A Rocky Path

by Lauralynn Elliott

  “What’s wrong?” asked Sam.

  “I don’t know. Did you feel a slight breeze just now?”

  “No, actually the wind is unusually still right now. I didn’t feel a breeze at all.”

  “Hmm. It must have been my imagination.”

  But she knew better. She was almost positive Patrick had been watching her the whole time she was by the shore. It gave her just a little bit of hope. Maybe he was watching over her, making sure she was safe. He might even come back to her soon.

  * * *

  Back at the house, she went upstairs to the office. Casper and Jake looked up as she came in, and she went over and gave them both a pat before sitting down at her desk.

  “Where did you go for lunch?” asked Rebecca.

  “Sam and I ate lunch down at the water. It was chilly, but it was nice to get some fresh air.”

  “I’m concerned that you don’t get out enough. Maybe you should go into town and meet some people your own age. Maybe Sam could take you out to meet some of his friends.”

  “I’m fine, Rebecca. I went out last night and I plan on going out again tonight.”

  “Really? Where did you go?”

  “Uh, well, Jarrod Connelly introduced me to this fascinating lady, so I went to see her. I’m going to her house again tonight.”

  Rebecca frowned. “Jarrod? Aren’t his friends a little old for you? Who was this lady?”

  “Her name is Sarah Stone.”

  “Sarah Stone? That crazy woman? She believes in ghosts!”

  “So? How do you know that ghosts aren’t real?”

  “Please, Emily. Ghosts are definitely not real. Neither are goblins, trolls or anything else that might go bump in the night.”

  “But how do you know? Can’t you open your mind enough to even consider the possibility?”

  “I’m sorry, Emily, but I’m an old skeptic. You would have to show me proof of something like that, and even then I would probably find some explanation for it. I just can’t make myself believe that there are things like that in this world.”

  “Well, I’m not closing my mind to any possibilities.”

  “That’s what makes all of us different. Some of us believe, and some of us don’t. I like to write about fantasy. But that’s what it is to me…just fantasy. I certainly don’t believe in the things that I write. But they are fun. Maybe it would be fun to believe in ghosts and otherworldly things, but I can’t. Sometimes I wish I did. It would make life a lot more interesting, I think.”

  Emily smiled a little. “Life just may be more interesting than you think.”

  They got back to work then, and the rest of the day passed quickly. Emily was looking forward to seeing Sarah Stone and finding out if she had discovered how to contact Patrick. She also wondered if the older lady had found a way to send Patrick home. The unselfish part of her hoped that Patrick would be able to go to his rest. But there was also a part of her that hoped that they wouldn’t find a way to send him away. It brought tears to her eyes to know that she could even entertain that thought. If she really and truly loved him, she should be able to let him go and be completely happy. She wondered if it came down to a choice, would she be able to make the right one. She hoped so.

  That night, she was ready to go see Sarah. She was a little apprehensive, not knowing exactly what to expect. She was about to walk out the door, when Jamie came out of the library and saw her leaving.

  “Hi, Emily. Where are you going?” he asked.

  “Out,” she said.

  “I can see that. I was just wondering where you were going. Do you want me to go with you?”

  Emily looked at him in surprise. “Jamie, I hope you can understand that I don’t quite feel comfortable around you yet. I’m sorry, I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but I’m not ready to spend time alone with you yet.”

  “I see. I guess I should understand that. I was just hoping we could put all that behind us.”

  “Jamie, what you did was really a serious thing. I know you were drunk and were not yourself, but you shouldn’t have been drinking to start with. I have forgiven you, but it’s going to be a long time before I can just forget it and go back to being friends the way we were.”

  “I suppose your friend that almost killed me wouldn’t approve, huh?” he said bitterly.

  “Jamie, that remark is beneath you.”

  “What do you expect? This guy comes out of nowhere and throws me around. Who is he, anyway, Emily? Where did he come from?”

  “That’s none of your business, Jamie. Now I have to go.”

  Jamie grabbed her arm. “Wait, Emily, I…”

  “Let go of me!” she exclaimed. Suddenly she felt a stirring in the air.

  Jamie took his hand from her arm. “Emily…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you, I was just going to apologize and I wanted to stop you from going out of the door. Please, I’m really sorry.”

  The air stilled again. “I’m sorry, too. I overreacted. I know you weren’t trying to hurt me, Jamie. I’m still a little jumpy. Give me time. I won’t be like this forever.”

  “I understand, and I don’t blame you. Have a good time, wherever you’re going.”

  Emily left then, still wondering about the little breeze she had felt. Was he still watching out for her?

  Chapter Nineteen

  Emily arrived at Sarah’s house at about 8:15, and when she knocked at the door, Sarah opened it and greeted her warmly. Then she took her into the living room where she had prepared a pot of tea.

  “I’m really beginning to like tea. There’s nothing like it on a cold fall evening,” said Emily.

  “I even made some little teacakes for us.”

  “Thank you. Mmm, these are very good!” she exclaimed as she bit into the delicate little cake.

  “I hoped you would like them. But I know you didn’t come here to talk about tea and cakes. I know you would like to know what I found out about how to get Patrick to come to you.”

  “Did you find out anything?”

  “There are so many different ideas and theories about how to summon a ghost. I’m not sure that we should be “summoning” him. What you want is just for him to come back and talk to you, isn’t that right?”

  “Yes. I don’t like the idea of séances or anything like that. I wish I could just say, ‘Patrick, come back, I need you.’

  “Well, maybe it really is as simple as that. If he loves you and he feels like you really need him, he may appear to you. If you are in distress, he may come to the rescue, so to speak.”

  Emily thought a moment. “There have been two instances today where I felt a presence. I wasn’t sure if I was imagining it or not. The first time was when I was down at the rocks eating lunch with Sam, Rebecca’s nephew. It was like this gentle breeze on the back of my neck. And then later, I had what was almost a confrontation with the man that attacked me. Remember I told you about him coming and saving me? Well, when I was talking to this man, I was frightened for just an instance and I felt the air move around me. When I realized that Jamie meant no harm, the breeze died back down. I felt both times that it may have been Patrick watching out for me. Do you think that’s possible?”

  “Yes, I do. I actually think it’s probable. From what I read, a ghost that is in love with a human will often watch over her and keep her safe, even if he doesn’t materialize. What about when you were eating lunch with Sam? Was there any reason Patrick might have thought you were in danger?”

  “No, not in danger as far as my safety is concerned. But he may have thought Sam would make a pass at me or something. Patrick might be jealous, too. Who knows?”

  “Emily, dear, maybe this whole thing is going to be as simple as telling Patrick you need him. Maybe there is something that will help draw him back to you. Possibly the ring you wear.”

  Emily frowned. “What about the letters or journals? They were from his time.”

  “Oh, no, that wouldn’t be a good idea at all. Remember, those l
etters would cause him distress. It wouldn’t be about your safety, but his sorrow. If his fiancée was unfaithful to him and writing letters to the person who wrote the journals, then both those items should be left where they are. Don’t try to use them to bring Patrick to you.”

  “Of course you’re right. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

  “I think you should use the ring. I don’t know how you should use it. I think you will know what to do when the time comes.”

  “Maybe. Or maybe I won’t even need it at all. Maybe all I will need is me,” Emily said with a smile.

  “You may be right. Also, you need to go to the place where he roams. Even though he can go a short distance away from there, he will be most accessible from there, I think.”

  “So I need to go to the rocks. That’s best, anyway. I sure don’t want anyone at the house to find out what I’m doing. Sam knows that there is someone named Patrick that I am in love with, but he definitely doesn’t know he’s a ghost! And Rebecca doesn’t even believe in ghosts. If any of them find out what I am doing, they will think I’ve taken leave of my senses! Sometimes I even wonder if I am living in some kind of dream and that I will wake up and none of this will be true.”

  “I know how you feel. The first time I met a ghost, I couldn’t believe it. I thought I was losing my mind. It’s hard to have always believed a certain way, and then suddenly your world turns upside down.”

  Surprised, Emily said, “Tell me about your ghost, Sarah.”

  The older lady sighed. “It was a long time ago. I was just a little older than you. There was a man that I met and fell in love with. His name was John. He was the most handsome man that I had ever seen. We met in the library of the little town I lived in. The first time I saw him, my stomach tied up in knots and I felt like I was a teenager with a crush. He was just so beautiful. There was something different about him, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. I found myself going to the library every day. He always sat with me at the table where I was pretending to read. He would ask about me and what was happening in my life. He wanted to know everything about me, but he never said a lot about himself. He always changed the subject if I starting asking questions about him. Pretty soon, nothing else in my life mattered anymore. Just those hours at the library spent with the man that I adored.

  After several months, I began to wonder why he didn’t try to get more serious with me. He seemed to care deeply for me, but never suggested we go anywhere together. I couldn’t figure out why he wouldn’t ask me out on a date. It finally got to the point where I couldn’t stand it anymore, so I poured my heart out to him. I told him how I felt about him and how confused I was about our relationship. That’s when he told me to meet him at the library late one night, after the library was closed. I would do anything for him, so I agreed. When I arrived, he was already inside and opened the door for me. Then he said he wanted to show me something. He took my hand and suddenly it was like I was watching a movie. I saw the library, but it looked different, more old-fashioned. I saw him there in the library, wearing clothes that were of an older period of time. He was looking through the stacks, picking out a book, when someone came up behind him and stabbed him in the back. I heard him cry out and fall to the floor. I couldn’t see the face of the person who killed him, but judging by the sleeve of the shirt he was wearing, it was a man.

  I must have fainted then because the next thing I knew, I was in his arms and he was whispering words of love in my ear. I knew then that I was in love with a ghost. I ran out of the library, and it took me about two weeks to come to terms with what I had seen. I realized, though, that I still loved this man, so I went back to the library. And there he was, waiting for me. Oh, how I loved him. But I started doing research about the period of time during which he was murdered. I finally found out that there was a man arrested for his murder. It was a case of mistaken identity. The murderer thought that he was killing the man who was sleeping with his wife, but he killed John instead. I came to John and told him what I had found out. What was holding him to this earth was not knowing who had killed him. He couldn’t rest until he knew who his murderer was. Because of the knowledge I had given him, he was able to break his ties to this world. When he left, I thought my heart would tear itself from my body and follow him home. Setting John free was the hardest thing I have ever done in my entire life. But it was probably the most noble, too. I don’t regret letting him go, but my heart has never quite recovered from it.”

  Tears were streaming down Emily’s face as she cried for this woman. Now she knew why Sarah was willing to help her find Patrick. And why she knew that she needed to do the right thing.

  “I had no idea,” Emily whispered. “How did you stand it?”

  “When you really and truly love someone, then you want what is best for that person, no matter what the cost to yourself. That’s unconditional love.”

  “So you really do know how I feel. You can understand it without me trying to explain it. You have already lived through it. But, Sarah, I don’t know if I can be as strong as you were. I don’t know if I will be able to let him go.”

  “When the time comes, you will do the right thing. It may be the hardest thing you ever do, but I believe you will do it.”

  “Sarah, did you ever get married?”

  “No, child, I never did. No other man ever measured up to my John. I just couldn’t love anyone else. But, please, don’t let that worry you. That doesn’t mean that you won’t love again. Everyone is different. Besides, there is a man that I do have some interest in now, in my old age.”

  “And who might that be?” asked Emily.

  “I think you can probably guess.”

  “Jarrod? Are you and Jarrod in love with each other?”

  “Well, we are fond of each other. We see each other from time to time and enjoy a spot of tea.”

  Emily smiled at her. “See, even in your older years, there is still hope for love.”

  When Emily left, she felt an odd mixture of sadness and joy. Sadness for the old lady and the heartache that she had gone through. And joy because she now knew that she was not alone. Sarah knew how she felt. It seemed like things were easier to bear if you had someone who shared that burden. She drove home with a resolve to find Patrick, and then find some way to send him home to rest.

  Chapter Twenty

  The next evening didn’t bode well for Emily’s plans to contact Patrick. The sky looked threatening, and it was a pretty good bet that there was going to be a huge storm coming. The brewing tempest put her nerves on edge. But she decided to go ahead with what had she planned to do. There would be no rest for her until she did.

  Emily put on a warm sweater, her coat, and her boots. She looked apprehensively out the window, hoping that she would be able to find Patrick before the storm broke. Finally, she went down the stairs and out into the chilly wind, working her way down to the rocks. Her hair kept blowing into her face so that she could barely see where she was going.

  When she got down to the water, she was shocked to find how much it had risen and how rough the waves were. She had never seen this usually peaceful place in this kind of weather. It was a little frightening.

  Suddenly there was a bolt of lightening followed by a loud clap of thunder. She jumped and almost stumbled on the rocks, barely avoiding falling into the water. She regained her footing and decided it was time to sit down. The rock was cold and pretty soon the chill seeped into her body, causing her to shiver.

  She wasn’t sure what to do now. Sarah had said that Patrick might come if he thought she really needed him. She wondered what she should do or say, or if there was something she could do with the silver ring that had once belonged to his fiancée. She remembered that Sarah had warned her not to bring the journal or letters because they would have reminded him of the girl’s betrayal. But what about the ring? Would that, too, remind him of his fiancée’s deceit? Or would it bring to mind happier times?

  She toyed with the r
ing on her finger. She concentrated hard on Patrick and what she wanted.

  “Patrick? I know that you’re here somewhere. I know that you’re always here. Please come to me! I need you, Patrick.”

  She didn’t feel anything. The wind was high, but there was no soft stirring near her that would signal the presence of the man she loved. The thunder rumbled closer than before.

  “Patrick, please! I need you so badly! I want you to come to me. I want to talk to you about a lot of things. I want to help you, too. I want to help you get home.”

  She waited and listened, wondering what else she could do or say if that didn’t work. Didn’t he have any feelings for her anymore? He had left the beautiful painting for her and the letter that declared his love for her. Had that changed?

  “Patrick, I love you. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for you! Please come to me. Just this one time, ok? After this, I won’t ask you to come back anymore if you don’t want to. I just need to tell you so many things!”

  She pleaded with him for over half an hour until she was chilled to the bone. The tears running down her face felt like ice against her skin. It was no use. He wasn’t coming. No matter what she did or said, he didn’t love her enough to come back to her. He didn’t want her or believe in her. There was more lightening and louder thunder as the storm grew in intensity.

  She slowly rose from the rock, her body stiff from the cold. She had been sliding the ring off and on her finger in a nervous gesture. Suddenly the ring slipped out of her hand and down to the edge of the water. The waves lapped against it and it slowly started sliding into the water.

  “Oh, no!” she cried as she scrambled down next to the water and reached down to grab the ring.

  All of a sudden she lost her balance and her feet slipped out from under her. The next thing she knew, she was sliding down into the water. She tried to grab at the rocks, but they were too slippery and her hands slid right off them. The waves roared over her as they succumbed to the growing storm. She tried to regain her footing, but each time she thought she was going to be able to scramble out of the water, another wave hit her and she was knocked down again. As the waves grew larger and stronger, they gradually started sucking her back farther into the water. Her mouth and nose filled with water and she started gasping for air. The waves kept dragging her under and she knew that this was it. She was going to die. She felt herself grow calmer as she resigned herself to the fact of her death. She wondered if she would see Patrick or if she would go on to Heaven. She was exhausted and had no fight left in her. As she went under, she prayed that Patrick would somehow find peace, since she wouldn’t be there to help him get home. Consciousness slowly faded away and everything went black.