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When she woke, Ellie felt groggy and cotton mouthed. She couldn't remember where she was for a second, but then it all came rushing back to her - the phone call from Tai, the fight with the nursing staff, the shot that knocked her out. She was wearing an oxygen mask, so she hadn't reached the twenty-four-hour mark on her treatment. She must have slept four to six hours, though. It couldn't be long before they would release her.
With the memory of the phone call, Ellie's anger came surging back. Her stomach clenched, and she knew suddenly what she needed to do to get rid of Tai. She reached for the anthology. It wasn't under her pillow anymore.
Oh, no! She thought. What if they took it? Now Ellie was feeling panic on top of her anger. She lifted her head to look around the room. Surely it was still here. She reached over with her right hand, flapping around the bedside table, searching. She knocked over a cup of water but felt nothing like the shape of a book.
She turned her head to the left to stare out of the window in dismay. How could they have taken her book? She needed it. Then, she saw it. There lay her book on the large windowsill. But how did it get there? And how would she reach it? She couldn't move her left side.
She considered calling the nurses for help, but they'd laugh in her face after the stunt she'd pulled. She imagined the looks they'd give her if she asked them for help. She groaned in frustration. Is this what it felt like to be helpless? How was she going to dress herself, care for the girls, or work? She tried to sit up but couldn't. Her limbs were still heavy from the injection.
Ellie stretched her right hand across her chest, reaching for the windowsill on her left side. She knew it was futile, but she just had to try – if for no other reason than to prove that her situation was exactly as pitiful as it felt. She would feel good and sorry for herself when this didn't work.
Ellie half-heartedly extended her right hand. She was getting worked up for a good, long pout when she saw the book quiver.
Her pulse quickened. What was this hospital visit doing to her? She had been exposed to toxic herbs and then medicated. Obviously, the drug interactions were messing with her mind. First, the tingling pages and now this. She felt another surge of exasperation; it irked her to her very core. She was spitting mad and strained further with her hand.
The book trembled. She was sure of it this time. It shuddered as if struggling to get to Ellie's hand. That only sparked her wrath. She opened her mouth and growled. "Well, c'mon! If you really wanted to help you could. Don't just sit there shaking like a scared little rabbit, do-"
Whhhhhhhhsssssssssp! The book landed in her outstretched hand.
Ellie gaped. Now, she was the one trembling. She sat there for a stunned moment, mouth open and eyes wide. What had just happened? Had she…had she called the book to her? Had the book heard her? No, no, no – those were crazy thoughts, yet here was the book resting in her right hand.
She lifted her knees and propped the anthology against her thighs so that she could look through it one-handed. As she nestled the anthology into place, it fell open. The page gave her exactly what she'd wished for. The title emitted a pulsing, silvery glow.
To Banish Others from a Marriage
Ellie inhaled sharply. The book had read her mind. Ellie had never seen this entry before. She was positive it hadn't been there when she was feeling her way through the pages earlier. The handwriting was different, and Ellie realized that Ebbie wasn't its author. But had Ebbie used it? Could it be the remedy Ebbie alluded to in a previous entry?
The charm, luckily, was a simple one. No salt or cleansing crystals involved.
To be read aloud once and then destroyed
Even though the author had underlined the word once, Ellie was reading ahead silently, trying to gauge the merits of the recipe.
Power of wind I have over thee,
Blow this creature away from me.
Protect my family and all that I love,
Drive away evil in a cyclone from above.
No wickedness from tomorrow or today,
Can halt this wind that blows temptation away.
It seemed too easy. All she had to do was repeat the words aloud one time and then destroy the paper. What did she have to lose? After all, they were just words in an old book. What possible harm could they do?
But then again, how had she not seen this title before? And what about the way she could feel the pages? The book zooming straight to her outstretched hand?
The title glowed at her steadily now, calling to her, encouraging her to get on with it. Ellie held her breath for half a second and then made her decision. She read the words aloud and ripped the page out of the book before she could change her mind.
How would she destroy the page with only one hand? She felt the ripped page growing warm in her hand and somehow knew that it wanted to be destroyed right then. She put one corner of the page in her mouth and held it with her teeth, using her right hand to rip the paper into small pieces. It took a few minutes, but before long, she had a small pile of shredded bits on her chest.
What now? Should she flush the paper giblets down the toilet? Should she dump them in her bag and get rid of them at home? She couldn't reach her bag, though, and if she got up to go to the toilet, the hospital buzzers would alert the nurses again.
As she looked around the room for another solution, she smelled a faint whiff of caramel. She sniffed again, and it grew stronger. Her mouth watered. When was the last time she had eaten? She didn't know, but suddenly she was hungry.
Where was the delicious smell coming from? She looked at the paper bits. No, surely not…they couldn't want her…it was too bizarre. Ellie's stomach growled.
Before she could think twice about it, she scooped up all the bits of paper and shoved them into her mouth. She closed her eyes, chewed once or twice, then gulped down the wad of paper that somehow tasted like warm, buttery caramel. The lump slid easily down her throat as Ellie wondered if she'd lost her grip on reality.
She'd read about pregnant women craving peculiar things like clay, laundry detergent, and paper. But Ellie wasn't pregnant. Even if she had been, the doctor said that the herbs she'd ingested would've force an abortion. What was happening to her?
After she swallowed the paper-turned-to-caramel bits, Ellie took a deep breath and waited, half expecting a gust of wind to blow through the room or for the lights to flicker and go out. When nothing happened, she sighed and tucked the book back under her pillow.
When she reached down to pull the blankets up, she noticed an impossibly thin, shimmering, silver bracelet encircling her left wrist. When she pushed back the sling to get a better look, it vanished. Ellie almost thought she'd imagined it except for the cool, tingling sensation it left behind and the scratch-like mark in its place.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
COUNTRY CHRISTMAS
The hospital released Ellie several hours later. In addition to the pain of her injuries, she was disappointed when she learned Julien had cancelled their vacation plans. They were scheduled to leave in less than a week, but with Ellie's injuries and the damage at the studio, Ellie agreed that it would be foolish to go ahead with the trip.
Ellie had been given plenty of post-dismissal instructions on how to care for all her injuries, and she was admonished to rest as much as possible over the next two weeks of Christmas vacation. The only silver lining was that at least Tai would be nowhere near them.
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Somehow, Ellie and Julien managed to get their home ready for Christmas despite Ellie's limited range of motion. Christmas Day arrived, and everything was in place. Ellie was glad they weren't the type of family to go over-the-top on Christmas. After the excitement of opening gifts concluded, Ellie and her family were enjoying a time of peace and harmony. The girls were playing quietly with their toys. Julien was taking a morning nap after a late-night playing Santa, not to mention a few potent mimosas served with Christmas breakfast. Ellie had no idea how long this stillness
would last, so she took the time to partake in her favorite reflective hobby -- remembering. She studied the precious moment and tried to memorize its every detail, searing it into her mind so she would be able to recall it when future trials attacked.
The girls had arisen before dawn and ushered their parents downstairs to the Christmas tree. There were squeals of delight with each new package and even a few surprises for maman et papa. The girls had loved each gift and had delighted in watching Ellie and Julien open their gifts, too, although they had to help Ellie open hers. Despite her injuries, it had been a Norman Rockwell type of morning.
Even if this were to be the last perfect moment of my life, Ellie thought, I have been blessed beyond measure.
This pinnacle had been worth all the dark valleys she had traversed to get there. Thinking of dark valleys, she felt a twinge of guilt over the charm she had performed during her time in the hospital. But she smothered that thought with another mimosa, determined not to let anything ruin the perfect country Christmas she had waited for all her adult life. Everything was just as wonderful as she had let herself dream, and if she had taken drastic measures to secure that perfection, then it had been well worth it.
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
NEW YEAR, NEW ATTITUDE
Like most of Stusa, Ellie and Julien rang in the new year at Mayor Goodwin's house party. It was a chance for the adults to act like adults since no kids were allowed. Ellie could partake in the obligatory eggnog without feeling guilty, knowing that she wouldn't see any of her students. And none of their parents could judge too harshly either, since most of them were there, partaking of more than just eggnog.
Mayor Goodwin had set up an open bar, Ellie was shocked to see. Apparently dry counties could serve alcohol as long as it was in a private home. Since the chief of police was there, Ellie figured this must be the one time of year the residents of Stusa cut loose and let their hair down. There was a small dance floor under the back deck strung with twinkling lights and a DJ playing everything from the classics to current hits.
Ellie sipped her eggnog and watched the prim-lipped librarian cut a rug with her Buddy Holly look-alike husband. She saw the police chief ask his ex-wife for a dance. She noticed the town lawyer swaying to the beat and eyeing Jolene, the pretty young clerk at Stinson's Grocers. Even Principal Danvers and the Reverintendent looked happy and relaxed.
When their favorite song came on, Julien grabbed Ellie around the waist and tried to get Ellie to dance, but her injuries made her feel like the Bride of Frankenstein, and she asked Julien to help her to a seat at the bar. Even if her medications limited her to one eggnog, she could still enjoy the conversation.
Before long, she found herself invited to the basement game room, playing cards with a group of ladies that included Lydia and Louella. Ellie was having fun – not just pretending, but truly enjoying herself. She was playing a mean, one-handed game of poker when Julien found her.
"Ma vie, it is time to go get the girls. Remember, our sitter has church early tomorrow morning." Julien reminded her, smiling. Ellie looked down at her watch and gasped.
"Wow! I had no idea it was so late! Thanks for the card game and the eggnog! This was a great party, Mrs. Goodwin." She kissed the hostess on the cheek and stood as Julien helped her.
"Oh, Ellie! Just call Tai and tell her you need to finish this one last round of cards. I'm sure she won't mind." Mrs. Goodwin proclaimed.
Ellie chuckled. "I'd love to, Mrs. Goodwin, but we couldn't get in touch with Tai. Zibby is our sitter tonight, and she cleans the church each Saturday morning. I wouldn't want to make her job any more difficult. I think she's saving money for college, you know."
"Well, it was a pleasure getting to know you and your husband. I hope you'll both come back around and see us sometime when you can stay longer." Mrs. Goodwin smiled.
"And when you're healed enough to cut a rug with the rest of us." Louella said, winking at Ellie as she returned to the card game.
Ellie and Julien made their rounds and said goodbye to everyone. Most were shocked that they were leaving so soon after midnight and seemed genuinely sad to see them go. When they got into the car, Ellie turned to Julien.
"You know, Julien. I've been judging people too harshly. That was a great little shindig, and I think I made some new friends. Maybe I'll adopt a new attitude in the New Year. I need to try to understand people more and to see things from their perspective."
Julien turned to her, a look of incredulity on his face. "Is this the medicine talking or the eggnog?" He lifted one eyebrow.
"No, really," Ellie chuckled as she settled into the passenger seat. "Even Lydia and Louella have been more thoughtful than nosy. They've brought food to us after each hospital visit. At first, I thought it was part of their church membership drive, but I think they really meant the meals as gifts with no strings attached."
"How charitable of you to consider their actions as good will." Julien smirked. "Who is this woman who looks like an embattled version of my wife?" Ellie laughed.
She leaned back against the headrest and let the sensation of happiness wash over her. This was what she had wanted, what she had dreamed of when they uprooted their lives and moved out of the city. This was how life could be for her, for Julien, and for their girls – small gatherings of intimate friends, a sense of belonging and of being known and included, a healthy lifestyle far from the pressures of the urban rat race. It had been a successful evening, despite her injuries.
When they got home, Ellie and Julien went to the girls' bedroom and found Zibby snoozing in the recliner in Bibi's room. A book had slipped from Zibby's hands. Ellie picked it up and saw that Zibby had been re-reading The Crucible. Wow, Ellie thought. What a dedicated student!
Ellie also found the girls' favorite bedtime storybook, The Horse and His Boy from C.S. Lewis's tales of Narnia. Both Mel and Bibi were asleep, snuggled into Bibi's small bed, hugging their teddy bears. While Julien kissed the girls lightly on their foreheads, Ellie tapped Zibby's shoulder and whispered, "Zibby, we're back. Can I drive you home?"
Zibby opened her eyes and gave a little jump. "Oh gosh! I didn't mean to fall asleep, Mrs. P. But the girls are fine, I mean they fell asleep, so I started reading, and I guess I just drifted off. The house was so quiet-." Zibby looked embarrassed to have been discovered sleeping on the job.
Ellie smiled and put her hand on Zibby's arm. "Don't worry. They are fine, and it has happened to me more times than I can count."
Zibby stretched and yawned. "Whew! Well, I'm glad you're not angry. Hey – at least I was reading The Crucible. Does that earn me any brownie points?" She asked with a mischievous grin and one raised eyebrow.
Ellie chuckled softly, "Hmm. We'll see. Come downstairs, and we'll get your things together to take you home." As they headed towards the staircase, Julien asked if he should drive considering Ellie's sling.
"No, I can drive one-handed, especially since her house isn't too far. I'll be fine. And I want to talk to Zibby about the play." Ellie responded.
"Well, if it's okay with you, Mrs. P, I'd rather you drop me off at the church. It's actually closer than my house, and my mom and I are cleaning it tonight to sleep late tomorrow."
"Tonight?" Ellie asked in shock. "But it's so late, Zibby, and it's New Year's! Don't you think it would be wiser to go home?"
"No, ma'am." Zibby replied. "My mom is meeting me at the church. We'll get it clean in a jiffy. Then we'll go home, drink sparkling grape juice, and throw glitter at each other while we watch the ball drop in New York."
Ellie looked at Zibby wondering if she had been drinking more than just sparkling grape juice. "Sparkling grape juice, huh? Is that a euphemism I need to know? The ball dropped over an hour ago." Ellie remarked.
Zibby laughed. "I know. We recorded it. My mom is a recovering alcoholic, so we never have any type of alcohol in the house – not even mouth wash."
"Oh wow! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry." Ellie responded, chagrined.
>
"It's okay. I thought you knew -- everybody else does. You know how it is here, right? There aren't many secrets. Someone always blabs. It's just like Ben Franklin said, 'Three of us can keep a secret if two of us are dead.' He definitely must have visited Stusa at some point."
It pleased Ellie that Zibby remembered her lesson on Benjamin Franklin and aphorisms. No wonder Zibby was one of her favorites. She really got it.
"Well, I'll keep that in mind, Zibby. Thanks for reminding me. And, by the way, that definitely gets you some brownie points. Benjamin Franklin and Arthur Miller in one night? Are you buttering me up for something?" Ellie and Zibby both laughed.
"If you're going to be up half the night, let me at least make you an espresso or cappuccino for the road. What do you like?" Ellie offered.
"Yum. I'd love a cappuccino." Zibby answered.
They sipped their drinks as Ellie maneuvered the car to the First Baptist Church of Stusa. Zibby delighted in the thick foam topping and turned to Ellie with a large white mustache. She waggled her eyebrows, "Can you take me seriously like this?" I want to talk about The Crucible," and they both burst into giggles.
"Seriously, though," Zibby said, licking the foam from her upper lip, "I've noticed a lot of things about the play that totally fit our town. I've been wanting to talk to you about it to see if it's really there, or if I'm just over-analyzing everything." Zibby took another sip of her drink.
"I mean, am I crazy," she continued, "or can the play be understood on two different levels? On the surface, it seems to be about catching witches, but underneath it all, I think Miller is pointing out that we all tend towards hypocrisy – and the loudest accusers are often the biggest offenders." Zibby looked at Ellie to check her reaction.
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