A Whisper in Time (38 page)

When I would’ve turned to go, he yanked me into his arms. “That was frickin’ stupid. What were you thinking?” he growled into my hair.

“I had to save you.”

“Good idea in theory, but you put yourself in danger and then
I
had to save
you
.”

“Without my appearance, you would be there still.” I smiled that we were arguing over who had saved whom. Perhaps it was easier to think of that than what might have happened.

“The way you stood there, talking Jedidiah down, giving me time to escape? That was awesome.” He gave me a hard kiss and then muttered against my lips, “I saw the curtains twitch in the master bedroom. My mom must be home.”

“Yes.”

“Then my dad must know too.”

“Indeed.”

“She’s probably watching out the window, wondering what we’re doing behind the barn.” He straightened. “So here’s the plan. We’ll race for the house. You head straight to the apartment and get out of those clothes. Mine are normal enough that they might not think too hard about them. I’ll distract them until you can get back downstairs.”

“It is a good plan.”

“Right.” He smiled. “See you soon.”

* * *

When I entered the kitchen a few minutes later, it was quiet on the first floor of the house. I looked into the family room and saw Mark’s parents sitting beside each other on the couch.

“Mark will be right back,” Sherri said.

They watched me take a seat and said no more. I was glad of that. I would be glad if Mark did all of the talking.

It was my fault, of course. I should never have placed Mark and myself in harm’s way. I should never have tampered with Phoebe’s life. Had I not given her medicine for her thumb, perhaps she would’ve married Silas the stable boy and had a long, pleasant marriage.

No, I must stop such thoughts. I didn’t regret my actions. They had been made with the finest of intentions. A pleasant existence wasn’t good enough, and Silas might have been, as Mark suggested, a jerk who beat my sister. I could never know what type of future I had interrupted, but I did know that a crippled hand would’ve been lifelong torture for her. Better to be happy and useful a short while.

Mark had changed history for my sake, and I had changed history for my sister’s. We had to forgive ourselves for the parts that went awry.

He came clattering down the stairs and strode past an empty chair to drop on the floor at my feet. He reached for my hand, gave it a light squeeze, and didn’t let go. “Okay, Mom, Dad. What do you want to know?”

“Where are these people?” Bruce asked.

“I didn’t go to the village, Dad. They live too far away now.”

“Tell us where you went then.” Sherri’s eyes narrowed on me.

Mark gave my hand another squeeze. “Susanna’s sister is getting married soon. I took her a wedding present.”

“Wait.” Sherri frowned. “Isn’t she a little young?”

“There are extenuating circumstances.”

Sherri exchanged a glance with her husband before looking our way again. “Why the secrecy then?”

“I had to go today. We were running out of time.”

I gasped and averted my face. To have Mark allude so unexpectedly about my sister’s fate stole my breath away.

“Hey, babe.” Mark kissed my hand. “It’ll be okay. Phoebe looked really happy.”

“What’s wrong, Susanna?” Sherri asked.

Mark’s voice was low and muffled. “Phoebe is…terminal, Mom.”

The tears started, and they would not stop. He hauled me from the chair and onto his lap.

Footsteps crossed the family room floor and faded. Mark and I were alone, and still I cried.

He held me close until my weeping eased. Even as I quieted, he didn’t move except to hold me more comfortably. Perhaps ten minutes passed before I heard Bruce’s voice in the hallway.

“Soon, son.”

“Okay, Dad.”

I looked up into his face. “What does he want?”

“We have to leave for Virginia.”

I struggled to sit up, but his arms remained firmly around my waist. “Of course, you must leave.”

“We’ll get there.” He settled me on his lap again and kissed my brow. “Not sure about the race. My bike is in bad shape.”

In the excitement, I had not thought about the impact of his damaged bike. His mechanical beast. On the day we met, I had seen it before I saw him, and now it was useless. His frustration rolled from his body like the oppressiveness preceding a storm. I didn’t know what to do. There could be no comfort at such a moment. “What will you do?”

“Guess I won’t be able to race.”

I placed a light hand on his cheek. “You can take my bike.”

He looked at me. His quick smile faded into a more solemn expression, one that I could not read. “Thanks. That’s a good idea.” He turned his head until he could kiss my palm.

“You can still compete?”

He grunted as he fumbled in the canvas bag. “Phoebe sent you a gift.”

I unfolded a pair of white silk gloves and drew one on. A spray of dogwood blossoms flowed from the back of my hand and spread around my wrist. They were exquisite.

“There’s more.” He handed me a small, silver-backed brush.

I gasped. “This was my mother’s.” I lifted wondering eyes to him. “Where did you get it?”

He held up his phone. “Your sister-in-law gave it to me.”

“Frances?” Shivers cascaded down my limbs like icy showers. “Did you speak with Caleb?”

“Yeah. He told me the story of the day you were born. I caught it on video.” Mark brushed the surface of his phone and then tapped.

My brother’s face filled the screen. He spoke in a low and precise tone. He had the air of a man reminiscing about a beloved sister. The video was a balm to my heart.

After a few seconds, Mark tapped it off again.

“Will it be enough for identification?” I choked out.

“Damn straight.”

C
HAPTER
F
IFTY
-T
WO

H
ER
T
RUTH

I went to find Susanna first thing after we got home Sunday night. She was waiting for me on the landing outside her door.

“Hello,” she said, eyes bright with welcome. “You had a good time.”

“Sure did.” I pulled her back into the apartment. No point in giving my parents an eyeful, but I did leave the door open. “Missed you.”

She nodded, her smile widening. “I’m glad you have returned.”

Enough talk. Time to make out. I indulged in dozens of short, sweet kisses while my restless hands reacquainted themselves with the feel of her.

“Mark.” She laughed and drew back. “Tell me about your weekend.”

Keeping our hands firmly linked, I crossed to the couch and sat down, cradling Susanna in my arms. One long, hard kiss later, I felt restored enough to speak. “Yesterday was the Hungry Mother race. It was fun.”

“As you said on the phone last night. What did you do afterwards?”

“We hit a sports pub and hung out with some guys we’d met from Virginia Tech.”

“And today?” She watched me calmly. “What was Newman College like?”

I wanted to stay non-committal, but it was impossible. “The campus is gorgeous, and the people are really nice.” Even though we’d arrived on a Sunday—on a weekend with nothing specific scheduled for prospective students—a guide had met us and shown us around. She’d arranged for a meeting with a faculty member of the Conservation Biology program and then the new coach of the mountain-biking team.

My dad had once said that, when the college was the perfect fit, it would feel like home. Now I knew exactly what he meant. Newman
did
feel like home.

“You would like to go there, I think.”

I shifted my arms around her more snugly, pressed her head to my chest, and rested my cheek against the rose-scented silk of her hair. With my every sense filled by Susanna, it was hard to think clearly. Would I like to go there—with its eight-hour commute most weekends? “I’m not sure, babe. I guess we’ll have to see.”

* * *

After a school assembly on Monday, my friends and I found an empty table in the cafeteria to wait for the bell schedule to sync up again.

Benita pounced on Gabrielle the minute we slid onto our seats. “Okay, let me see it.”

Gabrielle extended her right hand. A large brown gemstone, surrounded by a swirly, twisty gold setting, weighed down her index finger. “It’s a gift from Korry. He knows me so well. Gorgeous, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” Benita said, studying the stone like it was the object of an experiment that required careful observation.

Gabrielle looked at Jesse and me. We nodded dutifully—although Jesse obviously didn’t see the big deal any more than I did.

“What’s the occasion?” he asked.

“No occasion. What’s it to you?”

“Um, okay,” he said into the uneasy silence that followed. Jesse shifted on his seat and looked out across the dining room.

“Damn, Gabrielle,” I muttered.

“What?” She rounded on me, lips thinned angrily. “Don’t you ever give Susanna presents?”

I tried to imagine how Susanna would react if I gave her a piece of jewelry. It boggled the mind. “The only thing she wants from me is my time.”

Gabrielle jammed her hands into her pockets. “What are you trying to say, Mark? That Susanna is perfect and Korry isn’t?” There was a sharp edge to her voice, like she was spoiling for a fight.

“Susanna
is
perfect for me, and Korry doesn’t spend enough time with you.”

“He’s busy with things that matter.”

I exchanged glances with the other two, and they were just as surprised as me. Without speaking a word, Jesse and Benita slid off their bench and headed for the door.

“Who told you that bullshit, Gabrielle?” I wanted to get through the next few moments like I wanted a whole series of rabies shots, but it had to be said. “Getting your diploma matters. Being normal for once matters.”

“Having a career matters.”

“Yeah, and when you’re done with your education, your career will still be there, because you’re a good actor.” I turned sideways on the seat to watch her, but she wouldn’t meet my gaze. “Jesse didn’t deserve your harassment, and why go all weird about Susanna? You don’t even know her.”

“How about explaining why we haven’t met?”

“You will one day.”

“When?”

“I don’t know. When Susanna’s ready.” I looked at the tabletop, my eyes tracing the graffiti gouged into the top as I wondered what to do next.

“Why are you such a wuss about her?”

I’d had enough. “Why are you such a wuss about Korry?” I rocketed to my feet, outrage and pity warring inside me. “I don’t know what’s going on between the two of you, but if you’re not happy with the way he’s treating you—”

“I
am
happy.”

“No, you’re not. Take it up with him, and leave off judging Susanna until you know her.”

Gabrielle sat on the seat, still as a statue with her dark hair partially hiding her face. She was the total picture of dejection. Was it an act?

Probably not. Korry might be one of America’s favorite movie stars at the moment, but he treated Gabrielle like a jerk. That ring didn’t strike me as a “no occasion” gift. She had to be miserable.

Pity won. “Look, Gabrielle. You hang out with Benita and Jesse. They’re amazing together. You hang out with me, and I’m drunk in love with Susanna. If the comparison hurts, do something about it with Korry. Don’t lash out at the three of us.”

As I stalked away, I heard something that sounded like a sob.

* * *

I called Granddad as soon as I reached home. “Are we still on for tonight?”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

“Do you have the baptismal certificate worked out?”

“Sure do, and it’s a beauty.” He chuckled. “I signed as the lay leader. The pastor whose signature appears at the bottom passed away last year. Susanna’s name has been added to the church’s registry for 1998. She was the last baby baptized that year.”

I shook my head in amazement. “Granddad, don’t you feel guilty about faking something at your church?”

“Mark, there is truth, and there are facts. They’re not always the same thing. Susanna was baptized as a baby. I don’t feel even the slightest twinge of guilt for my participation in her truth.”

“Thanks, Granddad. We’ll be out there soon.”

“You bet.”
Click
.

C
HAPTER
F
IFTY
-T
HREE

T
HE
S
HROUD
A
ROUND
M
Y
P
AST

I dressed carefully for this meeting. I wanted to look as modern and normal as possible.

Sherri had helped me shop for winter-season apparel. I purchased a new pair of clogs with the money I earned from my handwriting. Sherri said the shoes were a bargain. I was overcome at the thought of owning three pairs of shoes at the same time.

The clogs looked nice with my blue capri pants, although my shins were visible. But that couldn’t be helped. I slipped on the buttonless, striped T-shirt that Mark’s parents had given me for my birthday, and I left my hair loose.

Mark and I didn’t speak the entire drive to the lake house, but he did hold my hand.

Peggy Merritt waited at the kitchen table with Norah and Charlie, sipping tea and eating cake. She was tiny and thin, with hair red enough to be nearly purple. She had to be as old as Norah was.

After the introductions were over, Mrs. Merritt gestured at the others. “Go. I’ll talk to Susanna privately. There’s no point in looking at the evidence or pushing further if I don’t believe her story.”

Mark kissed my cheek and followed his grandparents out the door.

Mrs. Merritt leveled a bright blue gaze at me. “Where were you born?”

“North Carolina.”

“Where else have you lived?”

“Only here.”

“Where were your parents born?”

“Both in North Carolina.”

Her fists dropped to the table, still joined. “Why don’t you have original birth records?”

“The village didn’t care about such things. Papers were never created.”

“Will you ever go back to this village?”

“I cannot, nor would I wish to.” My actions had placed Dorcas and Phoebe on new paths. The two people I loved most after Mark had been forever changed, and I could only pray that it would eventually be for the better. I’d made a promise to Mark and to myself that I would leave the past behind me. I had to keep it, although the
not knowing
would be agonizing.