry ice cream.
“Do you want me to turn off the music while you eat your ice cream?” my father asked.
“No Daddy. I love the music, ” I answered.
Lillian was speaking enthusiastically with Edward. Her heart soared like a bluebird. Bridget was coming downstairs with Michael Bouvier’s cello. She wanted the song to be perfect. Kevin and Eric were making trouble throwing their food across the table. Virginia was ready to take them home.
“Can we see the trains?” Kevin asked her mother.
“Not now, Kevin,” she answered sternly.
The caterers served the boys ice cream. Kevin pushed it away.
“I don’t like strawberry ice cream,” he said. “I like chocolate ice cream.”
“You’re eating the strawberry,” Virginia told him, “or you will never see the trains again.”
He took the ice cream and began to eat it.
“How many notebooks like these do you have?” Beverly asked him as they came down the stairs.
“In total, thirty-three. I didn’t plan it to be that. I was a kid eleven years old hiding from my father in the basement and writing in my notebooks.”
“You never talked about this when we were together,” she commented.
“And have you thought me crazy? I wasn’t a normal kid.”
“No one wanted or expected you to be normal, whatever that means. I didn’t want normal, boring and predictable normal. I wanted crazy, but in a good way. You were my first love. You know how special that is. I’m forty-five years old, my husband is dead. I’ve got a good forty years left if I take care of myself, eat right and floss. No one needs to go into old age with no teeth.”
“Do you want to stir up the pot some more and have a dance? You don’t have to,” he told her. “Something for old time’s sake.”
She smiled. “I’d love to dance with you, Derrick. But I don’t want your father to blow a gasket.”
“My father is a transformed man, whatever that means. He wants me to make up my mind about who I spend the rest of my life with. I take him at his word. I have to check in with my friend Amanda. Then we can dance. It’s good to see you again Beverly.” He hugged her in front of everyone.
Derrick returned to the table where Amanda was sitting. She smiled.
“Do you know what I love about you?” She told him. “You have a generous heart. You’ve been generous to me beyond expectation. What are you going to do with so many women wanting you?”
“I didn’t create this,” he responded. “I came here to see my father and to give you respite and comfort from your struggle. No one is going to force me into a decision about the rest of my life today. Not my father who allows me to choose someone and get on with my life. Would you like to go on a walk with me outside? Just for a short while we can lay on the ground and look up at the stars, just like I did as a boy. I’d love to share my special place with you.”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” she told him.
“How long can you stay?” He asked her, “Before I have to take you back to your practice?”
“Not to put any pressure on you, God knows you’ve got enough. I could stay here the rest of my life. You’ve got a wonderful family, even with your sister’s boys, who I could straighten out in a day. In all those years of foster care after my family died, I dreamt about a family like yours.”
“My brother David, nine years old went back in the house before the firemen arrived. He was my best friend and he died for no damn reason. I yelled at him to wait for the fire department. Well, he wouldn’t listen. He felt they were taking too long. I used to think about David, how I lost my best friend for nothing. My parents and my sisters died for nothing. The people on the train died for nothing.”
“I’m sorry things have been so terrible,” Derrick tried to comfort her.
“I need this. You know. This kind of big boisterous, sometimes troubling family. I’d be happy with you in this house, together in New York, wherever you decide. I don’t want to put any more pressure on you that you don’t already have. My friendship with you will continue no matter what you decide. You complete me. You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me. There I go, breaking my promise, not to put pressure on you.”
“After my brother went back in the house and I realized he was going to die with the others, I sat there thinking if I should join him. I couldn’t. I’ll never understand why things happened the way they did. But because of all this, all my decisions I met you. No pressure from me as the party advertises, I’m here to make you happy, Derrick. I think I can make you happy!”
“Wow,” he responded. “My father loved handicapping racehorses. He made his fortune betting on the outcome. He knows more about horses than anyone. I don’t even think the poor animals should be raced. It saddens me what they do to the horses in a competition and afterwards.” He sighed. “This thing we have between us is heaven sent. Neither of us given our circumstances could even contemplate the kind of family life we’re experiencing together, you and I we’re family, whatever that means. Again, when you wake up in a life where I am not close to you, go to me, and tell me to read the notebooks which mention your name. I want you to have our friendship in both timelines.” He paused. “Do you want to stir things up? Maybe we can have another dance.”
“I’d love another dance.”
“I should show you the zebra, Amanda. The fantasy realized of an eleven year old boy.”
“This whole thing feels like a dream to me,” she told him. “I’m going to wake up in my apartment alone. If this is a dream, I don’t want to wake up.”
“It’s not a dream, Amanda. I know what dreams feel like. I have a closet filled with 33 books about dreams. This is a life; it’s messy, unpredictable and yet still filled with the potentiality for mercy and compassion.” He hugged her. “My whole life has been like a prophecy, finally finding its fulfilment in coming to know you. You have become the endpoint of this journey and yet our journey is just beginning.”
“Those are the kindest words I’ve ever heard in my life,” she told him. “I reiterate what I said to you before. Choose me, Derrick.” She paused. “There I go again, I become too pushy.”
“You’re not pushy at all.” He paused. “Promise me we’ll have our dance. I have to make the rounds. The clock begins to chime. I come out, then you come out, and then we both come out. I loved those clocks.” He leaned over and kissed her. “I can’t recall a single example of the people on the clocks kissing. (He kissed her a second time.) Imagine a time before the first kiss someone had to figure out how to do it. Someone had to make that first kiss.” He kissed her again.
“You’re not afraid of this clouding our judgment?” she told him.
“I just wanted to kiss you, Amanda. It’s not so complicated for me. I wish I had met you ten years ago. I’ve spent a significant amount of my life alone. I wanted to be close to someone. I don’t know how to make it happen. I’ve got to do my rounds. I hope to make my Dad happy my way.”
Maggie was singing “Happy Together,” for the second time.
As Derrick made his way back to Naomi’s table. She was talking to Lillian and Edward.
“Sorry to be running around,” he told her. “I should start a running class.”
“We were talking about neurobiology,” Lillian told him. “You’re friend Naomi is quite a scholar.”
“She is a superb scholar,” Derrick acknowledged, “and beautiful to boot.”
“Don’t think flattery is going to wipe the tablet clean. Are you going kiss every woman that makes a play for you?” she asked.
“I can kiss whomever I want whenever I want,” he responded. “She’s my friend, she’s having a very hard time. You wouldn’t believe what she’s going through.”
“You can kiss whomever you want. No one is stopping you,” Naomi told him.
“You’re jealous?” Derrick told her. “She’s my friend. Please don’t get upset for what I’m about to say. I think you’re great, Naomi, smart and beautiful and the best thing that could ever happen to me. I can easily imagine myself spending the rest of my life with you. As I told you, she’s my friend, nothing has changed between you and me, nothing. What I like about you, and what I still like about you is your generosity. This woman Amanda needs me, me. I’m the only friend she has in a very difficult situation. Whatever you’re thinking about this situation is wrong. I know, the kisses. I don’t regret kissing her. Her whole goddam family died in a house fire. She was raised by foster parents, some of whom abused her, yet she managed to become a paediatrician despite it all.” He paused. “So I kissed her. I don’t regret it. I’m not attached to anyone. We’re not engaged to one another yet. I can kiss whoever I want. It’s early in the race. The horse that pulls away first is seldom the winner. So many factors go into the race that not even experts can predict outcomes one hundred per cent of the time. Believe me, my father taught me everything he knew about races.” He paused. “I don’t want to hurt Amanda. She’s had enough hurt in her life. If you knew what she is going through like I do, I’d hope you’d want to be her friend. Do we have an understanding, Naomi? Be her friend for me. I’m not a bird you can put in a cage. I like to soar above the trees to see the sun at sunset if you know what I mean.”
Naomi smiled because she was beginning to believe that she would end up with Derrick in the end. All she had to do was let him fly and build a nest for them, to find respite from his flying.
