by J. M. Miller
“Oh, Lila,” she whispered behind her hands as a tear fell from one eye. Her hands left her face, but she clasped them together in front of her like she was praying.
I shook my head, unable to understand what was wrong.
“I’m so sorry, honey. Your dad told me about your appointments. He told me not to come to the house, but I had to. I had to see you. I can’t believe this is happening.” She reached a hand out and slid her fingers down my cheek, cupping the side of my face while staring into my eyes.
The look there was remorseful and terrified. What is she worried about? Me? I’m fine here. Ever since we’d moved, things had been so much better. Without her.
Without her. Wait. I’d forgotten it all.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I shouted, stepping out of her grasp as the confusion faded and the truth of everything she’d done flooded back into place. “What the hell are you doing in my house?”
She moved one hand back to her mouth as she choked on a startled sob. “Lila, there are some things I need to explain.”
“Get out! You don’t belong here. We are much happier without you. You… You don’t deserve to be with us!” I screamed as my own tears leaked out and I began to shake.
“Listen, please,” she pleaded, tentatively closing the distance I’d created. “I lived here my senior year of high school, before I left for Las Vegas. Aunt Janine was… she was secretive, always guarded, but very protective of me.”
I moved closer to the door. “I don’t want to hear anything you have to say. I don’t care. You chose to leave her. You chose to leave all of us!” I just wanted her out. Gone. The rawness of what she’d done to our family was reemerging, unraveling all of my emotions.
“After I’d moved out, she demanded I come back, using any and all reasons. I was distraught. I thought she didn’t care about my dreams, or the goals I’d set for my life.” She held her hands in front of her, surrendering the information to me. “After I married your father and got pregnant with you, she told me about the stone well on the property and how it’d been cursed. Aunt Janine claimed she was able to grant wishes,” Mom said with a nervous laugh. “That’s when I thought she was going crazy.
“When the Alzheimer’s symptoms started to appear, I wanted to come back to be with her, to care for her. I almost made that choice, but then she told me she’d found a way to make it all go away, and that it involved you.”
Tears rolled off my cheeks as I stood and listened with my arms crossed. Her words kept me motionless, even though I wanted to toss her out.
“That’s why I decided to stay away,” she continued. “The idea was crazy. She was crazy. And I wasn’t going to let her fill your head with any of those stories. We came back years later and I tried to talk some sense into her while your father kept you kids busy outside. She was persistent, saying that it was our duty to save our family. I still thought she was crazy.” She looked down and shook her head. “But now. You?” She blinked and quickly wiped the tears from her cheeks.
“So what are you expecting me to do with this information that you never bothered to mention before? Do you want me to thank you for protecting me?” I asked, not bothering to hide the resentment in my voice. “Or should I just thank you for failing in your effort, since you ripped our family apart and pushed us in this direction anyway?”
“With Aunt Janine gone, I thought it would be okay for you to live here,” she whispered.
“Well that’s big of you, Mom.”
“I know how much I’ve messed up. And I know you don’t want me here, but I had to come see you.” She twisted her fingers together nervously. “It’s possibly Alzheimer’s like Janine, right? A hereditary link?”
“There,” I snapped, pinpointing her actual concern. “Right there is the reason you are here, right? Don’t worry, Mom. I’m sure the hereditary thing skipped you.” She was still just concerned with number one. She didn’t give a shit about me.
“That’s not why I’m here.”
“Then why are you here?”
“I wanted to talk to you. To tell you everything. I guess I just needed to know if there was any truth to Aunt Janine’s craziness,” she admitted. “Now that I’m here, I know how absurd it all sounds. I’m not sure why I even considered it.” She took a deep breath. “Have your doctors mentioned treatments?” Her voice started to settle. Her tears had dried, leaving light streaks down her foundation-covered cheeks.
“There are no treatments,” I muttered and let my gaze fall to her feet. Let her think it isn’t real. I didn’t owe her anything. I certainly didn’t owe her the closure she should’ve gotten with her own aunt. That was on her.
“No treatment? They have to have something. Aunt Janine was taking some type of inhibiter. They would have to give—”
“Just stop,” I cut her off, bringing my eyes back to meet hers. Will this be my last memory of her? Or will I remember the mother who used to make me believe that life was full of magic whenever I witnessed her smile? I reached the knob and opened the door. “Just go.”
Her eyes welled again and her face scrunched for a moment. “I have some stuff for you from Aunt Janine’s safety deposit box. I opened it after the will reading, but I left it all there because it had your name inside.”
“In other words, it had no money and nothing for you to hawk.”
She nodded without a rebuttal. “She would’ve wanted you to have it all no matter what happens between us. I’ll give it all to your father.” She stepped out onto the slate steps. “Thank you for seeing me, Lila. I love you, and I’ll always regret what I did to our family. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving tomorrow.”
Tugging a skully cap over my head, I stepped out into the cold air. It was only four, but today’s dense clouds made it seem like the night was only minutes from devouring any light left in the sky. It also brought a chill that smelled of snow. I clutched the frame with the dried moon flower to my chest and started toward LJ’s house. There was no way I’d back off tonight. I had to see her.
After going through the documents Ms. Mitchell had given me, Pop and I had the entire Stockton family tree outlined. Well, it wasn’t the complete tree, but it had all the main links from Samuel Stockton all the way down to LJ and Gavin. Judging by dates and causes of death, there were two other people in the line below Charles Stockton, aside from Janine, who we think may have been cursed by the well. Nothing else really stood out, leaving us at yet another dead end.
The frosted grass crunched loudly beneath my boots as I crossed the still grounds. I was halfway to her house when another sound caught my ear.
Talking. Coming from the well. Shit.
My feet felt like lead as I tore off in that direction. Is it LJ? With my free arm, I swung at the bare branches blocking my path. Nothing else mattered besides getting to her.
I rushed past the last tree, coming into view of the well and scaring the crows left lurking in the highest branches.
“Ben?” Gavin asked.
I let out a groan of relief then bent over, trying to catch my breath. It wasn’t LJ.
Wait. Gavin?
I wasn’t sure why I hadn’t thought about it before, but he was also part of the Stockton line. He was just as vulnerable to the curse. The thought made me lightheaded as nausea instantly churned my stomach.
He sat on the well, with one leg hanging off and the other bent in front of him. His hands were tucked into the pouch of his mustard-colored hoodie. The hood was pulled low and cinched around to his face.
When I was confidant I wouldn’t pass out, I stood upright and walked closer to him. “What are you doing out here?”
He pulled off his hood and flicked a small pebble into the well. “I just needed some air.”
“How’s the arm?”
His left arm lifted in response, revealing a sliver of black cast peeking out of his hoodie’s sleeve. “It’s a pain, but it’s getting better.”
“I know how that feels. I bro
ke my wrist when I was a kid. And you met me when my jaw was healing.” He nodded then turned back to the well and tossed another pebble. I took the time to look him over. As far as I could tell, he wasn’t bleeding. He was mostly covered up. I tipped my head back, staring at the spiky branches overhead. “You gonna tell me why you’re really out here?” I asked, watching the smoke from my mouth dissipate against the darkening sky.
He shifted to look at me and I dropped my eyes back to him. “Thinking about some stuff.”
“Stuff, huh?”
“Taylor dumped me the other day.”
“Aw, man. That sucks. Sorry.”
“No, it’s okay. I mean, I feel even worse for feeling bad about something so stupid when so much other shit is happening.”
“It’s going to sting a bit. It’s normal so don’t feel bad for that.” He shrugged, but didn’t respond. “How is everything going in there?” I tipped my head sideways toward the house.
“Not good. I still can’t believe what’s happening with LJ.”
I cringed inwardly because I hadn’t seen her in days. “Has she gotten worse?”
He nodded then stood up. “It’s not good, man. She’s having problems remembering simple things.”
“Like what?” I prompted.
“Like how I broke my arm,” he said. “And yesterday she asked me if Mr. Tibber was giving me any problems at school. He was my teacher two years ago.”
“Shit.” I had to figure this out. We were losing her.
“Yeah. She also snuck out of the house and crashed the wedding Sunday. Dad told her to stay home, but I guess no one found out because no one said anything. I confronted her when she came back.”
“And?”
“She had another bloody nose. When I asked her about going over there, she blew me off.”
“What the hell?” She was still granting wishes, knowing it would be her end.
“I know. And she’s been blacking out.”
“What?”
“I walked in on her scrubbing her tub and it was like she was in some kind of trance. She didn’t even hear me talking to her. Dad has seen her do it a couple of times, too. She doesn’t remember any of it after. It’s scary.”
I had no idea what the blackouts were about. “I have to see her.”
“I don’t know if—”
“I don’t care, Gav. I’m walking into that house right now. I have a present I want to give her.” I held up the frame. “And I’m sick of getting the brush off,” I said, clenching my jaw, trying to hold myself together.
“Okay,” he relented. “I understand.”
When we got upstairs, Gavin went to his room and I stopped outside of LJ’s. Resting my head against the frame, I watched her through the crack in her bedroom door for a minute. She was lying on her bed looking at something beside her. Her midnight hair was stacked in a mess on top of her head and she smiled at whatever had her attention. The curve in her soft lips made my pulse kick up a notch, and the way the corner of her eyes crinkled made me wonder if any of this was real. Had anything actually happened?
But that thought was gone as soon as it came. I knew it was all too real.
I wiped the reflexive scowl from my face and tried to relax before rapping my knuckles on the door.
“Come in,” she called without looking.
I pushed open the door and watched her eyes widen as she took me in. “LJ,” I said softly, not exactly sure how to approach her. She wasn’t a wild animal, but in a way I knew she could rip me apart as easily. Only, it would be my heart that wouldn’t survive.
“Ben,” she replied and I instantly let out a relieved sigh.
She remembers me. “Can I come in?”
“Sure, but your boots better not be dirty,” she teased and sat up in bed, crossing her legs in front of her.
I stared intently, not wanting to blink her away. “I brought you something.”
She smiled when I held up the frame. “It’s beautiful. What is it?”
Her words hit hard, like a slug to the chest. It is bad. I took a recovering breath. “It’s the moon flower from the gazebo’s vine. I picked it a few weeks ago and dried it out.”
“That’s so sweet. Thank you.” She set the frame on her nightstand then grabbed my hand, pulling me to sit beside her.
“What were you looking at?” I surveyed the empty bed, only seeing her phone.
She picked it up, swiped the screen, and held it up for me to see. It was the same picture I had on my phone, the one I’d taken the night of the Halloween party. “We look great here.”
“I agree.”
“We look better in bed,” she said, eying me with an arched brow and a mischievous grin.
I laughed. “I can’t argue with that.”
She was acting fine, but I knew everything was off. It was like her clock had been reset. And I had no idea what time it was.
Glancing around the room, I noticed the trunk was pulled out. “LJ, have you told anyone?”
“Nope. Only you and I know.” After a second, her gaze hardened. “Ben, what are you doing here?”
“I wanted to see you.”
“I don’t want you here,” she said, her voice growing agitated.
The clock reset. I could see the change in her eyes. “I don’t care what you want anymore, LJ. Keeping me away won’t help. It’s just making everything worse. So I’m not going away. I love you too much.”
Tears ran from her eyes and she started to sob. “You can’t be here when I fall apart. I don’t want you to see it.”
“I won’t let you go through it alone, but it won’t come to that anyway. We’ll find a way to end this. We have to because it isn’t just about you anymore. It involves everyone,” I said, grabbing hold of her hand. “I found Gavin out by the well tonight.”
“What? What was Gavin doing at the well?”
“I don’t think he did anything. I didn’t see any cuts on him. He just seemed sad. Taylor dumped him. He sees what’s happening to you, and to your dad. I would hate to think—”
“Oh, God,” she cried, drawing her hands over her eyes. “He’s a Stockton too. This can’t happen to him. Why didn’t we think about this before?”
“I was too busy thinking about you,” I admitted, running my hand over her shoulder, wanting to pull her into my arms.
“I was too busy thinking about myself.”
“Gavin told me you’ve snuck out of the house. He saw your bloody nose when you came back. It can’t happen anymore, LJ. You have to promise me.”
“I promise… I’ll try to remember,” she said through her sobs, dropping her hands and looking at me with her gorgeous emerald eyes.
“I love you, LJ. God, I love you more than anything or anyone. I loved you before I said the words in the attic, before my birthday, even before we explored this entire house together. You’ve completely mesmerized me, making my head spin with the most clarity I’ve ever had. You’re laced inside of me. Every part. Every piece. And your mind is where it all lies,” I confessed, moving my hand up and palming her cheek. She leaned against it and closed her eyes.
“If I had the chance to trade places with you, I would. I’d take this all away so you could move on, and make a lifetime of memories. I’d wish all day, forever, if I knew I could stop it all.”
“Ben,” she murmured, scooting closer to me, inviting me in.
I looped my arms around her and she laid her head on my shoulder. Inhaling her smell, I kissed the top of her head and allowed all my senses to breathe for the first time in weeks. I’d missed her so much.
“I love you too,” she whispered against my neck.
“You have to let me figure this out. I never want to lose you,” I admitted, feeling my chest tighten. “I can’t lose you.”
“I don’t want to lose you either. I want to help, but I’m not sure what I can do. My memory… I’m having problems with short term mostly. Some things come back, others…”
“It’ll be okay
,” I said. “We have some direction. Ms. Mitchell found paperwork that her mom had in storage. It was stuff that Janine researched. Pop and I went through them and we were able to piece together your family tree. It didn’t lead us far, but I want to go back through some things here to see if anything makes sense.”
“Ms. Mitchell’s mom?” she asked.
“Her and Janine were friends,” I answered, knowing she’d known at some point.
“Oh,” she whispered, trailing her fingers along the front of my heavy jacket.
Suddenly, she felt too far away. I unlocked my arms from around her, tore off my jacket, and pulled her to me again. She sighed as she settled in, and I did the same as her warmth engulfed me. I ran my hand along her back and my thoughts wandered. What if I found the answers, but she was already too far gone? I crushed my eyes closed, trying to refocus on what I needed to do.
“LJ, baby,” I said, pulling her chin up to look at me. “I think we should tell your dad what’s going on. We need his help. It might be hard to convince him, but I’m sure he’d want to know what’s really happening.”
“You’re right. Anything to make sure this doesn’t happen to Gavin,” she said. “I think Dad’s at work.”
“He is,” I replied. “Did the doctors say anything today?”
She glanced around the room, pinching her eyebrows as she thought about my question. Her lips trembled lightly. “I’m not sure… I…”
“Shh,” I said, cupping her face in my hands and drawing her eyes back to mine. “It’s okay. We can talk to your dad in the morning.” I rubbed my thumbs over her cheeks to wipe her tears then ran them over her delicate lips. She looked at me, her eyes full of anguish I couldn’t steal away. I pressed my lips to hers, wanting the curse to disappear with one kiss like some stupid fairytale. Why couldn’t it be that easy? Why couldn’t my love take it all away?
I pulled back and wiped her cheeks again. “I think you should rest. I’m going into the basement for a bit. I’ll be back up later.”
“Are you staying?”
I kissed her forehead. “Forever.”
Muffled sounds came from the closet. I cracked my eyes open to the gentle light outside my windows then turned my head toward the sound. The closet light was on. A silhouette sat on the floor beside a trunk, flipping through papers. Ben?
