by S A Jacobs
“Oh, that will be wonderful!” she beamed.
As I left there, I still had a very uneasy feeling about her responses. It probably didn’t help that my head was throbbing again. What was it now, like four days in a row with these headaches? Yet, aside from my headache, something just made me feel very unnerved.
I brushed it off and headed back to my apartment.
4
The remainder of that weekend was spent trying to learn everything I could about the owners of the estate. My mind continued going over Ida’s cryptic letter and how she’d referred to herself as my mother. I had no relationship that I could trace to Ida… nothing that I could explain anyway. Her story was all I cared about. It felt as though an invisible cord connected me to her.
I took the warning Florence had given me about digging into the past and used it as my jumping off point. If she was correct about Samuel, it certainly was a history that was hidden… and hidden well. Everything I came across was different renditions of what I’d already learned from the lawyer. Even Samuel’s disappearance wasn’t really covered. I couldn’t find any articles about it. It was as if he not only disappeared, but no one noticed or cared about his disappearance.
When I walked into work on Monday, Paul was eager to find out what happened. I relayed the short version of what happened with the lawyer.
“So, you’re gonna take the money and run, right?” Paul asked.
“What do you mean? Most of the money is set aside for restoring the house.”
“Aw man, forget about that. You said it yourself, the house just needs to be livable. Do the minimum to meet that criteria and sell the house. The property alone is worth more without the house. Why would you want to deal with that mess? Take your money and let the house rot. Go live on the beach and never worry about it again.”
Prior to this moment, the thought of just getting what I could out of the house never crossed my mind. Now that it had, I realized it was not a thought I could entertain in the slightest. That was the easy route for sure, but it felt completely wrong. I thought of the house as my home. The place where I wanted to live.
“I don’t think I can do that. I looked up pictures of the place. It was amazing, and it just feels like this is something I need to do.”
“Need?” he asked. “You don’t need to do anything. How much of your life are you gonna give up by taking this on?”
“I think that is the point. What life am I giving up? I show up here day after day, return to my shitty apartment, and maybe go work out. That isn’t life… that is existence. I don’t have a family. I have nothing important to me. This could give me something more than existing.”
I felt a sense of pride wash over me as I spoke. This was something I could be a part of. It was a life that was more than just existing. It was a purpose.
“Now, that is nuts. Your life can begin on the beach.” He apparently didn’t see things the same way.
That simple conversation seemed to make everything clear to me. Gone were the days of a boring mediocre existence. For the first time in as long as I can remember, I had a purpose. I had something I wanted to accomplish… something that was mine… I had an estate.
I blew off a meeting I had scheduled that morning. Instead of working, I found myself sitting in my truck in the parking lot. I called Lutz and informed him of what I wanted to do. He set the wheels in motion to provide me with the research his firm put in to restore the property. Additionally, he informed me that the trust which was set up for my personal use had been successfully transferred to my account.
I sat there with a new-found direction in life and a very full bank account. I walked back to my office. There was a small voice inside me telling me to be rational. I ignored this voice as I asked my boss to meet with me. I promptly quit, packed up my desk, and left that job far behind me.
I was beaming as I got into my truck and smiled at the small box of items from my desk. I was unsure of what to do next. Sure, I had purpose and direction, but this was a long journey. I wasn’t ready to go to the house yet. I decided to just enjoy the day. I started the truck and drove to the first car dealership I came across.
A couple hours later, I walked out with the paperwork for the brand-new truck I’d ordered. It was an experience I had always dreamed of. I literally walked in and ordered the most expensive, fully loaded truck I could. As the salesman began to roll his eyes, bringing up the fact that he needed to get me approved for financing, I just got out my checkbook and paid it in full.
Fueled by the exhilaration of the day, I decided to go for broke. I picked up my phone and called Kat. In an atypical conversation, I simply told her that we were going out for dinner. Much to my surprise, she not only accepted but sounded excited at the prospect. I was a new man.
Over the next few days, with no more job to go to, my mind was free to run. The obsession with the house began to consume me. Unfortunately, everywhere I turned I seemed to run into dead ends when it came to gathering information. The only thing luring my attention from the house was Kat. We’d spent every evening going out together. Our relationship grew quickly. Like the house, the onset of my feelings for her came fast and with unbridled intensity.
There was something about her that connected with me in an extreme way. If I wasn’t with her, I was counting the hours until I could see her. I would endlessly play with my phone, hoping I would get another text message from her. The concept of being so enthralled with her frightened me… yet there was nothing I could do to stop or even slow my feelings for her.
That Friday, I arranged to make good on my promise to her and visit her mom. No matter how comfortable I had become with Kat, meeting her mom unnerved me. I’d fallen head over heels for her daughter and that fact made this meeting scary. Although the premise of the meeting was really about the house, I was concerned about how she’d react to meeting me.
I’d received a call that my new truck was ready for pick up. So, I distracted myself from thinking any more about Kat’s mom by picking it up. I drove to the dealership and bid farewell to my old truck. Moments later, my new one pulled up in front of the showroom. It was white with red stripes and every upgrade possible. As I drove home, I couldn’t help opening the windows and turning the stereo up as loud as it would go. Yes, this was a great day. I got home and took a shower. I put on some new clothes and headed out the door.
Soon, I was pulling up to her house. Kat’s car was already there. Her mother lived very close to my new estate. I couldn’t help but wonder if that was a coincidence.
I walked up to the door as nervous as a teenager on prom night. I took a few deep breaths to relax as I pressed the doorbell. In the distance, I could hear the chime ring, followed by footsteps, then the lock of the door. Kat opened the door and let me in, giving me a quick hug. My God, she felt so good in my arms.
“Jim, I’m so happy you made it!” She smiled brightly.
“I wouldn’t have missed it.” I smiled back.
“Here, come into the kitchen and sit down for a minute.” She led me down a hall into the kitchen.
We sat on stools around the island counter.
“Listen, I wanted to talk to you before you go up there. My mom… well… it is just that since she has been sick...” She hesitated as if she was choosing her words carefully. “Sometimes she talks kinda strangely.”
She was sitting facing me, looking at me with those piercing eyes. It took me a moment to even realize that she had started holding my hands in hers.
“I don’t know. It’s just weird. A lot of the time she’s my old mother the same as she always was. Then other times… I feel like I don’t even know who is talking to me.”
“I’m sorry. I get it. It’ll be fine, don’t worry.”
She hung her head as she gently squeezed my hands. Then, she looked back up at me.
“I’m just saying if she starts sounding crazy, go along with it. Okay?”
“Well, after that meeting we had with the lawy
er, I would be more shocked if she didn’t talk crazy,” I replied.
Still holding my hand, she walked me upstairs to her mother’s room. The house was silent and smelled like a hospital. In the room, there were machines beeping around the bed. As we approached, I was shocked at how young she looked. Sure, she was Kat’s mother, but I was expecting someone who more resembled a feeble 80-year-old.
“Mom, James is here to see you. He wanted to come by and speak with you.”
The woman sat up in her bed and looked at me. She had the same piercing blue eyes as Kat. She eyed me cautiously for what felt like minutes until a smile appeared on her face.
“See Katherine, do you feel it?” she asked looking at her daughter. “My mother always told me that I would be able to feel it when he arrived, and she was right! Come sit down here where I can see you clearly. I must speak with you.”
I walked over next to her bed and sat down on the chair. She reached for my hand and grabbed it, pulling it close to her.
“I am so thankful you are here. I now know everything will be right.”
I glanced over at Kat and gave her my best attempt at a smile.
“Tell me, have you been to the Villa yet?” she asked.
“No ma’am. I have not. It’s a bit overgrown so I have only driven by it. I’m hoping to head out there tomorrow for the first time.”
With that, she looked at me and seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. She covered my hand with her other hand. “Katherine? Please go to my desk, and open the top drawer.”
Without a word, Kat headed across the room to a desk and pulled open the drawer.
“What do you need mom?” she asked.
“Please get my smudge stick, and give it to James,” she replied.
“Smudge stick?” Kat asked while she was digging through the drawer. “I’m afraid I don’t know what you want,”
“Katherine!” she said with some agitation. “You must know! It’s the bunch of sage. In the back of the drawer.”
Moments later, Kat came back holding what looked like a pile of dried weeds tied tightly together. When her mother saw it, a large smile crossed her face.
“Yes! James, please take this with you to the Villa. Before entering the house, light this on fire until it starts smoking. Then walk the perimeter of the house, dousing it in smoke. Let them know you are there in peace and you are there to right the wrongs. It will not have any long-term effects, but at the very least, it will give you the ability to enter without any disturbances.” She squeezed my hand.
“Of course, ma’am, I appreciate this very much,” I replied.
Then, within a matter of seconds, she peacefully fell asleep. Her eyes closed, and her hand slipped out of mine.
Kat reached over and placed her mother’s hand gently at her side. She then grabbed my hand and softly whispered, “C’mon. Let’s go downstairs.”
“See, I told you she could get a little weird on us,” she said once we were back in the kitchen. “I appreciate it though. It means a lot to me for you to do this…Are you really going there tomorrow?”
“Yeah, it’s about time. I figured it is supposed to be a nice day. It’ll give me a chance to truly see what I’m in for. It’s so overgrown that it might be a struggle to even get my truck in there.”
“Well, I don’t know how you feel about it, but I am free. That is… if you don’t want to go out there alone. I can even help you with this smudge stick.” She shrugged, holding up the dried sage.
“You really want to come with?” I said, giving her a look of surprise.
“With everything I’ve heard in this last week, how could I not want to see this mystical estate?” she said with excitement. She looked at me with a cheerful smile and then looked down at the floor. After a few moments, she looked up at me with softer eyes. “Well, I would be lying if I said I just want to see the house. I mean, of course I do, but it’s more that I just want to spend time with you.” She moved closer to me.
Her eyes, still soft, were staring like they were going to burn a hole right through me. I couldn’t think. It was as if my entire being was put on some sort of autopilot. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her tight into me. I just held her. I held her for what felt like an eternity. Eventually, I moved my lips to her ear and whispered, “Please. I want you there with me.”
As I headed home that night, I began to think about Kat coming to the house with me. Kat was wonderful, and I truly wanted her at the house with me. I wanted her everywhere with me. I was enthralled. What confused me was the fact that she also wanted to be there with me. I was so accustomed to being the one who longed for a relationship and connection far beyond what any woman wanted from me. Yet with Kat, it felt mutual. It felt like we were on the same page. I was stepping into uncharted territory with her. I was scared, but it felt so right I overrode my fears and just went with it.
I spent the remainder of the night shopping and packing my truck. I had no idea what we were in for. I wanted to be prepared as much as I could. First, I got a toolbox full of basic hand tools, a chainsaw, and other yard tools to help clear a path if needed. Next, I packed a large duffel bag with flashlights, lanterns, and candles. Finally, I packed a large cooler full of beer, water, and some food.
After I finished packing, I got a beer and sat on the couch. Thoughts of Kat were battling with thoughts of the estate for priority in my head. The struggle was that right now, neither was winning. As a result, I was unable to think clearly about anything. Just as I took another pull from the beer, my phone rang.
It took me a second to figure out who could be calling. Then, it dawned on me. It was Friday. My mother always called me on Friday night. I’d missed her call last week. So, I had to answer before she freaked out. The worst part was, now I had to tell her everything. I took a deep sigh and picked up the phone.
The first few minutes, we talked about nothing, just the typical. Finally, I found a way into the conversation and simply asked if she knew anything about an inheritance I’d received. She went dead silent.
“Mom? Are you there?”
“Jim, I completely forgot! I mean… you know… I didn’t believe it was real! I just assumed it was some prank or something… are you okay?” She sounded panic-stricken.
“Yeah, I am fine. What are you talking about?”
“I don’t know. I never did know… I just knew it wasn’t right… His voice, the way he talked. I wanted to pack up and move you far away when I heard his voice!” She sounded increasingly alarmed.
“Mom! What are you talking about?”
“When you were born… I don’t know, it must have been about a week after you were born. We were at the house and your dad had just left for another supposed job interview, which I knew meant he was sitting at the bar. Anyway, you had just fallen asleep in your bouncer when the phone rang. I picked it up. There was this man on the line. I remember him being super formal saying something like: ‘Mrs. Bauer, we understand you gave birth to James a few days ago. I am calling you to give you a warning. When James is twenty-five, he will be contacted about an inheritance. There is nothing but danger surrounding this. Please ensure that he does not accept this inheritance as it will be a curse.’
“The words may not be exact, but I will never forget that voice! I cannot believe you are twenty-five, and I haven’t thought about it since! Please tell me you did not accept it!”
Her voice was pure panic.
I was in shock. “Mom, it’s okay. I am fine. No, I am good actually!”
“So, it’s real then?” she asked.
“Yes, it is real, but it’s all good,” I pleaded.
For the next half hour, we talked about the will. I kept out some details like the crazy letter from the butler and things that I thought would only alarm her. Eventually, she calmed down. We ended the call in a composed place… although I could tell by her voice, she was far from satisfied. She was scared but also realized there was nothing to be done now.
Th
e last thing she said to me was, “Be careful Jimmy. Please! Be careful!”
5
Kat and I pulled up to the property at around nine the next morning. It was a beautiful day. The sun was bright, and the sky was clear. The ride there with her had been a relief. It was light-hearted and playful, exactly what I needed to clear my head. I pulled up to the same spot I parked my truck last time and parked again. We got out and walked up to the same dilapidated entrance. We slowly walked up to the remnants of the toppled gate.
We stood there staring off into the wooded entrance. We were holding hands, and it felt like we were about to start a great adventure. We quietly entered the property.
A few steps past the gate, we got behind the brush that blocked the view from the street. The trees were completely blocking out the sun. About fifty feet in, we were finally able to see where we were. There was a clear cobblestone drive leading up from where we were. It was overgrown and in horrible shape, but it was there. We could see the Elm trees lining the drive as it extended. This was without a doubt, the true entrance to the estate.
We silently walked down the path, our hands intertwined. It was dark, and a cold wind traveled through this corridor in the woods. We were surrounded by sounds of birds chirping and animals rustling in the trees. Soon we could see the outline of the house. It stood as the centerpiece of the drive. From that distance, it looked like an immense dark wall. It extended far beyond our view in both directions. It was a dingy gray stucco building covered with planks of weathered plywood, no doubt covering the windows. To say it was massive was an understatement.
“Oh my God!” I exclaimed. I was in awe of the sight. “I have never seen anything like it!”
She stood there silently, mouth agape, and squeezed my hand.
“Well, we should probably get the truck up here,” I said without looking away from the structure. “That path is completely overgrown, but I think the truck should be able to make it.”
