Regina

by Mary Ann Moody

  Chapter Twenty-five

  She waited for me in one of the cozy patio chairs when I drove up. The sky turned dark and the shadows came alive. The warm summer air turned bitter as the sun fell. My mother relaxed in one of the chairs as if she didn’t have a care in the world. I parked the truck and got out. My feet crunched the gravel driveroad.

  “Regina, come sit by me.” She said in a silky voice that scared the hell out of me.

  “No. I want to ask you something.” I was too scared to go sit by her. Her face was black from the lack of light and her voice seemed different. She wore a light blue dress that highlighted her perfectly shaped legs.

  “That will wait. You have some explaining to do.”

  “Oh yeah? What must I explain?” I snorted.

  “Why you stole things that belong to me.” Her eyes narrowed and her cheeks turned fire red.

  “What did I steal from you?”

  “I went out to grandpa’s gardening hut today.”

  “Oh shit,” I whispered to myself. I shifted my stance and moved my eyes to the ground.

  “He keeps old mementos of my and Rachel’s young life in there. The containers he stored the items in were obviously disturbed. Items were taken, letters were read, but I guess I don’t have to tell you any of this, do I Regina?”

  “I was going to talk to you about it, but I wanted to wait for an appropriate time other than your mother’s funeral.”

  “Is that so?” She asked.

  “Yes, mom. I promise I didn’t look through those things in spite. You know me. I was curious about you at my age because you never talk about it. I was curious about aunt Rachel, you never talked about her before. I feel like a complete stranger in your life, but I’m your daughter, a person you should be close to. Yes, I was bored one day and found the shed. I honestly didn’t think anyone would mind if I looked through the tubs. I swear I was going to tell you after a little time passed. I swear.”

  “Why did you take my things?” She bellowed.

  “I didn’t take anything. I’ll admit I looked through the tubs, but I didn’t take anything.” I lied. It was better to admit I looked through the bins, but deny I took her stuff. Plus, if I admitted taking her things, Bill might become involved since I left those items with him in the box with my journal.

  “Really? You didn’t take anything?”

  “Yes, mom. I really didn’t take anything.”

  I looked into her darkened face as the minutes passed. Then, she hissed softly at me, “I will find what was taken and you will be punished.”

  “Well, you won’t find it with me.”

  Moments of silence passed as she contemplated my response. She seemed to cool down because her legs crossed and swayed with the breeze. Her posture seemed to relax. “You were going to ask me something?”

  “Yes ….” Before I could get the words out to confront her about the video, I felt something deep inside me screaming not to. It was like a big red NO flashed painfully in my head. I felt compelled to listen to it and I covered my lie quickly. “I wanted to know if I could visit Jane for a couple of days. I’ve been very good and I’m not behind in one class. My attendance is perfect, so a couple of days won’t hurt me.”

  I expected her to be annoyed at my question, but she sounded surprisingly motherly. “No.”

  “No?” I asked in disbelief.

  “No.” She said, but this time with more force.

  “Mom, why did you lie about grandpa and grandma, and aunt Rachel? In the pictures in the shed, you two looked as close as sisters could be. Why won’t you tell me the truth?”

  “You are taking things you see and spinning them into things that are not true.”

  “Really, mom? I don’t think I am.” My sarcasm was in full bloom.

  “Yes you are. I’m not going back over my life with you because I don’t owe you an explanation. You are unhappy with your life, and with your father and I. Don’t think I haven’t seen you with your sad face around here. You are doing everything you can to get back to New York.”

  “Of course I want to go home, but that has nothing to do with you being a liar! You know I didn’t hurt Steven, and you know Michael did it, that’s why aunt Rachel took him away. You and dad are trying to keep me here against my will.” I snapped.

  Something inside mom must’ve snapped, too. The air between us changed drastically. She stood up abruptly. Her shoulders hunched forward and a growl emanated from her chest.

  Now I must admit I was definitely scared of her at this point. I have no idea what would’ve happened next because a scream ripped into the night.

  We looked at the house. The scream came from the upstairs. Chills ran down my spine as I gazed up to my window. I scanned the house with my eyes and didn’t see anything. The only sound I heard were mine and mom’s breathing as we waited for it.

  “What the hell was that?” Mom breathed quietly. I heard the fear in her voice.

  “I don’t know.” I breathed just as quietly. “Is anyone in the house?”

  “No.” We looked at each other again, this time with fear instead of anger. “Let’s go up.”

  “No! Are you crazy, mom? Call dad.” I insisted. I placed my hand on hers in effort to stop her from going inside the house.

  “Dad took grandpa to get his meds before the store closed. They left thirty minutes ago. It’s up to us, Regina.”

  “Mom, please. I don’t want to go up there! I don’t want to!” I pleaded quietly with her. “Let’s just leave! Come on, I got the keys to the truck right here. Let’s just get in it and leave.”

  My brilliant mind ran into overtime. My feet caught up to my brain by walking to my truck with mom in tow, whether she wanted to or not.

  “Oh, screw it. Lead the way to the truck.” She responded.

  We sprinted quietly to my truck. The doors weren’t locked, thank goodness.

  Slam!

  We stopped for a second for some stupid reason.

  “What was that?” Mom asked.

  “Sounded like a door slamming shut.” I said. “Are you sure dad and grandpa aren’t home?”

  “Yes! I saw them leave! Their car is still gone!”

  Our eyes met with renewed fear. The night became still. The wind quieted down to nonexistence. It was creepy. The insects went silent and something filled up the air, a thickness maybe.

  I was the first one to see it. My truck faced away from the tank and gave me the perfect view of my bedroom window.

  “Mom! Look at my window.” I said as I pointed at it.

  She turned and gasped. Someone stood at my window, looking out at us. I wanted to say it was a person because it was shaped like a human. It had dark hair and white skin. I saw cuts on its face. It searched for us with its dead eyes.

  “Holy shit!” Mom screamed, not caring anymore about being quiet. “Get in the truck!”

  We opened the doors to the truck and heaved ourselves in. Mom locked her door once we got inside. I strapped on my seatbelt and easily jammed the keys into the ignition. Thank goodness I didn’t have one of those stupid Hollywood moments where the protagonist can’t get the keys in right. Before I got the truck into drive, the door leading out to the porch threw itself open. It made a loud bang and caught mom’s attention.

  She screamed from fright. One glance was all I needed. One glance told me the same woman at the window was now at the door. I didn’t look any further and concentrated on driving. I shifted the truck into drive and softly pushed the accelerator. No way was I getting the truck stuck in the mud. I steered the wheel to the left, catching the gravel driveroad. The truck came up and we bounced down road to the gate.

  Another scream pierced the sky as we drove away. It was horrible to drive away with that chasing us.

  “Please tell me you left the gate open.” Mom said.

  “I left the gate open.”

  “Oh, thank you.” Mom let out a sigh of relief but quickly gasped from fright when she saw the ga
te closed. “You said it was open!”

  “No, you said to tell you it was open. You didn’t ask if it was open.”

  “Oh really funny, Regina!” She exploded with anger.

  I threw the truck into park, shot out of the front seat, and unwrapped the chain holding the gate closed. The lock on the chain wasn’t actually locked so it only took a moment to get the gate open. I hopped back into the truck and sped away onto the highway, heading towards town.

  “Where do I go?” I asked.

  “Give me your phone. I’ll call dad. He’ll know what to do. Start heading towards Catfish Pharmacy.”

  We drove into town and met with dad and grandpa at a convenience store. Mom and I described what happened to us while they listened intently. Before we met them, mom and I reviewed our story. They seemed to believe us.

  “Well girls, I don’t know what to say. That’s some story.” Dad said.

  “It’s true, Jack. Someone was in the house and it wasn’t us. It wasn’t our imagination either.” Mom pleaded.

  “Honey, I believe you. However, I don’t know what you want me to do. George and I can go back to the house and check it out.”

  “No! I don’t want you going back there! Let’s get a hotel room outside of town and talk about it then.” Mom said.

  “A hotel room outside of town?” Dad scoffed at her. That was strange. He hadn’t disagreed with her once since we moved here. “Now listen, Lynda, I do believe you when you say something happened, but I don’t think going to a motel is the answer. I’m more than happy to check the house out to if it would make you feel better, but I’m not going to a motel.”

  “Oh yes you will, Jack Roth. You will take us to a hotel, not a motel, and not say another word about it. Do you understand?”

  “What has gotten into you?” Dad asked with amazement.

  “Regina, would you please get me a coffee from the store? I need to speak to your father and grandpa.” Mom asked me.

  “Sure. I’ll be back in a minute.”

  I watched in silence as mom and dad talked back and forth. Poor grandpa stood beside them looking very uncomfortable. I had no idea what they said. I got an extra coffee and sipped on it as I waited for them. It helped put heat and calmness back into my body. Personally, I didn’t care if we never stepped foot back inside that house.

  Mom did make dad take us to a hotel. There was a nice one thirty minutes outside of Lee. It had a pool and soft beds. Grandpa and I shared a room, I didn’t mind though. We stayed up watching television, as usual. Mom and dad bought dinner at a fast food place and we ate burgers at our little table in our hotel room. It felt like old times, however it felt strange, as if those good days were long gone and I lived in the past.

  I was asleep when they started talking. My eyes fluttered open at the sound of their voices. These days, I was a light sleeper.

  “I won’t go back there….” Mom said.

  “Yes we will. You don’t know it was her.” Dad said.

  Grandpa was fast asleep in the bed beside mine. My parents room adjoined ours, separated by a door. Though they tried to keep their voices down, it was impossible due to the topic. Their voices rang out just enough to hear at times. I didn’t dare move for fear that grandpa wasn’t really asleep. Last thing I wanted was to be caught eavesdropping.

  “….I saw it clear as crystal.” Mom cried out. “It was her.”

  “……her mother? I don’t believe in ghosts.” Dad responded.

  “Well you should. If you go back you will see it, too. She will be sure of it.”

  My father scoffed at her. I heard his feet stomp to the bathroom and slam the door shut. Mom started to cry. If she hadn’t become such a mean woman, I would’ve gone to her. Yet, I stayed where I was and listened to her. At some point, my father came out of the bathroom and went to bed. They didn’t talk anymore. I felt safe enough to get up without making it seem as if I had been listening to them. My desperation to use the restroom was undeniable at this point. Plus, I felt grimy. I wanted to take a shower.

  I went into the bathroom and closed the door behind me. I turned on the shower to hot and let it run while I brushed my teeth. The water ran too hot in the shower. It created a an unusual amount of steam on the mirror in front of me. The sound of a finger rubbing itself on the mirror drew my attention to my right. In front of my face, not less than two feet in front of me were the words RUN being spelled out in the steam on the mirror.

  She was there. I saw her reflection in the mirror. Her lips smiled at me, the dimple on her cheek prominently displayed. At first, I didn’t know what to do. I think I was too shocked to do anything. Then I remembered to scream.

  “Ahhhhhhhhh!”

  “What tha hell!” Grandpa roared from his bed.

  Mom and dad busted through the adjoining door. I don’t know why they did that because the door was not locked.

  “Mom! In here!” I shouted. “Hurry!”

  Everyone poured into the little bathroom and I pointed to the mirror. Their abrupt entrance created enough air for the message to disappear. It didn’t matter though, everyone saw it.

  “Did you see it?” I shakily whispered.

  At first, no one said anything. It seemed as if they were still thinking about it in their heads first. A little judge and jury panel deliberated in their minds about whether or not I was telling the truth. Dad’s jury was the first one who came to a conclusion.

  “Did you do that, Regina?” He boomed.

  “No! Dad, I swear! It just started writing itself!”

  Their eyes looked skeptical and somewhat doubtful, except for mom. She nodded her head in understanding. At this point, I was still upset at the sight of her face on the video so I couldn’t understand why she was agreeing with me now. Why this sudden camaraderie?

  “I told you so, Jack.” Mom interjected.

  “You told me so? Told me what, Lynda? Your daughter obviously loves her mother enough to create this scene tonight in order further prove your statements.”

  At this point, I didn’t think I loved my mother enough to do this for her in order to get his attention, but I didn’t say it. Some things are best left unsaid.

  “That is enough, Jack! You can return to the house if you want, but I’m not!”

  “What are you going to do, Lynda? Are you going back to New York?” My father hissed at her. That seemed to be enough to quiet her down. “Let’s just try to figure out what is going on here.”

  “Regina has asked to return to New York for a week. I told her no, but now I think it’s a good idea. Let’s get her out of here while we figure out what to do.” Mom said calmly, but dad wasn’t having any of it.

  “No. We agreed that would be a bad idea. Let’s return to the house tomorrow and decide then.”

  “I’m not sure I can go back to that house, Jack! It was scary!” She cried.

  “Then I don’t know what you want me to do, Lynda!” My father shouted at her. Never before had I seen them argue like this.

  The two of them stood there, panting from the fight and the harsh words. Grandpa and I just watched them as they continued. Strangely enough, we never left the bathroom while mom and dad argued about our next move.

  Grandpa had had enough. “Excuse me, huh. I’m going back to bed and in a couple of hours I’m going back to my home. Now, I’ve indulged you for tonight, young lady, but I don’t believe in ghosts and I will not leave my home. I ain’t never had no problems in my home before you three showed up at my door.” He snapped and made his way past my parents and back into his bed. “And shut the damn lights off!”

  Mom, dad, and I went back into their room and shut the door for Grandpa. We faced each other for a few silent minutes until Dad spoke up first. I was surprised to hear his voice much calmer than before.

  “Alright, Lynda. You win. We will leave that house.” Dad said softly and mom perked up with joy. “First, let’s go home and get a schedule prepared. Do we stay in Lee or move back t
o New York?”

  “I don’t want to go back there!” Mom exclaimed. Her eyes widened with genuine fear of returning to grandpa’s home. I thought her fear was completely justified.

  “It will be two weeks tops before your mother’s estate is finalized, and I won’t leave you alone in the house.” He added to sweeten the deal.

  I’m sure if he was given the choice, dad would’ve left me alone in the house in a heartbeat. I didn’t kid myself anymore, I knew dad’s view of me was forever changed the day we arrived in Lee. He caressed her face and kissed her deeply. Great, not again, and in front of me!

  “So, does this mean I can go home, too?” I interrupted. “Back to New York, I mean.”

  Once again, my father thought to himself. His mind seemed to churn with thoughts on the idea. I saw he was having an inner conflict with himself. Either nodding in agreement or dislike, I couldn’t tell. His eyes met my mother’s and they had another moment.

  “Yes, you can.” He answered.