Then she said, “How about helping me with Charity’s diary?”
Ray sat up quickly, “Do you have it?”
“Cordial told me where it was the night…three days ago,” Shay corrected.
“I have read most of it and made a list of the names that she mentioned, but you would probably know who they are and where they may live,” Shay continued.
Ray thought about it and she nodded her head watching as Shay got up to get the diary from her room. Ray settled against the cushions of the couch as she thought about her father before she let her mind wonder to the woman who broke her brother’s heart or what he gave her of it. She looked up as Shay came back down and she wondered what would have happened if Cordial had met Shay first? Would things have turned out differently? There was no answer for that question.
“Here is the diary and the list of names that I got from the diary so far,” Shay said handing both over to her.
Ray looked at the list and her eyes widened as she looked over the list. “There a lot of names on here,” she said before she stopped at one and her eyes widened even more before she looked at Shay. Shay did not say anything as Ray said, “She slept with Todd?”
Shay said, “She wrote that she met him on some vacation she took before he moved here, and when he showed up, she had been surprised to know that him and Cordial were good friends. I do not know if Todd told Cordial or not, but she wrote how she tried to seduce him a few times more but she figured he had turned gay on her as he never responded back to her.”
Ray spoke slowly, “When I first met Todd, I thought he was cold and aloof. It was not until about year after Charity’s death that my feelings changed, well, I thought that they changed. I realized recently that I had liked even from the beginning but I wanted to dislike him. I know why though because I saw the way Charity looked at him and whatever Charity wanted she got, no matter what.”
“Maybe so, but Charity did not get a second time with him because of you,” Shay said and Ray looked at her. “I think that you and Cordial are the reasons he did not take her up on her offer. Cordial is his best friend and you were Cordial’s sister although I am thinking he may have had feelings for you. That is something that you need to talk to him about though.”
Ray nodded her head as she bit her lip then said, “Let’s go through the rest of the names.”
They did that for the next hour, as Ray would tell Shay where the men lived if they still lived in town or any information about them. The list was long by the time they were done and Ray sat back on the couch.
“That is all I can think of,” she said on a sigh.
Shay was writing and she put down the pen to cradle her arm to her chest. Ray caught the movement, “Is your arm sore?”
“Yeah, but unfortunately, I forgot to get my pills from Cordial,” Shay said as she settled back on the couch. She frowned as she said, “There is only one person in the diary that Charity does not mention by name, but I think her feelings were strong for him; stronger than they were for Cordial.”
“What?” Ray said and Shay grabbed the diary flipping through the pages until she got to the page she was looking for. “The page on the left” was all she said as she handed the book to her.
Ray looked down at the book and the page Shay indicated, and she began to read
I cannot wait until I see him tonight. He makes me feel beautiful and tells me often. Cordial rarely tells me any more that I am beautiful except on special occasions but I want to be reminded all the time that I am. He does that for me and so much more. Cordial has to go out of town for something or other, I really do not pay attention any more although I will marry him for he does love me and I need that. I do love Cordial but not in the same way, that he loves me and that is another reason that I am marrying him, but I doubt I will be faithful as long as HE is in my life. I can forget about the other men, but I always want HIM with me. I need to get ready for HE should be here soon, and I wonder if she knows that HE sleeps with me. Maybe I will tell her sometime, but not right now. I will wait until Cordial and I are married for then I will have something on her. As always, what I want, I get.
Ray looked up from what she was reading, and said, “Wow, I was always known that Charity was conceited, but from reading this, she seemed so sure that no one could deny her.”
Shay nodded her head before leaning back against the couch, “I wonder what she meant by ‘she’. Is it possible that the man she is talking about was married?”
Ray settled back on the cushions as she thought about it, “I do not think so for she does not mention the woman being his wife, but from the Charity I knew, she believed that no women could compare to her.”
“Oh, goody,” Shay muttered before yawning and Ray laughed tiredly. Within five minutes, both were asleep on the couch with the diary and list lying on the table.
Chapter 20
Cordial and Todd walked in twenty minutes later, and they headed to the living room where they stopped to watch their women sleeping. Ray was curled on the couch using her arm as a pillow while Shay had curled up into the corner, her arm was propped up with a pillow, and Cordial frowned as he saw the pain cross her face.
“Damn,” he whispered running a hand through his hair.
Todd looked at him quizzically and he explained, “I had her pain medication with me for the last few days.” Todd eyes widened, as he understood what Cordial was telling him and he nodded his head. Cordial looked over the stuff on the table and he frowned as he reached for the paper that Shay had been writing on.
Going over the list, his eyes widened as they came to Todd’s name and he looked up at him as he placed a blanket over Ray and gently kissed her brow.
“Todd,” he said in a hard voice and Todd looked at him in confusion. He jerked his head to the kitchen and walked that way after he checked on Shay placing a hand on her cheek, which she leaned into as he leaned forward and kissed her softly.
“Cord, is something wrong?” Todd asked him quietly as they entered the kitchen.
“Why didn’t you tell me that you slept with Charity?” he asked him after getting them both a beer.
Todd eyes widened then they narrowed as he said quickly, “Does Ray know about it?”
“Probably as they were working with Charity’s diary, and she must have put your name in it,” he explained watching his friend go pale.
“Damn,” Todd said sitting down heavily at the table. “I met Charity when she was 17 on one of her summer vacations, a year before I met you and I thought she was exciting at the time. When I met you and you asked me to join in your business, I did not know that Charity was your fiancée. After I found out, I wanted to tell you but I did not how to break it to you that she slept with someone while she was dating you. Then I started having feelings for Ray and I knew how she felt about Charity that if I wanted a chance with her, telling her about my short affair with Charity would turn her away faster then ever.”
Cordial saw him hesitate for a second so he asked, “What else? Do not leave anything out.”
“When I moved here and she remembered who I was, she wanted to start up our affair, but I told her no. She was not happy about it and even accused me of being gay,” Todd told him. He shook his head, “I do not think she believed me when I assured her that I was not gay but I was loyal to my friendship with you.”
Cordial looked at his beer, “You did not tell her about your feelings for Ray.”
Todd gave a short laugh, “If I had told Charity that I preferred Ray over her any day, she would have made Ray’s life hell not mentioning that she would have made sure that Ray knew about our brief affair.”
Cordial nodded his head slowly, “Yes, I could see Charity doing that; she was very possessive when it came to her men. I remembered the couple of times that we went out and she would get jealous because some women would look at me and I would glance back. It always started an argument, which ended with her in tears and me doing anything to stop the tears.” They w
ould always end up in bed and Cordial learned later that it was her way of staying in control of the situation and making sure that he still noticed her. He sighed heavily as Todd watched him.
“Are we still friends?” Todd asked him, and Cordial looked at him for a second before he nodded his head. Todd smiled until he said, “But I do not know if Ray will be as forgiving as me.”
“Shit,” Todd mumbled and Cordial laughed quietly.
“Let’s order pizza instead of having the ladies cook,” he suggested and Todd nodded his head as Cordial headed to the phone.
After ordering the pizza, Cordial sat back down at the table fiddling with his beer bottle again.
Todd watched him for a second, “Worried about your dad?”
“Yeah,” Cordial said. “I dislike seeing him like that. It makes him look so vulnerable and growing up, that was the one thing he was not. After our mother died, I think it broke him a little so I was surprised when he married Lucille when I turned 16, but if she made him happy then I would not I say anything to him.”
Todd was quiet then he asked softly, “You do not think she makes him happy.”
Cordial thought about it and he knew the answer, “No, my father puts on a good act, but Lucille does not make him happy. He was lonely with two teenagers so he married her hoping to cure the loneliness and to give us a mother figure. Problem was he picked a woman who was about seven years older than I was. She could have been my older sister not my mother. She never really connected with Ray either but she never really tried although she made it look like she did around our father.”
“You do know, brother dear, that she wants you in her bed,” Ray said from the doorway.
Cordial rubbed a tired hand across his eyes, “That would explain why she is constantly calling me or asking me to fix things at the house.”
Then he looked at her and frowned, “Shay still sleeping?”
“Yeah, although it looks like she is having a nightmare,” she told him and he was out of his seat, and heading to the living room before she could blink.
Cordial hurried over to Shay’s side and gently shook her shoulder, “Shay wake up.” She was sweating and her breathing ragged as if she was running.
“Shay, baby,” he muttered, “Wake up from your nightmare.” He gently pulled her to his chest and he felt her breath shutter before she let it out slowly and her body stopped shivering.
“Cordial,” she murmured a little dazed.
“Yeah, you were having a nightmare,” he said pulling back lightly so he could push her hair out of her face, “Would you like to talk about it?”
She looked at him biting her lip, “Not right now, Cordial, maybe later.”
He nodded his head pushing back his impatience at what kept her awake at night.
“Todd and I ordered pizza for dinner since you ladies were sleeping when we got back,” he teased.
She wrinkled her nose at him, “Sorry, but we were talking and I do not remember much after that.” Her mouth dropped open as she quickly looked at him and he chuckled, “Todd and I already talked, and every thing is okay.”
She still looked worried, “Between you and him, yeah, but I wonder about Ray.”
“They are in the kitchen right now so they are probably already talking about it,” he stated running a hand down her black hair.
“Good,” Shay said leaning against him. “Cordial, where is my pain medicine? My arm is killing me.”
He chuckled softly as he shifted to pull the bottle out of his pocket, “Sorry, I forgot that I switched them into my cleaned jeans pocket after I took my shower.”
Shay just glared at him as they got off the couch and headed for the kitchen.
“Just give me one,” she requested as they walked into the kitchen to see Todd and Ray kissing passionately, and Shay ignored them as she went to the refrigerator although Cordial could see the blush that graced her cheeks.
Then the phone rung and Cordial froze, as did the others.
“Hello,” he said after picking it up and his eyes narrowed as he listened to the person on the other end.
“We will be right there,” he stated before hanging up.
He looked over at Ray, “Dad is awake and wanting to see us.”
Shay watched as Ray’s eyes filled with tears, as Todd said, “Come on, and we will go see your father.”
Ray nodded her head as Todd led her out of the kitchen and Cordial waited while Shay took her pill before grabbing her hand and pulling her to the front door.
“Cordial,” Shay said in shock.
He did not answer her until he set the security alarm and locked the door behind them, “You are coming with me to the hospital.”
“But…”Shay began and Cordial just leaned over and kissed her.
“I do not want to leave you here by yourself again,” he said in a hard voice and Shay glared at him before climbing into the truck. Cordial knew that she was mad at him but he needed to see his father and he wanted to make sure that she was safe at the same time. This was the best way to assure that she was safe. He just hoped that seeing her would not harm his father because Cordial had always known that his father had not really liked Charity and although Shay was not Charity, her look alone may agitate his father. He clenched her hand in his as he sped to the hospital hoping for the best.
He and Shay was the last people to arrive and as they walked into the room, he saw his father look over at them. He watched as his father smiled at him although he could tell he was very weak.
“Hi, son,” he rasped.
“Hi, Dad,” Cordial said letting go of Shay’s hand to go to his father’s bedside.
His dad looked at him and teased in his raspy voice, “Did I not teach you to hang on to precious things?”
He looked over at Shay and whispered, “Hi, Shay, you make sure to keep him in line, you hear?”
Every one in the room was shocked, but Shay laughed gently, “Of course, sir.”
“No sir,” he whispered to her, “call me Vincent.”
Shay looked at Cordial as he stared at his father, “Of course, Vincent, but I think you should conserve your energy so that way you can tell your son off for being rude.”
He looked up at his son and tried to glare, “Cordial.”
Cordial swallowed before he said, “She is annoying, dad, I can not help it.”
Shay walked over to him and punched him in the arm, and Cordial glared at her rubbing his arm.
Vincent watched the interchange and he chuckled lightly before he started coughing.
“Here, Daddy,” Ray said holding the cup to lips so he could take a sip.
After he sipped, he leaned back against the pillows and looked at her, “You have not called me that in years.”
Ray blushed as Todd laughed placing an arm around her, and Vincent smiled, “You take good care of her, young man.”
“You have my word, Vincent,” Todd vowed, and Vincent nodded his head as the nurse came in.
“All right, visiting hours are over,” she said softly but with authority. “You need to leave so he can get some rest.” They nodded their heads as they all said their “good nights”.
Once outside the room, Cordial asked the nurse, “Will he be okay?”
The nurse smiled, “The stroke was not a major one which he was very lucky but it did leave some lasting side effects. Right now, he is out of danger but the doctor will know more and you can talk to him when he does his rounds in another hour if you would like to wait that long.”
Cordial looked at the others and they all nodded their heads so Cordial told the nurse, “We will wait.”
She said, “Go get something to eat in the cafeteria and the doctor should be here by the time you come back.”
“What time does he start his round?” Shay asked quietly.
“Around 8pm,” the nurse answered before being called away.
They headed down to the cafeteria as a group with Todd’s arm around Ray and Cordial holding tig
htly to Shay’s hand. Although they all lost their appetites, they knew that they had to fill the time some way until they could talk to Vincent’s doctor.
They had settled down with their food when Ray looked up with a frown on her face, “Where is Lucille?”
Chapter 21
Shay walked back up with the others as they headed back up to the ward where Cordial and Ray’s father was stationed to talk to his doctor.
“It surprised you,” she said aloud, and Cordial nodded his hand taking her hand into his intertwining their fingers as they stepped out of the elevator. They headed to the nurses station and saw the same nurse who told them when the doctor would do his ward round.
“Just in time,” she said as the doctor walked up to the station and started signing charts.
“Dr. Bradford,” the nurse said and he looked up at her with a twinkle in his eye. He was an older man maybe in his late 40s with brown hair going grey with striking bluish-green eyes.
“This is the family that I told you about wanting information on Vincent O’Ryan,” she said and he turned his attention to them.
“Of course, Nurse Jedson, told me that you wanted to speak to me about your father’s condition,” he said and motioned for them to follow him.
Ray headed back for a second to ask the nurse something and then she caught up with them as the doctor led them into a private room for such meetings between doctor and patients family members.
Shay looked at her with a question in her eyes and Ray just mumbled, “Later” as they turned their attention to the doctor.
“How is he, Dr. Bradford,” Cordial asked and the hand holding Shay’s hand tightened. Shay just squeezed his hand to let him know that she was there as they waited for the doctor’s response.
Dr. Bradford ran a hand through his hair as he explained, “Your father has had a minor stroke and we were able to catch it in time, but it has left some permanent damage. He will have times where his memory is going to be a little off although that will be rare. He will have to be on bed rest for the next week, and I prefer that he stay here during that time. I would like to keep him longer but he has denied after I told him that longer is more for my benefit than his benefit. He will have to watch what he eats for he has high blood pressure that I want to keep under check, and the fact that his heart is not as strong as it use to be as me worried. The next stroke might do a lot more damage; he might not survive a second stroke.”
A Ghost of the Past Page 11