Southern Spirits

by Shelley Stringer

  “Hey, Andie-girl! How are our babies?’ John greeted me as he came through the front door.

  “Good. They have their days and nights mixed up, I think. They’re asleep right now. Banton just went up to check on them.” I replied as I sat some laundry down on the bottom step of the staircase.

  “And everything else? You seem a little on edge, darlin’,” he murmured, placing his hand on my cheek.

  “Oh, it’s just a lack of sleep and the effects of chaos. I’m okay,” I assured him.

  We walked arm in arm into the living room and sat down on the sofa. When I picked up some baby things to fold, I sensed him watching me.

  “So Brie would like to come down and see the babies. Would that be all right?”

  “Sure, John. I’d love for her to. How is everything with her? I know she still has some trouble from time to time.”

  “Getting better all the time. She’s great, thanks to everything you have done for her.”

  I smiled at him as tears gathered. “I’m so glad everything is good between you two. It makes me really happy,” I assured him. He reached up to wipe a tear from under my eye.

  “Is everything okay, Andie…with you and Banton?” John asked as he continued to gaze at me. He knew me too well and could tell something wasn’t quite right.

  “What the hell is going on here?” Banton’s voice broke the silence from the doorway. I looked up, startled, as John removed his hand from my face and stood.

  “I’m home now, John. I can take care of my own wife.”

  I stared at Banton in shocked silence. I’d never heard him use the sarcastic tone, and it disturbed me.

  “Banton, what’s wrong with you?” I asked, looking back and forth between the two of them.

  “Calm down, brother. I just came down here to check on you and Chandler and the babies. I know new babies in the house can be stressful,” John offered as he started to cross the room.

  “You can stop with the ‘brother’ stuff. We’re fine, and Chandler doesn’t need you looking in on her. I’m home now. Go see to your own wife.” Banton nodded toward John’s house as John brushed by him in the doorway.

  “I thought we were passed all this, I guess I was wrong,” John murmured as I continued to stare at Banton. As John shut the front door, Banton broke his gaze and turned to mount the stairs.

  I couldn’t believe what I’d just seen. Banton had never acted out of jealousy before, and he’d never shown any distrust toward me or John. I rose and followed him silently up the staircase.

  Our bedroom door was closed, and as I pushed it open, I found Banton pacing agitatedly back and forth in front of the window, grasping handfuls of hair in frustration. I walked silently over to the bed and stood in front of him.

  “Are you all right?” I asked softly. I waited several moments, and got no response.

  “Banton, what’s wrong? What has gotten into you?” I asked cautiously.

  He removed his hands from the sides of his head and sighed. “Nothing has gotten into me. He just needs to mind his own affairs. The Orco business is over, and we don’t need his protection anymore. I think he’s just still a little too involved, and too attached to you,” he replied in a menacing tone.

  I was really irritated with his bad mood and attitude toward John, but I was trying to keep my cool, to try to understand where this animosity was coming from.

  “Sweetheart, that’s ridiculous. I think you just misunderstood, that’s all. John has been a good friend to us,” I continued.

  “Evidently a really good friend to you while I was away,” he muttered, sliding his hands down his thighs in an agitated manner. “I’ve been meaning to ask you, just what the hell did you two share besides a kiss before you finally told him Brie was alive?”

  I gasped at his accusation. His tone gutted me. “Banton, I thought you understood about all of that, nothing else happened. We were both just missing you and Brie, and…”

  Anger was rolling off him in waves. I was scared of what I felt radiating from him. He barely contained a fierce hatred I could sense just below the surface. The muscle in his jaw worked hard. Finally shutting his eyes, he paused, and then spoke softly. “Chandler, not now. I just need to be alone,” he murmured as he whirled and stood at the window with his back to me. I went cold inside. A large hole opened in my chest again, one that hurt much the same as when I thought I’d lost him. Something had changed.

  I slipped from the room and made my way to the nursery. Finding Elly awake, I picked her up and sat down with her in one of the rockers. Tears gathered and threatened to spill over, but I was determined I wouldn’t make more of this thing with Banton. He’s probably just exhausted like I am, I reasoned. I rocked and hummed to Ellyson. After a bit, a noise at the doorway alerted me to Banton’s presence. He was propped against the door, his arms folded. As my eyes rose to meet his, his gaze softened. He simply mouthed, “I’m sorry.”

  I nodded tearily at him as he crossed to Matty’s crib and picked him up. He sat down in the rocker next to me, and placed Matty on his shoulder, kissing him on the forehead. As we sat and rocked together, Banton reached over and covered my hand with his. A jolt went through me, much like the day Brie and I had connected. Startled, I looked up at him. He was filled with such a longing, mixed with anger and frustration. I’d never felt anything like it.

  I studied his eyes as he gazed at me. I hadn’t seen him look that tortured since the day he watched me fight through the first bite at Dr. Lane’s.

  “Banton,” I whispered.

  “Hmm?”

  “I can feel you, feel what you are feeling. I can feel your emotions, just like with Brie before. What is it? What can I do to help you?”

  He shook his head, agitated. “It’s nothing, it will pass. I just…I’m just having more of a reaction this time, that’s all.

  “Reaction to what?” I asked, rising to place Elly down in her crib. Banton put his lips softly on Matty’s forehead and lingered there with his eyes shut. After several moments, he raised his head and met my gaze. He stared at me for several minutes as tears gathered in his eyes.

  “Banton, what is it? You can tell me,” I urged as I knelt in front of him. He rose and quickly crossed the room to lay Matty down in his crib beside Elly’s. As he turned he seemed angry. I could feel it radiating toward me, and my heart beat faster.

  “Chandler, I haven’t told you everything about Somalia. It was a miracle any of us survived,” he reminded me as I nodded. “While we were cleaning out the Orco camps, I was ambushed and captured for a few days. Ty and the two new guys were able to rescue me and get me back to the ship. That was right before we were hit,” he murmured. I nodded silently. My heart began to ache just thinking about it.

  “While the Orcos held me captive, I got a taste of what Sam went through when he was captured. They tortured me with their venom. Men, women…They would bite me, numerous times. Several at one time. Evidently, different venom affects us different ways. Having more than one Orco’s venom in your system at a time has…lasting effects. I’m having a hard time shaking it,” he admitted as his eyes rose again to meet mine.

  “Oh, God…Banton, why didn’t you tell me? Are you taking something for your nerves? Have you talked to Dr. Lane?”

  “Yes. I’m taking the pills and the valium. But it’s not helping much this time. I just thought I had a temper before. I’m…” he trailed off as he watched out the window into the distance. My heart pounded, and I felt helpless. I knew he wasn’t in control.

  “Well, that explains a lot. Will you let me help you, like before?”

  “That’s why I haven’t said anything. You have your hands full with the babies, you don’t need to have to nursemaid your husband too!” he shouted as he threw his hand out.

  I rose up and crossed the room and put my arms around him. “At least now I can understand better. Did you forget, no secrets between us?”

  He nodded and bent to place a kiss on top of my head.
/>   “We’ll get through this together. We always have,” I murmured into his chest as I wrapped my arms around his waist. At least now he was opening up.

  Chapter Thirteen

  We settled into a routine. The first three days Aunt Sue, Banton and Laurilee took turns helping me get up with the babies to nurse. Everett hovered, staying close and helping Aunt Sue and Constance. The extra help was wonderful, and I hardly got to change a diaper. But Banton was right; I was exhausted from the feedings.

  “Sweetheart, I thought you were going to nap when the babies napped,” Banton scolded as he came down the staircase. He found me folding laundry at the dining room table.

  “I will. I just had a few things to do first.”

  “Chandler, I can do that. And Constance told you to leave chores for her. She wants to help more since her mother went back to Denham Springs. You need to sleep when the babies do.”

  “I can do this. I’m almost finished,” I argued as he strode angrily across the entry hall and placed his hands on my shoulders.

  “No arguments. Upstairs, now!” Banton grasped my shoulders and gently urged me up and toward the staircase.

  “Everyone is waiting on me hand and foot. I’m healed, and I need to do my own housework,” I complained. He shook his head.

  “As long as you have those dark circles under your eyes, I’m not giving in. You either let me hire somebody to help with the house, or you let me and Constance help,” he commanded in a rather irritated tone.

  “All right,” I gave in at his stern insistence. He seemed to be losing patience, and I knew he was tired too.

  “I’ll just check on the babies, and you lie down. I’ll be in there in a minute,” he called over his shoulder as I pushed the door open to our room.

  As I sank down onto our bed, a sort of sadness descended on me. It seemed so irrational to feel this way. Ever since we’d arrived home with the babies, my emotions were worse than ever. I was all over the place, much like a bouncing ball.

  “I’m supposed to be less emotional now, darn hormones…” I murmured as I heard a knock on our bedroom door.

  “Bebe, what’s that about hormones?” Everett called out as he smiled and shut the door behind him.

  “Me. I thought once I wasn’t pregnant anymore, the hormones would be under control. I’m worse than ever!” I exclaimed.

  “Darlin’, even though you’ve transformed, you are still a mother. Maybe you have a little post-partum stuff goin’ on.”

  “Everett, that’s ridiculous. I love being a mother, I can’t get enough of the babies,” I argued.

  “That’s not what I mean. I’ve heard some new mothers get the blues for absolutely no reason.”

  “It’s not so much that, it’s a feeling I get, especially around Banton. Everett, I’m afraid…”

  He moved closer to the bed and sat down beside me as he pulled me into his side.

  “Afraid of what? Is something wrong?”

  “Yes. I know Banton is tired too, all of this is so new. And I know his experiences in Somalia are eating on him. I’m just afraid it’s more than he expected, and that he is disappointed in me.”

  “You are kidding, Ma Petit? He adores you!”

  “I just…sense his moods now. It’s like I can feel what he’s feeling. Like when I’m with Brie, or with you,” I looked up at him.

  “Oh, I see. Hmm. I think your senses are even sharper than I first thought. I talked to Dr. Renault a little bit a while back about your aura, and your connection with Brie and others. He seemed to think they would heighten with your pregnancy. And the fact you’ve been bitten again, different venom being introduced into your system…well, I think you might be affected more than we expected.”

  “Then that’s bad! If I’m right about what I’m sensing from Banton,” I began.

  “Wait, has he said something?” he asked.

  “No. He doesn’t say anything at all. We are so busy with the babies, and he scolds me a lot, worrying about my sleep…he seems to be angry with me. And he hasn’t touched me…since he’s been home.

  “What? What do you mean?” he drew back to look at me. As I paused, Banton pushed the door open.

  “Hey, Banton-babe. I just had to check on our girl before I run downtown to the shop for a while.” He stood and patted Banton on the shoulder. “I’ll talk to you later, Sweet Bebe,” he finished as he blew me a kiss.

  Banton watched Everett leave, and then crossed the room to me.

  “If I didn’t know he was gay, I would be jealous,” Banton commented, dropping down on the bed beside me.

  I gave him a sideways glance as I commented, “Well, about that…I think there’s something you should know.”

  Banton stretched, and then pulled me into his arms. It was the first time he’d really held me in a couple of days, and it sort of took me by surprise.

  “What’s that?” he asked, yawning.

  “Um…as it turns out, our Everett is not gay.”

  “What?” He turned to me, curious.

  “Everett isn’t gay. He’s just extremely eccentric, and I guess his mannerisms which have carried over from the last century make him seem gayer to us in this day and time, than just gentlemanly.”

  Banton pushed up a bit in the bed and peered down at me. “How do you know? Did he tell you?” he asked.

  “Yes. He finally told me one day, when we thought we’d lost you. He said he understood how I was mourning, and told me what had happened to his true love. As it turns out, he was in love with Marie-Claire Johnson DeeLee, the owner of our house. She’d nursed him back to health when he was wounded on the battlefield, and he feel in love with her. He was away making arrangements to get her out of the countryside, away from the fighting, when she was attacked…by Lucien and a gang of Orcos. That is how she and the babies died,” I finished, gazing back up at him.

  “Holy…wow. That’s…that’s incredible. He waited all that time to tell you about his connection to our house? Why?”

  I watched him curiously. He seemed a little agitated with Everett. I remembered, I had been too when he told me the story.

  “Everett said until we went to the cemetery that day, he didn’t know what her last name was. He put two and two together when we saw their graves,” I finished.

  “How could he not know her name? Did he not remember the house?” he asked. I leaned over and retrieved my laptop from the nightstand.

  “Here. I’ve written those parts of the history of our house already. Read this, it will explain everything.” I handed him the laptop. He appeared to be processing the new revelations as he studied the story on my laptop. As he read, my eyes became heavy and I drifted off to sleep.

  * * *

  Hungry wails woke me from my nap.

  “Here, Mommy. I brought them to you.” Banton smiled as he placed Matty on the bed beside me. “He’s always the first one to wake up and demand some attention,” he commented as he sat down beside us.

  I automatically began to nurse Matty, and then looked up at Banton.

  “Andie, I’m really impressed. You’ve done a great job with your writing.” He watched me as I gazed back up at him. “But I have some more questions about Everett, this whole thing…it got me to thinking,” he frowned, and I grinned wryly at him. I knew he was thinking about all the times Everett had stayed and slept beside me.

  “He certainly spent a lot of intimate time with you. Chandler, he let us think he was gay…all that time, he never corrected us. I was okay with his close friendship with you, because of those assumptions.”

  “I know. But you have to know, he really never thought of me that way.”

  He turned and cocked a disbelieving eyebrow at me.

  “He told me he thinks of me as a sister.”

  “Um, yeah. Right,” he snorted.

  I could tell he was still skeptical and suspicious of Everett’s motives. We sat in silence as Banton watched in his usual fascinated manner as Matty nursed at my breast. When I
sensed he was full, I tugged him away and pushed down on my nipple, breaking the suction. My nipple was taught and hard. I looked down into Banton’s eyes, and they darkened as he gazed up at me.

  “Chandler, that’s so hot,” he murmured as he leaned up and placed a kiss on my shoulder. I shuddered, longing for his touch after such a long time. His comment caused my pulse to quicken. Maybe he was ready to touch me now! As Elly began to whimper in his arms, he broke his gaze and switched babies with me.

  Banton sat watching Ellyson as she took her turn nursing, falling asleep almost immediately in my arms. After several moments he raised his gaze to mine.

  “I think it’s time to call Dr. Renault. She’s not eating and doesn’t seem to have any appetite,” he murmured.

  “I know. Their checkup is in two days, but I don’t want to wait any longer. I’ll call him this afternoon,” I commented as I began to tear up. “I’m not feeding her right, or something…maybe my milk isn’t right,”

  “Chandler! Dammit, this isn’t your fault! Just stop it! I want the Doctor to check her over. Maybe there is something going on with her, medically.

  He almost shouted the words at me. It only made me get more emotional. He rose and placed Matty down on the bed next to me, and then carefully lifted Elly. He left the room with her, leaving me alone with my tears as I changed Matty’s diaper and then rose to carry him back to the nursery. As I entered the nursery, Banton was leaning over Elly’s crib.

  “She’s in a deep sleep.” He placed her on her back, and then tucked her little blanket around her. “Do you want to try to feed her some more?”

  “No, just let her sleep. She took more last feeding, and it hasn’t been quite two hours yet,” I replied as I watched her.

  “Come on back in the bedroom and rest while the babies do,” he murmured as he placed an arm around me and pulled me from the room. He caressed my arm as we walked, and my heart began to quicken. I lay back down on the bed, and Banton crawled in beside me and pulled me over to his chest. We lay for several minutes, and I silently hoped he was ready to be intimate and had been waiting for a time when the babies were down. After waiting for a bit, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I slid my knee across his thighs as I reached to unbutton his shirt.