Haunting Refrain

by Mary Marvella

  “Are you angry we hung around them to learn more about your plans?” Eloise asked.

  “Look, I’ve had a crazy day and the last thing I need is to have to explain about it over and over again.”

  Sarah strode from her room toward the kitchen, her parents, and supper, with a side of interrogation. She could handle both.

  She nearly broke her stride when she saw company. She couldn’t handle William at the table, too. Ah, hell. Her mother stood by him, as he sat in his usual chair. Maybe she wasn’t hungry. She could escape back to her room and plead a headache. Or she could ask her ghosts to harass William.

  “Well, look who’s here for supper,” Sarah said, looking past William to her mother. “Guess he got hungry.”

  Why had he come here, when only hours ago he’d driven off in a huff? Sarah gave a play-by-play of her day. “Creation was such a surprise.” She reached for the cornbread plate, then passed it around. “I felt like I’d driven through a time-warp. You’ll have to go with me to see the delightful man who runs the place and sit on his porch, rocking and passin’ the time of day.”

  “Yeah, the store is fascinating.” William said. “I waited for you.” He looked at Sarah who smirked at him.

  “Really, I didn’t realize he planned for us to stop there. He should’ve said something.”

  “Daddy, would you pass me the butter beans?” The bowl sat at William’s elbow. He couldn’t believe Sarah was acting like he wasn’t there. She’d shut him out for two days, but they had made up today. God, how they had made up! True, he had pushed her to make a decision about marrying him. And he was sorry he’d left her at the plantation. Time and a long conversation forced by Walter had made him wish he’d been more patient.

  “Mother Overby, the picnic lunch was terrific.” He grinned at her. “Sarah and I enjoyed it very much.”

  Doc steepled his hands. “Son, where did you catch up with Sarah?”

  Sarah stopped pushing her food around on her plate and looked down at her hands.

  “I found her at the McKeown family burial plot.” William kept his voice even. “Walter led me there. I’ve been remembering so many things, so many confusing things.” He looked straight at Sarah. “I’m sure Sarah understands how it feels to have someone else inside one’s head.”

  “Of course she does.” Mother Overby reached for his hand and squeezed it, as she had done so many times when he needed a kind touch. “I was with her in the attic when she saw the ghosts yesterday and it was so strange. I wish I could’ve seen them.”

  “Maybe she’ll share them with me,” he said, waiting for Sarah to look at him. When she raised her gaze to his, he felt a jolt of love mixed with pain.

  “Maybe she will.” Her voice quivered. “Cousin Mattie’s standing behind your chair now. Look.”

  William felt his heart leap to his throat. What if he could see her? What if he couldn’t? He turned slowly to look behind him. He stared until his eyes ached but saw nothing. As he turned back toward the table he felt something brush his hair from his forehead. He reached up but felt no one, just air and his own skin. Would he ever see Mattie?

  He turned back to the table and reached for his tea glass, which he emptied in gulps. His hand shook when he placed the glass down beside his plate. He had to clear his throat to speak past the sandy feeling even a glass of tea wouldn’t wash away. “I’d like …”

  William couldn‘t complete his sentence when he saw the tea pitcher rise. No one made a sound as someone invisible poured tea in his glass.

  “Good God,” Doc’s voice was barely above a whisper. “I’ve never seen the like.”

  Sarah’s mama shrugged, then handed William sweetener packets. “Now you know how I felt when I saw the ghosts move things yesterday. It was the damndest thing. And exciting.”

  “Seems like Mattie’s glad to see you,” Sarah said. “Eloise likes you, too.”

  Sarah watched her ghosts perform for William. Not fair. Mattie must have been dying, oops, anxious to let her cousin know she was near. The awe in his expression touched her heart. He’d never be a skeptic again. He’d come so far in only a week.

  “Sarah, could we go look in the trunk tonight after you finish eating?”

  Supper might as well be over. “Sure.”

  She rose and put her napkin on her plate. “Excuse us, please?”

  She led the way to the attic stairs, then made her way to the place that had changed her life. She knew in her heart of hearts that she would someday share everything with this man, but was she ready yet? Was he?

  He seemed to think so.

  A strip of light showed beneath the attic door. Taking a deep breath she reached for the knob and opened the door. Evening light illuminated the open area. Eloise and Mattie turned the lamps on. Sarah heard William’s gasp.

  “Get used to it.” She chuckled.

  William didn’t seem concerned about the lights. She watched him approach the bookcase where the large family Bible sat. He reached toward the treasure.

  “It was in Sarita’s chest.” Sarah touched his shoulder.

  He caressed the cover, then opened it to the family birth page. “How?” he asked. “I thought I buried it.”

  “Cousin Mattie rescued it.”

  “Thank you, Cousin.”

  “You are welcome, Cousin Walter,” Mattie said.

  When Sarah realized William hadn’t heard Mattie, she offered. “Cousin Mattie said you’re welcome.”

  Sarah opened a dresser drawer and pulled out the pictures.

  “Oh, my God. I remember putting those away after you, I mean Sarita died. I could not look at them without feeling my heart break more.” He ran his fingers over the miniatures of Sarita, tracing her features. Sarah didn’t offer the death portraits. She didn’t think he could handle so much at one time.

  When he knelt and raised the trunk lid she wondered what he expected to find. “Looking for something special?”

  “Did you find my sheet music?” He looked up at her, waiting for an answer.

  Sarah thought about the question. Sarita didn’t offer an answer to William or Walter’s question. “No. Walter?” Sarah answered. “Maybe Mattie knows, since she packed your stuff.”

  “Could you ask her for me?” William asked.

  “You ask her, Walter.”

  “Mattie, do you know anything about sheet music?” He waited for an answer.

  “Look beneath the wedding quilt on the bottom.” Mattie answered, but William didn’t look as though he’d heard her. Kneeling beside him she said. “Beneath the wedding quilt.” She watched him rummage, then pull out a leather envelope.

  “There it is.” He handled each sheet carefully, lining each up. Sarita remembered watching Walter draw the lines to make the music staffs. Each note looked as sharp as it had when he’d drawn it. “I wrote these for my beloved.”

  Sarah looked over his shoulder and hummed the notes of the melody. She had played the tunes but hadn’t remembered where she had learned them. Now she knew where she had heard the tunes. Her fingers had remembered them. With each item William examined Sarah fell more in love with him. His eyes glistened with emotion, though big boys don’t cry. There was no doubt he had loved her in their other life or that he loved her now.

  “Sarah,” His voice shook. “forgive me for being a dope, please forgive me.”

  “I told you I would always forgive you. I love you. We have issues to resolve, things to understand before we can talk about marriage. Don’t rush us, love. We have a lifetime together.”

  “But something could happen to one of us.” He looked so serious she wanted to reassure him that nothing could separate them. Instead she said, “I think fate put us together this time because we are meant to be. Why would fate give us to each other, then separate us?”

  “We expected a lifetime together the last time. I guess that was our most recent time together. You haven’t remembered any other lives have you?”

  “Heaven forbid.
Bite your tongue.” Sarah gave William a quick kiss on his scratchy cheek. “You gotta see this.” She opened the chifforobe to show William the clothes her mother had hung to keep them neat.

  William stood beside the woman he had loved forever. Walter remembered the dresses and how beautiful his wife had looked in them. He found formal evening clothes tailored for him. “We danced all night with Mattie and her Yankee. Remember?” he asked.

  “Indeed I do,” Sarah’s laugh was Sarita’s.

  Walter bowed to Sarita, taking her hand in his. “May I have this dance?”

  “Of course, kind sir.” Her girlish giggle warmed his heart, making him smile. Humming, he pulled her close and waltzed around the open area.

  Music filled the air, like their love. And they, like so many people celebrated after long years of war and sacrifices of rebuilding. Mattie and Jonathan had wrangled invitations for them all to attend the governor’s ball.

  Walter couldn’t believe how breathtaking Sarita looked tonight. His wife out-shown every other woman in the ballroom. Pearls and gemstones in her hair and her dress sparkled in the combination of ornate chandeliers and the candelabras decorating tables in the large open room.

  “Wife, you look radiant tonight,” he said. God, he loved the faint blush that stained her cheeks. Before the war she would have worn expensive jewels and the finest satins and silks. The simplicity of her gown tonight made her more beautiful than he had ever seen her. Even the antique pearls and stones were from pre-war fashions.

  “It is the dress and Mattie’s magic with my hair.” She twirled a tendril teasing the cheek beside her ear. Her eyes glistened when she looked up at him.

  If he could give her the world, he would, but he had not been able to give her healthy children. He had not been able to protect her from grueling work that sapped her health.

  “Ah, my darlin,” he squeezed her gloved hand. “You are beauty. But I do like seeing you all gussied up.”

  Her grin was so unladylike he wanted to kiss her right here on the dance floor, in front of Milledgeville society.

  “You look rather handsome yourself. Are you taken?”

  “What did you have in mind, ma’am.”

  “If we could slip away, would you make love to me?”

  Her words made him as randy as he had ever been. He leaned close enough to whisper to her. “We could walk in the garden and I could uncover enough of your body to please both of us.”

  When she stumbled for a beat, he knew she wanted to take him up on his offer.

  “You tempt me, sir, but I am sure my husband would object. He is so stuffy about such things.”

  “As well he should be. I would not want any man to touch my woman.”

  “Then I guess we will just dance, for now.”

  “Or I could get us some punch. Something had made me thirsty” That was no lie. His throat had gone dry at the images her words had created.

  ##

  William blinked at Sarah, then looked around in a daze. Gone were the dancers crowding the dance floor. The only company in the attic were Sarah’s parents and a hazy figure in the shadows near a window. Moonlight shone through the figure of a woman. He blinked and she was gone.

  “Sarah, was Mattie standing over by the window?” he murmured.

  “Yes, she and Eloise have been watching us since we came up here. Did you see her?”

  “I think so, sorta. Probably not really.” He changed the subject. “Did you know your parents are watching us?”

  “Sure, they came up while we were dancing.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Sarah ‘s parents stood silent, as though they were watching a movie. Her mother looked ready to clap and her daddy looked to be in shock. William was in shock. How could he be as calm about all this as Sarah?

  If one of his students or a client had come to him with a story like this he’d get pages of notes and tapes enough to do a case study worthy enough to publish. Could he use himself as a case study? Probably not.

  Mr. O. stepped into the room. “You two dance well together. Sarah, where did you learn to waltz?”

  Sarah broke the spell. “I didn’t. That was really a Sarita thing, Daddy. It felt like I was in a ballroom dancing with Walter.” She fairly glowed.

  “Me, too.” William smiled at the thought. He could be the waltzing professor. And a musician, too. Who’d have thought it? “At least we shared the dream this time?”

  “What triggered the memory?” Sarah’s dad asked.

  “I think it was the dress.” He pointed to the open chifforobe. “It’s funny, but today Walter kept giving me information and sharing memories. Like he was inside my head as a second person.”

  “What’s in the package?” Sarah’s mom pointed to the folio of Walter’s music.

  Sarah hugged William. “This man has hidden musical talents.”

  William blushed at the compliment meant for Walter. “What she means is that Walter was a violinist and he wrote music.”

  “Maybe Sarah will play some of the tunes for me.” William said. “We can come back up here tomorrow, if Sarah doesn’t mind.”

  “Sure, come over for breakfast and we’ll explore again.”

  It felt great to be back in her good graces. He’d have to reign in his need to take over. Sarah grabbed two stacks of letters, then closed the trunk and led the way downstairs. He didn’t ask what she had. Walter recognized the packages.

  Within minutes Sarah sat at her baby grand with him on the bench beside him. He’d watched her play many times before but tonight felt different. Her delicate fingers touched the keys playing the songs he wrote. For the first time he hummed the melody. Closing his eyes he sang the words written for his wife. Words of love and devotion expressed his love for Sarah. He could almost imagine holding the violin with his chin resting on the wood. He felt the slender bow and fingered the strings to control the notes. Would he be able to actually play a violin with Walter’s help? Interesting.

  ##

  Peter had worn himself out trying to find a way to get what he wanted in life and get out of trouble. Three lemon meringue pies waited in the refrigerator. Baking relaxed him. Last night he’d grated lemon peelings and rolled pie crusts. He placed one perfect pie in the insolated bag to take to the Overby’s house.

  By nine AM he stood at the Sarah’s front door. He felt like a kid, hoping for approval. Mrs. O smiled at him when she opened the door.

  “Peter, what a pleasant surprise.” She wiped her hands on an apron. “Come on in.” She held the screen door open. “I have fresh perked coffee and breakfast on the table.”

  “Thanks, but I’m on my way to work.” He offered her the pie bag and a bouquet of wildflowers. “For you.”

  She blushed and grinned at him. “Thank you. You mama raised a nice young man. Sure you can’t stay for a bite to eat? At least a cup of coffee.”

  He shook his head, keeping his smile. “Can’t. Ten o’clock appointment, you know. I just wanted to thank you for supper the other evening.”

  He turned to leave but stopped halfway down the steps. “Please tell Sarah I’ll call later.” He waved as he walked to his car. He’d have to move it to make his first client. This one was always on time and tipped well, unless she had to wait for him.

  As he pulled into the street, his cell phone chirped.

  Before he could speak a gravely voice said. “I’m comin’ the club this afternoon. I got a meeting at noon but I’ll by to see you after that.”

  “Sir, aren’t you back early?”

  “Yeah, emergency, you know.”

  The connection broke, leaving Peter confused. What went wrong? Was he in trouble already?

  ##

  Sarah smelled coffee and bacon but she really wanted to pull the covers over her head instead of following her nose. Giggles? Who giggled in her room? Whispering, too. Must be ghosts. Who needed to set an alarm with ghosts around?

  She tried to peep through the slits of sleepy eyes but looked
into Eloise’s baby blues.

  “You’re awake! Great.” Eloise bounced on the bed beside Sarah. “Come on, Mattie. There’s room.”

  Of course there was room for two ghosts. How much room could either take up? She probably wouldn’t feel it if they sat on her.

  She finally opened her eyes and stared at her company. “Don’t suppose either of you brought coffee.”

  “Could we?” Eloise asked. “Yeah, we served her coffee, but that was in the attic.”

  “I’ll try.” Mattie smiled, then turned toward the door.

  “Maybe you should help her.” Sarah suggested. She could use a couple of minutes more sleep. She’d tossed and turned all night.

  Every day brought more confusing events. Sarita pushed her to remember things and William pressured her to make decisions. Why couldn’t she and William have a normal courtship, with dates and time to fall in love? She closed her eyes to relax and hoped the ghosts would get busy and forget about her for the moment.

  Too late. Mattie glided back into the room ahead of Sarah’s mom, looking chipper and carrying a coffee cup.

  “Honey, I think one of your ghosts came for coffee for you.” She handed Sarah the cup.

  “Oh, what would make you think that?” Sarah blew on the liquid, took a sip.

  “A cabinet door opened and a cup floated out.”

  Sarah choked on that comment.

  “You okay?”

  “Yeah.” She cleared her throat.