Flora & Ulysses

The hallway of the Blixen Arms emitted the same green gloomy light no matter the time of day or night.

“Watch out for the cat,” said Flora.

“The infamous Mr. Klaus,” said William Spiver. He looked around. He was smiling. “The cat who was defeated by a superhero squirrel. I will certainly keep an eye out for him. And I hate to sound like a broken record, but may I just say again what a delight it is to see? Talk about being born anew. Nothing, nothing, will ever again escape my notice.”

“Goody,” said Tootie.

“I’m not kidding,” said Flora. “Mr. Klaus could be anywhere.”

“Yes,” said William Spiver. “My eyes are open. They are open, indeed.”

“Knock again,” said Tootie.

Flora knocked again.

Where could her father be in the middle of the night? Had someone kidnapped him, too? Was it kidnapping if it was an adult? Or was that adult-napping? George Buckman–napping?

And then she heard her father laugh.

But the laugh wasn’t coming from his apartment. It was coming from apartment 267.

“Dr. Meescham!” said Flora.

“Who?” said William Spiver.

“Dr. Meescham. Knock on that door, quick,” said Flora to William Spiver. She pointed, and William Spiver raised his hand to knock just as the door to Dr. Meescham’s apartment swung wide.

“Flora Belle,” said Dr. Meescham. “My little flower, our beloved.” She was smiling very big. Her teeth were glowing. Ulysses was sitting on her shoulder.

Behind Ulysses and Dr. Meescham was Flora’s father. He was wearing his pajamas. His hat was on his head.

“George Buckman,” said her father, slowly raising his hat to them all. “How do you do?”

“Ulysses?” said Flora.

She said his name like a question.

And he answered her.

He flew to her; his small, warm, hopeful body hit her with a thud that almost knocked her off her feet. She wrapped her arms, her hands, her self around him.

“Ulysses,” she said. “I love you.”

“So much happiness!” said Dr. Meescham. “This is how it was when I was a girl in Blundermeecen. Like this. Always opening the door in the middle of the night and finding the face of someone you wanted to see. Well, not always. Sometimes it was the face of someone you did not want to see.

“But always, always in Blundermeecen, you opened the door because you could not stop hoping that on the other side of it would be the face of someone you loved.” Dr. Meescham looked at William Spiver and then at Tootie. She smiled. “And maybe, too, the face of someone you did not yet know but might come to love.”

“Tootie Tickham,” said Tootie. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. And this is my nephew, William. I would shake your hand, but as you can see I am in charge of this lamp.”

“Actually,” said William Spiver, “I am her great-nephew. And my name is William Spiver. And I realize that it is early in our acquaintance for me to be revealing such astonishing and deeply personal information, but I must tell you that I was temporarily blind and now I can see! Also, I feel compelled to say that your face is beautiful to me. In fact, every face is beautiful to me.” He turned. “Your face, Flora Belle, is particularly beautiful. Even the sepulchral gloom of this hallway cannot dim your loveliness.”

“Sepulchral gloom?” said Flora.

“That’s because she is a flower,” said Flora’s father, “my lovely flower.”

Flora felt herself blushing.

“It is a lovely face, the face of Flora Belle Buckman,” said Dr. Meescham. “It is truly beautiful. But you have all stood long enough outside; you must come inside now. Come.”