Magic and Lace

11

Lacey awoke from her drug induced sleep with a headache, The pain was like tiny explosions going off in her head, almost like fireworks, but not quite the same since she liked fireworks and she didn't like this feeling, she moaned. Mrs. Graham was there as soon as she heard Lacey.

"How are you feeling dear?"

Lacey managed a weak smile.

"I feel like the fourth of July is being celebrated in my head, but other than that. I feel fine."

Mrs. Graham patted her hand tenderly.

"Laudanum is known to do that to a person."

When the knock on the door came Lacey grabbed the pillow from the other side of the bed and placed it over her head hoping to drown out the sound, and to ward off any well-wishers she felt terrible and she knew that she looked just as bad.

Mrs. Graham answered the door and told the three people that Lacey wasn't feeling well and that she could not receive anyone at this time, but the gentlemen pushed her aside and proceeded to enter,

"Non sense," The women followed.

Jeremy plucked the pillow off Lacey and stood over her. He seemed so cheery.

"Well, my dear I see you are alive and well there's someone here I would like you to meet?"

The two women step forward.

"Miss Lacey Marie Walker, I would like you to meet my wife Gretchen and my daughter Margaret."

Margaret who was very obviously pregnant patted her stomach and this is Gertrude."

Lacey had to take a deep breath she couldn't believe Craddock would bring anyone into her room when she looked like this. Then she took the weight of his words in and those of Margaret. Lacey thought back to the day she came to 1875, she was in her grandmother's attic, and she remembered that the name of her grandmother's mother was Gertrude Craddock Wayne, could this be her Great Great Grandmother, and her Great Great Great Grandparents here in the room with her. No way, the Laudanum must be playing tricks on her. For God sakes if what she was thinking was right then she was older than her own great grandmother who wasn't even born yet. For the first time that she had come into this time Lacey seemed scared.

"Who are you?"

Jeremy seemed to sense Lacey's apprehension he gave his wife a glance and then she was ushering Mrs. Graham out of the room and locking the door. Gretchen walked to the opposite side of the bed that her husband was on and sat down on the bed and took Lacey's hand.

"Dear what, we have to tell you is of great importance, but by no mean terrible."

Lacey turned to Jeremy who was the only person she knew in the room. He gave her a smile that was meant to be reassuring, but it wasn't helping. Jeremy took a deep breath.

"Do you remember the day of your grandmother's funeral?"

Lacey nodded Jeremy went on.

"I gave you a key, and I told you that it was for a trunk up in your grandmother's attic, and that if you could be opened minded then it could hold the key to your future."

Lacey nodded again so Jeremy started to continue, but it was Gretchen who started to talk.

"Jeremy you should have started at the beginning Oh bother let me tell the child."

Lacey turned to look at Gretchen.

"Did your father ever tell you about how you got your name?"

Lacey smiled of course she knew how she had gotten her name she was named after a damn horse, but she didn't say that she only nodded to affirm the fact that she knew.