Through the Shadows (8 page)

* * *

Tears coursing down his own face, Avery stretched out his arms as if to hold Tori, to comfort the love of his life. Cursed was this flimsy, nonexistent form he was imprisoned in, unable to hold her, kiss her, show her how truly loved she was. He lifted his head, imploring any God that may take pity on his plight, to give him substance so that he might touch this angel who needed him as much as he needed her. As if in answer to his plea, he could feel a change beginning to take place.

Chapter Seven

Sharon passed Lydia a cup of tea, the aromatic blend wafting through the room to lend a certain coziness to the scene. Sharon’s expressive face, much like her own daughter’s, belied the fact that something troubled her. The perpetual smile had slipped just a notch, and her pretty lips were a pencil-line in her lovely face.

“Okay, Luv, tell me what’s wrong.”

Sharon smiled ruefully and tilted her head to one side as she shrugged her shoulders. Surprisingly, a solitary tear gently fell from her blue eyes.

“Lydia, I’m not exactly sure what’s wrong. Oh, I have an idea. I do know one thing that has happened, but not the whole story…”

With assumed patience, Lydia placed her cup and saucer on the polished mahogany coffee table.

“I’ve an idea, Sharon. Instead of you talking in circles and confusing me more, why don’t you just lay your cards out for me? How can I play the game if I can’t see your hand?”

Sharon chuckled, “Ah, dear Lydia. You always do want me to cut to the chase, don’t you, dear?”

“Well, it would make it much easier to help if I knew the rules of the game.”

“I’m concerned about Tori, but I don’t know that you can help, Lydia. I don’t know if anyone can.”

“Yes, well, you’re still being quite vague, Sharon. Do be a dear and tell me what is going on.”

“Lydia, have you noticed how haggard Tori is looking lately? She looks like she never sleeps. I know she’s always been somewhat of a recluse, but it seems as if she’s withdrawing more and more lately, even from me. Several times her telephone is off the hook, or she simply doesn’t answer it. When I can’t stand it anymore, I go to her house to find her a wreck, crying or complaining with a terrible headache. Then she tells me that Jim called her to tell her he’s getting married, and the woman is pregnant. I’m very worried what this may do to Tori.”

“Sweetheart, Tori is a grown woman. The biggest problem I see with adult children is you can’t make them listen to you, as if you could when they were younger. Yes, I’ve noticed the changes in Tori, but she’ll be okay. She’s much tougher and more resilient than you give her credit for, my dear. Tori may have had the wind knocked out of her, but she’ll catch her breath, I just know it.”

“I sure hope you’re right. It hurts me to see her like this, especially when it seems there’s nothing I can do to help her.”

“Sharon, I just had a splendid idea! What about us finding her a date?”

“She would probably kill us both. You know she doesn’t date. She hasn’t dated since the divorce.”

Lydia grinned, “Then it’s way past time she went out with a nice man, isn’t it? I know just the guy, too. He’s a writer, so they automatically have something in common. I admit, he writes science-fiction, but a writer nevertheless, right?”

“Oh, I don’t know about this, Lydia. Tori is so funny about things like that. I’m sure she will get mad at us if we set her up with this guy.”

“Well, alright, but it’s a shame. He’s close to her age, exquisitely handsome, and has just loads of money.”

Sharon’s face shined. “Oh, he’s wealthy, you say? Tell me, wherever did you meet him?”

Lydia’s deep-throated chuckle made Sharon grin.

“He happens to be one of my other clients. I just had the contract drawn up yesterday. His name is Roger Hart. He’s new to the area and knows no one. He just fell in love with the town while driving through last year and decided to move here permanently. No wife, no kids—perfect, in other words.”

“He sounds interesting, Lydia. Maybe it is time Tori made a new friend.”

Lydia smiled conspiratorially and winked at Sharon.

“Shall we have them both to my house for dinner, say, Friday night?”

“Yes, let’s!”

Sharon grabbed a notebook and started the menu for dinner at Lydia’s house. Even though she just knew Tori wouldn’t like their arranging this date, it was high time someone stepped in to help her. The two women had their heads close together as, deep into the night, they mapped out the details.

* * *

The first thing Tori noticed when she opened her eyes was that it was incredibly dark in the room, and then the pounding headache that was still in residence. Moaning, she eased herself from under the blankets and fumbled for the light switch. As she walked through the house, turning on a light in each room, she remembered the reason for sedating herself into a medicinal hangover. Though still saddened at Jim’s forthcoming marriage and parenthood, she no longer felt like crying.

She put together a pot of coffee and ambled into the computer room vowing to try to get some work done. The first thing she noticed was that the screen-saver wasn’t the same one she had chosen. This one was words, red Old English lettering raced across a white background. The backs of her arms broke out in goose bumps. Not taking time to try to read the complex calligraphy, Tori tapped the space bar, revealing what hid beneath there. Her eyes widened as she saw text there on the monitor, as if awaiting her approval.

Angry rain had assaulted the villa the entire day. Near dusk, the torrential downpour had abated into a magnificent rainbow. Mankala was walking with care around deep puddles, his master allowing the steed to go where he wished. Avery was too absorbed in his own thoughts, his own heart’s desires, to be concerned which direction they traveled. He was lost in memory of the one who consumed his passion, his dreams. As he saw her in his mind, his breath caught at his chest in wonder. It was as if he could taste her lips, feel her body leaning into his, smell her essence, hear her voice whispered through the trees. Seabirds swooped and cried out, their mournful song matched that of his heart.

As Avery and Mankala ascended the crest of the largest hill on the property, he followed the arc of the multicolored hues as far as he eyes could see. It was here, near the end, that awaited his own share of gold, as promised in legends. There sat his lady, his love, atop an outcropping of craggy rocks, staring into the deepening twilight. At the sound of horse hooves, she expectantly turned to look for him. As she stood, waiting, his eyes filled at the sight of her beauty.

The seamstress had chosen well the color of the dress, green as a dew-kissed meadow. Stitched all around with small tucks and pleats to accentuate her breasts, it hugged her slender shoulders, clung to her waist, then fell to her feet in gentle swaths. The collar rose to meet the petal pink softness of her face, the color setting off her auburn hair like lace against copper. She was as fresh and sweet as the dawn.

As his master dismounted, Mankala dropped his head as if in greeting her. Avery heard the horse’s whinny at his own pleasure of her presence.

If he had traveled with the tempo of his heart, Avery would have been running toward this exquisite creature, but he fought to restrain himself, for fear of frightening her away, as he always seemed to do. He didn’t understand. He felt that she loved him as deeply, that her passion surged through her as strongly as his own, yet she never failed to run from him. Avery slowed his step even more as he neared her.

She stood there, the rain-fresh breeze playing with the folds of her dress, at times wrapping it more closely to her lovely form. It was as if Mother Nature herself were teasingly tempting him. She nervously flicked her tongue, wetting her lips, eliciting a moan he held beneath his breath. Her emerald eyes were large in her lovely face that was colored so sweetly with the height of a sweet blush. Her rapid, shallow breath caused her bosom to rise and fall most deliciously and Avery fought to keep his hands from her.

He smiled as he stood mere inches from her. Her head tilted back as she looked into his face, staring at his mouth, desire narrowing the pupils of her eyes. Avery felt the heat radiating from her, and his desire rose to meet it. Without a word, he leaned down, his lips cautiously touching hers. When she didn’t pull away, he increased the pressure of his mouth, and was dizzily thrilled when he felt her lips part beneath his own. Tentatively, he touched her soft lips with his probing tongue, and felt the electrical reaction course through her body. Immediately, she jerked her head away, and turned to run down the hill.

Avery’s shoulders sagged and his eyes filled with sorrow as he watched her run. Knowing it was of no avail, he held out his hand, begging her to come back to him.

“Come back, my darling! I love you! Please come back to me, Victoria.”

Tori heard her own harsh breathing echo back to her from the walls of her computer room. She touched her forehead then quickly dropped her hand when she felt the cold sheen of sweat covering her face. Her arms crossed over her stomach as she felt a spasm seize through her middle. Instinctively doubling over, she fell into the familiar chair to read again the words she had
not
written. Over and over she retraced the text, always feeling apprehension as she neared the end, as if she were reading it again for the first time. No matter how many times she read it, her body wouldn’t relax, refused to release her from this icy cold grip of foreboding. Folding her trembling hands in her lap, Tori struggled to make sense of this phenomenon. Thoughts raced through her mind, each one screaming to be heard above the others, colliding into each other, only to skitter away angrily when she refused to acknowledge it.

“What is this? What’s going on here? I know I didn’t write this. It’s not even my style. O God, have I lost my mind? What the hell is the matter with me?”

Tears of frustration froze on her cheeks as she heard the deep sigh of sadness behind her. Her whole body felt alive with crawling insects as she swiveled around in her chair. As before, she saw no one, nothing, but she did feel heat emanating from a spot just behind her.

She grabbed her purse, then ran at breakneck speed to her car. She had time to think just before she screeched from the house
. I thought ghosts felt
cold.

* * *

Sharon pulled open the door, her sleep-disheveled hair around her head. She was completely awake, fear at being awakened at 3
A.M.
wiping cobwebs of sleep from her mind. Her mouth was slack in surprise as seeing her daughter’s blanched face and entire body shivering in terror.

“Honey! What is it?”

She pulled Tori into the house, closing the door and wrapping an arm around her daughter with the same movement.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” Moving away only far enough to quickly check for blood or visible injuries, Sharon’s own face was devoid of color. “Please Victoria, tell me what’s wrong.”

Embarrassed shame colored Tori’s cheeks. Now that she was away from the phantasmal presence, she was already convincing herself she had imagined the entire incident. Of course, she couldn’t erase the unearthly words on the computer monitor, but if she concentrated hard enough, she might be able to come up with some type of logical explanation.

“Mom, I’m okay, really I am. I just had a bad dream, and if you don’t mind, I’d like to sleep over here the rest of the night. You know, wanting your mommy when you get spooked.” Tori could tell that her laugh did nothing to relieve Sharon’s feeling that something was wrong, very wrong. She knew a mother’s instinct was a viable, real thing. She was thankful when her mother didn’t press the issue.

“Well, of course you can stay here, Honey. You know you’re always welcome to spend the night. I like having my little girl with me.”

Tori grinned at the term “little girl” and her mother’s look warned her to not push it. She hugged Sharon, said she was tired, and asked if they could just go to bed now.

* * *

Standing still in the vacated room, the glow of the computer cast no shadow on the wall as it shined against Avery’s form. Nevertheless, the pain etched upon his face was real.

Chapter Eight

Tori was greeted with a cascade of brilliant sunshine lying softly on her face. Though she stretched languidly, her thoughts were already in high gear. It took a few seconds for her to find her bearings.

Where am I? This isn’t my room. Oh yeah, I’m at Mom’s. I came here last night after having the life nearly scared out of me. The book—ah yes, the book and words on the computer that I didn’t even write. And then there was that… that
thing
standing behind me in the room.

An involuntary shudder traveled her spine and she threw off the blankets. She smelled the delicious aroma of coffee and breakfast before her feet hit the floor. At once, she was famished. Her mother had thoughtfully left a robe at the foot of the bed. Tori slipped it on, grateful for the warmth.

Sharon met her with a smile and a kiss.

“Good morning, Baby. How’d you sleep? I peeked in a couple of times and you seemed to be resting well.”

“Oh, I slept like the dead. Hmm, bad terminology there. I mean, I slept like a log.” Tori grinned at Sharon’s look of amusement.

The two women talked companionably over waffles. They talked about anything except what had brought Tori to Sharon’s at three in the morning.

“Tori, we need to talk.”

“Mom, please. I don’t really want to discuss it right now. I just want to get my head screwed on straight and go back home. I…”

Sharon covered Tori’s hand with her own.

“No, Sweetheart, not about
that
. Lydia and I have done something I’m sure you’re going to be mad about.”

Tori paused in mid-bite, fork suspended in the air in front of her face, and looked at her mother warily.

“O God, what have you two done this time?”

Sharon held her stomach from laughing so hard.

“You should see your face. Oh, this is priceless. Wish I’d had a camera to get a shot of that!”