Dinner with others at the compound at Marsha's had become a ritual for us to get together and discuss things in general. That evening, I talked of how we were going to be renovating a lounge at LAX into living quarters for Harlan Cole and his wife, Ginger Han. The facility would provide an opportunity for villagers to begin learning to fly and flying to overcome the obstacles that so many damaged roads in the area presented.

Ray reported on how fishing was going and we were all grateful for the fish and seafood that he brought into the compound supplementing our stores of beef, goat, mutton, venison and pork that were beginning to run low after so long of not going to the Valley. It was a way for all of us to have the time to relax and eat during the long gray days of constant rain and erosion of our backyards on the west side.

But one thing remained on my mind and I didn't bring it up until Melody and I had put the twins to bed and were getting ready for bed ourselves. With no other way to express it, except, directly…

"Honey, something came up today that you need to know."

"Oh, what?" Melody seemed a bit amused by the mystery.

"Harlan's wife, Ginger, is such a beauty that I was immediately struck by her and her, by me."

"Oh… Tell me about it?"

"It was like, I know, this seems ridiculous, but, love at first sight."

"So… I think I've experienced that once or twice. But it always became what it really wasn't later."

"No, this is different, Mel. Already, she wants me to give her a baby. When we were alone this afternoon detailing what we will need for their floor plan she designed, I stopped short of giving her what she wanted. Told her that I wanted us to wait until I let you know… Didn't want to hurt you or our children."

For the first time in over a month, Melody chuckled. "You know Honey, the pandemic did me a big favor. It freed me from an oppressive husband and allowed me to be in charge of who I love and have sex with. That's a big deal. Why I'm content not to marry you. And I'll give that right, that freedom, right back to you. Ray has been eyeing me for some time. If you don't mind, I think I'm going to give him a little pleasure. He sure deserves it, for all he has done for us."

"So, you don't mind? What about the twins?"

"Don't worry about them. I hope to have a few more babies and plan to take care of every one of them, with their father present, or not. But I think they'll have many fathers to look up to, including you. Mentors to be like, or not. "

"Thank you dear. The way we've been together and with the twins, I didn't expect you to be so open anymore."

"You may be feeling fatherly now that you have a son. But I need to tell you that you need to comfort Daphne. I believe she had your daughter. I didn't tell you earlier, but she lost her little girl last night. Found her dead in the morning in her crib. You need to console her."

That morning at breakfast, Renée and Daphne weren't there. Ray was, and Melody sat next to him while I paid attention to the news that Wondah brought us that morning. Mostly about what the weather that winter was bringing to the northern half of the planet she gathered from the few places and satellite radar tracking major weather fronts. 

What news there was, wasn't good. In the North, people were dying for not having stored enough food to make it through the winter, cold and flooding.

That night when Mel went to Ray's house, with Marsha and Stephanie's help, I put together a bouquet of flowers she had and arrived at Daphne's house. It was dark and quiet. I knew all the codes so didn't set off any alarms. From the foyer, I could see a faint light coming from Daphne's familiar bedroom and quietly reached the top of the stairs and the doorway.

Renée and Daphne had made a little box as a coffin and wrapped the little girl warmly for her journey to the backyard. I approached cautiously so as not to startle them as they were busily writing down names that they might name her for her coffin and marker.

When I was close enough so they could smell the flowers, I gently said, "I'm so sorry that you lost her. I'm here to help."

"Oh, Dre!" Daphne rose to her feet and came over to hug me. "I'm so glad you came. I don't know what to do!" She began crying on my shoulder.

"I know. At least, I think I know, how you feel. I felt that way after I got better and went into my sister's room to see her dead after I'd seen my parents. I've seen so much death, I've become hardened to it."

"I guess that's why you're here. I need you…" She led me to the bedside to sit down with her where they had been writing down names.

Renée said, "Ever since Sean died, I haven't been able to think. I can't even think of an appropriate name for a little girl that only lived a few days." She was also feeling the pain of loss.

I took a look at the list and right away, a name caught my eye. "Isn't Darla the name of the little girl member of that classic 1930s serial, Our Gang?"

Renée replied, "I wrote that name. You saw those episodes, too?"

“Josh Jones, Der's father, showed us them on YouTube when we were about 6 years old. He wanted us to see how Buckwheat was treated amongst an integrated group of mostly poor, kids in Hollywood in the late 1930s to early 40s. We loved those episodes, built a fort and tried to form a gang ourselves."

“I would have loved to be in your gang.” Daphne whispered, clinging to me.

“We soon found real construction more fun and, I remember that our fort was ‘No Girls Allowed.'" The girls giggled. The sadness was partially broken.

We started watching episodes until we had drunk the magnum of champagne and Renée told us that she was sleepy and going to bed.

Daphne replied, "You've been sleeping with me these cold nights and there's no reason for you not to continue. It will be too lonely for you in your room. Stay with us."

We took off our shoes and crawled under the covers of the king-sized bed. It was a bit awkward at first with Daphne at my chest and a woman older at 28, but still younger than Melody, Renée, cuddling up to my back. Until we got too warm and had taken off some clothes--Daphne more than Renée at first.

Before morning, with Daphne's blessing, I found myself entering Renée's virgin territory with caution and love all around. The deal was sealed. Fates willing and when Daphne was able, they both wanted a child by me.

In the morning, we had a hot shower together, thanks to the wind turbine, and walked together to breakfast at Martha's. Life would begin again, no matter what, for those of us survivors in the village.

Melody was always there at breakfast, but every evening she went to Ray’s house for the night, taking the twins with her. Ginger and I were spending time during the day whenever we could steal a moment or two. And, every time we got together it got better. Her work was so superior on all of our projects, I was glad she was on board in the company. Ginger never mentioned whether she told Harlan or not. We didn’t let our lovemaking get in the way of our work. We both were believers in working hard and playing hard, but that could be said for most of the members of the village. Everyone was trying to make everything better for everyone else, including having babies for all those that were lost.

Two weeks later, the erosion on the backside of all of our west side cliff overhanging houses had reached a point where it had taken the end of my garden and some prize fruit trees. And was now threatening to take my swimming pool that we treasured so much for exercise and partying in the sun and rain.

It seemed like our compound was slipping away to the valley below one bit of loose, rain-soaked soil, at a time. Our walls were hanging out over the precipice and pieces of them were falling off when the cantilevering of concrete blocks held together with mortar and covered with stucco, gave way. It was a relentless process that couldn't be stopped. I knew it, but…

I brought Drake, Wondah, Ginger and Viktor together at my house to see what we could do. After assessing the situation, Viktor had an idea.

"We could use steel and place I-beams under the buildings, your pool, and the walls so that the soil could fall away for some time before the steel cantilevers would be compromised, maybe years. Then, without enough support, the property would have to be abandoned."

Ginger replied. "In school we were told not to design buildings near cliffs that were not on solid bedrock. With solid bedrock, we could build cantilevered structures to and over, cliff sides. Is there any bedrock under us?"

"These homes were built in the 1930s when I don't think they considered bedrock or not. But the erosion clearly has been much faster recently in Derek’s and my remembrance here. And, since the pandemic, it is moving about a foot a month--very scary. Am I right, Der?"

"My backyard is the same. I'd really hate to lose the gardens and fruit trees in Marsha's yard. Some are nearly 100 years old and still producing excellent fruit. What do you think, Wondah?"

"Those aerial pictures that you took from the plane and the many that I've taken from drone excursions around the city, I'm seeing landslides everywhere. It just doesn't seem safe to build anywhere near a Pacific facing cliff--bedrock or not. They are eroding away at a rapid rate and will have catastrophic consequences in any major earthquake. We've had a few small quakes lately."

"I have a suggestion." Ginger said. "Why don't those of you on the west side of the street move to the airport. There are a couple of hotels close by that could be used as temporary quarters until we begin to renovate the 2nd floors of buildings like we are doing for Harlan and me. “The buildings are mostly steel or aluminum frame, are strong against wind and earthquake and can catch a lot of water with large hanger surfaces for solar and wind power. The roads are good and will not be damaged too much by earthquakes or flooded for very long in heavy rain. There is a good sewer system and rainwater runoff system already."

I replied. "That's a great idea. It doesn't look like we can stay here much longer. If we move across the street, we will become crowded, and that will be work on a temporary basis. We will need to bring it before everyone here for approval, and I think we should save everything we can… Like moving the fruit trees to the other side of the street, the gardens and everything else we can move. Eventually, we could move those same things to the airport."

Everyone was agreeing that it was a good idea, when we felt a slight bump like an earthquake. Looking out the window, shaking a bit, we saw a section of the wall between my house and Marsha's fall away. Adding to the urgency of what was now, top priority.

Copyright 2024 © Ronald W. Hull

1/28/24