Through the Shadows

by Gloria Teague

  * * *

  Sharon pulled open the door, her sleep-disheveled hair around her head. She was completely awake, fear at being awakened at 3 A.M. wiping cobwebs of sleep from her mind. Her mouth was slack in surprise as seeing her daughter’s blanched face and entire body shivering in terror.

  “Honey! What is it?”

  She pulled Tori into the house, closing the door and wrapping an arm around her daughter with the same movement.

  “Baby, what’s wrong?” Moving away only far enough to quickly check for blood or visible injuries, Sharon’s own face was devoid of color. “Please Victoria, tell me what’s wrong.”

  Embarrassed shame colored Tori’s cheeks. Now that she was away from the phantasmal presence, she was already convincing herself she had imagined the entire incident. Of course, she couldn’t erase the unearthly words on the computer monitor, but if she concentrated hard enough, she might be able to come up with some type of logical explanation.

  “Mom, I’m okay, really I am. I just had a bad dream, and if you don’t mind, I’d like to sleep over here the rest of the night. You know, wanting your mommy when you get spooked.” Tori could tell that her laugh did nothing to relieve Sharon’s feeling that something was wrong, very wrong. She knew a mother’s instinct was a viable, real thing. She was thankful when her mother didn’t press the issue.

  “Well, of course you can stay here, Honey. You know you’re always welcome to spend the night. I like having my little girl with me.”

  Tori grinned at the term “little girl” and her mother’s look warned her to not push it. She hugged Sharon, said she was tired, and asked if they could just go to bed now.

  * * *

  Standing still in the vacated room, the glow of the computer cast no shadow on the wall as it shined against Avery’s form. Nevertheless, the pain etched upon his face was real.

  Chapter Eight

  Tori was greeted with a cascade of brilliant sunshine lying softly on her face. Though she stretched languidly, her thoughts were already in high gear. It took a few seconds for her to find her bearings.

  Where am I? This isn’t my room. Oh yeah, I’m at Mom’s. I came here last night after having the life nearly scared out of me. The book—ah yes, the book and words on the computer that I didn’t even write. And then there was that… that thing standing behind me in the room.

  An involuntary shudder traveled her spine and she threw off the blankets. She smelled the delicious aroma of coffee and breakfast before her feet hit the floor. At once, she was famished. Her mother had thoughtfully left a robe at the foot of the bed. Tori slipped it on, grateful for the warmth.

  Sharon met her with a smile and a kiss.

  “Good morning, Baby. How’d you sleep? I peeked in a couple of times and you seemed to be resting well.”

  “Oh, I slept like the dead. Hmm, bad terminology there. I mean, I slept like a log.” Tori grinned at Sharon’s look of amusement.

  The two women talked companionably over waffles. They talked about anything except what had brought Tori to Sharon’s at three in the morning.

  “Tori, we need to talk.”

  “Mom, please. I don’t really want to discuss it right now. I just want to get my head screwed on straight and go back home. I…”

  Sharon covered Tori’s hand with her own.

  “No, Sweetheart, not about that. Lydia and I have done something I’m sure you’re going to be mad about.”

  Tori paused in mid-bite, fork suspended in the air in front of her face, and looked at her mother warily.

  “O God, what have you two done this time?”

  Sharon held her stomach from laughing so hard.

  “You should see your face. Oh, this is priceless. Wish I’d had a camera to get a shot of that!”

  A lopsided grin met Sharon’s laughter.

  “Well, it’s just that you scare me when you start a sentence like that. Are you two planning to overthrow the government? Start a nuclear war? Create rioting in the streets? I never know what happens when you and Lydia get together; it’s always a shock to me.”

  “Oh, good grief. It’s nothing that drastic, Honey. I know you hate it when we meddle in your life, but we thought you should get out of that house more. We thought it might even be a good idea if you…”

  “If I… What? Come on, surely you two came up with a plan about how to ‘fix’ me.”

  Sharon hesitated in answering which made Tori nervous.

  “Mom? What is it? You’re worrying me now. Just open your mouth and spill the beans.”

  Sharon took a deep breath and plunged into the theory she and Lydia had devised. “We just feel it would be a good idea if you started seeing someone… a man. You need to get out of that gloomy house and enjoy life. Tori, there’s more to life than books, even if you don’t know that yet. If you dated, you could enjoy life instead of letting it pass you by. I know…”

  Tori held up her hand.

  “And do you two have a certain man in mind for this little experiment, someone devastatingly handsome to sweep me off my feet?”

  “Well…”

  Tori shocked her mother into silence by laughing out loud.

  “Oh, this is hilarious! Not only have you figured out how to mend my lonely heart, you’ve actually found a candidate. Tell me, Mom, who is this lucky man?”

  “Well, his name is Roger. Roger Hart. He’s a writer, too. Lydia knows him because he just became one of her clients.”

  “Oh? What does he write?”

  “He, uh, well, he writes science fiction.”

  “He does? How interesting.”

  Tori knew that her mother expected outrage and hurled remarks about them trying to control her life. She didn’t fail to see the look of surprised relief on her mother’s face.

  “Really? You think that’s interesting? I thought you believed sci-fi was a waste of the written word.”

  “I’ve grown up a little since I said that, Mom. I now admire all written works and the people who achieve their goals—live their dreams. But as far as you and Lydia setting me up for a blind date…”

  “Oh, no! It wouldn’t be like that, Tori. We’re going to have a nice dinner and invite both of you over…”

  “Wow, you’ve really got this all mapped out, don’t you? Tell me, were you going to consult with me before you picked out the dinnerware pattern?”

  Tori laughed again at her mother’s look of indignant hurt.

  “I’m only teasing you, Mom. Sure, this sounds like a good idea to me. What the heck? I might even like the guy.”

  “Really? You will? I never thought… Oh honey, I’m so glad you’re doing this. It’ll be good for you to meet someone. You might even fall in love and…”

  “Whoa there, Nelly! You’re putting the cart before the horse. How about just letting me meet the guy before you and Lydia arrange my wedding?”

  Sharon stood to wrap Tori in her arms. She kissed the top of her head, then strolled across the room to call Lydia and finish the dinner plans.

  Tori smiled around the next bite of food, listening to her mother’s end of the conversation with the agent, she could tell that she had happily surprised both women by agreeing to this dinner date without a fight.

  This isn’t going to kill me. Heck, I might even actually have fun. Starting to date may be what I need right now. It just might help me get my mind off Jim and Shawna, and chase away whatever ghost is floating around my imagination. Hey, it couldn’t hoit!

  Tori continued munching as she listened to her mother smilingly tell Lydia that all systems were go.

  * * *

  The house didn’t seem so frightening in the daylight. Tori squared her shoulders and walked into the computer room. Resolutely, she sat before the keyboard to see what new words had transpired since she had run from the house in terror. Somewhat amazed, she saw that no further words had been written in her absence. Sitting there, she began to question her own sanity.

  Okay, nothing new here. It only
happens when I’m in the house, supposedly asleep. Does this mean that it’s really me that’s doing all this? Have I lost it so much that I’m writing in my sleep and don’t remember any of it when I wake up? If this is true… Oh, girl, you do need to get a life!

  As was her habit lately, Tori began to speak out loud.

  “I guess it’s a good thing I’m going to meet this Roger person. If I’m lucky, he may just save me from myself.”

  Her chuckle was cut off by the sound of a crash in the living room. Tori ran to the source and saw that one of her lamps had overturned and was lying in the floor. She saw that she had left the door open and concluded a gust of wind had knocked the lamp off its base. She closed the door and almost mindlessly placed the lamp back to its original position before she headed back to the computer and her work.

  If Tori hadn’t been so preoccupied, she might have seen the semi-solid form standing there in the corner, glaring at her.

  * * *

  Tori stepped from the mounds of bubbles, then reached in to pull the plug. She stood watching the small whirlpool as the water emptied from the tub. Her mind was its own little dervish, planning her clothing choices for the dinner in a couple of hours. She was somewhat surprised to find she was actually looking forward to the evening.

  The wire hangers scraped across the metal rod as she tried to decide what to wear. This was one of those rare occasions when she wished she had more dresses, although she knew that it would be obvious to her mother and Sharon that she was trying to impress Roger. Her only defense in life had always been an assumed nonchalance; she couldn’t let her guard down now.

  Pulling a pair of black slacks from the closet, she assembled them with a white sweater she had bought just a few weeks before.

  Throw in a pair of black flats and ya got an ensemble. This is ridiculous. I don’t really care what one Roger Hart thinks of me. Do I?

  Tori applied a fine mist of body cologne before pulling her clothing over her still-damp body. Draping a towel around her shoulders, she walked to the bathroom to apply her make-up and try to tame the wild mass of red curls around her face. Holding a black clip against her hair, she decided it was just too “frou-frou” and threw it back in the drawer.

  Little over an hour later, Tori declared to herself it was as good as it was gonna get, slung her shoulder bag over her arm, and practically glided out the door. After she turned the key in the lock, she threw the key ring up in the air and caught it with a smile on her face. She grinned all the way to the car.

  * * *

  He stood there, jealousy and anger running rampant through his heart. The very idea that his Victoria was meeting a man drove him into a near frenzy. She loved him… him, damn it! But with this form in which he was trapped, he couldn’t show her just how much she loved him… needed him. He could feel changes taking place, that he was becoming… something. He somehow felt that, when she needed him the most, he would become a solid being for Victoria. Gritting his teeth, Avery only hoped it wouldn’t be too late.

  Chapter Nine

  The warm light pouring through the windows of Sharon’s home was beckoning. With a knot in the pit of her stomach, Tori walked slowly toward the door. Now that the actual moment to meet Roger had arrived, she was a bundle of nerves. What if he was ugly? What if he was insipid? What if he was handsome? What if he was handsome, exciting, and didn’t like her? Not giving herself more time to ponder this and become even more nervous, Tori smoothed her hair, took a deep breath, and opened the door with a smile on her lips.

  “Hello, everyone. Something smells delicious!”

  The only male in the room had been sitting on the sofa, but rose when Tori walked into the room. Wearing a dazzling smile, he extended his hand.

  “And you must be Victoria. I’m sorry; I was told you want to be called Tori. Tori. It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Roger Hart.”

  “Roger, how nice to meet you at last. I’ve heard many good things about you and your writing.”

  Tori glanced at her mother and agent. With an imperceptible shake of her head, she warned them to not voice the fact that she actually knew very little about the man because she hadn’t seemed that interested in finding out. Both women wore a conspiratorial grin.

  Lydia was the first one to insinuate a touch of reality.

  “Forgive me for seeming to rush into this, but dinner is ready. I don’t want to have the cheese soufflé fall while we stand here chit-chatting.”

  Roger pulled Tori’s chair out for her and the two older women stood to the side, beaming. As he turned to help Sharon and Lydia into their chairs, Tori smiled at them both. In spite of herself, she grinned at the two most important people in her life. No matter how hard she tried, she could never be angry with them. After all, their intention was to see that Tori was happy. Who could be upset with that logic?

  As the meal progressed, it gave Tori time to study Roger, as she was sure he was doing the same. She had to hand it to him; he was charming, witty, and intelligent. Relegating them with anecdotes about his writing career had them all laughing. Not even his horror stories concerning former agents ruffled Lydia’s feathers, which Tori would normally find impossible to fathom. It could have been that she remembered this man was a client, or perhaps it was Roger’s extraordinary good looks that held Lydia’s temper at bay.

  And, oh, but was he handsome! The only feature Roger had that Tori dismissed was his blonde hair. She had always leaned toward dark men. His eyes were a disturbing color of metal-gray, the same shade as the storm-ravaged sky. He was tall. Tori estimated him to be around six-foot-three. His tan, even in the midst of winter, spoke of someone who spent a great deal of time outdoors. That would also explain his rugged physique. His shoulders were wide and his torso tapered into narrow hips that proudly displayed a firm backside. Tori blushed at her own thoughts.

  It was as if Lydia read her mind, for as she stood to get the dessert, she leaned near enough to whisper in Tori’s ear, “A lean, mean sex machine.” Tori could feel the heat rush into her face, setting it on fire. Roger chose to act as if he hadn’t noticed.

  “So, Tori, tell me about your work. What do you like to write? How many books have you had published? I’m certain you’ve already heard I write science-fiction, but don’t hold that against me.” His laughter was deep and rich in texture.

  They became so engrossed in discussing their writing, neither one noticed when the two older women left the room. It took Lydia clearing her throat in the other room to bring them back to reality. The conversation stopped in mid-sentence, they grinned at each other, then joined Sharon and their agent in the living room.

  Soon afterward, Lydia’s antique grandfather clock chimed, announcing for all who were interested, that is was eleven o’clock. The look of surprise on Roger’s face was genuine.

  “I had no idea it was that late. Ladies, please forgive me. I became so enchanted with all of you that I may have worn out my welcome.”

  Lydia waved his protests away with the sweep of an elegant hand.

  “Oh Roger, chill out. It’s not all that late. If you had worn out your welcome, I would’ve been the first one to tell you. Just ask Tori and Sharon.” Her husky laugh made Roger grin.

  “Well, I need to be going, anyway. I had hoped to knock out the outline for my next book before midnight. I somehow doubt I’ll reach that goal now. Lydia, thank you for a wonderful dinner. I look forward to working with you this week. Sharon, a joy to have met you. He turned to Tori and took her hand between his own, “I hope that we may get together again. Maybe go to a movie after dinner some night soon.”

  Feeling her two matchmaker’s eyes on her, Tori smiled and said she would like that, she would like that very much, and gave Roger her home telephone number. She walked him to the door, waved at him as he walked to his car, then turned to both ladies, a mischievous grin on her face.

  “So, are both of you happy, now? You got what you wanted. I’m going to see him again.”

>   Sharon said, with her face blushing, “Oh, it didn’t really matter all that much to me, Dear. You know, if you liked him, and if you wanted to see him…”

  Lydia held no such qualms about being bluntly honest.

  “Yes, I’m happy, and so is your mother. It’s high time you started dating. God, you’ll be an old maid if you don’t do something soon. And it just might improve your disposition, young lady.”

  If possible, Sharon blushed more profusely. “Tori, darling, I didn’t…”

  Tori held up her hand. “Mom, it’s okay. Lydia is right in saying I need to meet someone, go out on dates. I don’t think, though, that I can qualify for ‘old maid’ status since I have been married. I want to thank you both, honestly. This may be the beginning of a nice friendship. As for more… we’ll have to wait and see, won’t we?”

  Sharon and Lydia both hugged their young charge, and Tori hugged them back fiercely.

  “Since it’s so late, and I seem to be so old in Lydia’s eyes, I think I’ll go home and go to bed. It’s been a long, eventful day for all of us. I love both of you. And I’m so grateful to have you meddling in my life.”

  At their look of shocked innocence, Tori giggled as she walked out the door.

  * * *

  The morning after the dinner party, cold rain drenched the countryside, promising to mature into snow before the day ended. Tori shivered and pulled the blanket under her chin. It seemed like her whole body was shaking. She wondered if she had a virus, if she may have infected Lydia and Sharon, and how could she have gotten so ill so quickly.

  How she dreaded getting up, but she had too. Tori needed to kick up the thermostat, grab a couple of aspirin, then run back to the warmth of her bed. She would forego the pleasure of a hot cup of coffee for now, knowing she wouldn’t want to stand on the cold linoleum as she measured out the scoops of coffee. She made a mental note in her feverish brain, at the first opportunity, to buy one of those coffee pots with an automatic timer. Taking a deep breath, Tori dissolved into a fit of coughing. With knees drawn up, she turned her face into the pillow, and harsh, hacking sounds filled her aching ears. When the spasms passed, she took short, shallow breaths.