by A. A. Vacco
“Don’t know how she juggles it all," remarked Cal as he sipped his drink. “I mean, she spends, what, four or five hours after school on homework, somehow manages to hold a job, gets good marks on her school work, and, correct me if I’m wrong, works at a college level since that’s a thing for high schoolers to do these days?”
“Yea she’s something else, and all with a smile.”
As Elle said this, however, she felt a familiar twinge in her chest that often occurred when things weren’t always as they seemed. Like the time one of her patients explained how her marriage was better than she could’ve hoped. But Elle didn’t feel the joy; she could see and hear it, but as the woman spoke, Elle felt her chest drop with a faint sadness. She later learned, from a few unexplained bruises and a positive STD test months later, that her instincts were right. Elle hated being right about that stuff. But this was different. She was tired, she needed a drink and some food. Probably just acid reflux from the pasta at lunch, she told herself.
“Where’d I lose ya, Love?”
“Oh, sorry. The day was a bit longer than I could stomach. Just need some food and this drink to make things slow down a tad.” Elle raised her glass to Cal with a classic head nod, and took a sip. “Did you happen to get the mail? I’m waiting for my DEA license renewal.”
“I think it came yesterday. Hope you paid the fee because that thing was due, like, last week.”
“Shit...no. Guess that’ll come with some additional change.”
Cal rubbed his temples. “Damn. Well, another point to the government for useless fines on hard-working people.”
Elle stifled a laugh. Cal’s anti-government, conspiracy theory attitude led them into some entertaining exchanges over the years. Once, she recalled, when the government shut down for a day or so, Cal lit a cigar, poured himself two glasses of bourbon, clinked both glasses and downed them instantly. The irony that he worked as a business salesman for a corporation did not escape Elle for an instant.
“It isn’t much. Plus, they didn’t suspend my prescribing abilities, thank god.”
“Yes, lord knows the world needs most people sedated. Valium really should be infused into the water supply along with the fluoride.”
The pizza arrived, and several hours later, Kat did as well. Her eyes gave her away. Her drained gaze met Elle’s. With a half-smile, she asked if she could have her stowaway back.
“Yea, she’s just finishing up her paper.”
“Good, good, thanks for letting her invade. You two are the best.”
“You ok there, Kat?” called Cal from the kitchen.
“Yea, great, just picking up Genie.”
Elle studied her face. “Want a drink?”
Kat pushed past her without another word and beelined for the pitcher of what she assumed was only a hint of some sort of juice mixed with alcohol. Taking a sip, her suspicions were confirmed and the world seemed to pause for a few moments.
“Sit, please. I’m just heading upstairs,” said Cal.
Cal knew they’d be up late talking, and wouldn’t start until he left. He figured he would buy Elle a few hours of sleep by exiting as soon as possible.
Kat took to the barstool at the counter. She slung one leg under her and stayed silent.
Elle returned to her original spot at the table so she could face Kat and still munch on the pizza.
Cal kissed Elle on the forehead, gave Kat a warm side-hug and headed off. “G’night Uncle Cal," Elle heard Genie say.
“Good night, Love Bug. Crush it tomorrow, and see us soon.”
“If it’s all the same to you," Kat finally spoke, “I’d rather just drink. I don’t have much to say.”
Elle nodded, “Works for me.”
The two sipped their drinks for the next hour and a half without moving from their spots. For Kat, it was by far the most therapeutic remedy she’d discovered in a long time. The session was interrupted by Genie around two o’clock in the morning, when she finally finished the essay and refused to leave without her mom’s company.
“Yea, I need to be up early too," sighed Kat. She set her glass in the sink and wrapped Elle in a tight hug.
Elle kissed the top of her head and gave the usual, “Call if you need anything, any time you hear?”
“You know I will.”
The two headed toward the door and Elle watched them make their short walk back home. Elle rubbed her chest again. Damn heartburn. A Nexium capsule and some sleep will do me good, she reassured herself.
Elle’s insomnia was at an all-time high. No matter the position, something felt uncomfortable or off. And the room, my god.
Elle swore she was the only person on earth who could interpret darkness as brightness, and then stay awake from it. The screaming silence deafened her.
“Hun, you still awake? Kat go home?” mumbled Cal, half awake.
“Yea, they’re gone. Go back to sleep, sorry I woke you up.”
“He needs a lid on that temper of his.”
“How’d you--Kat didn’t even say--,”
“She didn’t have to. Genie neither. Both were smiling, but you can just see their worn out expressions. It’s in their eyes.”
“I suppose that’s the best way to put it. Walt’s just so, hit or miss. Figuratively, of course.”
“Of course.”
“I talked to him earlier and there wasn’t an ounce of irritation in his voice. His world was at peace and he couldn’t have been happier. But how awful, to always have it in the back of your mind that at any moment, there’s a fight waiting to spark without so much as kindling to ignite the flames.”
Cal cleared his throat and rolled to face Elle. He kissed her nose and said, “I know, Babe, I know. I’ve known several people with that temperament. It’s almost a maturity thing, the ‘react, then analyze’ bit.”
“You do realize you’re assessing the maturity of a grown man, right?”
“People don’t always grow up, Ellbea. Most of them just get bigger.”
“Nanna said that.”
“And she was right. Now, this isn’t something we can fix tonight. Best thing is to keep the door open to Genie and of course, Kat. But, she will barge in regardless of a door, so I’m not as concerned about her.” After saying it, however, Cal realized he actually was.
Elle feigned a smile, regardless of if Cal saw it or not. They said their goodnights and Cal slipped right back to sleep. Elle continued to drift in and out until her alarm clock announced the ungodly hour of five-thirty.
12
Weeks passed, and soon the Pinecrest High Girls Volleyball team prepared to face their final tournament in Millerton.
Billy picked Genie up Saturday night. Genie was excited for making the state playoffs. She needed a few days away and having Billy with her made it even better.
"Yea, but, we have to be careful. Technically, us dating is illegal."
"I'm seventeen, chill out."
"And I'm a coach."
"Blah, blah blah. So we lay low and don't do anything dumb. Or blatant. It's not rocket science."
Billy grinned as they pulled into Burger King for a late night snack. He was still hesitant, but wanted to be with her. Whatever she could convince him with, he’d probably buy it. "Right. No stupid moves. C'mon, I'm starving."
They grabbed a booth along the wall. The restaurant was empty, but they preferred it that way. They discussed Millerton, the line-up for the game, strategy to kick ass, and of course, which shake was better, chocolate or strawberry.
"Chocolate. End of discussion," said Billy.
"No, I'm sorry, I can't accept that," replied Genie. "Plus, with strawberry, there's technically fruit."
Billy snorted, "Yea, yea, and mine is a plant-based nutrient."
Genie dipped her finger into the whipped cream topping and licked it off. "Admit it, you just don't like the color pink. That's pretty sexist, Billy."
Billy glanced down at the pastel pink t-shirt he'd been wearing all day. "Pretty su
re that ain't it, Babe."
Genie shrugged, but continued the nonsensical argument for another five minutes. The conversation then reverted back to the Millerton trip. Genie knew the town fairly well. She travelled there with her mom and Aunt Elle several times a year. Plus, her cousin Cassie and Cassie’s little brother Justin lived in the area. They weren’t really cousins, but their families were close, so it seemed a fitting title. She was excited to get back. She loved the beach in the summer and exploring the dead, frozen woods during winter. Going with a group of friends, and of course, Billy, would make the trip hold even more potential.
Billy sipped the last of his milkshake. "There's a cursed house there, ya know.”
She didn't. She knew the town well, but apparently not well enough. "Oooh, do tell. I love creepy stuff."
Billy smiled and lowered his voice, like he was about to start a scary story around the campfire. "They say, at night, the house comes to life, that the things inside move and walk."
Genie giggled. "Uh huh...so original."
Billy ignored her and continued, "The old lady and old man that own the house stalk the grounds, waiting, hunting for the living to fill their house with more ghastly beings."
"Oh c'mon, Billy, that's not even real."
"But the scariest thing," Billy maintained his low, over-dramatized voice, "is that two people died in that home...no for real...they did, I mean, but how did they die? People suspect...murderrrrr."
"Well how else would a house be haunted? Nobody haunts a house because they died miles away in a peaceful sleep of natural causes," said Genie. "But we should totally check it out. See what all the fuss is about. I'm surprised no one ever mentioned it to me. I should ask Mom--,"
"No, no, don't! She's a chaperone. She has to be an adult, a responsible one. If she knows we plan to go sneaking off in some abandoned house in the middle of the night, she'd flip."
"Ah, yea, good point. Fine. I won't mention it."
Genie pulled out her phone and did a quick Google search for ‘hauntings in Millerton.' The title "Marionette Mansion" popped up, but she didn't get a lot of information about it. Not that she expected to. She didn't believe much in haunted houses, other than the obvious creepiness that dark, shadowy places tend to generate. The imagination fills in the gaps, Genie figured, but now she had a name for the place.
"Looks like the place closed down in the mid-eighties," said Genie. "It was known for its collection of antique dolls that seemingly came to life. But after people started getting hurt, huh, not a lot of detail on that, just 'increased liability.' Then the owners closed the building. I guess it sits on some vacant lot across the freeway opposite of the rest of town."
Genie noticed Billy’s look of confusion. "Everything in that town is east of the freeway," she explained. "But the mansion sits just west of it where there isn't much else but woods and, apparently the Valor’s home. But then, you hit the exit of the highway, then some train tracks, and a McDonald's. After that, just shops, the school, and a few neighborhoods. Oh, and a really old hospital. It's a small place. Uptown has better restaurants and stores if we wanna venture that way at some point."
Billy nodded. "Got it. Small town with spooky stuff. I think we are staying in that Uptown area. Didn't seem to be a hotel in Millerton."
Genie thought for a moment. "Yep. There’s a Holiday Inn in Riverbend, or, well everyone calls it Uptown, but it's just two exits up the freeway. So a quick drive to either spot."
"Your mom can be our tour guide," added Billy. "And Dr. Conway."
Genie laughed, "Aunt Ellbea, yes! I'm so excited she's coming. She lets me get away with a lot more than Mom."
"Kind of the role of an aunt."
They finished up their shakes and made their way home. After parking in front of Genie's house for almost an hour, the two officially called it a night and parted ways.
13
"Elle, get your ass out here," yelled Kat, as she honked the horn with several long blasts.
Calvin poked his head out the front door. "You're wasting your breath. She's a good three minutes away from departure."
Kat huffed, turned off the engine, and marched into the Conway house. If they stood any chance of getting to Millerton for a late dinner, they had to leave. "Like, leave about ten minutes ago," muttered Kat, pushing past Calvin and making her way into the disarray of clothing that littered Elle's room.
Kat leaned against the dresser and folded her arms. She scanned the lavender colored walls adorn with several framed photographs, all black and white. To Kat's right, over the neatly made bed strewn with clothes hung a shot from Calvin and Elle's wedding with Calvin dipping Elle and leaning in for a kiss. Kat faced the wall with Elle's one of many Ansel Adams photographs, and the one hanging behind her was of both Elle and Cal's families, again, from their wedding day. Elle saw Kat come in, but continued throwing the final items into her neon blue duffle bag. She smiled at Kat's still, tiny stature attempting to appear as intimidating as possible.
"What're you gonna do, drag me out of here?” laughed Elle at last.
Kat rolled her eyes. "You're so prompt with everything in the world, unless it involves me. Why is that?"
"Well someone needs to show you they aren't afraid to piss you off. Consider it a courtesy."
"Screw you." With that, Kat lunged forward, zipped up Elle's duffle bag, threw it over her shoulder and said, "Let's go. Now!"
The women made their way out. Elle kissed Cal, who told them to behave, and they headed south for Millerton. Genie should already be there, Kat thought.
Genie and the team took a van down to Millerton just after lunch, giving them enough time for a quick practice after getting settled in the hotel. Kat helped her pack earlier that day, and hoped she’d stayed out of any trouble before Kat could get there. She knew she wouldn't see much of Genie, but wanted to keep tabs on her as much as possible. Her daughter had a knack for investigating things without much forethought. "No idea where she gets it from," Elle once told Kat.
The drive to Millerton was a dreary blur of grey clouds fading into darkness with nightfall. Silhouettes of leafless trees lined the freeway once they hit the hour marker south of Pinecrest Park. The four lanes narrowed to two and the smooth pavement became worn with pot holes and crumbling pavement. Less houses appeared from view and an increase of dirt fields that would produce corn in another season or two let Elle view the horizon for quite a distance. They crossed over a few, frozen creeks and rivers along the way. Soon, they hit the bridge marking 'forty-five more minutes,' just after eight o'clock. Kat smiled when she saw they'd make her goal of 'be there before nine,' and sped up a little bit.
When Kat pulled off the familiar exit and onto the unpaved gravel road leading into town, Elle cracked her window. Before Kat could ask her if she was insane, Elle smiled and said, "Yep. Same pinetree smell mixed with car exhaust."
"Well, if we came during the summer you'd have a whiff of humid air and fresh cut lawn. But that'll have to wait a few months."
Elle agreed and rolled the window back up, shivering a little from the frost that stung her eyes and nose. She noticed the McDonald's still stood like a proud relic. The other relic just a few lights down was The Sock Hop. Elle noticed it looked repainted sometime within the past decade, but otherwise it appeared just like it did back in the eighties.
Hours earlier and several miles north of Kat and Elle’s nostalgic exit, the Pinecrest High Girls Volleyball van filled with teenagers and their coaches pulled off the exit toward Riverbend. Most of the girls sat, staring at their phones with their earbuds blasting the latest hits. Genie, however, stared out the frosted window, watching the bare trees whizzing past her. She thought about her visit here a couple of summers ago. She came down with her parents to visit her Uncle Alex and Aunt Cara. Although they weren’t truly her aunt and uncle, she called them that anyways. They lived near Aunt Cara's childhood home. Her aunt's parents were still alive and well. She spent a lot of time at their place w
ith her cousins when they weren't at the beach. Aunt Cara and Cara’s mom, Grandma Cass, as Genie was told to call her, took care of all of the kids while her uncle worked. Kat seemed to find excuses to get away from the family abode as much as possible, and Walt usually wound up planted in front of Grandma Cass's television set in the back room for the majority of their visit.
Genie felt a smile tug at the corner of her mouth as she recalled Aunt Cara and her mom arguing over dinner once. "C'mon, Cara," she could hear her mom press, "it's the last night here. Let's hit up a nice place in Uptown. Give the kitchen work a night off."
"But-but," her Aunt Cara's nervous stammer echoed in her memory, "My mom-we alwaaaays, always eat dinner with them. She'll be really offended. She's been looking forward to cooking for all of us on your last night here!" Genie pictured her aunt's famous hand wringing in her mind, as she stood her ground against the notorious fighter everyone knew Kat to be.
"Cara, for cripes sake we ate here the last three nights. Give your mother a break. It's not like she can't come with."
"N-no! You don't get it! We planned this! Plus, if we go out, she'll insist on paying for everyone. No, it just won't work."
Genie still wondered why her mom conceded. She asked her Aunt Elle this same question once and Aunt Elle told her that her mom learned long ago to pick her battles, and that it was for the better. Genie sighed and watched her breath cloud the window close to her face.
The van bumped over a speed hump, jolting Genie upright to avoid slamming her head into the window. Billy announced, "Alright, gang, we've arrived!” as they pulled up to the hotel entrance. A sleepy swarm of teens piled out, dragging their overnight bags. With the team still plugged into their electronics and deaf to the outside world, Genie took the opportunity to chat with Billy as they went through the main entrance to check in.
"So what's your room number?" she asked him, trying not to appear overly curious.
Billy shot her a look. "Um, well, you and Aubrey will be in room 211. I'll be at the end of the hall from you guys in 216. Make sure you are back in your rooms by ten-thirty tonight. There will be a security guard stationed in the hall at that time. Write ups if anyone is late or caught sneaking out."