Paranormal Summer (Indigo Moon Rising) (6 page)

Her Mother handed her the one box that was left. “It’s from Uncle Nathan,” she said. Jillian ripped open the paper to find an alarm clock. Jillian cocked her head and wrinkled her brow.

“
Oh come on, there
must
be a reason,” her mom said looking at the box with a crooked smile.

“
Hey, that’s like the one we have,” Eric said. “You can record messages to wake up to instead of an alarm sound.”

“
Yah like, time to get up fart-face.” Josh said.

“Or looser…Wake up, you are late for school!” Cody piped in. The girls all rolled their eyes. Jillian winced, thinking what they could have recorded for her.

“
Did you guys already make some for me?” She asked looking at her cousins. Everyone burst into laughter. She rolled her eyes. Now that would have been scary. She thought about the crazy things she could have woken up to.

She looked up to her mom who was looking towards the garage smiling.

“
Well I guess we’ll be going now,” Jillian's father said as he walked out from the garage and headed for the front yard right on cue.

“
What?” Jillian shouted and ran after him. He turned around and she could see he had something in his arms. As Jillian got closer she saw little pointed ears and then little eyes and a little nose. “A kitten!” She yelled. “A kitten, it's beautiful," she said gently lifting it from his arm.

The girls were all walking towards them “oohing” and trying to pet the tiny thing. Jillian sat down in the grass and held the kitten and stroked its head with her face. The kitten returned the love by rubbing its cheek on Jillian’s. "All of her things are in your room. Her bed, litter box, toys and a brush. She’s only 8 weeks old, so you will have to give her lots of love!”

“
No problem,” Jillian said as if she was the happiest girl on earth. Her heart was so full. She couldn't ever remember feeling this happy before. “Tiffany. Tiffany Marie is your name!” She said as she kissed her kitten.

“
Okay kids get your selves ready to go,” Aunt Monica called out. “Well honey we have a long drive back. Happy Birthday. Maybe you can come up for a weekend before school starts.”

“
Thank you,” Jillian said as she hugged her aunt. Celia gave her the "Call me" gesture with her hand and Jillian nodded. The kids all climbed into the van and minutes later they were gone.

Jillian took Tiffany Marie to her bedroom to check out the goodies that came with her. She had a cute little basket with a soft fleece blanket in it. When Jillian set her down on it she began to purr loudly, kneading the blanket with her little paws as she closed her eyes. Jillian's mother came into the room and smiled at the site of the two of them. “Mommy, when am I coming home?” Jillian asked as she wrapped her arms around her mother.

“
It probably won't be until the end of summer. Before school starts I hope. Just this last week daddy and I have worked so many hours, and barely even gotten to talk to each other because our schedules are so crazy. We have 10-12 hour shifts at both jobs, along with our online classes, but as soon as a spot opens up for one of us to maintain stable hours and stay at home at night, you will be home. Jana tells me you've met some new friends."

"I thought I did. I invited one of them today. Guess she was busy."

"Tell me about them." Her mother said as she sat on the bed.

"There's Sonya. She's kinda Goth looking, kinda hard a-s-s. She lives with her Grandma Hilde who owns the Baker Street Bed and Breakfast. Sometimes she doesn't seem particularly friendly, like she doesn't trust anybody. But I have seen a softer side of her. I don't think she has any other family other than her Grandma. Then there's Ryan. He's really quiet, and seems to spend a lot inside his own mind. You think I am sensitive, he's worse than me. He lives with his grandparents most of the time helping them out on the farm. He's pretty cute, but I don't know, I don't think we're friends yet, more like acquainted. It's so bor-ing here, I am gonna die." Jillian said flopping back on the bed and pretending to yawn.

"It's only been a week. How can you be bored here? All of the things to do in this big house, and acres of land to explore. I promise you will come to love it here and make terrific memories. All 5 of us that grew up in this house, well 4 of us had the best experiences of our lives and you will also. Here, I wanted to give this to in private." Her mother said and pulled something out from behind her back and handed it to Jillian.

"Mommy" Jillian said liking the idea of a secret gift just between the two of them. She ripped open the purple and green wrapping paper. It was a deep red book. Well it looked like a book, but when she opened it, there was no writing, it was empty. Her mother turned it so Jillian could see the binding "MY STORY" was printed with metallic gold ink.

"You have to write it!" Her mother said and smiled.

Jillian rolled her eyes, "Thank you!" She said hugging her mother and seeing Tiffany Marie.

Jillian forgot about her kitten!! Her heart soared. It was as if someone had turned on a spot light in the room. She looked at Tiffany Marie, her fat little belly rising and falling slowly. Watching her made her heart feel the Fourth of July fireworks!

"Well, daddy and I have to go." Her mother said standing and bending slightly anticipating Jillian's response.

"Mommy," Jillian said reaching up to hug her mother. Her heart hurt so badly. It felt like it was dragging on the ground," I just miss you so much," she said hugging and kissing her mother.

"Soon, honey, I promise!" Her mother said squeezing her tight and giving her a kiss on the cheek that seemed to last for minutes. Though it was not long enough, and then she was gone.

Jillian walked into Aunt Jana’s kitchen and sat down looking at a plate of French vanilla cake. 
Is this all there is to it? It’s over with now.

“
Well, wasn’t that a nice party? Jillian, what’s the problem?” Her aunt asked as she saw Jillian’s expression and pulled up a chair. "Would you like a glass of ice tea?"

“
No thank you. I just thought...I don't know what I thought. I invited Sonya. I don't know if she was just busy or didn't want to come. It seems like it was all over really fast.” Her sad face slowly turned to look at her aunt. She saw her aunt’s warm smile and couldn’t help but feel comforted. She leaned over to meet her aunt's outstretched arms and started to feel safe from the sadness she felt in her heart. Aunt Jana gently kissed her on the forehead and then held her face in her hands.

"You know sometimes your friends won't be comfortable with meeting your family. They don't know what to expect, how weird we are or if we would judge them." Looking deep into her teary eyes she smiled and said “I know what's really bothering you, you were just worried that I didn’t get you anything.” Jillian suddenly realized that there wasn’t anything from her aunt. She broke into a big smile.

“
You didn’t forget did you?”

“
Of course not,” she said looking at the board where Jillian had written ‘Jillian’s Birthday Party’ in 3 colors. Aunt Jana’s head motioned towards the side porch. Jillian giggled in anticipation and opened the screen door. It was there on the swing. Beautiful leaves tied with an ivy vine and flowers. She had never seen a living gift wrap. It was so beautiful that she didn't actually want to open it. Yes she did! Tucked in the vine was a dainty handmade card with pressed flowers.

Jillian slowly untangled the vine and the leaves fell open to expose a deep blue velvety pouch with ornate stitching of a sun, moon, star and a rainbow within a heart. There was a long thick silk cord that cinched it shut. She slowly began to open it. She didn’t see anything. As she turned it upside down something fell into her palm. A stone. Jillian looked at it over and over again, turning this way and that. She looked in the pouch. That’s all there was. A stone. Was there a diamond inside?
Probably not, it’s just a rock
she thought.
A stupid rock, what fun can I have with a stupid rock?

Just then she realized she wasn't alone. “So, do you like it?” Aunt Jana asked.

“
Oh yes!” Jillian said. "Thanks, you can never have too many rocks. Can I go to the meadow? “She asked as she tucked the card inside the pouch.

“
Sure," her aunt said with a smile. "Don’t go into the woods and be back before it gets too dark."

“
Can I take Tiffany? Asked Jillian.

"No, let her sleep, she’ll be just fine here. I will check in on her later,” Aunt Jana said.

“
But I want to take her with me. She’s mine now and I have to take care of her, she was getting hot and Aunt Jana wrinkled her brow.

“
When she gets a little bit older you can take her out on journeys, but not today.’’ Aunt Jana said crossing her arms and breathing calmly. Jillian’s eyes squinted and curled her lips, her chest was heaving as her arms flung in the air trying to get her point across. “You adults think you’re all that. You don’t ever let me have anything, you always say no to everything.’’

Aunt Jana said, “Okay.” Knowing not to argue. She took another deep breath and turned from Jillian and walked in the door. Jillian loudly sucked in a large gulp of air and released a squeal of anger, turned on her heel flinging the screen door open and walked into the kitchen. She turned quickly to look at the staircase. She could have sworn someone was standing there. She shook her head, and stomped down the hall to her room.

As she got closer to her room she thought twice.
Ssshhh.
She went in and quietly changed her clothes as not to wake Tiffany. She looked at the pouch lying on her bed. She shook her head, rolled her eyes, put the pouch over her head like a necklace and tucked it under her shirt.
Huh, that's an excellent fit
she thought. She got down on her hands and knees and got inches from Tiffany Marie's tiny little face.
Tiffany Marie
she thought
I looove you!
There was a bright warm feeling in her heart when she said this. Tiffany sleepily opened her eyes, and looked at Jillian for a few seconds, she closed her eyes, and it looked as if she were smiling! A gentle purring rose from her, and Jillian giggled, watching her fat little belly. Jillian kissed her goodbye and then headed off to the meadow.

As she walked along the stream, she thought about today. Disappointment, and Sonya, her "friend." She started to get a whopping knot in her stomach.
What a lame excuse for a birthday party
she thought.

She walked alongside the stream and frowned, shaking her head. It was almost dried up. Looking around there were hardly any flowers in the meadow, just weeds. Up ahead there was an tremendous million year old willow. She walked to it and sat under the weeping branches.
How appropriate
she thought. Every time she came out here, it seemed to get more and more boring.
Things just do not excite me like they used to
she thought.
Maybe that is what happens when you get older. Maybe I’ll go to the woods. Maybe there's something exciting there. What about the cave?
She thought about walking into the cave and finding a bear, or a gang of men hiding out.
Naahhh
she thought.

In the distance, she saw movement amongst the trees at the edge of the woods and stared, was it fear or excitement that was making her heart pound? As it moved into the meadow she recognized it was Ryan walking towards her. Everything inside started feeling all crazy.
He didn't even try to get a hold of me yesterday. And what's he gonna think about the experience Sonya and I had? I wonder if he would have been able to see what we saw in the regression? Did he make up the things he said he saw at the cabin?
She was wondering
would he have come to the birthday party if I had gotten a chance to ask him. Would it be because I wanted my family to meet him, and perhaps to show him off? But then again, the cousins probably would have embarrassed me too badly.
She wasn't sure why, but she always got confused when she felt fear and hurt. Like the two feelings just stuck together like sticky spaghetti.