Eternal (32 page)

All I knew was that the aching absence of his presence, and the hope that he was still with me, coiled like a snake around my soul.

* * * * *

“Wren?”

My eyes opened to the sound of Jeremiah’s velvet drawl. The room was already cast in long shadows and as my eyes adjusted, he formed out of nothing at the foot of my bed. A sleepy smile teased the corners of my mouth. “Are you real?” I asked, my voice thick from medication induced sleep.

“As real as I ever was.”

Never taking his gaze from mine, he moved around to the side of the bed. My bottom lip trembled as I watched him. Some part of me refused to believe it. “I saw you swept up…in the Light.”

“It was the only way I could protect you,” he said.

I didn’t understand but a hollow place inside me told me that things had changed. “How have you…come back?”

A sad smile deepened his dimples. “You said yourself that someone can’t make a spirit do something they don’t want to do.”

“So you…came back…to me?” Fear prevented me from allowing myself to rejoice.

“Yes, I came back to you.” His gaze moved down to where my foot lay propped on two pillows. “You’re hurt.”

I shifted with difficulty, trying to sit up against my pillows. The fact that he didn’t immediately move to help struck me as out of place. “I sprained my ankle,” I said, dismissing it with a wave of my hand. “It’s nothing.”

“I’m sorry,” he told me. Tension radiated from his being to my heart.

Something was wrong. I saw it in his eyes. Why hadn’t he kissed me? Why wasn’t he already in my arms? I began to shake with dread. I’d gone long enough worrying and fraught with the unknown to tolerate it any longer.

I drew back the covers. “Come to me.” I reached for him.

He stared. His hesitation chilled me to the bone.

“What’s the matter, Jeremiah?” My voice rose with mounting hysteria.

Pain shone in his eyes. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

Is that all?
Relief flooded me. “You could never hurt me, Jeremiah.” I smiled but, inside, I ached to feel his arms around me. “Please come to me,” I pleaded, reaching for him again.

His forehead creased with worry.

This was ridiculous. I rolled toward him, reaching for him but my hand swept straight through him. He jerked back.

He’d been transparent to me before, especially after the time I had channeled his spirit and while that did not necessarily bother me, his reaction did. My pulse accelerated dangerously. My breathing quickened. “Jeremiah?”

Stricken, he sank onto the edge of the bed with his back to me. I reached for him again and once more, my hands went through him.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, trying to maintain some semblance of calm. “Why can’t I touch you?”

He looked over his shoulder and his gaze slid into mine. “Since…that night…there are many things I can no longer do. As we speak, I’m struggling to appear to you, to talk to you.”

I stared, trying in vain to assimilate what he was telling me. His eyes overflowed with inner torment and although my heart broke that I couldn’t feel his arms around me right now, I felt deliriously happy that at least he was with me. “What does it mean?” I asked.

He gave a little shrug of his shoulders. “I don’t know.”

Fear gripped me. “Are you telling me…you’re…leaving me?”

“No!” he said quickly.

My tension melted but only slightly. As long as he was with me, I knew I could tolerate anything.

Anything.

“Then what?” I asked, trying desperately to comprehend.

He grew silent again.

I couldn’t understand what was happening. I was overjoyed to see him. I loved him. I missed him. I would stop breathing if he left me again. “My God,” I said, losing the battle against tears I didn’t think I had left in me to shed. “Jeremiah, I need you. I need to hear that you love me.”

His shoulders shuddered with a sob and his tear-filled gaze found mine again. “I underestimated her,” he said. “I should have delayed her. I should have done a lot of things. Wren, you’ve got to know I did what I felt I had to do to see you safe.”

“I know,” I whispered.

“I was there with you,” he said. “At the hospital.”

My shoulders shook with a little sob at the memory of the deep soul pain I’d suffered. “Then you saw how miserable I was without you.”

He nodded. “I felt it.” He covered his heart with his hand.

“Jeremiah…the red birds…did you—”

“I knew you’d understand their significance.” Finally, he gave me that smile I loved so well.

I wanted to wrap my arms around him so badly I ached. Instead, I returned his smile, as I wiped away an errant tear from my cheek. I refused to be pessimistic. “I’m the only person you’ve ever been able to touch. Right?”

He nodded.

I inhaled. “Then, we can figure out how to make it work again.”

His smile faded. “What if it doesn’t?”

I wouldn’t be swayed. Hope was all we had left. “You’re here with me. That’s all that matters to me, Jeremiah.”

His eyes searched mine as if he sought a truth beyond my words. “Why would you even bother with a man you can’t…feel?” he asked.

I thought my heart would shatter into a million pieces. “Jeremiah, I love you more than my own life. I would do anything to be with you.”

He raked his hand over my hair and although I felt nothing more than a soft breath of air, the gesture so overwhelmingly comforted me, I wept tears of joy.

“It doesn’t matter, Jeremiah. Just promise me you will stay with me. Please.”

“I want nothing more.” His smile returned. “I can still feel you.”

I gave voice to a little laugh. “How?”

“I feel your happiness.”

At that moment, I would have given anything to fly into his arms but I knew I couldn’t. His link to the Other Side had changed him and whether the change was temporary or permanent, I didn’t know.

What I did know was that he was with me and, for right now, that was all that mattered.

“Can you lie down with me?” I asked, sliding back down on my pillows.

He glided more than moved onto the bed, his form more see-through than ever before. I tried not to think about it. I tried to be hopeful that he’d be restored to the way he’d been before. At the same time, I was resigned to fact that I might never be able to touch him again.

But right now, I needed to at least pretend things were normal. “Did…did you see your brothers?”

“Yes.”

I gazed at his face. “Did they want to know why you didn’t come…that day?”

He laughed. “Oh, I think they knew the reason I stayed here.”

Warmth infused me. “Did they say anything about…about me?”

The dimples at the corners of his mouth appeared. “Just that they understood why I wanted to wait for you.”

My heart swelled. “And your mother and father?”

“I saw them, too.”

“Did they ask about me?” I bit my bottom lip.

“They were pleased that I had found happiness after so long a time.” His hand moved over my bare arm, down to my hand. I watched, although I couldn’t feel the sensation. It was odd but still, I refused to let him see my disappointment. But the little voice in my head told me trying to hide my emotions from him was useless.

His gaze fixed on the ring I was still wearing—the ring I would always wear.

“I will understand,” he began. “If you would like to…forget about…”

“No!” I interrupted. “No. I love you. I want to be with you always.”

“But I can no longer touch you and—”

I stared. “That doesn’t matter. We are together. You and I. We dedicated ourselves to each other and no matter what happens, I will always be yours.”

Incredulous, he searched my gaze. “I…But I can’t even protect you now.”

I shook my head. “Briar’s gone. She’ll probably go to jail,” I said desperately. “I want you with me.”

“Hush now, love,” he said trying to soothe me as his hand swept over my hair. “I won’t leave you.”

I sniffed as his image flickered in the murky darkness.

“As long as you want me, I will do whatever it takes to stay with you,” he whispered as he moved over me to kiss my lips.

I closed my eyes, trying to feel his mouth, his body, his warmth, his vibrating energy. Although overwhelming gratitude filled me that Jeremiah’s spirit remained with me, all I felt physically was the indistinct ghost of his kiss.

Epilogue

Marching to the sonorous tune of the never ending
Pomp and Circumstance
, I accepted my diploma from Mt. Pleasant High School on a balmy night in May.

Mom and David had enrolled me in the University of North Alabama in the town of Florence, a doable commute from my house, especially since Waylon planned to attend UNA as well. He’d been awarded a football scholarship there.

As I crossed the stage, sheepskin in hand, I looked up to discover Jeremiah smiling proudly at the base of the stairs. Love for him filled me. Despite everything that had happened—despite the fact that I still couldn’t feel his touch—nothing had dampened our feelings for each other.

My gaze locked with his as I descended the stairs.

“Congratulations,” he whispered as if anybody else could hear him, and then he faded.

I knew he’d be waiting for me at home and while my friends looked forward to attending after graduation parties, I couldn’t wait to get home to spend time with a ghost.

As soon as the ceremony was over, I hugged Laura and Waylon. Frank’s father approached and gave him a manly handshake. Holly threw herself into the arms of her boyfriend.

“Don’t you want to come to my house for the party?” Laura asked.

“I’m really tired,” I excused.

“Are you sure?” Waylon asked. “I’d be glad to drive you.”

After we exchanged hugs, Mom smiled at my friends. “Don’t you want to go to the party, Wren?”

“I might stop by for a few minutes,” I conceded.

“Let’s go,” Ella chimed, twisting and pulling toward the door. Her bottom lip protruded in a pout.

“Go ahead,” I said. “Take her home. I won’t be long.”

Mom patted my face proudly. “Be careful. No drinking. And no boys.” She shot Waylon a look of warning.

“I’ll make sure she gets home safely,” Waylon interjected.

“I’ll be fine,” I assured them. “I can drive myself but I parked on the other side of the school.”

“Okay,” Mom said. “Just be careful.”

I slipped away, intent on blowing off the party and driving straight home, but first I had to walk through the school building to get to my car.

Laura turned to take photos with her parents and I made good on my escape. But the farther I got from the auditorium, the darker and more deserted the hallways became. My heels echoed off the concrete walls and metal lockers. I hadn’t really expected this part of the school to be deserted and I wondered if I’d be able to get out the back door.

“Wren.”

Startled at the sound of my name, I whirled. I peered into the shadows. “Who’s there?”

My breath froze in my lungs when Briar stepped from behind a row of lockers. Terror gripped me. I hadn’t seen her since that night at St. John’s and my mind ran rampant with possibilities, none of which were good.

I debated running for it but she was dressed in jeans and sneakers. I could never outrun her in heels.

Besides, she didn’t look defiant.

Instead, she was trembling.

She seemed afraid. Gone was the wicked dark makeup and that godawful conglomeration of visible piercings. I almost didn’t recognize her.

“What do you want?” I clutched my diploma. I knew after what she’d done to Jeremiah and me that I should walk away, and I couldn’t explain why I didn’t immediately do so.

Briar’s eyes widened and her gaze darted around the darkened hall as if she expected someone or something to jump out at us at any moment. “I don’t know where else to turn.”

She hugged her arms across her chest to stop herself from shaking.

“What do you mean?” I asked, still too wary to let down my guard.

“I…I need your help.” Her bottom lip trembled when she spoke.

“
My
help?” I inquired, not comprehending. I should have lashed out at her, or at the very least, told her all the hateful thoughts I’d had about her over the past months. After all, she was the reason I could no longer touch Jeremiah. My eyes narrowed. I glared at her. “What could you possibly need my help for?”

“He’s back. He’s back,” she said and again her gaze flitted wildly about the gloomy hallway.

My lips parted and although I knew what she was going to say, I stupidly asked anyway. “Who’s back?”

“Zeke Jackson’s ghost,” she said, her face horror-stricken at the mere mention of his name.

I stared. Cold chills ran up my arms and legs despite the sultry May heat.

“Please say you’ll help me, Wren.” Briar took a desperate step closer to me. She lowered her voice to a whisper as if the ghost might be listening. “He won’t stop until I’m dead.”

About the Author

DEBRA GLASS holds an MAed with emphasis in history from the University of North Alabama. A Florence, Alabama native, she is a tour guide, part-time step on guide for Shoals Tours, full-time freelance writer and is the author of over thirty-five books ranging from folklore to historical romance. Her popular Skeletons in the Closet Series have been regional and national best sellers. She has also penned several articles for Fate Magazine and historical articles for various Civil War Magazines. She has appeared on an Emmy Award winning historical documentary. During the week of Halloween, she conducts the Haunted History of the Shoals Ghost Walk.

Debra is a member of the Heart of Dixie RWA Chapter, Southern Magic RWA Chapter, Romance Writers of America, and the Professional Authors’ Network.

For more information, visit Debra’s website at
www.DiscoverTheShoals.com
or
www.DebraGlass.com

Table of Contents

Epilogue