Troubled Spirits

by Sandy Wolters

  “Do you remember…”

  “Mikala, darling, let me in there for a hug.” Jessie, the grandmother, almost knocked Jody down to get her chance at an embrace. Sobs wracked the woman, and all Jody could do was hold on as they swayed.

  Not liking being the center of attention, Jody tried not to show her discomfort. Apparently she’d failed. “Jessie, let the poor woman go. You’re embarrassing her.” After getting his wife to release Jody, Mr. Spurl put his arm around her and squeezed. “Thank you, dear girl, for keeping our grandbaby safe. Please, come inside and have a drink with us.”

  As Mr. Spurl poured the champagne, Mikala found her way onto Jody’s lap. A constant chatterbox, the little girl couldn’t stop talking. To Jody’s surprise, she relayed stories of how they’d kept each other company when they’d been locked in the box together.

  As hard as she tried, Jody just wasn’t able to remember much about the actual incident. The experience had been far too distressing. Their demise had been closer than she’d admitted to anyone. If the little girl had died that day, since she had been tethered to her, Jody felt confident she would have died as well.

  It frightened her that Mikala had kept those memories. In the end, she chalked it up to there being some reason in the grand scheme of things for that to be so. Jody had learned long ago, not to question the why of things. Someday, the rationale might become clear to her, or she may never get an answer. Only time would tell.

  There was a slight rap on the parlor room door before it opened. A handsome man swaggered into the room. Sitting next to Jared, she felt his body instantly tense. He squeezed Jody’s hand a little tighter. Before the man could be introduced, Jared quickly stood and pulled her up with him.

  “I’m sorry to be in such a rush, Mr. Spurl, but Jody and I have a long journey ahead of us. We really must get on the road.”

  Obviously taken aback by the abrupt change in Jared’s demeanor, Mr. Spurl stood. “Of course. But before you go, Agent Jursic wanted to introduce himself to Jody. He’s quite taken with her.”

  Before the agent could reach Jody, Jared had firmly placed himself in front of her. “I’m sorry. I don’t think this is wise. We’ll just take our leave.”

  Agent Jursic only spoke one word. “Please.”

  Hearing the plea in the man’s voice had Jody moving from behind Jared.

  “Jody—Ms. Clarke—you probably don’t remember me, but I was there the day you gave us the information that saved Mikala. People call me Jursic. I’ve never believed in psychics before, but what you did that day humbled me. Your gift saved a very special little girl. I’m grateful to you.”

  “Thank you, Agent Jursic. I’m sorry, but I have practically no memory of the events that happened that day. I’m not really comfortable with the title of psychic, either. I have abilities that can sometimes be used to help people. Nothing more.”

  His expression softened. “What I witnessed that day was truly a miracle. You should know what happened. You should see for yourself. I gave a copy of the video we made for evidence to Mr. Spurl. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind showing it to you.”

  “No!” Jared’s voice left no room for discussion.

  Jody’s attention turned to the patriarch of the family. “Mr. Spurl, If you don’t mind, I’d like a private moment with Jared.”

  “Of course, dear.” He started rustling people toward the door. “Before you came, I thought you might be interested in seeing the events of that day. I’ve got the video cued up on the laptop over there, if you decide to watch.” The door closed behind them with a soft whoosh.

  Jared crossed his arms and took a firm stance. “No. It’s not going to happen.”

  “Sweetheart, I need to see it. I need to know what happened to me, to you, all of it.”

  “Monkey, please, I’m begging you. Please, don’t watch it. It’ll just upset you more.”

  “You’re wrong. I’ve been worrying about the events of that day ever since it happened. It’s worse not knowing. Please, Jared. Don’t fight me on this. I have to know.” He remained standing in the middle of the room as she hit the play button.

  The truth about what the man she loved had gone through during that traumatic event had to be unveiled and brought out into the open. She had to see for herself if it was as bad from his perspective as she thought it might have been.

  The entire time the video played, Jared paced the room. She felt his eyes as they remained steady on her.

  The tension in the room steadily grew to the point the stagnant air could be cut with a knife. The area surrounding them became dense, forcing her to strain her lungs just to get a full breath.

  The event clearly still deeply affected him. That fact served to intensify Jody’s guilt. Jared had gotten stuck with what she perceived as the short end of the stick in their relationship. She held herself culpable for the immeasurable distress she’d dropped at his feet and, as time went by, continued to cause him.

  Since the event had occurred, she’d been grappling with this new gift of hers. Jody knew all the while there wasn’t a damn thing she could do to stop it. For her own personal safety, she did, however, feel a great need to curb it in some way. She’d wrestled with that thought night and day.

  As the nightmare continued to unfold on the video, it became apparent the risk wasn’t only hers. Jared carried much more of the burden than she did. He’d been very sweet and attentive since that day, never leaving her side. While he hadn’t voiced it, she knew he faced the same fear she did. Without question, another event would happen again. It was just a matter of time before it did.

  The video made Jody realize that his fear had been compounded because he might not be there to help her through it the next time. She could be lost, somewhere out there in the great big universe without the ability to find her way home to him. No matter how wrong that way of thinking was on his part, if that occurred, Jared would blame himself.

  Instead of her love giving him happiness, he felt the misery of worry and regret over their relationship. Who wouldn’t?

  Reflecting on the problem at hand, she realized just how difficult it would be to minimize her risk. She lived in the Phoenix metropolitan area with another four million living people. Add to that number all of the deceased, and her head hurt just thinking about it. With those kinds of numbers, the chances of another event happening very soon had given her more than enough sleepless nights.

  ****

  As they drove away from the Spurl’s home, Jody turned toward Jared as much as the seatbelt would allow. Knowing how important this weekend together would be, the decision to get out of town for a break from their worries calmed her.

  Reaching out for his hand, she cocooned it lovingly between both of hers. Her worry for him was boundless. Not about his leaving her because she knew now, after watching the video, he never would. Yet, Jody had been horrified to discover that what Jared had gone through during the event was much worse than she could’ve ever imagined.

  Her misgivings stemmed from having dragged him inadvertently into her own personal hell. That was unforgivable.

  The thought that her abilities left him more troubled than her, distressed Jody beyond belief. Truth be told, with everything that had transpired regarding the event, he’d ended up more anxious than her. Knowing his love for her had saddled him with a whole new set of problems, devastated Jody. Love wasn’t supposed to be fraught with misery. God knows, in a very short period of time, she’d caused him more than his fair share.

  Because of her, Jared’s life had been completely turned upside down. Jody saw it in his eyes, in his face, the way he carried himself—he was a constant ball of nerves. No. It goes far beyond that. It was fear. Not for himself but for her, which made her guilt all the worse. She’d made him unhappy, and that fell hard on her shoulders.

  Selfishly, she’d allowed him into her life, knowing full well it would be hard for him. Granted, upon reflection, Jody’s life seemed almost mellow back then compared to now. Sh
e had no idea the turn her abilities would take. Those so called gifts were the determining factor in making an inescapable nightmare out of both living with and loving her.

  Wanting to keep him close, Jody lifted Jared’s hand to kiss it. She’d cherished the time they’d had together. Her eyes started to fill with tears so she shuttered them, not wanting him to know how upset she’d become. She nuzzled his hand with her cheek, getting as much warmth and love from him while she still could.

  For the past few weeks, her fear had kept her in a reclusive state leaving her bound to the privacy of Jared’s home. Jody was scared to death she’d touch something or someone and snap the tenuous thread that held her together. If that were to happen, Jared would be left to pick up the pieces of her messed up life. He’d do it in a heartbeat. She knew that. He wouldn’t complain. She knew that, too. But the realization hit that life with her had become a prison sentence serving hard time rather than the happily-ever-after he deserved. Jared had never left her side and never complained about being shut into their own private penitentiary. It wouldn’t be long before he felt like being with her had earned him a life sentence in the deepest, darkest hell imaginable.

  The video had sealed the deal. There would be no turning back from the decision she’d finally made. Jared meant more to her than life itself. Jody couldn’t and wouldn’t continue to put him in situations that brought him nothing but fear and heartache. Life with her just wasn’t worth it.

  She’d have to find a place to live somewhere away from people. Jody would have to isolate herself—close herself off from the outside world as much as possible. And she’d have to do it all alone. Jared had already given up enough for her. She’d never ask him to leave everything he had built for himself. She wouldn’t ask him to disengage from the life he led or allow him to leave everything he was comfortable with just for her. It wasn’t fair to him. She’d brought nothing but heartache and worry into his life, and he deserved so much more than that.

  As she reviewed their relationship, Jody started to realize just how one-sided it had been. So far, Jared had changed everything in his life for her. The fact that she wasn’t capable of doing that for him made her feel like the worst human being on earth. There was no question about it. If she had the power to do so, she’d change in a heartbeat. But the plain and simple truth of the matter was that she didn’t have that power. Just because it wasn’t within her reach to change, didn’t make it any less unfair for him. It had become obvious she’d never be rid of these abilities of hers. And worse, she couldn’t foresee ever being able to enjoy her life with the threat of them hanging so heavily over her head. She wouldn’t be responsible for dragging him down such a detestable path.

  As the realization of leaving Jared fermented, Jody felt a ripping pain in her heart as it broke in two. She wanted to give him this last weekend, make it special for both of them. She wanted to make him happy one last time before leaving. Her heart knew it was the best thing for him. He wouldn’t give up on their relationship without a fight. But if she didn’t leave, he’d end up regretting ever having met her. She’d never allow that to happen. When he thought of her, she wanted him to reminisce with love. From the moment the video had been viewed, she accepted the responsibility for the look of complete and utter despair on his face as he’d held her and forced life back into her body. She could never ask him to go through that again. Never.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  It wasn’t until he realized Jody had fallen asleep that Jared could finally relax. Knowing she’d been able to put the video behind her had him breathing easy for the first time in the last two hours. He’d done everything, short of begging, to convince her not to watch it. But in the end, she’d insisted. My girl is fierce.

  He didn’t know what he’d expected, but her calm acceptance of seeing herself so out of control certainly hadn’t been on his radar. As she watched the video, he’d hoped Jody would concentrate more on how they worked together as a team rather than what she’d personally experienced. Maybe they could finally put this whole mess behind them now and move on with their lives together.

  Since the event, he hadn’t been able to pull Jody out of her funk. Jared couldn’t pretend to understand what her mind and body had been through that day but could offer support and a shoulder to cry on. Every time he tried to get her to open up, she’d calmly state that she was fine as if a barrier had been constructed to hide her feelings.

  Each dawning day seemed to carry Jody to a darker place—a place she wouldn’t allow him entry. In the end, he backed off and gave her the space she seemed to need.

  Hopefully, this weekend would be a new start for them. Without Jody knowing, Jared had worked very hard over the last few weeks to put this weekend together. Each night she fell asleep, he would sneak out of their bedroom and worked out the details from his home office. Nathan and Terry had even gotten involved in the planning. All the work would be worth it if she were able to find the peace she so richly deserved.

  Knowing there’d never be a moment’s rest for her in Phoenix, he planned to convince her she might be safer some place more secluded. Jody needed a safe haven, someplace she could move around without fear of being afflicted by troubled spirits or grieving people, either past or present. She needed a place in which it would be possible to find and heal herself, ultimately gaining her happiness again.

  Pulling the car to a stop, Jared turned the engine off. He had to admit, the cabin, highlighted with moonlight, was stunning. It certainly lived up to everything he’d heard about it. The time had come to reveal the real reason they were here. He couldn’t help but feel their future happiness rode on the outcome of the next few minutes.

  Jared hated waking Jody while she slept so peacefully, but he needed to get her inside. Reaching into the car, he stroked her hair. “Wake up, Monkey. We’re here.”

  He loved the sparkle of life and joy her eyes held in the first moments after waking. But it saddened him how quickly the happiness disappeared once she became fully awake.

  She pulled him into the car for a kiss. “Hold me, Jared.” He tried to shake off the ominous feeling the tremor in her voice caused.

  “Come on, Monkey. I’ve got a few surprises for you.” Pulling her from the car, he wrapped his arms around her and held on tight.

  The crisp, fresh scent of pine did more to soothe her soul than any measure of meditation or mantras could. Each deep breath seemed to energize Jody and carry her worries away. There was something mystical and rejuvenating about this place.

  “What do you think?”

  The beauty of the cabin left her speechless. While Jared’s Camelback Mountain estate was the picture of grandeur and opulence, something right out of the pages of Architectural Digest, this rural cabin felt real, felt warm. Above all else the simple cabin in the pines felt more like a home than the Phoenix residence ever could. It was rustic and yet elegant in a purely natural way. The wraparound front porch held rocking chairs and tables, so the occupants could enjoy watching wildlife as they lazed the afternoon away. More importantly this place felt safe.

  She spread her arms wide, leaned her head back, and took a deep cleansing breath. Opening herself up to the vibrations of the land, Jody tested the waters and received no messages, felt no ghosts. For the first time in weeks, her smile was genuine. “Oh, Jared, it’s beautiful!”

  Feeling as though she didn’t have a care in the world, they walked arm and arm up to the house. He started to put the key in the door but suddenly turned to her and pulled her into his arms.

  “Do you love me, Monkey?”

  Jody reached out and grazed his mouth with her fingers, wondering if his skin tingled with her touch the way she tingled with his. “With all my heart.”

  Her heart swelled with love as he kept the kiss tender. “I’ve got a surprise for you,” he whispered into her mouth, anxious to get her inside. “I want you to close your eyes, and I’ll guide you in.”

  Excitement built between them as he
led her through the door. “What have you done?”

  “Here.” He positioned her and put his hands on her shoulders. “Open your eyes.”

  Jody blinked a few times until she got her bearings in the semi-dark room. Candlelight softly lit the room, and several dozen roses gave the area a breathtakingly romantic feel.

  The gorgeous woodwork drew her attention. Even with the large, open floor plan, the real log walls gave the room a warm, intimate feel. As she turned, the kitchen caught her eye. There, the walls were made of rock with copper embellishments throughout. It truly was the heart of this home and a place where she envisioned the occupant’s dreams had been built throughout the years.

  His arms moved around her as she automatically leaned back into him. “Oh Jared, I don’t know what to say. It’s spectacular, more than I ever could have dreamed for a vacation hideaway.”

  “Come with me. I want to show you something else.” Jody couldn’t keep her fingers from skimming the roughened logs which made up the walls as they walked to the back of the house. They stopped in front of a picture window large enough to see the beautiful moonlit trees surrounding the home from anywhere in the room. Jared turned the outside lights on to expose a back deck overlooking a large pond with a dock. They moved through the double doors and viewed the beautiful, natural landscape surrounding the cabin.

  Wrapping her arms around his waist, she squeezed close into his side. “Oh, Jared, this place feels so peaceful, so serene. No matter how hard I’ve tried, I hadn’t been able to recapture that feeling since before Fiona came into our lives. It feels safe.”

  Turning her toward him, he held her close to his chest. “I had a priest come and bless the house. A shaman blessed the land. A medium cleared out all the ghosts. I had a local Wiccan coven come and place wards throughout the house and land to make this your sanctuary. This cabin is your safe spot where nothing can hurt you when you’re here. This home is our paradise.