Sara's Soul (13 page)

“And when you’re not with me?”

“All I want to do is die.” As Sara heard the words leave her mouth, she knew what was coming. She hadn’t admitted to Chip that she was suicidal. Now he would do anything to prevent her from taking her own life. Sara felt the fear rising up through her body. She turned to look at Chip, expecting him to look angry, hurt, or terrified. What she saw instead took her breath away.

The sunlight danced off of Chip’s face. He smiled radiantly at her with a twinkle in his eyes that made her feel like she was the most special and important person in the world. The softness of his expression brought her comfort. He stood before her holding a daisy he had picked from the grassy earth below. He gently placed it into her hands. Sara was touched.

“And I want to save you,” he said finally.

Sara burst into tears and fell into his arms. She felt him softly stroke her back and was comforted by his strong arms around her. A warm breeze glided across her skin, and she thought she heard a faint, whistling voice in her right ear.

Let him.

“Let him what?” she said aloud, opening her eyes to see who had witnessed their exchange and was giving her unsolicited advice. But to her surprise, she and Chip were still alone.

“I didn’t say anything,” Chip said.

“I know. It was a woman. Where did she go? Did you see her walk away?”

“No, Sara,” Chip said confidently. “There’s no one here but us.”

Chip wrapped his arms around her again and planted a kiss on her forehead. “It must have been the wind,” he whispered.

Sara shrugged. She was quite certain it was not the wind. Maybe someone had been hiding behind the trees watching them. Some people are just nosy like that. Or maybe she was losing touch with reality. She knew she had heard a woman’s voice. She was sure of it.

C’mon,” Chip said, grabbing her hand. “Let’s go meet my dad.”

***

On the way to Dave’s house, Sara noticed things. They were the tiny details she often overlooked when consumed with death. She observed the way the sunlight flickered through the trees as she and Chip drove past. She paid attention to the way the air from the half-cracked window whistled and then rushed across her face and tossed her hair back. She heard the buzz of oncoming cars zooming past them on US Route 127.

Dave lived in Houghton Lake, a small community with a population of less than four thousand. Houghton Lake was a popular vacation spot in northern Michigan, with many people renting lakefront cottages and enjoying fishing, boating, kayaking, and Jet Skiing. It was also a retirement haven, which was why Dave had moved there. Dave had recently retired from his high-paying executive job as a vice president of finance in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. But he still liked nice things. Chip had prepared Sara for Dave’s somewhat extravagant lifestyle, but told her that he was “a good guy,” who had donated thousands of dollars to charities across the country.

As they pulled into Dave’s driveway, Sara was struck by the magnificence of the house. It was a large, red brick colonial, with black shutters and a gorgeous leaded-glass front door adorned with an etched rose trimmed in brass. A decorative stone-paved path led to the porch where a small angel fountain sat. Behind the house was Houghton Lake, shimmering with beauty. Many boats of various sizes coasted across the lake, like birds soaring through the sky. It was a gorgeous setting, perfect for a retired executive.

“Wow, your dad has quite the place,” she said.

“Yes,” Chip replied. “He always liked fancy, extravagant things. Mom was different. She preferred the simple life and was more in tune with nature. A little of her rubbed off on him, though, because at one time he would have never chosen Houghton Lake for his home. He would have considered it too rural for his tastes.”

They got out of the car and headed to the front door. Chip rang the doorbell, and a skinny, wrinkled woman with glasses and curly, dark-gray hair greeted them.

“Oh, hello, Chip,” she said kindly. “I’ll tell your father you’ve arrived. Have a seat.”

Chip and Sara sat down on the plush white sofa in the oversize living room. The walls were painted a rich gold, and the pillows on the sofa matched. The woman disappeared into the hallway. Sara looked around at all of the fancy artwork, unique vases, and expensive oriental rugs. This was clearly a rich man’s home. Still, there was something warm and inviting about it. Unlike the pristine mansions she had seen on television, this place had a welcoming feel to it. It was strangely homey.

“It’s odd,” she said to Chip. “For a large, fancy home, this feels…”

“Comfortable? Inviting?” Chip asked.

“Yes. It has a really good energy about it,” she agreed. “Not at all stuffy, despite the lavish décor.”

“I know,” he agreed. “That’s because Mom visits here often.”

“Oh?” Sara said. She arched an eyebrow.

“Yeah. She looks in on Dave—Dad—and keeps him from becoming too detached and uptight. Her spirit fills the space with a loving, positive energy. Without her presence, it would just be another fancy home.”

“Wow, your mom has that kind of influence on him?”

“My mom is an amazing woman,” he said. “She can be in love with another man and still hold Dave’s heart. She calms him. In his mind, she isn’t the woman who could never love him the way he wanted, she’s the woman he wasn’t worthy of. He adores her.”

“But he doesn’t know that she cheated on him and that you’re the product of that affair. I wonder what he would think then.”

Chip sat up straighter, and Sara regretted not biting her tongue. Sometimes things just came out of her mouth. She wasn’t judging Celeste. Sara understood what it was like to not have control over your emotions and actions. She herself was often overcome by forces beyond her power.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to blurt that out. I have no doubt your mother was a terrific woman. I just wonder how your dad would react.”

“Knowing Dad, he would be upset and angry at first, but then he would probably forgive her. Besides, he’s not innocent in all of this. He pursued her knowing she was in love with someone else. He knew what he was up against, but he saw winning her love as some sort of challenge or game. She was his acquisition.”

“Always the businessman,” Sara said.

“Yes,” he agreed. He lowered his voice. “And after Mom died, he became quite the ladies’ man, too. He soothed his loneliness with lots of sex and one-night stands. He even had flings with married women. So, I doubt he can criticize Mom for what she did. She had an affair with the man she loved, not some stranger she picked up in a hotel bar on some business trip.”

“Good point.”

“But I’m not trying to rip on my dad,” Chip said. “He really is a good man and a decent father. He’s always done everything he could to take care of his family. He honors Mom’s memory. He even started a fund in her name for victims of rape and domestic violence.”

“That’s wonderful,” said Sara.

“Yes,” Chip agreed. “Someday I want to make a difference in the world, too. Maybe open up a counseling center of my own.”

“I know you would be great at that.” She beamed, leaning over to give him a kiss. He pulled her toward him, and they toppled over on the sofa, Sara ending up on top of him. He kissed her passionately, and her whole body quivered with excitement.

“What’s this?” a strong man’s voice interrupted.

Sara quickly got off of Chip and sat up straight. She blushed as she straightened her dress and hair. She looked up at the man standing before them. His serious green eyes intimidated her. He was neatly dressed in black pants and a crisp white button-front shirt and blue tie. His black hair was streaked with gray and slicked back neatly in place. He was staring intently at her.

“I’m sorry, sir,” she said.

“No need to apologize,” he said kindly, his eyes changing from serious to curious. “I’ve been in love before. I’m just glad to meet the woman who’s captured my son’s heart.”

“Dad, this is Sara,” Chip said proudly.

Dave extended his hand and firmly shook Sara’s. “Nice to meet you, Sara. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Oh? What have you heard?” she asked, wondering what Chip could have possibly told him.

“I’ve heard you’re an amazing woman with a kind heart.”

“Oh. Is that what Chip told you?” she asked. Sara pushed a strand of hair out of her eyes.

“He also said that you’re beautiful, only I think he got that wrong. You’re absolutely stunning.”

“Well, thank you, sir,” she said, blushing once again.

“Please call me Dave. Can I get you kids some wine?”

“Sure,” Sara said.

“Yes. Wine sounds good,” Chip agreed.

Dave grabbed a bottle of 2010 Chateau Montelena Estate cabernet sauvignon off of the wine rack in the attached open-concept kitchen. The whole room was decorated in rich cherry wood, with granite countertops and accents and top-of-the-line stainless steel appliances. Dave popped the cork and poured three glasses of wine.

“So, Sara, do you live around here? Chip didn’t tell me where you’re from.”

“I live near Mt. Pleasant.”

“Oh, so you’re close to Chip then.”

“Not close enough,” Chip teased.

Sara nudged him with her elbow, and he gave her a wink. “Yes, Chip doesn’t live far from me. We met at Starbucks.”

“Do you go to CMU, too?” Dave asked, handing them each a glass of wine and taking a sip of his.

“Yes, I’m studying biology.”

“Graduate student?”

“No, undergrad.”

“Ah, a younger woman. Eh, Chip?”

Sara nervously downed her wine. “Only by a few years,” Chip said. “Besides, she’s more mature than some women twice her age.”

“Oh, beautiful
and
experienced,” Dave said with a wink. “I see why you like this one.”

“That’s not what I meant, Dad.”

“This is good wine,” Sara said, quickly changing the subject.

“Yeah, it’s good stuff,” Dave agreed. “About a hundred fifty a bottle…”

“Dad has expensive tastes.”

Sara nodded.
No wonder this wine is so good
, she thought. She had never had such pricey stuff before.

Dave scratched his head and took another sip of wine. “Don’t get me wrong,” he continued. “Age is just a number. I’m happy for you two. Love isn’t always so easy to find. And sometimes when you do find it, it gets away from you. I know that better than anyone.”

“I’m sorry to hear about your wife,” Sara said sympathetically.

“Thank you,” he said. “But it’s okay. That was a long time ago. Her death was a shock to me, but I’ve gotten past that now… I still miss her, but things are different. Besides, she visits me sometimes.”

“You mean her spirit?” Sara asked.

“Yes,” he said, laughing. “I never believed in any of that stuff. Thought it was a bunch of bullshit. But when Celeste was alive, her ex-boyfriend died and then started coming around her. At first I thought she was just imagining things. Either that or losing it. I even sent her to a therapist. Turns out the shit was real. Biggest shock of my life.”

“I never believed in that stuff either,” Sara confessed. “Even though I’m psychic, I’ve always been a skeptic and a scientist when it comes to spirit communication and the afterlife. But so many things have happened that leave me questioning reality.”

“Well, good for you,” Dave said approvingly. “Science is important. I can totally see where you’re coming from. I always preferred to focus on the facts and what I could see and hear. It’s a fine way to live. You don’t want to be too gullible or run around with your head stuck in the clouds. But science isn’t all there is either. It can’t explain everything, and I’m glad you recognized that. One day a spirit may come knocking on your door, and your whole perception of life will suddenly change.”

“I wouldn’t count on that,” Sara said. “It hasn’t happened all these years. Why would it happen now?”

Chip gave her a frustrated look.

She continued: “I know your son thinks it’s real, and he’s trying awfully hard to convince me. I just don’t see it.”

“Maybe you don’t want to see it,” Chip said.

“That’s not true.”

“If you believed in spirit communication, you’d have to face the fact that you were wrong. Psychic Sara couldn’t even see the truth when it was staring at her right in the face. You were angry with your mom for abandoning you and then not visiting you, when she was standing right beside you, desperately trying to reach you, all along. That’s a big mistake to own up to. It’s easier just to ignore the evidence and pretend you’re right. Then there’s nothing to feel guilty or regretful about.”

“I can’t believe you just said that.”

“You know I’m right, Sara,” he said. “Open your eyes and stop being so damn stubborn.”

A warm rush of blood pooled in Sara’s face. Her cheeks felt hot. She couldn’t tell if she was angry, embarrassed, or both. One thing was certain: both Chip and Dave noticed her red cheeks.

“Come on now, kids. It’s okay to disagree. Lord knows, Celeste and I didn’t see eye to eye on anything,” Dave interjected. “But if it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have you, son.”