by Yvonne Heidt
“Who are you talking about?” Mary turned around in confusion. “She who?”
Natalie shot her a look and then panicked. “Oh God, don’t look now. Here she comes. What do I do?”
Van stopped when she stood next to Natalie and whispered in her ear, “Do you like what you see?” she asked.
Natalie sputtered. Had Van read her mind? “Excuse me? What did you say?”
“The fountain. Do you like the fountain?”
“Oh, you mean the fountain! Yes, I love it.” Natalie was mortified at what she had been thinking; she tried to play it off. “Did you design it?”
“I did.”
“Oh? How interesting.” Great, Natalie, you dumbass. Think of something to say.
Natalie turned to Mary, silently imploring her to say something.
“Aren’t you guys located off Highway Three? I’ve never been there, though I’ve heard it’s lovely,” Mary jumped in.
Van smiled politely. “Thank you. Natalie, could I talk to you for a minute?” She drew her out a couple of feet away.
Natalie felt a little lightheaded. “Yes?” Had she even managed more than two-syllable words since she met this woman?
“Will you go out to dinner with me tonight?”
“No.” Natalie flushed and stuttered when she saw the disappointed look on Van’s face.
“No. I mean, I can’t go tonight. I can the next night, though.”
“Okay, then.” Her smile lit her eyes, and Natalie felt her knees turn to Jell-O.
“There you two are!” Natalie’s mother came running up, shopping bags swinging on her arms. “I need help with some of the other things I’ve bought.”
Mary took two bags from her. “Colleen, this is Van. Van, this is Natalie’s mother, Colleen.”
“Nice to meet you, Colleen.”
“You too.” Natalie’s mother looked at her, then Van and back again. “Uh, oh.”
*
Natalie waited until her mother and Mary were seated in the living room sipping a glass of wine before she decided she would get this conversation out of the way. She had successfully evaded their questions about Van and wanted to put her thoughts in order first. Her dreams and house were haunted by the lovely Sarah, and she’d finally broken through the wall of denial she’d been living behind for most of her life.
She was in the process of mentally preparing her speech, the bombshell she was about to drop when she felt her mother’s eyes swing over to her. Natalie paused for a minute and jumped in. “I have something to tell you.”
They both looked at her. “Okay, shoot.”
“I think I’m a lesbian.”
Mary paused for a second and took a sip of her drink. Her mother continued to look at her directly. Neither said anything.
“Did you hear what I just said?” Natalie raised her voice a little. “I said I’m a lesbian.”
Silence.
“Mom? Mary? Say something.”
“Oh, honey,” said her mother. “It took you long enough.”
Mary sipped her wine. “I’ve often wondered. But what brought this on? Is this because of what Jason did to you?”
“What do you mean it took me long enough?” Natalie asked crossly. “I didn’t even think about it until recently. You’ve often wondered? Why didn’t anybody tell me?”
“Well, as much as I love you, Nat, I’m not leaving my husband.”
Natalie spun around. “What?”
“She’s only kidding, sweetheart. Now tell us, dear, how you came to this epiphany.”
“God, I’m embarrassed at how cliché this all sounds. But, here goes. I never thought about boys at all while I was in school. I just never could see what the whole fuss was about. I just accepted the fact that I was the class geek and concentrated on my grades. It’s not as if anyone wanted to date me anyway.”
“You were adorable, Natalie.” Her mother jumped to her defense.
“Mom. I had acne and braces. I stayed in my room all the time.”
“But you outgrew all that,” Mary said.
“Yes, I did, later. By the time I was finishing college I had still put everything I had into my studies and then painting. I just thought I was a late bloomer.”
Her mother’s tone was gentle. “Honey, do you remember when you used to watch Lost in Space reruns when you were growing up? What was that girl’s name again? The middle one, you know, cute, long, dark hair.”
Natalie smiled. “Penny. Her name was Penny.”
“Yes, that’s right. Penny. Do you remember telling me that you were going to marry her?”
“Mom, I was nine.”
“Okay, do you remember the Partridge Family? The oldest sister, Laurie? I seem to recall you saying you had a crush on her also.”
Natalie knew her face turned bright red. “Mom!”
“Oh, and let’s not forget how you would never miss an episode of Days of Our Lives, with that Hope character, and—”
“Oh, I’ve got one!” Mary shot her hand in the air. “Pick me, pick me!”
Natalie’s mother pointed obligingly. “Your turn, dear. Go ahead.”
“Nat, do you remember all the hair bands? You loved them.”
“Mary, they were men.”
“No, Natalie. They were pretty, pretty boys with lots of hair and they wore makeup.” She stirred in her chair. “Come to think of it, I loved them, also. Hmm. No, I’m just kidding. Nat, honey, all I have to do is look at your art and know how much you love women and their bodies. It completely personifies how beautiful women are.” Mary smiled. “Would any of this have something to do with the blond Amazon today?”
Natalie looked at her folded hands. “Maybe, but I don’t know if I would have considered dating her if it hadn’t been for the dreams about Sarah.”
“Is this Sarah the one in the painting?” her mother asked.
“I’m sure of it. I just have this feeling I know her. I mean, I thought she looked familiar before I had the dream, too. What did you mean, Mom, when you said this is a doorway?”
“Well, you telling me of your dream is proof of that theory. It is a feminine energy that comes through there. I also sense deep love and passion.”
“Do you believe me that she’s moved positions in the painting?”
“Wait a minute,” Mary jumped in. “You didn’t tell me about that. So you’re telling me that woman moved in the painting then came on to you? Do you realize how that sounds?”
“Of course I realize how it sounds,” Natalie snapped. “That’s why I didn’t tell you. Mom, do you think I’m going crazy?”
“No, Natalie. I don’t think you’re going crazy. I believe there are other forces at work here. We will try and research to get to the bottom of it. What do you know of the male spirit? Did you dream of him also?”
The hair on Natalie’s arms stood on end. “He seems violent and I’m a little scared of him. But I don’t know if it’s my fear or Sarah’s.”
A look of disgust covered Mary’s face. “What man spirit? Now what are you talking about?” She stopped, opened her mouth, and stopped again. “Oh. This has to do with the previous owners, right? And why everyone who has lived here in the past leaves.”
“I think it’s time you told us about what you’ve heard about this house. We can talk about my sexual orientation later.” Natalie rolled her shoulders at the sudden tension in the room. “Is it me or is it colder in here?”
“The subject should be brought up in another location. If it’s as negative as I think it is, the energy feeds off of attention. Especially fear.”
“Can he hurt Natalie?” Mary asked.
“I’d love to say no, but I’m not sure. I don’t know enough about it yet.”
“But you will, I have faith in you. Now what do we do?”
“Now, we all go out for a nice dinner. Mary, can your men fend for themselves?”
“Why, yes, Miss Colleen. They certainly can. Let me just give them a quick call. I don’t want to miss
any of this. There’s a great little restaurant on Main. We can go there.”
“I’ll grab a light sweater.”
Natalie’s mother stood and grabbed her purse. “Which one of you girls is paying?”
“I believe your daughter, the successful lesbian artist, can afford it,” Mary said. “Oh, and don’t think you’re going to get out of telling us about that gorgeous woman at the market today, either.”
Natalie was the last one out when she thought she heard a door slam upstairs. She quickly locked the door then ran to the car.
*
Van was exhausted, but she had appointments for the next week with several potential new clients and her father would be happy. Breaking down the booth at the market was hard, tedious work, and she was hungry. She headed into the kitchen to see what she could make with a minimum of fuss. The beer bottles on the top shelf caught her eye and she snagged one out of habit and set it on the counter while she made a sandwich.
While she ate, Van checked her messages. One was from Annette, her team captain calling to remind her of their last softball game of the season tomorrow morning. The other was also from Annette, inviting her to come to Miss Apple’s Tavern with the rest of the girls and play, although not necessarily a team sport.
Normally, Van would have wolfed the rest of her food and met them to avoid the loneliness that was a Saturday night staple for her. But tonight, just the thought of the whole bar scene tired her even more. Sitting at the table, staring at the bottle in front of her, Van stopped her hand in mid grab. Did she really want to get buzzed here by herself? Hadn’t she done enough of that?
Condensation ran down the cold bottle to form a ring at its base. Van’s mouth didn’t water at the sight; instead she was reminded of falling tears. What was she doing with her life?
Natalie’s face intruded into her thoughts. Weird, she hadn’t thought much about how numb she had been until she met her. Numb was normal until she stepped her work boots onto Natalie’s front porch. Van hadn’t been a saint about female companionship since Cara died; she just wasn’t really present. Not much made it past the ice fortress she had built around her heart. It hadn’t mattered.
What had she been thinking asking a client out? The invitation was out of her mouth before she thought twice about it. She was so darn cute standing there looking at her with those big eyes. She looked innocent and sexy at the same time. It was turning out to be an intoxicating combination.
She felt a little sneaky, but she Googled Natalie Chambers anyway. Several links were listed on the home page, and the first one she clicked on was a Bay Area society article that mentioned her divorce. Another click and she came across a picture of Natalie in a little black dress standing next to a tall blond man with a toothy smile. Both were toasting something with their champagne glasses.
Van superimposed the image on the screen with Natalie this afternoon in cutoffs and tank top and decided she liked her casual much better. She spent the better part of an hour looking at thumbnails of Natalie’s paintings. They were gorgeous. She didn’t know much about art, but she would have known that these were painted by a woman. The nudity was soft and beautiful, hinting at sensuality.
Her favorite painting was the one of a red-haired goddess that appeared to be merged into the mountains and sunset behind her. She had no problem picturing Natalie’s face in the painting, or Natalie on her back in her bed. Natalie’s hair laying tangled on her pillows with a fine sheen of sweat on her naked skin. Van clenched her thighs together and imagined how she would touch, taste, and explore.
Jesus. When had her libido turned sixteen again? Van poured the beer down the sink and headed for a cold shower.
Chapter Nine
Natalie listened to her mother and Mary chatter in the front seat while on their way to the restaurant. She couldn’t seem to concentrate. Her mind was reeling with questions and possibilities, but none of her thoughts seemed to run in any kind of sequence. She was confused and tired. She waited until they ordered and drinks were on the table before jumping into the conversation. “Okay, Mom. Can you tell more of what is going on in the house now?”
“First impression?”
“Yes.”
“When I first arrived, on my way up to the house, I felt a barrier of sorts.”
“Barrier? What kind?” asked Mary.
“It’s a wall of energy that gives me a physical reaction. Cold chills, the hair rising on the back of my neck, things of that sort. Before I could get a handle on it, Natalie came barreling out of the house and it disappeared.”
“And the painting?” asked Natalie. “You’ve said a couple of times that it was a doorway.”
“Of sorts,” her mother answered. “There’s a strong feminine energy attached to it. I get the impression of powerful emotions. Love, passion, heartbreak, waiting.”
“Waiting?”
Her mother paused. “It’s hard to explain.” She directed her attention to Mary’s question. “It’s that I can feel Sarah’s emotions when I’m near it. My grandmother always explained it as the Knowing. There are times when there is a strong emotional attachment to an object, that spirit attaches itself to it. You hear of haunted objects in antique stores and such.”
“That’s residual emotions, right?”
“Right, but…”
“Go ahead, Mom. I’m a big girl.”
“The longer I’m in the house, the energy doesn’t feel residual. It feels trapped instead.”
“Is this where the dark man comes in?” Mary asked.
“Yes. What I pick up from that energy is stronger. I’ve got the impression that he keeps Sarah trapped and she’s unable to move on. He feeds off negative emotion and gets stronger.”
“So it makes sense that he’s the one I hear walking the hallways and slamming doors.”
“What does all this have to do with Natalie?”
“I don’t know all the answers, Mary. Knowing isn’t an exact science; it’s feelings and intuition.”
Natalie felt a little helpless. “So what do we do about it?”
“We try and find out what we can about the history of the house and contact some of the previous owners to ask them what they experienced and why they left. We try and cleanse the house of the dark energy.”
“What if it doesn’t work?” asked Natalie.
“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”
*
Natalie stood in the hallway. She could hear voices that appeared to be having a conversation, but she couldn’t quite make out what they were saying. She strained her ears to decipher the direction she should go.
The turret room.
She approached the door then watched her hand reach for the knob in slow motion. Natalie turned it quietly. What? Did she think she was going to sneak up on them in the dark? She felt as if she were swimming in ice water and her pulse beat loudly in her ears.
Natalie grabbed the banister for support. When she reached the top landing she hit the light switch. The room was empty, but the voices grew in volume, spinning around her, almost tangible like a speeding train. It was making her dizzy. Natalie put her hands over her ears and slid down the wall to sit on the floor with her knees drawn up to her chest.
The room stopped turning and Natalie lowered her hands.
“Stop fidgeting. You’re ruining my lines.”
Natalie’s eyes snapped open and she saw Sarah standing by the window.
“It’s too hot in here, Beth.” Sarah fanned a hand in front of her face. “Can’t we finish this later?”
“I’m almost done. Please, just a few more minutes? Go back to where you were. I want this to be perfect. Like you.”
Natalie was puzzled by the additional voice. Who was Beth? She tried to see over the top of the easel but couldn’t from her position on the floor. She felt frozen in place.
“You think I’m perfect?” Sarah’s cheeks turned pink.
“Yes. Now please, get back into position.”
/> Natalie was amused at Beth’s tone of voice. She herself had used it on many occasions when painting a live model.
Sarah turned toward the window and placed one hand on the frame, the other along the back of the armchair beside her.
The second Natalie saw her flip her long hair behind her she immediately recognized the pose in the oil painting downstairs. A low electrical charge seemed to buzz along her skin. She was more curious than afraid but gasped anyway when Beth moved out from behind the easel. She looked like Natalie’s twin, right down to the mole she had to the left of her upper lip. She was a much younger version and her hair was longer, but the resemblance was so strong it was spooky. Suddenly, the dreams of making love with Sarah made more sense. It wasn’t Natalie that Sarah saw. It was this look-alike, Beth. Natalie was completely enthralled with the scene in front of her.
Sarah jumped when Beth approached from behind and lightly grazed the tips of her breasts through the thin material.
“You’re nipples were hard when we started,” Beth said then kissed the side of Sarah’s long neck. “Now don’t move. Hold it just like that.”
Beth crossed back to the easel and hours seemed to pass in seconds while Natalie watched her mix paint and the brushes fly to the canvas. In her mind’s eye, she painted along with her.
“Are you finished yet?”
“Yes.”
“Can I see?”
Beth put down her brushes. A blue smear crossed her cheek and her hands were covered in paint splatter. Sarah crossed to her; the diaphanous gown moved like water around her. Natalie heard the small sigh of appreciation.
“Oh, Beth, it’s beautiful. I love how you painted the full moon. Do I really look like that?”
“Better.” Beth put her arm around Sarah. “Do you truly like it?”
“I love it.” Sarah cupped Beth’s face in her hands. “I love you.”
Natalie saw the sweet expression on Beth’s face and it tugged at her heart. When Sarah tipped her head to kiss her, she nearly sighed out loud. They were so obviously in love.
