“I’m just worried, Lydia. I love you and don’t want anything bad to happen. Mom loves you, too. We both are trying to watch out for you.”
“I can take care of myself, Victoria, so stop worrying. Sharon, shall we all go inside and have a nightcap?” Tori and Sharon, shaking their heads, followed Lydia as she strolled into the house.
Tori accepted her mother’s offer of a glass of wine. Sharon’s face registered her surprise.
“Alright, Tori, tell me what happened.”
“I used to think it was endearing, the way you and Lydia seem to know me so well. Lately, I’m not so sure of that.”
Lydia sat up straighter on her end of the couch.
“Yes, tell us, Victoria, just what is wrong. No more hem-hawing around.”
“If I’m forced to tell you this, and I’m certain I will be, get comfortable, please close your mouths and open your minds. Buckle your seat belts ‘cause it’s going to be a bumpy ride.”
Tori smiled at the similarities in these two women. Without plan or forethought, at the same moment, each of them removed their shoes and pulled their legs up to tuck their feet beneath themselves. They both settled into the cushions and looked at her expectantly.
“My house is haunted.”
Sharon leaned forward. “Tori, honey, you know that isn’t possible. There is no such thing as ghosts.”
“This is preposterous. As your agent I appreciate the fact that you have a vivid, active imagination, but surely you don’t truly believe in ghosts. What’s next, Tori, a troll under your bed?”
“Oh gee, that’s so funny, let me write it down so I won’t forget it. Lydia, it’s true, and I have proof.”
Tori told them about all the strange phenomena that had been happening in the house. She went into detail about the parapsychologists and all their equipment, ending it by saying the group had found nothing that was certain. They’d suggested she find someone to channel, a medium of sorts, to bring out the dead—if they did, in fact, inhabit the house.
Lydia snorted disdainfully. “You’re not going to do that, are you, Victoria?”
“I don’t know, I just might after what I found this evening. While playing around with Max I stumbled across a piece of the ghost busters’ equipment. It’s a digital recorder used for what they call E.V.P—electronic voice phenomena.”
Sharon paled. “You have something on tape?”
“Not tape, but yes, I have something. Here, listen.”
Max, please tell your mistress it isn’t my intention to frighten her. I’m here because she needs and wants me here. It is my fervent wish that she will soon be aware of my presence. For you see, I only want to love her.
Sharon shuddered and Lydia cursed, then attempted to find a logical explanation.
“It must’ve been one of those weird people, the ghost hunters, whatever. They left you a message so that when you found it you’d call them back and they could get more money out of you.”
“Two things wrong with that theory, Lydia. First, they don’t charge for their services. Second, I didn’t get Max for a few of days after they left, so they couldn’t have been speaking to him on the recorder. Anyway, this voice has a slight accent, one I can’t identify, and none of the men in that group spoke with one. I would’ve remembered if they had.”
For the next two hours they tried to figure out just what it all meant. Just after midnight they called an end to the discussion after coming to no conclusions.
Sharon asked Lydia to spend the night because the agent was too unsteady on her feet to drive. Tori joined her mother in insisting Lydia stay there. The feisty Brit decided she’d had enough of their smothering mothering, as she called it, and left in a flurry of perfume and wine-scented aroma.
Tori took Max out for a short walk down the block. She locked the door behind her when she came back in. She didn’t wait for an invitation to spend the night—she had no intention of going home tonight.
* * *
Tori came to the conclusion that her agent rarely slept and that she took great pleasure in jolting her awake at all ungodly hours of the morning. Lydia was back again. This time she burst into the guestroom, pulling on Sharon’s sleeve as she tugged her into the room with her. When she heard them, Tori squinted her eyes against the bright sunlight as Lydia threw the drapes open.
“Wake up, Victoria Lynn Stanfield! Today is a glorious day, a special day, your lucky day!”
“Have you already been drinking this morning, Lydia? Why can’t you just visit without fanfare and blaring wind instruments? Is it too much to ask that you wait until a reasonable hour to blast someone awake? What’s all the hub-bub about this time?”
Lydia looked at Sharon in mock shock. “This time? Did she say ‘this time’? You’d think this happens all the time. You’d think that it’s every day that Miss Stanfield gets a contract for an embarrassing amount of money from a New York publisher. You’d think that Miss Stanfield is accustomed to receiving an advance check of the upper end of five figures. And you’d think the brat would show some gratitude!”
Any lingering vestiges of sleep vanished. Tori threw the blankets back and scrabbled to her feet in a jumble of clothing she’d dropped beside the bed the night before, causing her to fall on top of Max. When she disentangled herself, the dog sat up and looked at her as if she’d lost her mind.
“Contract? Publisher? Five figures? Upper end of five figures? O God, tell me what happened, Lydia!”
Sharon threw her arms around her daughter, happy tears streaming down her face. “Oh honey, I’m so happy for you, so proud of you! You’ve worked very hard for this.”
Tori lifted her mother off her feet and twirled her around the room before dropping her onto the bed. While jumbled together, they both grabbed Lydia to pull her onto the bed with them. The room was filled with laughter and tears of joy.
Sharon was the first one up, as always, ready to be the perfect hostess.
“Come on! Let’s go drink a cup of tea!”
Tori hugged her agent one more time.
“For this even I’ll drink a cup of tea. But you have to tell me everything, Lydia. Hurry! I can’t wait another second!”
Lydia began explaining as Sharon put the tea kettle on to heat.
“I know that you’re still working on the new book and that you’ve been pushing yourself hard to complete it by deadline. But I was going through some old manuscripts in my office and came across two of your earlier novels. You didn’t think they were marketable. Even though I disagreed, we shelved them. Then I thought, ‘We’ve got a publisher who has read some of her work and likes it enough to want to see the completed book so why not show him something else while we’ve got his attention?’ I didn’t tell you because you seem to be a nervous wreck lately.”
Tori grinned, unable to work up any hurt over the remark.
“So I just waited to see what he had to say. He called me at five this morning. And you think I get you up early? He said that even though the two books had nothing to do with the Avery Norcross line, he’s still very interested. He faxed a contract with an offer and I’ve tentatively accepted his terms. All we need now is for you to go over the contract and sign if you’re happy with it.”
“What about the current book? Is he still interested in it, too?”
“That’s the lovely part. Yes, he still wants it, in addition to the other two. I think you’ve arrived, Tori.”
Sharon began to cry in earnest as she set the cups of tea on the table.
“You did it, baby. Finally, finally, you did it. Just as I always knew you would. Congratulations, Honey.”
Lydia patted Tori’s hand and smiled.
“Today will be a day of celebration. A girls’ day out, doing whatever comes to mind. Let’s start with brunch, shall we? Let’s try that new restaurant down on Riverside. My treat!”
* * *
After a meal that left them moaning with too-full bellies, the trio headed for Utica Square to “ooh”
and “ahh” over the classy clothing at Miss Tatiana’s and Fifth Avenue. Lydia bought a lovely semi-formal dress to wear for a cocktail party she was certain would be held in Tori’s honor once the books were released. With a great deal of cajoling, she convinced the other two women to purchase outfits for the same occasion.
Sharon’s tea-length dress was a rich crème color accentuated with rose pink trim. She blushed when both Tori and Lydia told her how flattering the dress was to her.
“I’ll need to get my hair cut and I think I’ll finally have my nails done. I’ve never done that but if my baby is going to be famous, I’ll have to take better care of my appearance.”
“Mom, I can’t believe you said that. You’re always beautiful, even in house shoes and that ratty old bathrobe you love so much.”
“You’re such a sweet daughter. Now, let’s find an outfit for Miss Victoria Stanfield. What d’ya think, Lydia? Blue for my auburn-haired child?”
“Oh no, she should wear green. A deep, jade green would complement Tori’s coloring beautifully. Find a saleslady and tell her we’ll accept nothing less than glamorous for our talented author.”
It only took eleven dresses for all three women to decide that Tori wasn’t going to find what Sharon and Lydia were looking for her to wear. They were able to come to some sort of uneasy settlement on a beautiful trouser suit. Lydia said that it would look fine for a less-austere event than a cocktail party, and she was certain they’d find just the right dress, eventually.
“You two act as if this were a debutante ball, a coming-out party. We don’t even know if there will BE such an affair. Yet here we are, buying clothes with price tags so extravagant they make me gasp.”
The agent chuckled. “It won’t be long before you won’t even bother looking at a price tag, Tori. How about catching a movie or let’s drop by one of the comedy clubs?”
They couldn’t decide which movie to watch so they wound up at The Laugh Track. It was a full house and everyone was laughing in all the right places. Lydia seemed to feel she had to support the national liquor distributors so she bought drink after drink, toasting Tori with increasing praise which each new round.
Sharon had switched to coffee after a couple of mixed drinks. Tori drank only Coke because she didn’t like the taste of alcohol. Because of their sobriety, Lydia’s drinking was more noticeable than usual when she began to guffaw at the comedians on stage. Tori and Sharen knew that, had she been sober, Lydia would never have allowed herself to sound so coarse.
When the server came back around, Tori caught her eye and shook her head, trying to signal her to keep walking before Lydia could order another drink. The lady saw her gestures and understood. When Lydia stopped her to order another whiskey sour, the waitress refused to serve her any longer. And that’s when it got ugly.
“Just who the hell do you think you are, anyway? You stupid lil’ twit! Where’s your manager? I demand to speak to your boss, immediately!”
Heads turned in their direction, shushing noises were tossed at them from every corner of the club and it all served to inflame Lydia to a fever-hot explosion. Tori and Sharon both saw it coming and grabbed the Brit’s arms, pulling her from the building.
“Bloody hell! Get your hands off me this instant! I will not be treated…”
Sharon’s voice was low and steady. “Shut up, Lydia. You’re about one slurred epitaph away from jail.”
Never let it be said that the mother and daughter team didn’t work together for the betterment of world peace. Tori’s voice was a subdued as her mother’s.
“Lydia, you’re belligerent, out of control. You’ll regret this tomorrow. Now, let’s go before the management decides to make an example of you.”
Shrill and ear-splitting, “An example? I just wish they’d try… Who’re you calling, Tori?”
“I’m calling a cab, Lydia. You’re in no condition to drive Mom home.”
Sharon smiled at her. “It’s okay, honey. I’ll drive her to my house and she can spend the night. She can nurse a hangover at my house in the morning, as well as her own. Do you want us to drop you off at your car? Did you park close by?”
“No thanks, Mom. I’m just right over here. It’ll be fine. Lydia, don’t even try to drive that house on wheels you call a Lincoln. Let Mom drive.”
“This is ludicrous! I’m perfectly capable of driving my own damned car, Miss Stanfield! But just to appease you and your dear mum, I’ll give her the keys.”
“Alright Lydia. I need to stop by a store so I’ll see you at Mom’s in just a little bit. I have to come by and pick up Max. Mom, drive carefully.”
“Absolutely! See you in a few, Baby Girl. Love you.”
Tori smiled at her mother. “I love you, too, Mom.”
As she was walking away to her own car, Tori heard a commotion behind her. She turned just in time to see Lydia leap behind the wheel of her car and Sharon scrambling around the other side to jump in before the car began to roll forward.
Tori began to run toward the big black monster with every intention of dragging Lydia from behind the wheel, but the car shot out of the parking lot, tires squealing.
She sighed in frustration and crossed her fingers that her agent didn’t take out anybody’s mail box along the road leading to her mother’s house.
Even though she had spent more time than she thought she would at the store, Tori got to her mother’s house before the other two women. She sat in the car a few minutes but decided to go on in when she heard her dog barking. She fished her mother’s extra key out of her purse and went inside to wait.
Max greeted her with enthusiasm bordering on mania. The great thing about having a dog is you always have someone happy to see you, grateful that you’re home at last.
When the two older women hadn’t shown up thirty minutes later, Tori figured Lydia had strong-armed Sharon into either stopping by a liquor store, or worse, another club. She’d wait a little longer, then leave and call them again when she got home.
“Wanna go for a short walk, Max? Please tell me you didn’t have an accident somewhere in my mom’s house. No, don’t tell me. If you spoke to me it’d be the last thing I need to knock me over the edge. Are you smilin’ at me? You think that’s funny, do you? Let me grab your leash and we’ll hit the sidewalk.”
Max began to jump up and down, tongue flopping out of his grinning mouth and barking little yips of happiness when he saw his neon blue leash.
“No matter what, Max, you can always make me laugh.”
The skies had turned a vicious leaden color. She glanced upward and remembered hearing about the threat of rocky weather.
“C’mon Max, do your thing. We need to get back inside before this storm hits. Hurry Buddy, pee!”
A gust of wind raced past her, blowing her hair over her head, covering her face.
“Max, either you do it soon or forever hold your pee.”
A small funnel of wind, a dust devil, screamed into them and nearly pushed Tori into the tree that Max had finally decided was his spot. Living in Oklahoma makes you sit up and take notice of anything that resembles a funnel of wind, even if it’s a small one. After all, the big tornadoes begin with a small funnel.
“Okay, that’s it, Bubba. I hope you got it out of your system ‘cause you’re headed back to the house with me—now. I love you but I ain’t gettin’ blown away for you.”
It only took half the time to make the journey back inside Sharon’s house. It helped when Tori had a strong wind at her back, pushing her along. It’s as if Mother Nature was saying, “Get inside. Hurry up now—go!”
Tori grabbed the silver tea kettle from the stove and filled it with water. As she waited for it to heat, she filled Max’s food and water dishes. Max showed his appreciation with a head rub against her leg.
In the bedroom, Tori took a pair of faded jeans out of a dresser drawer. She kept some of her old clothes at her mom’s just for occasions like this so she never had to bring anything with her if
she spent the night. She smiled when the bright beams of headlights flashed across the window. She tugged on her tennis shoes as fast as she could, wanting to be at the door to open it so her mom wouldn’t have to use her key.
Tori opened the door with a flourish, a big goofy smile on her face.
“It’s about time! I put on the tea…”
He was a large man with a receding hairline generously peppered with gray. He held his hat in his hands, unconsciously turning it in circles. Tori’s gaze traveled from the silver badge over his heart to the sadness in his blue eyes.
“Good evenin’, Ma’am. Are you Victoria Stanfield?”
Her heartbeat accelerated and suddenly she had trouble breathing due to the anvil sitting on her chest.
“Yes.”
“Mizz Stanfield, I’m sorry to have to tell you this…”
Tori took a step back, nearly stepping on Max who was curiously silent as he, too, stared at the stranger. She heard, as well as saw, the neighbor’s trash can rattle down the street. She noticed that trees and neighboring houses faded into an encroaching sheet of tears.
It seemed the only thing she could do was shake her head.
“No… no.”
“Ma’am? Uh, Victoria? I’m so sorry. There was an accident…”
Tori held her hand up in self-defense against the words the state trooper was determined to say. He continued in a hesitant tone.
“Lydia Sommers and your mother were involved in a collision with a tractor-trailer rig out on the expressway, near the Utica exit.”
Tori couldn’t speak. She prayed he would stop.
“The driver of the truck sustained only a few scrapes and bruises, but the ladies…”
She managed to hitch a breath.
“How bad is it?”
“It’s bad, Miz Stanfield.”
Tori felt as if she’d slipped into a dream state, an alternate universe where nothing could ever hurt her.
“By ‘bad’, do you mean they’re terribly injured?”
With a sad look, he acknowledged the prophetic confirmation of her worst fear written across her pale face.
“No, honey, I mean it’s as bad as it gets.”
Through the Shadows Page 12