Silver Oranges

"It's a phoenix." The woman explained, closing it around Elise's cold hand. "It is a sign of rebirth . . . rising from the ashes anew. It has your energy. It belongs to you now."

"Then let me pay you for it."

"No, I can't accept money for something that doesn't belong to me." She moved aside to take care of the earring woman.

Elise looked back at the amulet again. "But it's yours. I only took it by accident."

"It was no accident." she said in Elise's direction and then thanked the earring woman for her purchase. "It found you."

"Ok, that doesn't even begin to make sense to me. Look, I can't just take this; I have to give you something for it."

"Feed me."

"What?"

"I'm hungry. Take me for something to eat and we'll be even, so to speak."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes I am." The woman pulled back the curtain and spoke to someone hidden from view. "Ok, we can leave now."

Elise followed behind the dark haired woman, glancing back to see the old woman she met in front of the church, take over the stall. She quickened her pace to catch up and enquired as to who the woman was.

"She's my grandmother." she said, without turning around.

"I know her."

"Everyone knows her."

Elise kept quiet, keeping pace with the other woman as they turned down a less crowded street. A few doors down, they went into a small café, its entranceway nondescript. Upon entering they were greeted by a few people eating and drinking at small tables that were lit with candles. They moved to a table towards the back, and sat down. Elise tried to adjust her vision to the dimly lit room.

The building was old and the walls showed the telltale signs of age. Plaster that had fallen away, probably during the war, gave way to brickwork walls. Paintings of landscapes and waterways hung on the walls alongside ornately carved sconces with dripping candles lit in them. Clusters of dried flowers, herbs and strings of garlic hung in bunches around the room. Colorful scarves covered the tables and ribbons were tied around the arms of mismatched chairs. The whole room took on a quaint charm that made Elise feel unexpectedly comfortable.

A young man came over and brought them both a glass of wine. As he walked away, Elise mentioned that he had forgotten the menus.

"Don't worry, I know what to order." She placed her hands over Elise's. "Do you trust me?"

Elise looked down at the woman's hands and over her jewelled wrists. She had long beautiful fingers and dark skin that made the silver bracelets seem to glow. She looked up into dark eyes that held nothing threatening.

"Why should I trust you?" Elise smiled, "I don't even know your name."

The woman laughed, turned her hand in Elise's and shook it.

"Jaelle. Nice to meet you….I didn't catch your name."

"Elise," she laughed back "the worst shoplifter in Budapest."

Jaelle raised her wineglass in a toast. "To new friends, new adventures and to life"

Elise clinked her glass against Jaelle's. "Hear, hear."

The young man came back with two plates of food and a basket of bread, placed it on the table, and left.

"We didn't even place an order, how did he know what we wanted?"

Jaelle smiled, broke of a piece of bread and handed it to Elise.

"I only come here for Jakob's goulash. Don't worry, you'll like it. "She leaned towards Elise. "It's not as good as mine, but it is the best in this city."

They ate in comfortable silence. Jaelle was pleased that the other woman seemed to be enjoying her food. Jakob sat in a corner with his glass of palinka and began to play his violin. He started out with a simple tune to warm his fingers, and then played a livelier piece. Several patrons began to dance. The young man that had served them sat up on the small bar and began to play a drum, his fingers tapping out the beat. Jaelle stood up and grabbed the tambourine that hung on the wall next to Jakob and the small room became alive with music, dance and laughter.

An older woman next to Elise was clapping her hands and rocking back and forth to the music. Her husband, Elise assumed that is who he was, came and took Elise's hands and pulled her up to dance before she had time to protest. He gently held her hands in the air and she watched his feet, mimicking his steps. She felt someone wrapping a colorful scarf around her waist and then heard Jaelle's voice next to her ear. "He's teaching you to dance like a gypsy; I thought you should look like one as well." She could still feel a tingle against her neck where Jaelle's breath had touched her even as she watched the dark haired woman dance past her.

Amidst the swirling skirts and scarves, the glasses of palinka that would suddenly appear in her hand and the atmosphere of joviality, Elise felt like she was part of a family. Among these friendly strangers she felt more at home than she had in a long time. Exchanging hands as she moved from person to person, she found herself connecting to the people and the music. Each time she felt Jaelle's hand touch hers, there was a different feeling, a linking that left her hand feeling as if she had touched something electrical that tickled against her skin. It wasn't unpleasant; in fact, she found herself missing Jaelle's touch when her hand left Elise's.

When there was a pause in the music, they sat back down to catch their breath and drink some more.

"You're having fun, aren't you?"

Elise downed her glass of palinka in one gulp and placed the glass back on the table. Jaelle filled it again and laughed.

"I can't remember the last time I danced so much," Elise laughed. "Hell, I can't remember the last time I even danced!"

"You have a gypsy's soul," Jaelle said and then nodded past Elise, "And an admirer."

The music had slowed and the older gentleman came up to Elise again, bowed deeply and offered his hand. Elise took it gracefully and let him lead her in a formal waltz. He gently placed his hand against Elise's waist and they soon glided around the small room. Even though she could not understand the language being spoken around her, she could tell their dance was met with approval. She remembered back to when she was a very young girl, her grandfather would dance with her in the same way. Awkwardly stepping on her grandfather's feet as he patiently taught her to waltz under the old maple tree in his back yard, he smelled of soap and sunshine. Her hands looked so tiny in his giant worn ones and his laugh would reach up to the treetops filling every branch. She had forgotten how much she missed him. After the dance she lovingly kissed the old man on the cheek and gave him a tender hug.

He spoke to her in his language which Jaelle was happy to translate.

"He wanted to thank you for giving an old man one last chance to dance with such a young and beautiful woman. You have made his heart happy and he blesses you."

Elise felt her eyes begin to well up. "Tell him thank you for giving me back a piece of my past and allowing me to dance once again with my grandfather. He has made my heart very happy."

Jaelle repeated her words to the old man and he smiled. He took his wife's hand, tipped his hat to the women and they left the building arm in arm. Jaelle wrapped her scarf around Elise's neck, gently traced the mark a tear had made down her cheek, and led her out to dance some more.

A tall, thin woman appeared from the kitchen. Her face was well worn from years of hard work. Lines etched her face and her lips were pressed into a hard line. Around her arms were many gold bracelets and in her ears large coined earrings also made of gold. She took off her dirty apron and threw it on top of the bar and made her way to the middle of the room. The crowd moved aside for her as she clapped her hands. Her blouse and skirts were red and more skirts of purples and gold showed beneath the red one. Her black hair with a few wisps of grey was pulled back severely beneath her red and gold headscarf. She glanced back at Jakob, who picked up his guitar and began to tune it properly.

Elise felt Jaelle link her arm with hers and pull her closer.

"We are in for a special treat tonight." She whispered to Elise.

"Is she ritualistically going to offer up the Foreigner in a sacrifice?"

Jaelle laughed against her shoulder, "No, Voronka is the most amazing flamenco dancer in all of Budapest."

"No shit?" Elise swayed against Janelle, "Sorry, that was the palinka talking."

Jaelle laughed again and put her arm around Elise giving her a squeeze and holding her steady.

"You Amerikai cannot hold your liquor. Did you know that it was the gypsies that created Flamenco?"

"I did not know that."

"Watch and be amazed."

Jakob began to strum his guitar and Voronka began to dance. Long thin hands clapped out a staccato beat and her feet began to stamp on the floor. The woman stood tall and straight, her face softened as she danced.

"She can see the music." Jaelle whispered to Elise, "Watch her face, her hands, the way she moves her body. The music is part of her and she is part of the music."

The woman lifted her skirts and they watched as her feet expertly tapped to the music. Jakob strummed, and then plucked at the guitar strings. She paused for a second, and then began to sing, her voice tinged with passion and sorrow.

She is there behind my eyelids,

And her hair is entwined with mine.

She has the shape of my hands,

She has the color of my eyes

Elise leaned into Jaelle to hear better and watched the woman intently.

She drowns in my shadow,

Like a stone in the sky.

I am you, and you are me.

Lover!

Elise closed her eyes, and felt Jaelle beginning to sway with the music. She allowed herself to be taken up in the moment, imagining the silhouette of a pair of lovers, beneath a moonlit sky.

Here eyes are always open,

And she doesn't let me sleep.

Her dreams are in broad daylight,

They evaporate the suns.

She makes me laugh, and cry and laugh.

She speaks without saying anything

I am you, and you are me.

Lover!

Elise was startled from her reverie by the sound of hands clapping and people cheering Voronka. Suddenly she became aware of how close she was to Jaelle.

"I think it's time for me to leave."

"You're not having a good time?"

"No, I mean yes, I am, but I have things to do and I wasn't really expecting to be out this late." Elise gathered her purse and turned to Jaelle. "Thank you for a wonderful evening."

As she headed towards the door she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Did I do something wrong?" Jaelle asked.

"No, no you didn't do anything. I'm just tired," Elise lied, "And I left my work on my desk and I'll have to go in early to catch up."

"Tomorrow is Saturday. Even in this country we take the day off. Wait for me. I'll walk with you since you don't really know where you are right now."

Elise waited outside, letting the cool air wrap around her. She took a deep breath, brushed her fingers through her hair, and wondered why she was behaving so strangely. She had gone from feeling safe, to suddenly being afraid.

"Let's walk for a while." Jaelle steered Elise further down the street further. "We can both clear our heads."

They walked for a while in silence, both lost in their own thoughts. Elise noticed the sky starting to get lighter. "What time is it?"

"Close to sunrise. Are you hungry?"

"Yes I am" Elise whispered, "I can't believe we were out all night."

"What is time, but a master to us?" Jaelle touched Elise's shoulder, "Wait here. I'll get us something."

She went inside a small store and came out a few minutes later with two coffees and something to eat. She handed Elise her coffee, and they walked down to a bench near the river.

"Where are we?"

"Near the Danube. I love it here this time of the day." She opened the bag and handed Elise a freshly made roll. "Here, this will make you feel better."

"Thanks," Elise bit into the roll, "God, that's good." She chewed thoughtfully for a moment, looking out over the river and then along the side where they were sitting. The sun had risen further in the sky and it was much lighter. The sound of the river gently lapping against the stone wall was soothing. A few boats were skimming slowly across the water, leaving small wakes behind them. Something caught her attention.

"Are those shoes?"

Jaelle glanced over to where Elise was looking.

"Yes, not real shoes. "She picked up her coffee and stood, "Come, I'll show you."

They walked to the river's edge where shoes stood silently in a row. They were she shoes of men, women and children made of steel, looking as if they had just been taken off and discarded.

"This is a memorial that was created for the victims of the Holocaust. On the night of January 8, 1945 men, woman and children were lined up here, told to take off their shoes and were then shot and thrown into the river."

"Oh my God," gasped Elise, "How horrible."

"Brutal." Jaelle stood near a pair of toddler sized shoes. "Their shoes were worth more than their lives."

Elise squatted down to touch the shoes, letting her fingers glide over the tongues and laces.

"You know, I've read about things, the Holocaust I mean, but to see this…it's so overwhelming." She found herself starting to cry as she thought of those people, how frightened they must have been. Mother's clinging to their children possibly begging for their lives knowing that it would mean nothing.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to get so emotional."

Jaelle looked at her with beautiful dark eyes and Elise could see sadness within them. She wanted to pull the woman closer to her and hold her, but she didn't.

"How can you not be moved by such a sight? If anything, it should make you want to live to your fullest." She cast her eyes over the river, thinking about the souls that were washed away. Her great grandparent's souls were among them. That night, her history had sunk down and now lay indelibly in the deep mud, at the bottom of the mighty Danube.

Elise could sense the change of mood and she found herself tired as well. She didn't want to leave Jaelle, but she knew she shouldn't stay with her any longer.

"I think it's time for us to go. Can you help me find my hotel?"

~ ~ ~

Elise slept fitfully, tossing and turning while her dreams played out behind her closed eyelids. She could hear the sound of footsteps coming up the staircase . . . heavy booted feet, followed by the hard knocking on doors. People were shouting and screaming. Suddenly she sat up in bed, and woke to find herself alone in her room. There was silence, except fro the sound of her own hard breathing.

She dropped back against her pillows and pulled her bedding snugly around hers. In a few minutes, she continued her dream.

"Hurry, we must go." a voice said from the darkness as a soft hand grasped hers, pulling her along darkened streets.

"Where?"

There was no reply, as she felt herself being dragged behind the other figure. In the distance, she could hear the sound of gunfire and shouting. Suddenly they stopped and the figure pulled her down into a crouched position in an alley way. It was too dark for her to make out the face of the person she was with, yet there was something familiar in their touch.

The sound of footsteps running towards them made her hold her breath in fear, until they passed by, not noticing the figures hidden in the shadows.

"Now!" the other figure whispered loudly and pulled them out into the street. They ran as silently as possible.

Everything seemed to blur past Elise as they ran for what seemed like forever.

"Where? Please tell me, I can't run anymore."

"To the forest."

The figure turned to Elise. In the moonlight she could make out Jaelle's face. They had stopped running and stood looking at one another. Elise could hear music in the distance. It was growing louder.

She woke to the sound of her cell phone ringing. Beethoven.

"Are you okay?" asked a familiar voice on the other end of the phone.

"Yes, I'm fine." Elise propped herself up onto her elbow, "How are you?"

"I'm in need of food, meet me outside your hotel in 20 minutes."

Elise heard the sound of the dial tone. Holding the phone to her cheek, she smiled. Waking up to Jaelle's voice sent her body tingling. She jumped out of bed and ran to have a quick shower.

"I'm not used to taking orders." she said as she met Jaelle in the lobby.

"And yet, here you are." Jaelle kissed Elise on both cheeks

"You woke me up. I was still asleep and you hung up so fast that I didn't have time to protest."

"Well, if you want to go back to bed I'll find a lunch partner elsewhere. " Jaelle teased, pretending to walk away.

Elise grabbed her arm, "Oh no, you don't! I'm awake and hungry now."

"Good, then let's find food."

The two women were soon sitting in Elise's favorite restaurant having lunch and enjoying the coffee she loved so much. They didn't talk about the night before; instead they shared memories of holiday traditions. Jaelle laughed at Elise's description of her first time at trying to ice skate because as Elise would find out, it was very similar to her own.

"I have to ask you," Elise picked at her fries, "where did you learn to speak English?"

"I lived in the States briefly and I picked up a lot of English in the American restaurant "Hooter's"." Jaelle winked, "I made very good tips."

"Oh." said Elise flatly, "That's interesting."

Jaelle burst into laughter. "You really think that's how I learned English?"

"Well you said it so seriously and so nonchalantly, I just assumed." Elise stuttered. She felt her cheeks start to burn with embarrassment.

"I'm teasing you," Jaelle sipped her coffee and then stole one of Elise's fries. "I did go to the States, but to study Anthropology."

"Anthropology. I'm impressed. No offence, but shouldn't you be working at a museum or college instead of selling things in a marketplace?"

Jaelle leaned back in her seat, holding onto her coffee cup and looked at Elise.

"You would assume so, right?" she smiled "I took Anthropology because I love to study people. My people, your people, all people. So where else is best to study people but in a marketplace? "

"You like to people - watch? I noticed you watching me on the bus."

"I noticed it made you nervous."

"You have to admit . . . it was rather odd to have you send me a drink and then show up on my bus." Elise sat back with her cup, unconsciously mirroring Jaelle. "Don't forget, I was a stranger in a strange town.""

"Do you still feel like that? A stranger?"

Elise paused and looked at Jaelle, remembering the fun they had together.

"No, not any more. You make me feel like…almost like I belong here."

"Perhaps you do?" Jaelle leaned in, putting her cup aside and resting on her arms. "It's a wonderful place to live. Full of history and stories and …"

Elise finished her sentence ". . . amazing gypsy women who take pity on silly American women and show them a good time?"

"Are you having a good time, Elise?"

Elise pushed her hand across the table and studied Jaelle's bracelets, "Yes, I am. Thank you." Her eyes met Jaelle's. "I would still be in my hotel room with my laptop if it wasn't for you. How boring am I?"