by Zoe Matthews
“One thing we all agree on is he wouldn’t plan on leaving with Megan for good without saying goodbye to everyone,” Nicky said firmly.
Bridget nodded. Family was important to Keegan, as it was to everyone. He would have wanted to say goodbye if he knew he would never see any of them again.
No one else seemed to have anything else to say. They all sat and looked at each other, each engrossed in their own prayers that he wasn’t in some kind of danger and that he would return home soon.
****
2015
Barbara was cleaning up her shop after locking the door behind the last customer. It had been an extremely good day for business, which she was grateful for. Unfortunately, that also meant her feet and back were aching quite a bit. She looked forward to settling into her comfortable couch back at her condo and watching a good movie.
With just a couple more shelves to straighten up, she stretched and then got to work. She jumped in fright when the back door slammed open, and Mr. Manning strode in towards her, a triumphant grin spread across his ugly face.
“Mr. Manning. I wasn’t expecting you today.” She tried to speak calmly, hoping to calm him down somehow. How had he gotten in? She knew she had made sure it was locked, which meant the man obviously had used his own key. She grew angry at the idea that Mr. Manning would enter the shop without her permission.
“Well, usually I prefer to only sign contracts with people who have legal names,” he sneered.
Her heart dropped. He couldn’t know that she used to go by a different name. How had he found out? “Barbara Conway is my legal name,” she retorted as firmly as possible.
“You didn’t really think you could run from your past forever, did you?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The lie was obvious to her own ears.
“Oh, sure you do…Lucy.” He reveled in watching her face blanch at her true name. “I would be willing to bet your parents have been missing you. And, don’t you think Megan’s father would want to get to know his own daughter?”
She turned angry at his last words and spoke through her teeth at him. “You leave Megan out of this. She doesn’t know she was born because of rape and she never will. I won’t let that scar her.”
Surprise flitted across his face for a moment and she realized she had given him new information. He must not have known she didn’t want Megan to know about her past. His face transformed into another wide, evil smile. “Well, I’m not very good at keeping secrets. However, I do know if I were married, I would be very faithful to my wife. I would never tell her secrets.”
Understanding dawned on her. “You’re blackmailing me into marriage,” she said quietly.
He chuckled at her. “Now, blackmail is such a strong word.” His face turned more serious, almost earnest. “You’ll be thankful you married me. I know I can take care of you better than you can take care of yourself.”
She could tell by the look in his eyes that he truly believed that. She tried not to scoff. He knew nothing about her; all he did was tell her his opinions and ideas. Her stomach turned at the thought of living with him and hearing his opinions every day.
Her mind worked quickly, trying to find a way out of the marriage. Something she could do or say to make him back off. Anytime she had a new idea, it would lead right back around to the fact that she changed her name, and had hid from her parents and Megan’s father all these years. Although she knew if her parents really had wanted to find her and Megan, they could have with all their money and connections they had at their disposal. They obviously hadn’t wanted to.
She didn’t want to marry this man, but she knew what would be worse; Megan finding out she was a product of rape and being forced to learn some awful truths that would hurt them both. If she married Mr. Manning, at least Megan still had a chance to be happy.
She hung her head, telling herself she needed to accept Mr. Manning’s proposal for Megan’s sake. “Alright. I will marry you.”
His laugh chilled her to the bones. She would marry him, but she would not let this define who she was. She squared her shoulders and spoke firmly. “But I will not share your bed. When we are out in public, I will be your wife. When we are at home, I will have my own room. I will have my space to do what I please.”
“Oh, we can start out that way if you wish, but before long you’ll find that you love me. I’m sure I’ll eventually be able to convince you otherwise. You’ll be so glad I talked you into marrying me. You’ll see.” The smug look on his face made her feel sick. She didn’t respond.
She hated feeling helpless and being forced to live her life according to other people's demands. That was how she was raised by her parents; they were wealthy and had expected her to act a certain way so that she would look good to all their friends. They hadn’t cared to find out the truth behind of her pregnancy or been willing to do anything about it.
She wouldn’t let this marriage be like that; she would stay true to herself regardless of what he said. She pursed her lips and he went on about when and where they were to marry, and even what kind of dress he wanted her to wear. She didn’t pay attention, trying to figure out some way to get out of what she had just agreed to.
When she had met Megan’s dad, he had been handsome and knew how to sweet talk, something she hadn’t gotten much of from her mother or father. She had fallen for him fast and didn’t see any of the warning signs that he was abusive. Even before they went to the Christmas Dance, he would boss her around and verbally belittle her, but she had excused his behavior, telling herself that he said the things he said because he cared about her.
She had been raised as a Christian, and if there was one place in her life that had always brought her peace, it was her beliefs. She had been adamant that she didn’t want to sleep with him until marriage. One day, when he was in a particularly bad mood, he told her he was done waiting for her and had raped her.
She hadn’t talked to him again after that and he didn’t seem to care that she avoided him. He had moved on quickly to a girl who was more willing to give him what he wanted. Barbara had gone to the police on her own, much to the irritation of her parents; they didn’t want bad images of themselves to go public, and they didn’t believe her when she told him the boy had forced her. Once she had found out she was pregnant, her parents had been furious. They yelled and told her she was lying about who the father was, and that her boyfriend would never have raped her; they knew his parents after all.
When the boy had found out she was pregnant, he had demanded she abort the baby. She had refused and had moved as far away as possible right after she graduated from high school. Megan wouldn’t have been safe or loved in that environment, and Barbara was determined she would never return home.
Once she was living on her own, she had become extremely depressed. She was working two jobs and had a new baby, so sleep was minimal. Only through herbs and natural remedies was she able to find happiness, as well as a stable life for her and her daughter. She was passionate about her shop and the products she sold; she wouldn’t be where she was now without the shop or Megan. She would do everything she could to keep Megan safe, including marrying George. It would be a sacrifice that would be worth it.
She gritted her teeth and forced herself to listen to George talk about selling her condo so she could move in with him, and how he hoped she knew how to cook good food.
Somehow, she would find a way to keep the inner peace she had found. She would not let Mr. Manning ruin her.
****
Megan straightened another shelf as butterflies fluttered through her. She couldn’t stop thinking about Keegan and what a great day they had yesterday. She had left shortly after they sat together on the porch swing and he had kissed her goodbye. She had such a wonderful connection with him; despite her knowledge that he was leaving for his own time soon. She was falling hard for him.
He wasn’t the only reason she had butterflies, however. She was going to tell her
mother about Keegan’s idea to reopen their shop in his home. She loved the idea and had such a good feeling about it all; she just hoped her mother would have the same reaction.
A customer walked out of the shop, leaving the two of them alone. Now was as good a time as any. She took a deep breath. “I think I might have found a place we can move our shop to.”
Her mother stopped what she was doing, but the expression on her face wasn’t one that Megan had expected. She looked hesitant, weary, and almost guilty. Megan decided to plow forward without waiting for a response.
“It’s Keegan’s house. It is still standing and is in amazing condition. It is in a neighborhood really close to a Whole Foods store, so our customer base is already close by. Keegan isn’t planning on using his house anyway, and he would rather it be used to do good instead of sitting there empty. It was his idea, and he said we don’t have to pay rent, but I insisted we would find a way to pay him a fair amount. We could even move into some of the rooms on the second floor if we wish.”
The look on her mother’s face finally had Megan trailing off. Her lips were pressed into a grim line and she could tell her mother wasn’t going to agree with her idea.
“I have actually made the decision to stay here,” Barbara said definitively before she turned around to work on their inventory sheet.
“What? Did you find a way to talk Mr. Manning into letting us stay without marrying him?” Megan asked, confused.
“Actually, I agreed to marry him last night.”
Megan was silent. Her mother continued to work as if she hadn’t just told Megan something that would change their entire lives. Megan couldn’t believe she had heard her mother right.
“Marry Mr. Manning? Why on earth would you do that? He has never treated you well, never cared about your opinions on how you should run your own shop, never even cared to create a friendship with you more than bossing you around. You can’t possibly think you’ll be happy with him.”
“He has agreed it would only be a marriage of convenience. I would go with him to business parties, but when we are not out together, I still have my own individual life,” her mother explained in a clipped voice.
“That’s not a marriage. Mom, you’ll be miserable,” Megan argued.
“Megan, it is not up to you.” Her mother’s voice rang through the shop.
Megan froze in shock. Her mother had never raised her voice to her for as long as she could remember. In a softer tone, her mother walked up to her and put a hand on her shoulders.
“I appreciate your concern. I have been making decisions about my own life for years and things have turned out just fine. Trust me when I say this will not affect my happiness or my relationship with you.” She turned away and shrugged her shoulders. “It’s not like I was ever going to marry anyone else anyway.”
Megan continued to stare at her mother in shock. She tried a different approach. “We don’t need to stay here, Mom. Did you hear what I just told you about moving our shop into Keegan’s house? It would be perfect for us; big enough for us to expand. We could have a small cafe in the kitchen, a large library for people to read in while they drank their tea and coffee. We could make it feel like people could stop time for a while and just enjoy being themselves.”
“That sounds pretty fantastical. Life doesn’t always work out the way you want it to. It didn’t for me, did it? But, I did what I had to so you could have a good life. And look at us now. We do have a good life. Marrying Mr. Manning will hardly change a thing,” her mother said calmly, but firmly.
Megan couldn’t believe her mother wouldn’t even consider moving the shop to Keegan’s house. “I need a break,” she said, as she grabbed a jacket and walking right out the door.
She stomped down the street as she thought about their situation. Her mother had always sacrificed so much for her. They had never lived with wealth, but there was always food on the table and love in their home. Her mother deserved so much more than George Manning.
She shuddered again at the thought of her mother marrying him. She would not let this wedding go through, no matter what. She had to find a way to change her mother’s mind. She had a distinct feeling that her mother felt she had to marry Mr. Manning for her. But Megan was an adult now and perfectly capable of taking care of herself. Her mother no longer needed to sacrifice her life just for Megan.
Her phone rang, but she didn’t hear it at first. She couldn’t stop thinking about George and her mother in the same house, him ordering her around at every turn. She couldn’t and wouldn’t let that happen. After the third ring, she realized she had better answer it.
“Hello?” she said without checking the caller ID.
“Megan! I thought you weren’t going to pick up!” It was Abby’s friend, Sammie, who was looking into Keegan’s house for her.
“Sammie, hi. Sorry, I couldn’t get to my phone. Do you have any news?” Megan asked.
“Yes. The house belongs to a Keegan Callaghan. There are no zoning laws keeping you from moving your shop there. So, if you can track down this Keegan guy, and get him to sign a contract letting you use his house, it’s all yours,” Sammie said.
“Great! Wow, that is such good news. Did you find anything about making it a historical building, to help protect it?” Megan asked.
“Yes, there is some paperwork you would need to fill out and then send it in to make your request. Well, Keegan would need to do that,” Sam explained.
Megan could hear her typing in the background. “This is wonderful news, thank you. I’ll talk to Keegan and get back to you when I can,” Megan said, not wanting to keep Sammie from her work.
“No problem, Hun.” Sammie hesitated. “There is something else.”
“What’s that?”
“According to some of the reports I’ve found, the house is supposed to be haunted,” Sammie said slowly.
Megan laughed, but a chill went down her back. Haunted?
“I know…I know,” Sammie continued at Megan’s laugh. “The house has been empty for so long that some people have tried to occupy it at various times throughout the years. They never stayed long. Most claim they’ve seen a male and female ghost dressed in late 19th century clothes wandering the house.”
“That’s…very interesting,” Megan murmured. Could this be why the deed was never transferred to someone else?
“If you want me to, I can send you the information I have found about the house.”
“That would be great,” Megan agreed eagerly.
“Look for it within a few hours. Good luck and everything,” Sammie said.
Megan could tell her friend had gotten distracted by someone near her because she could hear a man’s voice, so she quickly ended the call. “Thanks for your help in this, Sammie.”
After hanging up, she sat back and marveled at the information Sammie had given her. Was the house really haunted? She had never believed in ghosts, but then she had never believed in time travel either.
But at least she had received some good news today about the house, haunted notwithstanding. She would swing by Keegan’s house after work to catch him up on all the details.
Why would it still be in his name? He was already twenty-five years old and was living in the year 1902. If he was still alive, he would be over 130 years old. Clearly, that wasn’t likely. Why hadn't someone else inherited the house when he died? One of his relatives, at least? If he hadn’t officially left it to someone else in his will, the bank would have confiscated it and surely sold it by now.
She shrugged her shoulders. Who knew why it was still in his name? She couldn’t complain about the ease of how she was getting her new shop and wouldn’t risk losing this opportunity by asking questions.
She turned the corner and saw the shop ahead. Her break was almost over; she knew today was busy, and her mother needed her help. She wouldn’t bring up the marriage again, but she would find a way to create a different option for her mother. Maybe if she went ahead with the plans
on the house and got everything set up, her mother would realize how much better life would be at Keegan’s house. She could turn George down, and they wouldn't ever have to see him again.
Chapter 21
October, 1902
Kimberly’s brow creased in worry. Richie was sick, and she had a feeling it wasn’t the typical stomach flu. He was curled up in his bed, moaning in pain. He had thrown up already and said his stomach hurt. She felt his forehead for the tenth time in the last two minutes. She couldn’t be exactly sure how high his fever was, but she guessed it was at least 102. He had started to feel sick during breakfast, so Nicky had insisted that Richie lay down on Jonathon’s bed.
“How is he?” Patrick asked as he walked in. He had to take care of some cattle after breakfast but had returned quickly after his chores to check on Richie.
“I’m very worried. All of his symptoms started so suddenly. I think it might be something more dangerous than a regular flu bug,” she admitted. She used to be a nurse in a hospital and had seen a lot of patients come and go. She recognized the symptoms her young son was having but didn’t want to admit out loud exactly what she thought it was. “Richie, I need you to let me feel your stomach, okay?”
Richie was a tough boy and always obeyed his Ma and Pa. He tried to uncurl himself, crying out in pain as he did so. Kimberly pushed the guilt down at making him move; whether she wanted to admit it or not, she needed to make a diagnosis herself so they could go get help if they needed it. She only hoped she remembered what she needed to know. She pushed two fingers into his lower right abdomen and Richie winced in extreme pain. When she removed her hand, he cried out, the pain clearly worse at the release of pressure. Her heart sank. Her fears were confirmed.
“I think it’s appendicitis,” she said gravely to Patrick.
“What is that?” Patrick asked.
She tried to answer the question like it was a test. She couldn’t attach herself to the words or she would break down. “There is an infection in his appendix, an organ that helps the large intestine digest food. It needs to be removed or it will burst… which could very well be fatal without the right treatment and surgery.” She tried to keep her voice low, not wanting to scare her son.
