Chapter 2: Tit for Tat

“Sure you’re restored enough, Cindy? I don’t mind in the least holding you a while longer. Unless you’re uncomfortable, just relax. Let’s stay like this for a time, enjoy it longer. You’re very easy to love and I’m enjoying this feeling of closeness and affection between us. Aren’t you moved by it?”

“Lilli? When I urgently needed that comfort, the security, and assurance, the affection you gave me, it was the most necessary thing in the world to me, then. Now, I feel strong again, thanks to you. Please? Understand I’m not rejecting you, not anxious to leave your embrace, but there are things I have to do and time is short. Could I impose upon you for more of your help? I’d appreciate it.”

“Anything you ask, but I want to share a secret with you first. A secret I only shared with one other person, and now he’s gone. I want to share it with you now. I’m pregnant, Cindy. With Joey’s child. It makes me so sad, Joey will never meet this child. I was taking my comfort from you at the same time while giving comfort to you. That’s why I’m anxious it not stop so soon. You may be fully restored, but I’m not. I’m still in pain, still hurting. Can’t you spare me a little more time, a bit more comforting?”

“Of course I will. How can I not? Cuddle with me for as much time as you may need. To refuse would be gross ingratitude. I’m extremely grateful to you. I’ll tell you a secret, known only to Joey and me? The entire manor, house, outbuildings, and grounds, the entire estate is honeycombed with secret passages and tunnels.

At the end of one tunnel, there is a tiny private beach, beautiful, sandy, with almost no surf. It’s well hidden amongst the boulders near rocky point. Joey wanted to bring the kids there for a beach party. I was preparing for the party when I discovered Joey near death while on a supply trip. The party should proceed as he planned, even without him, I think. Don’t you agree?”

“For sake of the kids, absolutely. Thank you for the cuddle. I’m fully restored enough to see the beach now. I’m feeling a need for a sandy beach to lay on and soak up some sun. It’s been a long time since I last visited any beach. Can we go right away? I’m ready.”

“Don’t try this alone. Always bring me with you when you enter these labyrinthine passages. I’ll teach you the layout of the maze eventually, but it will take time. A lot of time. It’s very complicated. Tunnels twist around every direction for countless miles, doubling back, and cross-connects without the sense of design. Seems mostly haphazard. You can easily become lost in these passages and wander confused in circles till you died. Promise not to come here alone?”

“I promise, cross my heart, to never come down here unless I’m with you to guide me.”

“Okay. Two important features to remember. The floor isn’t obvious it’s sloping, but notice the ceiling and look farther down the tunnel. An obvious incline from here to there. They weren’t as careful about the fit and finish on the ceiling. It is a fortunate feature. The house sits on a height above the cliffs. Everywhere else is a lower level. Go up to go back home. Here is another feature worth watching.

This area is constructed with carpentry and polished stonework. A few feet further it’s rough. Here it’s post and beam mine shoring construction. From here on, it’s a tunnel outside the footprint of the house. Find a nicely finished passage, you’re back beneath the house again. Okay, continuing, notice the floor is tamped earth. I suspect it’s rough rock underneath. The earth layer saved a lot of work smoothing the rough-hewn rock floor. Now we’ve come quite a distance and through this wall, beyond this crack is the tunnel to the beach. See the yellow splotch on the wall beside it? Sunlight this way. Pretty intuitive symbol. Okay, observe the floor again. Dribbles and patches of sand, and becoming more consistently sand. Now it’s pure sand. Observe the grade, how it’s steeper. Not just a slope, rather a series of descending ledges. Lips or thresholds a couple of inches high, every three to four feet. By the time we reach the water, we will have dropped five feet below where we encountered the first ledge.”