Wings and Beyond

by Joy Redmond

The next thing Mandy remembered was waking up in her bed at home, Tony and Kati on either side, and Abbie asleep on her chest.

  It’s over. You can come back now, Nikko whispered.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  1976

  Mandy walked up the country lane, surrounded by the beauty and sounds of nature. She sighed with contentment because it was her favorite place on earth, and where she felt close to heaven. She squatted down and picked up a few rocks. She shook them in her hands as if she were about to roll dice, then tossed them one by one into the middle of the long lane. The first time she had come here, she was eighteen-years-old and in a quandary about her upcoming marriage to Jack. It seemed so long ago now.

  The lane led to an abandoned house that seemed to be standing by sheer will. The first time she had visited the lane, the old house seemed to beckon her to come in. Again, she felt the same urge pushing her forward. She hesitated for a long moment, then walked up on the old porch, hoping she wouldn’t fall through the old boards, and pushed on the front door, wondering if it would fall off the hinges. The door swung open with a loud creek. She stepped across the sill, and ventured into what she thought was probably the living room.

  She stood for a few minutes. Then she felt strong, warm arms enfold her. She smiled. She knew it was the spirits’ way of telling her the house had once been full of love. As she stood, enjoying the strong feeling of love, she heard the faint sound of laughter. At first she thought other people were in the house, then she realized she was hearing the spirits. It was the same laughter she’d heard that Christmas day, so long ago. A ray of sun came through an old window and lit up the walls and shadows danced to the tune of her beating heart. Love and peace beckoned to her as she saw, buried deep within the shadows, two people dancing.

  She stretched her arms straight out to her sides, closed her eyes and turned in circles, feeling the strong energies of those who had lived here. “Thank you for welcoming me into your home. May your souls rest in peace. May you be surrounded by love and laughter through eternity!”

  The dancers, who held one another in a lover’s embrace, turned, bowed their heads and faded away.

  She went back outside where she sat under a tree and looked to heaven and gazed upon the fluffy clouds. It was hard for her to believe she was thirty-three-years old. Where had that eighteen-year-old girl gone? The one who thought she knew it all.

  She gazed at the beautiful sky. “Since you talk to me I guess I can talk to you. Nobody is here to hear us.” She lay back on the grass and a squirrel jumped over her feet and ran up the tree. “Well, hello, Bushy Tail. Are you the same squirrel who winked at me the last time I was here?”

  She looked out over the pasture that was covered with black birds hunting for food. Peace tiptoed through her and filled her soul and she completely let go of all bitterness and hatred. She had always felt as if a ten ton elephant was sitting in the middle of her chest, squeezing life’s breath from her. “Trot back to the jungle, elephant. I have no need for bitterness. I’ve let go, and my soul is finally free.”

  Her mind flew back through the past two years since Daddy’s death, and her heart filled with hurt, love, and gratitude. She thought about Iris and Otis and how they were still in a snit with her for being a twice-divorced woman. They refused to help her with the household expenses and wouldn’t pay her tuition, so she couldn’t finish her nursing classes. “I nearly held that diploma in the palm of my hand, but it slipped right through my fingers,” she mumbled.

  She smiled as she remembered the stolen moments with Dr. Morgan. He had hired her full-time to work in his office during the day, and she still filled out the insurance forms, her moonlight job. He had paid her a nice salary, and he’d given her several bonuses, which she referred to as payment for above and beyond the call of duty. She dearly loved him and knew he loved her, but they both knew their relationship could never go any further.

  She had pangs of guilt from time to time about the relationship which was forbidden by society. “Love knows no boundaries,” she whispered. She had finally found love and it had caused her to take leave of her good sense. “Whoever said, ‘love is deaf, dumb and blind’ was speaking the truth.”

  Guilt came creeping on feet of remorse as she remembered how wonderful it was, being in his warm, strong arms. She tingled, remembering how he was capable of sending her into another world when they made love. He was the man who had taught her the difference between making love and having sex.

  “I’ll always love you. I’ll never forget you. You made me feel like a real woman. And thanks to you, I made a living and I was able to build a nest egg. Thanks to you, I can carry out my plans.”

  She wiped her eyes. “Lord, forgive me if it was wrong. But how can anything as beautiful as what we had be wrong? How can true love ever be wrong?”

  She sat for a long time, admiring the beauty of nature that surrounded her. She lay back on the ground, her arms under her head. “Ah, you sweet spirits. You always lead me to greener pastures, but I still have to wade through manure. But that’s life, huh?”

  She sat up, bent her arm, propped on her elbow and placed her head in her palm. “I need some assurance that what I’m about to do is the right thing. You know how much hell I have to put up with on a daily basis here in Kentucky. I’ve got two ex-husbands who are hell bent on driving me out of my mind. Ex in-laws who are poisoning my children’s minds. Controlling parents who will never let me live my life on my terms. And a forbidden love. In a few months, Kati will be fifteen, Tony will be twelve and Abbie will be five. I’ve got to get them out of this cesspool.”

  She heaved a sigh. “The five years that I lived in my house, I thought it was in my parents’ name since they bought it, and were always threatening to take it away from me when I didn’t bend to their will. Then one day I got a strong nudge, look up the deed. So, I went to the court house, looked up the deed, and to my amazement and delight, it was in my name.”

  She smiled when she remembered how delighted she had been with that information. She sat for a few minutes remembering that day. When she saw the deed she wanted to shout out loud. Then she thought, you can’t undo a deed any more than you can undo an adoption. All your threats were for nothing, but you kept me scared and under your thumb and you continually tightened the screws. It was then she that she had gotten another nudge. Sell it.

  “As soon as it sells, I’m going to buy a new car. I’ll take the Volkswagen back to Dad, since he’s threatened to take it away from me every time I stepped across his line. When I take off, I’m sure I’ll be disowned. They’ll take me out of their will – the only way to finally have my adoption annulled. I’ll be on my own. Will I be able to make it? Am I making a big mistake? It’s kind of scary.”

  She sat upright, closed her eyes tightly and held her palms toward the heavens.

  A spirit whispered, You sprouted wings and flew to Beyond many years ago. Spread your wings and fly on faith.

  “Yes,” she softly whispered, and set her mind free.

  She kept her eyes tightly closed and a warm glow spread through her body. Suddenly, a vision danced before her. She saw a beautiful county lane with overhanging trees on each side as if they were forming an archway. At the end of the lane was a bright light from the heavens. It disappeared.

  “Oh, yes. Lead me to that lane. The light is my happiness at last.”

  Her eyes were still closed as tears of joy ran down her face.

  The lane reappeared. This time she saw a young woman holding the hand of a toddler, walking toward her. They disappeared.

  “Come back. Where are you? Who are you?”

  Again, she heard a soft whisper on the breeze—Wings and faith.

  ###

  About the Author

  After retiring from her career as a phlebotomist, Joy decided to pursue her passion for writing. She lives in Kentucky. She's the mother of three and the grandmother of seven.

  Books by Joy

  The Drea
mer (2011)

  Anna's Visions (2012)

  Stolen Lives (2013)

  DarkHeart of Hampton House (2014)

  Finding Will Hennie (2014)

  Give Me Wings (2013)

  Wings and Beyond (2014)

  Wings and Faith (2015)

  Joy’s books are available on Amazon.com in Kindle, and paperback formats at:

  http://amazon.com/author/joyredmond