Sleeping in Flame

"Take care of her, Walker, she's true gold.

"I'll leave some tickets at the box office and you can go if you want. Maris, I'm happy for you. Everybody'll be glad to hear you're all right."

With one more look that leaped at her like fire from a flame-thrower, he strode off. She winked at me and didn't see him turn for one last glimpse of her before going out the door.

"What's the scoop on him?"

"A romance from long ago. Victor was more interested in being famous than being kind."

"It looked like it's still a romance in his eyes."

"I know, but he blew it. You're not jealous?"

"No, proud. Proud you love me. He knows what he's missing. His face tells me that."

"That's interesting. He was always so cool. We tried, but he's another person who thinks he deserves love."

"It's uncomfortable thinking about you being with someone else."

"There are our bags. It's uncomfortable thinking you were married once."

"Does that make you jealous?"

"Thoughtful."

Frau Noot lived down the hall. Her apartment looked like the inside of Heidi's hut in the Alps. Everything was Bauern furniture, deer antlers, and bad paintings of mountain scenes on the walls, along with what seemed like hundreds of yellow photographs of her dead husband Leo, a conductor on the Vie

"Maris and Walker, you're back! Say hello, Orlando."

"How are you, Frau Noot? We brought you a present from California."

"More bubblebath! You always bring me the best kind. Come in. We were just watching television."

Although he was blind, Frau Noot was convinced Orlando liked to sit on her lap and watch television. I knew he liked to sit on her lap and watch television because TV meant snack time, usually pretzels. Orlando didn't need to see pretzels to enjoy them.

"How's he been?"

"Sad, Walker. I fed him all his favorite meals and petted him whenever he wanted. But I think he was mad at me for something. Or else he missed you more than usual." Her face got tight and she looked about to cry.

"Oh, you know how he is. Cats do what they like. He ignores me half the time, too."

She smiled, but her eyes stayed downcast. "That's very good of you, but I didn't do something right this time. Look at how glad he is to see you." He was on the floor weaving back and forth between my legs.

"Hi, Orlando. How are you?"

"My brother gave me a special new recipe for American apple cake, Frau Noot. Let's make it together this week."

"Yes, Maris, I'd like that. Can we do it soon? The postman's birthday is next week and I'll make it for him if it's good."

"Sure. We'll do it." Maris looked at me and mouthed the words "Tell her." I mouthed "Us?" pointing back and forth.

"Yes."

"Maris and I are going to get married, Frau Noot. You're the first one to know."

She clapped her hands and rocked back and forth in her seat. "This is good to hear! I knew it would happen. I'm the first to know? What an honor! When?"

Maris and I looked at each other and smiled.

"I don't know! We didn't talk about that yet."

"Do it on your birthday, Walker. That's coming soon."

"Exactly, Walker! That's when we'll do it. And we'll bake a big apple cake for the occasion."

"I will bake it, Maris, but not apple! I have a special cake for weddings. That will be my present to you. Eine Noot Torte а la Easterling!"

Unlocking the door to my apartment, I asked Maris what she thought a Noot Torte would be.

"I don't know, but we'll have to eat the whole thing, even if it has lizards in it, or else her heart will be broken."

"Oh boy, home. Smell it. Home!" Orlando was the first one through the door, walking jauntily, like a model at a runway show. We unloaded the bags on the floor.

"Walker, I want to go home for a while and get some stuff. You don't mind, do you?"

"No, I want to take a shower and see if there's anything important in the mail. You want to take any of your things?"

"No, there's nothing important in there. My car's around the corner. I'll be back in a couple of hours."

She came up to me and we embraced. "You smell like a trip."

"That's why I want a shower. Come back soon and we'll go out to di

"I want a schnitzel. I love the idea of getting married on your birthday. How'd she know when it was? Did she guess your sign?"

"No, blackmailed me last year so she could bake a birthday cake."

"How'd she do that?"

"Threatened to bake me one a day for the rest of the year unless I told her."

"That's dangerous. I think I have to go to the bathroom before I leave."

She went off down the hall while I walked into the bedroom to unpack. I'd unzipped one bag and was staring into it tiredly when she returned.

"Does Orlando like to join you in the toilet?"

"Not usually."

"I'd say he was kinky, but he can't see. Followed me right in and lay by the tub while I peed. Now I'm really going. I'll see you in a couple of hours."

We kissed, and she left. Hanging up a suit, I realized I had no desire to do that, so I started to undress. Naked, I padded into the bathroom.

Lying on the floor by the tub was Venasque's pig, Co

"Don't be shocked." She spoke to me in his voice.

"Good Christ!" I sat down on the toilet. "It is you, isn't it, Venasque?"

"Yes. I died a couple of hours ago. While you were circling Vie

"Why are you here? How can you be?"

Orlando walked in and right over to Co

"Were you here when Maris came in?"

"Yes, but she wasn't able to sense me. I'm here for you, Walker. I have to tell you some things."

"Is it . . . Is death what you thought it would be?"

"I can tell you one thing. If everyone was i

"Why are you Co

"Because she was alive and you know her. And because she's fu

"You must spend all of your time now finding out who you are, Walker. It is the most important thing you'll ever do. I can't emphasize that too strongly. I understand now why you came to me and why all of those strange things happened to you. Believe me, it is more incredible than my being here like this. If we had been able to work together, it would have revealed itself to you then. Too bad – it would have been the greatest achievement of my life."

"Me? What am I, Venasque? What are you saying?" I was freezing cold, and realized with no embarrassment that I had an erection.

"Study your dreams. Follow up on what you learn from them. Maris doesn't know it yet, but she's pregnant. You must find your father before the baby is born. Your real father, not the man in Atlanta. He is in Vie

"Who is he?"

"The potato seller. Melchior Kroll. The midget. All of them before, someone else this time. When he loved you, he gave you some of his powers. They're coming now, that is part of the problem, but you've got to learn to use them right or else you'll lose when you face him. Look at your hand."