by Lisa Coots
She turned, the serious, eager look had returned to his boyish face. “I’m going to figure this out. Don’t worry.”
“Now you sound like Mason.” She gave him a small smile.
“He loves you, Rena. Nothing else should matter.” Shaking his head, he shrugged again. His simple logic stunned her. Nothing else should matter, but she wasn’t that naive. Life had taught her that there was nothing simple about love or magic.
CHAPTER 22
Serena left Ben to do what he did best, research. Thoughtfully, she descended the stairs contemplating the voice on the audio. A shiver ran down her spine. It wasn’t often she felt spooked, but knowing there were things going on around her she couldn’t see was unnerving. The voice was angry. Even though the words were unclear, the intent was certain. She reached the foyer and caught her reflection in the mirror again. The faint scent of gardenia floated around her. She felt the house. Almost as if it sighed, at last content.
“Hey, anybody hungry?” Faith’s voice came from the kitchen. Surprised, Serena headed their way to find out why Faith had returned unexpectedly.
“We brought food!” Faith held out two to-go containers as Serena entered the kitchen.
“Oh, I was just coming to fix us something. You guys didn’t have to do that.”
Jake came in the back door carrying three more food containers from the diner. “It’s the special, but it was really good.”
“We ate already, so there's plenty of extra.” Faith smiled taking Jake’s containers and setting them on the counter.
“Good, Reuben eats enough for two people.” Serena laughed, then asked, “Where are the kids?”
“With David for a few weeks, before summer is over.” Rolling her eyes, Faith automatically grabbed for napkins.
“What are y’all doing here?”
“Hey, I caught a spike.” A wide eyed Ben came through the door. He glanced at Faith and Jake then zeroed in on the food. “Oh, hey….”
“They brought food for us.”
“Alright.” Grabbing a container from Serena’s hands, Ben flipped the lid open. “Jackpot.”
“Faith, why are you guys here?” Serena asked again.
“I want you to do a session with Jake.”
At Jake’s grumble, Serena asked, “But what does Jake want?”
“Look, I don’t like this, but if it’ll help, we can try it.” Jake pulled at his shirt. “Does it have to be here?”
“No, we could go somewhere else. We could have come to your house.” Ben looked up from the container.
“Yes, it has to be here!” Faith exclaimed. “Anna’s here. She’ll help you remember.”
“It doesn’t work that way and everyone is different. Some people aren’t susceptible to hypnosis at all. It might not even work with Jake,” Serena tried to explain. She didn’t want Faith getting her hopes up.
“We have to try.” Faith retrieved a fork from the utensil drawer and handed it to Ben.
“Let’s eat and talk about this.” Setting the container down, Serena motioned for them to sit, then lowered her voice. “Mason’s asleep. I hate to wake him. He hasn’t been sleeping much.”
“I don’t know how anyone can sleep in this house,” Jake muttered, glancing longingly at the back door.
“Mason is awake, and I slept just fine.” Rubbing his eyes, Mason strode in giving them all a wicked smile. “Is that food?”
“Did we wake you, hun?” Serena pushed the container towards him, noting the dark circles still under his eyes.
“No, I felt something. Is something burning?” Mason sniffed the air around him.
“No, but the EMF went off,” Ben answered, taking his favorite seat at the kitchen island.
“It’s because they're here together. I felt the house and smelled gardenias.”
“Oh, you see? Anna’s here!” Faith snorted, triumphantly.
“Wait. You smelled flowers. You smelled smoke.” Using his fork, Ben pointed to Serena then Mason. “You both felt the house and my meter went off? All at the same time.”
“What does that mean?” Jake backed hesitantly towards the back door.
“I don’t know, but something's going on.” Ben shrugged diving into the food.
“They want us to do a session with Jake,” Serena explained to Mason watching for his reaction.
“Ok.” Nodding his dark head, he smiled at Faith.
“You guys go ahead and eat first.” Faith grabbed another napkin for Mason, her ponytail dancing with her movement.
“I’ll wait outside.” Jake made his way to the door.
“I’ll come with you.” Faith hurried after Jake with a smile then turned back. “Just holler when y’all are done.”
After the door shut, Serena found some forks and handed one to Mason.
“Are you sure you’re up for this, hun?” Not knowing what was happening with Mason was enough of a concern to her, but she also knew how draining the sessions could be for him. She hated to add more stress.
“Yeah. I’m fine, love.” Taking a seat next to Ben, he asked, “Did I miss anything else? It felt like I slept for a century.”
“Our resident genius has located which grave is Anna’s and thinks he may be able to track down some other information from what Anna has told us.” Excited to share their good news, Serena hoped the information would lead to a breakthrough.
“I don’t know if it’ll help, but we can at least get a better picture of what was happening here at the time.”
Mason nodded as he took a bite. “Mmm, this is good.”
“There’s extra if you need it.” Serena smiled at Ben’s look of distress, then added, “There’s another one for you, too.”
“So, do you think Jake can handle this? That’s the question,” Mason asked as she took a seat next to him.
“I don’t know. He doesn’t seem too happy about this, so it may not even work.” Since she first met Jake, she had noticed his agitation at being in this house. Serena began to doubt the logic of having the session at Coeur du Bayou at all.
“Next question is where?” As if reading her mind, Mason glanced in her direction. “Her room?”
“No, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Her dark curls bounced as she shook her head firmly.
“Well, he would have memories of that room according to what Anna told us,” Mason argued.
“I’m just afraid that bringing him in that room might trigger something with the father. Mason, I don’t want you to go through that again. And yes, before you ask, I am worried about you,” Serena explained her reasoning.
“Ah, I see your point.” Mason raised his eyebrows with a smile then asked, “Ok, in the parlor then?”
“Just use my room. I have everything already in there.” Ben shrugged without looking away from the rapidly disappearing food in his container.
“Oh, ok.” Surprised at the suggestion, Serena looked down at the unopened container in front of her.
“Done. Eat up, Rena.”
“I don’t understand why we can’t use Anna’s room. It worked for me. She’ll help. I know it.” Faith paced by the door of Ben’s room waiting for Jake to enter. When he didn’t, she grabbed him by the hand and pulled him to the bed.
Moving out of the way, Serena sat in a corner chair behind Ben. Still not sure this was a good idea, she watched Faith nervously.
“Faith, you probably shouldn’t even be here.” Ben didn’t bother looking up as he set a camera on the tripod near his equipment.
“I have to.”
“No, you don’t.” Ben frowned at her over the monitor. “And it might not even work.”
“Just stop.” Jake took a breath and groaned it out. “I need to get this over with. Tell me what to do.”
“Lie on the bed and relax.” Mason entered bringing in a chair to set next to the bed.
“Yeah, right.” Sitting on the bed, Jake kicked off his work boots in quick jerky movements.
“Try. Faith if you want to
stay in the room, go sit over there and be quiet.” With a flourish of his hand, Mason directed Faith towards Ben's corner.
“Maybe she should wait downstairs?” Unable to keep her doubts to herself, Serena asked from her perch behind Ben.
“But will she?” Ben asked sarcastically.
“No, I will not.” Faith snorted and took a seat next to Serena, glaring in her direction.
“Fine. Ben when you have everything ready, let me know. Faith it’s important you keep quiet. You are only here as an observer. Please remember that.” Mason kept his voice low and even.
“Right.” Faith sat up straight and nodded.
“I don’t know how I’m supposed to relax when everyone staring at me,” Jake grumbled from the bed.
“Close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths. In through your nose, out through your mouth. Concentrate on your breath only. Fill your lungs, let it out slowly,” Mason instructed.
The room started to settle as Jake’s breathing grew more steady. Serena closed her eyes and let Mason’s voice wash over her.
“Listen to my voice. Only my voice. When the session is over I will say the word reveille. When you hear me say the word reveille you will wake up refreshed with a clear memory of our discussion.” Mason's rich voice filled the room with warm tones.
“Concentrate on the sound of my voice. I want you to think back to your earliest memory.”
Jake let out a breath and sighed. “My mom rocking me.”
“Before that… Before this life. Can you remember where you were?”
“It was dark. I think.”
“Do you remember ever being in this house, Coeur du Bayou?”
After a sharp intake of breath, he began softly, “Ah, yes… I helped build this house. The finest house in town.”
“You remember building the house?”
“Yes, we cut cypress from the bayou. The mill cut the planks so fine. I had never seen anything so fine.” Jake's voice was filled with awe.
“Does the name Coeur du Bayou mean anything to you?”
“Yes, the bayou, it wraps around the property and meets up with the river in almost a heart shape, but there’s another reason.” His lopsided grin was a dead giveaway.
“A girl?”
“Yeah, there’s a girl.”
“Did you name the house for her?”
“No, it’s not my house. It’s her house. I made the sign. Her father paid me to make it. He wanted it in French.”
“Why French?”
“So people would like him,” Jake answered with such ease Serena began to relax.
“I don’t understand. The people who live here? Don't you live here?”
“No, I don’t live here. I come to work for him.”
“Come from where?”
The room was still except for the gentle hum of the air conditioning as they waited for Jake to answer.
“Oh, yeah. The river.” Jake turned his head as if recalling the direction. “We live across the river. I only come to work. I’m not like the people in town.”
“How do you mean?”
“J'acadie. A Cajun.”
“The girl is not?”
“No. She laughs when I speak French.” At Jake’s soft chuckle, Serena couldn’t help but smile.
“What’s your name?” Mason continued with the questions.
“Jacques.”
Faith gasped loudly. Serena reached for her hand, squeezing it tightly.
“And the girl? What’s her name?”
“I… I don’t know. I can see her. When she laughs it makes me happy.”
“Does she talk to you?”
“Yes, when her father’s not around. Sometimes she brings me food.”
“What kind of food?”
“Pie.” A giant grin spread across Jake’s face. “She made a pie with the blackberries I picked for her.”
“You bring her things?”
“I pick flowers. The gardenias are blooming. I leave them where she can find them. I painted some on the sign for her. It's our secret.”
“You said you made the sign.”
“Yes, her father paid me.”
“Do you remember his name?”
“No, I don’t think so. I know he didn’t like me talking to his daughter.”
“You loved her?”
“Yes, I did.” His voice softened, then he gasped, “Anna. That was her name. I wanted to marry her.”
“Did you marry her?”
After a short silence, Jake shook his head. “No, I don’t think I did.”
“Was there a baby?”
“A baby? No, I don’t remember a baby.”
“What do you re..” Mason’s question was cut short by a snort from Faith.
“There was a baby,” Faith blurted out.
“Shhh,” Serena whispered squeezing her hand again.
“But there was a baby! Why doesn’t he remember?”
“Dammit Faith,” Ben growled through clenched teeth, glancing back to glare at her.
“I want you to wake up now, Jake. You will remember this session and the memories of your past life. Reveille,” Mason instructed, his voice clear and calm.
Jake rubbed his eyes and yawned loudly. “Man, that wasn’t too bad.”
He gave Mason a lopsided grin then sat up slowly running a hand through his short brown hair.
“Jake, do you remember anything?”
“Oh yeah, I remember you asking questions and me answering. It was weird. Kind of like a dream. I was here, but it was foggy.”
“Was I there?” Faith unable to contain her curiosity, spoke up.
“What?” Jake asked confused rubbing at his eyes again.
“Was I there? Do you remember me?” Faith sat forward pulling Serena’s hand with her.
“It wasn’t you, Faith.” Jake shook his head. “It was Anna.”
“I don’t understand.” Faith stared at him blankly.
“Faith you shouldn’t have been here. He was just starting to remember,” Mason said leaning forward to see Faith’s face around Ben.
“Then why did you stop?” Faith snapped.
“Because you were getting upset,” patting Faith’s hand, Serena answered for Mason.
“Babe, what’s wrong?” Jake swung his legs off the bed, his forehead wrinkled with concern.
“You don’t remember me being there. How can you not remember me or the baby?” Faith stood shaking off Serena’s hand.
“Whoa! Hey.” Jake reached out a hand towards her, but she ignored it.
Faith ran from the room slamming the door behind her. Serena sent at awkward glance to Mason then Ben unsure of what to say.
Mason nodded to her then spoke up, “Jake, it worked very well and I would suggest that we try again without Faith present. I think we can help you get rid of the anxious feelings you have here.”
“Oh, ok.” Jake nodded slowly reaching for his boots. “I do remember some of it, and the girl I remember isn’t Faith. I know the difference.”
“It’s ok, hun.” Serena smiled at him. “Why don’t you go find Faith and bring her home?”
After the door closed behind him, Ben cleared his throat.
“What?” Mason asked, raking his hands over his face. Serena noted the circles under his eyes and worried that this session had taken too much out of him.
“Guys, this is weird. No readings at all.” Ben held up the EMF meter and shrugged.
“Are you sure?” Serena asked bewildered. The room had been quiet and the only feelings she recalled were Faith’s agitation.
“Nothing, not even a peep.” Frowning, Ben put the gadget down rolling his eyes. “Which is weird that I find it weird now when it doesn’t go off around here.”
Mason considered for a moment letting the information sink in. “So Jake was actually remembering a past life, not having a paranormal encounter.”
“Apparently so.” Ben confirmed with a nod of his head but his voice was uncertain.
“Oh… So...” Serena turned wide eyed from Ben back to Mason.
“So Jake was actually Jacques and Anna is using Faith to see him again,” Mason finished for her.
“Oh, dear.”
CHAPTER 23
Last night she had the dream again. Parts of it had come rushing back to her throughout the day. Faith’s laughter from the kitchen early that morning had sparked a memory of them all happily choosing dresses. Wedding dresses. Was that a premonition of their actual weddings or the new direction she was taking with Coeur du Bayou? After Richie had come for Claire last year, she thought the meaning of the dream was clear. More importantly, she thought it was over. Now she wasn’t so sure.
Serena sighed over the yards of gauzy fabric she had ordered for the backdrops. Draping an end over the frame, she stood back to look at it. The white material reminded her of the dream. She didn’t understand why she was still having it. Claire’s cries from the dream haunted her. Claire was safe. Richie was gone. Well, almost gone.
Pulling the material back to the roll, she decided to move the frame in front of the window in the big room. The sunlight should come through for a lovely effect. If the wedding day came, and they were able to convince Evan to have it indoors, Serena wanted it to be spectacular. Luckily for her, the backdrop frames were portable. If Evan was still being hardheaded, she could move the whole production outside.
“Hey, where is everyone?” Ben’s voice called from the foyer.
“In here. What’s going on, Ben?” Serena met him at the entrance to the big room, hoping to keep him from waking Mason. He had finally drifted off on her daybed while she looked through wedding catalogs.
“I found something. The lumber mill was owned by one ‘Leland Fox’. I’m pretty sure the names on the mausoleum are her parents.”
“Ok, now we have names. Now what?”
“It’s a start. I’m going to keep going through the records. Maybe something will jump out at me.” Ben shrugged and glanced around. “Where’s Mason?”
“Sleeping. I wish I knew what’s keeping him up at night.”
Before Ben could respond, the heavy front door opened and in breezed Eva Tremaine. Her short red hair framed her thin angular face and her pale blue eyes took in her surroundings greedily, as she dropped a heavy designer bag at her feet.
