“Oh God, oh Jesus!” I prayed loudly. To my relief the words seemed to repel him enough to give me time to slip out the door. I pushed open the door from the stairwell and stepped onto the fifth floor. The atmosphere was very different here. Instead of lingering spirits and angry black clouds, there was an abundance of light and a thick, peaceful feeling. I breathed a sigh of relief as I walked to the nurses’ station.
A young nurse with a dazzling white smile greeted me. I said, “I’m here to see my wife, Carrie Jo Stuart.”
“Yes, Mr. Stuart. Follow me.” She stood to show me the way. She wore yellow scrubs with tiny rainbows all over them. Very cheerful.
“No need to bother yourself. Just point me in the right direction.”
She smiled and waved to the left. “She’s that way. Room 542.”
I glanced down the hall, making sure I had the right direction, and then turned back to her to say thanks. “Thank you…” The nurse was gone. She’d vanished in just a second.
Another woman walked up. “May I help you?”
“No, I know the way.”
All I could think of was getting to my wife and son. I needed this day to be over soon. I couldn’t take much more. The window at the end of the hallway suddenly clouded. The sunshine departed. Storm clouds were rolling in.
Somehow, it seemed appropriate.
Chapter 8—Ashland
Detra Ann hugged me and, as she typically did, fussed over me and brought me endless cups of coffee. Carrie Jo looked beautiful, but I didn’t bother telling her so. She wouldn’t believe me, and it didn’t seem like the most sensitive thing to say during this painful and stressful process. Thankfully her doctor finally ordered the medicine that would stop the contractions. Carrie Jo had been in pain for several hours. She didn’t complain, but I hated seeing the woman I loved suffer. The drip took effect quickly, and her contractions weakened. I breathed a sigh of relief knowing that Baby Boy would be indoors a little longer.
Baby Boy. Funny name, but I liked it. If my wife and I couldn’t settle on a mutually approved baby name, I’d be forced to call him that. Now that his arrival was closer, I wondered how important names were anyway. I kissed CJ’s hand and didn’t say too much. I let the nurses do their work and tried to keep out of the way. I kept my eyes trained on my wife and not the creatures that occasionally sailed past the door or popped in to stare at me.
Seeing ghosts wasn’t like the movies. Not at all. The spirits weren’t trying to communicate with me or convince me to help them. Not in any kind of coherent way. Most of the ghosts I saw were a little eccentric—a bit mad, really. It was more like they sensed I was different, and that difference drove them even crazier. I got the sense that when you died, if you didn’t pass on to wherever you were supposed to, you were left to amble about the spirit world trapped in your own nightmare. It wasn’t a fate I wished on anyone. Especially someone I loved.
I used to believe that like Carrie Jo, I would get better at my “gift” or whatever you wanted to call it. But it hadn’t happened for me, no matter how many books I read or how much I practiced. The appearance of a ghost scared the hell out of me every single time. Regardless of how much I prepared to see one, they always caught me by surprise. I prayed constantly, more so than I ever had before, but so far my prayers appeared to be unanswered. At least I had my friends, and until this latest session of ghost-seeing passed, I would keep them close. The more living beings around me the better.
Here we were all crowded in the room together now. The living collective appeared to repel the majority of the ghosts. Of the six of us, CJ and me plus Rachel, Chip, Detra Ann and Henri, only Henri and I knew what was happening. He looked at me encouragingly but like a true friend kept his mouth shut. One nurse complained about the number of people visiting, but I assured her it was okay. I was pretty sure I hadn’t heard the end of her unhappiness, but let her try and run them out.
Suddenly everyone got quiet again. The machine bleeped to life as Carrie Jo squeezed my hand and sweated through another contraction. “I’m good, babe. Promise. I’m good,” she whispered as she turned in the bed trying to find a comfortable spot. Miss Henrietta, the name I gave the unhappy nurse, came back in a deeper frown on her face.
“Okay, everyone. I have to insist you step out. The doctor is coming to check Mrs. Stuart again. If she hasn’t dilated any more, he’ll probably send her home. Clear the room,” she said with a wave of her hand.
CJ frowned at her. “It’s not like I haven’t been trying,” she sassed back at her. “Go ahead, babe. I’ll be fine.”
I kissed her forehead and walked out with a growing feeling of dread. Henri stayed close. “I’ve got your six, Ashland,” he whispered as we stepped outside.
“Detra Ann, is she going to be okay? What’s going on?” A petite brunette stood between us and the waiting room. Her dress hung off her small shoulders, and her lips quivered nervously.
“Oh yes, she’s fine, Mrs. Jardine. I don’t believe you have met Carrie Jo’s husband yet. This is Ashland Stuart.”
If she’d told me the woman was the pope, I wouldn’t have been more surprised. I extended my hand to her and studied her face. Now that I knew she was CJ’s mother, I could see the resemblance. “I didn’t know you were here. I’m sorry. I would have come to speak to you sooner had I known.”
“I’m sure it’s not something my daughter would want everyone to know. We haven’t been on the best terms, but I do care about her,” she offered as a kind of apology. Her bright hazel eyes glossed with tears, but I was suspicious. I knew what Carrie Jo had been through with this woman. The nervous lady before me hardly appeared threatening, but looks were almost always deceiving.
“Her doctor is with her right now. Maybe when he completes his exam you can see her. If she’s up to it,” I said carefully.
“I saw her earlier, but only for a few minutes. I’ll see her when she’s ready. As long as she’s okay. I had no idea she was having a baby.”
As she spoke, a young spirit sailed past, holding a bundle of blankets in her arms. I tried not to stare at the ghost, but she stared at me, her pale face too close to mine. Mrs. Jardine turned around to investigate. I couldn’t be sure, but as she faced me again I thought I saw her eyes widen a bit. Could she see the girl too? The spirit paused to listen to our conversation, but when no one acknowledged her she began to fade away. That was something else I had learned about the spirit world. The more attention you gave the creatures, the stronger they became. In some cases simply ignoring them was enough to send them back to wherever they came from.
I shivered involuntarily, and Henri touched my shoulder. “You need anything?” he asked.
“Coffee?” Detra Ann offered me.
“Please, no more coffee. I’ll be up for the next two days if I drink another cup,” I said as she frowned at me.
“Mr. Stuart, the doctor would like to talk to you.” The crotchety nurse waved me back to CJ’s room, and I excused myself from the gathering. Chip and Rachel crowded around Mrs. Jardine and asked her about her stay in Mobile. I was glad to see it. I didn’t have a bad feeling about her, regardless of her history with Carrie Jo.
“Mr. Stuart, nice to see you.”
“Dr. Gary. Good to see you too. Are we having a baby tonight?”
“I was just telling your wife that she’s made some progress. She’s dilated to four centimeters now, but I’d like to wait if the baby will allow it. She isn’t due for a few more weeks, and that time is crucial for good lung development. I know you’re miserable, dear,” the older man said to Carrie Jo as he squeezed her hand, “but if you two can hold out a little longer, it will be better for both of you.” He turned to me and continued, “Mrs. Stuart appears to be responding well to the medications; the contractions have diminished, and that’s a good sign. I’d like to keep her overnight, just to watch her. If all goes well, I’ll send her home in the morning, and then we’ll see what Junior decides to do.” Relieved, I hugged the doctor
. He good-naturedly patted my back. “I know it’s a nerve-racking process for both of you, but I assure you that you will get through it and everyone will be fine. The baby’s heartbeat is strong and steady. Mother’s health is good too. I see nothing to worry about.”
“Thanks, doc. That is good news.”
“I’ll see you two in the morning.”
“Thank you, Dr. Gary,” CJ called as he walked out the door. “Sorry, babe. Didn’t mean to make you worry about me,” she said with a small smile.
I kissed her forehead again and sat in the chair beside her. “You had nothing to do with it. You heard the doctor. It’s up to Baby Boy, not you.”
She wrinkled her nose at me. “That’s the name you want?”
“Well, no. It’s just a nickname I came up with.”
“You’re convinced he’ll be a he, aren’t you?”
I couldn’t help but grin. This moment was the happiest I had been all day. I nodded and confessed, “From day one.”
“All right, so what names do you have in mind?”
“Really?”
“Yep, whatcha got?”
I squeezed her hand and said, “I was thinking Richard or James.”
“Aren’t those Bible names?”
I laughed aloud. “I don’t think there were any Richards in the Bible.”
She laughed too and wiped tears from her eyes. “We’re going to be okay, right? No matter what?”
“No matter what. Yes, we will be fine.”
I held her until we heard a knock on the door. It was Carrie Jo’s mother. “Hi. I just wanted to say goodbye before I go back to the hotel. It’s getting dark, and I don’t really know my way around here. I’ll be praying for you, Carrie Jo.”
CJ looked at me, and I smiled at her as if to say, It’s okay. I’m right here.
“Stay for a minute, Momma.” That delighted the older woman to no end, and she dropped her purse in the chair and walked to the bedside. As she and CJ talked, Henri and Detra Ann stepped in the room to watch us. Detra Ann waved me over, and we walked outside for a minute.
“Listen, I know they have a rough history, but her mother is telling the truth. She didn’t know CJ was pregnant, and she really does care about what happens to her. Let Carrie Jo know, okay?”
“Yeah, I will.”
“Henri told you, didn’t he?”
“I knew anyway. I just didn’t know what to call it.”
“So you think you’re cursed?”
“Who’s cursed?” Mrs. Jardine asked, standing a few feet away.
Detra Ann piped up, “It’s just a figure of speech. Ashland’s had some bad luck lately is all.”
Without waiting for an invitation, Carrie Jo’s mother grabbed my hand and began to pray, “Dear God, break this curse on this young man’s life. No weapon formed against him will prosper, just as your Word says. Keep him safe as he fights the good fight. Amen.”
Surprised by the impromptu prayer, I murmured “Amen” and thanked her.
“No need to thank me. I can’t have my only son-in-law cursed. I’ll keep praying. That’s something I know how to do.” She smiled brightly, and I had to admit, I did feel better. My space wasn’t ghost-free, but the spirits had diminished a bit and none were in my face. Always a plus. “Your friend said he’d take me home. I’ll come back in the morning, if that’s okay.”
“Sure. Carrie Jo is supposed to go home in the morning, but I’m not sure what time. Are you sure you’re comfortable at the hotel? Which one are you staying at?”
“Don’t worry about me. I am very comfortable in my room. You be with your wife.”
“Hey!” Detra Ann said. “I’ll ride too. Here comes Henri now. See you in the morning, Ash.” She kissed my cheek, and I could feel her glossy lipstick on my skin. I waved goodbye and hurried back to CJ’s room.
She’d snuggled up in the blankets and had her eyes closed. She stirred and made sure I was there, then went back to sleep. A few hours later I hunkered down in the chair and thought about the simple prayer that Deidre had said over me. It comforted me, and soon I fell asleep.
Chapter 9—Carrie Jo
Before nine o’clock, Ashland and I were headed home. I’d made it through the night with no other contractions, and we both breathed a sigh of relief. I think everyone thought I would be disappointed that the baby’s arrival had been delayed, but I wasn’t. Not at all. As long as Baby Boy stayed close to me, I knew I could protect him. Oh no! Did I just call him Baby Boy? I smiled at Ashland and shook my head.
“What?” he asked innocently.
“You. You’ve got me calling our son Baby Boy.”
“You’re okay with a son, then?”
I leaned back against the seat and smiled even bigger. “Yep, I’m okay with it. I don’t know why I was so dead set against having a boy.” We pulled into the driveway and weren’t a bit surprised to see cars already there. Doreen’s old truck was on the street, and of course Rachel’s and Detra Ann’s vehicles were in the driveway.
“I know why. And I know what you think.”
Suddenly all the brightness of the day seemed to vanish. One of my well-meaning friends must have told Ashland what we discovered, and now he was going to say it—the word I didn’t dare say.
“I know about the curse, Carrie Jo.”
There. He said it. Now it was real.
For all three of us.
I couldn’t meet his eyes, so I stared at the yard. It was so sad-looking, with dead flowers and moldy sidewalks. How did they get moldy? We had the place power-washed just two months ago. It sure as heck didn’t look like it.
“Now what, babe? How do we break it?”
“We can’t break it, Carrie Jo, but you can help me figure it out. This is my deal. And I want you to promise me something.”
“What’s that?” I asked suspiciously.
“I don’t want you to do anything that will put you or our son in danger. Our son…yeah, I like that.” He squeezed my hand. “I couldn’t stand it if I knew you two were in danger. I mean it, CJ. Nothing. No visiting the house. No stirring up spirits. You let me do this. Okay?”
I bit my lip and searched his face for any kind of softness. There was none to be found. He was dead serious about this. “If you won’t promise for me, do it for Baby Boy.”
My hands rubbed my stomach as our son adjusted his foot, shoving it deeper into my ribs as if to say, “Yeah, I agree with Dad.”
“Okay, I promise not to do any of those things.”
It was his turn to be suspicious. “And don’t do anything else I haven’t thought of yet, okay?”
“Scout’s honor.” I held up two fingers. “Now let’s go in the house before the bottom falls out. It looks pitch black out here. The weather is so unpredictable.”
“This has got to be from Hurricane Jasmine—the storm is on the way, but it’s only a Cat 1. We’ll be okay.” He chuckled at Rachel waving from the front door. “Looks like we’re home base this time around. I guess that’s fair since we camped out with Henri for the last tropical storm. Do I need to send everyone home?”
“No, I like having our friends around. This storm will be like the last one, I’m sure. It will fizzle out before it gets here.”
“Looks like we have an extra guest.”
I could see my mother’s petite figure through the big bay window. How did I miss her? I sighed and nodded. Ash didn’t need me losing it right now, and so far Momma had behaved. I promised myself I would get to the bottom of her appearance here right away, though. I couldn’t have my baby around someone so judgmental, so unpredictable.
Stop being so negative, Carrie Jo. What if she’s changed?
I had given her chances before. I loved her, no doubt about it, but it was easier not dealing with her. Not talking to her. Not hoping things would change. Yeah, that was way easier than seeing her, daydreaming about a “normal” relationship. Here we were, dealing with a curse, and she showed up out of the blue. What was up with that? She
did seem different, but maybe that was also a ploy. The old Deidre Jardine would have recited at least five Bible verses at me by now. I wondered what she was up to. I hoped and prayed this wasn’t about money.
Doreen came barreling out the door. “Here she is! Mrs. Stuart! I am so glad to see you. You had me worried! No baby yet, huh? No worries. He will come in his own good time. I stocked your pantry for the storm, but I didn’t know all these people would be here. Do I need to make another trip to the store?”
I smiled at her and followed her into the kitchen. “Hey, everyone!” I waved to the rest of the group camped around the widescreen television in the living room. “No, Doreen. This is fine. You didn’t even need to do that. If we need something else, I’m sure one of these guys will go. I hope you made me some fruit salad. I’m starving.”
“Of course. Right on the top shelf. Just for you.”
“You go home and be with Stephan. Are you staying in Mobile?”
“Oh no. I never stay for these storms, and I wish you would go too. We go to Stephan’s mother’s house in Evergreen. No storms there.” I smiled at her and insisted that she go home. The skies were darkening, and according to the local weather reports that blared from the next room, Hurricane Jasmine would be bearing down on us in the next few hours. I didn’t know what it was about hurricanes that made my friends want to gather around a television. But I imagined that was the way it would be for the next few days. I was glad. I wanted them close to me right now. And close to Ashland.
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