Return To Me

by LAYLE Madison

  “No, Dominique.” He shook his head. “You do not belong here. You must cross over.”

  Her aura glowed brighter for an instant, but then dimmed until he could barely see her. “I know,” she said, her voice so soft he had to strain to hear her. “But I’ve finally found happiness after so long.”

  So have I. He closed his eyes and kept the words inside. Better she believe he didn’t love her than to have her decide to not cross over because of him.

  He heard a soft sob and reached for her, but then there was the soft pop and the crackle of her disappearing.

  He threw himself back on the bed and stared up at the mosquito netting that hung from the ceiling.

  The second she made her transition, he would get the hell out of here. It’d only been a couple days, but it felt like a lifetime. And he needed so much more.

  He’d been granted two loves in his life, and both had been ripped from him way too soon.

  “Life sucks,” he whispered into the darkness.

  Chapter Ten

  “Doctor Moreland, you called?”

  Holding the cell phone to his ear, Travis glanced at his watch, his nerves strung tight. Time was slipping away, and there was so much to accomplish in just a few short hours.

  “Yes, David. I’m going to cut to the chase. I want to buy Beau Vista from you.”

  Silence greeted his statement. Maybe he wasn’t the best person when it came to diplomacy, but it was already noon, and if he was going to get the money wired to a bank in Natchitoches by close of business, he didn’t have time to dawdle.

  “Um… We don’t want sell it. We just want the ghost driven out.”

  Driven out? Did they think she was some kind of medieval witch?

  “I’ll pay you double what you bought it for. I know this place means a lot to you but, with that kind of money, you could find a place better suited—one that doesn’t require so much repair.”

  “Double?”

  “Triple.” He prayed he had that much cash available in his NY savings account. He didn’t have time to deal with selling bonds and dipping into his retirement fund. This had to happen today. It might be Dominique’s last chance.

  “Triple?”

  “Cash,” he said. He’d find the money, damn it. He could borrow some from his sister if all else failed.

  “Hold on.”

  Travis heard David set down the phone and figured he was talking to Susan about it. He paced the kitchen and glanced at his computer where he’d downloaded the photos from his quad cameras. He had several nice images of Dominique as an energy specter. If he could keep his brain on the technical side, the clinical side, he just might get through this without losing his mind.

  “Do you mean it?” David said, back on the line. “You’ll pay us triple?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  “Does it really matter? I need the deed signed over to me by tonight. I’ll have the money transferred to the Natchitoches Federal Credit Union, and a bank draft cut for you.”

  “This evening? I’m not sure we can have the papers ready by then. We have to call the title company and—”

  “Do what you have to do. I’ll take care of any fees that need to be paid.”

  “Dr. Moreland. I don’t understand. Why the urgency?”

  Travis thought about explaining himself, but decided he just didn’t have the time. Nor would David and Susan understand, anyway. Hell, he was barely able to believe it all. But this was the only way he could help Dominique, and if it took his entire life savings, he would. She’d been earthbound for too many years, might spend eternity here, if he didn’t do everything he could.

  “I don’t have time right now to explain. I just need you here by nine o’clock tonight,” Travis said, using his most authoritative tone. The full moon should peak around ten. That would be when it happened. He knew it in his bones.

  “I…uh…okay. We need to make some phone calls.”

  “I do, too.” He rubbed his fingers over his forehead, fighting back a headache. “Bring the deed as soon as you can.”

  “Dr. Moreland, you do realize we paid five hundred thousand dollars for Beau Vista, don’t you?”

  Travis swallowed hard. Shit. He had the cash, but it was going to clean him out. “That’s fine,” he said, keeping his voice steady, calm, as if the number hadn’t shocked him.

  “All right. We’ll be there as soon as we can get the papers drawn up.”

  “Good. Thanks.” Travis disconnected the call and sank down into a chair by the table. He owned his brownstone in Brooklyn Heights, and he’d paid a small fortune for it because it was an historic building and location was everything, but that was in New York. Who would have thought he’d ever pay those prices here, for a building he never intended to step foot in after tonight?

  He lifted his cell and dialed his bank, thankful now that he personally knew the manager or there’d be no way they’d do this kind of transaction over the phone.

  * * * * *

  Travis sat on the top step outside the mansion’s front door, cashier’s check in hand, waiting for the Grangers to show.

  The sun had set long ago, and he felt the tic-tock of the clock with each beat of his aching heart.

  “Perhaps they changed their minds, ma cher.”

  Travis shook his head. He seriously doubted the young newlyweds would pass up this windfall. For one and half million, they could buy just about any damn plantation they wanted and start their B&B, without the hassles of what they considered a pesky ghost. Or they could retire on some island somewhere, which was what he’d planned to do with the money.

  Dominique’s cool presence moved against him. He felt her head touch his shoulder and her arms wind through his. He kissed the top of her head, and then rested his cheek against her hair. He wished, just once, he could see her and touch her as she’d once been.

  “I never thought this day would come,” she said softly, her tone wistful. “I never knew there were any St. Maurice descendants left. Alexandria moved away shortly after Thomas’ death.”

  “Alexandria was Thomas’ sister?”

  Her invisible head moved against his shoulder in a nod. “I knew she married, but she did not keep contact with her mother once her father passed. She was close to Master William, but her mother never treated her very well. Thomas was Margaret’s favorite.”

  The history did pique his curiosity, though he wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was because this was his family’s history, too. Or maybe he just didn’t want Dominique to stop talking. She’d barely said a word all afternoon, ever since he told her everything was in motion and, by tonight, Beau Vista would be his.

  “So, what happened to Margaret after William died and her daughter left?”

  “After General Lee surrendered, news came by way of northern sympathizers that the slaves were free. Most wandered off or fled to the north. With no one to work the fields, the plantation began losing money. At first she sold off parcels of the land, but eventually she packed up and left. I don’t know where she went, but she never returned. It wasn’t until long after the war ended that new owners moved in.”

  Travis closed his hand over hers, which rested on his forearm. “I can’t even imagine all you’ve seen.”

  She was quiet, and he wondered if she’d clammed up again. But then she heaved a telepathic sigh. “In truth, not much. Mostly I waited for you.”

  His heart tumbled, and he shut his eyes against the pain her words brought. She’d awaited his arrival for over a century and a half and, now that he was here, it would all end so quickly. They’d only had two days together.

  “What do you think it’s like?” she asked in a whisper.

  “What?”

  “Where I’m going. What do you think it will be like there?”

  He’d spent his entire adult life, ever since he helped his very first earthbound spirit break free of its bonds, wondering what the Other Side was like. “I don’t know, sweetheart. But I know
you will find nothing but peace there.”

  “What about you, Travis? Will you find peace here?”

  He wanted to tell her the truth, to admit that he wouldn’t find true peace or happiness until it was his time to cross over—not until he could be reunited with her. But he couldn’t do that to her. She had to want to make the transition, not worry about him.

  “Next semester I’m teaching a couple courses at the university. And I will continue helping souls such as yours cross over.”

  Her grip tightened slightly on his arm. “But are you happy?”

  “Yes.” The lie hurt. How could he be happy knowing that he’d never again, in his mortal life, be able to hear Dominique’s husky laugh or her sultry, accented voice?

  Crickets chirping in the grass and wind brushing against leaves were the only sounds in the still, dark night. The moon’s glow began to grow as it slowly rose through the trees.

  Sweat popped out on Travis’ forehead, and he couldn’t seem to catch his breath. He was embarrassingly close to sobbing like a child. To grabbing hold of Dominique and taking her away from Beau Vista. To keep her all to himself for eternity.

  No!

  He couldn’t do that. He had no right. He had only one job, and he was going to do it. He stood and moved down the steps.

  “Travis?”

  He ignored Dominique’s call and walked across the yard toward the driveway. Tears he refused to let fall stung his eyes.

  Damn him. How had he let things get so out of control? Not since the day his wife died had he showed an interest in any woman. Nothing beyond the occasional tryst and, even then, only if she could sate his biological needs and quietly slip away without expecting anything in return. He’d thought he had nothing to give. He didn’t know he still had so much love inside him, love he couldn’t even let himself express to the one person—being—who would cherish it.

  Headlights pierced the darkness, and he stopped walking. He turned and awaited the arrival of the end. He was doing the right thing for her. No matter how much it hurt, he had to remember that.

  The Grangers’ black compact car came to a stop a few feet from him, and another vehicle, which he didn’t recognize, pulled in behind it. David and Susan exited their car.

  “Sorry we’re so late,” David said, extending his hand. “We got here as fast as we could.”

  Travis shook it. “We still have a little time.” Though not much. It was nearly nine-thirty.

  An older, gray-haired gentleman stepped from the luxury car and came toward them, his patent leather shoes crunching gravel under his feet. “I have the required papers,” he said by way of greeting, then extended his hand. “Dale Bernard, Winn Parish Title and Escrow.”

  Travis shook his hand. “Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Bernard. If we could move this along, please?”

  The man’s brow wrinkled, but he gave a curt nod, set his briefcase on the hood of the Grangers’ car, and snapped open the latch.

  “Can you tell us now why you’re doing all of this?” Susan asked, reaching out and taking her husband’s hand. David brought it to his lips and, smiling, kissed her knuckles.

  The motion, so obviously natural between the loving couple, was like a knife in his gut. “You wouldn’t believe me even if I explained.”

  “Try us,” David urged.

  Dale set a sheaf of papers on top of his briefcase and extracted a gold pen from his suit jacket pocket. “The Grangers have signed these already, so all I need is your signature next to each arrow.” He handed Travis the pen.

  Travis passed him the check, took the pen, and began scrawling his name in all the appropriate spots. “I found out from my sister last night that our own ancestors built Beau Vista.”

  “Oh,” Susan said softly, disappointment clear in her tone. Had she been hoping to hear the details of his love affair with a ghost he didn’t want to lose? Ha. No one would ever hear about that. He’d take that secret to his own grave.

  He signed his name on the final sheet and dotted the I in Travis. He stood up straight and handed the pen back to the agent. Dale handed Travis’ check to the Grangers, drew an envelope out of his briefcase, and passed it to Travis. “There’s the Cash Sale Deed. You’ll need to file it with the Winn Parish Courthouse.”

  He swallowed hard. “Thank you, Mr. Bernard.” Travis shook his hand again. “I appreciate you coming out so late.”

  “Couldn’t pass up the chance to meet the man who’d pay this much cash for a place a third the value.” He chuckled and slipped the papers back into his briefcase. “It must really mean a lot to your family. Pleasure doing business with you, Dr. Moreland.”

  “Ohmygod!” Susan’s startled outburst had him spinning on his heel. She was clutching David’s arm and pointing at the front of the mansion. He followed their gazes, turned the rest of the way and, as his gaze traveled up to the front door, he knew that the Grangers could now see what he saw.

  Dominique stood on the top step, a soft white vision in an antebellum dress that swayed to a breeze he didn’t feel. Her beauty made him ache. He glanced over his shoulder. The moon had climbed high into the starry sky. He looked at his watch and realized there were only fifteen minutes left before…

  “Excuse me. It’s time for you all to leave.”

  “But…”

  “Is that…”

  “My God,” Dale said, wonder in his voice. “I never believed…”

  “She looks so sad,” Susan murmured, her gaze unmoving from Dominique’s spectral form.

  “Of course she’s sad, darling,” David said. “She’s dead.”

  If they only knew. Travis didn’t have time to discuss it. “Thank you,” he said again, and then headed up the stairs three at a time. Just before he reached the top, Dominique vanished.

  Chapter Eleven

  “Dominique!” He bolted into the foyer. The door banged against the wall. He spun in a complete circle.

  Searching. Listening. Waiting.

  He felt...warm.

  God. I didn’t even get the chance to say goodbye.

  His chest aching from the loss, he sank onto the bottom steps of the staircase that led to the top floor, his head in his hands and elbows on knees. His mind filled with images of the woman he loved with his entire being.

  How had she become so important to him in so short a time? What did it matter? She had, and now he had to move on.

  Alone.

  A whimper... A creak. His head snapped up in time to see the front door swing shut. The lock clicked into place. Her sniffles grew stronger, the sweetest sound he’d ever heard.

  “Dominique?” he whispered, afraid he was hallucinating—that his mind played tricks on him because his heart demanded it.

  She shimmered into focus, a sparkling, transparent mirage he feared would vanish if he blinked. “I don’t see a light, yet, Travis.”

  He sensed her fear, her terror of the unknown. And another emotion too volatile to fully grasp. He approached her, his hand rising to touch her cheek, but then he stopped short.

  The sorrow filling her face made him weak in the knees.

  “It’ll come, sweetheart.” He glanced at his watch. “We still have a few minutes.”

  She sniffled again, although no tears were present in her eyes. Her light faded. Vanished.

  He would’ve thought she’d gone again were it not for the sound of weeping. “Hold me. Please?”

  He reached for her then, closing his eyes and seeing her instead with his hands. Her arms wrapped around him as he claimed her mouth in a kiss that held the truth of his heart. His need.

  A few minutes are not enough!

  He lifted her into his arms and carried her up the stairs. Although he felt the drape of her skirts, the tingly buzz of her presence, she felt lighter than air in his arms. In the bedroom, he laid her on the bed and shed his clothes.

  “I have to love you...one more time,” he said as he climbed onto the mattress, lay beside her, and pulled her into an urgent embrace.
“Before it’s too late.”

  She kissed his cheek, his neck, his lips. A gentle push sent him to his back, and she rose above him, her skirts splayed across his legs. “You do love me, then... Don’t you?”

  He squeezed his eyes shut.

  His hands spanned her waist. His lungs struggled to gather the breath needed to tell the lie he knew must be said.

  He couldn’t do it. He did love her, would always love her, as long as there was life in his body...and beyond.