"I don't know if I can do this" I whisper as I just watched Cain appear and disappear within seconds.
I felt his presence so strongly afterward, I believe he tried to comfort me. But now...I feel nothing. Something inside of me knows it, he's gone. Maybe he was just as distraught at what had happened as I was and needed some time to think.
"Ok Nora," I say to myself.
Stay focused. Lots to be done today. First, I'll drop off the framed silhouette painting to grace. Then I'll head to the library to surf through old newspapers. Preferably ones from the mid-1900s. There's no question, this morning was emotionally rough. But I need to stay the course. Showered, dressed, and painting in hand I head out. I get to the shop just as Grace is unlocking the door.
"Grace, here's one of the paintings I promised"
I hand her the painting and she looks at me with a smile and says
"you're the best, I've no doubt it's beautiful" I wave goodbye and head to my second stop the library.
Walking up the steps I grip the strap of my purse trying to prepare myself for what I may find. Who was Cain when he was living? I pull open the heavy door and step inside. The smell of a million pages hit my nose and fill my lungs. I spot the computers and make a b line straight for them. Right before I sit I hear "pssst" I look around and see Bonnie smiling at me from within an isle.
I stand up and walk to where she is and whisper
"hey! Why are you here?"
"Picking up some cookbooks for mom" she replies.
I nod and say
"oh, nice. I'm doing so research on mid-century painting styles"
I lied through my teeth but she would never understand the real reason I was here.
She looked at me as if she just remembered something important and said while lazily pointing her finger
"I had the weirdest dream this morning" I stared at her shocked and not at all ready for what I was about to hear.
"A really cute guy told me to check in on you from time to time. He said you'd need me. Weird right?" She said almost amused.
She didn't know how relevant those words were to me. Cain was attempting to walk away and he'd knew I would need someone.
"That is so weird!" I responded with a fake laugh.
But I was dying inside. "
"Well, I'd better get back to it. Call me later?" I ask.
"Ok and definitely," she said as she reached up to grab a book above her head.
I sat down at the computer more determined than ever. Cain Jacob Harmon. 1915...I sift through article after article and then I see it. "Cain J Harmon 25 died suddenly Friday while attempting to outrun a train. He was proceeded in death by his father, Samual Harmon, his mother Josephine Harmon, and his only sibling, Jessie Harmon. Services will be held this Sunday, at 4 pm at the great oak cemetery"
my heart sank. Before he died, he had experienced so much loss. He must have felt so alone. I need to go home and get him in my head. I have to tell him what I've learned. Plus I had a few questions for him that needed answering.
Cains POV
Going back to the way things were before I knew her is impossible. It feels wrong. I hope Bonnie remembers our reach and checks in on Nora often. She won't know why I left, I just hope she doesn't blame herself. Walking up and down the streets I started to do something I never allowed myself to do. I open up to the hurt. The pain of loss. The anguish of being nothing to no one. I think about the people I'll never see again and wonder if Nora was one of them. Just I start to give in to the sadness and despair, I feel something familiar but impossible. Somebody was trying to pull me into a reach. I gave in and followed the link. It leads me to an empty warehouse with large windows and a ceiling that never seems to end. Who's reaching me!? I spin around in search of something to end my curiosity. Then I see her, Nora. You clever girl. How in the hell was this possible!?