After Life (30 page)

It's Lee. He's come out of his coma. He's going to be all right,

Jessie.

Jessie pressed her small closed fist into her mouth and began to sob.

Tracy sat on the bed to embrace her.

There, there, she said. It's all right now, Jessie. It's all right.

I know, Jessie muttered, and smiled. I know.

Ma'am? Greg Daniels said. I'm afraid we still don't understand what

happened here.

Jessie widened her smile. I sent him back to hell.

EPILOGUE

Tracy Baker and Jessie, both wearing flannel shirts and jeans and both

with bandannas tied around their hair, came out to the porch of the

DeGroot house into the bright morning sunlight, their arms filled with

clothes on hangers. It was a great day to move, everyone thought, blue

skies, cool and dry.

Watch your-- Tracy began, and then stopped her warning as Jessie

accurately began to descend the small stairway. Bob and Lee paused in

their loading of the U-Haul and looked back, smiling as Jessie sauntered

up the walk toward them without hesitation.

I can't keep up with her, Tracy cried, rushing down the steps.

You don't have the same motivation to get out of here, Jessie said. She

turned toward the cemetery.

You're not hearing the voices again, are you? Bob asked, and glanced at

Lee.

No, Jessie said.

For a long moment no one spoke.

Let me take that, Lee said, scooping the clothing out of Jessie's hands.

Bob took the clothing Tracy held.

we're almost finished, Tracy said, and the two women started back into

the house.

I must say, Jessie looks radiantly happy these days, Bob commented. lee

nodded.

She is. Funny thing was, I didn't think she could be as long as we

remained in Gardner Town. I thought she would want us to move more than

ever, but she believes in her story so much . . . she's so confident.

Lee turned to Bob. She's got me believing it. He had to confess to

himself that part of the reason for that concerned his act of adultery

and how Jessie's story of evil and possession helped justify it. It

made sense. Hadn't Monica London resigned from her position at the

school and left Gardner Town?

And when Henry and Marjorie Young came by to visit and brought along

their son, Lee continued, Jesse didn't seem at all surprised. She said

she knew they would all make up and Henry would accept what the boy was

doing. He's a fine young man, with a true love for spiritual things.

Henry' s changed, too, hasn't he? He's firmer, more supportive, and as

a result you can see and feel a difference in the school. There's an

air of control, discipline. It's the sort of school I originally

thought I was coming to, Lee said.

I know, Bob said. He leaned back against the car.

What's the matter? Lee asked. Aren't you happy about all that?

Oh sure. You Swear you won't say anything? Bob replied.

Of course. What is it?

Every once in a while I come across something I did after my heart

attack . . .

And I have no memory of doing it. Tracy swears I did, of course, and

there's evidence I did, but. . .

Like what?

Well, the most astounding thing is I just don't recall how I got

involved in the cemetery corporation with Dr. Beezly. I mean, I know

it's my signature on those documents, but it's like buying a stock and

forgetting it, forgetting what you originally paid for it. That sort of

thing.

You're still getting your dividend checks, aren't you?

Well there's a problem. I had to turn it all over to Willy Stevens.

Something with the mortgages.

Wasn't Henry Young involved in that, too?

Yeah and Willy's his attorney, too. He paused and then looked up. We're

going to have to sell the house.

Oh no.

It's too much house for us anyway. Which is another thing, he added.

What?

I don't feel like it's my house . . . like it's my home.

Sometimes I wake up at night and wonder where the hell I am. Really. It

takes me a moment or two. Now, don't you go telling any of this to

Jessie, Bob warned.

Lee smiled.

I think she already knows.

Yeah, yeah. Bob started to put a carton into the back of the U-Haul.

What about Dr. Beezly? Lee asked, coming up beside him.

What do you mean?

I've heard the rumors and I'm sure you have, too, but none of us--not

Henry, not you, not me--wants to talk about it.

You mean the stuff about the burns over his body. Yeah. Lee gazed back

at the house quickly to be sure Jessie wasn't returning yet. I All I

know is they found him dead in bed and the coroner ruled it a heart

attack. You missed quite a funeral while you were still in the

hospital.

Somehow that doesn't upset me, Lee said.

I know, but you've got to give the devil his due.

Don't say that, even in jest, Lee warned. The girls had reemerged and

were carrying additional armfuls of clothing.

A lot of people miss him. He was a throwback to a gentler age--house

calls, real involvement with his patients. I miss him myself.

Who do you miss? Jesse asked, halfway down the walk.

Sorry, I keep forgetting how keen her hearing is, Bob said. Nobody.

You don't have to lie, Bob, Jessie said, stepping up to hand Lee the

clothing. You were whispering about Dr. Beezly.

Jess. . . Lee warned.

It's all right. The Dr. Beezly Bob, you and other people miss was the

real Dr. Beezly. How the devil got possession of his soul is something

between the doctor and God, she insisted.

Okay, Jess, Lee said. We agreed.

Regardless of what everyone agrees and thinks and says, Tracy said,

unloading her armful of clothing into Bob's arms, the fact remains that

this town now has only one physician.

Maybe not for long, Bob said.

What do you mean' Lee asked.

Bob loaded in the garments and turned back.

The real estate agent called this morning before we left to come over

here. We've got someone biting on the house and his name is Dr. Timons.

Is that so? You're selling the house? Jessie asked, and then quickly

said, Of course. Jessie Overstreet, Tracy said, her hands on her hips,

you're getting to sound like a regular fortune-teller.

Yeah, Jessie, Bob said. If you're going to practice predicting the

future, how's Lee's team going to do this Friday night? Jessie

hesitated and then moved closer to Lee.

His team's going to win, and fairly, she said.

Spoken like a true coach's wife, Bob said.

Well, why not? That's what she is. Lee threw his arm about her

shoulders. They all laughed.

When the last of their personal possessions was loaded they got into

their cars to drive off. Jessie rolled her window down and turned

toward the cemetery. Lee started the engine and began to drive off, but

he saw the way she was listening. Hear something? he asked softly as

they drove past the stone arch. Jessie turned and smiled at him.

No, she said. He hoped and prayed she was telling the truth.