by Olivia Myers
Roderick was about to turn in for the evening when he noticed two maids running out of the stable. He was about to go downstairs when he saw a third maid with her arms wrapped around a little girl. After a moment, Roderick realized the little girl was Ann. He briskly walked to the front door. The maid walked into the house with Ann, and just as Roderick was about to yell at her, he stopped short. He saw that Ann was sobbing and trembling. Roderick bent over and swooped Ann into his arms looking toward the maid for an explanation.
“It...It’s Hen...Henry,” she stammered. “He’s...he’s…”
Roderick turned around and headed for Neala’s room. Still holding Ann, he kicked at Neala’s door jolting Neala awake. As she opened the door, Roderick piled Ann into Neala’s arms and sprinted back down the hall.
When Roderick made it to the stables, he saw Archie covered in blood.
“What the hell happened?”
“I’m not sure, but Henry...he’s...he’s dead.”
George Stewart had just entered the stables and crumpled at Roderick’s feet. Roderick held George as best he could, but then slid down to the ground with his arm around George. Roderick, too, knew what it was like to lose someone. They both wept.
***
It had been a fortnight since Henry’s funeral. Neala had taken up to sleeping in the rocking chair in Ann’s room since every night Ann had terrible nightmares about Henry. Ann would wake up in a panic, with sweat and tears dripping down her face. Neala would get up and sit on Ann’s bed and sing her back to sleep as she stroked Ann’s hair.
Miss Barnum had stopped coming by until further notice because Ann refused to get out of bed. It was all Roderick and Neala could do to even get Ann to eat. Finally Neala had had it; she couldn’t stand to see Ann so morose. So, one morning, Neala swung open Ann’s bedroom curtains and ripped the blankets off of Ann’s bed. Without even saying a word, she picked Ann up and carried her to a bath she had drawn.
“What are you doing? Put me down!” Ann screamed at Neala as she tried wiggling out of Neala’s arms.
Neala dumped Ann into the bath, clothes and all.
“This has got to stop, Ann. You will wash up and come downstairs to eat breakfast with me and your father.”
Ann looked up to Neala and started to say something, but Neala just put her finger up and said, “Right this instant.”
After peeling off Ann’s drenched nightgown, Neala helped bathe Ann who had very little strength. As Ann dried off, Neala grabbed a dress for Ann to wear. The dress, once almost too small, was now baggy on Ann’s frail body. Neala pretended she didn’t notice as she sat Ann down at the dresser. Neala then brushed and braided Ann’s hair before taking her down to breakfast.
Roderick was sitting at the breakfast table mindlessly stirring his tea when Ann entered the dining room. Straightening up, Roderick bid his daughter good morning and offered her some tea and a biscuit. Ann was actually quite hungry, so she gently took the biscuit from her father. After breakfast, Roderick offered to take Ann into the market instead of going into work.
Ann paused and thought about it, but then Roderick offered, “We could go out to the field and pick wild flowers if you would rather.”
Ann smiled a little at her father and nodded. Roderick smiled back and bid for his manservant to send a note to his work saying that he would not be in today. Neala took Ann back up to her room to change into better clothes, and Roderick asked Archie to put together some kind of picnic basket for him and Ann to enjoy outside.
Ann enjoyed a wonderful morning with her father in the field. They picked flowers for all of the house maids, and even made a bouquet to set in Jane’s garden. Ann asked her father if it was too late to go to the market, and he responded, “Of course not!”
Once they got back from the market, Ann and her father ate supper and retired to the parlor where Ann offered to read for her father. Roderick couldn’t even pay attention to the story Ann picked because he was beaming with joy that his daughter had come back to him. Ann started yawning as she was reading, so Roderick offered to take a turn. Ann sat at the foot of her father’s chair and was soon lulled to sleep by his deep, calming voice.
Roderick picked his daughter up and carried her to her room. He lay Ann down in her bed and kissed her forehead, whispering, “I love you, Ann.” He walked quietly out of Ann’s room so as not to disturb her, but then he heard, “I love you too, Papa.” His heart swelled and he gently closed Ann’s door.
***
Roderick woke up the next morning with a sense of peace he hadn’t experienced since Jane was alive. He felt lighter, happier. After getting dressed he practically bounded downstairs and into the kitchen.
“Ah, isn’t is such a beautiful day, Archie? The sun is shining, and your bread this morning smells delicious. Is there anything I can help with?”
Archie just smiled and said, “Nope. I think I’m all set, Mr. Blockstone. I will bring breakfast out for you and Ann in just a few short minutes”.
“Are you sure? Let me grab the milk at least.”
“Whatever you’d like, Mr. Blockstone.”
Roderick grabbed the milk and some glasses and went back into the dining room. He noticed that one of the maids had placed her wildflowers as a centerpiece on the dining room table. Roderick poured some milk for Ann just as she descended the staircase. She looked a bit paler than normal, but smiled at him as she sat down for breakfast.
“Good morning, Ann.”
“Good morning, Papa.”
Roderick smiled. It had been a long time since she had called him “Papa” and she had called him that twice in less than nine hours.
“Did you sleep well?”
“Actually, I didn’t. I had a dream that Henry’s ghost visited me.”
“Oh really? What did he say?”
“We just talked and played like normal except he was a ghost.”
“Hmm. Did it frighten you?”
“Well, at first I was scared, but then when I realized it was Henry, I was really happy to see him again.”
“Well, that’s good. I’m glad it wasn’t another nightmare.”
Roderick and Ann ate the rest of their breakfast in silence as Roderick contemplated his daughter’s words. He wanted to just dismiss this as a dream, a way in which Ann could mourn the loss of her friend, but something felt wrong. Throughout the rest of the day, Roderick kept thinking back to his daughter’s dream. He felt scared, and even a little paranoid.
***
That night as Roderick and Neala tucked Ann into bed, Ann found herself hoping that Henry would visit again. She felt guilty about telling that small fib to her father earlier. Ann really knew that Henry hadn’t been a simple dream. He had actually come to visit her. The two had talked for hours. Ann asked Henry what he was doing there, and he told her that he wasn’t quite sure but he was glad to see her again. Ann looked down and fiddled with the buttons on her nightgown.
“I’m so sorry, Henry,” she finally said.
“For what?”
“I shouldn’t have gone into the stables without you. None of this would have happened.” Tears pooled in her eyes, but Henry put his hand over hers. They both pulled their hands back, shocked that they could feel each other’s hands.
Then, they reached for each other’s hands again, and didn’t let go. “Ann, I was going to tell you this, that night in the stable. I was always too scared to tell you while...well, while I was alive. But, now that I’m here, I don’t want to miss my chance again.”
He paused.
“Yes, Henry?” Ann prodded.
“I wanted...I mean I was going to tell you that…”
“Yes?” Ann pressed again.
“I love you, Ann. I have loved you for a long time now.”
Ann inhaled and couldn’t seem to breathe out again.
“I’m sorry. I know you could never love a stable boy, but I just couldn’t go on without you knowing…”
“Henry, stop. I love you too. I was
so lucky to have you in my life and to fall in love with my best friend. I just never told you because I was afraid you would think that I’m just a foolish little girl.”
“Ann, I never thought you were…”
Ann leaned over and kissed Henry. She pulled back quickly. Her eyes met his in a question. She wondered whether she shouldn’t have kissed him, but Henry just cupped her cheek in his hand and gently embraced her.
***
Over the next few days, Ann’s spirit had returned, but her strength was dwindling. Every morning, Roderick’s concern increased as Ann’s complexion kept getting more and more pale. Eventually Ann was unable to even get out of bed. Roderick called the doctor who couldn’t confirm what was wrong with Ann other than a fever.
The doctor visited every morning to check on Ann; otherwise, Roderick and Neala were constantly in Ann’s room. Roderick picked wild flowers for Ann and put them on her windowsill every morning. Neala fetched Ann breakfast and wiped Ann’s forehead with a damp cloth. Then Roderick would read out loud to Ann, and when they grew weary of reading, they made up stories to tell each other. Roderick became very animated while telling his stories and would act out entire fight scenes, playing both characters. Ann would chime in every once and a while, telling her father what else to act out.
Every night, Roderick and Neala would sit on either side of Ann as she drifted off to sleep. Roderick held his darling Ann in his arms, and Neala would stroke her hair and sing lullabies. Once Ann fell asleep, the two would bid each other goodnight and retire to their bedrooms.
Neala never openly talked about her religious faith, but she had always been a devout Catholic. Once Ann became sick, Neala prayed only for Ann’s health to return. She sometimes prayed for hours until her knees were sore and stiff. Then Neala would try to get some sleep, but often she woke up in the middle of the night and prayed once again for Ann to regain her strength.
Roderick on the other hand didn’t even try to sleep much. He meandered listlessly through the dismal hallways of his house and often visited Jane’s garden. He was so afraid. He had finally started feeling like the kind of father Jane would have wanted him to be for their daughter, and now it seemed that he was going to lose Ann too.
One night, Roderick had retired to the parlor and kindled a fire. He sat in his favorite chaise and stared into the flames. As his eyes grew weary, Roderick drifted off into a fitful sleep. In his dream, his beloved Jane came to him and silently took him by the hand. His initial fear turned into a deeply-rooted trust of his wife as she guided him toward her garden.
Jane dropped her husband’s hand and turned to face him. Roderick startled at some movement to the left of him. At first he couldn’t quite make out the pale mist, but as it took form, he realized it was Henry. Henry had walked out of the side door of Roderick’s house and paused there, gently studying Roderick.
Roderick looked back at Jane who was smiling at Henry. She lifted her hand and motioned to Henry. Dazed, Roderick looked back to Henry who was now looking into the doorway. Henry lifted his hand, and Roderick saw another dainty hand place itself into Henry’s. Ann stepped out of the doorway and saw her mother. Ann paused for a few seconds, and Roderick realized that Ann didn’t know what her mother looked like. Just as he was about to introduce her to Jane, Ann smiled gleefully and ran into her mother’s arms.
Jane picked her daughter up and spun her around, set her down and looked into her daughter’s eyes and embraced her once again.
Henry slowly walked toward Jane and Ann, and the three of them joined hands and looked back toward Roderick. He was overcome with joy at his family’s reuniting. Jane let go of Ann’s hand and walked toward her husband. She placed her hand on his cheek, and Roderick placed his hand over hers and leaned into her touch. Jane tenderly kissed him and then whispered, “We will always be with you.” She placed her hand over his heart briefly and rejoined Ann and Henry.
Roderick gave her a puzzled look as Ann came up to him. She reached out, and he scooped her into his arms. Ann hugged her father so tightly, and Roderick almost couldn’t bear to let go. Ann kissed her father’s cheek, and said, “I love you, Papa.”
He set Ann back down, and she ran to her mother and Henry who each took one of her hands. The three of them looked back to Roderick one last time and started to walk away. Roderick tried to walk after them, but their specters had vanished into the night like a warm breath in the wintery night air.
***
Roderick awakened from his dream just as dawn was breaking. The fire had gone out, and the parlor was quite chilly. He slowly got up and wrapped a small blanket around his shoulders.
Roderick slowly made his way up the staircase toward Ann’s room. He glanced out of the hallway window overlooking Jane’s garden, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
Roderick slowly opened the door to Ann’s bedroom, and he saw Neala sitting on the bed stroking Ann’s hair, her back facing Roderick. She glanced over her shoulder and stood up, wiping her face. She turned around to try and tell Roderick, but he wasn’t looking at her. Roderick was gazing at his daughter. He walked toward the bed taking careful footsteps as if he might topple over. He sat on the bed and pulled Ann’s body into his arms and started sobbing.
Roderick composed himself enough to choke out, “I love you too, my darling. I love you so very much.”
The End
Step Brother 911
The Olde Towne Tavern looked just as I remembered. Brick outside, red-nosed drunks holding up bar stools inside.
“Well, if it isn’t Miss Justine Martin,” the bartender said. She came out from behind the bar and gave me an enthusiastic hug.
I smiled when she stepped back again. Kat hadn’t changed since high school, from her spiky black hair to her combat boots.
“What are you doing here?” She led me to a stool at the end of the bar and wiped up some condensation with a rag at her waist.
“I’m in town for my mother’s wedding. What are you doing here?”
Kat had big dreams once upon a time and none of them involved a bar in a suburb of New York City. She poured my dirty martini – extra dirty – and sighed. “Shit happens, you know?”
I nodded. I did know.
“My parents got divorced while I was in college and Mom couldn’t afford it anymore. I moved home, transferred to the community college, and got a job here. It was supposed to be temporary.”
“Sorry.”
She waved my apology away. “Forget it. What have you been doing? Did you ever make it to Africa like you dreamed?”
Oh, Africa. If only I had been able to go.
“Excuse me,” a deep voice said behind me. “Did you say Africa?”
Kat looked up and her mouth opened.
I turned around and nearly fell off my stool. A man – tall, well-muscled, dimpled – stood staring between the two of us, his hazel eyes inquisitive.
“I just got back from Africa,” he said.
Rumpled khakis and button-down shirt, combined with his tanned face, told me he spoke literally.
“Sorry, I’m Trey.” He stuck a hand out.
I shook his hand but couldn’t find any words.
Kat jumped to the rescue and introduced us both.
Trey sat on the stool next to me and ordered a beer. “I hope this won’t put me to sleep. I’m trying to stay up late enough to fight the jet lag.”
Nodding, I still couldn’t find words.
“Where in Africa were you?” Kat asked. She placed the beer in front of him. “Glass?”
He shook his head and raised the bottle to his lips. “Sudan. I spent a month helping in the refugee camps.”
As if his looks weren’t enough. Seriously, the guy could have walked off a movie screen instead of out of the savanna.
He turned his warm eyes on me and I decided I couldn’t sit here mutely and let him decide who I was. I’d have to show my personality.
“Very cool. I almost went to Botswana once.”
&n
bsp; His gaze intensified. “Almost?”
A wry smile split my face. “Long story.”
“I have time.”
Oh my.
Recovering my wits, I said, “I thought you were afraid of falling asleep.”
He laughed, deep and rich. “Another time, then.”
“Oh?” He wanted to see me again? After only a few minutes?
He bit his lip, drawing my attention there. We’d only just met but I couldn’t help but think about kissing him. I bet he knew how to kiss a woman.
“Sorry to interrupt,” Kat said. “Another martini?”
Why not? I didn’t want to leave yet. Not with Trey here, warm and smiling and rugged.
I grinned, flipping my black curls over one shoulder. “Yes, please.” To Trey I said, “So, tell me about Sudan.”
Kat gave me a knowing look and moved away to the other end of the bar. Now I was alone with a handsome do-gooder. My wildest dreams were coming true. Well, not yet.
Trey told me about the kids he saw with distended bellies, babies he helped vaccinate, and the people with horrible, disfiguring injuries. The weight of these people from so far away sat heavy on his shoulders. Though warm, his eyes were haunted. He’d never forget any of the men, women, and children he met.
As his words ran out, our knees touched and electricity leaped between us.
“I don’t usually ask this, but…do you want to get out of here?” His voice was low and hoarse and made my heart stop beating. Just long enough for me to picture him on top of me, rough hands on my hot skin.
I swallowed. “I don’t usually do this either, but…yes.”
He smiled and some of the hurt in his eyes melted away.
***
Outside, he took my hand and led me down Main Street. His hand completely enveloped mine, strong, safe, and intimate. Butterflies swarmed in my stomach and I felt warm and excited and a bit nauseous.
