Justine connected eyes with Liz through the large vanity mirror. Liz's fair skin was flushed with alcohol, but her inebriated state didn't stop Justine. Justine calmly dried her hands on a paper towel and slowly turned to Liz
"So what is it Liz? You hate me because of Patrick, Claudia, or because I'm damn good at my job?" Her green eyes drilled into Liz unmercilessly.
Liz merely huffed for a moment and finally spoke,
"You just don't get it, do you?" Liz stepped closer and glowered down at Justine using her superior height to her advantage.
"No, I don't, why don't you tell me." Justine wasn't backing up, no way in hell. Liz no longer intimidated her, not after the past few months she'd had.
"You're stupid and ugly! You must have both of them bewitched or something! Even Conroy!"
"Hmm…stupid well I do have a Masters Degree in Parapsychology. Ugly, no I'm not ugly, it just makes you feel better to think that. Liz I am not the ugly one, you are. Maybe not on the outside, but your insides are so foul, I'm surprised you don't carry a stench around with you."
"I shower daily." Liz's voice rose vehemently.
Justine shook her hand and laughed lowly,
"And you think I'm stupid." Liz stared at Justine appearing more confused than angry.
"Liz, you're a spoiled, little rich bitch who doesn't like loosing, well you lost this game and the respect of everyone at Spectrum. So who you are going to cry to now?"
Tears burned in Liz's eyes, she brushed at them irritatedly.
"Why do you hate me so much, Justine?"
It was sad really, pathetic. Justine turned back to the mirror and applied a fresh coat of lipstick leaving Liz to wait anxiously.
"I don't hate you Liz, hate is waste of passion. You hate yourself." Her voice was so calm and level she wanted to applaud herself.
Claudia crept into the bathroom, having heard the last part of their conversation. She placed her hands on Liz's arms and softly said,
"Liz you need to just calm yourself down. You're making an ass of yourself, again."
Liz threw Claudia's hands off of her and glared at her.
"You were supposed to be my friend!" Liz said dramatically, practically pouting.
"I was." Claudia slowly emphasized the word was.
Liz stared at the two of them as if they were ganging up on her for no reason.
"Liz, you've dug your own hole, now learn how to dig yourself out of it." Claudia turned her back to Liz pulling a small hair brush out of her purse.
Something in Liz's face broke. It almost surprised Justine that her eyes did not glow red. She stuttered in both her words and her footing.
"Fuck you both!"
"No thanks," Justine and Claudia answered at the same time as they watched Liz charge out of the restroom.
Like a hurricane, Liz swept through the club knocking chairs out of her way and over. Justine and Claudia started out behind her as she headed toward the table quickly narrowing in on Patrick.
She leaned into Patrick, but before she could get a word out, two bouncers came up next to her grabbing each of her upper arms.
"I sorry, Miss, but we're going to have to ask you to leave now." The bouncers were calm and patient.
Liz tried to turn around, lifting her legs off the ground. She twisted around and turned towards Conroy, to anyone at the their table who would look at her,
"Make them stop! This is my party!"
No one said a word as the bouncers calmly half dragged, half carried her to the door. While Team Spectrum sat there frozen in disbelief. They could still here Liz shrieking,
"No! No!"
Chapter Thirty One
Alice stared out the window wondering about the enormous changes in her life. The judge had taken her drivers license, she was required to do alcoholic rehab for six months on an out patient basis. Lisa Shultz had never pressed charges, saving Alice from doing jail time. In a gracious move Alice had sent her a beautiful bouquet of bright summer flowers and written her a letter of apology.
For the first time since Ethan had passed, Alice felt peaceful. She had come to terms with her own destructive behavior, realizing even that she was lucky to be alive. Carlos knocked on the open door of her room, Alice turned and greeted him warmly,
"Carlos!"
He knelt down and kissed her cheek tenderly, "How are you today, my darling?" His grey eyes
stared at her, lines of age and knowledge marking his face. Finally Alice was allowing herself to enjoy life and his company.
"I'm good Carlos, I'm very good actually. Let's go take a walk."
Carlos offered her his hand and his heart as they walked out through the door together.
*****
At the knock on the door, Justine perched her reading glasses up and reluctantly left her paperwork unfinished lying on the kitchen table. The reluctance left Justine's face as soon as she realized it was Lila.
"Lila, come in, I was just filling out some paper work."
"Oh yeah, what kind of paperwork?"
"My admission for a Ph.D. in Parapsychology. How does Dr. Justine McCullough sound to you?"
"Wow Justine! That's wonderful!" Lila sat down on the couch, once again amazed at her future daughter in law.
"The weather is absolutely gorgeous! There is a wonderful breeze and we even have a few leaves changing colors. I love fall, what little bit of it we actually have here."
"Oh I know, I went for a walk earlier, I didn't want to come back inside." Both women laughed comfortably together.
"Where is Patrick?"
"He's out running some errands, headed for the door the second I pulled out the vacuum." The two of them easily laughed together again.
"Oh good, come here for a second and sit down with me Justine." Lila patted the empty seat next to her.
Justine stared at her curiously, but complied.
"What's up?" She asked easily.
"I have something for you." Lila dug into her purse and pulled out a tiny brown paper bag. She held it up to Justine and smiled warmly.
"Your father gave me this a long time ago, I want you to have it."
Justine gingerly took the small bag that Lila offered her.
"What is it?"
"Well open it and see."
Justine opened the bag, it contained a silver chain and a beautiful stone charm.
"That's malachite Justine, it's good for luck, money, legal matters and justice. Your father found and polished the stone himself and had it placed on the silver bracket by a jeweler."
Justine sat there in complete silence barely hearing Lila's words. The rounded, triangular stone was a deep, almost jade green, with hunter green swirls through out. The silver bracket glinted brightly catching the reflection of the sun that shined in through the sliding glass door. Although the stone was beautiful, Justine wasn't so much amazed by its beauty, but by the power it seemed to exude as it heated up in her hand.
"He gave it to me the night I had Patrick. I want you to have it Justine, I think it belongs to you now."
Justine wrapped her hand tightly around it. It seemed to feel like her father. His love, his strength, and his calm. Wordlessly she thanked Lila with a tight, trembling hug unashamed of the tears that slowly rolled down her face.
"What's all this about?" Patrick asked standing at the front door. Justine held the stone up so that Patrick could see it.
"Oh god, women!" He nearly snorted and walked into the kitchen as the two of them laughed together.
"Welcome home Justine." Lila said quietly. Epilogue
They stood in a circle of beautiful bright yellow sunflowers. Flowers they and those they loved had planted themselves, with their very own hands. Justine wore a simple yet elegant tea length white dress made of soft cotton that fell off her shoulders into silver lace. The waist was gathered in tightly, the skirt flowed with crystal and silver butterflies down the left hand seam. In her hair was a wreath of beautiful purple daises that was simply laid over her l
ong, flowing hair.
Patrick stood next to her, tall and regal. He wore black breeches, a tan leather vest with nothing on beneath to cover up his extraordinary chest and stomach. He also had a long garnet handled silver sword haltered at his hip. Both of them were barefoot, their feet standing firmly on the cool soil.
The two of them barely looked at the ordained High Priestess who laid a simple leather strap over their extended left arms which rubbed against each other. As she tied the knot that binded them and asked them to say 'I do', the crowd looked on happily.
Justine smiled brightly, saying,
"I do," when for the first time she felt the tiny child move in her womb where it was safely growing and waiting to be born.
Look for the next book in the Mortality Series!
Journey of Souls
Heathen Child
Daughter of Daughters
Coming soon, Descent, Melanie’s second novel!
Author Bio
Melanie S. Pronia is a novelist of mystery, thrillers and paranormal romances. She is an amateur ghost hunter. Melanie was born in southern New Jersey and moved around the U.S. quite a bit, but spent most of her time growing up in Virginia Beach, Virginia as a proud Navy Brat. She currently resides in Jacksonville, Florida with her husband and two sons. Journey of Souls, is her first published novel. www.melaniespronia.com
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