The Legacy of Kilkenny (51 page)

 
I turned around to take mental pictures of the store.
 
Always the wolf.
 
I noticed a girl talking to Bob, so I zeroed in on her to listen in on their conversation.

 
“I’m looking for the Phelan farm.”
 
The girl was saying to Bob.

 
“You got some business with them?”
 
Bob asked suspiciously.
 

 
“Yes sir.
 
I need the easiest way to walk there.
 
I don’t have a car,” she said as she stood on her right foot with her left leg bent and foot off the ground.

 
Bob looked up at me and caught my eye. He nodded his head up at me and I nodded up back at him.
 
“Well, you’re in luck.
 
One of them Phelan boys is over in the coffee shop.
 
His name is Abel; he should be able to help you.”
 
Bob said and pointed over to me.
 
I raised my hand half heartedly, giving a small wave back.

 
Be nice
I tell myself.
 
The girl thanked him and started walking over my way.
 
Her khaki flared pants had grass stains on the knee and her t-shirt was entirely too big.
 
Dried clumps of red clay were falling off her holey worn out shoes leaving a trail from the counter to me.
 

 
“Uh, hi are you someone from the Phelan farm?”
 
She lifted her head to look at me.
 
Her hazel eyes looked sad, like she lost her best friend.
 
I knew that look; it was common around the farm with the absence of the General and Pru.

 
“I am.
 
I’m Abel.”
 
I put my hand out to shake but she looked at it like I had some disease.
 
“Okay, I guess you’re not much into the germ thing.
 
It’s cool,”
 
I said pulling my hand back.

 
“I’m sorry.”
 
She thrust her hand out and we shook hands.
 
“I’m needing to go to the farm.”
 

 
I smiled at her; I couldn’t help myself, she seemed so lost.
 
“My friend and I are going out there in a few minutes.”
 
I turned my head to say to Imogene.
 
“Imogene, can you pretty please with sugar on top make me another coffee?
 
You know you love me.”
 
I flashed her my cheesy grin.

 
“For
you
sweetie, I’d do anything.
 
Don’t tell Big Bob I’m sweet on you,” she said as she grabbed another Styrofoam cup to pour the coffee in.

 
“Abel, I don’t have any money to pay for that.”
 
The girl said to me.

 
“Oh no, don’t worry about it.
 
It’s my treat.
 
Sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”
 
I put a ten on the counter.
 
“Imogene I don’t need any change.
 
Thank you, I’ll see you in a couple of days.”
 
I turned to face the girl.
 
“Sorry.
 
So what gives?”

 
She looked up at me sheepishly and said.
 
“Actually, I was hoping you’d be able to tell me my name.”
 
She reached in her pocket pulling out a piece of paper.
 
“I woke up in a field with these clothes on and this note.”
 
She handed me the worn out piece of paper.

 
You’ll find your answers at the Phelan farm in Choctaw Oklahoma.

 
Her eyes brimmed with tears causing my heart to skip a beat in sympathy for her.
 
“Are you telling me you don’t know your name?” She nodded her head yes.
 
I grabbed some sugar for Oakley and guided her to follow me.
 
“Do you have amnesia or something?”

 
“I guess.
 
I really don’t know.
 
It’s been four days.
 
Whoever left me in the field, set up a tent and left me some canned soup.”
   
She coughed a little.
 
“Excuse me.
 
I’m getting a cold or something.
 
I’ve been hot and cold and started coughing a lot yesterday.”

 
We walked over to Oakley, he gave me a quizzical look.
 
“New friend?”
 
Oakley grinned at me.

 
“No.
 
Well, yes actually.
 
Look at this note.”
 
I handed him the note.

 
“Interesting.
 
What’s your name?”
 
Oakley asked her and eyed her up and down.

 
“She doesn’t know who she is.
 
If you’re finished in here, can we go? We’ll talk in the truck.
 
We’re taking her with us.”
 
We headed to the doors.
 
“It’s not far.
 
We’ll get you cleaned up and have some lunch.”
 
Once the doors closed I could smell it on her.
 
I smelled an open wound.
 
She smelled of werewolf.
 
Oakley and I had gotten better at communication with our thoughts.
 
My problem is I couldn’t help but make facial expressions as I thought my talk instead of talking out loud.
 
Oakley told me I was a terrible mime.

 
“Don’t start making your weird faces at me, just listen.
 
She smells like she has been bitten.
 
I’ve heard of were’s that are bitten and all of the sudden have amnesia.
 
One interesting thing is she had to have been bitten at least five days ago and she hasn’t healed.
 
She hasn’t shifted yet but her case will probably be extreme.
 
She is one of those that could turn and never turn back because she has forgotten who she is.
 
We need to get her some help.
 
Will you send Chrissy a text and have her come out.
 
She has done pretty well at healing the wounded animals we’ve found; maybe she can help this girl.”
 
Oakley thought to me.

 
“I really appreciate the ride.
 
Do you think your parents can help me?”
 
She asked.

 
“Hmmm, how to answer that?
 
Mrs. Phelan is out of the country and my parents have left for a cruise.
 
Interestingly enough, I’m the one in charge.
 
Don’t let my baby face fool you,” I said with a smile.

 
“We’re almost there and we’ll be able to look into this a little further,”
 
Oakley said.

 
She leaned back in her seat, more relaxed than I would have been in her situation.
 
I could only imagine what it would be like to all of the sudden be alone in the world and not know who I was.
 
It was obvious she had more faith in us then I did.
 
I sent Chrissy a text and sat lost in thought until we pulled into the long driveway.

 
“You’re kidding me!”
 
She exclaimed.
 
“This is your house?”

 
She had the same reaction I did the first time I saw the enormous house just over a year ago.
 
“Its home,” I said.

 
“I’d never imagine a farmer living in a place like this,” she said as she climbed out of the truck and walked with us to the doors.
 
Alistar
gave us a quick bark, acknowledging our new friend.
 

 
“So you’ve been to farms before?”
 
Oakley asked suspiciously.

 
“I forgot who I am; I didn’t forget what everything is.
 
I have a general knowledge of what things are, what they do, what is expected, but I have no damned idea who I am,” she said in frustration.

 
Oakley held up his hands as if he were surrendering to her.
 
“I’m sorry.
 
I didn’t mean to make any accusations.
 
I believe you. Really, I do.”
 

 
“I’m okay, I am tired, dirty and I’m really hungry.
 
Do you have some peanut butter and jelly?
 
I could really use a sandwich.”
   

 
I started walking to the kitchen, meeting up with our new chef Estelle.
 
“Did I hear someone ask for peanut butter and jelly?
 
I have some fried chicken and potato salad made up if you’d rather have something to put meat on your bones.
 
You’re too skinny.”
 
Estelle said with a hint of her Columbian accent.
 
She took over after their chef for the last ten years quit after the General died.

 
“That would be amazing!”
 
Mystery girl said.

 
“I’ll eat with you,” I said.
 
Oakley raised his hand, letting us know he’d be joining us.
 
I leaned over to whisper in her ear that we needed to give her a name, until we figure out who she was.

 
“I like the name Samantha, how about Sam?”
 
She said as she took a seat at the glass breakfast table.
 
“This kitchen is really pretty, that vase of red roses looks amazing on the black granite.
 
I love, love, love the marble island.
 
It is gorgeous.”

 
“Mrs. Phelan has great taste.
 
We call her Dolly; she’ll be back in a couple of months.
 
We Skype with her all of the time though, so maybe you’ll get a chance to meet her.
 
You’re welcome to stay with us while we figure things out about you.
 
We have several guest rooms; you can pick whichever you want.
 
They all look the same to me but the girls keep telling me I’m blind.
 
Speaking of girls, my girlfriend Chrissy is on her way out here.”
 
I grabbed a couple pieces of chicken and spooned out some potato salad onto my plate.
 
“Don’t be shy around here or you’ll never get anything to eat,” I said, before taking a bite of chicken.

 
After lunch we showed Sam the way to the guest rooms.
 
She picked a room with brown walls and an enormous pine canopy bed.
 
I’d always been a fan of that room because of its huge marble fireplace.
 

 
“You’re about the same size as Shaynie; I’ll grab some jeans and a sweater for you out of her room.
 
Maybe you and Chrissy can go to the mall and pick up some clothes if you’d like.”
 
I stood at the doorway as she walked in the room.
 
“There should be shampoo and stuff in the cabinets in the bathroom.
 
Estelle put a toothbrush and some toothpaste on the counter for you.
 
Relax, everything will be okay.”
 
I tried to reassure her in the very awkward situation.

 
She walked towards me stopping at the doorway.
 
“Abel, thank you.
 
I’ll be done soon.”

Chapter 3. Wolf

“The wolf said, “You know, my dear, it isn’t safe for a little girl to walk through these woods alone.”

~ Little Red Cap - Grimm’s Household Tales

 
I heard
Alistar
, the pack’s Irish Wolfhound, baritone bark informing us that Chrissy pulled up.
 
I stood on the porch watching her get out of Parker’s
Prius
.
 
When he left with Pru to find the General’s murderer he told Chrissy she could use it while he was gone.
 
Her puffy pink coat with white fur trimmed hood stood out against her freshly colored hair.
 
She had her hair cut short and colored black on the bottom with white on the top tipped in hot pink.
 
I loved the free spirit of her personality and how she expressed herself.
 
She recently quit her job at Ta Ta’s and started work at a wildlife rescue with the help of Dolly.
 
Her boss sported a Mohawk which was usually multiple colors.
 
He’d told Chrissy the animals didn’t complain about his hair, so he wouldn’t complain about hers.
 
I knew not everyone could pull it off, but she could.