“Son of a b! Did you see that guy? I don’t care about the back seat, but don’t have the baby in my car! Jasmine deserves better.”
Between pants and twists of pain I panted, “I’m—not-calling-her—Jasmine. Oh God, oh God!”
Detra Ann hit a curb trying to avoid a car. It was like being on a painful bumper car ride. My mother prayed beside me the whole time. Detra Ann grinned like a maniac when she wasn’t honking at someone or threatening to cut their body parts off.
“Here we are! Pulling in the driveway now!” she yelled, forgetting once again that I was pregnant and not hard of hearing.
“Great! Perfect timing! Here comes another one!”
“Three minutes apart! That baby will be here soon!” My mother opened her door, rescued my purse and practically dragged me out of the back seat. “Hey! My daughter is having a baby! Like right now!”
“Momma! That’s an ambulance guy. Not a nurse!”
It didn’t matter. She was going to make sure someone helped me, and all I could do was hold my breath and hope the pain quit. A dark-haired young man squatted down in front of me. “What’s your name?”
“Carrie Jo. It’s Carrie Jo.”
“Okay, Carrie Jo. I’ve got a chair here. Think you can stand so we can get you in it?”
“In just a second.” I held my breath and waited for the contraction to let up.
“Don’t hold your breath. Try to breathe through them. It will help with the pain. That’s better. Take your time. I’ll wait.” Over his shoulder he told the approaching nurse what was happening.
“I think I can stand up now.”
“They are three minutes apart,” Deidre told the nurse as she pushed me through the hospital doors. “And her water broke.”
“Sounds like we have a baby on the way. If it’s a girl you could name her Jasmine.”
I rolled my eyes at Detra Ann, who ran along beside me. “Never,” I mouthed to her.
My clothes were drenched, my forehead was covered in sweat, and I was exhausted already. “Detra Ann, call Ashland, please. I need him here.”
“I will. Deidre you stay with her while I find out what’s going on.”
Before I knew it, the nurse had me in the elevator and we were headed to the fifth floor. No long registration process for me. “Got no time to waste. The doctor says to bring you up now. Baby’s coming! It’s going to be okay. We’re going to get you an IV started, he’ll check to see how far you’ve dilated and then we’ll go from there. How does that sound?”
“Like a dream. I’d like to wait for my husband.”
The nurse, a young woman with pretty, soft-looking brown hair, smiled sympathetically. “Hopefully he will make it in time. But either way, I think you will meet your baby soon.” Sure enough, another nurse came in quickly and had me rigged up to the IV in no time.
Dr. Gary arrived, apologizing that he had sent me home. A quick examination confirmed it. “Eight centimeters dilated. It’s almost time.”
“I know!” I practically screamed at him as another contraction, the strongest so far, took my breath away.
“How about an epidural to help with the pain?”
“Please? I would love one.” All my pledges to “go natural” went out the window. I wondered if breast-feeding would hit the chopping block too.
“Be right back,” Dr. Gary said as he pulled the blanket back down.
“Momma, please find out where Ashland is—he needs to get here.”
Detra Ann walked back in, her phone in her hand. I could tell by the look on her face that something was wrong.
Something was dead wrong.
“Ashland is missing. Henri saw him fall in the water. He’s with the authorities. They are looking for him now.” She flew to my side and rubbed my hand. “You listen to me, Carrie Jo Stuart. We are not going to entertain anything negative about Ashland, you hear me? He is going to be fine. Right now, you have his baby to think about! I know you want to cry and fall apart, but you can’t! You don’t have that luxury! Let’s have this baby so we can find out what’s happening.”
“Detra Ann, no! I can’t—you have to go be with Henri! Help him find Ash! Please!”
Dr. Gary heard the shouting and came in; a nurse was tying on his face mask. “What is this? What’s going on in here? Trying to have a baby, people.”
“You don’t understand, Dr. Gary. Carrie Jo’s husband, Ashland, has disappeared off his boat. He’s in the water and they haven’t found him. But they will!”
“You had to tell her that now?” He sat on the rolling chair and rolled to my side. “I know you wish you could be doing something else right now, but this child needs you. Your son needs you. Let’s welcome him into the world and make sure he’s healthy. That’s the number one thing right now, got it?”
Still in shock from the news about Ashland, I said, “Yes, that’s the number one thing. Ashland’s baby. Oh God, please protect him. Momma!”
“Yes, darling.”
“I know you wanted to be in here, but I need you praying for Ashland. Let Detra Ann stay with me, and you go pray. When Rachel gets here, get her praying too. Please, Momma. Pray your very hardest!” I cried as the sweat poured off my forehead.
“What’s the air on?” Detra Ann asked the nurse. Without waiting she checked the room thermostat and immediately dropped it. It didn’t do any good because just then the lights went out. In the momentary silence I could hear the winds rattling the windows of the hospital like moaning ghosts demanding to be let in.
“I’ve had enough of ghosts! You hear me? Enough!”
Dr. Gary stared at me. “Carrie Jo, are you with me? Nurse, check her IV bag. I did not order anything that would make her hallucinate.”
Detra Ann assured him I was fine, that I was just worried about Ashland, and then the labor began in earnest. “Okay, let’s check. Yes, fully dilated. That was fast once you got started. That’s a good thing. Some people have the worst time opening up. Let’s see…oh yes, I see a little head already. Now it’s important that you push when I tell you to push, okay. Are you in pain?”
“No pain, just a lot of pressure. Can I push yet?”
“Let me get in position. Okay, let’s push.”
I sat up and held my knees, pushing with all my might. This isn’t right. This shouldn’t be happening. Not without my husband. Ashland, I love you. Where are you!
I need you right now!
Chapter 13—Carrie Jo
“Of course you know this will open you up to a ton of lawsuits now, right?” Libby said, frowning at Ashland. “And that you’ve just signed away seventy-five percent of your net worth? That’s a big deal, Ashland. I’m not sure you understand how far this decision reaches. This could haunt you for the rest of your life.”
Libby couldn’t know how apropos her choice of words was. “We hope so,” he answered cryptically.
“I just can’t believe this. You’re normally so level-headed. Is this because of your son? Or something else?” She glanced at me as if I were the culprit. I kept my face completely expressionless.
“Yes and no,” he said. “That’s all I can tell you. I appreciate your help with all this.”
“I still don’t get it. I don’t get this whole thing. I need a vacation.” She tapped her head with her pen in frustration. “It might be the last one any of us take.”
“Don’t tell us you’re breaking up with us, Libby,” I said with a smirk. Ashland laughed, and boy, did that sound good. Money was all Libby really cared about. Well, money and stealing my husband. Now she would lose on both counts.
“Two of these claimants can’t even prove they are related to your family. You do know that, right?” He nodded, and I could tell he was starting to feel a bit aggravated about this whole conversation. “This sets a bad standard, Ashland. Not just for you but for many of the older families here in Mobile. You haven’t heard the last of this, I’m afraid. Not by a long shot.”
“This is the right thing to
do, Libby,” he replied. “Not just for us but for everyone involved. I know you don’t understand my decision, our decision, but this is it. This is how it should have always been.”
Libby shook her head, her stylish bob swinging as she did. With perfectly manicured hands she stamped the documents and folded them up neatly. She placed them in the thick manila envelopes and looked at us like we were both out of our heads.
“As long as you know what you’re doing. Who am I to say?”
Ashland and I walked out of the building and stepped into the warm sunshine. It was hard to believe that a major storm had blown through here just two weeks ago. Most of the fallen oaks had been removed, but there were plenty of houses missing shingles, windows—you name it. I closed my eyes for a moment as we stood outside the car. I felt lighter, like an unseen weight had been lifted off my shoulders, and I was sure Ashland felt the same way. After a minute, I poked him in the side. “One more stop before the event, babe. Can’t daydream now.”
“I’ll leave all the dreaming to you.”
“As well you should. Speaking of which, Deidre says she’ll meet us at Seven Sisters with Baby Boy. Did Mr. Chapman from the city call you? He said the sign arrived and they’ll be installing it in front of the house today. I can’t believe Seven Sisters won’t be called Seven Sisters anymore, but I like the sound of the Beaumont-Cottonwood Manor. It sounds…right. Oh, I almost forgot. Doreen and Rachel are coming too. I can’t believe this is going down without Henri and Detra Ann. Are you sure we can’t wait?”
“We’ll throw them a huge party when they get back. And yes, I’m sure this can’t wait. You know, I’ve heard people talk about getting married in Vegas, but I’ve never actually met someone who did. Can’t believe they went without us,” he said with a smile.
I laughed. “I can. Those two don’t need us there. They’ll have Elvis and Marilyn Monroe as their witnesses. I promise you this, though, Detra Ann’s mother is going to have a nervous breakdown when she finds out they got hitched. She’s the only girl in that family, and I’m sure Cynthia’s always dreamed of throwing her a big wedding.”
“Probably so.”
He turned the car down the forgotten road. His Jeep found every bump and pothole, but it didn’t matter. We were on a mission. It was hard to believe fall was here, with the way the sun beamed down on us. The balmy weather made me want to slip off my shoes and prop my feet up on the dash, but now wasn’t the time for that. The Jeep came to a stop, and in the distance I could hear the river lapping against the sandy riverbank.
“This is about it,” I said. “I remember seeing this place in a dream. There was once an old oak tree that stood there. Isla used to climb it and watch the boys swim. The Delta Queen used to roll along here, and just a way down was where she embarked the night Calpurnia landed in the water.”
“When we ceded the house to the city, I thought that would be the end of all this. I hope this truly is the end. Do you think it will be?” he asked me, grabbing the roses out of the back seat.
I slid my sunglasses up to the top of my head. “No matter what happens, this is the right thing to do. I am proud of you, babe, for wanting to make it right. I think the ghosts of the past will know that you’ve tried, that we’ve tried, and they’ll accept that.”
He squeezed my hand, and we walked down the steep hillside to the riverbank. “I don’t know how we managed to talk the city into changing the name of the house. Usually this kind of thing takes years. The Beaumont-Cottonwood Plantation. That has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?”
“Yep, it does.” He handed me some roses. Thankfully, the florist had been nice enough to clip the thorns from the stems. I took the flowers, and we stood by the water with our heads bowed. “You ready?” I asked him quietly.
“Yes, I am. Finally.” With his eyes closed, he tilted his head up toward the blue sky.
“Dear Lord, my wife and I ask you to lift the curse that was placed upon my family all those years ago. I know that wrongs were done, many wrongs. I know that many people were hurt as a result of those wrongs. Although I did not personally do these things, I take responsibility for them as the current representative of our family. I repent, Lord. We stole from others, we made our brothers slaves, we hid our secrets and refused to repent of them. Many of us did murder and many other sinful things in your sight. But I, Ashland James Stuart, do repent, Lord, on behalf of my sinful ancestors. I am sorry.” I squeezed his hand as a tear rolled down his cheek.
As he wiped his face with his hands, his eyes looked even bluer through the tears. Still speaking to God, he said, “I have given the moment to the people who deserved it. I have a clean conscience, God. I have given the house the name it deserves. I hope this is enough. But if it’s not, please tell me what to do and I will do it. If not for me, Lord, for my son and my wife. She is innocent.”
“No, I am not so innocent either,” I said to Ashland. Then I spoke to God as Ash had, toward the blue sky. “I have been bitter and unforgiving toward the people I love. I had no idea that you were trying to help me, that my mother was doing what she thought she should. I was wrong to hate her. For that I am sorry. I do not know how I am related to Muncie yet, if at all. But if I am, I will not be ashamed to call him my cousin. Or uncle. Or whatever he may be. I accept him. Thank you for keeping Ashland safe. Thank you for our family.”
It was my turn to cry now. I put my face in Ashland’s chest and cried my heart out. When my tears had flowed, I prepared to throw the flowers in the water as a kind of tribute to the many Cottonwoods, Beaumonts and others caught up in the centuries-long curse, but I froze. Standing on the water, just as she would have described Reginald Ball as walking out like “Holy Jesu,” was Calpurnia. She was not the sickly, defeated girl I remembered from my dreams but happy and smiling. She walked toward us, the hem of her coral gown skimming the water.
“Ashland, do you see her?”
“Yes,” he whispered without looking at me. She floated closer, and the bright sunlight sparkled in her intricate hairstyle. With shaking fingers, Ashland handed her a red rose. Her fingers never touched his, but she accepted the flower from him. “Be at peace,” she whispered to him. She smiled at me too, and the coral earrings bobbed at her ears. Suddenly, Muncie stood beside her. He was no longer Muncie the boy but Janjak the man, the teacher in a three-piece suit. He took her hand, and I held out a flower to him with shaking fingers.
“Be at peace,” he said to me in a soothing, rich voice. Together they stepped back on the water and soon faded away with smiles on their faces. We breathed a sigh of relief, but then there were others, walking to us across the river.
Isla came next. She wore her powder blue gown with the full lacy sleeves. I could feel Ashland tense beside me, but he offered her the rose. “Forgive me, cousin,” he said in a sincere voice.
“Be at peace,” she said. She accepted the rose and vanished immediately. Others came too, Christine, Delilah and finally Olivia.
I had seen Olivia only once in a dream, but I knew Ashland had seen much of her, either in dreams or as a ghost. He handed her a rose as she drew close, her hair still upswept with not a hair out of place. She looked at the flower for a moment and leaned closer to his face. “So you are the curse-breaker? Be at peace, cousin.” She too vanished as Isla had done.
We tossed the rest of the roses on the water and watched them float away down the Mobile River.
“The curse is broken, Ashland. It is over, at last!”
“Yes, I believe it is. Thank God!”
“I was so nervous. I hardly expected to see Janjak or anyone!”
“Me too!” We were all smiles.
“We better get going. Little AJ will be missing you,” I said with a smile.
“I can’t believe you named our son Ashland James.”
“Well, if it was good enough for you, it’s good enough for him. At least it’s not Jasmine.”
“What do you have against Jasmine?”
“Nothin
g, really. Maybe we’ll consider it for our daughter.”
“Daughter? Whoa! We just gave away all our money. Maybe we should slow down on growing the family for a while.”
“No way. We’ve got to restock the family tree, babe.” I put my arms around his neck and kissed him.
“And what good stock it is too,” he purred playfully. As I kissed him I pretended I didn’t hear a giggle or two coming from the direction of that old oak tree.
“You hear anything?” I asked cautiously.
“Nope. Let’s go.”
We drove out of the woods and down the bumpy, beaten path, back to the road that would lead us to the future. Our good future. It was going to be a good one. A curse-free one.
I felt overwhelmed with gratitude. “Thank you,” I whispered to no one in particular. I knew everyone who was supposed to hear it would.
Author’s Note
Thank you for taking this journey with me. When I wrote book one of the Ultimate Seven Sisters Collection, I had no idea I would end the series with six books! What is even more surprising to me is how much you all love Carrie Jo, Ashland and all the folks at Seven Sisters. Seven Sisters was my first book, and it will always hold a special place in my heart. From the Blue Room to the Moonlight Garden, I know every inch and visit it myself often in the books.
I am often asked if Seven Sisters is a real place. I am sorry to say that no, it isn’t. But then again, who really knows? So many of the old houses have been lost, and I am sure somewhere down the line there was a house like it, complete with a creaking staircase and plenty of ghosts. We have an abundance of haunted houses in the South. I based the house on a combination of houses you can find in Mobile, Alabama including the Historic Oakleigh House and the Bragg-Mitchell Mansion. Mobile is a lovely city with plenty to see and do. If you haven’t been, come on by!
I get other questions as well, like, “How is Mia still alive when Carrie Jo said she was dead?” The answer to that is Carrie Jo was wrong. She has been wrong before—but in the end, it all works out.
The Ultimate Seven Sisters Collection Page 73
