Sound

"About 250 million light years away, at the center of a cluster of thousands of galaxies, a supermassive black hole is humming to itself in the deepest note the universe has ever heard (as far as we know). The note is a B-flat, about 57 octaves below middle C, which is about a million billion times deeper than the lowest frequency sound we can hear (yes, that’s an actual number from actual scientists).

The deepest sound you’ve ever heard has a cycle of about one oscillation every twentieth of a second. The drone of Perseus’ black hole has a cycle of about one oscillation every 10 million years. That’s sound on a massive scale, played across deep time."

He blinked himself awake, the house foreign, the room unfamiliar, even the cascade of light through the window was strange...but the bed was warm and as he turned he saw her next to him, her face looking away so all he saw was the shape of her below the covers and her hair strewn about the pillow.

They had last made love around 4am, when she had reached over to drink some water and ended up staying.  A quick delicate gesture and she had whispered in his ear...and in the darkness they met in the middle of the bed.

But now he was awakening...trying to remember the names of those in other rooms nearby...so many new parts of the family, it felt like a small town had come together last night in the living room, spilling into the kitchen and kids a constant chain between the two parts of the house.  It was a bit cold outside so a fire was made and soon the house was beyond warm, folks opening doors and windows to bring some relief.

He had stayed mostly by her side but at times she was directly across from him...she knew of course everybody...and they regarded him with some bit of curiosity but mostly they left him alone...he was okay with that.  He kept getting up to replenish his drink and she always held out her empty glass for him to fill as well.  

The kitchen, despite being crowded, was efficient and the vodka and the bourbon were out on the counter near the ice-maker.  He could sometimes hear her laugh and he found himself smiling...

What's so funny? a strange voice asked him, and he realized it was an elder lady and he couldn't remember her relationship.

Ah....it's nothing really.

She regarded him a little, her head tilted...she was looking up at him.

Well maybe the cat's got your tongue?

He poured the drinks and found the cranberry and added a splash to his.

I just heard her laughing out there and it made me feel at home.  

The lady seemed to accept the answer and wandered back out to the other parts of the house.  He went to go hand off the drink.

Later that evening they found a reason to go upstairs, both slightly slurring their words, both slightly tripping on the first step up the stairs. When they arrived at their room they collided with a clash of teeth and some furious resistance from their clothes...they exhausted one another quickly, the world outside just far enough away...and they remained naked in bed, falling asleep....only to wake up and conjoin again....they kept it up until the final time at 4am.  

She hadn't stirred yet...so he put on his clothes (jeans and a tee shirt) and tried to quickly sneak downstairs...he wasn't hungover..just tired.

He found the coffee and started a pot, listening to it drip and he heard a noise behind him.  It was the same old lady from the night before, she held a cup of tea in her hand and she sat down.

Good morning, he offered, a kind of whisper in the quiet kitchen.

Mmmm-hmmmm she responded, taking a sip of her tea.  He blinked at the response and turned to the decanter which was now filled...he poured himself some coffee and then he found himself unable to control himself...so he said Cat got your tongue?

The old lady looked up at him with a tiny smile.

You two were awfully noisy last night she said.

He almost spit out his coffee. He nodded, like knowingly...mumbled sorry and took up two cups of coffee to their room.  She was stirring, moving to her back and propping herself up on her elbows...she saw the look on his face.

what's wrong?

He smiled, almost laughed...I don't think we can ever leave this room.