by Joy Redmond
“Go! I’ll call the lab. I hope nobody robbed you blind. I hope the children are okay. Let me know. And don’t drive like a crazy person—”
Mandy didn’t hear the rest of what the nurse said. She was running out the double doors, her heart in her throat, her blood pumping and her mind thinking a thousand thoughts.
Her hands were trembling so badly it was hard to keep a grip on the steering wheel as she drove home. Who could be in the house? How did they get in? She was thankful it was only a ten minute drive, but it seemed to take forever to get home.
She careened into the driveway and the children ran across the neighbor’s front yard, fear on their faces as they raced to Mandy with the neighbor close behind them.
Mandy jumped out of the car, ran to her children and gathered them into her arms. She held them tightly against her and felt their bodies relax in her cocoon embrace.
Harry said, “The kids came running over here and Tony said that somebody was in your house. I went over to check it out, and just as I entered the living room, I could hear somebody ransacking the house, so I came back home and called the cops. They should be here by now.”
Just as Harry finished the sentence, a police cruiser pulled into the driveway. Mandy told Harry to take the children back to his house and she’d come for them as soon as the officer had the intruder out of the house.
The officer got out of the cruiser and walked over to Mandy. “What seems to be the problem, ma’am?” Mandy noted he was a big man with large shoulders and she knew he could and would handle any intruder.
Mandy explained and the officer told her to stay in the front yard while he investigated. She watched him walk through her front door, his hand resting on top of the gun in his holster. He slipped inside and she waited, biting her nails to the quick, wondering what kind of place she had moved her children to.
It seemed to take the officer forever before he finally came back out. He was holding a shoulder-strap purse on his forefinger. “Here’s your intruder!” He had a bemused look on his face as he stood there with the purse.
“What?” Mandy said as she reached for it, opened it and found an empty perfume bottle and a key ring with several keys attached. The purse had been packed in a box in her closet. She hadn’t used it in over a year, but she had let Abbie play with it from time to time. “Are you sure there’s nobody in the house?”
The officer smiled. “I checked the house thoroughly. The back door is locked, all windows are down and locked, no sign of forced entry, and no sign of a person. The purse was hanging on the doorknob, inside the middle bedroom. It was swinging and banging against the door.” He scratched his head, then continued. “But I must admit it’s strange. There was no fan on, and no breeze in there, and no vibration that was strong enough to make that purse sway back and forth and hit the door with such force.” He shook his head. “The damndest thing I’ve ever saw.”
“Thank you, and I apologize for wasting your time.” I could explain, but you’d think I was nuts. Strange things happen in my homes, she thought. This is just another happening that nobody will ever have an explanation for. Not even me, and I’m used to it.
Mandy opened the front door, set the purse on the floor, then went to the neighbor’s and collected her children. She thanked Harry for looking after them and assured him things were fine. She carried Abbie, while Kati and Tony stayed close by her side. “There’s nobody in the house. We’re safe. I’ll explain when we get home.” If I can explain.
Tony opened the front door and Mandy stood Abbie on the floor. “All of you go sit at the kitchen table.”
When they were all seated, Mandy came into the kitchen holding the purse. She looked at Kati. “Have you been using my purse?”
“Are you kidding? I wouldn’t use that ugly thing, and besides, I hate shoulder straps.”
She looked toward Tony.
“Hey, I’m not into purses.”
She knelt by Abbie’s side. “Did you get in Mommy’s closet and get the purse out to play with? It’s okay, I don’t use it, but I need to know how it got into Kati’s bedroom.”
In her sweet five-year-old voice, Abbie said, “I don’t get in your closet. I don’t like the purse. It stinks. ”
“Stinks?” Mandy asked, realizing she hadn’t smelled an odor. She stuck the purse under her nose and took a hard sniff. It did have an old musky smell, but it had only been packed for three weeks. It hasn’t been long enough for it to have developed a musky smell. I don’t think.
“Stinky Purse,” Mandy said, and tossed it into the corner. Now is the time to try to explain the unexplainable, Mandy told herself. She fixed the children some Kool-Aid, poured herself a glass of water, then sat down at the table. “I think it’s time I told you children about visiting spirits.”
She was careful in the words she used as she related to them about the visits from Mama and Evan and how much comfort they brought her. She told them about smelling roses from time to time, and how she believed it was Mama paying a visit, and she believed the aroma was a message of love. She hesitated for a minute then she told them about the strange things that happened when she was a child and a teenager.
But I won’t tell you about the things that happened when I was married to Jack. Kati and Tony don’t need to know about the spirits helping their mother out, and Abbie doesn’t need to know about her sister and brother’s daddy, she thought.
Mandy wanted to giggle when she remembered how the spirits came to the rescue when her first husband, Jack, was beating on her, or how they had come to her rescue when Jack’s mother, Pearl, overstepped her boundaries and verbally abused her.
The children were silent as they concentrated on her words and Mandy saw their eyes widen in surprise. Kati and Tony thought it was cool, and they both said they hoped Grandma and Uncle Evan would someday pay them a visit. Mandy sighed and was thankful they were taking it all in stride. She had been afraid they wouldn’t believe her, and worse, make fun of her.
Abbie, sitting in Mandy’s lap, reached up and patted her face. “Mommy, did Grandma get your purse out and play with it?” The idea of Grandma paying a visit seemed to intrigue her.
“Well, it doesn’t seem like something that Grandma would do. This was a prank, which is exactly something like Pappaw would do. He was the biggest prankster I’ve never known. He’s probably laughing his butt off. And I guess it is funny, now that we know it was a prank and nobody was in the house.”
Tony’s eyes widened. “Mama, I wasn’t gonna tell you this, but since you told us about things you’ve seen, I’ll tell ya. When I came in the front door, I swear I saw someone walk out of the kitchen and head down the hallway. It was kinda like a shadow but it looked like a person who was fading—oh, I don’t know how to explain it, but I swear I saw it, and it scared me!” He looked at Mandy, his eyes serious and his brow knitted together.
“I understand what you’re saying, son. When Mama and Evan used to come for a visit, they looked like shadows – almost transparent. But I always recognized them. What you saw was a spirit, but we’ll probably never know who. The spirits reveal themselves in different ways.”
“It was so fast, I wasn’t sure I was seeing what I thought I was seeing. I guess I’m not crazy, after all.”
“You’re not crazy, Tony. And if you are, so are a lot of people, including me.” She smiled warmly at him as she tousled his hair.
“What should I do if I see it again?” Tony asked.
“Just stomp your foot and command it to leave. It’ll go.”
“I sure hope so. That was a little too spooky.”
“If I see a spirit, I’m going to talk to it. Can spirits talk?” Kati asked wide eyed.
“I’ve heard them laugh, but not talk as though I heard a voice. But they do talk to me by sending thoughts through my mind.”
“Well, that won’t be any fun. I want them to talk to me out loud.”
“It doesn’t work that way, Kati.”
Mandy
fixed them a snack, then got Abbie ready for bed. Kati and Tony wanted to watch TV. She was beyond tired, her body and mind screaming for rest and sleep. She picked up Stinky Purse and took it back to the closet and put it in the box. “Now stay put!” she mumbled.
The next day, Mandy walked out to the mailbox and pulled out a letter. Her guts tied in knots when she saw the return address. She stared at it as she headed back inside the house and laid it on the coffee table. After staring at it for a few minutes, she picked it up and opened it with trembling hands. She forced herself to pull the stationary out of the envelope and began to read.
Dearest Amanda,
I have no words to explain how you have broken mine and your father’s hearts. But you always were hardheaded and bent on doing things your way. We did our best to raise you and guide you since the day you came into our lives. We now know and accept that it’s impossible to get through to you. So, we won’t be coming to Missouri for any visits. You know where we live. If you wish to see us, then you come to us. We miss our grandchildren more than we think our hearts can stand, but God will see us through this, just as He has seen us through all the other heartbreaks you have heaped upon us.
We have always loved you with all our hearts. We always will. We hope we see you soon, but we won’t beg. If you have a phone, we’d like to have your number. We’ll be more than happy to pay for a collect call if you’ll let the children call us from time to time. And we’d like to hear your voice too. But we’ll leave it all up to you. We’re worn out.
Pearl Walker called and she was in a tizzy, wanting to know the whereabouts of Kati and Tony. I didn’t give her your address. We decided we’d leave that up to you.
Love you, always,
Mother and Father
Mandy stuffed the page back inside the envelope as tears fell on it. She wiped her eyes and felt her heart hurting. She had never meant to heap any hurt upon them, but no matter what she did or said, it always rubbed them the wrong way. I love you, Mother. Dad. I really tried to please you. I just couldn’t be the perfect person that you expected me to be. I guess what you said to me years ago is true—you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. Whatever that means.
She took the letter into the kitchen, opened the top desk drawer and dropped it inside. I’ll tell the children to call tonight. I might talk. I might not. We’ll see.
That night with her heart in her throat Mandy dialed the operator and placed a collect call. When Iris accepted it, Mandy handed the phone to Kati who was jumping up and down. A few minutes later, Kati handed the phone to Tony and he talked a few minutes, then handed the phone to Abbie.
Mandy relished in their happiness after they hung up. She didn’t ask if her parents had asked to speak with her. And they didn’t mention it.
After the children had talked to Mandy’s parents, they wanted to call their daddy’s parents. They had no desire to call their daddy, Jack.
Mandy dialed the operator and placed a collect call. When Pearl answered, she handed the phone to Tony. Before Tony was finished with his conversation, Kati snatched the receiver from his hand. Then they took turns talking. Mandy left the room and gave them privacy. She was glad they loved both sets of grandparents.
A month later, they were all sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast when Mandy heard a strange sound. “Sit still,” she said to the children. She made her way down the hall and into her bedroom. There in the middle of the floor was the same purse that had banged on the middle bedroom door. The musky smell was stronger. She bent down to pick it up, but like a spider, it scurried away from her hand. She cornered it and grabbed it by the straps, then gave it a brisk snap and it settled down.
She picked it up and walked back to the kitchen. When she came through the doorway, swinging it by the straps, the children said in unison, “Stinky Purse!” They all laughed, then Mandy threw Stinky Purse into the trash can. Before she left for work, she pulled the large trash can out to the curb.
The next morning, Stinky Purse was off for a trip to the landfill as Mandy stood on the curb waving goodbye to it as the trash truck rumbled down the street.
Mandy whispered, “Please don’t find your way back home. I don’t know what spirit I’m dealing with here, because I’ve never dealt with your kind, but a stinky purse isn’t funny, and if it’s supposed to be a message, I’ve already told ya, I don’t solve riddles. Knock it off!”
She thought for a few minutes. When I left Kentucky, I asked the spirits to come with me. Perhaps by inviting them, I opened a large portal and many spirits came with me. I wonder who. What’s going to happen next?
Chapter Five
The rest of the summer passed without incident. It was a glorious summer with perfect weather and all of them had fun. The week before school started, the children wanted to go back to Kentucky and visit with both sets of grandparents.
Mandy dreaded the trip. It would mean she would have to spend two days and a night with her parents, which meant she would also have to listen to speeches about what an ingrate she was, and how she had broken their hearts time after time. She was sure that Iris had made a list so she wouldn’t forget to rehash a single wrong-doing. Then Iris would turn on the waterworks and Otis would become enraged.
She looked into the eager faces of her children and nodded her head, yes.
Friday night before Mandy went to bed, she stood in front of the bathroom mirror. “Well, it sure has been nice, Nikko. Your personality has taken the lead for the past three months. But once we enter Kentucky, Mandy has to take over.” She went to bed and snuggled up next to Abbie.
Early Saturday morning, they were on the road. Three hours later, Mandy was back in Bon Harbor and shivers ran her down spine. God, how I hate this place. Take the lead, Mandy.
Iris and Otis were so overjoyed to see the children, they didn’t bother to question or berate, and Mandy was relieved. Sunday morning, after Otis and Iris left for church, Mandy drove Toni and Kati to the north end of town, and left them with their granny and papa Walker. After leaving her two oldest, she drove out to the country so Abbie could visit with her grandparents and maybe her daddy, Billy, if he was there. Billy was there, and his parents were happy to see Abbie too.
Mandy drove out to the country lane that led to an old abandoned house, where at one time, she had found peace. She could communicate with the spirits there and not feel threatened. The old house was gone, but she felt the magic of the place and the love that had once been there.
She sat under a cluster of trees and gazed at the beautiful blue sky. “The last time I was here, you gave me the feeling that I would be okay if I spread my wings and flew on faith. I did it. So far, things have worked out beautifully. Missouri is my home now. My soul is free and happy. My children are happy. But we’ve had some encounters with a spirit, and a happening that was rather unnerving. If I invited the wrong spirits to come with me, then I need you to show me how to rid my home of them. Are they harmful?”
Warmth and tranquility flowed through her and she gave in to the feelings. “I’ll take that to mean there is nothing to fear. Thank you. And I still haven’t found that beautiful lane with the overhanging trees forming an archway. I still wonder who the woman and little girl are. The child was too young to be Abbie. I didn’t get a clear look at the woman’s face, but I don’t think it was me. I’m anxious to see that vision become a reality. I hope the woman and child bring me as much joy when I finally see them for real as they did when I saw them in the vision.”
Mandy wasn’t ready to leave this beautiful, peaceful place. She walked up the long lane and gazed upon the bare lot where the old house had stood. It was then that she noticed an old cemetery across a fence. She climbed over it and gazed upon the headstones. She noticed that some of them dated as far back as the early eighteen-hundreds.
Just before she turned to head back down the lane, another vision danced before her. She gasped when she saw the same little girl standing by a headstone. She lost h
er balance and almost fell when the precious little girl smiled and waved at her. “Crikey! I could have done without that vision.” Mandy felt chill bumps rise on her arms. “I have no idea what this means and I don’t want to know. I’m going after Abbie.”
This place had always comforted her, but today’s visit had her unnerved. She drove back to Billy’s parents’ house. Abbie was ready to go and didn’t seem bothered in the least to tell her grandparents and daddy, goodbye. Why should she. They’re strangers to her, she thought, as she took Abbie’s tiny hand and led her to the car.
Abbie was happy when they got back to Mandy’s parents’. Grandmother read stories to her and worked puzzles with her. Granddaddy sat close by, smiled, and seemed to be in all his glory as he listened to Abbie’s sweet chatter. Mandy watched how Iris and Otis acted with their grandchildren and she was proud of them.
By 5 pm, Mandy hugged her parents, told them she loved them, and she meant it. Iris cried and so did Otis. Her heart hurt to see her parents in tears and she knew they would never understand why she had to leave Kentucky. And there was no way she could explain it. She and Abbie went on their way and collected Kati and Tony.
Soon, they were on the main highway that would take them to Missouri. As they crossed the Kentucky state line, Mandy felt as if she could breathe again and she turned Nikko loose.
The following week, Mandy drove the children to school and she felt as if her heart would fall out of her chest when she took Abbie to kindergarten class. “Don’t cry, sweetie. Mommy will be back to get you by noon. Then we’ll have a few hours to play before Kati and Tony come home and Mommy has to go to work.”
“I be okay, Mommy. Don’t you cry,” she said, as she reached up and wiped her mother’s tears.
Mandy hurried on her way. My baby is in kindergarten. I can’t believe how fast my children are growing up. It was just a few months ago that I became a mother for the first time. Eighteen-years-old and I thought I’d invented motherhood. Here I am fifteen years and two more children later.
