For the Love of Lisa

by Callie Norse

  Greg saw himself lying in the emergency room as if he was looking down from above.

  “Oh, my…that guy down there looks a lot like me.” He watched as a man in a white lab coat rushed to the guy’s side. The man had paddles in his hand, like the ones he had seen in movies, when someone’s heart stops. “Oh, my God, that’s me down there. I must be dead!” Just then, Greg felt himself moving rapidly down a long dark tunnel. A light appeared at the end of the tunnel. In the light, he saw two figures, one heavenly figure, which he soon realized was Lisa.

  Another, standing beside Lisa, was a Christ-like figure, which spoke. “I brought you here for a reason. Lisa is here to explain some things to you. When she is finished, you must go back. It is not your time.”

  “Hi, sweetie,” Lisa looked radiant and totally at peace. “Greg, honey, you can’t stay. Maggie needs you and so does Marta. You have made me so happy that you and Marta have fallen in love. This is what I have been praying for. What you don’t know is that I have been guiding you to her, making this happen. I know you have felt you were betraying me and that you shouldn’t be doing this. You couldn’t help it, because I’m making it happen—for you and for Maggie. Thinking back, don’t you think it was unlike you to be so strongly attracted to her in the beginning? I may have overdone it a bit. I’m hoping for the two of you to marry—for the three of you to be a family.

  There is more you need to know…about the house. You and Marta have been quite the detectives I see. There are some things you haven’t been able to find the answers for. I can help you with that, because I see all. First of all, there is Isadora, the daughter of the Stephens’. Yes, she is the one in the portrait. She cries, as she is very sad. She refuses to accept that she is dead. She has remained in the house. She died so young that she never had a relationship with a man. Because of this, she feels she has been cheated. She thought when I died, she could have you for herself. She came to you when you were sleeping, and I guess you could say, she raped you. Now that you have found Marta and have made love with her, you have angered Isadora. Have you noticed that every time you and Marta make love, something bad happens? You angered her terribly last night when the two of you made such passionate love. She got together with Agatha and caused the house to be flooded with that horrible red, substance.

  Remember, Agatha is the one Maggie told you sometimes visits her and plays with her son, little Johnny. I see you have uncovered all the mysteries concerning she and Johnny. She is still very sad over all that happened. She left the house after her death and was buried behind the house where you now have your garden. Her remains are deep under your garden; nonetheless—you disturbed her, and she has returned to haunt you. It is she that you have seen as a streak of light coming and going between her grave and the house—and throughout the house. She has haunted you with the blood-like substance in the hallway where she was killed, on the mansard stairs where Johnny died, and in the carriage house where John kept her body while he dug her grave.

  It was Isadora you recently saw off the kitchen, when you thought it was me. I don’t make myself visible to you, because it would only set you back. You need to keep moving forward with Marta.

  Greg, honey, I watch you always. I long to be with you, although I am happy here. I am happy that you and Marta have found each other. I need nothing more. I must tell you, though—when I first died—I wanted to return to be with you. In fact, I did return once— and made love with you—on the floor in front of the fireplace. You felt it might have been me, and that pleased me. It was wonderful, Greg. I just had to have you…one last time. Please, don’t confuse it with the time you dreamed you had violent sex. That was Isadora.

  I was there when you cut down the Christmas tree. I couldn’t miss the cutting of our first blue spruce. It is good that I was there, because I was able to pull Maggie from the falling tree. I know you felt it was me, not her guardian angel, as you suggested to Maggie.

  Greg, sweetie, don’t let Isadora or Agatha scare you. They mean you no harm, or anyone else in the house. They only mean to haunt you. It is safe to go back to the house now. As always before, the red, sticky substance is gone. You need to rid the house of Isadora and Agatha. You should ask them to leave. Tell them they need to go to the light. If they remain, perhaps you should consult a psychic medium, although I feel that won’t be necessary. I will talk to Mom and see if she thinks Maggie will be okay now, if she should leave. I know she has helped Maggie adjust to my death. I have visited Maggie, not often, as I think she will do better if I am not with her all the time. Besides, I am busy helping the lonely and confused little children up here, just as I told Maggie. I will let you decide what to do about Johnny. He is company for Maggie, but after all, he is a spirit. I would suggest you consult a psychiatrist, although in a case like this he would probably laugh at you.

  You must go now, sweetie. I love you dearly and always will. God is telling me you must go back. Know that I will be with you always, even from up here. Someday you will come to stay, and we will be together again for all eternity. Do not rush this—enjoy your life on earth with Marta and Maggie. As for me…time is different up here. It goes so very fast—like flashes.”

  She hugged Greg. He kissed her warmly, almost passionately, not wanting to leave her. He could see the doctors with the paddles. He opened his eyes. He was no longer looking down. He was back—alive. He wondered—had he dreamed he talked to Lisa? No, he knew he had really spoken to her. He remembered everything she had said.

  He could now hear the doctors talking.

  “His pressure is coming up. He is starting to stabilize.”

  Greg wasn’t concerned about himself. God had told him that it was not his time. He now remembered Marta had been in the car with him. “Marta, is she okay?”

  No one was answering him. He became agitated. Just then Lori entered the cubicle. She was relieved to see he was alive.

  He repeated, “Mart…is she okay?”

  Lori reassured him that her injuries were only minor and that she would be okay.

  Soon Marta was wheeled to his bedside. This calmed him, seeing for himself that she was okay. He reached his hand out to her, unable to hug her as he wanted to.

  The doctors reassured Marta that Greg would be fine now. He was receiving blood to replace all that he had lost. He had a bad gash on his head and had sliced his leg badly. An artery had been severed. Therefore, he had lost a substantial amount of blood before the paramedic’s arrived. This artery was now repaired, as was the gash in his head and the leg laceration.

  Marta was wheeled off for a CAT scan. The X-rays had shown no broken ribs. Now it was necessary to rule out any head injury. The doctor had wanted her to lie still until after the CAT scan. She insisted on seeing Greg. She had heard the code blue and would not rest until she had seen him.

  Greg was told only that she needed to rest. He was preoccupied with having seen Lisa. He could hardly believe he had actually talked to her. She looked so beautiful, almost like an angel—she had a glow around her, although she was in somewhat of a human form. He fell asleep wondering how he could tell Marta, without her thinking he wanted Lisa and not her.

  When he awoke, Marta was out of the CAT scan and had been told they had found nothing unusual. She would stay overnight for observation and would probably be allowed to go home the next day.

  Even though Greg had stabilized, he was still extremely weak from the blood loss. They found a room for him and were keeping a close watch on him. Marta was put in a room across the hall. She lay rethinking all that had taken place in a short time. The perfectly wonderful night at The Towers had gone bad—quickly. Greg had seemed different, so much closer and more in love. She felt their love had taken a big step forward—then, to have almost lost him. She had been terribly frightened and was wondering what she would have done without him now…after finally getting together with him after all the years of loving him and not being able to share that love with him. She wouldn’t dwell on this.
He would be okay now, and they would be together.

  The next morning, Marta was told she could go home. She was reluctant to leave Greg. She called Lori. Lori convinced her she should go home. She would be there soon to give her a ride. Meanwhile, Marta went in to see Greg again. He looked much better than the night before. The doctor had said he might even go home the next day. Marta hugged him. As tears flowed from her eyes, she said, “I love you, sweetie. You know that, don’t you?”

  “Of course I do, Mart. I feel the same way. I love you very much. When I get home, we will have a long talk.”

  By now, Lori had arrived with Maggie. They were looking for Marta in her room. Maggie saw Marta and Greg across the hall and went running, “Daddy, Daddy, are you okay?”

  “Sure, sweetheart, I’m fine, just a little sore and weak right now. Soon, I’ll be good as new.”

  She hugged Marta, “I’m glad you are okay, too. You know I love you like a mommy!”

  Greg and Marta were both surprised to hear these words come out of her mouth. They were so fortunate to have found this new love—one that Maggie seemed to share.

  Twelve

  While Greg was recuperating, he thought long and hard about how to rid the house of the spirits. He asked Steve to come over. He needed to talk to him. Greg greeted him at the door.

  “More spirit problems, have we?” Steve asked.

  “Actually, they have been fairly quiet lately—only a few flashes of light. Agatha paces the halls, I guess.”

  “Agatha? The spirits have names now?”

  “That’s what I want to talk to you about. It’s a rather long story. Come sit here in the kitchen. I have some things to show you first.” Greg poured coffee for the two of them. “How about a sweet roll?”

  “No, thanks, I just ate. So what do you want to show me?”

  Greg placed the box from the mansard on the table, took several clippings from it, and placed them on the table along with Agatha’s journal. “Before the accident, Marta and I found some answers to the mysteries of this house…quite interesting. This house has a lot of history… history that I could do without.”

  Greg showed Steve each of the articles and read the coinciding entries in the journal. When he was finished, Steve, astonished, sat back in his chair, “This is absolutely amazing! To think these spirits are here with us now.”

  “Yeah, tell me about it! There’s more Steve.”

  “Christ, Greg, isn’t this enough?”

  Greg proceeded to explain, “When I was in the ER after my accident, I actually left this world for a short time.”

  Steve was speechless.

  Greg continued, “I saw Lisa.”

  “Oh, my! Really? How could that be?”

  “I saw myself lying on a bed in the ER. It was as if I was floating above, looking down. I saw a doctor approach me with paddles. I felt myself going through a tunnel toward a light. I moved very swiftly, it seemed. In the light I saw a Christ like figure and Lisa, so radiant she almost glowed.”

  “Holy shit!” Steve was astonished.

  Greg continued to tell him what he was told by the Christ like figure, and what Lisa said.

  “Totally, totally amazing!” Steve could hardly believe what he was hearing.

  “This brings me to something I want to ask of you, Steve.”

  “And what might that be?”

  “I have decided to do as Lisa suggested. I want to ask Isadora and Agatha to leave. I first need to convince Isadora that she is dead.”

  “Oh, this should be real interesting!” Steve chuckled. “And when do you propose to do this?”

  “Whenever you can help me.” Greg was hoping Steve would agree to help.

  “Oh, how did I know this was coming! You want me to be here when you tell Isadora she is dead…and ask she and Agatha to leave?”

  “Yes, will you do it?” Greg asked.

  “You think it will work?”

  “Who knows—we’ve got to try something.”

  “I love that we part,” Steve grinned.

  “Well, will you help?”

  “Sure, what are brothers-in-law for, if it isn’t to help each other out? We guys need to stick together. What about Marta, will she be here?” Steve asked.

  “I’d rather she not be. Knowing her, she will insist on being here. I haven’t gotten into any of this with her, yet. I’ve had a lot to think about since the accident.”

  “I guess you have,” Steve agreed.

  “I’ll talk to Mart today. Could you come over tomorrow morning? Maggie will be in school.”

  “Sure, there’s nothing on my slate for tomorrow.”

  “Great, I need to get this taken care of and get back to work. By the way, did you see my new car in the drive? Mart and I went shopping.”

  “Yeah, a bit sporty for an old guy like you, don’t you think? I figured you’d get another Tahoe.”

  “I planned to, then I saw this Porsche and figured it might spice things up a bit around here. I’ve always had a bit of a thing for a red sports car.” Greg looked pleased with himself.

  “Is it the new 997?” Steve inquired, excitedly?

  “It sure is!”

  “I’ve read about them and have seen a picture of one, but I hadn’t actually seen one yet. I wasn’t even sure they were out yet.”

  “This is the first one the dealership has gotten in. I think the dealer almost hated to see it go. They are difficult to get right now, since they are so new.”

  “Wow…how exciting! What’s Marta think of it?”

  “She loves it! Something tells me when we get married she will fight me for it. I’ll probably wind up driving her jeep.”

  “Did I hear the word married?”

  “You caught that, did you?”

  “Sure did!”

  “Just wanted to see your reaction! I’m considering asking her to marry me. Heck, I might as well. It’s going to happen anyway with Lisa up there running the show! Seriously, Steve, I’ve fallen in love with her. I never thought I could love another woman after Lisa died, especially so soon, but I guess Lisa has seen to that. Marta is a wonderful gal. She makes me happy again. When I’m with her, I can almost forget the past. And…she turns me on immensely! I need her in my life. When she isn’t with me, I can’t wait until we are together again.”

  “Sounds like love to me. You have my blessings. Lori and I think a lot of her, too. I know Lori will be excited to hear this.”

  “Hey, mums the word until I ask Marta!” Greg insisted.

  “You got it!” They shook hands and Steve was off.

  Greg was nervous about Marta coming over. He hadn’t told her he had talked to Lisa. He had needed to keep it to himself for awhile to sort through his feelings.

  Marta arrived, all bubbly, wanting to be with Greg. They were like a couple of teenagers—with just a bit more maturity.

  They went to the parlor. When they were finished snuggling and kissing, Greg looked Marta directly in the eye.

  “Sweetie, before we get too involved here, we need to talk. There is something I haven’t told you, something that happened when I was in the ER. Mart, you know I coded?”

  “Yes, honey, I was so scared. I thought I was losing you.”

  “You did, for a few moments. I actually died for a very short time.

  Marta gasped, “What? How do you know that?”

  “I saw Lisa.”

  “Oh, my gosh…really?”

  Greg proceeded to explain.

  Marta was in awe. “That is totally remarkable!”

  “It certainly is. I’ve had a lot of time to think about it. Not only did I see her and talk to her; she also gave me the answers to the mysteries we were unable to piece together. It was a lot for me to absorb. Forgive me, for not sharing it with you right away. I needed time.”

  While explaining this to Marta, he suddenly remembered the night when he and Marta had sex in the kitchen. After Marta had mentioned he should have locked the door—and he hadn’
t—had Lisa locked the door? Had she instigated that and locked the door so no one would see them? Suddenly, Marta interrupted his thoughts.

  “I understand, sweetie. Does this change anything between us?”

  “No, baby, I still love you very much. Lisa was my past. You are my present.” He took her in his arms, and held her tightly. They kissed, lovingly…tenderly. Greg drew back, still keeping her close. “I have asked Steve to come over in the morning to help me ask Isadora and Agatha to leave.”

  “Really? What time should I be here?”

  “Marta, I don’t want you here. We don’t know how the spirits will react. They could cause a lot of havoc. I don’t want to put you in any danger.”

  “You aren’t serious! You think I will stay away? Nothing doing! I will be by your side!”

  Greg knew better than to go any further with this. Her mind was made up.

  *****

  The next morning, Steve pulled into the drive behind Marta. Greg greeted them at the door. “Are the two of you ready for this?”

  “Ready as I’ll ever be,” they laughed, as they spoke in unison.

  Greg had candles lit in the kitchen and the servants’ hallway.

  “What are the candles for?” Steve asked.

  “Not sure. Something told me candles might help. I had them here, so I thought I would use them.”

  Marta wasn’t so sure.

  Greg began to speak, his hands trembling, “Isadora, if you are here, please, listen. You must know you are no longer alive. You died a long long time ago when you got sick with tuberculosis. You must go toward the light. This is my home now. I do not need you. Go now—and leave us alone. Go toward the light. You will be happy there. You will never find happiness here, as we do not want you here.” He paused as if he was listening for an answer. Then he proceeded. “Agatha, I know you are here. I am sorry I disturbed you. You must go now. Go toward the light. You can take Johnny with you. We do not want or need you here. Please leave at once.”

  Steve and Marta were surprised at the simplicity of his speech. They felt this would do no good. Suddenly the house became dark, as if it was again engulfed in a dark cloud. The candles began to flicker, then went out. The kitchen sink began to make a bubbling sound. Marta and Greg were familiar with the sound—and the stench. There were streaks of light—inside and out—flashes everywhere. The house began to shake. There were moaning and crying sounds and rumbles as if it was thundering. The streaks of light seemed to be going from one room to another, as if someone was running through the house in terror.