Mending the Past

by Avery June Ligon

  “Aw, are you going to have a hard time losing to Ef? Don’t worry you’ll get used to it,” Steward said. “Won’t even phase me.”

  Efrem was amazed anyone would invent, and continue to play, a game they were so horrible at. He watched Steward balance his ball on the log and aim. Steward swung as hard as he could. He missed the ball by about a foot. The force of the swing pirouetted Steward once around. Efrem thought Steward was planning on hitting the ball after he’d spun around once. Instead, Steward stumbled, flashed a huge grin, and gave the ball a controlled knock. The ball jumped from the log and rolled a few feet. Steward took a bow, while his friends laughed. Efrem laughed too, but it also hurt him to watch. He covered his eyes and let out a groan of pain.

  When the game was over, Efrem said goodbye and promised to return and play again the next day. The guys took this as a threat and insisted Efrem could only play if he used one arm. He’d pretended to be annoyed by this restriction, but in truth he was excited to beat everyone one handed.

  Efrem headed back to the north wing of his home smiling and even surprised himself by laughing when he pictured Steward being led in a circle by his mallet. As Efrem neared the dining room where he ate with Eileen, he smoothed his hair, and straightened his clothing. He willed away any look of amusement that might be lingering on his face and waited for the change in his face to expel any lingering silliness from his mind.

  “Dear, you’re late. Is anything wrong?” Eileen asked Efrem as he entered the dining room.

  “Oh, just a little extra work right now,” he said. “Actually, I’ll have extra to do for the next month or so. Would you mind having dinner with me an hour, maybe an hour and a half later?”

  “I don’t mind at all,” Eileen said. She waited for the kiss on the cheek her husband always gave her, but it didn’t come. Instead Efrem sat down and had a sip of the wine waiting for him. This wasn’t because Efrem had forgotten. He’d realized that Eileen would smell the beer on his breath and he’d just told her he’d been working.

  In the next month, Efrem played mountain golf every evening he could. After he’d won his first one-handed game the guys let him use both hands again, on the grounds that it hurt less to lose to Efrem that way. Efrem found that having a clear end to his work day was making him more focused and efficient during his regular working hours and he was in general more relaxed. He’d stopped making ridiculous lists and began to pick out his clothing according to what would be best to swing a mallet in. This last week, Eileen had even met him at the door and given him a kiss on the cheek as he walked in. Efrem was feeling very well indeed.

  At seven minutes to five thirty, Efrem stacked his papers and pushed them to the corner of his desk. He walked to the south tower, down the stairs, and out the door. Grabbed a beer and went to choose a mallet and a ball, but his favorite mallet was missing. Someone’s trying to sabotage my game. I’ll still win, he thought. He grabbed a mallet, chose a ball, and jogged into the woods where he knew he’d find the guys beginning to show up.

  He found a few of the guys there already. He scanned the mallets for his favorite. When he located its red stripe, his eyes followed it to a thin-fingered, pale hand. What a weak looking hand for such a championship mallet. But his indignation turned to shock and then he went cold. The hand belonged to a woman. The woman belonged to those eyes. Those eyes that had refused to drown. For months those eyes had bobbed to the surface of his thoughts. Haunted him. Those eyes met his and the cold ocean washed over him. He leaned on his mallet like a crutch and studied the dirt at his feet as he felt the ease of his last month wash away.

  When Efrem looked up, Steward’s face took up his entire field of vision. “Hey, Ef. You all right?”

  Steward looked so serious that it made Efrem smile. “Fine, Steward. I’m fine. I’ve just had a lot to do the last few days and I haven’t eaten much. Just let me pull a few calories from this beer. Then I’ll be ready to beat you all.” Efrem drained the beer and nodded a hello at Melissa. “Good to see you, Melissa. It’s been a long time,” Efrem said, and before he had to take up a conversation with her, he escaped to find another beer.

  As usual, Efrem won, but he wasn’t as far ahead as usual. Melissa had finished second to last, beating Steward, whose performance had been even more ridiculous than usual. Efrem had watched Melissa watch Steward. When Steward missed the ball and pirouetted, she brought her hand to her mouth and threw her head back in laughter. Efrem had begun pacing behind the crowd. When Melissa’s turns to swing came, Efrem had watched her size up her shots. Just before each swing she would knit her brow and her top lip would tense and disappear behind a tiny pout. Efrem had had a hard time focusing on the game.

  Melissa had kept all of her motions within a dignified range and this infuriated Efrem, though he’d hid it. Why, he’d wondered, would a woman tromping through the woods with a bunch of drinking men even bother to affect dignity? Melissa had been born into a very poor family. This had almost immediately eliminated her from the Potential Wives List. Of course, he’d found out later that she’d been cheating on Bud, so it was just as well.

  When the game was over, Efrem said his goodbyes and reentered the lowest level of south tower. He climbed the stairs a floor and leaned against the wall trying to compose himself before meeting Eileen for dinner. When Efrem entered the dining room, Eileen blinked at him.

  “Darling,” she said, “are you all right?”

  “Quite. Fine. Why?” Efrem asked.

  “Well, your hair is a mess, you look pale, and I’ve never seen you wear that.”

  “My hair, really?” Efrem walked to a mirror that hung over the fireplace and began to straighten it. He found a twig, which he pulled out and slipped into his pocket. The less questioning the better.

  Eileen watched Efrem pull something from his hair and slip it into his pocket. She looked at the food on the table, so Efrem wouldn’t think she’d noticed. He was trying to hide something. Eileen shifted in her chair, unsure what to say. She decided on one of her favorite topics and told Efrem all about what their son was learning.

  Efrem did his best to listen, but to his dismay his mind kept floating to Melissa. Her eyes and pouty little lip. The way her hands wrapped around the stem of his mallet.

  “Efrem?” Eileen was waiting for an answer.

  Efrem didn’t know what the question was. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I think your first impression was correct. I don’t feel well. I’m afraid I need to excuse myself. Do excuse me. Won’t you? I’ll be in bed.” After a pause he said, “Dear.”

  Efrem pushed himself away from the table and Eileen watched him leave. She waited a few minutes and then stood to leave too. She wanted to stay away from the bedroom because she thought Efrem might need some time to relax. Also, she wanted time to think about what might be bothering him, and if she could help.

  Eileen left the dining room and walked to the entryway where she stopped to look out at the front lawn. She thought about the day she’d come home from the hospital with Ed and how proud she’d been to carry that little creature into the world and then into his home. She looked at the tiny step up from the lawn where Eddie had spent a good half hour making the transition back and forth between the lawn and the stone patio when he’d first learned to walk. He’d been so proud of himself. Eileen found herself smiling.

  She wished Efrem would spend more time with her and Eddie. Efrem was always so busy with work and he’d been even busier this last month. He’d looked just horrible this evening. She felt a sudden pang of guilt. She should have been pushing Efrem to spend some time with her and Ed in the evenings, maybe before dinner. That would have made him happier. Who couldn’t help but be happy watching a little baby learn to sit and crawl and walk and talk? She resolved to go to Ed and ask him to join them tomorrow.

  Eileen was turning toward the door when Melissa and Steward came across the front lawn. Melissa was holding Steward’s arm and Eileen could see them smiling. Happy. That was Steward. Ca
refree. He never worked. Ed worked until he was exhausted. He ran the entire family business and what did Steward do? He lived in the south wing, admired art, ate and drank, and always seemed so happy. Well, of course he’s happy, Eileen thought, he does nothing but use his time and the people around him for diversion. It’s time he grew up. Eileen resolved to talk to Ed about Steward too.

  Eileen marched through the house and into their bedroom. A glass of water sat on the windowsill that looked across the front lawn. Efrem sat in a nearby chair, and she could see that he’d been cradling his face in his palms. It seemed to take a moment for Eileen’s presence to register and then he half ran to her. Eileen hadn’t decided what she’d say, so she was relieved by Efrem’s enthusiasm. She opened her arms to him. He seemed not to even notice. And then her husband was out the door. She hadn’t managed to speak a word.

  Eileen sat down on their bed. A few doors down the hall little Eddie was being rocked to sleep by his nanny. He closed his eyes and thought of his blanket, his nanny’s arms, and his mommy. Eileen lay herself down too. Eddie slipped into sleep. Eileen stared at the ceiling. And Efrem stood on a rock in the woods outside of the south tower. He stood a few yards away from where he’d fallen over on seeing Melissa earlier that evening. From this rock he could see the lights of the car taking her away. Away, Efrem thought. Away.

  The next morning Eileen woke and found Efrem siting on the bed next to her. He was dressed and his hair combed. Eileen took comfort in this. She rolled to face him. “Eileen,” he said, “I need a vacation.”

  Eileen and Efrem hadn’t been on a vacation since their honeymoon. “Oh?” she said propping herself up.

  “I need some time alone. Some time to think.”

  “Think? About what?” Eileen asked.

  This question didn’t follow the detailed plan and script Efrem had written. Eileen saw him pat his pocket.

  “What have you got in your pocket?” she asked.

  “What have I got in my pocket? Nothing.”

  But it wasn’t nothing. It was a string of events, broken down into minute detail. A little list that would help him disappear. The first action read: Choose a destination.

  Chapter 28 Luisa and KRS

  Mrs. Mae had instructed Luisa to pick up KRS at the gate and take him to Ed’s house and then to Bud’s house to pack a suitcase for each man. Luisa didn’t know who Bud was, but she assumed that KRS did.

  “Hello,” Luisa said.

  “Hello,” KRS said as he opened the gate. “You go through. I’ll lock the gate and get in on the other side.”

  Luisa drove through the gate watching KRS in her mirrors. He gathered his keys and wallet and dumped them into his pockets. He closed the driveway gate and typed a code into a keypad on the outside to lock it. Then he let himself out a small gate on a foot path, pulled his huge set of keys from his pocket, adroitly picked the correct key, and locked the gate behind him.

  KRS climbed into the passenger seat next to Luisa.

  “I know how to get to Edward’s house, so I’ll take us there first. Is that okay?”

  “Anything you say,” KRS said.

  Luisa smiled and started driving.

  “How are you enjoying your new job?” KRS asked.

  Luisa wasn’t sure what to say. She looked at KRS out of the corner of her eye. He laughed.

  “Mrs. Mae’s a difficult woman. You’ve worked for her for more than a week. I’m impressed.”

  Luisa smiled. “I’m glad I’m not the only one who has trouble with her.”

  “Oh no, everyone has trouble with her. Except for her son. She’s been like that for a long time now.” KRS said.

  “She hasn’t always been this way?”

  “No. She used to be a sweet young wife, though I hear she was always an obsessive perfectionist. I heard she gave up her dreams to marry, and then when her husband left, her perfect life disintegrated. She crumbled too. Became reclusive, nasty, angry, resentful.”

  “Left her? She told me her husband died.”

  “Oh right. Sorry, English is my second language. I meant left her for his next life. Died.”

  “English is my second language too.”

  “Maybe nasty wasn’t the right word either.” KRS shifted in his seat, “I like my job.”

  “No, I’m pretty sure that nasty was the right word.”

  KRS looked relieved. They laughed.

  “She asked me to hit a woman with her car. I’d call that pretty nasty.”

  “Hit a woman. Did you?”

  “Goodness, no,” Luisa said. “Well, almost. I’m afraid I considered it. She was so forceful, so persuasive. She even offered to pay me.”

  “To pay you? Are you, what’s the saying, pulling my leg?”

  Luisa laughed. “No, I’m not pulling your leg.”

  KRS folded his hands in his lap and shook his head. “Maybe you misunderstood?”

  “No. I understood. I like my room though. It’s very nice. I even have a fireplace.”

  “I know your room. It’s nicer than mine. I love that I live someplace that has a cook.”

  “I thought I might miss cooking, but I don’t. After all of those years of cooking for my family, well, that was enough.”

  “You have a family too. A family and a fireplace. You see, now I’m jealous.” KRS smiled.

  “I’ll share. You can come visit me and my fireplace.”

  “Thank you.”

  “No. Thank you. I’d like the company. I think the house is a little scary. The first thing I thought, when I saw it, was that it looks like Castle Dracula.”

  “Castle Dracula? I’ve worked there a long time, and been in every room, and I’ve never seen any monsters.”

  “That’s good.” Luisa said.

  “Except....”

  “Except what?” Luisa thought of Mrs. Mae seeing something crawling on the south tower.

  “Except for her!” KRS yelled, opening his eyes wide and baring his claws.

  Luisa yelped and stiffened. “Her who?”

  KRS laughed. “Mrs. Mae.”

  Luisa relaxed. “Oh, her. You scared me.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t think I’d actually scare you.”

  “I’m sorry. I’m a little nervous. Mrs. Mae called me last night because she thought she saw something crawling up the wall of the south tower.”

  “What?”

  “Mm hm. She said it was the second time she’d seen it, and she thinks it went inside. Isn’t that scary?”

  “It’s worrisome indeed.” KRS said as he looked out the window.

  “I thought about going to the south tower to have a look, but...”

  “Oh no. Don’t do that. You don’t want to go to south wing. It’s locked anyway. Can’t go there.”

  Luisa looked at KRS. He looked uncomfortable. Scared even.

  Chapter 29 Two Revealed and One Proposal

  Mrs. Mae had told KRS to bring the packed bags to her. When KRS left the room, she closed Bud’s suitcase and walked to a cupboard that functioned as a bar. In the top left corner of the cupboard rested a long wooden box. Eileen Mae took the box back to her desk and set it down. She lifted some of Ed’s clothing out of his suitcase, put the box inside, and put the clothing back on top. She closed the lid and returned to the bar, where she poured herself a drink.

  Mrs. Mae was uncertain how long she’d been standing at the window. It’d been long enough for KRS to return for the suitcases, for the day to turn to dusk, and dusk to darken. Movement in the south tower had pulled her from her thoughts. As she watched, something moved onto the window sill and began to lower itself out of the window. Mrs. Mae nearly dropped her glass. Maybe Luisa’s right, she thought. Maybe something Dracula-like does live in the south tower. She ran to her desk and rang Luisa.

  By the time Luisa had reached Mrs. Mae’s room, Mrs. Mae’s curiosity had outgrown her fear and Luisa found her carrying her telescope to the south wall of her room. Luisa ran over to help. Mrs. Mae had her eye t
o the eyepiece before the legs of the tripod were even in place.

  “It’s there,” she said. “I saw it come out of the window and start to move down the wall. Thanks for coming. You’re right. It reminds me of Dracula.”

  That was the first time Mrs. Mae had ever said thank you to Luisa, but Luisa wished she’d said nothing. The absolute last thing she wanted to hear was that she might be living in Dracula’s basement.

  Mrs. Mae moved her eye from the telescope and scanned the south tower wall with her naked eye, trying to find the dark black shape so she would know which way to point her telescope. It was getting darker and more difficult to see out the window. “Luisa, turn off the lights.”

  Luisa obeyed. She flipped off the lights and did her best to remain calm. I’m a grown woman, Luisa told herself, as the muscles in her back tensed. There are no such things as vampires and I’m safe. Why had KRS looked so nervous when she’d talked of entering the south tower? She looked over her shoulder. Nothing behind her. When she reached Mrs. Mae she made certain that her breathing was relaxed and slow. She wanted to appear calm.

  “Luisa, you’re a good woman,” said Mrs. Mae. “I recognize that vampire hunting is outside of your job description. Your next paycheck will reflect added duties.”

  Luisa hadn’t heard a thing beyond ‘vampire hunting’, which had made her feel dizzy. This was compounded by her attempt at slow, relaxed breathing.

  “Hm, maybe over there,” Mrs. Mae said, pointing down low on the tower. “I’m going to keep watching the whole wall for movement. You use the telescope and search the wall down there. Oh, good thing we moved it, we never would’ve been able to see way down there.”