The Lodge - Chapter Six

CHAPTER SIX

The sky was a pale pink dusted with thick clouds the consistency of powdered sugar.

Technicolor grasslands spread out in every direction for miles, yet the air was sweet and salty, as though the shore was around the bend.

At first all he could hear was the soft sway of flower stems in the ephemeral breeze, rushing through his hair and making him feel relaxed.

It was a place he had never been before...

...and in an instant, it was gone. Xavier had drawn the curtains the night before, and so by the time he was awoken by a knock on the door it was bright enough outside to flood a soft blue light around the entire room. Groaning, he slipped off of his bed like a human slab of Jell-O, lumbering groggily to the door, still nine-tenths asleep. Somehow he managed to grab his robe and tie it around his waist before opening it, but he ended up being very thankful for it. Had he been more alert, he would have realized that Ilene had been the only one to knock on his door in the last few days, and today wasn’t any different. The moment his hand came back from scratching a bit of his belly that was peeking out from his robe he opened the door, where Ilene was standing with more bounce than anyone ever should have at such an early hour.

“Mornin’.” she said brightly, wearing a bright red cardigan with a wicker basket looped around one of her arms looking ready for a picnic. Xavier could see a bottle of juice and two sandwiches (one small and one extra big) peeking out from under their plaid cover.

“Hi.” Xavier squeaked, about to scratch his belly for a second time when his bloodshot eyes sprang open as what he was seeing finally registered in his brain. Ilene continued as if not a hair was out of place.

“Are you ready to have your mind blown? I should warn you, once you get good at the internet you can’t go back.” Still reeling a bit, Xavier’s look of part amusement, part hesitation made Ilene smile.

“...But you’ll be glad you did. C’mon, come have a seat with me.” With a smooth motion she slipped past the still awe-struck Xavier, taking a seat near the computer.

“Sweet robe.”

The lesson wasn’t as bad as Xavier had expected, and after finally waking up he realized how lucky he was to be starting his day with Ilene. After she helped him access his e-mail she proceeded to guide his shaky hand through online banking, an image search and a few other rudimentary functions. The sandwiches Ilene had brought made a very satisfying breakfast (which she promised hadn’t been made by her) but soon Xavier found himself eyeing a dish of peanuts close by. Before long they came to social networks, the very idea of which perplexed Xavier.

“It’s pretty simple,” Ilene started, seeing Xavier’s eyes furrow as the screen began loading. “Really it’s just like a big online phonebook with pictures. You can list all of your likes and dislikes and stuff like that. See, all we hafta do is set up your profile.” Without hesitation she clicked the button to sign up as Xavier watched on, speechless.

“I could help you if you want.” she added after another look at Xavier’s still overwhelmed face. He nodded gratefully, rosy relief returning to his plump cheeks.

“Let’s see...first off, name.” This and a few other fields were easily answered. At first being asked questions seemed to make Xavier feel a little bashful, but he soon got into the groove of responding.

“Favorite music?” Ilene asked, already filling out the rest of the profile. Xavier had crossed his arms, clearly taking the questions seriously. “Classical.” He said with conviction, looking pleased with his answer. His cheeks were always rosy, but especially when he was feeling proud. “Anything with an orchestra. I love the sound of strings.” Ilene gave him an impressed smile. “Mmm, a man of refined tastes.”

They continued along like that for a while, what little tension still pent up quickly dissipating like the fatigue from Xavier’s eyes. As Ilene continued deciphering social media for Xavier he causally allowed his hand to stray to the bowl of nuts that sat near his computer, munching on them quietly. Ilene smiled, but didn’t take her eyes off the screen. She had made herself comfortable next to the large man, her hair tied up in a ponytail, wearing a simple black and blue stripped dress. The two were complete technological opposites - what came as naturally to Ilene as simple movement was like complicated ballet to Xavier, but she was always patient. Xavier caught on quickly, much to her delight, though his hands were still a little too big for his keyboard. Still, the new knowledge seemed to please him. When the nuts had been finished he licked the salt from his fingers discreetly.

“Looks like that’s all set up!”

Xavier could see that what had been a blank page minutes ago now showed a profile that fit his own -

“Xavier Bruno, age 26. Lives in Kortedala, British Columbia”.

All that was empty was a blank square in the corner. “Now we just need a picture.” Standing up, Ilene took ahold of her phone. Xavier watched, a bit puzzled. Carefully Ilene pointed her phone at him, confusion still filling his expression. “Say cheese.” she chirped, followed by a small flash. Xavier looked a bit like a deer caught in headlights, but it was an accurate likeness of him. Tapping a few more buttons, Ilene managed to pull the picture onto the webpage.

“Now comes the fun part.” Ilene said, giving her fingers a small rest from flying across the keyboard. “You get to add all of your friends and family. If you want to, that is. Some prefer to fly off the grid.” Xavier gave a laugh that, despite being small, still managed to make the chair under him quiver.

“That sounds like fun.” With another few waves of her hands Ilene managed to pull up a whole roster of people from his contacts. Ilene could see Xavier’s face begin to brighten as the screen collected with familiar faces. His blue eyes lit up.

“Hey...that’s my friend Norm!” he exclaimed, pointing to a picture of a grinning, heavy-set man. He gripped the mouse with a newfound confidence, though still he moved it somewhat hesitantly.  

“And wow, Mr. Campbell’s here too...”

Xavier’s eyes darted across the screen rapidly.

Suddenly, they stopped.

Ilene had been happily scanning the screen along with him, but his sudden silence made her take notice. Glancing over she could see that his eyes were still glued to the screen, but his mouth had fallen slightly agape, and his complexion seemed paler than it had been. Before Ilene could say something Xavier quickly closed the browser, turning off the monitor. His cheeks turned scarlet.

“That’s probably plenty for today. Don’t wanna get overwhelmed.” he said robotically, making himself busy with his salted fingers. Ilene didn’t press him, though she had to admit to considering it. Instead she clapped her hands together.

“I think so too, the ‘net’s not going anywhere.” Xavier gave a small sigh of relief - whatever he had seen must have given him a start. Ilene decided that it was still largely a day of victory, and as such demanded a reward. It had been some time since their lunch-for-breakfast meal, and Xavier’s belly had growled audibly a few times over the last few minutes.

“Well I’m about ready to take a bite out of this wallpaper, you wanna go grab something to eat?” she asked innocently, dusting the top of the computer impulsively. Xavier seemed to feel the same.

“My head hurts when I look at a screen for too long anyway.” He admitted, looking glad to be rid of his chair’s judgmental creaks. “There’s a nice diner around here, does that sound ok? They have great cherry pie.” Grabbing her purse, Ilene looked like she was becoming more and more excited as the seconds passed by.

“Ooh, that sounds great! I’ll grab my things.” Looking him up and down with an amused expression, she added:

“And how about we get you some pants.”

* * *

The restaurant Xavier took them to was tucked behind a large apartment building and shielded on both sides by obstructive businesses so it was all but impossible to find unless you were really looking for it. This particular diner was nestled close to the beginning of the forest highway, and according to Xavier, was well worth the short drive.

Ilene had insisted on driving despite Xavier’s protests and after squeezing himself into her passenger’s seat (clicking his seatbelt across his expansive midsection with more than a little difficulty), they were on their way. The more time the two spent together the less their conversations became anything but enjoyable. The lush scenery seemed to jog Xavier’s memory - he would tell Ilene whatever stories seemed to enter his head, and Ilene would pepper the talk with random tidbits and the occasional song when appropriate. What couldn’t have been more than 15 minutes felt like a weekend. By the time they pulled up to “The Copper Song” the car had been filled with chuckles for quite a while.

Inside appeared to be a combination of a traditional 50s diner and a futuristic theme - the seats and booths were framed with neon lights and the staff wore traditional uniforms in vibrant colors. The walls were covered with abstract landscapes, ribbons of neon gold and hot pink dazzling the painted sky. It made Ilene think of how restaurants will look in the distant future, striving to balance convenience with substance.

They were greeted when they entered by a perky girl with two bouncy pigtails and a metallic blue dress. She was gliding along on skates like all of the servers, though she looked as if she was good enough to skate professionally. Her ruby red lips parted in a wide smile when she spotted them.

“Hi, Xavie! Who’s your friend?” The girl, whose name tag read “Trixie”, looked at Ilene expectantly, a bit caught off guard by the friendliness of the waitress.

“This is Ilene.” Xavier told her. “We work together.” Trixie smiled enthusiastically, looking pleased as punch at the information. “How nice! Lovely to meet you, Ilene! The usual spot?”

Xavier visibly relaxed as he remembered his surroundings - he’d been coming there for so long it must have felt like a second home. Trixie led the two across the crowded bistro - Ilene seemed surprised that such a hidden place could be so popular. She watched Trixie with a genuine awe as she continued through the throng of foodies. She was somehow able to skate, talk, check on customers and serve food at the same time.

The two were led to what Ilene had to admit probably WAS the best seat in the house - nestled in a corner with ample room on all sides, a lovely view and, most of all, plenty of seating. Ilene took a seat in a small wire chair while Xavier shimmied himself into the booth side, his belly just barely scrapping the table.

With meticulous grace Trixie fanned the menu out on the table for them, the counter a see-through glittery material with bright plastic stars suspended inside. Most of the food looked a bit strange, though undeniably delicious. Trixie poured two tall frosted glasses with water while meticulously scanning the restaurant to make sure all was in order. Her job was something Ilene had always thought she’d be horrible at, but it came naturally to Trixie. She had a talent for putting people at ease.

“How about some chips for the table?” Xavier suggested. Trixie gave a quick nod before dashing off. Other than the music, which seemed to be a very eclectic mix of techno and opera, Ilene was impressed with what she saw. Leafing through the menu proved to be an equally varied experience but soon she found a small dish she thought sounded good. It wasn’t until she looked up for a moment that she realized Xavier hadn’t touched his.

“Already know what you’re getting?” she asked, peeking over the edge of her menu. Xavier nodded.

“I have a few favorites I like to rotate in and out of.” he said smoothly. “Do you need some help choosing?” Ilene looked up, a bit surprised. Xavier was hardly rude, but that was the first time she could remember him offering his advice so freely.

“Sure.” she replied, mirroring his elated expression.

Before long they had ordered and were left to admire the space junk glued on the walls haphazardly - neon records and glitter encrusted ‘meteors’ hung overhead. Their food arrived without much of a wait despite the rush, much to Ilene’s surprise. She had decided on a tasty sounding burger on a brioche bun with camembert cheese and sprouts, and after one bite she wondered why she didn’t have sprouts on everything. Xavier’s platter seemed to be the opposite of the man partaking of it - a small filo sleeve of asparagus tips and a hill of red potato with a small slice of milky red salmon. Ilene couldn’t help but watch the way he would eat slowly, his mustache bouncing up and down as he chewed.

“People usually think I’ll order a big steak or something.” he said, his voice filled with a comfortable confidence Ilene could never had imagined hearing from him when they first met. “But I don’t actually really eat all that much.” He didn’t sound sad, just matter of fact. Ilene pushed a cherry tomato that had fallen out of her sandwich across the plate, looking back carefully. Her next words were important.

“I’d rather have that than a steak, the salmon looks immaculate!” she found herself gesturing with her fork now. Xavier looked pleased, starting to nibble at the fish next. Ilene could tell he was careful with his utensils, making calculated cuts jabs, almost like a performance. Cautiously Xavier offered a wedge of the salmon to her. “Do you want to try it?” he asked, his voice wavering only a little. Ilene nodded before taking the piece onto her own plate. Without a doubt it was the best she’d ever tasted.

Xavier knocked a few things over maneuvering himself out of his seat to use the washroom, but Ilene managed to help in time to quell his embarrassment. “I’ll be right back.” Looking around a few seconds to make sure he wasn’t hurrying back, Ilene set about flagging down Trixie, who saw her in a flash and was over to their table with superhuman speed.

“Ilene, right? How’s everything tasting?” She had three star-capped pens sticking out of her hair but made it look like a crown somehow. “Oh it’s amazing!” Ilene breathed, still taken aback by her burger. “I was wondering if maybe I could place a little dessert order too?” From nowhere Trixie extracted a pad of paper and pulled out a pen, giving Ilene the go-ahead.

“Two pieces of cherry pie, please.” Trixie let of a small giggle before smiling at Ilene. “Xavie’s favorite, right?” she asked knowingly, making a small mark on her pad. Now it was Ilene’s turn to go red.

“You think he’ll like that?” she asked hopefully. Trixie’s earrings, which Ilene just noticed were in the shape of crescent moons, shimmered in the light as she laughed again.

“Oh I’m sure he will, he does love his pie. I’m always surprised he only eats a piece, though. Such a big fella. Maybe his sweet tooth is a small one.” Ilene laughed too, the idea of Xavier eating any amount of pie being more than enough to elate her. Ilene reached to grab her purse, but Trixie carefully denied her.

“Oh don’t worry about that, it’s on the house.” Ilene, taken aback by her kindness, went redder. “Oh - Are you sure it’s not a problem?”

Trixie refilled Ilene’s water cup as she spoke sweetly. “Not at all! You know...” she began, tucking the rocketship pen in her blonde beehive. “Xavier’s been coming here for years with his family. Course, most of the staff don’t recognize him now.” Ilene could feel question after question begin to rise from inside her but Trixie’s reflexes were too fast. “And he’s always nothing less than a perfect gentleman. You’ll never meet a sweeter guy.”

Ilene could feel words dancing around on her tongue, but she held it. She wanted to listen. “It’s nice to see him with some company. You two make an adorable couple.” Now Ilene’s mouth opened, but no further attempt at speech seemed to manifest. “I’ll get that order in right away.” Trixie finished off with a wink. With that she zoomed away on her Pepto-pink skates, leaving Ilene sitting alone, nothing short of speechless.

When Xavier finally returned Ilene was gulping down her glass of water in an attempt to look less flustered but it didn’t seem to make much of a difference.

“Are you alright?” he asked after sliding back into his seat, not even having noticed the pie in front of him yet. Ilene collected herself as best she could, trying to look cool but only succeeding in looking anguished.

“O-oh yeah, just fine, I just had some water go down the wrong pipe.” With a little nudge of her fingers Ilene pushed the platter of pie into Xavier’s line of vision. Whether or not he realized it, he started beaming.

“Pie!” he exclaimed a little louder than he’d meant to, sounding like a child who had found their lost toy. He looked up at Ilene, his blue eyes wide with joy.

“Did you...?” he started. Ilene offered him a fork.

“Good job today, comrade. Next time we start search engines.” Despite the bustling around them Xavier felt a deep calm rushing throughout his body. He took the fork thankfully, and within a few moments his plate was clean. Trixie appeared once again to give them the check and wish them a good night, and by the time they came out into the brisk air it was nearly dusk. Ilene’s truck beeped as she unlocked it, a small dusting of snow covering the roof.

“So, tomorrow’s the big day.” Ilene said, opening the door for her friend. “I have to admit I’m a little nervous.” Xavier smiled sweetly at her, wedging himself into his seat again. The sweater he had on was deep brown with the pink collar of a dress shirt sticking up on each side of his considerable neckline, the seatbelt a little too snug for complete comfort. Still, he spoke softly.

“It’ll be fine.” he insisted. “You’ll be alright with me.”

* * *

Darkness was comfort in the days of winter, and when the two finally made it back to the lodge even the trees bled together into one shadowy green. The two parted ways again and went off to their respective rooms, the meal still sitting happily in Xavier’s belly. Before climbing into bed he took one more look at his profile online. Norm had added him immediately and was already posting things on his ‘page’. He’d heard back from a few other people too, but it was one person in particular that he was hoping he wouldn’t hear from. Not now, and if he had his way, not ever.

* * *

It was in the darkness of night that the figure of January slowly dripped from wall to wall, clutching a small, rectangular object close to her chest. Without so much as a rapid breath she made her way to Ilene’s room. She had anticipated it would be too big to push under the door, but to her surprise it slid through with ease. All that was left now was to wait.