A Ghost of the Past

by Mary Goldberger

  “Damn Todd,” she said once she realized who it was and quickly let him go. She started to run a hand through hair until she remembered that she had twisted it back up, “Don’t scare me like that.”

  The three of them looked at her as she grabbed her dishes and went into the kitchen. Her cell rung a few seconds after she walked into the kitchen, and they heard her say, “Ray, answer that for me.”

  Ray walked over where the phone sat on the coffee table and flipped it open.

  “Shay,” Amanda’s voice came out.

  “Hi, Amanda, how are you doing?” Shay answered coming back into the room.

  “Fine,” Amanda said, but Shay heard something in her voice as she frowned.

  “Okay,” she said slowly, and then said quickly changing the subject to let Amanda calm down before they talked seriously, “I got my hair cut today.”

  “You did,” Amanda said surprised, and Shay knew that the distraction worked for the moment.

  “Yeah, Julio said it was a shame,” Shay said with a nod. Amanda snorted and Shay’s eyes widened with humor as she asked, “Did you just snort?”

  “Shay Marie Montgomery, the last time you got your hair cut was when you were 21 and you hated it,” Amanda said crossly. “I had to bully you into doing it until you finally told me why you preferred to keep your hair long. Ever since then, the only thing you have done is have it trimmed and layered.”

  “I had it shampooed and conditioned, too,” Shay said grudgingly.

  Amanda laughed, “Do I know my best friend or what.”

  Shay smiled as she leaned against the doorframe, but then she asked, ‘What is wrong, Amanda?”

  Amanda was silent for a few minutes, and then she said, “I think Jack is having an affair.”

  “Not in this lifetime,” Shay said without hesitation.

  “Shay,” Amanda began, but Shay interrupted her.

  “Amanda, Jack loves you more than life itself. I do not see him having an affair with another woman knowing what he could lose.”

  “But Shay…” Amanda began again, and then she stopped.

  “Talk to him, Amanda,” Shay said gently. They all heard her sigh as in the background they heard a door open and Jack call out, “Amanda.”

  “Jack,” Shay said just as gently, but there was a hint of steel in her voice. “I am giving you the benefit of the doubt, but if I found out that I was wrong and you are having an affair on my best friend then I suggest you should make sure to get lost fast.”

  “What?” Jack said with a note of anxiety in his voice. “Shay…Amanda…Damn, woman, you know Shay would kick my ass if I hurt you.”

  “You two need to talk,” Shay said stepping away from the doorframe and walking over to her phone.

  “Bye,” she said before she flipped it closed. Then she turned around and glared at Cordial and Ray.

  “While I was at the orphanage, they kept my hair very short to prevent lice. To them, long hair was considered a problem for it meant longer time in the bathtub and, until I was older, someone to brush out the tangles, someone that could be busy doing other things. Once I was old enough, I let it grow out but not too much because I got scolded for using too much shampoo. When I finally left the place, I decided I would grow my hair to the length I wanted because it was what I wanted. When I met Amanda, she had short hair and once she bugged me enough that I cut it just to get her off my back, and she was right, I hated it. She did not understand why I did until I explained that I didn’t have a choice when I was younger. She never bothered me again about it.”

  She looked at them as her eyes flashed with green fire and she took out the pin holding her hair in place and it slithered down her back, “Lucille thought that she had me when she came around that corner. Only she did not know that her hairstylist hearing her voice swept my hair up to make it look shorter. I would have told the truth except she had that smug look in her eyes so I let it stand.” She strolled to the stairs before turning around saying, “Maybe you should all get this through your heads; I am not Charity. Just because we were identical twins does not mean that we have the same personality. Unfortunately for Lucille, Dillon, Susie and all the others, I will not be manipulated or sweet talked into doing something I do not want to do. I don’t care if it is considered the polite thing to do or not. Charity was “polite” but she did what she wanted behind others backs. I will not do that and if you don’t like it, then I should leave now.”

  With those final words, Shay went upstairs to her room and quietly shut the door. She fell back against it and blinked back the tears that filled her eyes before she stumbled over to the bed. She collapsed onto the bed as she drifted off to sleep, but before she fell completely to sleep she had a short dream:

  Charity sat on the side of the bed next to her and Shay saw the proud look in her eyes as she said, “You were right. I did do the “polite” thing in public while behind their backs, I did whatever the hell I wanted. You are different from me in everyway, and I am glad. Cord deserves someone who truly loves him.

  The dream faded and Shay drifted off into a short and restless sleep.

  Downstairs, the room was silent after Shay went upstairs and Cordial heard the door close. Without looking at Todd or Ray, he walked into the kitchen to the window that looked out into the backyard. He stared out as his face settled into an anguish mask and his silver eyes flashed.

  He knew he made a mistake when they came back from their shopping trip, but for a moment, she looked so much like Charity he froze. He had been upset for he did not want to think about Charity just when he was ready to let her go. Shay and Charity may have been sisters, but they were so different that when he looked at Shay, he knew exactly who she was.

  His mouth hardened as he felt Todd and Ray enter the kitchen. He and Shay had some talking to do and some things to settle before they took their relationship to the next level.

  “That was the first time I heard Shay mention her time in the orphanage,” Ray said.

  “I did not know she went to an orphanage,” Todd exclaimed, and Ray glared at him.

  Cordial turned around to look at them and his face was thoughtful as his silver eyes filled with determination that made Todd chuckle and Ray smile.

  “Are you going to talk to her now?” Ray asked.

  Cordial shook his head, as he stated, “No, I will let her cool down first.” He looked at Todd who grimaced and rotated his wrist.

  Ray laughed as she slid he arms around his shoulders, “I still love you.”

  “Thanks,” Todd muttered as he clasped her hands to his chest and they all laughed.

  Shay stood near the front door and listened for a few minutes before she slipped out of the house. Zipping up her jacket, she started walking although she was not going to go far. She stuck her hands into her pockets as she thought about what happened. After her short nap, if you could call it that, she needed to get some fresh air and she was about to tell Cordial that she was going for a walk when she heard them in the kitchen. She had smiled when she heard Cordial say he would let her cool down first, and she knew that they were going to be okay.

  She continued walking as those thoughts went through her head and she frowned as she thought about Charity, and started asking herself questions. Why would someone kill her? Was it one of her lovers that they had not identified? On the other hand, was it someone who did not want her to marry Cordial? She felt dread fill her as another thought entered her head: is it possible that it had nothing to do with Charity herself, but of whom she came from like herself. She was so lost in thought that she had not heard the car pull up next to her.

  “Hello, my dear,” the voice said pleasantly. When Shay looked up her face paled as she stared into eyes so dark with anger that she knew she was in trouble, serious trouble.

  Chapter 30

  Shay took a small step back from the car as she said, “Good evening, Mrs. McCloud, how are you doing?” Shay was shocked to see Jessica McCloud again, after what happene
d the last time they met. Shay felt a frisson of fear and she did not know why, but her senses were screaming at her.

  “I need to get back, Mrs. McCloud. Enjoy your ride,” she said and she turned around to head back the way she came when Mrs. McCloud stopped her.

  “I would like to talk to you, Shay, if you don’t mind that I call you Shay,” Mrs. McCloud asked and Shay shook her head as she hesitated for a second.

  “Please,” she said and Shay sighed for she knew this was a mistake, but she said, “Okay, we can talk while you give me a lift back to Cordial’s if that is okay with you?”

  Shay saw her eyes flashed as she mentioned Cordial’s name, but it wasn’t anger or jealousy, but pain and Shay wondered about that as she climbed into the passenger seat.

  “Thank you, dear,” Mrs. McCloud smiled, but it was not a very nice smile then Shay saw nothing as she jabbed her with a needle.

  “Let’s see if he cares about you or if you care about him at all,” she thought she heard her say before she blacked out.

  Ray, Todd and Cordial were talking while Cordial made lunch when the doorbell rung. Cordial frowned for he was not expecting any visitors at the moment.

  “I’ll get it,” Todd offered getting up from his seat and Cordial nodded as Todd left the room. He was back a few seconds later with Shane McCloud.

  “Shane,” Cordial said politely although his eyes were narrowed. Shane McCloud was jumpy as if he was worried about something, but he smiled, “Hello Cord, Ray. How are you doing?”

  “Fine,” Ray said shortly as Todd sat back down beside her. Todd ignored him as he started eating the sandwich Cordial had made and placed in front of him.

  Shane shifted from foot to foot until he blurted out, “Is Shay here?”

  Cordial looked at him with an raised eyebrow as Todd and Ray looked at each other before turning their gazes to him.

  “She is in her room. Why?” Cordial asked harshly.

  Shane swallowed nervously although Cordial read the anger in his eyes, and he wondered what Shane was really doing there, as he asked, “Do you think I can talk with her?”

  Cordial wanted to say “hell no” but he could not say that as he was Shay’s father and she had the right to see him if she wanted too.

  “I will go get her,” Ray said quietly as she got off her chair and left the room.

  “If Shay does not want to talk with you, Shane, then I will not force her and you will leave her alone,” Cordial said in warning, and the older man’s eyes widened before they narrowed. Cordial had never spoken to him like that even when he was engaged to Charity, but before he could say anything there was shouting from Ray.

  “CORDIAL,” Ray shouted and Cordial was out of the kitchen as Ray came running back down the stairs.

  “Shay is not in her room although nothing is gone except her jacket,” Ray said with fear in her eyes.

  Cordial took the stairs two at a time as he went to her room looking around noting nothing was out of place before he spun around heading to his room hoping against hope that she was there, but he felt the emptiness of the room the minute he opened the door

  He felt fear, a fear he never felt when Charity was in danger before she died.

  He went back downstairs his face pale and his silver eyes flashing, “Why did you come here?” he demanded.

  Shane stood there as he looked at Cordial with eyes filled with some kind of emotion that Cordial could not decipher, but he did not like it.

  “Why?” he demanded eyeing Shane with narrowed eyes.

  “Why did you come here to see the younger daughter you did not want 24 years ago?” Cordial said harshly his silver eyes flashing with his contempt and disgust.

  Shane paled although he looked back at Cordial with expressionless eyes and Cordial clenched his fists as he waited for his answers.

  Shay woke up slowly as her mind pieced together slowly what happened. Great, she thought to herself, I have been shot twice and now I was given something to knock my ass out. She opened her eyes slowly as she looked around the room noticing that it was not very big and she saw the rustic decorations, and she knew immediately that it was a cabin.

  She slowly sat up feeling her head spin for a moment before it cleared. After it cleared, she looked around her more to see if there a way out of this cabin when the door opened and Mrs. McCloud strolled in.

  “Good, you are awake,” she said looking at her strangely and Shay looked at her confused.

  “What did you give me, Jessica, if you don’t mind I call you Jessica?” Shay asked calmly as she walked over to her.

  “Something to knock you out, Shay, but don’t worry it won’t have any lasting effects. I needed to get here without you giving me a hard time about it,” she retorted.

  Shay looked at her and then she sighed as she said, “You know asking me probably would have had a better effect.”

  “I tried you remembered,” Jessica said and Shay saw a light enter her eyes before her eyes blanked.

  “Why did you need to get me here?” she asked again settling back into the couch she was sitting on.

  Jessica looked at her with pursed lips as Shay studied her. Life had not been kind to her, Shay realized, for her eyes held a dead look in them along with lots of anger and madness; her face was pale and thin while her lips were chapped as if she had stopped caring to maintain them. Her clothes hung on her body as if she was not eating right and her hands shook slightly as she clasped them tight together in her lap, and then Shay saw the handle of a knife sticking out from the cushion next to her. Shay frowned as she did not see her put it there unless it was already there and she just missed it.

  “I needed to finish the job,” she said and Shay looked at her in confusion until realization dawned, and her eyes widened in disbelief.

  “You are the one…one who shot me?” Shay asked her disbelief in her voice. “What have I ever done to you?”

  Jessica’s eyes gleamed with an unnatural light as she let out a terrible laugh that caused Shay to look at her for a moment in sadness.

  “It is only fitting that I kill my husband’s daughter with one of his many lovers’,” she sneered and Shay could not help the sympathy that filled her at her words.

  Shay’s next words shocked them both as she said lowly, “I am sorry, Mrs. McCloud, I never meant to be a remainder to you about anything.” Running a hand through her hair, she said with complete honestly, “I should have never made that turn into Pine Valley. I should have listened to my gut telling me to continue on.” Then she stopped and Jessica watched as her eyes gleamed for a second with an excitement before she whispered, “But then I would have never met Cordial.”

  “You knew,” Shane asked, and Cordial looked at the man that even when he was engaged to Charity, he never really trusted.

  “Shay and I discovered it together a while back when she went to find out how her and Charity were related,” Cordial stated without any remorse.

  “So she knows and yet…” Shane said cutting himself off.

  “Yes,” Ray said softly from where she had sat down. Shane looked over at her before he sighed, “When Jessica offered her the money to leave town, I thought at the time that she was really trying to protect Charity’s name, but I think differently now.”

  “Think differently how?” Cordial asked softly but with an edge to his voice.

  “I knew Charity better than anyone including you, Cordial,” he said and Cordial nodded his head in agreement. “I knew when she lost her virginity and I knew each time she took a new lover although I had hoped that she would have settled down when you two became engaged, but it did not happen. One reason why I was rushing the wedding, if you remember?”

  Cordial frowned as he remembered him pushing for them to get married sooner. Although if he remembered correctly, he had his suspicions then that it was for anything as noble as what he was saying. He had remembered Charity laughing when her father suggested the idea as her mother had pursed her lips and Cordial re
membered Jessica giving him a pained look before she blanked her expression.

  “I remember,” Cordial said tensely.

  Shane looked at him in sadness, “Cord, you really need to move on from Charity.”

  Cordial clenched his fists, but he just asked, “Why are you here, Shane?”

  Jessica looked at the woman in front of her and her mind actually cleared as she looked at her closely. Once could tell that Shay and Charity were twins, but Jessica noticed a few differences in them. Their eyes were both green, but Shay’s were a deeper green where Charity’s had been a lighter green. Charity had a chubby face where Shay’s face was thinner with high cheekbones. Jessica frowned at her as she pieced all these small things together. Was it possible, she asked herself as she looked at the young woman in front of her.

  “Are you okay, Mrs. McCloud?” Shay asked as Jessica shook her head.

  “Fine,” Jessica said looking at her. Then her eyes clouded as she began to talk, “Shane and I were high school sweethearts, and I loved him even though I knew that the reason he was with me was because of who my parents were. My dad tried to stop me from marrying him, but I would not listen and we married shortly after we graduated. For those first few years, things were great and he was devoted to me, or so I thought. I was not ready to have a baby although Shane wanted one badly so we tried, but we never conceived. It wasn’t until I went to the doctor’s that I found out why I could not have a baby. It seems my loveable husband had been giving me a little bit of arsenic poisoning not enough to kill me, but enough to mess with my insides. The poisoning caused me to have earlier menopause which ruined my chances of having children. I had been heartbroken when I discovered the news that I went to Shane’s office to tell him before I realized that it was him, and found him having sex with his assistant at the time on his desk. I did not stick around to see anymore, but went directly home. I never let on that I knew what he did nor does he know that I have documentation of every affair he has conducted since then.”