| Whisper |
| Thanks to UAgirl from the Coffeerooms board for writing this story! |
| Prologue Thunder rumbled in the distance, and Danielle wondered idly if her parents had thought to take an umbrella as she listened to the rat-a-tat-tat of the raindrops pelting the window pane. �Your parents are fine,� a warm voice said. Startling her until her eyes connected with her aunt Charity�s cornflower blue eyes in the bathroom mirror. �Here. I thought you might need this.� Danielle took the pink toothbrush her aunt offered with a smile and picked up the tube of toothpaste beside the sink. �Thank you.� �You know�if you want, I can call them. Check on them for you. Just in case.� Danielle shook her head. Her dark hair spilling over her shoulders. Tonight was too important. Their anniversary. �That�s okay,� she smiled. �I believe you.� And she did. Her aunt Charity just knew certain things. Her mom called it a gift. Her aunt brushed her hair back off her shoulders with cool hands and kissed the top of her head. �Then I�ll go check on Tessa.� The lights overhead flickered. �Better hurry up, Dani,� she said. Her speech garbled by the toothbrush in her mouth. �Or you�ll be brushing you teeth in the dark.� @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ �Luis�do you think you should call and check on her?� Luis reached across the table and took his wife�s hand between both of his. Running his thumb over the smooth gold of her simple wedding band. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze before speaking. �Baby, Danielle�s fine. Miguel and Charity are taking the best care of her.� She smiled at him then. But the smile never reached her beautiful blue eyes. A real smile was a rarity these days. How he wished he could bring the light, the joy, back to her sad eyes. �If it will make you feel better,� he said softly. Reaching into his pocket and withdrawing his cellphone. �Thank you,� she whispered. Kissing his lips gently. Lovingly. And for an instant he thought he saw signs of the old Sheridan. �Miguel,� he said into the mouthpiece of the phone. �Listen�is that gorgeous daughter of mine still awake? She is. Put her on the phone, will you. Sheridan wants to say goodnight.� He smiled when he heard his daughter�s sleepy voice in the background. �Hi, Sweetheart. Someone wants to talk to you. I love you, too. Goodnight.� And he handed the phone to Sheridan. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ He rubbed his eyes tiredly. A small smile on his face as he listened to his five year-old son�s account of his day at the beach with his cousins. And all the fun they had had. Until the dark rainclouds started rolling in. Casting a gloomy shadow over all of Harmony. Intermittent streaks of lightning lit up the sky. Bringing with them flashes, images, of his not-so-perfect life. His blue eyes perused the spanse of her naked back, and the guilt nearly suffocated him when he heard her worried voice. �Ethan�where are you? Matthew was so disappointed when you missed dinner. I know things have been strained between us lately�� Bit of an understatement there, don�t you think, Theresa, he thought bitterly. I just found out only months ago that you�ve been lying to me for years. Years, dammit. Forgive me if things seem a little strained. ��are you spending the night at the office again? Ethan�please come home,� she cried brokenly. �I love you.� He pushed a button, and the distant sound of a dial tone rang in his ears. That�s why this hurts so damn much. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ She pushed a strand of wet auburn hair from her brow and shrugged the jacket that clung to her like a second skin from her shoulders. Letting it hang loosely from her arm as her eyes adjusted to the dimness of the small, smoky room. Years ago�before the whole fiasco with Ethan�the people of Harmony would be shocked to see a rich socialite like her in such an establishment. But that was years ago. A lifetime ago she�d think, if only the pain wasn�t still so ever-present in her heart. Things were different now. Very different. She was one of Joe�s regulars. She threw her jacket carelessly across the back of one of the barstools and climbed into the seat next to it. �Give me a�� �I know. I know,� Joe cut her off. �Here you go, Ms. Hotchkiss. Strong. Just like you like it.� She held her glass up and uttered the same words she�d uttered for the past ten years. �To my miserable life.� Her blood boiled, and her blue eyes turned to ice when she heard him say, �Look what the cat dragged in.� She slammed her glass against the counter and whirled around in her seat. �Go to hell.� If looks could kill�Hank Bennett would be a dead man. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ Ivy held her breath and counted to ten before saying anything. She would not take the bait this time. Wouldn�t let Kay goad her into another screaming match. Jessica lay a calming hand on her sister�s back. Ever the peace-maker. �No! I will not keep my mouth shut about this, Dad!� Kay spat. Her voice rising in anger with each syllable. She shoved her chair back from the table. The flashes of lightning reflecting in her wild dark eyes. �You never loved Mom. Not really,� she accused. Tears stinging and slipping unchecked down her cheeks. �Stop it! Stop it right now!� Sam demanded. Grabbing his eldest daughter by the shoulders and shaking her roughly. �I did love your mother,� he said emphatically. His blue eyes boring into her. So filled with guilt. With feeling. �I still love her,� he admitted quietly. Ivy�s heart constricted at his words. She�d underestimated his feelings so long ago. The ghost of his dead wife haunted every facet of their life together. �Then why are you with her?� Jessica asked pointedly. And Ivy fled the living room in tears. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ �There you go. Your arm�s as good as new,� she said. Giving the young boy a friendly pat on the head and smiling reassuringly at the distraught mother. �Adam will be fine, Mrs. Walker. Just six weeks and that cast should come off.� The tiny brunette in front of her burst into a grateful smile and hugged her impulsively. �Thank you so much, Ms. Johnson.� She smiled back at the younger woman. �Eve,� she corrected. �Call me Eve. You be careful on the drive home now, Mrs. Walker. That weather�s pretty nasty.� An enormous clap of thunder sounded then. As if to prove her point. �Don�t worry. We will. Thank you again, Ms. Joh�Eve,� the woman stammered. Eve waved at the mother and son as they walked out the clinic�s doors. The tiny green umbrella useless in this torrential downpour. She waited until they were safely ensconced in the run-down Ford before turning around. She gasped in surprise at the grizzled old seaman standing before her. �Can you help her, M�am?� Eve raised a shaky hand to her mouth. It couldn�t be. Grace Bennett was dead. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ �Go on home, Noah,� Beth suggested. Handing him a steaming cup of coffee. Black. Noah quirked a golden brow at her. �To that hellhole? No thanks. My dad can put an engagement ring on his slut�s finger, but that doesn�t make her respectable. Ivy doesn�t love my dad. She�s obsessed with him.� �Maybe. I thought the same thing at first, Noah,� Beth said. Taking the seat next to him. �But Noah,� she said gently. �Now I think it�s something more. She isn�t your mom. But she does love your dad.� Noah leaned back in his chair. His arms crossed defensively. �I don�t care. Mom wasn�t gone three months before she moved in on Dad. Three months, Beth. She wasn�t even cold in her grave,� he said. His voice tight with emotion. The bells at the front tinkled. Announcing a new arrival. Kind brown eyes gazed at Noah from across the Book Caf�, and Beth smiled in relief when the young woman walked toward them slowly. Her long dark hair framing her face as tiny rivulets of water trickled down her chin. �Paloma�talk some sense into him.� @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ She twisted the newspaper in her hands fretfully. Dread in her bones as she turned the key in the ignition, and the car�s windshield wipers ground to a halt. Rain pounded down steadily. She didn�t know if it was the cause of the dull roar in her ears or her blood rushing through her veins at this latest news. She uncurled the paper once more, and boldly splashed across the front page were the words �Julian Crane�s Release Set for this Friday.� The paper went on to detail the events of years past leading up to his arrest and eventual conviction. Then there were pictures of both former Mrs. Cranes: Ivy AND Rebecca. Pilar sighed heavily. Julian�s release could only mean one thing for her family. Heartache. And evil. There was only one effective way to fight evil, she realized. Pulling on the door handle. She dashed up the steps of the church and stepped inside. The only light came from the candles that gave the sanctuary an eerie glow. �We must pray,� Father Lonagin said. And Pilar joined him on her knees. Hoping it would be enough. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ The wind howled. Rapping the branches of the old oak tree against Tessa�s bedroom window. Danielle groaned. Flipping over to her stomach and burying her head under her pillow. Candlelight bathed the interior of Tessa�s room, and objects that seemed harmless enough in the dawn now took on terrifying traits. Danielle�s imagination was running rampant. Lightning only added to the sinister setting. �Calm down,� she whispered to herself. �You will not be a baby. You will not.� What would Mom or Dad say if they saw you right now? You big sissie. Tessa�s just seven. A whole two years younger than you. And she�s not afraid. Is she? �Tessa?� she whispered timidly. �Tessa? Are you awake?� Thunder boomed. Its power making the house�s foundation shudder, and Danielle clamped her eyes shut. Trembling in fear when she heard the distinct sound of shattering glass. �Tessa!� she screamed when she found the sheets next to her cool. �Tessa! Where are you?� she cried frantically. Scrambling out of bed to search for the little girl. The wind whipped her dark hair around her face, and the pouring rain stung at her skin. �Tessa,� she cried in relief when a flash of lightning illuminated the child�s scant figure. Her yellow hair plastered to her skull. �Tessa!� she shouted over the roar of the storm. �Are you okay?� she asked in a frightened whisper. Gripping her young cousin by the shoulders with bloodless fingers. �You�re scaring me. Please, Tessa. Please. Talk to me.� Tessa stretched a pale slender arm out before her. Pointing to the chaos outside. �Evil�evil�it�s coming,� she chanted with vacant blue eyes. And Danielle felt a chill run down her spine as lightning struck again and she saw the shadowy figure. Maniacal laughter filled the room, and she covered her ears and screamed in horror. |
| Chapter 1 The first thing she heard was the buzz of a power saw. �Luis?� Her blue eyes were wide with panic. �Sheridan. Sheridan! Wait.� He followed her through the open front door and sighed in relief. �Mom. Mom,� Danielle squeaked. �I can�t breathe.� �What happened? Why didn�t you call us?� �Mommy,� Danielle smiled. Cupping her mother�s face lovingly between the palms of her small hands. �I�m fine. Don�t worry so much.� �Hey,� he said softly. �I was worried, too.� Feathering his fingers through his daughter�s silky dark hair. �Dad�� �Seriously�what happened?� He could hardly hear the sound of his own voice over the pounding upstairs. Charity�s blue eyes were solemn as she handed Sheridan a glass of water. �The storm,� she said simply. �That�s all. A tree crashed through Tessa�s window.� Luis�s brown eyes connected with his younger brother�s at the foot of the stairs. �That�s all?� Her uncle Miguel was stone-faced as he said, �Yeah. No one was hurt. It wasn�t a big deal.� Sheridan saw the confusion in her daughter�s blue eyes. �Thank God. Where�s Tessa? I hope she wasn�t too frightened. There you are,� Sheridan gasped when the little girl seemed to appear out of nowhere. The sunlight streaming through the windows glinted off Tessa�s yellow hair. And Sheridan laughed nervously. Blinking. The child was glowing. �You scared me,� she whispered. Scooping Tessa�s limp little body up in her arms. �Tessa wasn�t scared, Mom.� But I was. �Wow! You�re such a brave little girl.� Sheridan shivered as she looked into the child�s piercing blue eyes. They were almost�hypnotic. �Mom? Mom�did you hear me?� �What?� she answered sluggishly. �I�m sorry, Baby,� she apologized. �What did you say?� Tessa slid easily from her aunt�s hip and scampered away. �Somebody was outside Tessa�s window last night.� Miguel�s glass thudded against the surface of the coffee table, and the stairs creaked under his weight. �Who?� Luis asked. �No one,� Charity said quickly. Averting her blue eyes from Luis�s penetrating stare. �But Tessa saw the person, too. I swear.� Why were they pretending it didn�t happen? @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ Beth watched the old woman with suspicious brown eyes. For as long as she could remember Tabitha�and Timmy�had been a fixture around Harmony. A strange claim to fame if you will. �Beth. Sorry. Did I catch you daydreaming about me again?� Beth�s lips twisted into a smile. �And why would I be wasting my precious fantasies on you, Hank? I�m thinking more along the lines of Antonio Sabato, Jr. Nope. I�m not into the scruffy look at all.� Hank staggered backwards. A hand over his heart. �You wound me.� Beth�s eyes sparkled. �What can I get you this morning?� �The tallest cup of stiff black coffee you can brew.� She set the foam container on the counter and doled out Hank�s change. �Hank�let me ask you something.� �Okay. Shoot,� Hank grinned affably. �Do you�do you have a thing for�� �Do I have a thing for what, Beth?� Not what, Hank. Who. The phone rang insistently in the background. �Better get that,� he grinned. �No. Hank�wait. Tell Gwen I said �hello�,� she muttered. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ Oh god. Her head. She felt like an entire marching band had trampled on it. Her whole body ached. The phone started to ring, and she dove under the mound of pillows with a groan. �There is a God,� she breathed. Silence. �I�m not home, dammit!� she screamed when the demonic device started to trill again. She ripped the cord out of the wall and raised the contraption over her head. �You�re up,� Hank grinned obnoxiously. �I wouldn�t do that if I were you,� he said. Nodding his head at the phone AND answering machine in her hands. She glared at him with icy blue eyes. �Think of the crash it�ll make. The sound of each tiny piece clattering to the floor. On second thought�go ahead. I never liked that particular phone anyway. You haven�t gotten a new one in a long time. Maybe you should go with something more chic this time.� She moaned pitifully when he turned her bedside lamp on. �Do you enjoy torturing me?� He jerked the comforter from her body. Hauling her kicking and screaming to the bathroom and twisting the shower tap. �You stink,� he smirked as he shoved her under the icy spray and her shrieks resounded through the apartment. �You�re dead. I-I-I�m go-o-oing to k-k-k-ill you myself,� she chattered. �Is that right?� She yanked the bottle of shampoo from his hands and instantly regretted the action. �You�re so damn annoying, you know that,� she grumbled. Holding her aching head. Almost falling out of the shower stall. �Thank you. I think that�s the nicest thing you�ve ever said to me.� �UGH! GET OUT! NOW!� He laughed all the way to the door. �What the�nice. Real nice,� he said. Tossing the pair of black panties over his shoulder. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ She raised her hand to knock on the door. �Aunt Whitney!� �Matthew! Don�t! Oh, Whit. I�m so sorry. He just got all excited when he saw your car drive up. And he forgot. Didn�t you, Matthew?� Matthew�s brown eyes welled up with tears as he held his sticky hands out to his mother. �I didn�t mean to.� Whitney knelt down. Eye level with the little boy. Wiping away a smudge of cookie dough from his tanned cheek. �Chocolate chip? Matthew�how did you know these were my favorite?� Theresa smiled at Whitney gratefully. �Mommy told me,� he said proudly. �I can�t wait to eat them. Matthew�have you been kissing Genie again?� Matthew grinned at her bashfully. Hiding his face behind his hands. �No,� he protested. Only he nodded his head �yes�. Causing both women to burst into laughter. �What�s so funny?� he asked with a befuddled expression. �You, kiddo,� Theresa smiled. Ruffling his brown hair affectionately. �I bet Nana�s getting awfully lonely in the kitchen.� �I should go help her,� he said thoughtfully. �Aunt Whitney? Can you stay for supper? Maybe my dad will come home,� he said innocently. And the hope shining in his dark eyes broke Whitney�s heart. �Do you think so, Mommy?� Theresa hugged her son close and kissed the top of his head. �For you? Of course.� @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ �Ethan,� she cried. Holding him at arm�s length. �It�s so good to see you.� Ethan smiled at her fondly. Inspecting the diamond on her finger. �So he finally did it. Asked you to marry him. How did my�they take the news?� Ivy sighed. Her blue green eyes dulling with the painful memory. �They hate me. All three of them. Just like your sisters and brother.� �That�s not true, Mother.� Ethan was amazed at the transformation. �Lauren�is that you?� Hazel eyes twinkled at her, and pink lips curled upward in a smile. �This is bad. Really bad. Are you telling me you don�t recognize your own daughter?� Ivy�s cheeks flushed in embarrassment. �I�m sorry, Darling. I�� �Mother�I was teasing,� Lauren laughed. Ivy smiled back at her. Maybe things weren�t so terrible after all. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ �Is Dr. Russell in?� The nurse looked at him oddly. �No, Officer. I�m sorry. But a Dr. Russell doesn�t work here. Is there arything else I can do for you?� �Are you sure?� Sam asked. Running a hand through his hair in exasperation. This was a wild goose chase. �I�m sure, Sir,� the woman answered patiently. �Dammit, Eve. What�s going on here?� he muttered under his breath. �Excuse me. But did you say �Eve�? Eve Johnson works here.� �Thank you,� Sam smiled. �Eve Johnson�I wasn�t thinking. Could you tell me where she is?� �She�s with a patient right now, but I�m sure she wouldn�t mind if you waited outside. Room 13.� Sam stalked down the dimly lit hall purposely. His footsteps echoing. Sounding too loud. He was sure a deaf man could hear the racket he was making. Room 13. Room 13. �Eve,� he said. Startling her as she slipped the door shut behind her. �Sam! Thank goodness you came.� �Why am I here, Eve?� �Sam�I think you need to sit down. What I�m about to tell you�� Sam shrugged his shoulders indifferently. �I�m fine. What is it? Tell me.� Inside room 13, the woman�s hand fell gently from her waist. Blue eyes opened, and a smile fleeted across her lips as she whispered one word. �Sam.� |
| Chapter 2 �2666! Get up! You have a visitor!� Prisoner 2666�s mouth set into a grim line. Four more days. That was it. Four more days, he thought, a scowl on his lips as the guard shoved him forward. Father was going to pay for this. �Hello�Son,� he spoke. �Don�t call me that. You have NO right.� �Whether you like it or not, Chad, I AM your father. You have Crane ice water in your veins. You and I�� �Shut up! Just shut up and listen to me. I�m putting you on notice, old man. I�m going to be watching your every move. And if you so much as�� �Save your threats,� Julian spat. �I�m coming home in four days. I think a celebration is in order.� The scrape of metal on the tile floor was audible even through the thick glass barrier. And the phone dangled in the air. �I love you, too, Son.� @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ �Luis�what�s going on? Is it the station?� Danielle stopped mid-motion, juice from the red apple in her right hand trickling down her arm. �Dad,� she whined. �You just got home.� Luis picked up the keys to his jeep from the counter and kissed his daughter�s forehead. �It wasn�t the station. It was Sam. He wants me to meet him at the clinic down by the waterfront. Sounds important.� He hooked his fingers in the belt loops of Sheridan�s jeans and tugged her forward. �I wish you didn�t have to leave.� �Me, too,� he whispered, tipping her chin up with his index finger and kissing her lips. �Will you be okay?� She chewed on her bottom lip and nodded her head. �I love you both,� he waved. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ �Dr. Eve�what�s going on? Why did our dad want us to meet him here?� Jessica asked in a concerned voice. �Where�s Noah?� �He�s with Paloma,� Kay offered, peering over Eve�s shoulder at Room 13. �I think you should wait until he gets here. Do this together. Are Miguel and Charity on their way?� Kay�s head snapped back. �Miguel and Charity? How does this concern them?� she asked suspiciously. �We�re here,� Charity said breathlessly, missing the look that passed between her cousin and her husband. �Now tell us Eve.� �Tell us what?� �Noah. Good. You�re all here.� �Yes. We�re all here,� Kay huffed impatiently. �Can you tell us now?� �Eve,� Sam interrupted. �I think I should take it from here. Thank you.� �Daddy,� Jessica said in a little girl voice. Sam wrapped a comforting arm around her waist and took a deep breath. �I have some incredible news.� @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ �Tessa. Tessa,� a voice beckoned, a whisper. Miguel didn�t notice the absence of her tiny fingers entwined with his own. �Tessa.� �I don�t understand, Daddy. What exactly are you saying?� �Mom? Are you�are you talking about Mom?� Kay asked shakily. Noah steadied her with a hand on her elbow. �Tessa.� No one noticed the little girl push the door forward and step inside. �Is this some cruel joke? I mean, you wouldn�t do this to us. Right, Dad?� Noah choked. �Mom�s dead.� �Your mom disappeared almost nine years ago, Noah.� �Tessa. Come closer, Tessa.� Tessa jumped when the woman�s blue eyes opened suddenly. �Aunt Grace is not dead,� Charity uttered in disbelief. �She�s alive.� The woman�s eyes glittered in the pale glow of the overhead lamp. Tessa stared back. The silence heavy. Oppressive. Until Jessica�s keening cry shattered it. �Mom!� @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ �Let me see if I get this straight. A man brings a Jane Doe to this clinic last night�� �Grace,� Sam shook his head. �That woman in there is Grace, Luis. I don�t know how to explain it. But I�m positive.� �You�re telling me that Grace just suddenly reappeared after ten years. I know you were having your problems, Big Brother, but this�this just makes no sense. Grace wouldn�t leave her children like that, Man. No matter what kind of hell you put her through with Ivy.� �What about Ivy?� Luis interjected. �What about her?� Sam asked dully. �Have you told your fiancee that your wife returned from the dead yet?� Hank posed. Sam buried his face in his hands. No. He hadn�t even had a conscious thought about her since this whole scenario began playing out. And that fact worried him. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ Is this seat taken?� Simone studied her mother carefully. Noting the dark circles, the bags, under her eyes. She looked so tired. So defeated. And like she wanted to�needed to talk to someone. �No,� she pursed her lips. �But I don�t have much time. I have an appointment in a couple hours,� she said quietly, picking up the little straw beside her mug and stirring her coffee. �A date?� �Not really. Just meeting up with an old friend. Reminiscing about older, happier times.� �Oh. I won�t pry. I just saw you sitting here�when were you going to tell me you were back in Harmony, Simone? You were going to tell me, weren�t you?� Simone�s lips furled in disgust, and she set the lukewarm, murky liquid down. �Maybe. Maybe not,� she shrugged, standing up. �I�m home, Mom. For good. And so is Daddy. As if you care. How is that?� @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ The plates clattered in the sink, and Theresa sighed heavily. �No. Leave them, Whit. I�ll do them later.� Whitney dried her hands and put the dishtowel back in its place. Then followed Theresa out into the spacious living room. They watched Matthew chase Wolf in the back yard. �Does he still call that dog �Woof�?� Whitney laughed. Trying to lighten the somber mood. Theresa smiled. �Not as often. I still remember the day Ethan brought him home from the pound,� she whispered. �Ethan wouldn�t get a puppy. Everyone wants puppies. But what about the older dogs? The volunteers had already named him. Matthew was only two. Woof was easier to say, I guess.� Whitney smiled. She could remember Matthew as a baby. Not so long ago. And she felt even more terrible at the pain the little boy was going through. The pain her best friend was experiencing. �Whitney�I�m losing Ethan,� she sobbed. �And there�s nothing I can do.� She couldn�t swallow over the lump in her throat. Couldn�t speak a word. All she had to offer was a shoulder to cry on. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ She sat alone. Her knees drawn to her chest. Her hands clasped. The cool sea breeze ruffled her sun-kissed hair, and she could feel the tickle of the ocean�s mist against her cheeks. She closed her eyes with a sigh. She loved this house. Love at first sight. �What are you thinking about?� her daughter asked curiously. Gazing at her thoughtfully with those wondrously wise blue eyes. �Things,� she said nonchalantly. Making room for Danielle on the porch swing. Wispy dark curls escaped the yellow ribbon in Danielle�s dark hair. She mimicked her mother�s actions, and Sheridan�s blue eyes sparkled with amusement. �I have an idea. What do you say me and you take a walk? See the sunset?� Danielle uncurled her limbs and stood on bare feet. �You go ahead, Mom. I�ll get my sandals and catch up,� she called, disappearing inside. �Okay, Baby. Meet you there.� |
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