Myra’s father had died and had left everything to Myra’s mother. Myra had been able to spend a year getting to know her again, even forgiving her, before she passed away. Her mother left her the inheritance. Myra wouldn’t have used it if she hadn’t needed it to provide a normal life for Shelly.
She bought a house in Tangleforest, Texas, and the years that followed had been the happiest of her life. However, it didn’t take long for Myra’s memories to sail past the good times and land in regret. The memory caught in her throat and Myra gagged, coughed and finally cried. Why didn’t I do something more? Why didn’t I insist Shelly listen to me about that boy? That boy that eventually got Shelly killed.
“You don’t have to marry him just because you’re pregnant,” Myra pleaded with her daughter. “He’s no good, Shelly. We can raise the child on our own.”
“How can you say that? You haven’t even given him a chance. I know how you hate men; no one would be good enough for me. Besides, I don’t know if I’m going to marry him or not. We’re moving-in together for a little while, that’s all.”
Myra had raised Shelly to be independent, to think for herself and to make her own decisions. At that moment she felt like perhaps she had treated her too much like an adult, and now she paid the penalty. Life always had penalties.
“Shelly,” Myra insisted, “he’s on drugs. I know it when I see it. I’ve been around the block a time or two. I know trouble. It’s not because I don’t trust men, but because I know what that stuff can do to a person. That’s not an atmosphere to raise a baby in.”
“You’re overreacting. So what?” Shelly shrugged her shoulders and continued to pack. “So he does a little this and that. Really, Mom, it’s nothing serious. It’ll be fine. I’ll be fine. He loves me, and I love him… I really do. Don’t you remember being in love?”
Myra knew she would never pull the, “I’ll never talk to you if you do” card like her father had done to her. No, she wanted her daughter to be able to come back to her if she needed her.
“That’s enough, Myra,” she scolded herself as she wiped her eyes and finally closed the box. But then she immediately thought about the day Poppi had come to stay with her. That was the same day Shelly went to the rehabilitation hospital in Mexico City and the last day Myra had seen her daughter alive.
Myra knew her granddaughter’s state of mind had already been hindered by her difficult childhood, living with a drug addicted mom and a father who left for weeks at a time. However, she was unprepared for what happened when she told Poppi that her parents had died in a car accident.
Myra exhaled as she remembered Poppi’s denial. Not only had she not believed her, the eight-year-old had accused Myra of ridiculous things and made up wild stories as to what had really happened to her parents. Myra did feel responsible for their deaths—she had threatened to go to court and take Poppi away from them if Shelly didn’t get help—and thought perhaps Poppi sensed her guilt.
Poppi had refused to attend their funeral, and soon after she developed a skin condition: when Poppi was exposed to light, she went go into hysterics and broke out into painful hives. The doctors said it would pass; that it was most likely brought on by stress. A true cause, allergic or otherwise, could not be found. Myra consulted Psychiatrist and specialist, but no one seemed to have a cure, other than putting her little granddaughter on mind-altering drugs. Not an option.
Myra often wondered if she had made all the wrong choices for Poppi. By trying to keep her safe, had she actually hindered her from mentally growing? Even though she handled her schoolwork at the correct maturity level, Poppi’s mannerism seemed very child-like. Myra’s own conclusion was that Poppi wanted to be that eight-year-old who was just staying with her grandma until her parents came back and took her home.
Myra had done what she thought she had to do. She developed a routine, learning to live with the darkness, hoping one day Poppi would out grow it. But every time it seemed as though Poppi was getting better, she’d remember her parents. Myra gave up on explaining what had happened to them, and soon learned to let Poppi’s episodes of blaming and crying run its course.
Not only did Poppi have these emotional outbursts, but she would sometimes forget about the sunlight’s effect on her. A few weeks earlier, Myra had tried, but failed, to stop Poppi from running outside after she had thought she heard a car pull in the driveway. It took two days of Myra applying her homemade ointment of camphor, almond oil, and oatmeal before the welts went away. She also gave her plenty of peppermint tea with a dash of cayenne pepper, which she had learned lessened the duration of the hives.
Myra didn’t know what else to do. She couldn’t bear the thought of having to deadbolt the doors and seal up the windows. She had already resorted to locking Poppi in her room so she could sleep without worrying about her.
Now the boy from across the street had moved in and was making trouble. She knew that Poppi really did need friends her own age. But look at what had happened! He’d caused Poppi to have an episode that kept her up crying until dawn. She hadn’t meant for the boy to fall out of the window when she sprayed pepper spray in his face, but she’d had no other defense, no other choice. She didn’t want him to come back. Ever
Myra’s thoughts were interrupted by a knock. After she stood, she placed the hatbox in the seat of the chair. Slowly, she made her way to the front door, a little alarmed at the insistency and loudness of the knocking.
“Yes,” she said through the closed door. She heard the urgent voice of the little church girl who had visited the day before. When she opened the door, she became blinded by flashes of light, followed by strange words and voices…
She awoke as if from a dream when she heard Poppi scream.
Chapter 24
Tanner’s feeling of accomplishment quickly soured. The plan had gone as scripted until they walked outside. Poppi’s pace slowed, and she began to gulp air and frantically touch her face. They had to usher and urge her step by step, making it as far as the street when she collapsed to her knees. She wrapped both of her arms around her head and fell over to her side. That is when the screaming began—high pitched and frightening.
Julia knelt beside Poppi trying to calm her; Zachary shrugged his shoulders; the twins both stood with their hands over their ears.
Tanner barely heard what Julia was saying, “Are you all right? Poppi? What’s the matter?”
Tanner had decided to run and get his mom when he heard Poppi’s grandmother, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. “You!” She pointed to Tanner with her cane. Afraid cannons would explode out the end of the cane, he took a step back.
“Help me get her back into the house,” she said.
“What’s wrong with her?” Zachary asked.
“She has extreme Polymorphous Light Eruption… she’s allergic to the sun. Now don’t just stand there, bring her back in the house.”
Julia was already trying to help her up when Tanner grabbed under her other arm. Zachary tried to help but ended up tagging behind. They had to practically drag her, still screaming and now kicking, all the way into the house. Poppi finally settled to a loud whimper as they set her on the couch.
Poppi’s grandmother left the front door open as she followed them in. “Go to the restroom and wet some rags,” she told Julia. “You know where it is.”
Julia lowered her eyes and walked to the hallway; she disappeared into the darkness.
“What did you think you were doing?” the lady asked, her voice shaky and her glare moving from one boy to the next. She hobbled over to Poppi, petting her hair. “Grandma’s here, Sweetie. Why don’t you lie down?”
“We just thought…” Tanner started.
“They thought they were rescuing her,” Zachary offered.
“Rescuing her? From what? Her grandmother?”
“Some grandmother,” Tanner said and waited for her to respond. She turned her head and narrowed her eyes at him. He stood up straight. “You had her prisoner up
there in that… cell.”
“Get out of my house. You kids have done enough damage.”
“Me?” He took a leery step closer, afraid she would bring the poison spray from behind her back or cast a spell. “I’ve done damage? You keep Poppi locked up there all alone in that dark room.” Even though his heart told him to run, he stood his ground: jaw set, eyes steady.
The lady put an afghan over the now-shivering Poppi. She turned, glared at Tanner and said, “You don’t know what you are talking about. Leave, right now, and we’ll leave the authorities out of this.”
“I’m not leaving!” he shouted, a little taken aback himself by the power in his voice. After everything he had been through to get Poppi out of that house, he wasn’t going to back down.
“Tanner,” Julia said as she walked back into the room, damp washcloth in hand. “Maybe we should go.”
“Look you…” Tanner stopped, peered around at all the strangeness in the dim room, only a tease of sunlight peeked around the closed drapes, confirming all the rumors and all of his worst suspicions “you … witch! I’m not leaving here without her. Go ahead, call the cops. I think I have a thing or two I would like to say to them. I know about her parents. I think you had something to do with their deaths. You probably killed them with some spell or something.”
“Hey,” Zachary said. “We’re gonna… go.”
By the time Tanner glanced behind him, the Princes were gone.
“Oh.” The lady eased her free hand to Julia and took the washcloth and put it across Poppi’s face. “I see. Well. So I’m the wicked old witch who keeps children prisoner.” To Julia she said, “Little girl, right there is the kitchen.” She nodded her head to the right. “Grab the jelly jar out of the icebox. It’s on the second shelf.”
Julia looked at Tanner as if asking him what she should do.
“Go on,” the lady urged. “Poppi’s hives are going to start breaking out at any moment.”
Julia gave Tanner a slight shrug before leaving the room again.
“Jelly? What?” Tanner said, his confusion mounting by the second. He put his attention back on Poppi. Her breaths were labored and quick. “Why did you do this to your own granddaughter?”
“Is this it?” Julia asked as she walked back in with a jar filled with brown mush. “What is it?”
Tanner had some disturbing thoughts, but before he had a chance to do any accusing, Poppi’s grandmother opened the jar and said, “It will relieve a little bit of the pain you have caused her.” Tanner couldn’t ignore the woman’s empathy. She turned back to her granddaughter, smoothing the salve on Poppi’s cheeks and arms. She seemed to be soothing Poppi as well with sweet whispers.
Julia backed up until she stood next to Tanner. “We should go,” she said.
Tanner couldn’t think. What he saw didn’t fit. Finally, looking at Julia he said, “All right.”
“Please… wait.” Poppi’s grandmother maneuvered around the coffee table and sat in a rocking chair. “I would like for y’all to stay. I was just looking at some old photographs…”
***
After many stories and many pictures, Tanner and Julia helped Poppi upstairs to her bedroom. Julia covered her up like a parent tucking in her child for the night. They left the room quietly, carrying one of the flashlights they had brought with them.
“Those pictures were weird, right,” Julia said as they descended down the stairs. “Poppi looks exactly like Grandma Myra did when she was young.”
“Grandma Myra?” Tanner mused.
“Well, we can’t keep calling her wicked old witch.”
“Right,” Tanner said with a smile as they walked back into the front room. The name did suit her better now that he knew the entire story.
Myra still sat in her rocker petting a loudly purring cat that had curled up in her lap. “Thank y’all for helping her up the stairs.”
“We really didn’t mean to hurt her,” Julia said.
“I know.”
“Yeah, I thought I was helping,” Tanner said and sighed. “I sure hope you’ll let me see her. I promise not to do anything that I know will hurt her.”
Myra’s expression was serious, her mouth drawn up in a tight wrinkled ball. For a moment, he thought she would point at him and tell him to get out of her house again. She took a breath, shook her head and petted her cat as she asked, “Do you think you love her, young man?”
“I like your granddaughter very much, and I want to be her friend.” Tanner eased his attention to Julia who stood beside him. “But I’m crazy about someone else.” He stared into Julia’s confused eyes. “If she were here right now I would tell her, ‘You are the prettiest, smartest, most intriguing girl I’ve ever known.’” He felt a little anxious as he watched Julia comprehend what he had said.
Finally, her watery eyes danced, and her bewilderment changed into a huge smile. “I forgot you read the book.”
“I’m sorry it took me so long to see you, but now that I do, I can’t stop thinking about you. And I’m sorry about telling you right now, but I couldn’t hold it in any longer. I’ve been trying to tell you, but you’re so—”
“I forgive you, but can we talk about it a little later?” She tilted her head several times toward Poppi’s grandmother. “Awkward.”
Myra cleared her throat. “Be careful, young lady.” The black cat jumped from her lap and ran out the open front door. “But y’all seem like good kids. I think Poppi will benefit from having caring friends like you two. Please, do come visit her. She should be much better in a few days. Come in the evening and enjoy some tea with us in the garden.”
“I, um…” Tanner tried to figure out the best way to say what he wanted to say. “You know, have you thought about maybe getting Poppi some professional help from a special kind of doctor?”
“I’ve tried.” Myra sighed. “All they want to do is put her on pills. I don’t want my granddaughter on drugs.”
Julia said, “There are other ways. The tall boy that was here earlier, well his father is a real good psychiatrist. I know he uses methods that don’t involve drugs. He really helped me and my father a lot. I don’t mean to be rude, but it seems like you could really use some sort of help. I’ll leave his number, and you can think about it.”
Chapter 25
Six months later
“Hi, kids.” Julia and Tanner were greeted by Grandma Myra. “Come in, come in. She’s going to be so happy y’all came.”
“We’re happy to be here,” Julia said.
“I can see the floor!” Tanner said as they walked inside.
“Yeah, wow.” Julia admired the living room. “You’ve really cleaned out the place.”
Grandma Myra nodded. “It was time. Thanks to that computer y’all talked me into getting Poppi, I was able to sell almost everything. It’s amazing how much some of that old carnival junk went for.”
“Yeah,” Tanner said. “Some jerk outbid me on Baby Bear.”
Julia playfully slapped him on the arm. “Your mom would have killed you.”
“What in the world are you holding?” Myra asked.
“Oh,” Julia said.
“I told her not to wrap it,” Tanner said.
She handed the jumbled present, tied with a pink ribbon, to Myra. “It’s a rose bush. We thought Poppi might like something that bloomed during the day.”
“That was very thoughtful. I’m sure she’ll love it. I have a few things to finish up. Poppi’s still in her room if y’all want to go on up.”
“Sure,” Julia said. “Come on, Tanner.” She grabbed his hand and led the way upstairs.
Poppi sat at her vanity brushing her short and bouncy blonde hair. When she noticed Julia and Tanner in her mirror, she jumped up and ran, throwing her arms around Julia and giving her a huge hug, followed by the planting of a loud kiss on Tanner’s cheek.
“Thanks for coming to my birthday party!” she said.
“We wouldn’t have missed it,” Tanner said.
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“Do you like it?” She twirled around in her yellow sundress. “It’s new! Grandma bought it online.”
Julia smiled. “You look very pretty, and your hair is fabulous, if I do say so myself.”
“Thank you, Jules. Hey, we’re going outside for lunch in the garden. Grandma made me a double chocolate cake. Is Zachary here?” Poppi eyes grew wide with hope as she looked back and forth from Tanner to Julia.
“I’m sure he’ll be here, soon.” Julia still couldn’t believe what had happened between the two of them. Poppi had latched onto Zachary almost immediately after she started going to his dad’s home office for therapy. What a pair they made. Zachary had even given up his reign at school, letting the mind-controlled brains lapse back into regular high school brains. He took some hits for being smart and for being a nerd, but the insults seemed to bounce off of him like he wore a shield. She had never seen him so happy. He had found the person he needed… someone who needed him.
“Is someone looking for me?” Zachary poked his head in the doorway.
Poppi screamed, like she hadn’t seen him in forever. “Zachy!” She jumped in his arms, planting kiss after kiss on his face.
“Whoa, whoa… Don’t you want your present?” he teased.
“Do I? What did you get me? What is it?”
He brought a small, red present with a huge, gold bow from behind his back. Poppi grabbed it from his hands, tearing into it.
“They’re really good together,” Tanner said.
Julia couldn’t help but smile at the way Tanner’s face lit up. It reminded her of how her father glowed whenever she did something to make him proud.
Zachary tried to put the necklace around Poppi’s neck as she bounced up and down. “Well, hold still a second,” he said.
“Look, Jules!” Poppi showed her the necklace. “Look what my boyfriend got me. Isn’t it pretty? It’s for my birthday.”
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