The Hidden Room

by C S Joseph

  Reese walked into the dining room and set the books down on the table. She arranged them in chronological order. The earliest book was from August 1918, and the last one did not have a finish date. Reese was completely fascinated.

  She heard a shuffle, as Spencer came into the room carrying a few drawings under his arms. She watched as he laid out the first drawing. It was the original floor plan of her new house. She walked over to have a closer look; it was incredible. She found where she was standing on the drawing. She admired what had been the kitchen layout. For a moment, Reese almost wished she could restore its original beauty. It seemed there was supposed to be a larger rear porch wrapping around the building and connecting to the front porch. It didn’t seem that was ever built, as the connection did not exist. She found the door to the cellar office and wondered what type of person had to sleep down there on that uncomfortable-looking excuse for a bed.

  “Well, this helps a lot. It looks like I can just scan in the original plans.”

  Reese looked at the drawing again. Arthur Dumas, Architect. The previous owners of the house must have been Arthur and Clara Dumas. She filed the names away for later.

  “I’ll take this information to town and meet with one of my guys. We’ll make a few phone calls and be back in the morning.” Spencer began rolling up the drawings. He grabbed the rest of his things, shook Reese’s hand, and left. She watched his truck roll down the long driveway and picked up the books, keeping them in order. She brought the stack to her bedroom and placed them on top of her dresser. She selected the August 1918 book and laid it on her nightstand, before going back downstairs. She wanted to move some of the boxes from the dining room and maybe even finish clearing out the pantry of the extra debris.

  Her foot throbbed a bit. She should have checked to see if the nail was rusty, but she was up-to-date on her tetanus shots. She figured she should go wash her foot.

  After thoroughly washing the small red prick, Reese put on a fresh pair of socks and her work shoes. She went about the rest of her tasks for the day until it was time to pick up Zachary from school. They ordered Chinese to-go and talked about his school day.

  “It was fine, Mom. I met a guy named Jason. He seemed cool. No one was mean.” Zachary dropped his backpack on the floor of the car. He bounced slightly on the seat.

  “Well, that’s good, but what about your classes? Are you far behind?” Reese was eager to hear about his day. She had been worried that he wouldn’t make new friends.

  “No. Everything that we did today, we covered back in PDX in science, math, and history.” Zachary buckled his seat belt, and Reese slowly followed the car in front of her out onto the street. The crowds of kids and parents everywhere were a bit daunting. She made it past the few school blocks and soon they were back on the road to the new house.

  “PDX? The airport?”

  “Yeah, that’s what Jules calls Portland sometimes.”

  Reese smiled at the mention of Julia. “So, you are ahead of your classmates?” She was stalling, warming him to the conversation. She really wanted to know whether or not he liked his teachers and if Jason was friend worthy, not just a cool guy.

  “Not in everything, just those three subjects. I already have homework.”

  She raised her eyebrow. “On your first day? How much and when is it due?” She always asked these mothering questions, even though she knew school was more important to him than he let on.

  “Eh, it’s not a lot. I finished my math homework in class. The teacher gave us some time to do it. I have to write an essay on some stupid poem.”

  “I’m sure it’s not a stupid poem, Zachary. Would you like any help?”

  “No, I can do it. It won’t take long. We already read the poem. We just have to talk about how it makes us feel when we read it, what the words make us think about. It only has to be one page typed. Can I use your computer?”

  “Yes.” It wasn’t often that he asked for her help anymore. She almost missed the time they spent at the table, reviewing his work. He would probably get started and then need some inspiration. She would wait until he was ready for her.

  “So, what color would you like to paint your room?”

  “Blue. Definitely blue. Could I hang a Mariner’s pennant and some posters?”

  “Of course. That sounds great.”

  Once home, Zachary sat at the old table in the dusty dining room and pulled out the poem. Reese brought him the laptop, and he pick-typed his essay. When he was finished, he asked Reese to read it and make sure it sounded good. Hands on the back of his chair, she read it over his shoulder. She kissed the top of her son’s head. “This is really good. I’m very proud of you.”

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  “Okay, time to get ready to eat.”

  After dinner, Zachary took his shower and got ready for bed. Reese tucked him in and kissed him goodnight, then went into her room and began to get ready for bed herself. Once she was settled in, she picked up the book from her nightstand. As she was ready to turn the first page, she heard a ding from her phone. The notification said she’d missed two calls. The first voicemail was from Aiden.

  “Hey, babe. I’m back in town. Work was killer today. I had so much to catch up on. Roger is already talking about working long hours this week and into the weekend. If that happens, I’m not going to get to work on the house. We’ll get it ready to sell, I just gotta take the time to get that shit fixed. Anyways, I’ll call you tomorrow. I’m tired, gonna go to bed here in a minute. I love you. I love Zachary too. Miss you guys.”

  She deleted the message and sighed. He never asked how his son was doing, didn’t even ask about his first day of school. Not to mention that he hadn’t called the night before when he got into town. She wished he could just be a better husband and father. It was frustrating to always hope for better results, knowing they would never come. She played the next message.

  “Hey! Reese, it’s me. I just wanted to call and talk to little man about his first day at his new school. It can’t be easy, but he’s such a great kid. I’m sure he did great. Um. Anyway. That was pretty much it. Tell him that I miss him and I’ll see him soon. I’ll see you both soon. I had a hard day today. Had a small argument with a coworker who is now really upset with me. This is gonna cut me off soon, but I really, really…”

  As the voicemail cut off, Reese’s breath caught in her throat. Julia had called. She’d missed Julia’s call. Reese quickly looked at the call log. It had only been fifteen minutes. She pressed redial and waited for an answer. Her stomach seemed to flip, even though she knew that was scientifically impossible.

  “This is Julia Porter of the Iverson Foundation. If you need assistance, leave me a message. I will get back to you as soon as I can.”

  Reese chuckled at Julia’s voice message. “Hey, Julia. I must have just missed you. I got your message. Zachary is already asleep. He seemed to have a good first day, and he made a friend.”

  Reese heard a beep and pulled the phone away from her ear. Julia’s face smiled from the display. Reese clicked over to the call. “Hey.”

  “I saw you called.”

  “I was just leaving you a message.” Reese relaxed back into her pillows.

  “So, how was little man’s big day?”

  “It was good. He had homework, met a new friend, and seemed to be generally happy when he got home.”

  “Good. I would have called sooner. I wanted to talk to him, but I had to talk with a few higher ups for a little bit. Pushed my evening plans back a couple hours.”

  “What happened? Not that I should really get involved.” She usually avoided having Julia talk about work. Being on the board, she didn’t feel comfortable knowing too much gossip about the people working for her organization.

  “Someone got a little upset when I showed him the problem with a proposal he was working on. He doesn’t seem to understand that his project does not meet the minimum criteria. He wanted me to fake the research. I had a few choice words
with him after he told me to just do what he tells me.”

  “I guess that you’re talking about Jack. You spoke to the higher ups; did Bill have your back?”

  “Almost. He agreed that we can’t lie, but he did say that the research would be completed before we present to the board, so it should be fine to block it all out in the draft.”

  Reese felt a sense of intrigue. Julia was so passionate about her job. Reese knew she shouldn’t listen to this, but she’d never liked Jack. She’d spoken to her mother about firing him on many occasions. “There are a lot of interesting people in this line of work. Jack is a bit controlling, but I’m sure you’ll figure out how to handle him.”

  “Yeah, right off a cliff. Hey, something funny happened at lunch. I had a guy and a woman hit on me today. It was embarrassing for all of us.”

  “Seems like you had quite an adventurous day.” Reese wanted to ask Julia what she was trying to say at the end of the voice message, but that sounded too peculiar, needy, and too much like they were in a relationship. “I had an interesting day as well. I met with the contractor and discussed his work in the kitchen and dining rooms. I was helping take measurements in the pantry, when a large board fell off the wall and landed on me.”

  “Oh my God! Are you alright?”

  “Yes, I’m fine. The best part of the story was behind the wall. I found a doorway to a secret room in the house. I found some books. I think they are personal diaries of the wife of the architect who built the house. I’m going to read them. Maybe it’ll read like some sexy romance of the architect and his wife.”

  “Ms. Iverson, are you hoping to read some porn?”

  Reese laughed. “No. I just think it’s interesting. You know that I love history. The people who lived here then are long gone. These journals will be like reading actual history. I’m a writer. I think it will be quite intriguing.”

  “Found yourself a little mystery, did you?”

  “I suppose. How are Bill and Kim?”

  “Well, the old man’s doing great. I think he found another stray cat that he was totally excited to get home to. His wife actually took a stand and told him he had to find another home for this one.”

  Picturing Bill made Reese laugh again. He was such a gentle soul. His love of animals was so very endearing. The man was even able to get Julia to adopt her little dog, which was a miracle.

  “Kim is fine. Same old, same old. Still whining about that guy she needs to break up with.”

  “Your idea of whining is very different than mine.”

  Julia laughed. “That’s true. You think Zach whines a lot. I think he’s pretty calm for an eleven-year-old.”

  “I don’t even know why we’re friends if you think he doesn’t whine a lot. He’s a great kid, and I love him more than life itself. He’s very different around you. He shows off to impress you. He acts extra goofy. When Aiden’s home, Zachary is really good at playing us against each other. It’s frustrating sometimes. He knows that Aiden and I just repel one another.”

  “You and Aiden are just going through a rough patch in your marriage. I mean, who leaves a dirty plate on the side of the sink? He doesn’t even rinse it off! I don’t know how you live with him sometimes. Caitlyn and I have a deal. Whoever cooks, doesn’t have to clean. We are so much alike. It’s crazy.”

  “Attraction is strange. I always thought that Aiden and I were opposites. You know, like a magnet. The north and south poles of a magnet attract, while the same two poles repel one another.” Reese paused; it was a perfect analogy of the two women. They were complete opposites, but something pulled them toward one another again and again. She briefly thought back to a few of the times they had gotten into some spirited debates. She loved the passion of those exchanges. Reese wished that she could just be home.

  “Opposites attract? I don’t know if I buy it, Caitlyn and I aren’t opposites. Neither are you and I.”

  “Yes, Julia, opposites attract.” Reese let it hang for a moment.

  Julia sighed. “Hey, Reese. I’m gonna head to bed. I’ll talk to you soon. Enjoy your porn.”

  “It’s not porn! Enjoy sitting at your desk all day and talking to Jack.”

  “Ouch! That’s mean.”

  “I’ve learned from the best.”

  Julia laughed. “This is gonna work out, right? I mean, we’re gonna be us still, even with you being so far away. You should be on my couch watching this stupid TV show with me.”

  “Julia.” It was barely a whisper. She closed her eyes and imagined the scene. She always gave Julia a hard time about watching so many TV shows, but she secretly loved it. Just sitting with Julia was wonderful, laughing together and hearing Julia’s hilarious commentary.

  “I’m sorry, I just…this sucks.”

  She could tell that Julia was frustrated. Talking on the phone was not the same as sitting in the same room. “You called me and told me about your day.”

  “It’s not the same.”

  “I know. But I have to do this for my family. I have to make this work with Aiden. You know that. We’ve talked about it.”

  “Why? You don’t love him.”

  “He gave me my son, and Zachary needs his father.” They’d had plenty of conversations about Reese’s marriage. Reese had been clear that she stayed for Zachary. She tried to convince herself that her love for her son was more than enough to make her happy for the rest of her life.

  “He doesn’t deserve you.” It was apparent to Reese that the last few days apart had starting dissolving Julia’s adherence to her own rules. They were starting to care less about the consequences. “Julia.” She attempted to raise the warning, but her voice lacked a commanding tone.

  “No, Reese. He doesn’t deserve you!” Julia paused, and silence dragged between them. “I would have made you so happy,” she whispered.

  The soft words punched Reese in the gut. She rolled over on her pillow and held the phone to her ear. “Julia, please don’t.” She closed her eyes as tight as she could.

  “You’re gone, Reese! I can’t play this game with you anymore. I hate it. It’s exhausting. I just want… God. You’re so beautiful. You’re the smartest person I have ever met. You love unconditionally. You’re so honest you don’t understand basic sarcasm, which is the very foundation of my sense of humor! Your son is a perfect little version of you. You’re both perfect.”

  Reese felt a few tears slide down her cheek. “Please, Julia, stop. Don’t say it.” She whimpered into the phone and pillow.

  “You already know. You know that I want you. I saw it in your face the first night we went to the bar. I have a gift for being able to read people’s emotions. It’s how I can work around someone and get them to agree with my recommendations. I know you feel the same way. We waited too long to say something, and now you’re gone.”

  Reese brushed her hand across her cheek. She found her voice. “What do you want me to say to that, Julia?”

  “I dunno. Tell me I’m an idiot or that I’m just seeing what I want to see. That you are happily married and you never have felt more for me than friendship. I know that you won’t lie to me, even if you lie to yourself. Just…tell me that I’m wrong.”

  “You’re an idiot.” Reese confirmed. They both knew the truth, but did they have to say it out loud? She couldn’t find words brave enough to fill the silence.

  “Reese?”

  “What Julia? What does saying it aloud do? There is nothing that will change my situation. You know that. Why should I tell you how I dream about being able to touch you? It changes nothing. What do you think this will accomplish? Once you get it off your chest and tell me that you want me, what am I supposed to do with that? Run into your arms? This isn’t a romantic movie, Julia, this is real life.” Reese was angry. She didn’t want to be angry. She’d never imagined that she would react like this if Julia had ever voiced their mutual attraction. “Other people’s lives would be affected by us being together, my son being the most important one. It doe
sn’t matter how I feel about you. Loving you doesn’t give me permission to hurt my son. How dare you do this to me!” Now, she was crying. “Does it feel any better? No, because now it hurts more.”

  “Reese, I’m sorry. I just really let this day get to me. With you being gone, I just feel upside down. You know that I love Zach with all my heart. I take it back.”

  “Julia. I love you, but I cannot be with you. I will not turn my son’s life upside down. No matter how much I want you.”

  “I love you too. And I know that.” She paused for a minute. “Shit. I’ve gotta go. Caitlyn just walked in the door. Goodnight, Reese.”

  “Wait.” Reese wasn’t ready to let Julia go. She paused, unsure of how to continue. “Don’t let this change us, please.”

  “Never. I’ll call little man when I can, okay?”

  “Tomorrow? Call me tomorrow.” She was desperate to hear Julia’s voice again.

  “Of course,” Julia said. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  “I love you, Julia. And I miss you so much.” She closed her eyes. Now that the gate was open, emotions were just going to pour out. This was not ideal.

  “Sweet dreams. And you too…and so much more.” Julia hung up the phone. Reese made sure the call disconnected, then tossed her phone to the other side of the bed. She grabbed another pillow and held it against her body as she started to cry. She was so wrapped up in her pain that she didn’t hear her door squeak or the padded feet making their way down the hallway.

  After a few moments she heard a noise. There was rain tapping against the window pane. She wiped her eyes as she sat up. Closing her eyes, she listened to the pattering. It was one of her favorite sounds. She found it ironic that the rain would arrive at the same time as her tears. The light on her nightstand was still on. She reached over to turn it off and saw the journal. She picked it up and began to read.