by S.J. Drew
she said. "Come on to the back. We'll have a nice snack." She led them to what was once the minister's living quarters but had since been updated and modernized.
"So you were surprised that Isabella's grandmother was Japanese, but your grandmother is clearly mixed-race herself?" Leah asked in a low voice.
"She's Creole, technically. I guess I never thought about it. It was normal for me but I didn't think mixed families were normal for everyone. Anyway, you met Mom."
"I just thought she was really tanned."
"How did you end up so pale anyway?" Nora asked.
"Paw-paw is French. And Dad's parents are Scots-Irish."
Grace served them some cookies and iced tea. "I'm glad you could visit me, Maryann."
"I had no idea you lived in a church. How did that happen?" she asked.
"When Frank and I split up, I came home but had a hard time findin' a house I liked. Then I saw this church. It's old, too, probably built soon after the original settlers came here, but I don't think it was used much. I think it was too far away from what became New Roads. I'd guess it was only used for maybe twenty or thirty years, and then after that, the people stopped comin' and it just sat here, waitin' for a new life. And so was I." She tended to something on the stove. "It's been a labor of love gettin' it all fixed up."
"How come you never told anyone you lived in a church?"
Grace shrugged as she sat back down. "Some people think it's odd. One of the reasons dear Frank and I had to go our separate ways was our different views on the world. He would not have liked to hear I was livin' in a church, so to keep peace with the family I was the one to make the trip north to visit my children and grandchildren over the holidays."
"I think it's great."
"I'm glad you do," she said.
"If you don't mind me asking," Nora started, "how come you have those tables and sleeping bags in the nave? Do you have guests?"
"Sometimes I do. I've been here goin' on thirty years and a lot of people have passed this way. Sometimes they just want a place to rest. Sometimes they need a meal and a place to sleep. So I do my part. Folks are poor in this parish."
"Mee-maw, that's dangerous," Maryann said, looking shocked.
"Dear Maryann, I'm not afraid in here. This place is blessed."
She looked skeptical. "If you say so."
"You may come to see things as I do," she said. "If you girls don't mind, I could use some help in the garden. I want some peppers and tomatoes for dinner."
They quickly finished up their cookies. Grace handed Maryann a basket and they followed her out the back door.
The area immediately back of the church looked like it had been intended for a cemetery. There were the remains of a stone fence to the right side and a lot of the native trees had been cleared away. Most of the area was now a very large garden. Flowers and vegetables grew side by side separated by sunlight needs and the whole area was filled with butterflies. They seemed to be on every single plant and flitted between the flowers and shrubs. Leah took several pictures.
"Oh, it's so pretty, Mee-maw," Maryann said.
"They like it here," Grace replied. "And I like them."
"There aren't any bodies buried back here, are there?"
"I don't think the church ever used the graveyard. I haven't run across any graves," she said with a slight laugh.
Isabella's eyes were drawn to a corner of the fence that was in heavy shade. "What about that? It looks freshly dug."
"Where?" Maryann squealed.
"Don' worry about that, my girl. There are no rotting corpses in my backyard," Grace replied.
But Isabella noted that the old woman hadn't actually answered her question. They meandered through the garden and picked a variety of ripe vegetables. When they re-entered the church, Grace got to work cooking. The band immediately offered to help and soon a delicious meal was simmering away. Maryann did most of the talking and chatted amiably about the band and their prospects. The sun was setting as they set one of the tables in the main part of the church.
As they ate, a middle-aged, worn-out looking man walked in through a side door. "Morning, Ms. Parker," he said in a mixed, strong accent. His face was slightly longish and his clothes were a little ragged. Despite his disheveled appearance, there was something attractive about him.
Isabella almost dropped her spoon. She stared and jabbed Maryann in the ribs.
Maryann gave her a curious look and wished her grandmother had not insisted they put their phones away for dinner because she was certain Isabella would be sending her an explanatory text.
"Morning, William," Grace said to the man.
"Mee-maw?" Maryann asked, obviously confused.
"I'm sorry to intrude; I was not aware you would be hosting guests today."
Grace looked at Isabella, who was still staring at the man. "Ah, of course. I suppose I'd better explain some things before the poor child gets any more upset. Girls, this is my friend William Somerson. He's a vampire."
"What?" they shouted in unison, except for Isabella, who kind of nodded.
"That explains the dirt outside," she thought.
"You stay away from my Mee-maw!" Maryann shouted, brandishing her silver ankh pendant.
William looked quite startled and did not approach the table.
"Calm down, my girl, calm down," Grace said. "William will not hurt me. I'm helpin' him."
"There's only one way you help a vampire," Leah snapped. "And it's in the emergency kit!"
"Girls, girls, please, you need to listen. Calm down."
"Should I, uh, be goin' Ms. Parker?" he asked.
"No, no. I've got some chores for you but you sit down right here and we'll talk."
"He's a vampire!" Maryann said again.
Dave leaned over to her and whispered, "Um, Maryann, how does your grandma know about vampires?"
The redhead opened her mouth and shut it again. "I-I don't know."
"And how come your grandma isn't surprised you aren't surprised?" he added.
"I don't know that either. Mee-maw, how do you know about vampires?"
Grace sort of smiled. "There are lots of things in this world I've learned a thing or two about in my time. Now, William won't hurt me, or you. This place is special. It's blessed. People are drawn to this little church; poor lost souls looking for some kind of salvation. I don't give them salvation. That's not for me, but only for the Maker. But I do give them a place to stay and to rest up and to unburden their sins. This is a place they prepare to meet their Maker, if it comes to that. I've had ordinary criminals come in here and turn their lives around and I've had extraordinary creatures, like William, come in here too. He's been here for goin' on two years now. He helps me around the place and takes care of some of the chores when my back gives me pains."
The band and Dave looked extremely skeptical.
"Mee-maw, I wasn't surprised when Steph got into trouble with a vampire, but you?" Maryann said.
"What happened with Stephanie?" Grace asked sharply.
"Er, oops. I'll tell you later."
"That you will. I knew you were special; I didn't know how much you were gettin' mixed up in all this. William, this is my granddaughter Maryann and her band," she said, introducing them all. "William is almost ready to let go, I think."
"I just want to make sure you are well taken care of, Ms. Parker," he said.
"We both know that's out of your hands, William," she said mildly. "William, please tell them how you got here and why. Maybe it'll set their minds at ease."
Seeing his audience was already a little hostile, William wisely chose to summarize his life story. "Well, I was born on a farm in Pennsylvania in 1832. I joined the Union Army during the Civil War and saw and did terrible things. Terrible things. A few years after that, I met me a lovely Southern belle and we were going to marry and mend fences. Unfortunately, she had some family members that were none t
oo pleased with the arrangement, and I found myself turned into a monster. For a few years, I was no more than a wild beast. I cowered during the day and rampaged at night. Gradually my senses returned to me and I was shocked at what I had become. I have tried many a time to reform my life. I even thought of walkin' into the sun a few times, but I couldn't bring myself to it. Instead, the weight of my sins has grown. I traveled a great deal, as I had to, and a few years ago I was drawn to this little place. Ms. Parker convinced me to stay a spell and I have. Since moved in here I have not partaken of one drop of blood, nor even had the desire," he said proudly.
"So how many people have you killed?" Nora asked icily.
His face fell. "Too many," he sighed.
"Done any jail time for it?"
"No. 'Course, the evidence is long gone for a lot of my crimes."
She raised an eyebrow. "But not all, I'm guessing."
He nodded miserably. "But how can I go to jail? I'm a vampire. I'm not even supposed to exist. I'm legally and biologically dead."
"I'm not defending him," Dave said quickly, "but the justice system doesn't really apply to dead guys."
"How did you try to reform before?" Leah asked.
"Oh, I tried the usual ways. I tried to swear off all blood, but then I went into an uncontrollable rage. I tried to feed off of only animal blood. That only delayed the rage," he answered. "There were a few ladies that I thought would give me the incentive to stay on the straight and narrow."
"How did that work out?" Nora asked dryly.
"I killed three in a blood rage, turned one in to a vampire, and drove the last one completely mad."
"So it turns out love is not
