by Mona Ingram
“How much is a section?”
“About a square mile. Six hundred and forty acres. Plus, we lease a section and a half from Janelle. As my father used to say, it keeps us out of the pool hall.”
“Brad and Wendy’s family must keep them busy. I’m an only child so family dynamics always interest me.”
“The kids are great.” His eyes softened. “Annie looks like Wendy. Ever since she discovered Harry Potter she’s had her nose stuck in a book. We find her in the most unusual places, completely oblivious to everything around her. The boys are something else. They can be real pests, but I love them.” He thought for a moment. “I can’t imagine what it would be like to be an only child.”
Charlie drank the last of her soda. “I used to dream about having a little brother. You’ll notice I say brother, not sister. I figured that a brother would be less competition, but would still be some company.” Her eyes misted over. “A ridiculous notion, though. Even back then my parents weren’t getting along.”
“I take it they’re divorced.”
“About five years ago.” She gave him a grim smile. “Let’s not talk about that.”
“Okay.” He settled back in his chair and a comfortable silence fell between them. Music floated out from the dance hall and Charlie looked toward the sound. “Janelle will wonder what became of me. I suppose I should go and find her.”
Jason raised an eyebrow. “She looked quite content sitting with Jack Rogers when I went in for the soda. He’s the one who drove her down to Regina.”
“Really?” Charlie drew the word out. “I thought–” she bit back the words. “Never mind what I thought.” It was preposterous, really, but she had formed an impression of Janelle as a heartbroken widow who would never again enjoy the company of a man. After all, it was more than six years since Matt died.
“Would you like to dance?” Jason stood.
Charlie was trapped. If she danced with him and he discovered how terrible she was, he’d never ask her again. And if she didn’t, he might think she wasn’t interested.
“I’d love to, but not tonight.” She looked up at him, enjoying the way the flickering tiki torches cast part of his face in shadows. It was a miracle that this man was still single. “Could I have a rain check?”
“I’ll count on that.” He held out a hand and she rose. This close, his aftershave held subtle undertones of sandalwood and she breathed deeply, hoping that Janelle had found someone to teach her how to dance.
They turned together and walked to the side entrance. The wide doors had been thrown open to let in the cooling night air. On the dance floor, couples whirled gracefully to an old-fashioned waltz and without warning Charlie found herself being sucked into a whirlwind of emotion. It was similar to what she’d experienced in the attic, only stronger. The dancers faded into the background and she was suddenly alone, bathed in a beam of moonlight. Through the hazy filter of time she saw herself being swept into the arms of a tall, rugged man. Her entire body shimmered with love and she looked up to see that love mirrored in dark eyes.
“Charlie!” Are you having a good time?” Janelle’s voice brought her crashing back to earth. A man who looked surprisingly like Harrison Ford was guiding her aunt through the crowd. Charlie glanced over her shoulder at Jason, who was looking at her oddly. “Yes. Jason and I have been talking out on the deck.”
Janelle assessed the situation at a glance. “Let me know when you’re ready to go home.”
“I’ll run her back if you like.” Jason placed a hand protectively at Charlie’s waist. “I don’t feel much like dancing tonight.”
“You’re sure you don’t mind?” Janelle looked up at Jason. “Jack and I are sitting with some friends and reliving old times.”
Jack spoke up. “I can run Janelle home in her pickup. I’ll have to take it home, but I’ll bring it back tomorrow.” He shrugged good-naturedly.
“Then we’re all set.” Jason smiled at Janelle and Jack. “You guys have fun. I’ll make sure Charlie gets home safely.”
“See you later then.” Janelle turned on her crutches and she and Jack made their way around the edge of the dance floor toward the tables.
“Jack’s a nice guy.” Jason spoke as though reading her thoughts. “He owns a feed store in town. Everybody seems to like him.” He guided her out the front door. “Come on, let’s wander down the street. This section is called ‘Lower Town’.”
The evening air washed over them like warm silk. Jason seemed content to wander along without speaking and Charlie found that she didn’t mind at all. With Carson, every moment had been filled with talk of some sort... usually about him.
Lower Town consisted of three blocks of tourist-oriented businesses, all of which were closed for the evening. All except an ice cream vendor, who was in the process of closing. Jason gave her hand a quick squeeze. “Shall we see if we can get a cone? He tapped on the glass window. “Can we get a couple of waffle cones?” he asked as the proprietor slid the window open.
“Sure thing, but all I have left is butterscotch ripple.”
“Sounds good to me.” The cones were quickly produced and Jason gathered several napkins. “Just in case,” he said, grinning down at Charlie. “There’s a small park down by the lake. Let’s go and sit at a picnic table.”
The sound of water lapping rhythmically against the shore drew them to the table closest to the water. The sky was studded with stars and Charlie frowned as she looked up. “This is probably a silly question but why are there so many more stars here than in Calgary?”
Jason looked up, following the direction of her gaze. “Whoa. Did you see that shooting star?”
Charlie nodded.
“That’s good luck,” he continued. “But to answer your question, there aren’t more stars. There’s less artificial light here than in the city, so the stars are more visible.” The tip of the moon broke over the distant hills and he pointed to it. “On nights when the moon is full it gives off more light and you can’t see the stars nearly as well.”
“That makes sense.” Charlie watched as the moon crept higher, spilling silver light across the surface of the lake. Another shooting star streaked across the sky and they watched it silently, each wondering what form their good luck would take.
After a few moments’ silence, Jason cleared his throat. “Back there in the dance hall...” His tone was slow and deliberate, and he seemed to be forming his thoughts as he spoke. “This is going to sound crazy, but for a moment there you seemed to be somewhere else.” He turned sideways on the bench. “Or did I imagine that?”
Charlie licked her fingers methodically, wiping each one with the paper napkin Jason had so thoughtfully provided. She was avoiding his gaze because she needed time to think. If she confided in him, would he think she was losing it? On the other hand, if he couldn’t understand, then maybe now was the time to find out. Another shooting star would come in handy right about now.
She sucked in a deep breath, then let it out slowly. “I wasn’t sure if you noticed,” she murmured. How could she explain this to him? He was watching her, and she sensed his desire to understand.
A cooling breeze skipped over the water and she shivered unconsciously.
“Are you getting cold?” he asked. “We can go if you like.”
She shook her head. “Thanks, but I’m fine. I’m just trying to find the right words.”
He remained silent and she smiled at him, liking that he wasn’t pushing her.
Chapter Five
SHE STARTED SLOWLY, trying not to stumble over her words. The last time she’d talked about her special abilities, she’d been ridiculed; she didn’t think she could bear to have that happen again.
“When I was a little girl, I had imaginary friends.” She gave him a quick look. “Like most kids. But it didn’t take long for me to realize that my friends were different. Mine were all from the past.” She paused for a moment. “I don’t know how I knew that, I just did. It didn’t happen
all the time, but every once in a while I’d go into an old building and it was as if I could hear the voices of the people who’d lived there before; feel their emotions. Some people say they walk into a house and can sense bad vibes. This was similar to that, only stronger. I tried to tell my mother about it, but she shushed me up. I can still see the look of horror on her face when I tried to articulate it, so I never mentioned it again.” She started to shred the paper napkin. “At least to her.”
“When I started writing fiction for children, I gave my heroine the same abilities. I suppose you could say she’s a modern day Nancy Drew, except that the mysteries usually have something to do with the past. It gives me lots of scope.”
He pulled back, surprised. “I didn’t know you were a writer.”
She nodded. “I don’t talk about it much. The last time was a real disaster.” She leaned back and looked up at the stars, reliving the moment.
“I was going out with a lawyer in Calgary. We were getting serious; at least I thought we were. We were planning to move in together.” She chanced a look at him to see his reaction. He motioned for her to continue. “We were at a function for his company. You know the kind...suits and cocktail dresses.”
“Not really.”
“Fair enough. Anyway, I had wandered away from Carson and was speaking to some of the other lawyers and their wives. One of the women was saying that her daughter enjoys my books and asked me where I got my inspiration.” She lifted her shoulders. “A common enough question, but I don’t usually go into detail. For some reason this woman’s question caught me at the right time, or maybe it was the wrong time. Anyway, I started telling her about how I can sense things, and the place went silent. You would have thought I’d dropped the F-bomb or something. Carson came over and hustled me away.” She let out a strangled laugh. “He was livid; couldn’t understand why I would jeopardize his future with the firm. He went on about how he was in line to make partner and how he couldn’t afford to have me talking nonsense. You know what he said that hurt me the most?”
Jason shook his head.
“I can still see his face, hear his voice. He said ‘You write about this stuff as if you believe it.’” She could feel the anger building. “Of course I believe it, that’s the whole point.”
“He sounds like an arrogant ass.”
“I think maybe you’re right. At the time I didn’t argue, because I didn’t think it was an insurmountable problem. But after that things between us just got worse until we were barely speaking. A few weeks before I came here we decided to stop seeing each other.”
Jason scowled. “Is it a permanent split?”
Charlie’s thoughts drifted back to that day. “Definitely. Before I left I heard he was already seeing someone else.”
“Humph.”
Charlie was determined to tell him everything. “Anyway, that was it for a while, or maybe I avoided old buildings, I don’t know. I didn’t sense anything or hear any voices until I got here.”
“Here?” Jason’s body tensed. “What happened here?”
“It’s the farmhouse,” she said. “There are so many memories in there, good and bad. It’s full of old stuff; the attic is crammed with memories, and there are old portraits in the halls. That’s what happened to me tonight, at the dance hall. For a moment it was as though I became someone else.” She closed her eyes. “She was dancing, and she was so much in love.”
She opened her eyes to see Jason watching her with a faint smile on his lips. “Well what do you think? Am I certifiable?” She looked at him expectantly.
It was his turn to look out over the lake and gather his thoughts. After a moment he picked up one of her hands and held it between both of his. “I’m not sure I understand.”
Charlie shrugged. “How could you when I don’t understand it myself? You know, I’ve never been able to talk to anyone about this, not even my best friend.” She paused. “Well, I tried with her but she didn’t get it.”
He held her hand as though she might disappear. “I don’t think you’re crazy, Charlie. But I’m Mr. Practical, remember? The boring guy who just realized that he has no secret dreams?” He released her hand and wandered down to the lake. She was right behind him.
“You’re not boring.” How could she make him understand? “It’s important that you know that.” She remained silent for several moments, standing motionless beside him at the water’s edge.
Her hair had fallen into her eyes and he brushed it away, his touch achingly gentle. “What made you tell me about this?”
She hesitated. “I’m not sure. Maybe it’s because you’re close to Janelle. There’s something connected with the house that I’m supposed to discover. At least that’s the way I feel tonight. Maybe tomorrow morning I’ll be sorry I mentioned it.”
He picked up a pebble and tossed it into the water. They watched the rings widen and then disappear. “Like I said before, I can’t pretend to understand all this” he said, “but I’ll be happy to listen anytime you want to talk. Right now I should probably take you home.” She nodded her agreement and they wandered toward the street. Behind them, a shooting star blazed across the sky.
THE HEADLIGHTS SLICED through the darkness as Jason’s truck bounced along the driveway. The trip from town had been mostly silent.
“Are you okay out here by yourself?” His dimple was a dark slash in his cheek and his eyes glittered in the light from the dashboard. “I’ll walk you inside if you like.”
Charlie lifted her chin. “Don’t get me started or I might have to hurt you.”
Jason chuckled. “That’s what I’m afraid of.” He reached across in front of her and opened the door. As he pulled back, his eyes met hers and then dropped to her mouth. For what seemed like forever they sat looking at each other and then with a ragged breath, he pulled back. “I guess we should say goodnight.”
Charlie blinked, finally breaking eye contact. “Guess so.” She slid reluctantly from the seat. “Thanks for the ice cream and the walk. I enjoyed it.” She closed the door.
He leaned across the seat. “Would you like to try again next weekend? Say on Saturday?”
“Try what?” She grinned at him through the window.
“You like to make a guy work, don’t you?” He shook his head, but returned her smile. “Would you like to go to The Trip next Saturday? With me?”
Janelle’s dance instructor had better be good. “Yes” she said, “I’d like that.” She went up the back steps and turned with her hand on the screen door. He was sitting with one arm draped over the steering wheel and the other along the back of the seat. She couldn’t see his eyes but she could feel them on her.
“Goodnight” he called, his voice full of promise. Next weekend seemed like a long time away.
The house was eerily silent when she entered. Thomas was curled up in his favourite chair and she picked him up and cuddled him, burying her face in his fur. He tolerated her attention for a moment and then squirmed to be let down. Tail high in the air, he stalked toward the cat door and slipped out into the still night.
Charlie opened the fridge and stared at the food with unseeing eyes. She wasn’t hungry after the ice cream; looking into the fridge was more of a habit than anything. With a sigh, she headed for the stairs, grateful for the night lights that guided her along. At the top of the stairs, she turned toward her bedroom and then paused, drawn toward the compelling portrait of the young woman. She had only looked at it once before, but already it felt familiar. She turned on the overhead light and stood rooted to the spot, feeling an odd tug of kinship. The eyes looked back at her, almost alive. Beyond the heartache that Charlie saw in them, they seemed to be trying to tell her something. Willing the unknown woman to communicate with her, she reached out and touched the glass with her fingertips. It was cool to the touch and for a brief moment Charlie wondered if her imagination was running away with her. Was she trying to create a connection where none existed? With a last look into the woman’s
eyes, she walked back to her room, flicking off the light switch as she passed.
Her room was a comfortable sanctuary with the bedside light casting a soft pink glow over the old quilt. She prepared for bed and slipped between the sheets, reaching out to turn off the bedside light. The moon was now higher in the sky; its pale, thin light bleaching the colour from familiar items, painting them in tones of grey and silver. She rarely noticed the moon at home. As a matter of fact, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d actually looked at it, let alone thought about it. But then a lot of things were looking different since she’d met Jason. She stared at the ceiling but didn’t see the shifting shadows cast by the moon. She saw long, muscled legs encased in faded blue jeans. She saw strong, confident hands on a steering wheel and generous lips turned up at the corner in a heart-stopping smile. She saw hair the colour of ripe wheat falling over eyes as blue as the prairie skies on a clear summer day.
Headlights illuminated the room and moments later a vehicle pulled up behind the house. Charlie turned her light back on, hoping her aunt would stop in for a quick visit. About a minute later, Janelle poked her head around the door.
“Are you still up?” She came into the room and sat on the foot of the bed. “Of course you’re still up or I wouldn’t be sitting here, would I?” She removed the ribbon and a band from her braid and started to loosen her hair, running her fingers through it and groaning with pleasure. “So tell me, did you have a good time? What do you think of The Trip?” Her hair billowed out around her shoulders. “You and Jason seemed to be getting along better. Did he ask you out?”
“Yes, for next Saturday.” Charlie sat up. “I hope your friend can teach me not to be such a klutz.”
“I’m sure he can. I saw him after you left and he’s agreed to meet you at The Trip on Tuesday morning. He says he’ll work with you right up to the weekend, but he thinks it probably won’t be necessary.”
“Why would he do this for me? He doesn’t even know me.”