Rose’s eyes flew open and she lay in bed listening to the pounding of her heart. It had just been a dream, she told herself. As she’d desperately hoped within the dream itself. Another horrible dream. Her eyes drifted to the window, where clouds just now drifted away from the sun. A moment ago she could have sworn it was night, the world dark beyond her window, but even when she closed her eyes briefly the light penetrated her eyelids. Sunlight poured into the room and Rose knew it would be a gorgeous day in complete contrast to the darkness she’d just experienced.
She showered, dressed and went downstairs, suspecting she’d find Olivia sitting outside on the patio. Olivia wasn’t one to waste a beautiful morning and Rose couldn’t help feel a little guilty for having slept in. The kitchen clock showed it to be closing in on ten already. Wasn’t she supposed to do something today? Oh, yes! She and Joseph were going to the florist to finalize the arrangements. It was so sweet of him to indulge her that way.
Rose opened the French doors and stepped outside, breathing in scents from the garden—roses, zinnias and wisteria. So lovely. She heard voices and a glance brought a dazzling flash of Linda’s red hair reflecting sunlight. Linda and Olivia leaned in toward each other, speaking quietly, and something tugged at Rose’s memory. Something about a beach and words spoken there that had brought her pain, something dredged up from the past. But Rose couldn’t quite remember now. Almost like a dream that had slipped away upon awakening. And maybe that was it. Maybe it had just been another one of her dreams.
As Rose descended the steps, Olivia and Linda stopped talking and turned in her direction. Both offered smiles.
“Are you two sharing secrets?” Rose said. “You looked thick as thieves over there for a moment.”
Linda laughed, tossing a curtain of fiery hair over her shoulder. “You caught us gossiping again. Did you know that the Campbells are both on their second marriage? In fact, two of their three boys are from his first marriage. I always thought she looked a little young to have teenage sons. Not to mention her figure. No way she popped out three kids.”
Olivia chuckled and fanned away cigarette smoke.
The Campbells. It took a moment but then Rose remembered. Of course, they lived two blocks over. Mr. Campbell was in his forties and drove a tan Jaguar convertible. Mrs. Campbell looked to be at least ten years younger. It was true, what Linda said about Natalie Campbell’s figure. She always drew stares at the country club pool, from men and women alike. Not being very curvy herself, Rose had to admit she’d felt envious a few times. As she’d also felt envy at Linda for possessing a silk curtain of red hair when her own was mousy and frizzy. If Joseph only knew how many hours she spent with her hair rolled in curlers he’d probably run for the hills. Rose still wasn’t sure how she’d manage to keep that from him after they got married.
Rose took a seat at the table. “It’s funny. I haven’t seen them around for a while. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I even thought about them. I wondered if they might have moved.”
Olivia and Linda exchanged a quick glance.
“No, they still live in the neighborhood,” Olivia said. “Nothing’s changed.”
For no reason she could think of, that image of a beach flashed in Rose’s mind again. She’d gotten upset about something but what was it? She remembered Joseph being there, sitting across from her on a blanket. Then two other people came to mind. She imagined an Asian girl, pretty, just a little older than herself. Rose pictured her standing alone at the water’s edge. There’d been a boy too, about Joseph’s age, with warm brown eyes. All of a sudden, the names came back to her. How could she possibly have forgotten?
“Well, there have been some changes,” Rose said. “There’s the new couple down the street.” She turned to Linda. “Henry and Nikki. I can’t believe I haven’t told you about them yet. I think you’d really like them.”
When she expected Linda to become instantly riveted with curiosity, instead she briefly glanced at Olivia before returning her attention to Rose. “New couple?”
Rose looked at Olivia. “You didn’t tell her either?”
Olivia cocked her head but didn’t say anything.
“Henry and Nikki,” Rose said.
Olivia shook her head. She took a puff of her cigarette.
“They bought the Morgan’s old house,” Rose said. “Well, I don’t know if they bought it themselves or if it might have been a wedding gift. It’s not like I’m about to ask, but they moved in this week. Honestly, Grandmother, you must remember them. How could you not?”
Olivia exchanged eye contact with Linda again. She took a sip of coffee and stubbed out her cigarette, fanning smoke away. “New couple,” she said. “I’m sorry, dear.”
“They came over the other day!” Rose said. “Remember? The new couple. I nearly hit their car backing out of the driveway. I told you all about it.”
Finally, Olivia nodded. “You did mention nearly causing an accident. But that was just some people driving through the neighborhood.” She turned back to Linda. “Probably just some nosey Parkers, if you ask me.”
Rose’s heart started beating faster. Her face grew hot as her eyes flicked back and forth between Linda and Olivia.
“I heard the Sutherlands had relatives visiting,” Linda said. “Rose, do you think maybe—”
“No! It was Henry and Nikki!” Rose hadn’t anticipated how loud she’d be and now it was too late. She’d virtually screamed and no wonder Olivia’s eyes shot to the neighboring property. It really was quite possible that Rose’s protest had been heard within surround houses. The fact was, she’d sounded insane.
Rose parted her lips to speak again but nothing came out. Was she possibly coming undone? Had Henry and Nikki been just another one of her vivid dreams, one that hadn’t been remembered as such the following day? No, that wasn’t it. Rose felt entirely certain she’d—
“Rose, dear, did you get enough sleep last night? You look rather tired today.”
Rose found herself looking into Olivia’s concerned eyes, the same eyes that had measured her well-being for as long as she could remember. In fact, Rose could barely recall what looking into her parent’s eyes had felt like. A dim memory, more imagined than anything else, when she studied old photos that hung on walls upstairs.
Linda reached out and touched the back of her hand. “Is everything okay? It’s true, you do have dark circles under your eyes. Don’t worry, we’ll patch you up with a bit of concealer as soon as we finish having coffee.”
This time, Rose’s voice came out little more than a mumble. “I did have a bad dream last night.” She’d so hoped to forget that nasty dream but now recalled it perfectly. “There were other people living in our house. I don’t know who they were. And it was dark. I thought…” She couldn’t bring herself to describe any more. She couldn’t bear thinking about it.
Olivia turned her attention to Linda. “Rose has never slept well when she’s nervous. It runs in the family. I’m the exact same way. If I have something on my mind, my brain is like a dog with a bone.”
“Weddings do that to people,” Linda said. “I recently read an article in Mademoiselle that said planning a wedding can be one of the most stressful experiences of a woman’s life. There are just so many changes to consider. I bet that’s what that dream was about.”
“I’m starting to wonder if maybe we should take her to see Doctor Myers,” Olivia said. “Maybe he could prescribe something to settle her nerves a bit. The last thing I’d want is for Joseph to see her acting this way. Especially so close to the wedding. It’s not at all uncommon for men to have second thoughts as the day draws—”
The doorbell rang and Rose shot out of her seat. “That must be him now.”
Olivia and Linda got up from the table.
“It’s fine,” Rose said. “We’ll come back out in a minute.”
She desperately wanted to see Joseph right now, to look into the eyes of the man who loved her. She needed someone who did
n’t treat her as if she was losing touch with reality. She didn’t appreciate Olivia and Linda discussing her as if she wasn’t even there, although part of her wondered if her own recent behavior warranted concern. As she walked toward the French doors, Olivia spoke softly, but not so softly that Rose couldn’t hear. “Suddenly, she starts talking about this new young couple. It’s very odd.”
Rose crossed through the kitchen and entered the hall to hear knocking on the door this time. She stopped when a woman spoke. “Hello? Is anyone home?”
Rose didn’t recognize the voice and made no move to answer the door. But why? Why did she feel fearful? It dawned on her that she couldn’t recall the last time anyone they didn’t know had come to the door. For that matter, when was the last time it had been someone other than Joseph or Linda? Was that possible? It couldn’t be.
Whoever it was knocked again and Rose wondered if she’d been heard coming down the hall.
“Hello? I’m looking for Rose Boland. Do I have the right address? I have something that belongs to her.”
Rose’s heart pounded for no reason she could understand. Her anxiety made no sense. In that moment, it seemed to her that almost nothing made sense lately. Something told her—a feeling she couldn’t possibly explain—that she really needed to answer the door. Now, before it was too late. Her hand trembled as she reached for the doorknob. She hesitated one last time, then opened the door.
The woman smiled at her. She looked to be in her late thirties, with blonde hair tied back into a ponytail. She had the most strikingly blue eyes. “I’m so glad you’re home,” she said. “I was just about to give up. Are you Rose Boland?”
“Yes, I’m Rose.”
The woman opened her purse and withdrew a postcard. Rose glanced at it to see a beach scene—dunes and grass, waves rolling beneath a sunny sky. She looked back at the woman. “This is for me?”
The woman smiled again. “I guess it must be if you’re Rose Boland. I have no idea how it got delivered to my house. I live clear across town. It doesn’t seem to make any sense.”
Rose hesitated, then took the postcard. “No, it really doesn’t.”
“Almost like it couldn’t happen at all,” the woman said. “Which is exactly why I didn’t ignore it. I just had a feeling about it. Have you ever had the feeling you shouldn’t ignore something?”
Rose heard the doors open off the kitchen. Olivia and Linda murmured to each other. It wasn’t hard to guess what they were talking about. Why she felt a chill run up the back of her neck was another thing that made no sense but Rose couldn’t quite ignore it. She glanced again at the shiny postcard in her hand. She hadn’t noticed the first time but it showed the silhouette of a young woman standing at the water’s edge.
“Is everything okay? You seem very…thoughtful.” The woman stood watching, her blue eyes concerned. “Did I come at a bad time?”
Rose shook her head. “I’m sorry. No. I mean, yes. I mean, everything’s fine.” She held up the postcard. “Thank you for bringing this here.”
The woman nodded. “My pleasure. I don’t imagine it will happen again. As I said, it seemed very unlikely to begin with.”
Rose reached out and offered her hand. “I’m sorry. What’s your name?”
“Martha,” the woman said. “It was a pleasure meeting you.”
She turned and walked down the steps. Rose closed the door and flipped the postcard over to see flowing cursive in a feminine hand, blue ink on a white background. We had a nice time the other day. Let’s do it again soon. By the way, Henry found his Beatles album. Your friend, Nikki.
Rose stood in the hallway, her eyes riveted to that simple message that had just changed her entire world. Suddenly, she felt cold. Images flashed through her mind. Her dream this morning—this same house, dark as she wandered the halls. The other dream—the cliff, the falling—the one she kept having but only now acknowledged. The beach! She remembered now. They went for lunch and Joseph had been there too. Something had happened. She’d gotten upset about something. When had that taken place? The other day, she’d been at the cemetery. She had been, right? That hadn’t been just another—
“Rose? Aren’t you two going to join us out back?” Olivia’s voice sounded muted, distant.
Rose’s head snapped up. She stared down the hall at kitchen doorway.
“I’m here too, Joseph!” Linda called out. “We’re just getting a little more coffee. Would you like some?”
They wouldn’t lie, Rose told herself. Why would they lie about something she knew to be true? But she knew they’d lied. She needed to talk to Joseph.
“Hey, you guys,” Linda said. “What’s the deal?”
Rose forced her legs to carry her toward the kitchen. She wanted to run upstairs. No, she wanted to run after that woman. Martha. She wanted to get into Martha’s car and ask her to take her somewhere. Anywhere. It didn’t matter. But Martha, whoever she’d been, was gone.
At the last moment, Rose remembered the postcard in her hand. She slipped it into her pocket and entered the kitchen. Olivia and Linda stood at the counter. They looked past her into the hall, then at her again.
“Where’s Joseph?” Olivia said.
A few moments passed before Rose found her voice. “It wasn’t Joseph.”
Olivia and Linda exchanged glances.
“But it had to be Joseph,” Linda said.
On the kitchen wall, the clock ticked. It was almost ten o’clock.
“Why?” Rose said.
Linda shook her head to indicate she didn’t understand the question. Her hair shimmered from sunlight streaming through the windows. “Why what?”
“Why did it have to be Joseph?”
Again, Olivia and Linda checked each other’s eyes.
The clock ticked on the wall.
Olivia cocked her head. “Because you and Joseph have plans. You’re going to the florist today. Isn’t that what you told me?”
“Who was at the door?” Linda said.
Rose fought the urge to touch her pocket. She could feel the postcard there, pressed against her thigh. It was real. She knew it was real. Nikki and Henry were real.
“No one,” Rose said. “There was nobody there.”
“But the doorbell rang,” Olivia said.
“They were gone by the time I got there,” Rose said. “Whoever it was.”
“But you’re sure you opened the door,” Linda said. “Did you open the door?”
“Oh, that’s it,” Olivia said. She brought her eyes to Rose’s. “You said you were tired. Did you come in and fall asleep on the sofa? I bet that’s what happened.”
“That’s right,” Linda said. “We were sitting outside and you said you were tired. You came into the house. Then we heard the doorbell ring and came in to check. I bet you dreamt that you opened the door.”
Rose wanted to say that it didn’t make sense. She wanted to scream those words. What they were saying wasn’t possible! She knew what had happened. Martha, she told herself—it had been Martha at the door. She’d given her the postcard from Nikki. She had it in her pocket.
The phone rang in the front hall.
“I bet that’s Joseph,” Olivia said, then walked toward the doorway.
When was the last time the phone had rung? Rose couldn’t remember now. It seemed like it never rang anymore.
“I bet it is.” Linda smiled at Rose. “Come on, sleepyhead. How about I get you a cup of coffee? Where’s Camila this morning?” As soon as she said it, Linda averted her eyes. “Maybe she’s off today. Whatever. Hey, I heard about a new band yesterday. I think they’re called the Moody Blues. How’s that for a name? I guess they’ve got a hit in England.”
Camila.
Where’s Camila this morning?
Olivia caught the phone before it rang a third time. A moment passed. The clock ticked on the wall.
“I knew that was you,” Olivia said.
“Or maybe some juice instead?” Linda said. “That sounds
kind of good too, come to think of it. Too much coffee makes me all jangly.”
“No, Rose fell asleep,” Olivia said. “We thought she got the door when you came over. You know, you could have just come in.”
“That new show Bewitched is on tonight,” Linda said. “Want to come over and watch it? Why don’t you?”
“It was locked?” Olivia said. “I’m sorry, dear. That was so rude of us.”
“We could have a sleepover,” Linda said. “It would be like old times. You know, maybe it would be good to just forget about the whole wedding thing for one night.”
“She was talking about that couple again,” Olivia said. “Just a little. I’m sure it’s just nerves. She hasn’t been sleeping well.”
Almost like it couldn’t happen at all. Which is exactly why I didn’t ignore it. Have you ever had the feeling that you shouldn’t ignore something?
“You’re lying,” Rose said. “Both of you are lying. Stop lying!”
Rose continued to stare at Linda, who cocked her head and stared back. A smile tugged at the corner of Linda’s mouth.
Rose heard Olivia in the hall. “I should go,” she said. “Try not to worry, Joseph. I’m sure she’ll be fine.”
Rose spun around and ran from the room, past Olivia, who reached out as if to grab hold of her. She flung the front door open, leaving it ajar as she dashed toward the street. Why was it that in this neighborhood, where people had kept to themselves for as long as Rose could remember, they were now coming out of their houses? Windows lifted in rooms on second floors. People she hadn’t seen in years, whose names she couldn’t recall, stared out at her.
Rose gasped as a man in sunglasses suddenly stood before her on the sidewalk. She realized who it was. Mr. Campbell. Just minutes ago, Linda had mentioned this man she hadn’t seen in years. Rose stopped, her heart pounding.
“Where are you going, Rose?” Mr. Campbell said. “Is everything okay?”
Rose started walking. “Yes, everything’s fine.”
He walked alongside her. “Are you sure?”
Stepping into the Sky: Jump When Ready, Book 3 Page 13
