Cheating Heart, A Lost Souls Novel: A Lost Souls Novel (6 page)

Vienna was too frightened to move.  She stood near the window and watched.  The shadow hovered in front of the screen of the large projec
tion TV.  Then it vanished.  The television and the tall pole lamp next to the couch clicked
on
simultaneously, bathing the room in both light and sound. 

The vacuums on the infomercial roared to life as the volume
began to increase.  Panicked, Vienna dashed for the remote on the coffee table.  She punched the volume button and held it down.  She got nothing and then rushed to the TV.  Her shaky fingers fumbled over the buttons trying to find the ones for the volume.  Flustered, she decided to just push the
off
button instead.  It was quicker.  To her relief, the TV shut down.

“What’s going on?” Kim asked
groggily, stumbling into the room while rubbing her eyes.

Vienna still had the remote in her hand.  She pushed the
power
button and nothing happened.  She remembered Kim mentioning how ghosts sucked the energy out of batteries so they could manifest.  “I think we had a visitor,” she said. 

Kim walked over to the table and looked at the spilt water and the
half eaten yogurt that somehow managed to get dumped on the carpet.  “What kind of visitor?”

“
The dead kind,” Vienna said, and then grimaced at the mess she’d made. “Yeah, um, I accidentally did that. Sorry. I’ll get a towel.”

“Well,” Kim plopped down on the couch, “
since I’m up, I wanna hear all about it.”

Vienna came back with a couple of large
burgundy towels.  She laid one on top of the coffee table to sop up the water.  She looked at Kim who grabbed the second towel from her and began to clean up the yogurt.  She smiled, thankful for having such an understanding best friend.

Chapter 5

Later that
morning, after Kim and Vienna got a few hours of sleep, they were sitting in front of the TV eating scrambled eggs that Kim had made. 

“So, what’s the plan for today?” Kim asked.

Vienna shrugged.  “Crocker Museum?” she sarcastically suggested. 

“Yeah, right!”
Kim laughed.  “If you think I’m going on a double date with you…”

“What?”
Vienna teased.  “You don’t like art museums?”

“Ha ha!” Kim joked.  “I
love
art museums.  I just don’t love guys who don’t know I have eyes.  I swear he stared at my chest the entire night!  It was so embarrassing!”

“I noticed,” Vienna teased.  “I thought you rather enjoyed it.” 

“Ha, ha!” Kim retorted. 

“It wasn’t really his fault, you know.   I mean, after all, he
was
eye level with the girls.”

“Shut up!” Kim scoffed. 
“And what about Jack?”

Vienna
stopped laughing and wrinkled up her nose.  She felt a sudden quick stab of hurt.  “What
about
Jack?”

“You think he’s up for his date with Chris?”
Kim teased.

Vienna couldn’t he
lp but smile over Kim’s comment.  “That
was
pretty funny.”

“
Yeah, I thought so, too.  Except for the fact that
I
was interested in Chris and Jack stole him away with his dazzling good looks!”

“You have the worst luck with men…oh, wait, never mind.” 
Vienna shook her head.  “Mine’s even worse.”

“It
is
not,” Kim took a forkful of eggs, “you had Kyle all over you.”

Vienna sighed, “Yeah, I guess so.”  Her mind drifted back to Brandon and his new girlfriend
, and then Jack popping up just to tell her that he was only there because she needed his help.  Both were blows to her ego.  In fact, they were such huge blows that she couldn’t even enjoy the fact that Kyle seemed to be interested in her. 

“
In all seriousness,” Kim said.  “I know you don’t want to talk about it, but you know Jack showed up for a reason.”

“Ugh…” 
Vienna groaned and set down her cup of coffee.  “Don’t remind me.”

“
I’m serious, Vienna,” Kim said.  “You need to think about this.  Jack shows up and then we have a ghostly visitor.  I doubt it’s a coincidence.  This isn’t the first time something like this has happened.  So far, every time Jack shows up, something big happens.”

As much as Vienna didn’t want to admit it, she knew Kim was right.  She’d much rather believe Jack showed up on Valentine’s Day for other reasons.  “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

“Well, that…” Kim said, taking another bite of her eggs.  “And the fact that he was jealous.”

“Jealous?” 
Vienna lifted an eyebrow.  “You think so?”

“
Oh my God, it was so obvious!”  Kim laughed.  “I
know
so!  Did you see the look on his face when Kyle pulled you close to him?  Jack was ready to punch his lights out!”

Vienna
smiled brightly.  It made her feel good that Kim noticed it, too.  It wasn’t just her imagination.  Jack really was jealous.  “I don’t know…it probably wasn’t jealousy…”

“
What?” Kim spat.  “Shut up!  You really think it’s just a coincidence that he showed up while you were dancing with another man?  I mean, really.  He could’ve popped up today after the whole ghost incident, but he didn’t.  He purposely chose last night to interrupt you and Kyle.” 

“Maybe.”

“Besides, think about it.”  Kim was determined to get her point across, even though Vienna secretly agreed with her.  Vienna just wanted to hear more proof from Kim’s point of view.  So she wasn’t going to stop her from trying.  It made Jack’s feelings of jealousy all the more real. 

“Go on…”

“The last time Jack popped up,” Kim continued, “was when you were on a date for the Marine Corps ball.  Yes, there was another lost soul needing your help, but he didn’t have to interrupt your date, did he?  No.  He purposely put himself between you and James.”

Vienna suddenly felt lighter. 
It was as if a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders.  “You’re right,” she said, nodding.  “Or anyway, I’d like to think you’re right.  I mean, after all, it’s kind of a coincidence that he just happens to show up whenever I’m on a date.”

“My thoughts exactly!” 
Kim reached over and gently placed her hand on top of Vienna’s.  “If there’s anything I know in life, it’s about men and shopping,” she said matter-a-factly.  “Not that I don’t have problems in the men department, you know, finding the right one for me and all, but I do know how they tick.”

Vienna laughed.  “It’s okay.  You don’t have to explain yourself.
  I know men and shopping are your passion.”

“Now
, I just need to find a gorgeous hunk of a man who isn’t gay and appreciates my love of shopping!” 

“I love you and I hate shopping,” Vienna said.  “You might just have to settle for a man who feels the same.”

“I’ll never settle,” Kim teased.  “I know the perfect man for me is out there, somewhere. You know, I bet he’s an underwear model.  They like to shop, right?”

“Oh
, geez,” Vienna said, shaking her head.  “You’re so funny!”

“I’m glad I made you smile,” Kim said, getting up from the
couch.  “I need another cup of coffee.  How about you?”  

“Yes, please!  After last night, I need all the caffeine I can get.”
 

Kim refilled their mugs and
placed them on the coffee table before sitting back down.  “I guess we need to start planning out our day.”

“My plan is to sit in front of the TV and veg.
  I’m wiped out.”

“What?”  Kim poured chocolate C
offee-mate into her coffee.  “You can’t veg out.  You have a ghost to help.”

“And how do you suppose I
do that?”  Vienna snagged the Coffee-mate from Kim and stirred some chocolately goodness into her own coffee.  “I’m open to suggestions.  The sooner I figure out what to do, the faster we can get the creepy pest out of here.  I can’t afford to keep buying stupid batteries for the remote.”

“Well, you said
you had a dream about the ocean.”

“No,” Vienna interrupted.  “
Well, yes, I did, but I manifested a dream about the ocean.  I was trying to fall asleep.  So I was thinking of the ocean to quiet my mind.  The ghost had nothing to do with the ocean.”

“You sure?”

“Positive.”

“I don’t know.” 
Kim frowned.  “I was kind of hoping for a trip to the beach.”

“Of course you were,” Vienna laughed.  “And if you hadn’t notic
ed, we’re nowhere near a beach.  Sacramento isn’t by the ocean.”

“San Francisco, Monterey, Santa Cruz…”

“You’re just looking for a road trip,” Vienna jumped in.  “Besides, it wasn’t that kind of beach.  It was warmer and different.  It was a southern California beach.  You know, like the ones in Los Angeles or in San Diego.  That type of beach.  It was warm with miles and miles of sparkling sand.”

“Oh, let’s go to L
.A. or San Diego!  Either would be a blast!  We can get last minute plane tickets.  Please!  It’ll be fun!”

“You’re crazy!  Tha
t’s expensive, plus we need to work on Monday.”

“Oh, please,” Kim said with a nonchalant
wave of her hand.  “It’s only art lessons.  You forget we can get my sister to fill in again.  She’s always looking to make extra cash.  And the kids are already working on their projects.  All she’d have to do is babysit for a couple hours and make sure no one eats the paint.  So, in reality, we don’t need to be back until Tuesday.”

“I don’t know.
” Vienna sulked, slumping back into the couch.  “I’m really not in the mood.”

“You’re no fun,” Kim s
aid, playfully.  “I was just trying to help your ghost.”

“
Yeah, sure you were,” Vienna scorned.  “Besides, he wasn’t killed in the ocean.  That was
my
dream.  He just sort of invaded my sleep.”

Kim’s eyes widened.  “How do you know it’s a
he
?”

Vienna shrugged.  “
Um, I don’t know.”  She remembered the sticky blood on her hands and the fog all around her.  “Heck, I don’t even know if he was murdered.  For all I know, he murdered someone else.”

“
Okay.  That’s creepy.  Why would a murderer come to you for help?”

“Heck if I know.  Maybe he’s stuck.”

“I don’t like it,” Kim said, taking another sip of coffee.  “If he’s a murderer…”

“Honestly, I don’t know if he is.
  Let’s not jump to conclusions.”  Vienna wiped her hands on her robe.  It was as if she could still feel blood on her palms.

“Well, let’s say he is,
” Kim said.  “Are you going to help him?”

Again, Vienna shrugged.  “I really don’t know.
  Maybe.” 

“I don’t like the thought of a dead murderer lurking around our condo.
  It gives me the creeps.”

For a moment
, the two of them sat in silence, mulling this over while sipping on coffee.  A buzzing noise caught them off guard causing them both to jump.  When music began to play, Vienna realized the racket was coming from her cell phone that was in the kitchen on the counter.  She hopped up to go get it.

“I don’t recognize the number,” she said, staring at the screen
while walking back to the living room. 

“Well, answer it!”

“Hello?” Vienna answered, right before the voicemail picked up.

“Hi Vienna?”

“Um, yeah…” 

“It’s Kyle.” 

Vienna’s heart skipped a beat as her pulse quickened.  She forgot that Kyle had programmed her phone number into his phone last night.  “Oh!  Hi, Kyle.”

Kim looked at her with big blue eyes
, grinning.  Vienna rolled her eyes and then turned her back to her friend.

“So, what are you up to?”
Kyle asked.

“Just drinking coffee and chatting with Kim.”

“Sounds like fun.  I had a good time last night.”

“Yeah, me too.”  Vienna wandered over to the
coffee table and picked up the dishes from breakfast to carry over to the sink.  Kim followed her with her eyes.  Vienna knew she was trying to eavesdrop.

“What are your plans this weekend?”

“Oh, um,” Vienna hesitated, caught off guard.  “You know, Kim and I are going to the beach.”

“The beach?” he asked.  “Are you heading to Frisco?”

“Well, actually,” Vienna giggled nervously.  She couldn’t believe she was saying this.  The words were just flying out of her mouth.  It was as if she had no control.  “We’re going to fly to San Diego.”

“San Diego?” he asked.  “Oh.”

“Yeah, I know.  Kim has a friend in the military that is stationed in Oceanside.  We’re going to be leaving in a couple of hours.”

“And you’ll be back soon, I hope…” his voice was low.  Vienna could feel his rejection through the phone.  She felt bad.  She honestly didn’t even know why she was lying to him.
  She just panicked.

“Oh, yeah,” Vienna said and then tried to smooth things over.  “It’s for Kim.  I promised her that I’d go so she wouldn’t have to fly alone.”  Vienna could feel Kim’s stare burning a hole between her shoulder blades.  She ignored the uncomfortable feeling and refused to look at her friend.  Instead
, she walked over to the sink and began rinsing the dishes off and placing them into the dishwasher.

“Oh
, okay,” he said.  “Maybe we can get together when you get back.  That is, if you want to.”

“Yes,” Vienna said.  “That would be nice.”

“Then it’s a date,” he said. 

“Yes,” Vienna said.  “
We’ll talk more about it later.”

“I’ll see you at work then?”

“Yes, see you at work.”  She quickly hung up.

Kim cleared her throat.
  “The beach, huh?” 

Grudgingly, Vienna turned to face her friend when her phone began ringing again. 

“Someone’s popular this morning,” Kim said.

Vienna winced at the comment.  She stared at the screen of her phone to see who was calling before answering.  “Hi, Mom.” 

“You’ll never believe who just called the house.”

Vienna shut the dishwasher and refilled her mug with coffee.  “Who?”

“Brandon!”

“Brandon?” Vienna asked, sitting down at the
small kitchen table that they rarely used.

“Brandon!” Kim repeated,
her eyes about to pop out of her head.  She hopped up from the couch and joined Vienna at the table.