Saul and Jane had been Annie's salvation the last 12 months. They had always been her aunt and uncle, butthrough the recent grieving process they had become her closest friends. They were there in the middle of the night when Annie needed comfort after nightmares ripped a hole in her sleep. They were there to catch her graveside when the sorrow of goodbyes was so heavy she could no longer stand, and now they were here to cocoon her from harsh reality for a few days so she could rest and heal.
"We've cooked up your favorite," said Jane, "Steak, medium rare. Baked Potato. Sour dough rolls, and salad with poppy-seed dressing."
"With hot fudge sundaes for dessert," chimed Saul as the party of four entered the great room of the rustic log cabin.
"Sounds heavenly. Just let me put the baby down and I'll be right out."
Annie lifted her sleeping child from Jane's arms and walked her to the "blue" room. The trundle bed was made and waiting to envelope little Sarah in a sea of warm cotton sheets and patchwork quilts made lovingly by hand.After a snug tuck, Annie turned and surveyed the room that had been hers every summer growing up. She smiled. Same iron headboard. Same bear rug. Same...same black and white 5x7 on the wall beneath the deer head.
Annie caught her breath as she reached for the picture in the old wooden frame. She traced the outlines of the two teenagers strolling hand-in-hand down the gravel road strewn with pine needles. Her hand trembled as she took the photograph from it's perch on the nail and hugged it to her chest.
"I will never leave you."
"What?" said Annie. "Whose there?"
The temperature in the room dropped and Annie folded her arms about her as she backed into the corner. Had she really heard something, or were those just the echos of a life long past?
"Mommy...tell daddy to talk louder. I couldn't hear him this time," whispered Sarah as she turned on her side, stuck her thumb in her mouth and drifted back to sleep.
Annie dropped to her knees. It took the wind out of her just to consider it.
"It can't be. These kinds of things only happen in the movies. No, that's just silly."
Pushing herself back to standing, Annie replaced the picture on the wall, kissed her daughter on the cheek, and backed out of the room, quietly latching the door as she went. She stumbled to the arm of the green velvet love seat and perched there numb and confused as Jane walked in the room.
"Hey, lady. What's up with you? It looks like you've seen a ghost," chirped Jane.
"We've cooked up your favorite," said Jane, "Steak, medium rare. Baked Potato. Sour dough rolls, and salad with poppy-seed dressing."
"With hot fudge sundaes for dessert," chimed Saul as the party of four entered the great room of the rustic log cabin.
"Sounds heavenly. Just let me put the baby down and I'll be right out."
Annie lifted her sleeping child from Jane's arms and walked her to the "blue" room. The trundle bed was made and waiting to envelope little Sarah in a sea of warm cotton sheets and patchwork quilts made lovingly by hand.After a snug tuck, Annie turned and surveyed the room that had been hers every summer growing up. She smiled. Same iron headboard. Same bear rug. Same...same black and white 5x7 on the wall beneath the deer head.
Annie caught her breath as she reached for the picture in the old wooden frame. She traced the outlines of the two teenagers strolling hand-in-hand down the gravel road strewn with pine needles. Her hand trembled as she took the photograph from it's perch on the nail and hugged it to her chest.
"I will never leave you."
"What?" said Annie. "Whose there?"
The temperature in the room dropped and Annie folded her arms about her as she backed into the corner. Had she really heard something, or were those just the echos of a life long past?
"Mommy...tell daddy to talk louder. I couldn't hear him this time," whispered Sarah as she turned on her side, stuck her thumb in her mouth and drifted back to sleep.
Annie dropped to her knees. It took the wind out of her just to consider it.
"It can't be. These kinds of things only happen in the movies. No, that's just silly."
Pushing herself back to standing, Annie replaced the picture on the wall, kissed her daughter on the cheek, and backed out of the room, quietly latching the door as she went. She stumbled to the arm of the green velvet love seat and perched there numb and confused as Jane walked in the room.
"Hey, lady. What's up with you? It looks like you've seen a ghost," chirped Jane.
