The Price of a Gift (The Price of Secrets Series) (3 page)

I spent the next hour writing all about last night and even about my talk with mom this morning. And how I want to have a boyfriend I can tell my secret to and he will understand and doesn't just accept it, but embraces it as a part of me..........

...and I would love to have someone in my life by my 16th birthday. I watch all these movies where the girl’s 16th birthday is magical and always ends with a toe-curling kiss. It's always cheesy, but just for that one special day I want cheesy. I want to be able to pull this book out at the end of that night and write all about it. Because I want to freeze that moment in time forever, NOT because I have a ghost to help or mystery to solve and have to write myself notes just to keep up. Talk about cheesy. If Jaycee read this she would take away my retro copies of The Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles, and burn them. lol That's enough sharing for now. I'm going inside before I look like a lobster.

I stood up wrapped my towel around me and started gathering my radio and chair, trying to make it into the house in one trip, when I heard a baby crying again. I tried looking everywhere, but I couldn't see anyone, and I couldn't tell where it was coming from. Every time I walked in a different direction, it sounded just as close as the last place. Then it hit me, it's coming from inside my head! That can't be good. Think logically, this could be my subconscious self
, mixed with my psychic self, telling me something. But what? Well it ain't telling me I'm pregnant cause that would be impossible being a virgin and all. Maybe I'm telling myself to stop whining about my life. Or maybe it's telling me I've finally lost it and there is a padded room, with my name on it, waiting for me. I took a deep breath and thought 'STOP IT!' without saying it out loud. Just like that, the crying was gone. “Well that was new.”

“Hannah come inside you've been out here too long. That’s enough vitamin D for one day. You need to get ready anyway. When your dad gets home we are going back to look at both houses again and to take some measurements. Honey, I have good news, the Carver's made an offer on the house, and we accepted it.” Well, there's no turning back or changing their minds now.

"That's great mom." On the bright side, I don't have to keep my room clean for showings anymore. Walking in the house I had a random thought; if this crap keeps it up, I'm gonna need to buy a new diary before the end of summer cause I'm going to run out of pages!

I lingered in the shower longer than usual just letting the hot water hit my face, neck, and shoulders. I had really wanted to take a tub bath but I knew I didn't have time for that because I always end up staying in it for at least an hour. I blasted the radio the entire time I was getting ready, afraid that I would hear the crying again. Luckily I didn't, and now this is my third time trying to put my hair in a ponytail and this is just
gonna have to do. I'll just spray the fool out of it. I wonder if that's a phrase the entire South would understand or is it just limited to North Carolina?

"Hannah Marie Price if you don't come on you won't make it to sixteen!" My Dad yelled up at me from the bottom of the stairs.

I grabbed my earrings, I can put them on in the car, turned my light off and out the door I went. "I know I know, you brought me into this world and you can take me out. You really need to get some new material Dad." I said while running down the steps.

"You're such
a smart alec. It makes me so proud." Dad makes a fake tear wipe.

“Avery, be nice." Mom said as she put her purse on her shoulder.

"It's ok mom. I'm proud of my inherited smart alec-ness." I know they do this for me. Don't get me wrong, they are fun and never take themselves too seriously, but the normal acting, light hearted, banter is to make me feel just that way, normal.

The first house we went to was the larger of the two houses we were looking at. We walked in and mom and dad headed for the kitchen. I went toward the bedrooms. As soon as we had pulled up to
the brick house I felt a sense of dread and I was going to find out what it was before my parents made any decisions. The first bedroom I went into only had one window. I guess it could be a spare bedroom or something. I stood in the middle of the room trying to get a feel from it. Nothing. I went further down the hall to the last bedroom. If I had to pick a room it would be this one because it had windows on two walls. I like a bright and airy room. Again, I stood in the middle of the room and closed my eyes. I felt sadness, but nothing specific. I went to the room directly across from the one I was in. This must be the master bedroom. The wave of loneliness knocked me back a few inches. My heart ached. I walked into the attached master bathroom to see if there were any tissues, warm tears filled my eyes threatening to spill over and I wanted to be prepared. The bathroom was bare.

Walking back out empty handed, I saw an image form out of thin air. It was an old woman and she looked like she was folding invisible clothes or something. She turned and walked toward the back wall and lifted her hand and made a pulling motion. She returned to her original spot and bent over to pick up whatever she had just folded and turned back toward the wall again. It finally hit me that she was folding clothes and putting them away in drawers. She repeated this process over and over again. Each time I could see her more clearly. She never acknowledged me. I think this is what is called residual energy. It's like an impression in time.
Kinda like a movie that keeps playing over and over again.

I sat down in the floor to study her. After
a while it became clear for me. Her husband had died and her two sons had moved far away. She was so very lonely and was just waiting for death to hurry and take her so she could be reunited with her one true love. I laid my head back on the door frame and watched the replay of the morning she died. She was alone in her bed and had passed in her sleep. Her soul left her body, and before the image left me, I caught a glimpse of a smile on her face as she looked up to the ceiling. Her husband must have came for her, finally reuniting them. It then started back over with her folding clothes. I cried for her sad, lonely last days of her life, and for her happy ending. Because it was happy, she knew she would be spending eternity with her husband. My gift allowed that to be shared with me. I got up to leave the room, using my sleeves to wipe my eyes, having already decided not to divulge this with my parents until after they make their decision. I don't want this house, it just didn't feel like home. But I knew that if they choose this one I could cleanse it and release the energy this woman had left behind.

The second house wasn't brick. It had grey siding with white trim and black shutters. The lush landscaping, and the winding path leading to the door, gave the house
a storybook cottage feel. It was sitting on two beautiful acres, which is not the seven acres that I'm use to now, but I liked it. There was a car parked in front of the garage and a woman standing on the porch.

“Hello Marie. It's so good to see you again. I'm just
gonna leave and let you lock up. If you decide you want to make an offer just fax over the contract and I will present it to the seller ASAP." It was the listing realtor, she had been waiting on us.

"Thank you Debbie. We won't be long. I just wanted to write down some measurements. Good bye, take care." Mom and I stood at the door and watched her leave while dad got out his tape measurer.

I waited until Debbie got into her car then said. "You know she doesn't like you, right?"

We walked inside and mom turned to shut the door. "I don't need your ability to know that. I just don't understand why. I have always been nothing but nice to her."

"Oh well that's easy. She thinks her husband wants you and something about the old Walter's furniture building."

Mom was shocked, but managed to smile at me. "You're good. I've seen you do that a hundred times but it still amazes me. Her husband, Donald, had the Walter's furniture building for sale. He had it listed a long time, so when I had a buyer, he helped me with all the zoning and permit research hoping my buyers would make an offer. And they did. Now that I think about it, every time he and I were together, Debbie c
alled him constantly. But me and Donald? Not even if I was single. Not even if he was the last man on earth." Mom was offended.

"Don't worry Mom. Deep down she knows you're not interested. But he has cheated on her so many times that she doesn't like anyone younger or better looking than her to be around her husband."

Dad put his arm around Mom’s waist, kissed her and said, "And you are younger and so much prettier than her."

Get a room already. "I really like this house much better than the first one." I interrupted their make out session.

"That wouldn't be because this house has a pool would it?" Dad asked.

"Yes, but that's not the only reason. The other house just didn't feel right for us. This house does. Like it could be a place I could call home. I'm
gonna go pick a bedroom, just in case.”

To the left of the small foy
er were French doors leading into a study. To the right was the dining room and living room. I went to the left passing the study that I could already envision dad having wall to wall bookshelves and his overstuffed leather chair by the window. On this side of the house were two bedrooms and a bath. I knew which room I wanted, the one with the double windows that looked out to swimming pool of course. The closet was just a tiny bit smaller than the one I have now, but if I get rid of clothes I don't wear anymore, my stuff would fit just fine.

The hall bathroom was actually larger than mine and had plenty of storage. Having the double sinks and double cabinets, I could keep everything in here instead of bringing my makeup bag back and forth from my room like I do now. I walked through the living room toward the master bedroom when I heard my parents in the kitchen. It was fifteen minutes later and they were still in there. Mom was walking out heading toward the dining room, as I was walking in.

"Can we please go home? I am tired and we have been here forever."

"Well aren't you whiney, not a very attractive quality." Dad said while writing down the measurements mom was calling out to him.

"You don't understand...Samantha!" She was standing about six feet behind my dad.

"Don't understand Samantha? What are you talking about?"

"No, Dad, Samantha is here. She's right behind you." He turned around even though he knew he wasn't going to see her.

"Do you want me to give you some privacy?" Dad asked.

"If you don't mind. I'll come find you when she leaves." He left the kitchen, but I could tell it was with reluctance.

I turned back to Samantha thinking she might have already disappeared, but she was still in the same spot wearing a blue dress and her hair in braids.
"What's wrong Samantha?"

"Find me." Was all she
said. Then she just disappeared. I almost wondered if she was gonna hide in the house and I was supposed to count to ten or something. I went to find my parents. I was ready for this day to be over.

After two hours of looking at houses we were finally home. It doesn't look like I will be calling it that for much longer. After grabbing myself a soda, I snuck it into my room. No food or drinks were allowed in the bedrooms, mom's rule. I washed my makeup off and brushed my teeth. So now I'm sitting on my bed with my laptop trying to find something about a death that includes a 16 year old Samantha and, judging by the dress, it happened sometime in the late 1800's to early 1900's. This is going to be the proverbial needle in a haystack. I'm limiting my search to Caldwell County because it just feels like she was from here. That or I'm just wanting to catch a break and hoping to be right. Either way I'm not finding anything. I'm
gonna have to tell Samantha I need some more information. How does she expect me to figure this out with what little she has given me? Why does the living impaired have to be so mysterious and talk in riddles? Why can't they just say- hey here's my problem and I need you to do this to help me? This is gonna take forever and I'm never gonna have a life. Dad was right, I am whiney.

Chapter 3

I woke up the next morning to mom yelling and to the smell of bacon, eggs and biscuits. So, of course, I'm up and heading for the kitchen with my eyes half open.

"Good morning. You're up early." Mom said with her usual morning perkiness. It kind of ticks me off. No one should be that happy before 10
A.M.

"Cause you yelled up the stairs if I don't get up and eat it while it's hot I'll have to fend for myself." I said while
laying my head on the breakfast bar. I managed to slip off the stool and grab myself a plate. After adding a big spoonful of scrambled eggs two pieces of bacon and a biscuit to my plate, I laid it down on a placemat and went back for a fork and a big gulp size of coffee. Mom's not crazy over me drinking it but she knows I always get a venti cappuccino every time I go to the mall, so she usually doesn't say anything. She actually handed me two packs of sweetener while I added creamer.