The Ghost Locket

by D. Allen Wright

  "You know Kit, somehow I doubt that. I think that you're one of the bravest people I know!"

  "Well, maybe you should get out more," Kit laughed, a little embarrassed by the compliment.

  "Yeah, maybe I should," Julia laughed.

  Chapter 15 - Share the Wealth

  "So, Miss Moneybags," Celeste teased, "what are you going to spend your money on?"

  "I thought that it might be nice if my mom got some new clothes for work. I know you must be getting tired of looking at that blue outfit of yours you wear all the time; I know I am," Kit replied with a snicker.

  "Well, that's a sweet thought baby, but what about you. There must be something that you want. What about some new clothes for yourself, or some more painting supplies," Celeste said.

  "Yes, I've already thought about that, and I plan to get some more paints, a few more brushes and some blank canvases. I did want you to go with me to help me pick out something really elegant to wear when I have my exhibition at the gallery," Kit said.

  "Oh, pardon me Dahling. I didn't know we were hobnobbing with the jet-set. Shall I make reservations for dinner at The Four Seasons. How about we book some first-class tickets to Monaco? Perhaps we could stop by the casino and play a little baccarat, or idle away the afternoon on the Riviera," Celeste replied, not able to resist the opportunity to tease Kit a bit about her newfound wealth.

  "Cut it out Mom."

  "Sorry, it's just too much fun," Celeste said, "But as for helping you pick out a nice outfit for your exhibition, I think you should ask Julia. It's sweet of you to ask me, but I'm sure that she is much more knowledgeable about what a young lady should wear to her first exhibition, then I am. Julia is Saks Fifth Avenue; I'm more of a J.C. Penny's gal."

  "So, are you going to buy yourself some new clothes or not?" Kit asked.

  "I would be delighted to spend some of your vast fortune for you," Celeste replied, then curtsied.

  If Kit was obsessed with her first six paintings, she was now a painter possessed. Celeste had to practically drag her to dinner every night. She even resorted to hiding her flashlight. On this night, she finally got her to sit down for her favorite pot roast.

  "You excited for graduation next week?" Celeste asked.

  "Yeah, it means I can paint a lot more," Kit replied.

  "Look, I think it's all very well that you love to paint, but don't you think that you're ignoring your friends a bit. Alicia has stopped calling, because she thinks, you're too busy to see or talk to her, Gwen and Lizzie say the same thing. That's not nice Kit. Take a day off, go see your friends, get out of that room of yours and out of the house. Take some of that money and take all your friends out for a nice lunch or dinner. Show your appreciation for all the times they've been there for you."

  "Mom, you're a genius," Kit said, "what a great idea. I don't know why I didn't think of it myself. I'm going to do exactly that! But I want you and Julia to come too. I'm going to start making some calls," Kit said.

  "Where were you thinking of having this little shindig?" Celeste asked.

  "Antony's Pizza, of course," Kit replied.

  "Of course," Celeste said, "why am I not surprised?"

  Kit made some calls and was thrilled that all of her friends were happy to accept her invitation to her little pizza party, including Julia. A dozen or so of her friends now sat around several tables formed in to a large rectangle with pizzas with every conceivable toppings laid before them. Kit sat beside her closest friends and talked as they consumed slice after slice of their favorites.

  "So Kit," Gwen said, "What are you going to do with all that money?"

  "You're eating some of it now," Kit said.

  "Sure, but that's just a small part of it. Don't you want to buy something really cool?"

  "I know what I'd buy," Alicia said, "I'd buy a really sick car, like a Mustang, or maybe a sporty little truck."

  "It costs a lot of money to buy a car, more than I have. And don't forget insurance, gas and parking. It doesn't even make sense to have a car in New York. A lot of New Yorkers never even learn to drive. My Mom has never driven a car in her life and says she never wants to," Kit replied.

  "Yeah, I guess you're right," Alicia admitted.

  "I'd get a cell phone," Lizzie chimed.

  Kit reached and pulled something small and shiny out of her pocket.

  "You mean like this," Kit said, proudly displaying a brand-new, bright-red cell phone to the amazed and envious gasps of her friends.

  "That is so cool," Gwen said, "now we can text back and forth any time we want.”

  "I wasn't sure I wanted to get it, since only you, Gwen, and a few other friends, have one, but my mom thought it would be a good thing to have in case of emergencies and stuff," Kit replied.

  Kit asked Alicia, Gwen and Lizzie to lean in close. She held her phone out at arm's length and snapped a picture. The resulting image immediately appeared on her phone's view screen to the delighted squeals of all of them.

  "We have to do it over; Gwen had her eyes closed." Kit said.

  Alicia leaned close to Kit and whispered something to her.

  "I'm sorry we ducked out on your unveiling the other day, but when you showed the painting of the alley, I thought that the shit was going to hit the fan by the expressions on your mom's and Mrs. Shay's faces. It just got so quiet, that I thought that it might be our cue to bail," Alicia sad.

  "That's okay, it was a little tense for a while, but it turned out alright," Kit replied.

  Julia and Celeste sat together across the room at a table opposite Kit, taking in the scene of the good friends happily socializing.

  "It's good to see her having fun and paying some attention to her friends again, even if I know it's only temporary. I was beginning to worry. You know you've created a monster, don't you?" Celeste said, in a teasing manner.

  "Sorry, I guess I do have to take some of the blame for that," Julia replied.

  "Did you know that she only has three more paintings to finish?” Celeste said, "That's crazy, huh?"

  "Yes, she told me," Julia replied with a sigh of amazement, slowly shaking her head in disbelief.

  "That's okay," Celeste said, "it's a good thing that she has something that she's passionate about. I'm not saying that she couldn't benefit from learning a little restraint, but yes, it's been a very good thing. You have to admit that I was right about the two of you. You've been very good for each other. Kit was like a ship without a rudder, and you... you were so lost and sad."

  "You know Celeste; I love my friendship with Kit, but I feel like you and I have become really good friends as well. As I've gotten to know you, I feel a close personal connection. It's not every mother who would share her daughter with a stranger, the way you have," Julia said, placing a hand on Celeste's.

  "Julia, we were never strangers. You're already like a little sister to me. I knew you were a good person the first time I met you. Only Kit knew it before I did. Face it; you're stuck with us now. You're family!"

  "It feels that way," Julia said, feeling the warmth of Celeste's words.

  Julia looked into Celeste’s face and noticed a pained look in her eyes. She knew something was not right.

  "What is it Celeste?" Julia asked, concerned, "What's wrong?"

  "I'm okay; it's just that there's something I need to speak with you about."

  "Please, tell me, what is it?" Julia asked again.

  "Not here, not now," Celeste said, "do you think you might be able to meet me for lunch tomorrow? Say, one-o-clock, at the little diner down the street?"

  "Of course," Julia said, reassuring her.

  "Good. We'll talk then," Celeste said, "but please don't mention to Kit that you're having lunch with me."

  "But why? Julia pleaded, "Celeste; you're scaring me..."

  "Please, promise me Julia."

  "I promise." Julia said.

  "Now smile, Kit's looking this way," Celeste said.

  Julia and Celeste smiled and waved
at Kit. Kit smiled, waved back and resumed talking to her friends.

  Chapter 16 - The Bad News

  Julia walked past the window of the diner and noticed Celeste sitting in one of the window booths. She went inside and took a seat across from her. She noticed that Celeste looked haggard and tired and there was a dimness in her eyes. They exchanged greetings then Julia reached across the table and took Celeste's hands in hers.

  "Now what's this all about," Julia said, concern in her voice.

  "There's no easy way to say this Julia; so I'm just going to come out with it."

  Julia flashed on the memory of the police officers standing in her doorway, delivering the bad news of the accident. Somehow, she knew that what Celeste had to tell her would be no-less devastating.

  "I have cancer," she said, closing her eyes tightly, "and I'm afraid that I didn't catch it soon enough. The doctors have told me that I need to get my affairs in order while I still have some time-" she paused and pulled a hand from Julia's to wipe her eyes. "That's why I asked you here today. I need to ask you a very important question."

  "But how, I mean," Julia struggled for the words, "have you gotten a second opinion? They do make mistakes all the time."

  "A second, and a third," Celeste interrupted, "there's no mistake!"

  "I know a specialist," Julia said, "and I can help- I mean, if money's a problem."

  Celeste gently raised a hand to Julia's lips. She fell silent.

  "I appreciate the offer Julia, but I'm afraid this is one problem that isn't going to go away, no matter how much money we throw at it."

  Julia brought her hand to her temple and massaged it in a circular motion, as the impact of Celeste's words whirled in her head.

  "But I don't want to talk about me," Celeste said, suddenly strong and resolute. "I want to talk about Kit."

  Julia thought about Kit; and how everything in her life had been going so well. It was a source of great joy to her. And to think that now her world would start to unravel, just as hers had. How would it affect her?

  "Julia, I have no living relatives. I was an only child, and my parents are long gone. Kit's dad left when she was still a baby, and even if I could locate him, he wouldn't be fit to care for her. The truth is, I need to know that someone will be there for her," she paused, "when I can't."

  Julia found that Celeste's stoic speech had also buoyed her up as well. She was getting over the initial shock of her news and now listened intently.

  "What can I do?" Julia said, giving Celeste's hand a small squeeze. "Name it."

  "I want you to take Kit when I'm gone," Celeste said, the expression in her eyes left no room for misinterpretation. "The truth is, I think your coming into Kit's life at this particular time is a bit of a miracle, a well-timed bit of fate."

  "Of course," Julia replied, without the slightest hint of hesitation.

  "Wonderful, I hoped you'd say that. I've worked up the necessary documents with my attorney; I just need you to drop by his office to sign them and make it official."

  Celeste smiled and wiped the few remaining tears from her face, sat up straight and opened her menu.

  "Now that's settled, did I tell you they have the best cherry cobbler here?" Celeste said, looking as if a great weight had been lifted from her mind. "Suddenly, I'm starved."

  The waitress came, and Celeste ordered for them both. "Two cherry cobblers with two glasses of milk, please."

  "Would you like that ala mode?" the waitress asked.

  "What the hell," Celeste replied, "why not? It's not as if it's going to kill me."

  Celeste's little joke knifed into Julia, catching her off guard, causing her body to stiffen. Her eyes watered a little. Celeste now reached and took her hand.

  "Now, now," Celeste said, "none of that. We're just going to put that out of our minds for now and enjoy our cobblers, aren't we?"

  "Yes, we are!" Julia forced a smile and sucked up the well of emotion that gushed deep inside her. If Celeste could be brave, the least she could do was play along, acting as if nothing was wrong.

  "She finished the last one this morning. She got up early before school," Celeste said, changing the subject.

  "Of course, the paintings," Julia said, it took her a moment to focus on what Celeste had meant. Kit had finished the last painting she needed for her one-woman show at Sybil's gallery.

  "And she graduates this Tuesday," Celeste added, "You'll be there, won't you?"

  "Are you kidding? She would never forgive me if I wasn't."

  "It's a great time in my daughter's life," Celeste said pensively, "so many wonderful things in store for her. She's not a child anymore. She's practically a woman! It seems like it was only yesterday, that I rocked her in my arms. Her birthday is the end of August. Lord, let me make it until then. Help me to make this the best summer of her life."

  The waitress returned with their cobbler, and Julia held out her glass of milk in front of her as if she was toasting with a glass of champagne. Celeste, puzzled at first, did the same.

  "Here’s to the best summer of her life!" Julia repeated her words as they chinked their glasses together. She silently vowed to herself that she would do everything in her power to make sure Celeste's final wish for Kit came true.

  Chapter 17 - Wrist-Rocket Cowboy

  The three tough-looking men roughly collected James and Javier and brought them to the bar. At one of the pool tables, a man leaned over and lined up a shot. He effortlessly struck the cue ball and the eight ball cleanly went in to the corner pocket.

  "Pay me," he said, his hand outstretched to collect his wager on the game.

  The second man reached in to his pocket and slapped the twenty in to the man's hand. He started to re-rack the balls when he noticed James and Javier nervously standing with the men who had them in tow. He walked to the bar, picked up his shot of Crown Royal, downed it in a gulp and chased it with a draft beer.

  He walked up to the two boys, eyeing them up and down.

  "You two know who I am?" the man asked them.

  "Sure, Manuel," Javier answered nervously, "everyone knows who you are."

  "Word is, you two were with my brother when a bunch of girls jumped him," he paused, "That true?"

  James and Javier started to glance around the bar nervously; they looked anywhere they could, to avoid the cruel stare that Manuel now cast upon them. Everyone in the neighborhood knew Manuel Vargas. At twenty-six, Manuel ran most of the drug trade in the area. Practically, everything that anyone snorted, smoked or shot-up, originated with Manuel. His enterprises didn't end there; he also extorted protection money from several of the merchants in the neighborhood and ran an on-going crew specializing in car theft.

  "I asked you a question!" Manuel shouted, "Were you there?"

  "Yeah, yeah," James answered, prompted by the large black man to his side who now dug his meat hook hands painfully into his shoulder. The intensity of the pain was evident on his face and a small wet spot appeared at his crotch, evidence of a momentary loss of bladder control.

  Manuel, still holding the pool cue in his hand, heaved a long sigh and stroked a hand over his shaved, glistening head. His well-chiseled frame stood out, standing there in his wife beater tank top.

  Manuel looked down and noticed the small wet spot in James's pants.

  "So, is that what happened? You two get too scared to help Caesar when he was getting beat down; when he needed your help, did you piss yourselves and run away?"

  "No Manuel," Javier said, "it wasn't like that. There were too many of them, and, and,” he stuttered, as his voice trailed off.

  Manuel motioned to the man who held Javier, "Hand," he said.

  The man grabbed Javier's arm and thrust it forward until his hand rested on the rail of the pool table. Javier struggled to remove it. The man's other hand dug into his shoulder again causing him to moan in pain and cease struggling.

  Manuel unscrewed his two-piece cue stick and set the forward section on the green felt sur
face. He stood with the butt section of the cue in his hand then casually slid the section back and forth across Javier's turned-up knuckles.

  "Do you know how Caesar spends his days now?" he asked the boys, eyeing one, then the other with a menacing look. "No? Well, I'll tell you. He spends it staring out the window with drool running down his chin. The highlight of his day is when my mother feeds him a bowl of pudding. It's pathetic!" Manuel said, disgust in his tone.

  Without warning, Manuel raised the cue and slammed it down on Javier's hand, smashing his knuckles. Javier's scream filled the bar, and the few startled patrons turned to look, then quickly turned back, trying to act as if nothing had happened. Javier held his wrist and looked down at his now shaking hand, grimacing with the throbbing agony he felt. Manuel circled the table to where James stood, his face with a look of anticipated horror in his eyes.

  "Hand," he ordered, and the Hispanic man thrust James's arm until his hand now rested on the pool table's rail. Like Javier before him, he struggled even more frantically then he had, his knees buckling under his own weight. A second man grabbed him and held him up. Holding the cue in both hands, Manuel brought it down on James' knuckles full force. His hand absorbed the impact and tore open from the blow, blood pouring from the wound. He slumped to the floor screaming. He tucked his injured hand under his armpit, as he slowly rocked with pain. A man and a woman got up from their table and hastily left the bar, ignoring the scene.

  "You know," Manuel said, as he stood over them, surveying the two boys, each clutching their injured hands. "It's not just what she did to my brother. If a girl can stand up to Caesar, it won't be long before the store owners who pay protection, start telling us to go to hell too. It sets a bad example. So I'm going to give you guys a chance to redeem yourselves." He paused, lit a cigarette, and continued. "I want the bitch that did this. I want her dead! Not beat up, not put in the hospital- dead! You got that?"

  To emphasize his point, Manuel took the lit cigarette from his mouth and ground it into Javier’s chin, forcing it upwards, until his eyes were forced to look into his face. Javier shrieked in pain.