Dark Shadows, The Homecoming fd/pt1

46000+ (M/L) words

Dark Shadows The Homecoming

“My name is Donna Davis. My journey has just begun, a journey that will connect me to my husbands past. A journey that will bring me to his ancestral home, the house on top of Widow’s Hill. A house called Collinwood. The strangers who await us are my daughters family. Steeped in shadows they reached out to us in our hour of need leaving more questions to be asked than the ones answered so far.”

The private jet cruised above the clouds, hurtling toward a new life. Donna and Sarah snuggled under luxurious blankets on the sofa bed just outside the bed chamber where Mark slept, sedated, attended by the Collins family physician. Donna shook her head softly remembering that Mark was not her husbands real name. His name was David. Closing her eyes, she thought back three weeks to the day their lives changed, turning on a dime…


“The stroke could have been worse.”

Donna blinked big blue eyes at the doctor and turned her head to look at her husband, Mark. Inert on his back with tubes, hoses and electrodes slithering across his body. Tonal beeps punctuated his harsh breathing. She brought her hand to her mouth, closing her teeth anxiously around the nail where the ragged edge met the nail bed.

“Hum, okay.”

He cupped her shoulder, patting twice before his hand retracted to the chart he held by his chest. The movement was swift, jerky, like a serpents strike.

“The staff is preparing you an informational packet. You can go over it with your family and we will discuss any concerns you may have when I make my rounds later.”

Donna thought of her delicate ten year old daughter sleeping soundly in her bed unaware that across town their lives had taken a sudden turn for the worse.

“He’s going to recover?”

“Mr. Davis is going to live. There will be major adjustments to be made and he might never fully recover with no lingering effects. You got him in very quickly. He is a lucky man.” Again his hand shot out and patted, twice. He walked out of the room, spoke softly to the nurse as he passed her the chart and strode importantly down the hall.

The nurse’s aid entered the room and snapped off a few more lights. Shadows pooled, purple and black across the floor.

She laid her palms flat against the sides of her head, above her ears, running her fingers through her hair, scraping rough-chewed nails against the scalp as she gathered her long blond hair atop her head as if to put it in a pony tail. Threading her fingers together on top of her head, as if to hold her thoughts inside, she took several shuddering breaths.

“I have a packet for you at the nurses station.” the nurse told her as she checked the patients vitals. “Why don’t you come with me to the break room, Mrs. Davis? I have fresh coffee made. We can go over some of the information while I take a break.”

Donna folded her elbows in toward her face, sucked in another ragged breath. “ I shouldn’t leave him.”

“Honey, your going to get some real quality time by this mans bedside. Take your breaks away whenever you can. Cherish them. They won’t come around often enough. Believe me.”

Donna nodded, following the attendant out of the room stopping to look back at the man she loved.

Drinking sweet, hot tea and skimmed through the literature, listening to the laughter from the staff gathered around a laptop playing the new Adam Sandler movie before drifting back to the curtained glass cubical of the ICU unit. Stepping through the door she was thinking about how she would tell Sarah Rose about her fathers stroke. She rubbed her eyes, holding her palms flat across them as a million thoughts raced, unfinished, through her mind. When she managed to drag her hands away she saw a tall, silver haired man standing on the other side of the bed. He was steeped in the shadows, barely noticeable.

“ I trust I’m not intruding. I couldn’t pass by with out looking in on him.”

Donna strained to hear the mans soft, melodious voice. The slight accent caressed her ears. She leaned across the bed toward him, trying to see him better.

“I… no, sir… do I know you?”

“We have not met. “ He said, sliding his hands from where they were resting on top of her husbands.

She was going to say something else, ask something, but a din rose from the cubical next door, alarm bells shrieking. A bevy of hospital staff converged on the room. Donna raced to the door, seeing the nurses converge at the side of the hapless patient before easing away. When she turned around, the elegant old gent was gone. Thinking he had walked around her during the commotion, she settled into the visitors chair,
trying not to hear the commotion as another woman lost her husband.

The plane shuddered through turbulence and Donna sat up. She looked in on her husband, the doctor diligently at his side, checked Sarah to be sure she was still sleeping before she moved through the curtain and sat next to the stranger.

“Mr. Hawkes?”

He lowered his reading glasses, turning his full attention on her, “Please, call me Jeb.”

She licked suddenly dry lips, “Jeb, right.” She exhaled loudly, her palms flat on her knees as she rubbed them up and down her jean clad thighs, “I’m sorry,” She said, beginning again, “I don’t understand.”

He raised sandy blond brows toward the thatch of unruly, dish-water blond curls. “How can I help you, Mrs. Collins?”

She rocked back in the seat, “I hardly know where to begin, sir”

“Jeb, please.”

Donna laughed, a nervous, uncertain caw. Slapping her hand over her mouth she bounced to her feet and paced a few steps. “Look, I am not having any luck with names right now, ok? Two weeks ago I thought that man was named Mark Allan Davis. I thought I was Mrs. Davis. I’ve never heard of any of you.”

“Yes, the situation is highly unusual. It must be frustrating for you and Sarah.”

“It is. Yes, it is. Can you tell me anything about Mark, I mean David?”

“I’m not at liberty to say very much, attorney-client confidentiality and all of that you understand?” She nodded and he continued, “My mother is David’s first cousin. He left when I was a toddler so I’m afraid I can’t help explain much..”

“Why did he leave? Change his identity? Hide from his family for thirty years?” she asked, pacing again?

Jeb Hawke shrugged eloquently. “These are questions for which I have no answers.”

Donna tossed her hands up in the air and groaned with impatience.

“Why don‘t you tell me how you found The Collins family after all this time when they have spared no expense searching for him.” Jeb suggested calmly.

Donna nodded. “Sure, why not?” She took a deep breath and began, “The night after my M… my…David suffered his stroke an elderly man visited him in ICU. I spoke with him at … David’s… bedside. He must have placed a business card and key in… my husband’s… hand. That is the only explanation.”

“May I see them?” Jeb ask.

Donna ransacked her purse to find the card and held it out to him, “The bank kept the key to the safety deposit box.”

Jeb examined the business card, held it up to the weak light, turned it over in his fingers, “walking” it from finger to finger. It held the name of a St. Louis bank, the managers name and number and had a number scrawled across the back. The number had turned out to be the number of the safety deposit box.

Donna remembered the unnatural stillness in the office when she opened the box…

There was an audible “pop” oin the eerie silence after which sound streamed back into her ears. She could hear the voices from the bank, the heater kick on, tires squeeling at the intersection outside the bank. It was suddenly too loud and she wavered on her feet, a wave of dizziness shivering up her spine. Her knees buckled. She sank, not gracefully, but with a “plop” into the provided chair. The bank manager scurried to her side.

“Mrs. Davis, are you all right? May I get you some water?”

She couldn’t take her eyes off the contents of my husbands safety deposit box.

“Yes, Mr., “ Donna glanced at the business card still held in my trembling hand, “Mr. Carlyle, I think I would like a bottle of water, thank you.”

The diversion gave her a few moments to catch her breath while she had waited for the small bottle of frosty cold Aqua-pure. Drinking deeply, she composed myself, “May I have some privacy, sir?”

As soon as he was out of the room she opened the box again, looking into it with disbelief.
Biting her bottom lip between herteeth, a nervous habit she had given up in childhood, she tasted the cherry Chap stick on them, as she lay the contents out on the table.

A passport, an expensive real-leather wallet, a legal sized manila envelope, a savings deposit register and a lone photograph laid out before her. She looked at the items as if they would turn into a wreathing snakes. With shaking hands she touched the blue folder of the passport, gingerly folding open the stiff binding with the very tip of one nail bitten finger, reading the name under her husbands picture Reaching for the Aqua-pure she drained it.

The wallet held the Maine Driver’s License information that matched that on the passport; David Isaac Collins. They both had an address in some place called Collinwood, Maine. The young man in the picture was an impossibly young looking version of the man she had been married to for 29 years. Squeezing her eyes closed on confused, angry tears she mentally pulled herself together, stuffed the contents from the box into a large pocket book and managed to get out of bank before she threw up.
The attorneys voice brought her back to the present, “So, you called us and here you are.”

Donna rested her head back on the comfortable leather headrest, “More or less. It took me a few days. I googled the family, found out about the massive search for David. I was going to talk to him about it. Question him.“ a fleeting smile ran away from her face, “Then, they told me he couldn’t speak and has limited movement of his head and right arm and that he might recover if he had relentless, expensive treatments and physical therapy… that’s when I decided to call.” Donna looked Jeb straight in the eyes, “We have no insurance.”

Jeb nodded and leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees, searching her face for answers, “You called because the family is rich, didn’t you?”

Without hesitation Donna nodded and said, “Yes.” She bit her lower lip between her teeth. “I couldn’t let him go out this way because we have no resources, when the answer was right in front of us.”

“You have no clue why he left the family, does it concern you that you may be bringing him ‘home’ to a situation he would not want to be part of?”

Donna nodded her head yes, saying; “No.”

Jeb’s eyebrows shot up again.

“What matters is that we don’t lose him.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Donna nodded off sleeping fitfully beside her daughter as the plane bore them across the country. Sarah opened her eyes, beginning to talk as if she had fallen asleep in mid sentence.

Sarah peeked through the door for a moment shifting anxiously from foot to foot. “Can I see daddy?”

“When the doctor says that it is all right, yes.”

Sarah bounced from window to window, bubbling with unbridled enthusiasm, “This plane doesn’t have seats like the ones in the movies.”

“This is a private plane.”

The petite ten year old stilled suddenly, turned to snuggle her bottom as far back in to the butter-soft leather chair as she could get it and waved at Donna until her mother turned her full attention to her, “What if daddy’s secret family doesn’t like us?” Sarah said, whispering.

Donna switched seats, pulling her daughter on to her lap the way she had before Sarah decided she was too old to snuggle on her parents laps, “That will never happen, sweet-face.”

Sarah’s hand drifted toward her mouth a gesture that looked as if she might have unconsciously thought about sucking her thumb. She patted her chin in a pondering movement, “If you say so, mom.”

Donna held her closely and closed he eyes to utter a silent prayer that everything would be so simple, “I say so.”

Sarah bounced up and joined Jeb Hawke in the forward cabin and Donna followed, listening intently as her daughter rattled off a list of inquiries the man stood no chance of keeping up with. She relaxed, slightly, as Jeb played along patiently.

“I have a twelve year old son.” he said when Sarah trailed off to sit with her father at the nurses urging, “Josh is twelve. He used to talk like that, a mile a minute.”

“Used to?”

“Yes, he is way too cool to ramble these days. They grow up so fast.”

Donna swallowed, uneasy; “That’s what I’m afraid of!”

“I don’t think Sarah will have any trouble fitting in.”

Donna concentrated on chewing a cuticle, pacing, eventually wandering into her husbands room to sit by his bed. Sarah was reading to him from a Laura Ingalls Wilder book but it was hard to tell if he was paying attention. He was staring,, with tears in his eyes at the 30-something doctor who sat at the foot of the bed but when Donna leaned in to kiss his cheek he grasp her firmly with his right hand. Their eyes met, held.

“I love you, Mark, David, whatever you call yourself. I love you.” she told him, touching her forehead to his and holding his gaze. His hand slipped away and he rolled his head back and forth as his short store of energy ran out. He blinked his eyes three times, then winked at his wife.

“Everything is going to be alright, honey.” Donna assured him, wiping moisture away that seeped from his eyes, “You’re going to get the treatment you need. You’re going to be back with us in no time.”

David made an impotent grab for her as she straightened up, his mouth working like a fish out of water. The doctor shifted Donna aside and took the patients blood pressure.

You should both let him rest now. His b.p. is elevated. Rest easy, David we will have you back at Collinwood by the end of the day.“ David’s eyes grew huge as she fussed with his covers and he glanced rapidly between the doctor and his wife. “if I’m not mistaken he’s trying to communicate with you.” Doctor Evans said to Donna, turning back to the patient, “Too soon for you to think you can pull that off, cousin.”

“Cousin?” Donna asked.

The doctor ran a cool cloth across David’s salt and pepper curls, changing his pillow which had soaked through with sweat. “Yes. I think he may be unsettled by my resemblance to my mother, Maggie Evans. She was his governess for awhile.”

They looked at David watching as relief washed over his features and he closed his eyes with a heavy sigh.

“Your mother is his cousin?” Sarah asked as Dr. Evans shooed them out the door.

“No, my father is a distant cousin; Quentin Collins.”

Sarah never held back when she thought of a question and she jumped on the opportunity to point out that the Doctors name was not Collins. “Why is your name Dr. Evans if your dad is a Collins?”

“Sarah! Don’t be rude.” her mother admonished lightly, looking at the doctor apologetically.

“You may call me Josie, if that’s all right with your parents.” the doctor gave Donna an inquiring glance and Donna mouthed nodded to give her permission to reply.

“Mom is quite the independent woman. She resisted marriage for a long time. I guess she finally relented when she realized dad wasn’t going to stop asking.”

Sarah looked willing to delve into the subject, but they had to prepare for the plane to land. She took a seat next to the middle aged flight attendant and began a litany of high spirited questions about the plane, the landing, and several other topics. Donna settled on the sofa, put on her seatbelt and dug two Advil out of her purse.

She tuned her daughters chatter out and turned inward. Her husband had changed his name, created a fake identity, going to tremendous lengths to remove himself from his family. Her blood throbbed through her head sounding for the world like the word, “Why?”

CHAPTER TWO

“My name is Sarah Davis. I find myself on a fascinating adventure to a life I never dreamed existed. I feel that new worlds are about to open before my eyes. I’m anxious to embrace a new life. Anxious and afraid to find out I am, in fact; Sarah Collins. I am an heir to a family from which my father fled and hid his entire life.”

The drive Sarah’s e from the airport took two hours. excited chit chat finally ran out and she plugged earphones into her portable DVD player to listen as the newest Disney movie played. Jeb was going over papers from his briefcase, sitting in the rear facing seat of the limo. Donna tried not take her eyes off the ambulance they followed, but the view of the Atlantic ocean was breath taking. They wound north on the cliff road, sometimes hugging a shoulder that dropped off sharply to the sea while at other times she lost sight of the panoramic view all together.

Donna sipped bottled water, slowly draining one after another. Flexing her fingers around the wet plastic bottle would make it pop occasionally and when it did she would jump, looking furtively at Jeb, valiantly trying to smile in what she hoped was an apologetic way. Several times he closed his case and tried to start conversations. She was too stressed to hold onto the threads of them, so she put down the water and clasped her hands together in a white knuckled choke hold and tried deep breathing. Between that and the view, she passed the ride as well as she could. Still, by time the small caravan reached the picturesque seaside town of Collinsport, Donna was beside herself.

Sarah whipped off her earphones when the car slowed to a crawl, “Are we there? Is this it?”

Donna jumped as if she had been hit with a sudden shock from a cattle prod, Jeb laughed, a sincere, pleasant sound, “This is Collinsport. We are about 15 minutes from the estate. Speed limit is 15 miles an hour all the way through, so it might feel like forever. Would you like me to tell you about the town as we go through?”

“Yes!” Sarah bounced in her seatbelt, her store of quiet obviously used completely. Donna nodded rubbing her damp palms on her thighs.

They stopped for a train to crawl through the edge of town and Jeb pointed toward the ocean, “The docks, fishery, ship yard and tavern ’The Blue Whale’ are on this end of town, along with the Collins offices.”

“It smells!”

Donna agreed.

“You get use to it, I promise.” Jeb said, laughing. The train cleared and they crept forward.

“The depot is on the right, they have a decent little diner. Quentin and Maggie own the Collinsport Inn a few blocks north…”

“Dr. Collins mom and dad?”

“Yes, Jenny’s parents. They have a world class restaurant.” He pointed to a six story colonial building that e must have 100 rooms. “My grandparents owned one of the numerous antique stores down on Water Street at one time, “Jeb shared, “There is also a maritime museum, art studio/shop,” he paused, “It is quite the tourist destination.”

Donna was leaning forward, checking out both sides of the vehicle, soaking in every word. Her hands were finally still. “Tourists, of course. Collinsport must be hundreds of years old.”

“Four, actually. We have records in the history museum going back to the early 1600’s.”

“Holy cow!” Sarah said appreciatively at the same time Donna said “Wow.”

“I won’t bore you with the story now but Isaac Collins founded the town. The Collins have a long, fascinating history to say the least.”

Sarah’s brown eyes locked on Jeb, “Daddy’s family?” she was momentarily still as she took that information in.

“Your family.”

“My family?” Sarah breathed, amazed. She looked around her 360 degrees momentarily awed.

“The post office is at the other end of Federal Street, “ Jeb continued pointing down a cross street as they passed.

They left the town behind, speeding up as they took the coast road. The smell of the sea filled the vehicle, heady and intoxicating. The ocean view was spectacular in the noon day sun, the sea a deep royal blue, as white caps broke against the rocky shore with a hypnotic, rhythmic sound.

The black rocks littered along the shore glistened like obsidian. The cliffs rose in the distance, mammoth stones dotted with greenery that soon overpowered the rocks. At the top, trees dotted the edge sparsely. A lush green lawn led the eye to the Collins house.

At first all she could see was numerous chimneys rising into the brilliant blue sky. The other three stories appeared through the forest like slides from an old kinescope as the sun turned the shadows of the trees into a strobe light. The cliff road turned inland sharply and there was Collinwood. Donna gasp at the site of the estate, and goose bumps raced across the surface of her flesh.

“It looks like The Shining Hotel!” Sarah exclaimed.

Jeb burst out laughing at the same time Donna replied, “You are not allowed to watch things like that.”

“Mom, I don’t live under a rock. No one can avoid Steven King even if they are freakishly opposed to horror, science fiction, fantasy…”

“Your father…”

Sarah interrupted, “Doesn’t like anything supernatural.” Sarah finished after interrupting. “I know it.”

Jeb looked from one of them to the other, but said nothing. Within moments they had pulled up to the front door portico. Jeb crawled out and held the door for them.

“Oh, man, oh man, oh man.” Sarah chanted looking up at the intimidating edifice. She stared at the lead glass windows with her mouth open and eyes as wide as saucers.

Donna pulled her daughter close to her, snuggling her daughters back close to her own body and curving her arm across the tiny chest and shoulders.

“Why didn’t the ambulance stop? Where are they taking my husband?”

“We have remodeled a suite near the kitchen suitable for caring for the infirm. David’s father spent some time there near the end.” He saw her wrinkled brow and continued, “We completely remodeled since then, of course.” He held his hand out, palm up, sweeping it toward the doors, “Are you ready to go in? To meet the family?”

“Yes!” Sarah jumped up and down and danced out of her mothers grasp.

“Will you take me to my husband rooms?”

He was moving toward the doors. As he passed he cupped her elbow in his palm and gently urged her forward, “It’s going to be perfectly alright, Donna.”

“Hum, Ok.”

He opened one of the massive oak doors and stood back for them to pass him.

“I should get our bags.” Donna said.

“We have staff that will attend to that.”

“Oh, of course. I should have known.”

They passed through a small foyer with rock floor and rough hewn walls that boasted a hall tree, umbrella stand that appeared to be an elephant foot. There were coat hooks on the right and a small, ornate chair to the left.

Jeb swung open double entry doors. They stepped into a three story entry hall. A formal staircase rose to the right, past an ancient tapestry on wall. An ornate banister book ended the stairs which were covered with what looked like brand new, luxurious carpeting. The landing was home to a gorgeous cathedral shaped stain glass windows which rose two stories. A door closed off the landing from the great hall to the left.

Donna was afraid she would hyperventilate. She hugged her Dollar Store purse to her chest, stepping forward to place her hand on the hall table, “If this were a dinner table it would probably seat ten people.”

Jeb stepped forward, past the table to a small decorative table, pushed a number on the phone. “We’re home.” he said into the speaker without picking up the handset. “Could you bring some ginger ale to the drawing room? I think Mrs. Collins is feeling off.”

“Of course.” a disembodied female voice replied immediately.

Donna smiled at him, a genuine smile of relief flying across her face. “Sarah! Stay here.”

“I want to see.”

“Yes, I know, angel. Be patient, please I’m kind of over whelmed here.”

“Mom, get a grip.”

Jeb managed not to laugh and gestured the women through a set of double doors directly across from the entry. Donna noticed a door under the landing, an eight foot tall Grandfather’s Clock, and another door to the left as she entered the old fashioned parlor. Her Payless sensible pumps seeped into the neutral straw colored carpeting.

Looking up at the twelve foot ceiling, mother and daughter turned identical 360 degree circles. The walls were paneled in two foot squares of gleaming polished wood. A big, well used fire3place took up a large portion of the wall facing the hallway, Mullioned windows covered in velvet drapes opened off the left wall. On the right was a small wall unit. Ornate antique buffets bracketed the hall doors, a small free standing bar in the front left corner caught her eyes and held her attention for a moment before she turned back to Jeb. He was standing in front of the fireplace, between the two opulent sofas.

“Would you a cocktail?”

“Yes, but I think I’ll wait until we are settled in.”

“As you wish.”

A woman about Donna’s age entered from the hall, she was petite with a shock of thick dark hair piled artfully on her head. She carried a tray of glasses, wore a cautious smile and expensive tailored pants suit.

“Ah, Amy, Thank you.” The woman put down the tray, picking up one of the glasses to hand to Donna. “Amy is an old family friend. We are fortunate enough that she runs the house for us. Anything you want to know about the family, or the estate, Amy can be reached by dialing 1 on any house phone.”

Donna sipped the ginger ale and felt her stomach settling as soon as she drank. “Nice to meet you Amy.”

Amy smiled and it lit up her face, “You, too. I brought ice tea for your daughter if she can have it?”

“Of course.”

“Does it have sugar?” Sarah asked, sinking into the sofa and looking up at Amy.”

“Manners.” Donna reminded her gently.

Sarah stood, extended her hand to shake Amy’s, “Delighted to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Jennings.”

Amy and Jeb shared a smile with Donna. “The pleasure is all mine, Miss Collins and yes the tea has sugar.”

“Oh, wow, I’m not used to that name.” Sarah said settling again onto the sofa with her drink. “If it’s alright mom can they call me Sarah?”

“Sure, baby.” Donna turned to Amy. “Until a week ago we thought our last name was Davis.”

“So we have heard. “ Amy assured her. “There seems to be quite a few things we will all have to learn about each other. I look forward to it.”

“Mom, do you think they talk all the time like it’s a black and white movie?”

Donna stared at her daughter, her mouth dropping open. Before she could answer Amy replied, “Probably little one. I hope you won’t laugh at us too heartily?” she turned to Donna, “Carolyn thought you might like to see your rooms, rest up, change, unwind before meeting the family?”

“Oh, absolutely. I’d like to see my husband first, if you don’t mind?”

“I need to get to the office,” Jeb said, “I leave you in Amy’s capable hands, Donna, Sarah.”

Amy was already ushering Donna and Sarah to the doors. “Your mother would like you here for dinner, please?”

Jeb called back over his shoulder as he sprinted up the stairs, “I wouldn’t leave Donna to meet the clan without at least one familiar face. Count me in!”

Amy turned, “David’s apartment is on the other side of the kitchen. Years ago it was the housekeepers quarters but when Elizabeth and later Roger were older we converted it.”

“Jeb mentioned that, yes.”

“How many rooms is in this house?” Sarah asked, interrupting.

“How many rooms are there in this house?” Donna corrected.

“52 in the main house.”

“The main house?” Sarah repeated.

“There’s more than one?” Donna asked.

“I’m afraid so.”

They went through the door under the landing into a long hallway. “I’ll see that you have a real tour of course,” Amy told them, “This is the Formal dining room,” she motioned to closed double doors, “the butlers pantry is there and this is the kitchen.” They moved through a swinging door at the end of the hallway, “That door, “Amy motioned to a closed door ahead of them, “is another hallway. It leads to the library, the study and my office, which can also be accessed from the door between the breakfast room and the back stairs.”

“I’m going to get so lost!” Sarah exclaimed exuberantly.

Donna stomach knotted again. “You had better not.”

Amy patted Donna’s shoulder, comfortingly, “Practically every room has a phone and…”

“You can be reached by dialing one.” Sarah finished for her.

“Yes.” Amy smiled.

They crossed the giant kitchen, but Donnas mind was whirling and she didn’t take in much of it except to notice a staff bustling around the immaculate appliances. They passed through a door on the far wall, to a narrower back hall. Amy knocked on the first door to the left and Dr. Evans opened the door almost at once.

“Here we are.” Amy stated.

“How is M… my husband?”

“He is very tired and seemed to be in some pain so I gave him a mild sedative. But I promised him you and Sarah would be in to see him. It’s the door on the left. Please don’t stay long, he really seems very agitated.”

~~end of posted on sites
He was asleep, but even in repose he looked drawn, haggard. A thin sheen of sweat iced his upper lip and a frown creased his brow. Donna touched his face, ran her hand through his once dark hair and kissed him softly on his lips. She fought to hold back the swift rush of tears that flooded her eyes. Seeing him so infirm turned her insides to ice, never less as he fluttered open his vivid brown eyes with great effort she smiled at him.

“We’re here, honey. Sarah and I are here with you now.” David tried to work his mouth, as if to speak and the silent action twisted her heart, “Shhh, please Mark. Please don’t push try so hard.”

David reached toward Sarah who was uncharacteristically quiet for a change. His hand fluttered like a butterfly , but she knew he was reaching for her and scooted up into the bed to curl at his side under his good arm. He patted her limply, seemingly unable to keep his eyes open.

“It smells good in here,” Donna said, looking around the spacious, efficient, but elegant room, “it’s a little cold though. I’ll ask if they mind lighting a fire…” she completed her visual tour of the room, returning her gaze to her husbands face.

David’s eyes were wide, glazed in apparent terror, as he looked past his wife, his mouth open in a silent scream.

Sarah jerked into a sitting position at some spastic movement of her fathers head and arm and screamed.

CHAPTER THREE

“Afternoon shadows crawl the walls in the luxurious sick room assigned to the prodigal son, David Collins… his estranged family gathers to welcome his wife and daughter, who struggle with the strangeness of an untenable situation. While the man, trapped inside his unresponsive body, grapples with memories, his still sharp mind horrified by truths he is unable to warn them about…”

Donna grabbed Sarah and jerked around looking behind her, uncertain of what could have caused her normally stoic spouse to look so horrified. Josie Evans dashed into the room, took in tableau and quickly ran to David’s side.

“What’s wrong?” Sarah asked, too loudly, with a hint of tears in her voice.

Donna’s heart was still in her throat as she cradled the child, who was almost as big as she was straddling her mothers waist with her arms clamped around her neck and her face buried in Donna’s neck. Donna patted her like she had when she was an infant, rocking back and forth, “I don’t know, baby, I don’t know.”

Turning to Dr. Evans she asked, “Doctor, what is it? Is it another stroke?”

Josie was stroking his face, whispering to the patient. “I don’t think so.” she glanced at them and back to David. “I’ll examine him to be sure. Do you mind leaving while I do so? I don’t want to upset Sarah further.”

Donna headed for the door, putting Sarah on her feet after a few steps, she steered her to the door. “I will be back.” she told the doctor, pausing to step back into David’s field of vision before she left the room. He looked calmer already.

“Please, Mrs. Collins, time my be of the essence.”

“All right. Ok, but I’m not leaving you, David. I’ll be right here.”

They waited outside the door, straining to hear any sound, jumping theatrically when the doctor came exited.

“He’s stabilized.” the doctor said and then asked, “What happened?”

“Mommy commented on how nice the room smelled.” Sarah said quietly reverting to her baby name for her mother.

The doctor looked to Donna.

“I told him I was going to ask if we could light the fireplace because it seemed cold and he… he freaked out. I thought there must be an axe murderer or something behind me. He looked so terrified.”

Josie Evans sighed, deeply. “I gave him another mild sedative to work with the first one. The stress of the trip, being back after so long… he needs to rest right now more than anything else.”

“Can I see him?”

“I would never tell you or his daughter you couldn’t see him. You must know that you’re a very important part of his recovery, but make no mistake; David needs to sleep, to rest. If your visits agitate him consistently I may ask you to decide to do what’s best for his recovery and limit your time with him.”

Donna chewed a thumb nail and looked forlornly away.

“We will do whatever is best for him, right angel?”

Sarah nodded, agreeing, “Can I go to see my room now?”

Donna looked around and pointed to the phone on the console. Sarah smiled, crossing to it she dialed 1.


“Mrs. Loomis asked that I offer you the choice of several rooms in the estate.” Amy said.

“I’d like whatever is closet to my husband, if you don’t mind?”

Amy opened a door off the cozy living room/galley kitchen just outside David’s room and showed them a beautifully appointed boudoir.

Donna ran her hand over the plush duvet on the four poster bed which matched the heavy curtains across the glass double doors. It was a pastel floral with shades of rose, pink, soft greens and blues on a butter colored back ground. The carpeting was plush, the rose exactly matching the flowers in the bed and curtain fabric. She blinked quickly seeing the vanity, wardrobe and chest of drawers that matched the golden wood of the four poster canopy bed. When she looked back at Amy she caught an odd expression on the other womans face and snatched her hand back to her side.

“We aren’t used to such opulence.” she said.

“I understand.”

Sarah had run her hands over every surface in the room and stood looking into the fireplace that was as tall as she was. “Where’s my room?”

Amy opened a door on the right which led to a porcelain tiled bathroom with a claw foot tub and gleaming golden fixtures.

“Look, Mom! There are two toilets!”

“Yeah, we’ll talk about that later, Sarah.”

Amy motioned to the other door and they crossed the room past a small, ornate fireplace and entered a smaller bedroom. Sarah flung herself on the bed in wild abandon.

“Its beautiful.” she cried out, touching everything as she had in her mothers room. It was rose and teal with touches of gold. The canopy twin bed, small desk and chair, wardrobe and entertainment cupboard all received equal attention. ”Oh, my God, Mom. Look. My own tv, a p.c., a Wii, a Bose… and cable? Is that cable?”

“Satellite television, yes.” Amy responded to the girl with a tin y grin.

“Dad wouldn’t let us have cable!” Sarah exclaimed, “Please, mom, can I keep them?”

Donna looked sheepish, “I’m not sure, angel, Daddy was very adamant.”

Amy didn’t bother to hide her confused frown. “We would be happy to help you set the parental controls to whatever stipulations you would like.” She offered.

Donna sighed and closed her eyes. She leaned back against the fabric covered wall, biting her lip. “We’ll try it.” she said, sighing then straightened, “but when your father recovers he may change it, you understand?”

“Yes, yes. Thank you, mom.” Sarah hugged her fiercely. “Can I watch tv now, please can I?”

“Not until we set the limits.”

“How about the computer?” Amy asked. She stepped around, pushed a few keys on it and said, “I’ve turned off the wi-fi so she can’t get online,” She turned to Sarah, “but there are tons of games and writing or drawing programs to keep you interested. If that’s ok with Mom?”

Donna nodded and Sarah sank down at the desk as if in heaven.

“Turn on a light.” Donna said and then opened the door to the hallway. “Where does this go?”

She and Amy crossed into the dim hall after Donna made sure the solid door to her daughters room would remain open.

“This opens back into the kitchen on this end and onto a small private patio on the other. Its designed for privacy.”

“Who has keys to the outside?”

“I do, and you will, the doctor and private duty nursing staff as well.”

“These rooms will be perfect, thank you.”

“Mrs. Loomis wanted to be sure you wouldn’t feel as if we were sticking you in the servants quarters. There is a suite readied for you in the family quarters, if you’d like to see it, that’s on the second floor in the center section of the house right beside the back stairwell. It would be right above the apartment. It’s larger and slightly better appointed.”

Donna checked to be sure the door to the patio was locked, called to Sarah not to go outside and to let her know if she left her room and then followed Amy back into the kitchen. “These rooms appointments are much more opulent than we are use to, Mrs. Jennings. I can’t even imagine ones more luxurious.”

“You should let me show them to you.”

“Of course, I’d love to see them. I hope to see the whole place, but I want to stay with my husband. You understand?”
Amy nodded that she did and opened the fridge and cupboards to show Donna that they were fully stocked.

“While we have a moment alone,” Amy said, “Will you have a cup of tea with me? I need to talk to you, personally, and it would be best if Sarah weren’t to over hear.”

Donna resisted the urge to knot her hands in her hair. She looked longingly at the bedroom and then anxiously at her husband room.

“Please, Mrs. Collins, if we don’t have this chance to chat it may be very awkward for us later.”

Donna put her fingertips over her eyes and pressed lightly, rubbed her temples briefly with two fingers and trailed them down to cover her mouth with all four fingers of both hands splayed across her mouth.

“This sounds ominous. Please, go on?”

Amy nodded busying herself filling a tea pot. “Would you rather have coffee?” she asked.

“Actually, yes. Do you mind?”

“Not at all.”

“I was afraid rich people didn’t drink coffee.”

Amy left the tea pot filled on the stove and moved quickly to fill the Bunn Coffeemaker.

“Trust me, I am not a rich person. Jeb told you that I am an old family friend when he introduced us, right?”

Amy got out mugs as the pot hissed and the delightful scent of fresh coffee filled the air, “I moved to Collinwood with my brothers when I was nine. Our parents died and my brothers were groundskeepers. The Collins soon asked me to live in the Main House and I took classes along side David, your husband.”

“Yes, ok.”

Amy crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the counter top crossing her legs at the ankles as well. “I don’t know any easy way to say this, but it wouldn’t be fair not to tell you. As teenagers, the year before David went to college, we… had a relationship. A romance.”

Donna tensed in her seat at the table and her mouth dropped open. “What?”

“I thought we were in love. Maybe he did too, at first, it doesn’t really matter. We had always been so close and we went through so much together…”

“Amy, I, hum… thank you for feeling so strongly that I not find out about this at a later date, but…”

“That’s not all of it.”

“Oh, my God.”

“ David broke it off during his freshman year at University. I was crushed of course, but by that time I had moved into town and could see that I wanted to date others. You know how it goes, right?“

“Maybe I should have a drink. Is there a bar in here?“

Amy gestured to a side board. “Make it Scotch, you may need it, and poor me one too?“

Donna complied and brought the drinks to the counter, sipping hers and gagging.

“Go on.“

“David came home for the summer between sophomore and junior years.“

“You got back together?“

“Not exactly. David disappeared as soon as he left Collinwood. Not long after I found out that I was pregnant. We have a son. David has a son.”

“Excuse me?” Donna said, blankly staring at the other woman.

“Jamison is 34. He lives at The Old House here on the grounds. He’s spent his life turning it into a Bed and Breakfast of all things. He…”

“Mark, I mean; David, d…d… doesn’t know?”

“No.”

They drank their scotch in silence as a distant clock chimed five.

“Mrs. Collins, “ Amy said.

Donna interrupted with a toneless laugh that might have been a sob. “Please, Amy, I think we have enough in common to be on a first name basis, don’t you?”

“I hope you see why I needed to talk to first. I’m not sure David needs this information right now, b ut letting it come out later, well… didn’t feel right.”

“I’m sure your right. I’m having a little trouble processing so much all at once, though. The secret family, the trip, this place and now this. I don’t know what to say.”

“Please don’t feel like you have to say anything.” Amy downed her drink and grimaced, “I would never apologize for my son. He is a blessing. He saved my life in so many ways, but I do apologize for the shock this is causing and for any pain it brings you. I hope you will give Jamie a chance before you hate the very idea of him.”

Donna wiped tears from her eyes and gagged down the scotch as well. “I’ve never hated anyone in my life. It says so much about you that you insisted I know this immediately. I’m naturally concerned with how this will affect Sarah…” she looked at the petite, dark haired woman across from her, “I don’t know what to say.”

Amy straightened. “You don’t have to say anything at all. We need time, all of us, I think. I’ve asked everyone not to mention this to Sarah. You have to handle it in your own way at your own speed.”

“Yes. Yes, I’d say thank you, but it seems wildly inappropriate.”

Amy crossed to the door and spoke without turning around, “Dinner is at 8. The immediate family will be here they are so excited to meet you, uhm, and the we’ll introduce you to the staff as well at that time, if that’s all right with you?”

“Eight is rather late for Sarah but it is unusual circumstances.”

Donna checked in on Sarah and locked the hall doors from the inside. She looked in on David, who was sleeping soundly and took a long, hot soak in the huge tub. She had slipped on a work out suit and was wondering if these people “dressed for dinner” when a knock sounded at the apartment front door.

“Yes? Donna asked without opening the door.

“Hi, hello, I should have called, but… This is David’s cousin, Carolyn. May I come in?”

Donna lay her head on cold wood of the door. “If she says ‘we need to talk’ I’m going to scream>“ she said to herself as she unlocked the door.

“Mrs. Loomis, right?” Donna ask.

“Yes. I know I must seem terribly rude, but I wouldn’t blame you if you called out of the dinner and locked your family in here to come to theme with all this. I couldn’t take the chance. I’ve never stopped searching for David. I thought he might be dead, must be dead. Anyway; I’d like to see him.” She glanced around the room, her delicate-gold, filigree, spiral ear rings swinging along with her hair-model, natural blond hair.

“Of course. I should have thought to ask you.” Donna said, stammering, fidgeting, “Your generosity has been over whelming, I can’t thank you enough.”

Carolyn turned to her, distracted, and darted her a sharp, sweet smile, “There is so much more to this than that, Donna. May I call you Donna? We really do have so much to discuss. First, though…?”

“Of course, let me ask the doctor.”

Josie popped out the door before they could knock which caused Donna to have an “Aha” moment: the doctor was waiting for them.

“Of course; I spoke to Josie before I came down.” Carolyn turned to her, her elbow tucked in to her shapely waistline and reached her hand our fleeting with the palm up. Donna was charmed immediately by the darting smile and curiously stilted speech.

Donna looked at Josie who said in a whisper, “He’s sleeping. Try not to wake him?”

Carolyn swept past, patting Josie on the cheeks and kissing her on the cheek.

“You get prettier every day. Have you been home to see your parents?” Carolyn asked her speaking softly, but swiftly as she passed by on a bee line for the patient. “Introduce David’s staff to his wife and do go home. Balance, Josie that’s what’s going to get us all through this. Give me some hand sanitizer?”

Josie handed her a squeeze bottle out of her pocket. “Yes Ma’am.”

They stood together at the door watching Carolyn’s reaction when she saw David again. She stopped and fluttered her arms before moving swiftly to the bedside. She didn’t touch the bed or David, but she trembled visibly as she reached, holding her hand under his nose. His warm breath warmed her flesh.

For the first time Donna could see Carolyn’s 60 year etched on her delicate, heart shaped face. Carolyn almost went into the ugly cry. She grappled with jagged, raw emotions briefly before a smile lit up her face. With tears rolling unheeded down her face she almost touched the prominent dimple in the center of his chin. She spun toward them with the grace of a woman a third her age, “Thank you.” she said to Donna.

“Pardon me.” Carolyn continued, rushing by them with a nod. They followed her out of the room, Josie closing the door behind them.

Sarah was in the living room, she smiled at Carolyn immediately approaching her, “I love your dress, it’s very BO-Ho.”

“Thank you. I love this style,” she leaned her shoulders back, twisted her too thin frame, striking a faux model’s pose showing off the demure, white linen peasant blouse and free flowing ruby skirt above butter soft white leather slouch boots, “It’s very Stevie Nicks.”

Sarah stuck out her hand, introducing herself, “Sarah Collins.”

“Carolyn Loomis.” she shook Sarah’s hand, “I hope you’ll talk your mother into coming for dinner. I’ve kept the relatives to a minimum and cook went seafood crazy.” She straightened up and looked Donna in the eye. Both were aware of the blatant attempt at emotional manipulation.

“You know, “Carolyn said, “Maine/seafood… goodness I hope that doesn’t sound condescending. Being from the Midwest on your first trip north I naturally assumed we should impress you with seafood.” the smile momentarily faded, “Please tell me you aren’t adverse or allergic o something!”

“We’re not!” Sarah assured her, “I’d love to try everything.”

Carolyn rather danced out of the room calling immediately to the kitchen staff, “Are we on time, Maggie?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Josie left the room to use her cell phone to assemble the three full time nurses who would be with David 24/7 from now on. “I will be here twice a day, I will never be more than 5 minutes from Collinwood unless I have another Doctor on call.”

Donna met the nursing staff ten minutes later, receiving fat envelopes stuffed with resumes, back ground checks, references. Magda “Call me Mags, I hate that name” Rakosi was 46, five feet tall all around, swarthy and competent; she told Donna proudly, “My family is 150 years in Collinsport. Some generations we have done better than others. Currently we have a nurse and merchant fisherman, bringing 10 children to carry on.”

“That’s very poetic.” Donna said sincere and confused.

Bryce Patterson turned out to be 39. He was buff but not pumped, 6 foot 5, with the face of Michelangelo’s David… at 14 years old.

“Has your family been in Collinsport a century?” Sarah asked.

“A-yeah.” he said, his accent that of the stereotypical New Englander, “My grand father was the sheriff.” Grandfather sounded like “grandfawrther”.

“Good… good… and you Ms Stokes?” Donna turned to the third scrub clad nurse, but not until after she exchanged a warning glance with a suspiciously tight lipped Sarah.

Hallie Stokes was a plump, curvaceous, woman in her fifties with a Dorothy Hamil haircut, a miniscule diamond stud in one nostril. “I don’t know how long they have been here, really. I have the satchel my great-whatever was given as a gift from Jeremiah Collins for services rendered during the civil war. He was a surgeon who went to war with Master Collins.”

Donna wondered how far she would have to go back in her family to find someone who didn’t have one foot in the poor house.

She waited to see Bryce settled on the first shift with David, take a cell phone with names and speed dial numbers stitched onto the magnetic close carrying case before she took Sarah and followed Amy to the library for a cocktail before they sat for dinner. Silently she blessed the person who had placed an itinerary and rough floor plan in her desk with helpful notes like “Library, Casual/Cocktails 7:15”. She wore a simple jean pencil skirt and pastel-blue cap sleeve tee. Sarah wore a simple soft, moss-green, A line dress with matching sweater.

The small kitchen staff did a passable job of not falling silent to watch them as they passed through the room. Donna smiled bravely at everyone who caught her eye. Sarah waved at the trim woman with short Audrey Hepburn hair who looked to be a few years older than her mother, “Hi, she called, turning to her mother she said loudly, “That must be Dr. Josie’s mother, see mom? They look so much alike!”

“Sarah Rose, I am not so sure that is the proper way to act. Shhh.”

“Welcome to Collinwood.“ Maggie Evans Collins called, waving back.

“Thank you.“ Sarah answered.

Uncertain how to act Donna nodded in what she hoped was a pleasant manner and led the gawking child through the back hall, following it to the other end of the house. She didn’t pause outside the doors, not because she didn’t want to, but in an effort to show Sarah confidence and self esteem. An onlooker who knew her, like her husband, would have seen the steel resolve straightening her spine but to her new in-laws she looked confident and comfortable.

They swept into the gathering without hesitation, crossing straight to Carolyn’s side with an encompassing visual sweep of the assembled family.

“Here they are.” Carolyn said in her sweet, chirping, oddly clipped Melanie Griffith voice. She hugged Donna soundly. Donna admired the earthy, sweet fragrance that she wore with the casual grace of the hemp belt slung low on her hips.

“Donna, Sarah; this is my husband, Will.” She pulled a round, portly, balding man around to face Donna. He smiled at them, his whole face crinkling charmingly.

“This is very exciting for us,” Willie Loomis said. “We’re all patiently waiting for David to be well enough to see him again. We can’t thank you enough for bringing him home.”

Donna thought of the massive amount of money her husbands recovery was quoted to be costing and a fleeting shadow crossed her expressive face. She shook his offered hand replying sincerely, “We are so thankful to have found you.”

Carolyn put her arm loosely across Sarah’s shoulders and pulled her closer without hugging her. “That color is amazing on you Sarah.”

Sarah beamed in pride.

“These are our children,” Carolyn turned toward the four people at the antique, globe bar, in front of one of the Cathedral mullioned windows. “You’ve met Jeb.”

Jeb smiled and offered a glass bottle of Coca-Cola to Sarah, “What can I make you, Donna?”

Donna placed her palm protectively against her stomach under her sternum where the scotch she had drank earlier still seemed to burn brightly, “A cold beer would be good, if you have one?”

Jeb passed her a tall, frosty, Coors Light.

“This is my wife, Jenny, and our son; Joshua and my sister Elizabeth.” Various greeting issued from those introduced.

“We should be in the same grade.” Joshua told Sarah, “So is Angie.” He motioned to another child around their age.

“Hi.” Angie said.

Sarah’s smile almost split her face it was so wide. Before she could do more than open her mouth to speak a voice from behind them spoke clearly. “Angie, your manners?”

Angie skipped over to an elderly woman sitting with prim and proper posture in an electric wheel chair, kissing her soundly on top of her shock of white hair, “This is my mother, the incomparable Dr. Julia Hoffman-Collins.”

With great theatrics Julia rose theatrically to her feet and held her arms out to Donna and Sarah. “I have to stand for this one, it’s such a momentous day. I wish Barnabus had lived to see this day come!”

“Here, here!” several people chorused from around the room. They all lifted their various drinks as if in synchronization, held for a second, and sipped their drinks. Donna and Sarah mimicked them.

“Jebidiah.” Julia shook her empty cut crystal glass at him, “Vodka martini, dirty, rocks, three olives, please.” She swiftly blessed them with a delicate almost hug and sank elegantly back into her chair. “This is my oldest child, Jeremiah.” she gestured for a gorgeous dark haired, dark eyed man to step forward. Donna tried not to react to the startling 20 year age difference between the Doctors children and failed. Angie was as blond, as fair, as petite, as he was tall, dark, and brooding.

Donna thought of Bronte’s Heathcliff as she shook his big, warm, well manicured hand. “A Pleasure.” she said. He inclined his head regally.

The knot around the bar loosened and Elizabeth, Carolyn’s daughter came forward. “Donna, Sarah, may I introduce my husband, Ari Rakosi and our nephew, Tad?”

Ari was a swarthy skinned man. Tad, tall, broad shouldered, with wildly curling black hair and flashing black eyes he was about fourteen, he greeted them politely and then addressed Carolyn, Julia and his mother; “Can we go upstairs and get out the game system now?” he asked, apparently representing the children.

Sarah preened like a peacock and gave Donna the “May I?” look..

Tad spoke, pointing to the wrought iron staircase in the southeast corner of the room, “We’ll be on the balcony,” he told Donna, “just across the room.”

Donna agreed that Sarah could go and the four youngest clattered up to the balcony. “Drinks stay here!” Elizabeth reminded them and they each placed their bottled sodas and waters on a tray at the bottom of the stairs. Sarah gave her mom the “thumb’s up” over the banister and their voices faded to a background rumble.

The adults settled into the damask seating group in front of the fireplace where a small decorative fire sputtered warmly. Amy joined them followed by a handsome man in his early thirties with a pronounced dimple in his chin and dancing brown eyes.

Amy introduced Donna to David’s son, Roger.

CHAPTER FOUR

“The first of many shocking secrets has been exposed. A mild afternoon after an exhausting, emotional trip has lengthened into velvet, purple shadows of twilight. For one of the residents there has been a profound revelation. One not as shocking as others to come, but they have no way of knowing that…”

Donna was effectively rendered mute with emotion but she clasp his strong hands in her and smiled at him holding tears at bay with sheer force of will. “Hi.” she meant to say but ended up mouthing the word silently.

Roger suavely kissed the back of Donna’s hands, capturing her gaze with an intense look she recognized from his father.

“I hope that we can find time to talk and that you will give me your permission to see my father whenever he is well enough.”

“As soon as the doctor says so, yes.” Donna agreed.

Carolyn announced that it was time for dinner. The younger generation clunked noisily down from the balcony and they moved en masse to the formal dining room.

A casual buffet had bee set out to the left of a set of three windows which soared in nine panels from floor to 12 foot ceiling. The three at floor level were a foot and a half wide, side by side, six feet tall, with six two foot square panes; two above each long panel of leaded glass. Lights twinkled in the distant trees across the lawn like ice crystal fire flies. Beyond them the lights from the town in the valley below sparkled faintly.

Donna wasn’t sure what she expected, but she was fairly confident that the newspaper covered, gigantic seventeenth century oak table was not it. They sat in the eighteen matching chairs while servers produced baskets of steaming clams from the butlers pantry and dumped them unceremoniously on the newspapers.

“Dinner is served.” Julia pronounced formally and they all dove in. The buffet consisted of roasted baby ears of corn; tiny, deep fried red potatoes; individual salad plates with Caesar salad; a soup tureen of lobster bisque and trays of fresh fruits and raw vegetables.

The assembled group fell to the meal with ease as the casually dressed servers in black and white mingled and chatted, refilling drinks and whisking away used dishes. It was both exotic and informal and they finished the meal, retreating to the front parlor where several excused them selves to the terrace to smoke, the rest were served coffee, cordials or warm chocolate. Donna was surprised to find it after 10:30.

Exhaustion swept her . She struggled against the effect of their long, emotional journey, profound relief, over whelming changes and a full stomach accompanied by a slight buzz. Donna pulled Sarah away as soon as Julia retired for the night, thinking it might be rude to leave before the family matriarch called it a night.

They established a routine over the next week. As soon as David was awake Sarah and Donna spent a few minutes with him, until he tired out or became agitated which was what happened most of the time. Sarah spent long hours with her father, talking, sitting quietly or reading aloud from whatever book was handy. Donna worked with the nurses and doctor, learning his physical therapy routine, his medications, how to read the many machines he stayed connected to.

They toured the public school in Collinport and enrolled Sarah in the fifth grade. Always the over protective mother Donna rode with Amy several days to and from school in the passenger van the family kept in the garage besides David’s fathers cherry (MODEL OF CAR HERE), the limo, a Cadillac SUV, a Dodge mini-van, two Kia’s, a Vespa, a Harley and oddly enough a 1968 Chevy van with shag carpeted walls, a beautiful Genie coming out of a bottle painted on the sides and the faint scent that Carolyn wore clinging to the interior.



Donna ate lunch by David’s side every day, unless he had not had a good day and Josie Evans thought it was a bad idea. She and Sarah had cocktails with the family at 6 and they hate dinner before 7 pm. The third night, after they finished desert Julia asked Donna if they might have some of the other family over to meet them.

“We have cousins and life long friends who are dying to come and meet you, but we wanted to be cautious not to overwhelm you.”

Sarah sipped her hot chocolate, “Too late,” she said to Dr. Hoffman-Collins, off handedly, “Mom’s already a basket case! We got a brother we never knew we had, “she waved at Roger and they shared identical grins,” The nicest ex I think we ever heard about much less imagined, kids my same age and this massively cool house… that I want to explore and mom won’t let me…I’d say she is on over load already.”

“Sarah Rose.” Donna said. She blushed pink and fidgeted with her decaf Jamaican coffee. Twice she started to bite her thumb nail and resisted. On a sigh she admitted, “Every word true but didn’t necessarily need to be said.”

“Sorry!”

Roger took pity on his step-mother. “So how would you like to meet Josie’s parent’s, my wife’s family, a few more cousins…”

Carolyn laughed, a musical trilling sound. “Roger, stop. Friday dinner, at eight?” she asked Donna.

Donna agreed, giving up on her desire to stop bitign her nails.

On Thursday, when they had been on the estate one week, Dr. Evans felt it was safe for Amy and Roger to talk with David. While the children were at school, Donna and Amy went together to Davods room. Bryce had him propped up in a sitting position and he was freshly shaved wearing dark blue silk pajamas.

“I’ve prepared David for your visit. He knows that you two have discussed he and Amy’s past relationship and that you are in a good place mentally about it.”

David barely lifted his good hand slightly to make the flat, palm down back and forth “see-saw” motion with it. When he tried to smile half of his face responded.

“Honey, “ Donna said sitting beside him on the left, “Amy needs to tell you something.” She rose to her knees, turned, cupped his face in her hands and kissed him sweetly on the lips, before sittign back down, “Sarah and I already know and so that it doesn’t strees you more than it may already I wanted to start off by telling you we are all right and everything will be fine. OK?”

His eyebrows shot up briefly and he nodded, looking to Amy.

“David, “ Amy said, “I am so glad your back. The last time you were home, that summer before you went missing,” he raised his hand but Amy shook her head ’no’ and kept going, “I gave birth to your son on May 6, 1979.”

His heartbeat on the monitor quickened. He looked from Amy, who was struggling with tears, to Donna who held her hand on his good fore arm for reassurance. Donna smiled at him, also teary, and shook her yes, as if to tell him it was true. He looked back at Amy, his palsy suddenly more pronounced with his eye and mouth on the right drooping slightly. He turned his palm to the sky and made a gesture to Amy to come closer to the bed.

“I’m so sorry I never got to tell you, David.”

David looked from her to the door, several times trying to signal to her.

“Yes, he is right outside. Can you… do you feel like…” He was nodding before she could finish. Dr. Josie opened the door and Roger came through it.

He carried himself regally, crossing to his mother he embraced her warmly and turned to the man in the bed.

“It is an honor, sir.” he told David bending elegantly from the waist he touched his father’s out stretched hand laying his palm flat on David’s palm before he leaned over and kissed Donna on the cheek.

“Your wife and my sister are beautiful, generous ladies. They have embraced me without malice. I hope as we have the time to get to know each other we might all be great friends at least.”

To David the timber of his voice brought back memories of his father, Roger’s namesake. The voice was rich, melodious, aristocratic, perfect in diction. Tears ran down David’s face. He awkwardly cupped the grown man’s face with his one hand, petting. Roger leaned in and took his father in his arms.

“Don’t get riled up now, the dragon lady is already wanting us to get out of here.” Roger said, “And please, hurry and recover from this revelation, because Julia is going to break down your door.”

Davids machine beeped as his blood pressure shot up with his heartbeat, he made a fish like face. “B…B…” he tried to say but there was no sound with the movement of his lips.

Amy stepped up. “Barnabus passed on. He went of old age in the late 1980, if you can believe that. He married Dr. Hoffman and they have two children.” David’s expression formed a perfect O showing his shock. “Naomi was born with a surrogate but they got Jamison here the old fashioned way.”

David shook his head, confused, as the tonal beeps subsided.

Donna stood up at the doctors motion.

“Carolyn married Willie, they have three children and two grandchildren.” Amy told him, “They all want to meet you and both Victoria and Maggie want to come and wish you well. The She-wolf wants us to get out n ow so you can rest…”

David caught her eye and looked pointedly from Amy to Josie several times.

“Oh, yes, Josie is Maggie’s. She has four children. Vickie is still with Jeff Clark and they have five.”

David lay his head back and closed his eyes, that odd half smile half frown made it difficult to tell how he felt.

“That’s it now, everyone out.” Josie pronounced.

Donna lingered until the others had bussed soft kisses on her husbands forehead. She held his hand as Josie talked to the others at the door. In Donna’s hand Davids fingers moved rapidly and she jumped, almost calling out, until he grasp her hand and sqeezed it sharply, painfully. She started at his face and we was darting fast glances at their hands and back to her face. While she was looking at his hands he quickly spelled out “thank you” in sign language.


Her face lit up, until he spelled out “no tell” before his hand fell away, momentarily useless. “I’ll be back soon as your up to it, stud. Ok?“ Donna said. She thought he looked relieved as he closed his eyes. She thanked the doctor and followed Amy and Roger into her galley kitchen. They had clearly been sharing an emotional moment because they turned to her sappy expressions and tears on their faces.

“Please.” Donna said with a groan, “Don’t thank me again. Your welcome.

“I didn’t act like a bitch, that is all I’ve done; tried to be decent in a really weird, difficult situation. I’d like to earn my Nobel prize before accepting it, if you don’t mind?”

“Do you know what I like about you, Donna, you lay it all out there without games.”

Roger gave his mother a hug, “I have to get back to the Old House, I have guests checking out. I agree with mother and I will take a note from your book, Donna. What I like about you is you roll with the punches and don’t take any shit from any of these stuck up, old money, drama whores.” he waved at Amy, “Present company not included.”

He was out the door before Donna exchanged startled glances with Amy. They laughed, releasing the tension of the emotional reunion.

“I need to get out of here.” Donna said.

“Word!” Amy said between snorts of laughter. “Do you drink?”

“Does a duck’s ass shed water?”

“I’ll call and get us a car and driver.” Amy said whipping out her Nameofcellphonecompanyinmaine. Donna found the new cell she had been given, informed Dr. Evans first to say she was going out, then called Elizabeth from the list on the phone case to ask her to watch Sarah. She left a note for Sarah. They were sitting in the bar at the Collinsport Inn a half an hour later.

“I hope I’m not ruining anything by not waiting til Friday Night to meet you.” Donna said when Amy introduced Maggie Evans Collins.”

“Nope.”

Maggie served them two good looking Daiquiris and a bowl of fresh popped popcorn. The bar was bright, loud and lively. They laughed together.

“You must be crazy.” Maggie said.

Donna agreed, “Insane.”

“Samantha has been so worried about meeting you and Colton is biting at the bit to meet his grandfather…”
Amy said and Donna choked, shooting daiquiri out of her nose. “Oh, shit, shit, shit…” Amy chanted slapping her soundly on the back. “You ok?”

“I hadn’t thought about being a grandmother.” Donna told them wiping her nose.

“Your going to love it.” Maggie and Amy chorused.

Donna drank long and deep, “I was thinking I’d have more time.”

Maggie watched Donna slam her drink and reached under the bar whipping out two bottles.

“Give me back those girly drinks. I knew better when you ordered them Amy. We’re liquor girls here, Donna and I’m betting you are too. What’s your man? Jack, Johnny, or Jose?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Inn became increasingly raucous when happy hour started. By that time the three women were happy enough. Maggie tottered off to see what her husband was up to while Donna and Amy stumbled to the limo.

“We should have brought one of the other cars.” Amy said.

“Why”

“This one is so pretentious.”

“Right.” They were walking toward the wharf, a windmill shaped building of wood aged to black in the harsh sea salt. “Why are we walking down here again?”

Amy held three fingers up, “Two reasons; first I want to sober up enough that I don’t get the “numbing your senses” lecture from Julia.” She stopped, straightened her spine and did a passable impression of Dr. Hoffman-Collins, striking a dramatic pose, “Around here a women needs to keep her senses sharp or things might go very badly.”

Donna laughed, “That’s good. You’re a natural mimic. What’s your ‘nother reason?”

“Mr. Stokes son Thom tends bar at the Blue Whale. He was going to come down and visit him while we were at the inn.”

They pushed into the warmth of the one story, white washed building and back in to another generation.

“Why didn’t we drink here?” Donna asked and a drunken seaman wolf whistled at them like the cartoon wolf.

“This is one of those places it’s best to come in a group, with a man on your arm, or if you’re looking for a different kind of distraction, if you know what I mean.”

“Oh-h-h, yeah, yeah, I gets it, meat market, huh?”

Amy deftly avoid an older mans hugging her, “Amy-girl, have you come to your senses and come looking for Johnny Johnson?”

“No, Johnny.”

“Dammit, then.” He stumbled away.

“Mr. Stokes,” Amy called to the rotund, white haired man pouring a cup of coffee at a small back table near the bar, “Could you take us back to the house now?”

“You should have called, Miss Jennings.” He called to his boy, a man of near fifty, at the bar, see you tonight Tommy!”

“We needed the air.” Amy told him as they exited the back door.

A wave of sea smells hit Donna hard and she gulped trying not to let smell of fish and vegetation turn her stomach. She survived crawling into the back seat of the long, plush vehicle.

Amy pulled two small cans of V-8 Juice out of the small refrigerator, “Drink this. It will help you make it to dinner.”

“Urgh. Dinner?”

“Don’t think about, girlfriend, do what you got to do.”

They drank the juice and opened frosty cold bottles of water.

As the car made the blind turn at the top of the cliff, Amy asked Elliot to let them out to walk the rest of the way, to clear their heads.

“Stay back from the cliff, Miss.” he intoned gravely, “There’s some erosion needs to be addressed.”

“Thank you. We will.”

“Where are we headed?” Donna ask as the took the cliff path away from the house. At one point the path curved away from the ocean view. A sign warned that the ground at the edge was not stable. The path toward the cliff peak was much less worn than the one curving away.

“Jennings cottage. I need to do a walk through, make sure the old place is being kept up.”

“You have a cottage?”

“Yes we do. Jamie and I lived out here when he was small, before Mrs. Johnson passed away. It was easier when I took the housekeepers job to move to the big house.”

Donna looked around. She could hear the ocean waves crashing against the shore, but the small rough hewn wooden cottage was nestled in a thick stand of forest. She thought of little red riding hood and the big, bad
Wolf, for some reason, as Amy let them in using a key from a magnetic case she fetched from inside one of the shorter hollow tubes of the wind chime.

The glass panes in the top of the front door jangled as they closed the door behind them. “Remind me to have someone out to secure those loose panes, if you can? The next Nor’easter that blows through here will shatter those.”

“Hum, ok.” Donna was busy looking around at the rustic room when Amy’s startled cry caused her to jump nearly out of her skin. “Do you smell coffee?”

Amy had crossed the room, where she looked into the cottages only heat source, the rock fireplace, which had a small fire banked against the back wall. A quick glance at the old porcelain countertop and farmhouse sink at the farthest part of the room showed her dirty dishes in the sink. Amy whirled around to stare at the darkened door way to the small hall that led to two small bedrooms and a bath. Immediately she began back stepping toward Donna and the door.

With one hand clasped over her mouth to stem any other errant sound Amy moved backward without taking her eyes off the shadows shrouded hallway. She held her left arm out, elbow bent, pointing up, in the classic fisted “Stop” signal.#

Donna was instantly sober. For three endless seconds she felt paralyzed as Amy reversed her way back to the door in slow motion. Although she was breathing heavily, a sheen of slick moisture covering her upper lip Amy said, a bit too loudly, “Oh, I guess we have a new tenant. We should go…”

Fumbling with the old, loose door knob Donna finally got it open. They slipped out. As soon as they were o
outside the portal Amy grabbed Donna by the upper arm and looked her right in the eye for an intense 10 seconds, softly exclaiming “Run! Follow me!”






CHAPTER FIVE

Amy kept her hand near Donna’s and when she lagged behind the solid sprint Amy laid down Amy clasped her hand, slowed her gait and paced her. They didn’t speak because neither was capable. Amy stumbled coming out of the forest in sight of the Old House. Donna picked her up, literally, and they continued to the front portico under the three story, two foot round columns. Amy let them in and they made their way to the kitchen at the back of the house.

“Mom,” Roger said as they pushed through the swinging door, then jumped to his feet from the scarred wooden table, “What’s wrong?”

He maneuvered them to chairs at the table, patted Donna on the knee and turned to attend to his mother, “What is it?”

“Someone is staying in the cottage. Get me some water… please…”

“Two.” Donna said.

They calmed their ragged breathing while Roger handed them glasses of cold well water. “Let me clean those scrapes.” he said to his mother.

“No, Rog, get some of the men and go out there.”

“I will.” he turned to Donna, “We get squatters,” he said, in explanation.

“No, Jamison Roger! Go out there now. Please.”

Roger took them out the back door and let them into the passengers doors of his green mini-van. “Ok. I’ll drop you off at Collinwood, get Stokes and go now.”

“Not just Stokes, he’s not as young as he use to be. He won’t be good back up.”

“Mom, this isn’t the old days. I hardly think we’ll need an armed posse.”

His mother knotted her hand in the soft grey and white chambray of his shirt sleeve, “You do not know that for sure, now do you?”

Roger looked at Donna in the rear view mirror, “No ma’am.” he said on a sigh, turning his attention to the short drive to the new house’s garage.

“Conference call.” He said into the satellite phone, “Dial Ben Stokes. Dial Jamison. Dial Jeb. Dial Ari. “Meet me at Collinwood. Mother says there is someone squatting in the cottage. Keep these lines open until we meet up.”

“You should take Bryce.” Donna said.

“Bryce is doing his job. I’ll text Sheriff Davenport.”
Amy got out of the passenger seat, making sure Donna was getting out with her, “Call Officer Trask, Davenport is too old to be of any help.”

“Trask is an ass.”

“Who’s Trask?” Donna was feeling shakey as the adrenalin rush from her mad dash through the woods subsided.

“Son, the Trask’s have always been asses. At least this generation isn’t a zealot. Don’t call his father, but Gideon is a good cop.” Amy turned to Donna and said, “Hot strong, sweet tea is what we’re going to have now, my girl.”

“I’ll make it in my apartment, I want to see David.”

“Sounds good to me.”

David was sleeping. Donna brewed tea, called Elizabeth and found out that the girls were playing in the garden. Elizabeth offered to bring Sarah to the dining room in time for dinner and Donna gladly agreed. She had gotten sober quickly, as if being doused by ice water, but alcohol still coarsed throught her veins making her feel sluggish and hazy.

“I need to hit the gym, that run almost killed me.” Donna said.

Amy sipped her hot tea, “We have a workout room in the attic above the third floor.”

“Maybe I’ll look that up.”

“you haven’t had the grand tour yet have you?”

“No. Sarah is dying for me to ask.”

“Let’s do it this weekend.”

“Good. She will love that. Me, too.”

“Good.” Amy said, agreeing, “I had best check in with the staff about dinner, although right now I could go back to the Inn and start again. That is if I weren’t a responsible adult.”

Donna laughed, “We’ll do it again one night when it’s more acceptable to hoist a few.”

Amy left and Donna tried to do something productive, but the full staff had the cleaning and laundry done. She retreated to her room to read, exceptt hat she was still strung to tight from her afternoon adventure. She wandered the rooms, then still antsy she decided to explore the house on her own. Feeling naughty for some reason for doing so she unlocked the tower stairs in her room and crept up them. It was not so much dark as it was dim. The stairs circled up past two staggered windows. Donna stood and looked out on the estate.

She could see the caretakers house, the greenhouse and stables and in the distance the garden. From here she could see the two girls, one so blonde, the other so dark, running about in what looked like a game of tag. Donna grimaced thinking of the violent “tags” of her youth. She was about to continue up the sgtairs when movement inside the caretakers cottage caught her eye.

“What the hell?” she murmered outloud, and squinted. Through the window she could quite clearly see Aristede and Elizabeth on the second floor balcony over looking the gardens where the girls played.

Donna sighed in relief, pleased that Elizabeth was keeping a close tab on the girls and was turning away when she noticed that Elizabeth and her husband seemed to be in a heated argument. They gestured angrily at each other. Ari turned his back on her, facing the windows. Donna drew back guiltily from the casement, chuckling a bit at herself.

“It’s not like he can see you.” she muttered softly to herself. She took another look to find the couple kissing passionately a second before Elizabeth broke the embrace to scower the yard and gardens for her charges. Relief washed through her again as she noticed the girls sitting with their heads together on a bench near the stables. Blowing a big breath out she had not realized she was holding she shook her head slightly, wondering how over protective one had to be to be considered obsessive.

The light had changed, subtly so she pushed on up the stairs. Two more offset windows were set in the opposite side of the tower. She paused to look out at the private drive in the approaching twilight. Fog was enveloping the gravel drive. As she watched it obscured the S curve leading to the county road, moving forward like an encroaching army.

Entranced Donna watched, gnawing the nail of her middle finger, s the twilight crossed the forest, an ebony shadow and the silver fog advanced toward it. The gauze-like vapor and the iridescent obsidian night met at the edge of the forest. She was surprised to find herself holding her breath and released it feeling silly to have though… expected… some thing to happen.

“What?” she said aloud, “What did I think was gonna happen?”

The shadows of the tower deepened. Donna’s momentary feeling of silly relief was swiftly replaced by an uneasy feeling. All at once she was assaulted by the absolute certainty that she did not want to be in this tower in the full darkness. As if snapping out of a trance she bolted upward, grabbing for the door knob of the second floor door, her hands sweaty on the faceted crystal they slipped off. Donna’s cheek met the solid wood door with a resounding pop.

Almost crying, with trembling knees she dug the key ring out of her pocket, fumbling for the key she half expected to drop it. Looking back over her shoulder a sharp cry erupted from her parched throat. At the curve of the tower, where the stairs disappeared into solid darkness below her she watched in terror as the next step was eaten by the approaching shadow. Feeling as if she were going to pee her pants gave her the resolve to fit the old fashioned skeleton key it in the lock. Donna jerked the key around, yanked the heavy door open and fell headlong into the small upstairs parlor. The door eased closed as if on a cusion of air but not before an icy blast of frigid air exploded through it, washing over her prone figure. As she lifted her head she watched as a shimmering cloud swept though the room.

“The wind.” she thought, this time to herself.

In the course of 10 to 15 seconds the wind crossed the space, exiting out the hall door. Behind it the brightly lit media room glowed warm and inviting. In front of it a sepia toned hallucination flashed a reflection of what the room might have looked like hundreds of years before; a rose embellished white porcelain oil lamp, round, Victorian table covered in framed portraits, a gramophone… then it was gone.

Chapter/break

Donna dragged herself into a sitting position, quickly scooting away from the door. She scooted up against the chrome and glass coffee table between the fireplace on the south wall and the scattering of slouchy over stuffed chairs and couches in the center of the space. Beyond/behind them a glass fronted étagère of odds and ends; movies on dvd, video, books, board games, batteries, a cluster of camera’s and entertainment/game systems filled the shelves. It was a charming cluster of child and teen paraphernalia.

Near the hall door, on that wall by the hall door, was the dorr to a bathroom. Donna scrambled to her feet and headed for the toilet. To her surprise the door led to a room similar to a staff lounge. The dumbwaiter was firmly closed, glass fronted cabinets over a porcelain farm sink in a Formica counter top on the left, another door aligned with the one she had come in through, to the right of that a small diner booth and three chairs. Floor to ceiling shrunks bracketed a kitchenette.

“This is not a bathroom.” Donna said, aloud, retreating back through to the “playroom”. With a deep breath she forced herself to march back into the room. In the reflection of the 57 inch flat screen TV she saw the bathroom door ajar, and made a bee line for the porcelain thrown, “demon wind be damned.” she said aloud.

Her knee’s wobbled, but they got her there. Washing up she got a good look at the black eye she got kissing the door and groaned. She watched the soap swirl wash down the drain as she rinsed and thought about the lay of the land. She was right above her apartment. Ahead of her, behind the mirror was above the kitchen. The back stairs would be that way and to the right, which meant that the front hallway would be to her left.

“Freaking great.” She said to her reflection.

Not allowing herself to tarry she headed back into the play room and prepared to follow the exit route “the wind” had taken. The bruise on her cheek and forehead began to throb rhythmically. Without hesitating Donna swung open the door to the front hallway, stepping into the well lit passage way she kept those feet moving past windows on her left and the reflection of the two foot square wood panels, the same polished wood as the main room down stairs. She passed the servants hall on her right.

Before her eyes the carpeted hall stretched wide and straight. Doors staggered on both sides of the hall. Portraits, decorative stands, and matching light fixtures dotted each side, balancing it out until she could see the double doors of the library at the far end.

Donna walked steadily down the center of the space, without looking side to side , focused on the open library doors. The bright colors of the carpet runner blurred, causing an optical illusion like the distance had doubled and doubled again.

“Oh,” Donna said out loud as if addressing a companion, “Hell no!”

She powered through, slipping into a deep seated chair inside the two story room. Her eye and head was now pulsating in time with her cheek. She resisted the urge to close her eyes. The thought of concussion spured her out of the chair and across the wide loft area toward the circular iron stairs at the end. Cheerful light poured up from above. She moved gingerly as if expecting her head to roll of her shoulders, thinking longingly of the giant claw-foot tub in her apartment. At the top of the stairs Donna paused to give herself a second to decide if she had enough balance to navigate them. She decided that she was, but before she could descend noise filtered up from the fireplace area at the other side of the room.

Donna was not sure her knees would hold her when the sound of a door snapping sharply closed sounded like the crack of a rifle.

“I don’t like it.”

The man’s voice was clipped with anger or frustration, “No more of your stupid plots. We have a sweet thing going here. I don’t want your damned greed to shoot us down.”

“Angry,” Donna thought, and then slapped her palm over her mouth fearing that she had spoken outloud.

“Let’s talk about it. You’ll see. It’s doable. You listen to me and if you still say no, I promise you I will drop it. All right?”

The pocket door to the front parlor sounded.

“All right.” Donna heard the agreement at the same time Carolyn and Will entered, and several voices mingled with the first two. She waited a minute longer and clattered down the staircase loudly, crossing to the bar she scooped ice into a tea towel she pulled from the tray under the globe, twisted it into an ice pack which she lay gingerly against the purpling bruise that was the side of her face and waded into the assembled gathering.

The assembled group made a big deal over Donna’s bruised face, “I’ll tell the story over dinner, so you can all hear it at once, if you don’t mind?”

“Josie, give her the once over, please?” Maggie ask her daughter, the doctor.

Donna agreed, sitting still for the doctor to examine her while the assembled group intro duced themselves and chatted in loud, ever moving knots of humanity.

“This is my father, Quentin,” Josie introduced. The man was well over six feet tall, with a distinguished, lined face, still thick shining silver hair, heavy dramatic eyebrows arched over beautiful blue eyes.

“A pleasure to meet David’s wife.” Quentin said bowing formally over her hand and brushing the knuckles with a slight kiss. “Thank you for letting me see him. I said hello this afternoon.”

“I’ve let your daughter decide when he feels like having visitors.” Donna said, slightly flustered by the handsome seventy something year old mans intense, unwavering gaze.

“Goodness,” Donna whispered to Josie as Quentin moved away, “He is a hottie, isn’t he?”

Josie laughed, “Dad? Yeah, he was schooled in a different century.” she snapped her antique black medical bag closed, “It really seems to amp up his appeal to the opposite sex.

"You may have a slight concussion. I suggest you stay awake a few hours, take some Advil, eat a light dinner and we will keep an eye on you.”

Will was telling a hilarious story to the group at the globe bar, “So there I was, dog-drunk at the Blue Whale with three merchant seamen about to stomp my ass to a greasy speck. Barnabus appears, literally out of no where, in that flowing black cape and smacks the biggest of the brutes right between the eyes with that wolf’s head cane. The other two lit out of the bar like their ass was on fire… He said later…”

“Willie.” Julia said, sounding cautious. She was the only living person, besides his wife, he allowed to use his nic name from another time. “I want to get the introductions out of the way. Will you please do the honors?”

“Of course, May I present Jeff and Victoria Clark? Donna is David’s wife, “ he paused while fourteen year old Tad led four preteens into the room like the pied piper. Behind him came Angie, Sarah, Joshua and a younger boy she had never met who Victoria introduced to Donna as her youngest child of five, Daniel.

Donna’s head began to pound harder but she smiled and said hello to everyone.

Sarah cried out when she saw her moms face. “Oh my god! What happened?”

“Short version, angel, I ran into a wall. I’ll tell you more later, okay?”

“Hey,” Amy got the groups attention, “ I had an idea earlier and as a special treat for you Generation Next-ers I ask Maggie to bring her world famous pizza for you. How would you like to put one of the new movies in and have your dinner in the Media Room instead of being stuck with the old folks?"

“What movies?” Tad ask.

“What kind of pizza?” Daniel added.

“May I, Mom?” Sarah chorused.

“Tad, what are you going to do?” Angie addressed the older boy.

They all spoke at once. Tad, an intuitive, observant young man said to Angie and the other children, “Are you kidding? Maggie’s pizza? I am so there!”

“Sarah, “ Donna called her over, “Stay with the others, please? We’re going to take a tour of the whole house tomorrow but for now do not wander off. That’s how I got the bumps, wandering around on my own, ok?”

Sarah bounced up and down, Ok, Ok.” she agreed.

The youngsters raced out og the room, Victoria calling after them, “Daniel! No riding in the dumb waiter this time, you hear me?”

“Yes, Ma’am.” was called back and Donna heard Sarah say “Dumb what?”

Startled Donna struggled to her feet, slightly dizzy, taking a few steps after the kids.

Aristede, intercepted Donna, “My sister, Ilsa, is on staff tonight on the second floor. I assure you there will be no dumb waiter surfing tonight.”

The adults went together down the hall to the formal dining room. Quentin took Donna’s hand, almost causing her head to spin. For a moment she thought he would hold her hand but he placed her palm on the back of his hand and walked beside her holding his right elbow close to his waist with the forearm extended to the front. She remembered seeing a movie about the Victorian age where men escorted ladies in the same way and thought, “How quaint.”

Maggie and Victoria walked right behind them.

“Where are your bunch off to tonight?” Vickie asked Maggie.

“Belinda/notjenny and Jeb are having a rare evening alone since I have Josh and they have already had the pleasure of meeting Donna. Sam is at a student art fair in Bangor and Edward has a hot date with a new girl he met in Lubec.”

“Sam’s got an art showing? And your not there?”

Maggie shook her head, “Oh no. If it was Sam’s art we would be, of course. He is serving drinks in a tux for extra credit. Where are the rest of your brood?”

“Edward couldn’t get away from the bank tonight, Faith and Emma have finals beginning Monday.”

“At their ages,” Quentin told them, glancing over his shoulder, “They are no doubt studying at a Frat party. That’s what ours would be doing.”

They all chuckled.

Dinner was served that night by black and white clad servers, casually dressed they served the roast and traditional sides meal formally. Donna was given a large bowl of clear beef broth at her doctors request.

“You want to eat light tonight in case there is any nausea from the head injury.”

“Hum, ok, but I reserve the right to have left-overs for lunch tomorrow.”

“Well, Donna,” Carolyn addressed her when the meal was over, “I, for one, am anxious to hear your story.”

“Yes, Ok. Well, I was restless after the jaunt through the woods with Amy. By the way, what did the men find?”

Aristede answered, “There was no one there when we got there but it is obvious there is a squatter. I’ve set a schedule with the grounds men and stable men for some one to stay there until we either find out who it is and why or determine they won’t be coming back.”

“Jeb doesn’t seem to think it should be a big deal.” Will offered, speaking warmly about his step-son.

“Roger doesn’t either.” Amy said.

“Good.” Donna said, “So… uhm…I decided to check out the tower room and second floor, figuring I could come down the hall to the library, but-- and this is embarrassing--I slipped in the shadows and face-planted the door to the Media Room. Then to add insult to injury I fell on my face when the door opened. Right in the floor.”

“Why do I get the feeling that is the Reader’s Digest abridged version of your story?”

“What? Yes, it is; Julia, in a way. The rest of it is rather odd.”

Maggie laughed as the others at the table murmured various encouraging statements; “Your not going to be laughed at,” Victoria said.

“It will no doubt surprise you to find out how little surprises us.” Quentin added.

“Besides, in a house this old, with this much history, do you think we haven’t heard just about everything by now?” Carolyn encouraged.

Donna held her hands out, fingers to the ceiling, palms toward the diners as if to say “Enough.” and smiled disparagingly, “You will rush me in for a cat scan, I’m afraid. I had a hallucination, right after I fell on my face.

There was a heat shimmer, you know; the kind that comes up off the road when its really hot?” They nodded in unison.

“We don’t get that kind of thing much in Maine but I lived in Arizona as a child and they were a regular occurrence there.” Will said.

“On one side of the… “shimmer”… it was the room as it is now, but in front of the “thing” it was like an aged snap shot of another room. Maybe that room in another time, I’m not certain of any of it.”

“What did you see?” Julia asked.

“A rose lamp, oil; I think, a really old turn table thing, velvet curtains and an antique chair.”

Quentin cleared his throat and reached for his wife’s hand. “Anything else?”

“No. Except that nothing was in color. It was like a faded photograph.”

“Oh, dear,” Carolyn said, her hands fluttering before settling in her lap, “Was there anything else?”

It occurred to Donna that this was not a story they seemed unfamiliar with, “A cold breeze. No, a stiff cold wind. It blew over top of me while I was on the floor. I thought… think… that the vision --or whatever it was-- was in front of it.”

“Poor thing.” Victoria said, “you must have been terrified.”

“I guess so.”

“You know,” Carolyn said, hesitantly, “there have been many who swear that Collinwood is haunted.”

Donna expected a few chuckles, or an out-loud guffaw, but everyone at the table was quiet, studying their drink or moving the remnants of their meals about on their plates. She swallowed hard, looking from one to the other of the assembled dinner guests. “Haunted?”

“I’ve seen things.” Victoria said, offering it in a voice so quiet Donna almost missed it.

“Too many things not to believe.” Maggie said.

Julia cleared her throat to get attention and spoke when all eyes were on her, “You will think us all mad here, but I believe everyone who lives at Collinwood could tell you a ghost story they experienced.”

“And more.” Will told them, grimacing and suppressing what looked like a shudder he ask for a refill of his scotch.

“Not tonight though.” Josie stopped them. “Donna probably has a slammer-jammer of a headache right about now.”

“She’s going to need to determine for herself what she believes happened to her. Let’s not get the power of suggestion working on her! She’s been through enough for now.”

They rose to retire to the parlor but Donna excused telling Victoria and Maggie, “It was very nice to meet you.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“Sure, Doc, but I’d like to stop and look in on the kids."

“No problem. We can go up the kitchen stairs. It comes out in the back hallway.”

Everyone said their goodnights. As they went the opposite way from the others Donna heard Will say, “I’m surprised it took this long for them to have something paranormal happen.”

“I don’t like that word.” Carolyn replied, whining. "I’m going to smoke!”

“Carolyn, I deplore your smoking marijuana.”

“I know, Julia. I deplore the fact that my cousin hated this haunted freak show so badly he faked another identity to lose us.” There voices were barely audible, “Lighten up, old girl.”

Donna met Josie’s eyes. “Pot?”

“She doesn’t smoke anywhere near the kids. She’s harmless, I promise.”

Donna thought wistfully of the days before Sarah was born when she and David smoked pot occasionally. “Not throwing stones.” Donna told her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~



The credits were rolling on the movie in the DVD player when they entered the Media Room. Donna hesitated at the door way for a fraction of a second then shook it off, following Josie into the room.

“Sarah,” Donna said, “Let’s call it a night.”

“It’s a night!”

“Ha, ha, very funny.”

“Mom, we were going to play a game.”

“I’m sorry, sweety, but you will have to play another time.”

“Oh…mom!”

“Sarah Rose.” Donna said, but Tad interrupted her; “I would be happy to walk her to your apartment if she could stay up with us.”

Donna saw Angie looking from Tad to Sarah with a frown on her brow.

“Another time, I promise.”

Angie jumped up and hugged Sarah, planting herself not so subtly between Sarah and Tad in a proprietary gesture Donna wouldn’t have expected between pre-teens. Tad raked his hand through Sarah hair in a playfull, brotherly way, angling his body toward Angie as he did so. It was unconscious, natural. Donna thought to herself, “These two are going to be a couple someday.” and smiled at their youth and innocence. There was an air about them that made her heart scrunch tightly, as if destiny itself might touch them. Donna hoped nothing got between them, especially her daughter, because from where Donna stood little Angelique Collins was not going to let anyone come between her and Thaddeus Rakosi.






































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