The Cornelius Saga Series (All 15 Books): The Ultimate Adventure-packed Supernatural Thriller Collection

by Tanya R. Taylor

  “Productive,” Bobby replied. “I couldn’t wait to get back home though to this pretty lady.” He was holding Mira by the waist and gave her a little squeeze.

  “I’m sure Mira was just as happy to have you back.” Father Bob smiled.

  “And this young lady too!” He playfully ruffled Rosie’s hair. “Are you ready to be your mother’s maid-of-honor?”

  “Yes, sir! I’m so excited about it.” Rosie’s eyes lit up.

  Mira managed a half-smile. She was holding onto Bobby, wishing she’d never have to let him go.

  Reggie Thorn slowly walked over and he and Bobby fist-bumped. He then hugged Mira and Rosie.

  Reggie had started at the Mill a couple of months prior to Bobby and the men quickly became close friends. Bobby had even roomed with him for about a year before moving into his own house. Reggie was a homebody and had a steady girlfriend for ten years. Bobby knew, although Reggie was very happy for him, it would be a miracle if he ever got married, especially since his own parents’ marriage had traumatized him. He lived in a home filled with turmoil. Heated arguments between his folks and tossing of dishes and silverware at each other was almost a nightly event. Then usually after the ‘cool down’ period, he’d hear their bed squeaking literally for hours and when the sun came up, the entire dreadful scenario played all over again. Their fights often involved his mother’s suspicion of his father’s infidelity and vice-versa. They both were insanely jealous when it came to each other and Reggie had decided early on if that’s what marriage was about, he wanted no part of it. If a woman couldn’t be with him without them ever having to make a commitment, he didn’t need to be with her.

  As he and Bobby sauntered off to the side away from the others, Reggie said, “Are you ready, bro?”

  “I surely am!” Bobby grinned. “Can’t wait to fall asleep and wake up next to that little lady every day.”

  “You’ve made a great choice.”

  “I hope one day I can stand as best man for you too, brother.”

  “Don’t hold your breath.” Reggie shook his head. “You know that’ll never happen.”

  Just then, Father Bob called everyone together. “Well, folks, this won’t take very long particularly since we have such a small wedding party. Of course, we still must ensure we get it right for the big day.”

  The rehearsal got underway and took the better part of an hour for everyone to understand what needed to be done when the day arrived. It was an early practice with another scheduled a couple of days before the wedding. Afterwards, Father Bob said a special prayer for the future bride and groom, blessing them. Rosie thought it so cool that her pal Bobby would soon officially be her step-dad.

  During the drive back home, Mira was mainly quiet while Bobby and Rosie engaged in trivial conversation. She felt conflicted about having turned a grieving father away, but was sure she’d made the right decision. However, for some reason, it didn’t feel right.

  After they arrived home, Rosie spent a few minutes bringing her grandmother up to speed about the wedding rehearsal. Sara had found Rosie’s account most interesting.

  Mira waited until Rosie had gone to bed before heading to her mother’s room. She found Max lying on the carpet at the foot of the bed.

  “May I come in?” Mira asked, at the door.

  “Sure!” Sara sat up, pointing the remote control toward the TV and switching it off.

  “I wanted to apologize for the way I behaved this morning,” Mira said. “I didn’t mean to snap at you. I just felt overwhelmed, that’s all.”

  “That’s okay, dear,” Sara said. “You have a lot on you at the moment.”

  She had no idea.

  Mira sat down, leaned over and petted Max who was drifting off to sleep.

  “Had a good rehearsal at church?” Sara asked.

  Mira nodded. “It’s straightforward. Father Bob sent his love.” She then turned toward her mother. “Mom…can I get a hug?”

  “Of course, Sweet Pea.” Sara noticed the tears welled up in her eyes and she reached over and hugged her. She rubbed her back like she did when she was a child. And in that moment, Mira felt like a little girl again who strictly depended upon her mother’s comfort and affection.

  “What is it, honey?” Sara asked quietly. “What is this weight that you’re carrying all by yourself?”

  Mira shook her head as it rested on her mother’s chest. “I can’t… tell you, Mom.”

  “Yes, you can, honey. There’s nothing in this world that you can’t tell me. Remember when I used to tell you and Wade that while you were growing up?”

  “Yes,” she answered, tearfully. “It’s just so bad, Mom. It’s so bad!”

  Sara held her daughter’s face. “Nothing’s too horrible to share with me. I can take it and I can help you.”

  “No one can help me. I know you would if you could.”

  “Try me, Mira. Just let it out.”

  This time, Mira saw the tears in Sara’s eyes. She released herself from her mother’s embrace and attempted to compose herself. She wondered how in the world she could ever share such a terrible thing with Sara, knowing how much she loved Bobby and had done so years before Mira did.

  “Okay, I will tell you,” Mira said, “but you cannot repeat it and afterwards you must act as if you’ve never heard it.”

  “Okay,” Sara agreed.

  “But I don’t know if you can do that, Mom.”

  “I can, honey.” Sara took her hand. “I promise you, I can.”

  Mira took a deep breath in, rested her hand on top of her mother’s and told her everything. Sara was in shock, never imagining the sort of secret her daughter had been keeping.

  They held each other, sobbing, for what felt like hours and although Mira had finally shared what she knew with Sara, she felt guilty for burdening her.

  “I’m sorry, Mom. I didn’t want you to have to deal with this too. I was trying to spare you from it.” She cried.

  “Oh, don’t you do that!” Sara shook her head. “You did the right thing. You no longer have to handle this on your own. We both can share the burden.” She shifted a little in the bed. “I’ve been through a lot in my life, Sweet Pea. I don’t have all this gray hair for nothing. I’ve had my share of heartache—some you experienced with me and some you didn’t. I said all of that to let you know that as disheartening as it is to hear what you’ve said and knowing it to be true, I can stand up to it and accept what none of us can change. When you get to be my age, you realize that nothing stays the same and as things change, we learn to adapt. Why? Because we have to.”

  Her words were seeping into Mira’s soul and the fact that she’d finally confided in her own mother, gave her a sense of comfort.

  “You know what makes me proud and will one day make Bobby proud too?” Sara asked.

  “No. What?”

  “The fact that with the realization of what is to come—as difficult as it is—you decided to still marry the man you love and to do everything within your power to make him understand how much you love him. I’m so very proud of you, Mira.”

  “Thank you, Mom.” Her eyes were red from crying, but the weight on her shoulders was not as heavy as before. She knew Sara was right about accepting the things she could not change, as difficult as it was to do.

  “You don’t have to worry about me,” Sara assured her. “Bobby will see no change in me. I love him too much to cause him any worry and I know you do too. You’ll go on, honey. You’ll get through this. We all will. And what’s good is one day, we’ll all be reunited just as Karlen told you. I believe that with all my heart.” She looked at the side of the bed where her husband used to sleep. “You don’t know how many times I’ve dreamed of seeing your father again. After being together for so many years, when he was taken from us, I knew a part of myself had gone with him. I grieved for a long time, but I knew our separation would not be permanent and that’s what helps me get up out of this bed every day and go on. Furthermore, I have yo
u and Rosie to live for as long as I’m allowed to be here. And when Bobby is gone, you will grieve, but the hope of one day being with him again will help you to go on. That sweet hope will rejuvenate you each morning and comfort you every night, and you will find strength again in Rosie and her life and in everything else that once mattered to you before Bobby was taken away. I want you to believe that.”

  “I do.” Mira stretched over and hugged her mother again. “Thanks, Mom. I’m glad I told you.”

  Sara smiled. “I’m glad you did too. And don’t be concerned about Rosie—she won’t know a thing beforehand.”

  “It’s going to be so hard for her,” Mira said.

  “It will, honey, but she’s strong. She survived your father’s death and I know that was the toughest thing she’s ever had to go through. Look at her now—she’s a happy kid.”

  “You’re right.”

  After getting ready for bed, Mira went over to the ironing board in her room and reached into the pocket of the blue jeans hanging over it. She slid out the small, white business card Charles Cooley had given her and flipped it over to the two telephone numbers he’d written on the back. She sat down in bed and stared at the card for a few moments before picking up the phone on her nightstand.

  “Mister Cooley...this is Doctor Mira Cullen. If you don’t mind, I’d like to speak with you again.”

  7

  _________________

  “Good morning, Mrs. Cullen!” John and Ashley Morrison hailed from across the street.

  “Good morning!” Sara hailed back from her crouched position in the garden. “Have a good day now!”

  They got into their car and pulled out of the driveway.

  Rosie was eating breakfast when she heard her bus approaching. “Bye, Mom.” She grabbed her backpack and headed out. She also bade Sara goodbye as she ran toward the bus.

  “Bye, Pumpkin. Have a lovely day!” Sara waved.

  Mira walked outside a few minutes later. “Hey, Mom.”

  “Good morning, dear. Did you sleep okay?” Sara asked as she clipped around her pansies.

  “Yeah, I did.”

  “That’s wonderful. I thought I’d come out here and give these beautiful little plants some tender loving care.” Though her knees sometimes bothered her when she did her gardening, the pleasure of being there surpassed the pain.

  “I spoke with Mister Cooley last night,” Mira told her. “I’m going to meet him today.”

  Sara stood up. “Oh, that’s good, honey. You think you might be able to help?”

  Mira shrugged. “I don’t know, but I’m willing to try.”

  “That’s my girl! What made you change your mind?”

  “Something you said last night.”

  “Something I said?” Sara was puzzled.

  “You talked about accepting the things we can’t change. Well, that got me thinking after our conversation. I realized there was absolutely nothing I could do to change what will happen to Bobby, but at the same time, there might be something I can do to help Mister Cooley. I won’t know unless I try.”

  Deeply moved, Sara went over to Mira and hugged her. “That is so selfless of you, honey, especially at a time like this. Where are you going to meet him?”

  “I got the directions to his sister’s house. Bobby and I will go there later after we take care of a few things.”

  “Great! I surely hope you’re able to bring some closure for Mister Cooley and the other grieving families out there whose loved ones were also on that flight.”

  “I hope so too.”

  Mira and Bobby spent the entire day together prancing around from place to place, holding hands and giggling like two teenage lovers. They started out with breakfast at Steve Marillo’s downtown where they rarely patronized due to the exorbitant menu prices, but Mira insisted upon it. Next, they did a bit of shopping for themselves and Mira picked up a few things for Rosie and Sara. Finally, they headed to the beach and walked the seashore before sitting on a low ramp with their feet dangling in the water.

  “Why don’t we just shock everyone and go on our honeymoon now?” Mira suggested. “Let’s go to the Poconos!”

  “Are you kidding?” Bobby was clearly surprised by the idea. “Go on our honeymoon now—and to the Poconos? What’s gotten into you, honey? You know we planned for a cruise to Mexico.”

  “If you don’t wanna go to the Poconos, why don’t we go on that cruise now?”

  “Because it’s scheduled for April fifteenth, that’s why. What is this all about?”

  She looked out at the glimmering sea. “I just thought you’d like to dive into the fun early. We don’t have to follow tradition, you know? There’s no law that says the honeymoon must come after the wedding.”

  “Do you hear yourself?” He laughed. “Look, honey, I pretty much prefer for things to remain the way they are, okay? We’ve got the rest of our lives to be together and to do the things we wanna do.”

  “What if we don’t?” Mira replied, sorrowfully. She could have kicked herself afterwards. “I mean…a lot of people plan things and never get to do them. That’s why it’s good sometimes to just be spontaneous, you know?”

  Bobby nodded, contemplatively. “I agree with you, but how I see it is if something was meant to be, it will be. I’m cool with the way things are right now. I thought you were too.”

  “I was. I mean— Okay, look…what I really want is to do some things outside of the box, you know? We could fly over to the Poconos before the wedding and still go on the cruise after. We’ll have a blast!” She was hoping her drummed up excitement would convince him. As he appeared to ponder the idea, she thought she might’ve swayed him.

  Sighing, he said, “It’s just so costly though—to make two trips like that back to back. We’ll be just getting started with our future together, Mira. Shouldn’t we be more conservative than that? I know you earn more than I do and can easily afford it, but that doesn’t mean I want you to become the main breadwinner in the family, in that you’re carrying the burden of the bills.”

  “Bobby, you know I appreciate you being the man you need to be for me, but that’s rubbish what you just said! It doesn’t even compute with what I was proposing!”

  He grinned. “I really don’t know what’s gotten into you lately, Mira. For a couple of months, you seemed despondent almost every day—and I never found out why because you’re so damn stubborn. For the longest time, I thought you just didn’t wanna marry me and would probably leave me waiting at the altar.”

  She giggled.

  “Now, you suddenly seem different—like you’re fired up or something and that’s pretty weird. I can’t figure you out.”

  “Just think about it, okay?” she said.

  A few seconds passed before he responded. “Okay, I thought about it.”

  She had a keen look in her eyes.

  “And I don’t wanna do it,” he admitted. “Going to the Poconos would be awesome, especially because I’d be there with you, but we have to think with more than just our heart, but with our mind. Rosie’s always gonna need stuff and we have to save for her college and for a rainy day. Besides, going on two trips so closely together would mean we’d spend too much time away from her. We can go to the Poconos, honey, but not now. I want to focus on one thing at a time and the biggest thing is the wedding, okay?”

  “Okay,” she relented, obviously disappointed, but trying not to show it. She picked up a small pebble and tossed it into the water, remembering that what he wanted was far more important right then than what she did. If he was happy, that was all that mattered.

  He gazed into those brown eyes of hers. “Just being with you is enough for me,” he said. “Location doesn’t matter. As long as you’re with me, I’m the happiest guy on earth.”

  She leaned over and kissed him, trying to keep herself from thinking what life would be like when she could no longer feel his touch.

  They sat quietly for a while inhaling the fresh air as the warmth o
f the sun penetrated their skin.

  “So, you said you’re going to meet this Cooley guy whose family is missing?” He changed the subject.

  “We’re going to meet him,” she replied.

  “Are you sure you want me to be there?”

  “’Course I do! We’re a team. Aren’t we?”

  He smiled. “Sure, we are. I’m just a worthless member.”

  “How can you say that?”

  “Your gift is what helps people, honey. I don’t have anything going on in that arena.”

  She placed her hand in his. “You being with me is good enough.”

  8

  _________________

  Mira and Bobby pulled up at Tess Cooley’s peach and white suburban home at 6:15 that evening. As they were getting out of Bobby’s jeep, Tess appeared at the front door.

  “Doctor Cullen...” She cheerfully greeted them. “I’m Charles’ sister, Tess. It’s very nice of you to come.”

  “Hi,” Mira said.

  “Please come inside.” Tess seemed eager to get to the business at hand.

  As they entered the house, Charles was heading their way. He shook Mira and Bobby’s hands.

  “This is my fiancé, Bobby,” Mira said.

  “A pleasure to meet you,” Charles told him.

  They were invited to sit out back on the lanai which was accessible via the living room.

  Tess Cooley’s house was not large compared to the other houses in her neighborhood. Yet, it had a comfortable, cozy feel to it. Two tall, dark brown vases were situated on the inside of the front door on both sides and Mira noticed at least another three in various locations throughout the living room. A vintage Persian rug stretched across the main area on top of which sat two black, leather sofas and a leather couch. An old-fashioned rock crystal chandelier had been suspended right above the passageway which led out to the lanai.

  The neatly-kept lanai was enclosed by a white, decorative rail and flowering plants spotted the yard and offered a pleasant view. The four sat down around a rectangular-shaped glass table on the northern side of the space.