The Tea Shop

by Bernadette Marie

"Ask him if he knows Larissa."

  "Do you know Larissa?" she asked and waited. "He nodded again. Now he's holding his arms like he's holding a baby."

  Abigail exchanged glances with Carson then looked past him again. "Larissa is your daughter?" she asked the man and then waited. "He nodded again."

  He wasn't sure where this would all lead or why the man had decided to visit them in the middle of the night, but he'd admit to her later that he was fascinated by it all.

  Abigail moved back to the sofa and turned the computer. She studied the photo, and he watched as her mouth opened and she looked back up, beyond him. "Larissa. She married and had a little girl?"

  Carson sat in the silence and watched the conversation his fiancée was having to empty air.

  "What did he say?"

  "Yes."

  "How do you know that? Who is his granddaughter?"

  Abigail's eyes locked on his. He could see the tears form and fall over her cheeks. "Katie Meadows."

  Chapter 40

  Abigail's hands shook as she sat on the sofa next to Carson. When she saw him reach for her, she quickly stood and stepped away. He couldn't touch her. Not now.

  The man, whom she now knew as Justice Mason, Katie Meadows grandfather, had disappeared as quietly as he'd come in. The fire went on to heat the house, and the chill disappeared.

  "I should get ready for work and go in early. I need to do something. I need to…"

  Carson stood and moved toward her, stopping only inches away. "You need to calm down. You're not going to work today."

  Abigail fisted her hands on her hips. "I most certainly am. It's not like your business where you can come and go as you please. I won't do that to Clare."

  "Clare will be fine. I'm going to call my mother in a bit and ask her to go in for you. She's been working with you. She knows the drill." He took one step closer and stopped. "I'm not going to let my fiancée fall apart like this. We need some answers, and we need them now."

  "I don't have any."

  "No, so we're going to get some." He turned and headed toward the kitchen before stopping and looking over his shoulder. "C'mon. Sit at the table while I make some toast. Coffee before four A.M. Makes me a bit jittery."

  He disappeared into the kitchen while she stood alone in the living room contemplating what had happened that night.

  In the past, she'd felt her grandmother around her, but she'd never seen her. Katie Meadows came to her in a dream, though it wasn't her coming through. It had been a vision of where they'd find her. The fire in the very house where she stood had come to her in a vision. She'd never been visited before with her eyes open until Mrs. Winters had come to say goodbye.

  Was this a new skill? Was she going to be awakened by ghosts all the time now? She certainly hoped not. All she wanted was something normal, but there was a deep seeded feeling that kept her from thinking she'd have that. Why had she blacked out when Carson had kissed her? Was it that Justice was trying to come through at the same time? That had to be it, right? There was a long line of coincidences. However, she also felt as though her soul connected with that of Ellie Winters, and more than just by chance.

  She knew her family wasn't related to Katie Meadows' family. She'd long ago researched that trying to find answers as to why she'd been the one to have the vision. Was it possible to be connected with another soul without a genetic attachment?

  "Are you coming?" Carson called from the kitchen.

  Abigail started toward him, and panic rose in her chest. She didn't feel as though Justice's visit was a thank you of sorts. She still felt as though there was a warning in everything that had happened.

  Carson stood at the counter putting bread into the toaster. "How many slices do you want?"

  "Kiss me," she blurted out, and he turned around. "Kiss me right now."

  "Abi, what's going on?"

  "Is it too much to ask?" She swiftly moved toward him, but his hands came up in surrender.

  "Slow down."

  Anger began to build inside of her. "I want to see it again. I need to know what was coming through. Kiss me."

  Carson put down his hands. "We need some ground rules." He turned and canceled the toaster and then threw the pieces of bread into the trash. "I saw what happened to you at the store. I don't want to see that again."

  "I can't guarantee that."

  "I know." He leaned back against the counter and folded his arms in front of him as if to keep his hands from reaching for her. "If I kiss you and it happens again, how long do I let it go? I'm the only one here. I can't pass you off as I did with Clare."

  She had to agree that sounded frightful. "If I go under like that hold me for a few minutes."

  "When do I call for help?"

  "I don't know. I just blacked out. It's not like I stop breathing or anything."

  He nodded in agreement slowly. "It reminds me of watching Poltergeist. I don't know if you're going to slip away from me or someone is going to take you over. I'm scared."

  "I have to know. Why did I see that before Justice Mason visited me? Was I seeing them in the mine? Was that all?"

  "You think if you go under longer you'll get answers?"

  "I don't know. All I know is I need to try. I can't go the rest of my life without touching you."

  "God, I'm glad to hear that." Carson stood up and moved to her. "Maybe we should sit on the floor, so you don't fall."

  Abigail smiled. "That's wise."

  "I'm calling 9-1-1 if you don't come back out fast enough."

  "Fair enough. However, you have to tell them about the visions and the spirit that visited us tonight. At least if they lock us away maybe, they'll keep us together."

  He chuckled. "At least you're gaining a sense of humor."

  They both eased to the floor without touching one another.

  "How are we going to do this?"

  "Sit against the counter," she instructed, and he followed. Then she moved in close, still without touching him. "I'm going to kiss you, then if I black out, you can ease me down."

  "I still don't like this," he said one more time.

  "I need this."

  Abigail moved in slowly, breathing in courage as she cupped Carson's face with her hands and leaned in to press her lips to his.

  At first, she felt nothing but the warm sensation of the kiss, but a moment later her head began to spin, just as it had before.

  She felt Carson's hands come to her sides, his lips still pressed against hers, but darkness was coming quickly.

  His fingers dug into her sides now, and she wasn't sure if they were still kissing or if she'd fallen into his arms. All she knew was she was surrounded by cold darkness and it was hard to breathe.

  Knowing that she'd taken herself into the dark, she forced herself to be aware of it. It was cold and damp. The air was dusty, and it clogged her lungs. She felt herself cough, but there was no sound.

  Was she in the mine with Justice and Edward? Was she seeing what they went through? If so, that had to serve some purpose.

  No, she wasn't in a mine. There was light. It was very dim, but there was light. Perhaps a door?

  She hadn't heard herself cough, but she heard the rattling noise around her as if the walls were shaking.

  Abigail looked around, and she saw a beam falling toward her, but it never hit. Someone else screamed, and she felt the dust kick up around them. Who was there with her? What was this showing her?

  A moment later she felt her skin warm, and the air cleared. Where was she going now, she wondered? The warmth of Carson's mouth on hers brought her back to her senses, and his touch gently caressed her skin.

  When she eased back, she looked into his smiling face.

  "Thank goodness you didn't black out," he said. "I know it hasn't even been a day, but I was dying not kissing you."

  Abigail sat back on her heels. "You were kissing me?"

  Worry clouded his eyes now. "Yes. It was a nice long kiss. You held my face and kissed me."


  "Right."

  "You don't remember?"

  She pushed a smile to her lips. "I remember. I just expected to feel something out of the ordinary. But I agree with you, and I'd rather have nice kisses."

  "Maybe Justice was here just to thank you."

  Abigail nodded and rose to her feet. She held out her hand to help him up. There was nothing but warmth when she touched him, and he stood up.

  "I'm going to make more toast and then call my mom. We're still taking the day off," he said as he pulled another two slices of bread from the bag and dropped them in the toaster.

  "I think that sounds nice. I'm going to go take a shower."

  She walked from the kitchen, and when she was securely out of sight, she fell against the wall in the hallway.

  How was it he didn't know what she'd been through? Hadn't she reacted at all?

  Someone else needed her help. She was sure of that. Only she didn't know who. Did it have something to do with Justice Mason or Katie Meadows? Had he only come to say thank you?

  Abigail pressed her hand to her chest and felt the rapid beat of her heart. She had to figure it out soon. She wasn't sure how much more of this she could take.

  Chapter 41

  They'd taken the day off and managed the calm they'd been looking for. Though Carson was sure to take it easy, he also made sure he touched Abigail often, both keeping close tabs on her reaction and letting her know how much he loved her.

  When the sun peeked out around noon, they took a walk down the street and back again, holding hands. They made a batch of apple cider and sat by the twinkling lights of the Christmas tree as they listened to classic Christmas music. Carson thought it was as magical as it could get.

  "I know we have a week left, but sitting here like this, I want to give you one of your presents."

  "One of them?"

  He laughed that she seemed surprised. He'd known better than to put them all under the tree. Carson suspected she was a present shaker. "Christmas morning you'll have a bounty."

  She glanced toward the growing number of gifts under the tree which had been left by his mother and others had been coming in the mail from her family.

  "Where is it?"

  Carson chuckled. "I thought you'd scold me for that. You're one of those antsy kids that had an alarm set on Christmas morning hoping you catch Santa aren't you?"

  She shook her head. "Never wanted to catch him. That would ruin the magic. But I did make them all get up at five in the morning to open gifts."

  "Your mother stood for that?"

  "No. We all got one, and then we had to wait until the sun was up and we'd eaten breakfast."

  "That sounds more like it." Carson stood from his seat on the floor and walked to his office. When he returned, his bride-to-be was seated on her heels like an anxious child.

  "What is it?" She bounced up and down, and it brought out a laugh from him.

  He held out the envelope he'd collected from his desk. "God, I can't wait to see you open all your gifts for Christmas. You're making me a bit giddy."

  "Give it," she took the envelope and opened it slowly.

  "What's taking you so long?"

  "There is an art to getting the best reaction from a gift. Envelopes make me leery though. Usually, you have to wait for what's inside an envelope. It's usually a promissory note of sorts."

  "You never cease to amaze me."

  He watched as she pulled out the blue legal form he'd placed in the envelope only the day before. He'd wanted to give it to her when they closed up the tea shop the night before, but under the circumstances, he'd let it sit on his desk.

  Abigail read the words on the paper and then with her brows scrunched together she looked up at him.

  "I don't know what this is," she whined.

  Carson laughed again as he sat down next to her on the floor and took the document from her. "This, my love, is a deed."

  "A deed. As in ownership?"

  He nodded. "As of yesterday, I own the building your store is in."

  Abigail pursed her lips. "So you're going to raise the rent?"

  "I hadn't thought of that." He set the papers aside and pulled her to lay down next to him. "You and Clare never have to pay rent again."

  Now her eyes went wide. "You bought the building, so we didn't have to pay? Carson…"

  "There's more." He brushed a strand of hair back from her face and tucked it behind her ear. "The space next-door is closing shop. I had an architect look at it and we can put a door through from your shop to the one next door."

  "To expand?"

  "If that's what you girls want to do. But I was also thinking that you could set up all the linens from Mrs. Winters in the next shop. Donna said they have so many."

  Abigail pressed her fingertips to her lips. "Oh, Carson. I don't know what to say."

  "Say thank you. That's all you ever have to say. I love you, Abi. I'd give you the moon if I could."

  She reached for him and rolled him atop of her. "Thank you. I love you, Mr. Stone."

  He looked down into her eyes which caught the flicker of flame from the fire. "Oh, future Mrs. Stone, you make me very happy. To think this is the beginning of a very long and happy life, well it makes me optimistically giddy."

  "Giddy is very sexy on you," she offered as she began to unbutton his shirt.

  "Tell me we're alone. I suddenly am very shy about getting naked on the living room floor with you," he joked as she pulled the shirt from his shoulders.

  "Totally alone."

  With that promise, he took her mouth with his, and her body with his hands making love to the woman he cherished right there with the fire glow surrounding them. For the moment, they had only one another and no worries of what the darkness had been trying to tell Abigail.

  Abigail had a pot of coffee brewed and warm muffins plated on the prep table the moment Clare walked through the door.

  "Good, you're here," Clare snarled as she hung up her coat. "I get the next day off."

  "You deserve it. How was it with Patricia filling in?"

  "It was fine," she said as she pulled down an apron and tied it around her waist. "She has a knack." Clare looked at the set up on the table. "What's all this?"

  "Just a little breakfast before we get started." She slid the envelope Carson had given her across the table. "I also wanted to share my Christmas gift with you."

  "You're already getting Christmas gifts? How much begging did you have to do for this?"

  "None. He wanted to give it to me the other night, but then…"

  "Yeah, but then."

  "Open it."

  Clare lifted the documents out of the envelope and studied it. "Carson bought the building?"

  Abigail dropped her shoulders. "I didn't get that at first."

  "It says right here," she offered as she pointed to a line in the document.

  "Fine. But yes. He bought the building. No more rent."

  That had Clare's eyes widening. "No kidding?"

  "No kidding. And he's going to have a doorway put through the unit next door, which is leaving, and we can expand our store or continue with the linens."

  "The linens are selling like crazy. Both Mrs. Winters' and your mothers."

  "I know." She took the papers back from Clare. "It's a pretty great Christmas gift isn't it?"

  "You're a very lucky woman." Clare picked up her mug of coffee and took a sip. "Now can we stop beating around the bush? What happened to you the other day?"

  She should have known it was coming, Abigail thought. She tucked the deed back into her purse, picked up her coffee, and took a sip. "I think someone is trying to warn me about something."

  "Who?"

  She winced at the thought of telling her the whole story. "So, it happens that Katie Meadows…"

  "The dead girl in Kansas City?"

  Abigail winced again at her description. "Yes. Anyway, her great-aunt was Mrs. Winters."

  Clare eased her elbows to
the table and looked at Abigail. "No kidding."

  "I figured that was the connection. Mrs. Winters somehow connected with me so I could find, or because I found, her niece. Anyway, I couldn't sleep that night, after what happened in here. So I was in the living room, and when Carson came out to see me, I saw a spirit."

  "Whoa! You saw a ghost?"

  "It's not the first."

  "Who else?"

  Why hadn't she told her any of this? Oh, because it sounded crazy, that's why.

  "I saw Mrs. Winters the night she died."

  Clare's lips curled into a smile. "That's wicked."

  "Don't tease me."

  "No teasing. I'm into it. Keep going."

  Abigail gave some thought to what she wanted to say. "Anyway, it just so happens that Mrs. Winters' husband was killed in a mine collapse when he was hunting. He and another man both died. The man was Mrs. Winters' brother-in-law, who happens to be Katie Meadows' grandfather."

  Clare eased back off her elbows, pulled a chair over, and sat down. "So who came to visit you?"

  "Katie Meadows' grandfather. I don't know if he was just there to thank me or if he came with a warning."

  "What kind of warning?"

  "I don't know." Abigail began pulling the wrapper off of her muffin to give herself a moment to think. "I made Carson kiss me again to see if I'd black out again."

  "That was scary."

  "I know. He was scared too. But we did it. The same thing happened, only I didn't black out in front of him." Clare's expression had gone blank, so Abigail continued. "I had the same reaction. My head spun, everything went dark, and I couldn't breathe. It was as if something was collapsing around me."

  "Like a mine?"

  "Maybe. But I didn't pass out. In fact, he didn't even know anything happened."

  "You told him, right?"

  Abigail shook her head. "No." She held up her hand to stop any harassment headed her way. "I just have to figure out what they're trying to tell me. I don't know if there is something lost in that mine or…"

  "You're not going to go digging around and find out."

  "No. I just want to know what the darkness is."

  Clare reached for Abigail's hands, and she felt the warmth of the touch and complete calm. It was a welcomed feeling.