by Ike Hamill
She felt silly as she returned to June.
“I should have asked—do you have more stuff to go out back?”
“That was it,” June said, flashing a smile.
“So,” Kate said, “Auggie mentioned that you’re moving?”
She hoped to get the conversation started again. Her quick departure had thrown cold water on June’s disposition.
“Yeah,” June said with a tiny sigh. “Gus is none too happy with the idea, but, yeah. It’s time, you know? We’ll have this one last Christmas and then we’ll be looking in town. Auggie can handle New Year’s and get the place shut down for the winter.”
“You’re moving between Christmas and New Year’s? Where’s the place?”
“Nowhere specific, yet. I know I can find something. There are a couple of three-season places that my crew cleans. I’m sure I can talk someone into letting us stay while I search for somewhere permanent. I’ll just offer a free spring cleaning, you know? That should be worth a couple weeks of off-season lodging. That, and I can certainly pay my way in terms of utilities.”
Kate made sure that she made full eye contact with June before she said, “Good for you, June. Good for you.”
It took a second of wariness before June finally returned Kate’s smile. At that moment, Kate wanted to hug her. It would be a real hug—not the two slap, one arm embrace that was June’s trademark. Instead, she respected June’s personal space and accepted the brief warmth of June’s smile. They might be as close as they would ever be. It was sad to think that June had so isolated herself. That was her choice though.
“I can’t wait for the kids to get back,” Kate said. “I love their barely contained anticipation of Christmas. I mean, I love it and it also irritates the living shit out of me, but I really do love it.”
June laughed.
# # # #
“Mom,” Isla said, standing in front of Kate with an ornament in her hand, “will you put this around the back near the top?”
Kate set down her mug and started to fold back the blanket that was covering her legs.
“Of course, Isla dear,” Kate said.
“Don’t do it,” Millie said from across the room. “It’s a trick.”
Kate’s hands stopped abruptly. She narrowed her eyes at her youngest daughter and raised her eyebrows. It was scary how good Isla was at keeping a straight face. The girl was either going to be an actress or a consummate liar. Either way, her teenage years would be rough. Eventually, Isla let a grin sneak in at the corners of her mouth.
“Is it a trick?” Kate asked.
Isla burst out with the giggles.
“It is a trick. As soon as you let go here, this thing pops out.”
Isla demonstrated and then ran away to look for her cousin so she could try to trick him.
Auggie flopped down in the other chair.
“What percentage of your family’s Christmas ornaments are spring-loaded, meant to surprise someone into falling off of a ladder?” Kate asked.
“I don’t know. What’s a reasonable percentage?”
“None! None percent. I’ve never heard of gag ornaments before your family’s strange collection.”
Auggie shrugged. “Seems normal to me.”
June appeared from nowhere and hovered over her brother.
“The onions?” June asked.
“Chopped and sautéed.”
“Along with the…”
“Celery. Yes, sister.”
They practiced these lines, back and forth, every year.
“And the…”
“Sage and marjoram and eye of newt and foxbane.”
June frowned at Auggie. He was improvising.
“Not funny,” June said.
She turned and went back to the closet. There was still one missing box of decorations and June was certain that it was somewhere in the closet.
“I guess I should start on the potatoes,” Auggie said, pushing himself up with a grunt.
“I can do those tomorrow,” Kate offered. It was an empty offer. Auggie wouldn’t rest until he had prepped everything to June’s specifications. June did all the cooking for their Christmas dinner, she just happened to do it all with Auggie’s hands.
Through the door and down the hall, he moved slowly, making a show of the effort involved in dragging himself off to the big kitchen in order to prepare a meal for his family. Kate picked up her mug and stifled a laugh as she brought it to her lips. The girls were actually working together for once as they hung the ornaments on the tree. June was on her knees, pulling box after box out of her magic closet that seemed to hold way more than should be possible. Gus ran back and forth—he was responsible for hanging the stockings and preparing the unused drawing room. It was the only nearby room that had a chimney. Isla still claimed to believe in Santa. The other two were suspiciously silent on the topic. Still, all three kids went along with the ruse. Maybe they didn’t want to upset the gravy train of gifts.
Upstairs, a door closed and Kate heard a footstep. It took her a second to realize that nobody was up there. The mysterious noises of the afternoon came back to her. She looked at June and saw that she was looking up too—she had heard the same noise.
“June?” Kate asked, keeping her voice low so the girls wouldn’t hear. “Do you ever hear someone moving around upstairs.”
“Never,” June said. Her tone communicated that the topic was closed.
Kate sighed. “I guess I should go help Auggie. Any special instructions?”
“Don’t let him burn the butter and garlic. He always tries to heat it up too quickly.”
“Got it.”
# # # #
She hugged Auggie around the waist and pressed her face against his back.
“You come to help, or are you just absorbing my body heat?” he asked.
“It’s a million degrees in here,” Kate said, releasing her grip. “What do I need your body heat for?”
“Yeah,” he said. He turned and gave her a kiss as he handed her a potato peeler. “Heat works good, right?”
“Oh, hey, I didn’t want to mention it earlier, but there was a nest of mice in the dryer. I cleaned it out, but you should probably set out poison.”
Auggie nodded. “I’m not sure there’s enough poison in the world, but sure.”
“And another thing,” she said. This was the real thing. It was the thing that she had wanted to tell him all evening, but hadn’t found the opportunity. “There have been some noises upstairs.”
“Of course,” he said with a shrug. “I’ve told you that a million times. This place is haunted six ways to Sunday.”
“No, Auggie, I’m serious. I think maybe your Uncle Tommy came home early and is living up there.”
“Right,” Auggie said, nodding. He took a colander of potatoes to the sink and rinsed them under cold water before moving them to the cutting board. The sink was an enormous expanse of white enamel. It was set in a terrible formica counter, but Kate realized for the first time that it was a hidden treasure in the old house. Something like that was just the look that suburban renovators were going for. Of course, they would buy something new and then distress it to look worn.
“We’re both right,” Auggie said.
“Huh?”
“We’re probably both right. It was a ghost and it was Uncle Tommy. As I’ve mentioned, that man is at least half ghost. Between him and the other spirits that walk these halls, I would be surprised if you didn’t hear something.”
“Still, I think you should go check it out. Maybe after the girls are in bed.”
Auggie nodded.
“One more thing—I found a TV set that’s on and I couldn’t turn it off. The switch is broken and it seems to be hardwired.”
Auggie put the potatoes down. He turned and gave her the look that he usually reserved for Isla. It was his “don’t shit a shitter” look.
“What?”
“You found a television?”
“Yeah. I
emailed you about it.”
“I haven’t gotten anything. My connection won’t connect. This TV was on?”
“Yeah.”
“Was it in a little, like, nook area with a sloped down ceiling and maybe a green carpet on the floor?”
“Blue and green, yes.”
Before he ran off, Auggie grabbed her shoulders, his smile beaming, and he gave her a big kiss.
She was left standing there, holding the potato peeler.
# # # #
Kate arrived back in the front room to find Auggie hovering over June. She was still on her knees in front of the closet. Their father’s excitement had brought Isla and Millie over to find out what was going on.
“I need them, June. Please,” Auggie said.
“I don’t know where they are. Besides, I have to find the box with the strings of lights and the other garlands. I know it’s in here somewhere,” she said. She tried to turn back to her closet.
“June! Those decorations will be up for, what, a day? I’m asking you for Trudy’s slippers. You and I both promised to put those back years ago and I’m finally in the position to get it done. Come on! Work with me.”
“Auggie, what are you talking about?” Kate asked.
“Yeah, Dad, what are Trudy’s slippers?” Millie asked.
Auggie ignored them.
“Just tell me where, June. I don’t care—just tell me where. I’ll go look. You have to give me that chance. After all these years…”
“Okay!” June said. “If I left them anywhere, it was in that green Bass shoe box that I used to keep under my bed when I lived in the loft room. Okay? You’re never going to find it. I don’t know why you’re even talking about it.”
June slid forward, moving deeper into the closet and burying herself under a long coat. She was hiding from him in there. Auggie replied anyway.
“I don’t have to find it. Kate found it. And if you’re talking about the slippers, I know I will find them because it’s going to work this time.”
If he hadn’t been wearing such a broad, happy smile, Kate would have been worried. She had never seen Auggie so worked up before. He turned his happiness in her direction and grabbed her hand before Kate could pull away. As soon as Auggie had her in his grip, he turned to the girls.
“Millie, Isla, you have to make a decision, okay?”
The girls were stunned silent by his intensity. They both nodded.
“Your mother and I have to go on a very special Christmas expedition. You have to decide if you’re going to come with us, or stay here with Aunt June. You’re welcome to come, but if you do, you have to hold our hands the entire time. I’m talking to you in particular, Izla. I know you think it’s funny to wander off when nobody is looking. It’s a big joke. If you come with us tonight, there is no wandering, okay?”
“Is this a trick?” Isla asked, tilting her head to the side.
“No,” Auggie said, shaking his head gravely. “Are you coming or not?”
Millie looked back and forth between her mother and father. Isla folded her arms.
“I’m not coming,” Isla said. “I want to stay here and decorate with Aunt June.”
Millie regarded her sister.
“Is it going to be fun?” Millie asked.
“Probably not,” Auggie said. “Dusty and cobwebby, but not really fun.”
“Then I’m staying too,” Millie said.
June pulled out of the closet with a box. She practically tore open the flaps on top.
“Found it!” June said. She sat back and blew the hair out of her face.
“June, will you watch the girls?”
“Of course,” June said.
“And make sure that they stay right here while we’re gone?”
“Yes,” June said to her brother. She gave him a solid look and a nod. Kate didn’t understand why Auggie was so serious about it, but June seemed to get it. The siblings made a pact with that little exchange and Auggie was satisfied.
“We’ll be back soon,” Auggie said to the girls. He pulled Kate by the hand towards the hall. As soon as she was through, he shut it behind them, waving to the girls and his sister before it latched.
When Auggie turned around, they both jumped as a face appeared in the doorway to the drawing room. It was Gus.
“Uncle Auggie? Can I come with you guys?”
“You know where we’re going?”
“To one of Mom’s old rooms?”
Auggie nodded.
Kate wondered why everyone except for her seemed to know what was going on.
# # # #
She followed the twists and turns through the house and the wing. As soon as they reached the sheds, Kate lost her sense of direction. Auggie was in the lead and Gus brought up the rear. The three of them made a chain of held hands. Kate was at their mercy as Auggie opened doors and Gus held them open. All she could do was elbow them aside.
In the shed, none of the rooms or corridors had any windows. That added to her confusion. Auggie reached a ladder and stopped.
Their breath puffed out in silver clouds. It seemed even colder in the shed than it had been outside, in the wind. It was the kind of quick, dry cold that made the inside of her nose crystallize with ice each time she inhaled.
“Okay, this is it for hands. Until we get to the top, we’re going to have to try to keep track of each other. You still okay, Gus?”
The boy nodded.
Auggie dug in his pocket and pulled out a slim flashlight. “The bulbs might be out up there.” He peered up towards the black hole in the ceiling. The ladder disappeared through that hole.
“I can’t really explain this, and I’m not trying to freak everyone out, but I’ve been lost more times than I can count in this shed and especially up in these lofts. I know it probably seems silly.”
“Could you at least tell me what we’re trying to accomplish?” Kate asked.
Auggie folded his lips between his teeth while he considered her question. After a moment, he shook his head. “I’d rather not. I know this is odd, but I don’t want to jinx it.”
“Fine,” Kate said.
“You mind coming up last?” Auggie asked.
“Yeah. No problem,” Kate said. It only took a few seconds for her to regret that answer. Auggie started to climb. He had the flashlight gripped in one hand but it didn’t slow him down. Gus climbed right on his heels. He stayed so close to his uncle that it seemed like he wanted to get kicked in the face. Kate, as she had agreed, brought up the rear. After only a few rungs, the darkness seemed to close in around her feet. The light should have still been down there, but she couldn’t see it. She was climbing up out of a deep well of black and the level of inky dark was rising faster than she could ascend. Above her, Auggie’s flashlight seemed like just a pinpoint of warmth.
It was like looking at Venus through Millie’s telescope. It was just bright enough that it implied something real up there. They climbed for way too long. Kate wished that she had counted the rungs. If she had counted, she could have estimated how high they were. Then again, maybe she didn’t want to know.
When her face ran into something, Kate barked out a yell and nearly let go of the ladder.
“Sorry,” Gus whispered.
Auggie’s light went out.
Kate was in complete darkness, gripping a wooden rung that was probably turned with a hand chisel on a lathe powered by a pumping foot. She was lost in time and space and nobody would ever…
Kate nearly screamed again when a hand clamped around her wrist.
“Come on,” Gus whispered. Kate climbed and found herself at the last rung. Guided by Gus’s hands, she emerged onto a platform. She gripped Gus’s sweaty hand and then Auggie’s light came back with a sweeping beam. For a moment, Kate saw the trusses and underside of the barn’s massive roof. Auggie’s beam settled on a door that was built into the wall.
“This was June’s room,” Auggie said. “For a little while, at least.”
She realized that Auggie was holding Gus’s other hand. Their chain of interlocked hands moved forward.
Auggie kept the flashlight trained on the door. Kate moved around them, trailing Gus behind her. She had the free hand to open the door. The knob felt warm compared to the air. It turned easily and the door swung inwards as if gravity had taken over.
When Auggie’s flashlight stabbed into the darkness, it startled Kate. For that first second, the room appeared completely flat, like the backdrop of a stage play about a teenage girl’s turmoil. The orange pastel walls were barely visible behind the posters and photos pinned up. Three pairs of shoes and various shirts were scattered around. A desk cluttered with hair products and nail polish was topped with a mirror. Kate saw herself, looking like a distant ghost, looking back in that mirror.
Gus broke his grip with her hand and he reached in to turn on the light.
The room appeared normal now. The flat shadows from the flashlight beam were chased away and everything became three dimensional.
“This was Mom’s room?” Gus asked.
“Briefly, yes,” Auggie said.
They moved inside so he could shut the door.
# # # #
Without the cold air from the barn seeping in, the room was reasonably warm. Auggie pointed out the baseboard radiator that circulated enough water to keep the frost out of the pipes. Gus moved around, leaning in close to peer at photographs of a woman who was much too young to be his mother.
Kate moved close to Auggie.
“Your sister lived out in the barn?”
He flipped up the comforter and stood back for a moment before he lowered himself to his knees next to the bed. It almost seemed like he thought something would reach out from under there.