In my shadow

Into The Shadows-wattys 2016The presence-Chapter One

The day had started out as usual.The T.V.was so loud that sitting at my kitchen table I couldn't think straight.Getting ready for work when the air condition had broken was not an easy task.Ninety degrees today is what they were saying.Blow drying my hair was not an easy task.Why did I still live in the south ?I dreamed of snow covered hills with hot chocolate nights.The desperation in her voice conveyed how she was feeling.She had answered her phone with a little southern sas.Samantha couldn't help but laugh when she heard her sister say,good morning to you too.Heather was a little more laid back and was always amused by her sisters down right rude attitude.Being the big sister was always fun but at times downright tiring.As Samantha hung up the phone she felt a presence .As she started her car she couldn't shake the feeling that she wasn't alone.
Chapter Two-The sighting -The small farm that Samantha had was really starting to bother her.The rooms were small and the intention of building on had somehow got swept under the rug.The cottage like feel of the place had worn off after the first ten years there.Heather had phoned her and was on her way to the farm.As usual Heather was coming to make her famous strawberry pancakes.Breakfast for them was like a southern tradition.Growing up they always shared stories over breakfast .Somehow through the years the rest of the family had drifted off to other ventures.Barbara lived in California and only came home once a year.Mom and Dad had died years ago.As Heather came into the kitchen she looked toward me as I was walking to sit at the table.Heather ask who's the little girl following you?Do you need some medication I ask her.Im telling you there was a little girl following you.I poured my tea and quickly changed the subject.I really was worried about Heather though.It wasn't like her to embellish the truth.As I ate my pancakes I still couldn't shake that the presence of somebody else being in our kitchen .Chapter 3-The evil visitor-Samantha had been single ever since her husband had died two years earlier.She was in no hurry to start a new relationship.Dan was a good husband who had tried hard but had left her slightly in a financial mess.His untimely death had created major bills .Samantha wasn't one to fret over matters.She had landed on her feet firmly and had slowly paid almost all of her bills.Agriculture wasn't what it use to be .She had turned the farm into an herb garden that produced enough income to live comfortably .She provided herbs to a lot of businesses that used them in dishes .Restaurants were a big benefactor.Along side of the cosmetic industry.This Samantha had researched and had started her own company .Too many responsibilities to take on.As the day ended she remembered as she was driving home that she had not returned a call to Heather .Heather rang her cell as she was parking her car.O.k sis you have done it this time.What are you talking about I asked her.Aunt Dora called and she is sending our cousin Tom to visit.Not evil Tom.Yes evil Tom.She says she won't let him stay one more minute in the condo with her.Why I ask her?Aunt Dora says he is a bumb and she won't spend another dime on trying to find him a decent wife.She says he left his wife over five years ago.You know Aunt Dora ,Tom is not really a bumb.She can't mold him into her perfect little prince.I certainly hope he doesn't still play all the tricks he use to play.When we were growing up he was so evil .The tricks were mean Samantha agreed.So when is he suppose to come.Tonight.Oh no not tonight.Yes and he's staying with you Sam.If he's staying than you are coming to stay too.O.k.I will stay with you while he is here.When Samantha hung up the phone she realized that Tom was already standing on her front porch.Something about the way he stood made her feel uneasy.Hello cousin Tom.She hugged him but quickly realized he wasn't real affectionate.As she opened the door she could see a shadow that seemed to disappear as she entered.Once again she felt a presence that they were not alone.Chapter Four-The second sighting-Heather had arrived with half a truckload of clothes.I had quickly sent her back with some of them.She was a little quarrelsome at first but agreed on the terms.A light bag with four or five outfits.Heather was the one who always made the suitcase not shut when we were growing up.Tom seemed bothered by all the uproar but never said a word.Finally when we were all enjoying a glass of tea outside he did say he had missed seeing us girls and hoped his mother hadn't inconvenienced us too much by sending him there.We both laughed and Tom seem to loosen up a little bit.After I talked to Tom he explained that Aunt Dora was upset that he hadn't gotten remarried.Tom explained to us that he had no intentions of ever getting married again.He said it was a bitter divorce and that he just wanted to enjoy life.Samantha agreed with him and told him she knew how he felt.Then as Samantha got up Tom ask who is the little girl following you?Heather dropped her glass of tea.I looked but didn't see anyone.This time though we knew that I could not see her.Somehow though I didn't feel frightened .A little more than curious though.Who was she? Why did she pick me to follow out of the shadows?Chapter Five-The bad vibe-Tom seem to adjust to life pretty good.I hired him to sell herbs to companies and he would make a pretty penny for the sale,He was tall and seemed to enjoy dressing for the job.He certainly was not a bumb.Aunt Dora could be mean and probably made him nervous.Tom relished at being able to earn his own living.Heather couldn't believe that our cousin Tom was so efficient.As the weeks passed Tom all of a sudden had a visitor at the farm.His exwife had heard of his success and dropped by unannounced.Tom seem to be a little upset but graciously invited her in.Heather was sitting in the living room and stood up to leave as they sat down .As their voices rose we could hear Tom asking her to leave.Then a slamming of a door.As I watched the car pull away I felt a weird vibe.ChapterSix-When worlds collide-Heather seem to like the farm so much that she decided to stay on permanently.As for me I enjoyed being able to take a breather since Tom had joined the work force at the farm.Heather seem to be in a much better place since she had moved out to the farm.Tom was distant at supper but I thought it was just the weather bothering him.As I sat down at the kitchen table Tom wanted to talk to me.He wanted me to see some plans he had made for the farm.The plans involved building a bigger house for all of us to live in.I was skeptical at first.Then as I thought about it I loved the idea.Heather still felt a little torn about being here forever.I told her that sometimes when two worlds collide the first one we have to let go of.Esspecially if that world couldn't move us forward.Heather laughed and agreed with me.Chapter seven-Goodbye to the old-As the weeks flew by work seem to devour our time.By now Heather has joined the work force at the farm.Heather seem to be harboring some scars from an old flame but wanted to keep it to herself.She was like a mad lady on a mission to prove she could survive.As for me I relished the sunsets everyday.Dan had taught me before he died to enjoy something in everyday..We all had decided to go catch a movie and have a late supper in town.As we ate our supper we laughed at some of the old stories of Tom growing up.Heather told him he had changed so much since moving to the farm.Tom laughed .He told us that he enjoyed the outdoors and loved working with his hands.As for me I just feel blessed that you came to the farm.As the night wore on we slowly headed back to the farm only to find that our farm was burned to the ground.I was devastated.So many memories gone in the smoke.My business oh my,I gasped as I screamed and cried.Heather and Tom tried to comfort me but They had to carry me in our car to a hotel in town .I slept for days before I finally realized sometimes you have to say goodbye to the old and move on-Chapter Eight-Heathers Secret-Life was a struggle.Rebuilding our business would take a good year or more.Tom looked for another job to supplement him until that happened.I took a job at the local restaurant to make ends meet.While Heather tried her thumb at the local flower shop.Things certainly were changing.Living in the hotel got old really quick so we had rented a small cottage near the ocean .Rebuilding our house would be at least a good year.As time went by Heather, Tom and I adjusted to the little cottage pretty quickly.Heather had ask us to meet her at the cottage so we had obliged her.Heather sat on the swing and finally blurted out that She was going to have a baby and the father had left.He had no intentions of raising their child..So she looked at me and said aunt Sam what do you say?I hugged her and told her we would be there for her and the baby.Tom cried as grave her his sincere smile.As we got up a knock came at the door.It was a man telling us the fire was no accident .We were shocked when the police told us they had arrested Toms exwife on charges of arson.We all felt bad for Tom.He said he couldn't believe someone could be so mean.Chapter Nine-The Homecoming-Our lives slowly started to get back to normal.We finally moved back to the farm.The house was bigger and we did enjoy the walk in closets.Heather enjoyed her new bedroom with adjoining room for the baby.I enjoyed the new kitchen.The baby would arrive shortly before Christmas.Tom stayed busy with the herbs.While I still felt a presence at this house too.So much so that I ask Heather if she felt it too.She finally told me she still sees the little girl following me from time to time.Tom said he did too but didn't want to scare me.Our homecoming was nice but who is the little girl?Chapter Ten-A strange happening-Our family reunion was coming up .Heather and Tom was so excited about it.As I sat down to work on our family tree I came upon a grave that looked familiar.The name was of a little girl who was my first friend as a child.I called Heather and Tom to look at this.There on the grave was a picture of a little girl with blond hair and blue eyes.Tom and Heather couldn't believe it.It was the little girl who had been following me.She had died when she was four.I never knew what happened to her.I was five when she died.I remembered that we ate mud pies and Mom would make us chicken and dumplings .Patty was her name ..I cried as I remembered my first friend.So now when I see the shadow I know That Patty has come to protect me.The End