After showering and dressing, I returned to the vanity in the bathroom, As I was drying my hair something by the tub caught my eye. It was such a stark contrast to the bright white of the tub, that I couldn't help but notice it. At the base of the tub, near the headrest was a solitary large black feather. Crinkling my brow, I thought, “That wasn't there last night.” It wasn’t there this morning either, as I definitely thought I would recall seeing it. Startled but curious about its sudden appearance, I walked over and reached out to it tentatively as if it were a wild animal that may flee upon contact. Grasping it by the quill, I began turning it in my hand and running my finger along its spine. It was so soft. Absolutely magnificent. Upon further examination, it was the most beautiful specimen of a raven’s feather that I’d ever seen. It almost seemed luminescent as it glittered and shined in varied shades of blue and black. It was so shiny it almost reflected the light like a mirror and it flashed brilliantly with every movement blue to green to black. Fascinating. Glancing around, I wondered, “But how did it get here?”
Carrying the feather with me into my room, I placed it on the dresser in front of the oval mirror. As I put the feather on the dresser, I saw the amulet sitting there. Gasping, I grabbed it. That’s not where you go. As a knee-jerk reaction, I went into my closet and kneeling to open the hidden door on the floor under my shoe rack, I found it open. Sitting back on my haunches, I shook my head. Talking to the amulet, I demanded in my most stern paternal voice, “Do not remove yourself from this spot again,” and placed the amulet in the safe, turning the lock forcefully. Checking again that it was locked, I stood up and placed my hands on my hips, I scoffed at the offending item, “There! Let’s see you get out now.”
Walking back into the bedroom I saw Peanut come in and turned to quiz her, “Did you bring this feather in when I was in the shower?” She just stared at me blankly and cocked her head to the side as if she were considering what I was asking her. My burst of laughter must've startled her as she jumped back and then ducked her head wagging her nub. Leaning down to scratch behind her silky ears I said, “Well, even if you did, I'm not mad. It's beautiful.”
She wriggled her small blonde and silver body along my hand and panting a couple of times she made a small growling sound to indicate she wanted to eat. Smiling, “Oh, I forgot your breakfast.” She yipped at me and ran to the kitchen. “By the way”, I called after her, “if you’re opening the safe, you’re not allowed to do that.” Giggling at my own keen wit, I proceeded to follow Peanut into the kitchen where I placed a scoop of food in her bowl. She dove in.
Looking out the window, I could see the fog had lifted and the sun was shining. Shrugging, I gathered Peanut’s leash and called Sherri. The phone rang a couple times followed by a soft, “Good morning, you. I wondered how long you’d wait to call. Dave and I were taking bets.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah. He won darnit.”
“What? I didn’t call early enough?” Glancing across the room to the clock, I saw it was only 8:00 am.
She laughed, “Well, I guess that’s early for you. But still.”
“Is everyone up?”
“Yes. The kids had breakfast and they're all in the backyard playing.”
“How’d she sleep?”
“She was mumbling in her sleep around 3:00 am, but I couldn’t make out what she was saying and she didn’t seem upset so I let her continue her dream. It was over pretty quick though and she woke up in good spirits this morning.”
“That’s good. Is it normal for kids her age to have a lot of talking in their sleep?”
“It can be. Especially when they're trying to work through things. Try no to worry too much. It’ll pass.”
Choosing to take her advice, “Alright. I just wanted to check on her and let you know I’m heading out.”
“Okay, you wanna talk to her?”
“If it’s not a problem.”
“Hold on.” There was a rustling sound followed by the opening of a sliding screen and giggles. “Kelsey, your auntie is on the phone.”
In the background, I heard, “Can you tell her I’m busy?”
“No, ma’am, you need to come talk to your Auntie.” This was followed by an exaggerated, “Ugh, fine!”
Rustling again, a small and disgruntled voice rang through, “Hi, Aunt Maggie.”
“Hey, kiddo. What’s going on?”
“Nothing.” Another flat response.
“Did you sleep okay?”
“Yes.”
“What’cha doing?”
“Playing.” Her continued flat tone was beginning to bother me. A lot.
“Are you mad?”
“No. Can I go play now?”
“Sure. I…”
“Okay, Bye!”
“...Love you… Bye?” Too late, she passed off the phone.
Sherri came on the line. “That was short and sweet.” She chuckled.
“Yeah. Must be some fun game.” I tried to laugh but it must have come off stilted.
“You know, she’s only five. It’s just a phase. Give her time to adjust.”
Sighing, “I know. Thanks.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll try to pick her brain a bit if you want.”
“No, that’s alright. Let her enjoy her time with the boys. It’s been a lot to deal with for quite some time. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Sure, sweetie. Have fun. Dinner’s at 6:00 pm.”
“See you then. Thanks for everything, Sherri.”
“My pleasure. See you later.” The phone went dead.
Standing at the island, I stared at my phone for a moment. Kelsey had never been so short with me. Maybe her dream bothered her more than she was letting on. Mentally shrugging, I resolved to talk with her later about it and try to find out if it was a one-time thing or if this was going to become a pattern.
Glancing at the clock again, I realized it was late and called to Peanut so we could leave. We drove over to Sheriff Cooper’s house to visit with his ailing wife, Shirley. She looked weak and frail, but always had a smile for me and Peanut. Working my way around her kitchen, I prepared some herbal tea for us to enjoy in the sunroom situated off the back of the house where she was seated. Their house was modest but perfect for her and George and it was situated on a small sloping lot on the hillside that presented a beautiful view of the bay.
Peanut jumped into her lap and closed her eyes, blissful and content to be stroked by one of her favorite people. Watching her out of the corner of my eye as I slowly took a small sip of my tea, it was easy to see she was trying to find the words she wanted to say. Choosing to relieve her of her burden, I ventured, “So, how are you feeling these days?”
A whimsical smile played across her lips as she spoke, “I had the most wonderful dream last night.”
“Really? What did you dream about?”
She raised her cup to her lips to sip at the hot liquid as she thought about her response, “Well, it really wasn’t very detailed, it just made me feel good.” Setting her cup down, she stared thoughtfully out the window. Appearing to mentally shake herself, she returned her pensive gaze to me and promptly changed the subject and in a much more somber voice, “I’m very sorry about your family. How was the service and how’s Kelsey doing?”
“It was beautiful, but a little odd.” I quickly cleared my throat, swallowing to keep the lump of emotion down, “Kelsey’s doing alright, I suppose. She’s been a little bit of an emotional rollercoaster, but nothing I can’t handle. I’m sure it's normal.” Sighing softly, I took to studying my cup of tea and tracing my finger along the intricately woven design along the rim of the hand hewn mug. One of the things I loved about spending time with Shirley was viewing all of her beautiful hand made pottery and dishes. “Either way, as soon as I can, I’ll get her enrolled in school here and I’m hoping that making connections with other kids will help her adjust better.”
“The elementary school has an awesome school counselor. Just make sur
e to let them know the situation. It might be a good idea to talk to them before winter break so they’re prepared for her when they go back to school after new years.”
“Yeah, I figured I’d wait to have her start after the first of the year.” Glancing up from my cup of tea, I saw her studying me. “What?”
“You said the service for your family was odd. Want to talk about it?”
“No, it’s really nothing to trouble yourself over. There was just a passage in the will that ‘Drea added that she wanted to be cremated and turned into a tree.” A nervous giggle escaped me.
Her eyes squinted as she hesitantly queried, “A tree?” At my nod, she inquired, “What type of tree?”
“It was a choice that was left to me, but it was either a maple or a dogwood. I chose the dogwood, of course.”
“Naturally. I wonder if I should tell you about my dream after all?” It seemed as if it were more a private musing rather than an actual question meant for me.
At her silence, my curiosity was like a balloon inflating in my chest, and trying not to sound too impatient, in my calmest and most nonchalant voice, I prodded, “Well? What happened in your dream?”
Her eyes twinkled and she replied, “You were never very good at hiding your feelings from me, and I can tell you aren’t quite telling me everything.”
Slightly startled by her astuteness, I stammered, “It’s just all the weird stuff that’s happened since I left here. I mean, the whole thing is odd. I really don’t know what to tell you and what not to tell you.”
“Ahhh, I see. Well, I’ll tell you mine, and you tell me yours. Deal?” As I nodded rapidly, she continued, “Good!” Setting her cup down on the little table next to her, she absently stroked Peanut and took a slow breath in, “Your mom came to me and told me the time was near.” A small gasp escaped my lips, but she kept talking, “There was a beautiful robin sitting in a magical glowing tree. Suddenly, I was in a large throne-room with her and she told me to watch the skies, that there would be a sign. Everything went dark and a vision of you standing near a giant pool of purple flashed before me. That’s it. George woke me up. He said I was mumbling or something.” Her laughter tinkled across the space like a windchime stirred by a gentle breeze. She picked up her cup again and looked at me expectantly, “Well? Your turn.”
She was always pretty direct. “Wait, what were you mumbling? I mean, did George say?”
Waving her hand dismissively, she said, “Oh, yeah, something about, Don’t lose hope or something like that.” She laughed, “It was just a dream, but you need to tell me what happened while you were in Denver.”
Something about her fragile appearance or her sudden sadness made me stop from telling her everything, especially about the robin. Maybe it was my need to protect her somehow, but I just decided to keep that part to myself. “It really wasn't bad. Just weird.” Picking up the cup from the table next to me, I took a sip of the now tepid tea. As the cup softly clanked against the table, my eyes danced across the floor and sought the view out the open window. Steadying my nerves and enveloping myself in a calm I didn’t feel, I expounded, “The whole tree thing kinda threw me for a loop. That’s all.” Seeking her understanding and hoping she wouldn’t prod further, I looked to her gently.
Seeming to understand my unspoken plea, she smiled, “What a beautiful day.” She gestured toward the sun laying upon the water in the bay, sparkling like a shiny penny. It wasn’t difficult to notice her spirit and strength waning as the time ticked by and we both quietly gazed at the tranquility that lay before us.
As she sat there, stroking Peanut and basking in the warmth of the sun, she almost looked like she was glowing. Her skin was a pale white from months of illness and seclusion. She seemed content though and was smiling softly as she started to doze off in the reclining chair. It seemed like a good time to leave. George came into the sunroom just as I was preparing to go. He gathered her up in his strong arms, carrying her toward her room with her head nestled against his shoulder. She looked like a child in his arms. He turned to me and said, “Thank you for coming by, Maggie.”
Shirley roused herself and piped up, “Yes! Thank you!” She reached out her frail hand to me, the skin almost looked transparent.
Gently, I grasped her slender fingers in mine and replied, “Well, I couldn't miss seeing such a beautiful person on such a splendid day!”
Shirley laughed, “Beautiful? Hear that, George? She said I’m beautiful.” She started to laugh again which turned into a fit of coughing. George, recognizing the need for a breathing treatment, turned to take her into her room. He mumbled to her softly, “You are very beautiful. Stop that laughing or you’ll cough yourself right out of my arms.” She wheezed something in return, but I couldn’t quite make it out.
Grabbing Peanut, I commented loudly to be heard over her attack, “I'll let myself out, George!”
He half turned on his way through the bedroom door. Looking at me solemnly, he mouthed the words, “Thank you” and went into the room at the end of the hall.
Peanut and I got in the car. Determined to make the best of my day and not dwell on the continued perplexities, I patted my little companion on her head and rubbed her ears, speaking to her jovially, “Well, how about some Christmas shopping and a trip to the groomer for you?” She looked at me sideways and then just laid her head between her front paws on the seat. “I agree, but it's almost Christmas and I think we should at least buy Kelsey a few presents.” Peanut looked at me, not even bothering to lift her head. If dogs could achieve a look of impatience, I’d swear she rolled her eyes at me. What a big attitude for such a little creature, of course, it was probably my imagination attributing human traits to an animal, but she was sure cute with her made-up attitude. Giggling at her antics, real or implied, she slightly perked her ears up. Putting the car in drive, I commented, “Try not to look so excited.”
After dropping Peanut at the groomer’s, I made my way to the waterfront shops in the small port town about thirty minutes northwest of the house. It was a quaint town that boasted an indoor flea market, antique shops, and a multitude of dining experiences in a sprawling waterfront shopping experience. Parking my car some distance away due to the vast number of seasonal shoppers, I made my way along the waterfront toward the shops. I could’ve gone to the mall, because it was the same distance, but preferred to go to the local vendors and support the local economy rather than big businesses such as the many department stores in the mall.
Stopping in a Christmas decoration store, I asked the older lady at the counter, “Do you have someone who can deliver a tree to my home?”
“Why, yes, we do. Sara hasn’t been too busy this year.” She pulled out a beautiful red leather appointment book from below the counter. “It looks like she has an availability to deliver and decorate your tree three days from now. Will that work for you?”
“Oh, that would be wonderful. Please stick with the birds of winter theme like the one in the front window.”
“Yes, ma’am. That particular tree and decorations runs six hundred ninety-nine dollars with taxes.”
A slight gasp escaped my lips, but I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect since I’d never had a tree in my home. At least it was fake. “That’ll be fine.” I handed her my credit card and waited for her to ring up the transaction. She handed me the book to fill in my name and address. Placing the card back into my wallet, I turned to leave. “Merry Christmas!”
Her cheery voice followed me out of the shop, “Happy Holidays to you.”
It was planned that Kelsey and I would go to pick out a tree on Black Friday because Dylon wasn’t due until the following week. I thought it would be nice for us to pick out a tree and go shopping together for Christmas but then…Well, best to focus on today. We would have decorated it together and I felt bad not decorating it with her, but I’d never put up a tree at the house because I always spent Christmas in Colorado. Honestly, I just wasn’t in the mood. Once the decorating was
done by the delivery person, I got to keep everything and could reuse it every year. The decorations were chosen carefully, thinking about what Kelsey was used to and what would be important to her. Feeling satisfied with my decision, I was walking along, window shopping, when a small glass bird caught my eye. Thinking how beautiful it was and that Kelsey would love it, I went in. As I stared at the bird in the window, a reflection of a woman caught my eye. She looked remarkably like Carolyn, but that was ridiculous, why would she be there? Spinning around to confront her, there was no one there. Gasping, I glanced back at the window to find I was all alone, looking at my own reflection. Weird. Shrugging, I made my way into the shop to check out the bird.
Speaking with the shopkeeper, she pointed out a hanging mobile type lamp that had several different types of birds floating around, made of various shades of glass, and it lit up with little lights that made the birds look like they were glowing from within. It was so beautiful, and it reminded me of the little robin with its coloring being so similar. Paying for my purchase, I waited while the girl at the counter gently wrapped the light fixture in soft paper and then placed it in a box to be gift wrapped.
The paper that she chose was a metallic gold with little red cardinals all over it. I took the bag with the wrapped gift and headed out the door. For just a moment when I exited the doorway, I thought I saw my mysterious man across the street. He was staring straight at me. He stood there in tight blue jeans and a button-down white shirt that was open at the neck. There on his chest was the most beautiful black feather hanging from a setting of turquoise and silver on a leather necklace dangling between his lapels. Our eyes locked. My heart began to race, and I exhaled a slow breath that sounded like a whistle.
The Tree and the Tablet (The St. James Chronicles Book 1) Page 10
