usedtowalkinginherheels,walkedinshortlyafterhim.Asshewalkedinside,Bonniesaw that her husband was staring at a specific point, she kissed him and, as she looked over to wherehewasstaring,shesawher.NoraStewartwastheNoraClaytonfromtheotherworld, whoshehadcursedandsenttothelifeshehadneverchosen.Inthisworld,shehaddecidedto becomeanartist...andshewasstillasbeautifulasever.Bonniebegantosweatandfeelcold allover,andbeforeshecouldescape,itwastoolate.TheimposingNorawalkedovertoher, controlling her uncomfortable high heels much better than the skinny and strange witch had beenabletointwomonths.
THEENCOUNTER
With no hesitation and with Mark watching me, I quickly walked over to Bonnie before she hadtimetoescape.Icouldseethesweatonherforeheadandhowmymerepresencemadeher nervous.Theworstpartwas,Iwasnervoustoo...andIwasscared,veryscared.Iwasnotthe NoraClaytonshehadonceknown...theparallelworldshehadsentmetohadchangedmeinto somebodyelse.AgreatpersonwhoIwouldhavelovedtomeet.
WhenIwasinfrontofher,Ididn’tknowwhattosay.Ihadimaginedthismomentonmany occasions,butnotlikethat,notundercircumstancesoffate.
“Bonnie.”
—“You’re...”Stuartwhispered.Webothlookedathim,confused.“Thecrazywomanwho wasbangingonmydoor.”
“Excuse me?” I tried to hide my discomfort. “I’m Nora Stewart.” I said sternly, acting outragedathisdaringorconfusion.
“Theartist?”Stuartaskedwithadmiration.“Congratulations,I’lllookatthepaintingsmuch closer now, but what I have already seen is wonderful. You are very talented.” I didn’t recognizehim.TheStuartwhoIhadmetwasarrogantandconceited,whereasthissameman appearedtobehumbleandsincere.Hegotexcitedoverthesmalldetails,asinsignificantas theywere.
“Right? Indeed, Nora was born with this gift.” Mark interrupted elegantly. Bonnie and I lookedateachotherinshock.
“Mark! How are you?” Stuart greeted him, slapping him lightly on the shoulder. “Your novel was wonderful, congratulations.” He said. Since when did Stuart like to read? I had neverseenhimwithabook.Butwhatwasevenmoresurprising...HowdidStuartandMark knoweachother?Icouldn’trememberStuartevertalkingtomeaboutMark...
“I’m great, Stuart. I’m sorry about your father; it must have been very hard... But, hey!
Congratulationsonyourwedding.”
“Thankyou,thisisBonnie.”Bonniesmiledshylyandlookeddownatthefloor.
“Nicetomeetyou,Bonnie.”Marksaid,holdingouthishandtoher;agesturethatseemed tosurprisethegoddamnedwitch.Whywasthat?
“Bonnie, can I talk to you?” I said firmly. She nodded and our respective partners, not payingustoomuchattention,continuedtalking.
I practically pushed her to the bathroom where we had to wait for a woman to finish washing her hand to start our conversation, which I still wasn’t sure was going to be the solutionortheendofmyrelationshipwithmyson.
“Whatdidyoudotome?”Iasked.
“Ithoughtyouwouldbealotangrier...”
“Wow! You’re not stuttering now... What did you do to me? Are you a witch? Voodoo?
What?”
“A spell. I sent you back to the life you hadn’t chosen and I’m surprised that you have caughtonsoquickly.”
“My husband didn’t recognize me... My son didn’t know who I was...” I said upset.
Surprisingly,justbysayingthatmysondidn’tknowwhoIwas,Bonnieseemedtolookupset aswell.“Myhousedidn’tbelongtome,nordidmyjob.WhatdidIhaveleft?Ihadtoreturnto Kutztown,myhometown.Facemymother’scanceranddiscoverthat,inthatlife,Ihadstudied Art and that I had a workshop on the farm that belonged to my family. You don’t have to be verysmarttoknowthatpullingouttwoofmyhairsyoucouldhavedonesomethinglikethisto me...So...Nowyou’rethevicepresidentofStuart’scompany?WasityouwhokilledMichael too?”
Silence. Bonnie didn’t answer and that was enough confirmation for me. She had killed Stuart’sfatherwithoneofherevilspells.
“Sotellme.Wasitworthit?”Iasked.
“Yes.I’mhappynow.Peopleseeme.”
“Peopleseeyou...”Ilaughedsarcastically.“ButyouhaveseparatedmefromthepersonI lovemost.Myson.”
“Yoursonnolongerexists.”
“Hedoesexist!He’srighthere.”Iscreamed,pointingatmyheart.
“I’msorry,butthere’snothingIcando.”
Iwantedtostrangleher.Butinstead,Itriedtoholdbackmytears.Ididn’twanttogiveher thesatisfactionofseeingmecry.
“Getoutofhere,Bonnie.Getoutofhereandgotohell!”
Obediently,Bonnieleftthebathroom.Ilockedmyselfinoneofthecubiclesandcrieduntil mytearsdriedup.Minuteslater,aftertryingtofixthemessmytearshadmadewithmymake-up, I walked back out to the gallery where everybody was waiting for me expectantly and applauding.Ilookedateachandeveryoneofthefacesthatwerestaringatmewithadmiration, butIcouldn’tseeStuartorBonnieanywhere.Theyhadalreadyleft.
NOREMORSE
As soon as the majestic Nora had thrown Bonnie out of the bathroom, Bonnie obediently walkedouttothegallerywhereStuartwaswaitingforher,admiringoneofherpaintingsinthe CompanyofMark,whoappearedtobeherpartner.Shecouldn’tgetridofherthesameway shehaddonewithMichael...shefeltpityforherandapartofherfeltremorsefulforhaving separated her from her son. But it was okay. Each one of them would go on with their lives and, in a way, Bonnie knew that Nora would be happy again. She was strong and would be capableoflivingwiththeabsenceofthesonthat,intruth,shehadneverhadinthatworld.She would understand... She would accept it. Five minutes later, Bonnie use done of her most effectivetacticstoleavethatplaceandnothavetoseeNoraagain,whoshehopedshewould notseefortherestofhermagnificentdreamlife.
“Stuart, I don’t feel very well... Can we go?” She asked, pulling a face and holding her husband’shand.
“Of course, sweetheart. Mark, it’s been a pleasure seeing you. Shall we have dinner one day? The four of us? It’ll be fun.” Stuart said. Bonnie rolled her eyes... That was all she needed,havingdinnerwithNora.Anothermishapandshewouldn’tfreeherselfofdyingatthe hands of who had once been the executive vice president of her husband’s company. Bonnie hadalsobeencapableofreadingNora’smind.
“Whenever you want Stuart, although I’m living back in my hometown now. I’ll let you knowwhenI’mnextinNewYork.”Markrepliedwithasmile.“Where’sNora?”
“She’sinthebathroom.”Bonnierepliedshyly.
“Itwasnicemeetingyou,Bonnie.”
“Thankyou,youtoo.”
Mark didn’t judge her. He didn’t look at Bonnie as if she were some kind of freak; he lookedatherlikeawomanwhoshouldberespected.Bonnieappreciatedthatgestureandfelt evenlessremorseknowingthatNorahadsomebodysospecialinherlife.
Whentheyreturnedhome,Bonnieclimbedintobedandsleptuntillatethenextday.Stuart spenttherestofthedaywithhisson,whohappilyplayedwithhisscalextricalldaywithhis fatherwithoutthestep-motherhehatedsomuch.
PAST,PRESENT,FUTURE
AllofthepaintingsexhibitedintheAgoraGallerysold.Andhowever,Icouldn’thelpbutfeel unhappy... my encounter with Bonnie had led me to understand that I would never be Matt’s motheragain.ThatIwouldn
everseemylittleboyagain...MarkandChristinecelebratedmy successforme.Isimplybecameaghostthatwentalongwiththemandtriedtosmilewhenthe occasioncalledforit.ButtheremainingdaysthatwewereinNewYork,Ifeltlikealostsoul wanderingaroundandnotwantingtobeseen.Theendofourstayinthebigapplewouldend onthefifteenthofJanuaryaftertheexhibitioninthebeautifulCeresGalleryinChelsea.Itwas a much more enjoyable exhibition, with many young people. They were less elegant and sophisticated than those who had gone to the Agora, but they were willing to spend their savingsonmypromisingworks.
OnthesixteenthofJanuary,wereturnedtoKutztown.Andwithnoothergoalsthanthoseof breathingandenjoyingmywork,Ilockedmyselfupinmyworkshopfordaystopreparefuture exhibitionsandorders.MarkbegantoworryaboutmeonthethirddaythathesaythatIhadn’t eatenandthatmybonesbegantoshowinplaceswheretheyshouldn’t.
“Nora,youhavetoeatsomething.”Hesaid,worried.
“Don’tstart...”
“Comeon,it’smytreat.”
“Idon’twanttoeat...”Ireplied,immersedinacanvasthatwasstillwhite,whereblack wouldbethemainfeature.
“What’swrongwithyou?”
“It’sveryhardtoexplain,Mark...”
“Sinceyousawthatwoman...Stuart’swife...Whowasshe?”
“Awitch.”Ireplied,almostbyinertia.
“Awitch?”
“Averyrealone...”Iwhispered.
“Tellmewhat’swrong,Nora.Tellmeeverything.Youcantrustme.”
Istaredathim.Hewastellingthetruth,andIdidn’tcarehowcrazymystorysounded,I trusted Mark. I knew that he would believe me and wouldn’t feel the need to lock me in a mentalhospital.Isatdownnexttohimandbegantoexplainthestoryofmylifefromthevery beginning.Withhiseyesopenwide,helistenedattentivelytoeverythingthathadhappenedto meinthepasttwomonths.Howthatthinandapparentlyfragilewomanhadchangedmylife and,withherspell,hadforcedmeawayfrombeingthemotherIhadchosentobe.
“But... How is that possible?” He asked when I finished telling him everything. I didn’t leaveanythingout,noteventhesmallestdetail.
“Idon’tknow.Witchcraft.But...don’tyouthinkI’mcrazy?”
“No.NowIunderstandyourbehavioratthebeginningandI’msorrythatinyourotherlife you hated me so much... I was a kid trying to get the attention of a beautiful girl that I liked
when I threw that basketball at you... If I had seen you on the streets of New York, I would havelikedforyoutohavegreetedme,evenifitwasjusttothrowwhatIdidbackatme.”
“Yeah...”
“So,there’snothingyoucando?”
“Thewitchsaidtherewasn’t...”
“I’msosorry,Nora.”
“ThelifethatIdidn’tchoosehasonegoodthing...youandourstory,thepartthatIcan’t remember and the part that I can. And this job.” I admitted, looking around my workshop. It was starting to get too small, but there was no way in the world that I would leave it. My mother’sessencewasalsoineachofthecornersandthelittlewindowthatlookedoutoverthe forestwasveryspecial.
“Whatifyouwentbacktoyourotherlife?Ifwehadneverbeentogether,if...”
“Iwouldlookforyou.”Ireplied,kissinghim.Idon’tknowwhatyourlifeislikeinthat parallelworld,butIwouldlookforyou.AndIwouldfindyou...andIwoulddoeverything possibletobewithyou.”
“Doyoupromise?”
“Ipromise.AndIneverbreakapromise.”
“I’mgladtohearthat...Mygod,thisisenoughtowriteabook.”
“Thenyouknowwhattodo.”
“Soyousaythat,inthatworld,mybookhasthesametitle?”
“ForgettingthatIforgotyou, andI’msorrytosaythatIthoughtitwasstupid...butIdon’t any more, I love the title. I don’t know what the book is about in the other world though... I imagineitmustbedifferent.”
“Ihavenoidea...”
“I have the perfect title for that story. The road of life.” I said, smiling sadly. One of Mark’smanyquirkswashavingthetitleandtheideaforacoverbeforehestartedwritinghis books.Withoutthem,hecouldn’tstarthisstory.
“That’sverygood.ItellPatriciaaboutit...”Marksaid,winkingatme.
“Patricia...”Isighed.“Myfateinanyworldismeetingthatwoman.”
“SoyouweregoodFriends?”
“Thebestoffriends!UntilStuartnoticedme,ofcourse...”
“Well,I’mnotsurprisedthatStuartnoticedyou.Anymanwould,thatmuchisobvious.”
“AndhowdoyouknowStuartinthisworld?Idon’tknowifyouevermetinmyworld,but Iwouldbeshockedifthatwerethecase.”
“ThroughPatricia.ShestartedworkingatthePublisherwhenshewasdatinghim,untilhe leftherforthatmodel...IthinkhernamewasLucille.Thepoorthingdiedinacaraccident.We metonacoupleofoccasions,andwebecamefriends...he’sagoodguy.”Hesaid.Thatmade sense.However,intheworldthatIcamefrom,itwaspossiblethattheyhadnevermet.
“Mark...WhatamIgoingtodo?”Iaskedwithtearsinmyeyes.
“Justlive.Everythingwillturnoutthewayitissupposedto...sometimes,thesolutionis just around the corner and be sure that what we have is ours in this world and in all of the parallel worlds that can or may exist... We just have to breathe, stop and pay attention.
Tomorrowisanotherday,Nora.Lifecanchangeinamatterofseconds...
ATRIPTOHELL
Bonnie put her apartment on the Upper East Side up for sale. She was living comfortably in Stuart’sluxuriousapartmentanddecidedtogetridofthehomethat,eventhoughitwashers,it hadnevertrulybelongedtoher.Determinedtotakethelargecrystallampthatshehadinthe livingroomwithher,shetookadvantageofthemomentthattheremovalmenhadstoppedfor lunchtotakeitdownfromtheceilingherself.
Sheclimbedupontoaladderandlookedaboveher.Itwasbeautiful.Eachcrystalshone withamagneticandfascinatinglightfromtheraysofthesunthatshonethroughtheapartment’s largewindows,makingitmagical.Bonniebentdowntopickupapairofpliers,withsuchbad luckthatwhenshestoodupstraight,herthinanklelostbalanceandshetrippedontheladder.
Throughinstinct,Bonniegrabbedontothelampthat,alreadybeinghalflose,fellontopofher fragilebody,causingheranimmediatedeath.
When the removal men returned to the apartment, they found Bonnie’s body, covered in blood that was caused by the thousands of little crystals that the heavy lamp of almost one hundredkiloshadprovokedwhenfallingontopofher.Buttheyonlysawabody...thewitch’s soulhadleftitssuffocatingprisonandhadtravelleddowntohellitself,whereshewastolive eternallywithherevilmother,Elisabeth.
“Itoldyouso.”Elisabethsaid,surroundedbyflames.
Bonnie’sspiritlookedaroundher,terrified.Darkness.Flames.Evillaughter.Condemned spirits.Sadness.Solitude.Evil...alotofevil.
“ButI’ve...I’vebeengood.”Bonniecried.Inhermind,shecouldstillrememberStuartand themarvelousdaysshehadspentwithhim...daysthatdeathhadtakenawayfromher,which wouldonlybeapartofaneternalmemoryamongtheflamesofhellitself,whereshebelieved shedidn’tbelong.
“Youhavenotbeengood,Bonnie.Youhavebeenaverybadperson;it’sinyourgenes.It was your fate. But don’t worry, my dear. You’re here with me now, with your family. Come along, the rest of the witches want to see you. They have been waiting for you...” Elisabeth explained,savoringthemoment.
“No...Idon’twantto...”
“Don’twhine,Bonnie.You’renotalittlegirlanymore.”
With her large eyes, Bonnie saw the long line of witches that had once belonged to her family in life. They got closer and closer to her, leaving Elisabeth in the background. They surroundedherand,amonglaughterandmaliciouslooks,theymanagedtotrapBonnietohelp hertobecomeawareoftheplacewhereshewasandwhereshewasdestinedtostayforall eternity.
The parallel world that Bonnie had created would disappear. Stuart would never remember her, little John would never exist and Mr. Michael Clayton would still be alive, travelling the world in the company of beautiful young women for many years to come. That
world would never have existed... all that would remain was the memories of sad little Bonnie,whowouldrememberthemasthebestthingthathadeverhappenedtoher...Theonly comfortshehadwasbeingabletoenjoythatwhichshehadalwaysthoughtimpossibletogain.
RETURNINGTOTHELIFEICHOSE
The Road of Life Page 13