by Sable Hunter
Detective Garrison, however, kept making notes in his omnipresent pad and promising he would promptly follow up on the information they had given him. Before he left, Arabella overheard her grandmother making a point to let him know about Tranquility and what Jade had heard the doctor say when he was paralyzed. Detective Garrison left with a whole list of things to look into.
Chapter Nine
Arabella forced herself to take care of some business. Despite all the excitement going on, orders were coming in the mail and on the website. Evangeline pitched in and helped her. She hated to leave Jade, even for a moment, but he seemed content just watching her work. He had dozens of questions about her products, and what the various herbs were good for. Evangeline answered as many questions as she did and the camaraderie fast developing between all of them brought joy to her heart.
The doorbell broke their concentration and Angelique came in to inform them the doctor had arrived. Arabella went with Jade to meet with the doctor. He stood waiting for them in Jade’s room. The doctor was a pleasant looking man, when he spoke Arabella tried to place the accent.
”Hello, I am Philippe Francois. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” He shook hands with both Jade and Arabella. “I have been looking at your chart and I am astounded at your recovery. I would like to run some tests if I may.”
Arabella left them alone, so the doctor could examine Jade as much as needed. She finished filling a few more orders until the doctor came back after her. Obviously, he wanted answers Jade didn’t have. Arabella felt odd at her involvement, since she was still so unsure of her status with Jade. Their time together had been so quick and dramatic, she was hesitant about how to proceed. The doctor waited until she sat on the bed next to Jade, and then he went straight to the point.
“I would like to know what treatment you gave him that resulted in a complete reversal of a tetraplegic state.”
Jade and Arabella looked at each other. Jade nodded his assent and Arabella weighed her options. She realized she was taking a gamble but she decided to just simply tell the truth and let the pieces fall where they may. After all, wasn’t he bound by doctor-patient privilege?
“Dr. Francois, this will probably sound utterly incredible to you, but we healed Jade by supernatural means. My family has been blessed with certain powers. We practice, for want of a better term, New Orleans rootwork. We used cleansing water, a lodestone, a fossil, a blue candle and fervent prayers to the deities who have the power to affect this world.” Much to Arabella’s horror, Dr. Philippe Francois threw back his head and laughed.
She got to her feet, not knowing what to expect next, when the doctor motioned for her to sit down. “You misunderstand my laughter, Ms. Landry. I am from the island of Martinique. I grew up at the feet of a voodoo healer. I know exactly of what you speak. I have seen people healed with the power of magick many times. I know in America, healings like this don’t happen often and when they do, they don’t get much publicity. They are hushed up to protect all parties involved. Congratulations, Congressman Landale. You are a very fortunate man to have made the acquaintance of such beautiful, powerful women. I must say I am surprised, from what I have heard of your political leanings, or maybe I should say your backers’ political platform, your association with someone of such liberal beliefs is refreshing.”
“Doctor, I will say I have never met anyone like Arabella or her family before. I owe them everything, and they have certainly opened my eyes to the fact there is more to this world than I ever dreamed possible.” He looked at Arabella with such tenderness she thought she might cry.
Dr. Francois rose to leave. “I will be back tomorrow, and then every other day after that, until I am sure of your complete recovery. A physical therapist I have contacted will call and make an appointment with you to follow up with some exercises I think will only benefit your condition. Believe me, it has certainly been my pleasure to meet you both.” With that, Arabella showed the doctor to the door.
Before returning to Jade, Arabella checked with the rest of the family. Angelique was busy cooking; she had an odd look on her face Elizabeth could not resist commenting on. “Phillipe Francois is one good looking doctor, Angelique. He sure did give you the eye.” Angelique completely ignored Elizabeth. She was a very wise woman.
Nanette and Evangeline were pouring over a University of Texas catalogue Nanette had secretly obtained for her cousin. She had not given her full permission for a transfer yet, but it appeared she might be mellowing. Seeing everything was well in hand, Arabella returned to where she wanted to be the most.
She found Jade in his wheelchair, going through his wallet. She couldn‘t resist asking the question that had been plaguing her every moment since she saw him lying in the hospital bed. “What did the doctor say about your chances for a full recovery?”
“He seems to think they are quite good. The physical therapist will help me practice my walking and also teach me some exercises which will strengthen my back and legs. There appears to be some nerve damage, but he said even that could very well heal in time.”
“I will do an additional healing ritual for you tonight,” she promised. “Do you feel like talking, or do you want to rest awhile?”
He deftly turned his chair to face her and said, “I want to talk. What do you want to know?”
“Tell me about your mom and dad?” she asked.
“My mom and dad were great. They were native Texans. My dad made his money in oil and my mom brought money to the marriage from her father’s cattle business. I was their only spoiled child. They died about four years ago in a private plane crash. They had been to Las Vegas for their anniversary and ran into a storm. I still miss them.” Arabella listened quietly as he reminisced. “Obviously, I’ve met your mom and I know your dad passed away. Tell me more about your family?”
“Nanette rules the roost. She and my grandfather Alcee have always been the foundation of our family. My dad thought the world of them. Evangeline’s mother, Aimee, my aunt, was the sweetest woman I’ve ever met. She was nothing like her sister,” Arabella laughed. “Aimee was the exact opposite of Mom, quiet and domesticated and she could play the piano like a dream. She married a local New Orleans boy who got killed in the Gulf War. Aimee never got over losing her husband. We lost my aunt and my grandfather in Katrina. They had slipped back into New Orleans to get Aimee’s little dog, who had run away when the storm hit. Nanette had begged them not to go back in because she had foreseen death on the winter solstice before the hurricane hit the next summer. While they were there, the levees broke and they both were swept away in the floodwaters. We recovered my grandfather‘s body, but Aimee‘s was never found. Not having a body to mourn over and bury made the loss even worse for the family.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“Katrina and our sorrow happened a long time ago and we’re doing just fine, now. Tell me about your rock climbing.”
“A spoiled rich boy’s playtime, was what rock climbing meant to me. I lay in that hospital bed and wished a thousand times I had not been so reckless. Although, I have to admit I enjoyed every minute of climbing. The thrill and challenge was exhilarating and I did meet some characters.”
Arabella decided to jump in where angels feared to tread. “Tell me about Kate.”
“Kate Thompson could best be defined as a political asset. Oh, I can’t deny my attraction to her. She is beautiful and very well connected. The powers-that-be in Texas politics pushed our relationship to a degree. Her parents are old-guard in the party and she opened a lot of doors for my career.”
She didn’t ask the questions she longed to ask—do you love her, do you miss her, do you want her back, was she good in bed? Instead Arabella said, “I’m sorry she broke your engagement like she did, her giving up on you and abandoning you must have really hurt.”
Jade looked at her directly and said, “Kate didn’t love me. She loved the idea of me. Well-to-do, on the fast track to the governor’s mansion, I repres
ented the means to an end for Kate. The real me, especially once I lay flat on my back in a hospital room, wasn’t nearly as appealing.”
Arabella tried to think of things that would help him. She knew he would want to get back to normal as soon as he could. “I will give you my cell phone and you can call your associate, Mr. Phillips, and do whatever work you need to do. I want you to make yourself at home and if I can do any running for you, all you have to do is tell me.”
“How sweet of you, I do need to call Reese and go over a few things with him. This afternoon or tomorrow, I will give him a call and let him know I‘m ready to get back to work.” There were many other topics Arabella wanted to broach with Jade, but Evangeline came to tell them lunch was ready.
* * * *
The day passed swiftly. Arabella made a trip to the Wimberley Post Office to mail off fifteen or twenty packages. Jade took the opportunity to rest and the others were working in the drying house helping bag up herbs and mixtures of herbs.
The days were short and before they realized, the sun was beginning to set. Angelique left the drying house to go back to the kitchen to check on a pork roast she had in the oven. When she went through the hall she was shocked to see an old woman walk out of Jade’s room. Even after countless such experiences, it startled her to realize the lady had walked through the closed door. Angelique stopped and their eyes met. The spirit, obviously an American Indian, was dressed in what looked to be a loose cotton dress, but she had several strands of beads around her neck and a large wooden carving of a hawk. She wore her hair in two gray braids hanging down either side of her face.
“Who are you?” Angelique asked in a low voice.
At first the woman did not speak, she seemed to be deciding the best course of action. Finally, her mouth opened and Angelique could hear an audible voice. “I am Dosha. The young man is my great grandson. I have been near him since my passing. When he had his accident, I came to him. I have tried to help.”
“You were the one, weren’t you?” Angelique asked. “You entered their dreams and guided Arabella to come to his aid.”
“Yes, it was I. The woman who loves my great grandson is a healer. Her light shines brightly. I knew she could help him. She is very sensitive, it was easy to contact her.”
“Arabella is a special young woman and Jade is very lucky to have such a powerful spirit guide as yourself.”
“He is a good man. I am leaving now; he is in good hands.” The old woman solemnly bowed her head and disappeared.
* * * *
After the evening meal, they were glued to the television as a special segment came on the local news that reported another body had been discovered at the Townsend place. The reporter reviewed Kathy and Lea’s death and speculated on whether or not the other homicide could be the work of the same killer. No one was surprised to see pictures and footage of Wildflower Way make their way into the report. The idea that a psychic or a medium might be involved added spice to the story no reporter could resist. Arabella was surprised the young woman at the scene didn’t refer to them as witches. If they had picked up on that angle, their yard could very well have been full of television cameras and satellite dishes.
Much to Jade’s surprise, he made the news also. “We do have some good news to report tonight. The darling of Austin politics, Congressman Jade Landale, has made a surprising recovery. Just a month ago, we had sadly reported to you he had experienced a tragic fall during a rock-climbing trip to E-Rock and had injured his spine. There was little hope for his recovery, but much to the doctor and his staff’s surprise, he has regained much of his ability to move, speak and function. His Chief of Staff, Reese Philips, has shared with us that Jade will be back in the capitol building very soon. All of our efforts to find out about his miraculous recovery have been futile, but we are still on the trail. A story with such a happy ending as this one is well worth pursuing.”
After both stories were over, everyone sat silently. Elizabeth had enough insight and enough pure gumption to say what everybody was just thinking. “I wonder how long before those two stories are connected. How long before they realize the same people who discovered the bodies of the Townsend victims are the same people involved with the politician’s miraculous recovery.”
“Don’t worry about the news reports and what people think,” Jade said. “I would be proud to acknowledge Arabella and the rest of you as the truly wonderful, powerful people you are.” He sounded absolutely positive about his convictions.
Nanette looked at him with affection. “I hope your good intentions are not put to the test, my child. People can be very closed minded and fearful of what they don’t understand.”
Before everyone retired to their rooms, Angelique decided to tell Arabella and Jade the truth about their dreams. “Arabella, Jade, I have something important to tell you.” Angelique had been sitting on the couch working on a quilt top she had brought with her from New Orleans. Everyone turned to face her as she began to talk. “I saw a spirit in the house today. Jade, a proud Native American woman appeared to me. She identified herself as your great grandmother, Dosha.”
Jade looked surprised. “I have the best memories of my great grandmother. She was my dad’s grandmother. I believe she was full blood Cherokee. Every time I think of her, I remember how much she loved me. The last few years of her life, she lived with us. Every night she would come to my room and tell me the best stories. As I lay in the bed, paralyzed, I thought about her often. She used to tell me about ’walking on the wind’. I thought of her and what she said after the first night I had met Arabella on E-Rock.”
“She brought the two of you together. Dosha said Arabella’s light called to her and she knew if you were to be saved, Arabella would be the one to do it. Jade, she said you were in good hands and her job here was through.”
“I had no idea. Although, if I were to have a spirit around me, there is no one I’d rather have than her.” Jade looked at Arabella. “So, our meeting wasn’t by chance. Dosha orchestrated the whole thing.” Everyone grew quite. Angelique’s explanation gave them all something to think about.
Arabella and Jade retired as quickly as they could, without causing too much speculation. They were both anxious to be alone. Jade had showered earlier in the evening, the doctor had told them the more he could move the better. There didn’t seem to be any danger in using his legs and back as much as he could. He still needed to be extremely careful, he didn’t want to fall and risk having a setback.
Arabella retreated upstairs to her own bathroom so she could use her scented bath oils and creams. Hopefully, tonight she would be able to… Even thinking about making love to him turned her on. She found herself torn between an aching desire to be intimate with Jade and fearing the reality wouldn’t be as spectacular as the dream. If the sex they shared wasn’t as good, she knew whose fault it would be—hers. Never before had she regretted her lack of experience. She instinctively knew Jade had been with many women—more beautiful and much better lovers than she could ever be. She hesitated in her preparations; maybe she was making a mistake.
She cut short her self-pampering and instead of the revealing teddy she had bought in town today, she put on a much more sensible long gown and robe. Arabella had no idea the black negligee was much sexier than the blatant red set she’d been tempted to wear.
Slipping down the stairs, she hoped she did not run into anybody between her room and Jade’s. She didn’t think she could stand any comments from her mother about her choice of sleeping attire. Another thing she felt thankful for was the location of the room they would be sleeping in. Thankfully, they were on a different floor and at opposite end of the house from where the rest of the family slept.
She hesitated at the door. Her nerves were on edge and her body was tingling, readying itself for his possession. Already, her breasts were swelling and both nipples were as hard as rocks. She couldn’t wait to be in his arms again. Taking the doorknob in her hand, she held it for a momen
t and then slowly opened the door. When she entered the room, Jade waited, already in the bed. Leaning back against the headboard, propped up by two or three soft pillows, he looked like a dream. With no shirt on, the soft light of the lamp accentuated his broad shoulders and golden skin. After finding out he had a Cherokee grandparent, the color and smoothness of his skin made sense. He held the covers back and patted the mattress in invitation.
Crossing to the bed, she removed her robe and swiftly crawled under the covers. He eased down in the bed and turned on his side and facing her. “You are so beautiful, Arabella.”
She lowered her eyes, unable to breathe if she continued to share his gaze. His eyes were looking into her very soul. “No, you are beautiful, Jade. I have never known anyone who makes me feel the way you do.”
“How many men am I competing with, sweetheart?” he asked in a soft, gentle tone.
“What do you mean?”
“How many men are you dating? I’m sure there is a whole slew of them just beating your door down, all wanting the privilege of your company.”
“There is no one.” Now that the truth would be revealed, he probably wouldn’t be as interested in her.
“No one?”
“I’m sorry, Jade. I don’t have very much experience with men.” Her voice shook slightly and she closed her eyes waiting for his reaction. How could she tell him the local boys had all been afraid of her, or at least afraid of the ridicule they would endure by dating the town witch?
Light, soft, sweet kisses began raining on her eyes and her cheeks. “Why are you sorry, Bella? Don’t you know how exciting it is for a man to find out his woman hasn’t known many other men?”
“Not exactly what I meant,” Arabella stammered. God, this was hard.
