KNOCK, KNOCK, WHO'S THERE pt 2

KNOCK, KNOCK, WHO’S THERE? Pt 2

 Is that me or is it you?

 **

Anora stood on the concrete city sidewalk and looked up at the tall building.

 “Belle, how can you stand this? It’s so noisy, I can barely hear myself think!”

 Annabelle smiled at her sister. “Oh, Annie, isn’t it grand? The city is so alive!”

 As a young man on a skateboard almost knocked Anora over, she commented, “Alive? You call this living? First of all, it’s deafening. Secondly, it’s dangerous. Thirdly, the air here is horrendous. It has a horridly foul smell.”

 Belle grabbed her sister’s hand and tugged. “Come on! Let’s go up to my apartment. I’m sure you’ll love it.”

 Anora looked up again, then asked, “And just how high UP is UP?”

 Belle laughed, “Annie, I’m on the twelfth floor. I would have chosen the thirteenth but for some reason, none of the buildings around here, no matter how many floors exist, have any numbered thirteen. Guess they think it’s bad luck or something.”

 In the hallway, Annie looked around, “No stairs?”

 “Annie, sweet sister, you can hardly expect anyone to walk up! The steps would be torturous. No, we take the elevator. But for safety sake, there are three staircases at the back of the building.”

 Once inside the little cube, Belle smiled at her sister with enthusiasm. “You’ve seen my apartment only in the pictures I’d sent you. Now you can see it in person. There are so many things that make life easier. Just wait! I can hardly wait for you to see it all.”

 The elevator ride didn’t take long and before Annie could ask more questions, they were standing outside Belle’s door.

 “Since I couldn’t live on the thirteenth floor, I could at least find an apartment with the number 1413. Come on inside.”

 Before Belle opened the door, Annie questioned, “No Sigil?”

 “It’s there but hidden. The owner of the building doesn’t allow anything to be hanging on the doors. He says he likes things, “aesthetic.” Hold you left hand above your head, palm facing the door.”

“Oh, Belle, how clever. I see you also hung your pouches of peppermint and bay leaf on either side of your door.”

 Belle smiled and said, “I might have to conform to the rules of the land but that doesn’t mean I’m going to change my ways. I just find my way around those annoying rules.”

 Then, she opened the door and smiled in amusement at her sister’s gasp!

 “Oh my, Belle. All the conveniences. I’ve read all about them. But never really had an interest in trying them.” She walked to the large window and sadly said, “Aw, Belle, look out your window. There are no trees! No flowers! No grass to walk on in bare feet.”

 Belle put her arm around her sister’s shoulder. “Sweet sister, tomorrow, we’ll go to the park where you can do just that.”

 “And where is this park? I see nothing here that resembles a park.”

 “Annie, it’s called Central Park and it’s only two blocks away, but you can’t see it from this side of the building. Come, let’s have some tea.”

 It didn’t matter that the apartment had three large rooms, one large living room with an attached kitchen and two bedrooms.  Annie’s cottage was the same. Each place boasted, as Annie would say, indoor bathrooms. But Belle’s apartment was so much larger.

 “Belle, what do you do with all this space? It’s surely too large for one person” – then Annie looked at her sister. “Or are you sharing this with someone?”

 Belle turned, looked at her sister with amusement, and laughed. “Oh, sister, dear. No one lives here but me. I do, on a rare occasion, have someone stay the night but those times are rare. I enjoy my privacy.”

 “Well, in that respect, love, we’re very much alike. That’s why I like my woods.”

 “Come on, I’ll make us some tea, then we can talk about where we’ll go for supper. Or rather, here in the city, we say dinner.”

 Belle filled two cups with water and placed them in the microwave. Seconds later, she pulled out two cups with boiling water and added tea bags to each one.

 “No tea leaves? Oh, Belle, come on! You can’t have changed that much!”

 “Every now and then, I’ll treat myself to a brewed tea but since the leaves are messier, I often opt for the tea bags. Now, let’s sit at the table and talk about dinner.”

 “A-a-h! Oh, Belle, you’ve given me Irish tea. You definitely are a love.”

 Belle smiled, stood, and walked toward the cabinet she uses for a pantry and opened the door.

 “Oh my!” Annie said as she saw many boxes of Twinnings Irish tea bags and several tins of Twinnings Irish tea leaves.

 Belle leaned against her counter and replied, “You can take the girl out of Ireland, but you can’t take Ireland out of the girl. Finish up, sister, we’re off to Tony’s!”

 “Who’s Tony? And have you told him we’re coming?”

 As Belle rinsed out the cups and placed them on the drainboard, she gave her sister a sly look. “Tony’s DiNapoli is the best Italian restaurant within walking distance. And it doesn’t hurt than his son is stunning to look at.”

 Annie smiled at her sister and thought, “Oh boy!”

 Before Belle opened the door, she pointed to a frame on the wall. “Been a bit busy this morning but since the day’s early yet, I need to say this.”

 “Oh, Belle, you haven’t forgotten.”

 In the frame was the embroidered linen that Annie had give her sister the day she moved to American.

 It was the daily prayer to the Goddess and read:

 “Bless me, dear Goddess, on this day,

Help me as I work and play.

To reflect your blessings, I ask now

To lend your strength and please allow,

This day to be all it should and can be.

So, I pray; so, mote it be.”