Deadline

by Judy McDonough

Walking down the stairs, she heard the grandfather clock chime four times. Dinner in two hours. Two hours until she met the rest of the Fontenot family. She strolled into the kitchen to see what Delia and Delphine were up to. Delphine was preparing the food. She peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp while humming an upbeat tune. Caroline asked if there was anything she could do to help and Delphine laughed. Delia came bustling into the kitchen just as Caroline was about to ask what was funny, and she answered the question for her.

  "No, Miss Caroline, Mr. Fontenot would have our heads if he knew we put you to work."

  "Even if I wanted to help?"

  "Yes, ma'am, even then. He's so enchanted that you're back in his life, he wouldn't think very kindly if he found out you were helping the help." They chuckled.

  "Well, okay then. Do y'all mind if I hang out in here and watch? I love to cook, so I am always interested in learning new things."

  "I s'pose there's no harm in watching. What do you think, Delphine?"

  "Won't botha me none. 'Sides, she a dahlin' lil thang, maybe she can teach us somethin', huh, Delia?" Delphine cackled.

  Caroline enjoyed their company. They made her laugh and feel welcome, like a part of the family.

  "Which room you chose, boo?" Delphine asked.

  "I chose the one with the white canopy bed and the window facing the duck pond."

  Delia chimed in. "Ahhh, yes, that's the best room in the house."

  "Really? Why is it the best?"

  "That was Miss Rachel's room. . .and only her room."

  "Who was Miss Rachel?"

  "She was the first lady of the Fontenot plantation. This house was built for Mr. Fontenot and Miss Rachel as a wedding gift from Mr. Fontenot's wealthy family. They lived here before this town was ever called Golden Meadow. Anyway, she's the only one who ever stayed in that room."

  "Ever?" The puzzle kept gaining pieces. "Why hasn't anyone else ever stayed in that room? It's beautiful! If you say it's the best room in the house, I would think everyone would want it." Caroline remembered the letters etched in the window. "I noticed the initials R. C. F. etched into the glass of the window. Were those hers?"

  Delia nodded, "Back then, when a man gave a woman a diamond for their engagement, it was customary for her to see if the diamond was real by etching her initials in glass. If the diamond scratched the glass, it was real. If it didn't, then they knew it was a fake."

  "What was her middle name?"

  Delia and Delphine both shrugged. "Not sure, boo. I only ever heard her referred to as Miss Rachel."

  Bummer. Caroline was curious if they shared the same names like their initials. Everything else was screaming coincidence, why not that, too? "So why is Rachel the only one who ever stayed in that room? I guess I don't understand the problem. I mean, it's just a room, right?"

  Delia and Delphine looked at each other and Delphine nodded her head. "Well, there was an incident that happened in that room, but we don't want to spoil your opinion of it because it really is the best. It's the biggest room and it has the best view."

  "No, please, go on. I love it, so I doubt you'll say anything that will cause me to move out of it." Caroline casually rubbed her arms in a poor attempt to disguise her chills. She couldn't imagine what they would tell her, but after everything she's seen in relation to her dreams, she needed to know. As much as it freaked her out, she was hooked on the mystery this story provided.

  Delia continued slowly, choosing her words carefully. "They say she killed herself by jumping out the window. She hit her head on a stone garden statue below her room."

  Delphine chimed in, her Cajun accent heavy, "The story also claims if she'd hit huh head anywheah 'sides right between da eyes, she mighta lived through the jump."

  Chills skittered along her skin. Every one of her dreams was accompanied by a throbbing pain between her eyes. She had goose bumps from head to toe, and a shiver crept up her spine. Was this the reason for the recurring dream? Was the young woman in her dreams Rachel Fontenot? If it was, who raped her and threatened to kill her if she told anyone?

  Now completely obsessed with learning more about Rachel's story, Caroline was determined to find out the truth.

  "So, the room you're staying in has never been occupied after Rachel," Delia said. "People are a little spooked about staying in a room where someone killed herself. I guess they're afraid it might be haunted by her ghost. If her committing suicide is what you believe truly happened."

  "You don't?"

  Delia's face crinkled up causing the crease between her brows to deepen. "I can't be sure, boo. It was way before my time."

  Caroline believed there was more to the story, but didn't push her luck. She thanked them for the interesting history and for letting her hang out with them before she excused herself to freshen up for dinner. Now that she knew more about what happened so long ago, maybe her dreams would make more sense. If she had another dream. She wished she could know when to expect one.

  She wore one of her nicer outfits for dinner since she would meet the rest of the family for the first time. She freshened up until she felt presentable enough to make a successful first impression.

  The grandfather clock chimed six times. It's Judgment Day. Caroline spritzed perfume in the air and walked through it before she made her way down the stairs to meet her new family. Her dad walked in the front door just as she was halfway down the stairs. His face lit up like the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center.

  "I gotta say, you are a sight for sore eyes."

  She smiled. "Hi, Daddy."

  He hugged her tightly and kissed her cheek. "Hello, beautiful." A hug and a kiss on the cheek seemed to be the normal greeting from everyone down here.

  In the midst of their embrace, the front door opened and a tall, beautiful, extremely skinny blonde woman walked in. Had to be her step mother, April, though she didn't look like she could be any older than thirty-five years old. She stopped dead in her tracks and stared in horror at her husband with his arms wrapped around Caroline. She looked ready to kill someone. Eddie quickly held Caroline's hand and led her over to April with exaggerated enthusiasm.

  "April, I'd like you to meet Caroline."

  She peered at Caroline much like a snake eyeing a mouse.

  "She's my daughter with my ex-wife, Emily."

  It still didn't seem to reassure April, knowing that Caroline was Eddie's daughter instead of someone trying to steal her husband. But after she finished glaring at Eddie, she at least managed to fake a smile as she looked at Caroline.

  "Hello, Caroline. I vaguely remember my husband mentioning a daughter from a previous marriage. What a surprise to meet you now." She cut her eyes back to Eddie. "So unexpected. A call would have been nice."

  "My apologies, April. I should've given you a heads up, but I honestly didn't know how to tell you. Besides, I didn't think it would be a problem."

  April plastered her fake smile back to her emaciated face and looked at Caroline again. Strange, the daggers shooting from her frosty eyes contrasted greatly with the smile on her lips.

  "No problem, darling. Caroline, it's a pleasure to meet you."

  Caroline didn't realize it was possible to use the word "pleasure" while displaying such a nasty expression. She gave the sweetest smile she could manage. "The pleasure is mine. It appears I have gained another mother." Never mind that she could pass as a wicked step mother.

  April wasn't extremely thrilled with that comment either, it seemed. "Yes, and it seems I have inherited another child. If you'll excuse me, I need to. . .freshen up before dinner."

  Caroline could see why her dad skipped formal dinners so often. Was April always like that, or did she just not like Caroline for some reason?

  After she walked away, Eddie put his hands on Caroline's shoulders and spoke barely above a whisper. "I'm very sorry, Caroline. She usually isn't like this. She must be tired from the drive. She'll warm up to you, I am sure of it." Caroline certainly hoped so. She didn't think it wa
s possible for April to like her less.

  "Maybe she's hungry. She looks like she needs to eat."

  Eddie chuckled. "Yeah, she's always watching her diet and obsessing over her weight."

  Caroline's eyes grew big with disbelief. "Really? She's so thin! As it is, I'm sure she has to jump around in the shower just to get wet!"

  Eddie released a bellowing laugh. "That's really funny, Caroline. I'll have to remember that one."

  The door opened and in walked her new siblings. They stared at Caroline for a moment and looked at Eddie with apparent curiosity.

  "Claire, Jeremy, I'd like you to meet Caroline. She's your sister."

  They both smiled, clearly wanting an explanation, but not pressing the issue at the moment. Remy was the first one to move and gave her a big hug and a kiss on the cheek while Claire gave her dad a wide eyed stare. Remy, nearly Caroline's height, didn't have to stretch very far to reach her face. "Awesome, I have a hot sister!" Claire quickly smacked him upside the head.

  Claire grinned. "Dad! You little player! You have some explaining to do. Why didn't you ever tell us?" She focused on Caroline who was holding back a smirk. "I can't believe I have a sister. An older sister. This is crazy! And wonderful!" Claire squealed and reached out with both hands to hug her neck.

  Caroline glanced at her glowing father. She could tell he hadn't been this happy in a very long time.

  Delia announced dinner was ready. Eddie shooed Claire and Remy to put their belongings away and wash up, assuring them they'd have time to ask questions later. They sprinted up the stairs, and Caroline turned to her dad. "How old are they?"

  "Claire is sixteen and Remy will be fourteen next month."

  "They're great, really. I'm totally psyched to have siblings. I always hated being an only child." Caroline caught a glimpse of pain briefly cross his features. She immediately regretted her words. It wasn't her intention to rub it in.

  They ate at the large rectangular dining table for dinner. Eddie was at the head of the table, April and Claire on one side, Remy and Caroline on the other. Awkward at first, but thankfully no one used dinner time as a twenty questions session. Caroline mostly stayed quiet, but not as quiet as April. She didn't utter a word during dinner. She sat directly across from Caroline and made a very strong point not to make eye contact.

  After dinner, April excused herself with a headache. Caroline was relieved. Without a word, the woman made her feel very uncomfortable. Embarrassed by his wife's behavior, Eddie followed her upstairs, no doubt to discuss Caroline. The uneasy feeling in her stomach threatened a rough, digestive night.

  But she had a great conversation with Claire and Remy, until Claire's cell phone rang.

  Remy rolled his eyes, "Well, so much for talking to her. She'll be on the phone for hours now with her best friend Lindsey. Wanna go play the X-box?"

  Caroline smiled, "Thanks, but I am no good at video games. You'd kill me."

  He smirked. "I'd probably kill you even if you were good. I kick butt at video games. It's kind of my thing, you know?"

  "In that case, I think I'll head upstairs to my room and chill. I'm still trying to catch up on rest from my drive yesterday."

  "No prob. Hey, welcome to the family. I think you're pretty cool."

  "Thanks, Remy, that means a lot." He gave her a fist bump and went to his room to play. Having a little brother was fun.